The Forefather of Indigenous Rap: Olamide Credits Dagrin as the Defining Influence on His Career and Other Rappers

In a powerful acknowledgment that highlights a pivotal moment in Nigerian music history, Afrobeats star and hip-hop titan Olamide Adedeji, popularly known as Baddo, has credited the late rapper Oladapo Olaitan Olaonipekun, known as Dagrin, as the central influence on his career and the indigenous rap movement as a whole. Dagrin’s impact, though tragically short-lived, fundamentally changed the trajectory of hip-hop in Nigeria, making the industry receptive to native language rap.

Olamide’s statement provides historical context, affirming Dagrin’s role as the forerunner who proved that street-conscious, indigenous music could achieve mainstream success.

Dagrin, who passed away in 2010, is widely celebrated for his authentic blend of Yoruba, Pidgin, and English lyrics over Western-style beats. Before him, few artists dared to take indigenous rap to the forefront of the music scene.

Olamide emphasized that Dagrin’s sophomore album, C.E.O. (Chief Executive Omoita), along with hit singles like “Pon Pon Pon” and “Ghetto Dreamz,” set both the commercial and artistic blueprint for indigenous rappers. Dagrin’s success demonstrated that authentic storytelling about the struggles and dreams of “ghetto kids,” delivered in local dialects, could resonate widely. This opened the door for artists like Olamide, Reminisce, and Phyno to dominate the next era of Nigerian hip-hop.

Olamide’s early hits, such as “Eni Duro,” directly followed the cultural momentum created by Dagrin, illustrating why his acknowledgment of Dagrin’s influence remains a key discussion in Nigerian music history.

While Olamide has since surpassed many of Dagrin’s commercial records, forming the influential YBNL Nation and expanding his sound into global Afropop, he remains humble about Dagrin’s foundational role. Comparisons to Dagrin were immediate when Olamide broke out, and he embraced the challenge of filling the void left by the “Barack O Grin.” The movement also influenced Reminisce and Phyno, whose collaboration Local Rappers declared the streets’ dominance a continuation of the path Dagrin pioneered.

Olamide’s tribute ensures that Dagrin’s revolutionary impact is remembered, securing his place as a foundational figure in a sound that has now reached global audiences.

Olamide’s recognition of Dagrin as an indispensable figure underscores the enduring legacy of a star whose risk-taking and authenticity paved the way for the modern indigenous rap industry.