Davido drops it like it’s hot!
Real name: David Adedeji Adeleke Stage name: Davido Date of birth: November 21, 1992 State of Origin: Osun Nationality: Nigerian Genre: Naija Pop, Dancehall, Afrobeat
His name is synonymous with success and despite being born with a silver spoon he chose not to depend on his family wealth but to carve a name for himself in the entertainment industry. It’s all about the artist whose rise has been nothing short astronomical. As a producer, he has made beats for Tiwa Savage, Skales, Sauce Kid, amongst others. His name is Davido.
Born in Atlanta in the United States, Davido is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and music producer. His father is business magnate Prince Adedeji Adeleke and his mother (who is now late) was a University lecturer.
Davido was raised in Lagos where he attended the British International School and went on to study Business Administration at Oakwood University before dropping out to make beats and record music.
His interest in music started from his university days where he purchased musical instruments and started producing beats and recording vocals. That was when he decided to shun his studies to focus on doing what he loves.
Davido returned to Nigeria in 2011 and to make his father happy and bring honor to him, he went back to further his academic career at Babcock University from where he earned a degree in Music in July 2015.
He started working on his first album in 2011, the same year he broke into the music industry with the hit single Dami Duro. Titled Omo Baba Olowo, the album is an embodiment Afrobeat and Hip Hop and features Naeto C, Sina Rambo, B-Red, Kayswitch, Ice Prince, and 2face.
Omo Baba Olowo was well-received by music critics and won Best R&B/Pop Album of the Year at The Headies 2013. It was also nominated for Album of the year at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards. The album’s lead singles Back When (featuring Naeto C), Dami Duro, and Overseas got frequent airplay.
In February 2013, Davido released Gobe, a single produced by Shizzi. Its video was shot in South Africa by Godfather Productions. The track was second position on Premium Times list of the Top 10 songs of 2013.
The singer dropped Skelewu on August 13, 2013 (it reached number 1 on Afrobiz’s Top 100 Chart) and released Aye in February 2014. Produced by T Spize, the video was directed by Clarence Peters.
As Davido’s fame grew in the entertainment industry, so did his adaptability and ability to become a team player, leading to a collaboration with Mi Casa, Lola Rae, Sarkodie, Diamond Platnumz, and Tiwa Savage in June 2014 on a song for DSTV’s Africa Rising campaign which was set up to inspire Africans to take part in community investment projects.
Davido featured American rapper Meek Mill on Fans Mi and won the Best African Act at the MOBO Awards in November 2017, becoming the first artist on the continent to give a live performance at the event.
He became the first African music star to receive an award on BET’s main stage and it was presented to him by Hollywood actor Omari Hardwick and actress Tika Sumpter.
Davido collaborated with U.S. singer Chris Brown in August 2019 on his song Blow My Mind. It became a smash hit and the video was largely praised.
His second studio album A Good Time was released on November 22, 2019, and was supported by the previously released Blow My Mind, Fall, and Assurance.
Davido has cited the likes of Don Jazzy, 2baba, Sound Sultan, and Wande Coal as musical influences and as an artist has nurtured others to rise up in the industry. A good example is artists Mayorkun and Lil Frosh who are currently signed under his DMW label.
As the industry continues to undergo changes, artists like Davido continue to reinvent themselves to stay relevant. His most peculiar artistic trait is knowing what the fans want and giving it to them consistently.
With several hits under his name and an impressive portfolio of achievements, Davido is one of the industry’s most sought artists because he delivers like no one else!
1 Comment
nice one