For Wizkid, a Holla at Grammy

Starboy singer, Ayodeji Balogun (Wizkid), and
another Nigerian artiste, Faridah Seriki, get
Grammy nominations, AKEEM LASISI writes
Not long after he kissed stardom with the
song, Holla at your Boy, Ayodeji Balogun,
popularly called Wizkid, prematurely left the
university he was attending. It was a decision
that caused a stir as some people felt that he
was being dangerously exuberant.
But Wizkid followed his instinct and dream.
Perhaps he saw what many did not see ahead.
Perhaps it is a gamble ‘come true’. What is
obvious now is that he has made a huge
success of his career to the point that only a
few can remember that he once had to drop
out of the university.
After several breakthroughs that include some
three major international awards this year
alone, the artiste has zoomed back to the
consciousness of the Nigerian music scene
and beyond, with a Grammy nomination he just
secured. With the development, Wizkid has entered
another ‘hall of fame’ following the likes of King
Sunny Ade and Femi Anikulapo Kuti, who have
been nominated for the Grammy two and four
times, respectively.
The nomination did not directly come to him,
say for his own work, but for featuring in
Drake’s hit single One Dance.
The track is from Drake’s hit album, Views,
which makes the Album of the Year category
at the 2016 Grammy.
It, however, has a long way to cover as it is
competing with the works of huge stars, such
as Adele, Beyonce and Justin Bieber.
A nomination is not as sweet as outright win,
but many people see it as a giant stride. A few
years ago, Wizkid decided to go international
by seeking collaborations abroad and
promoting his works far beyond his fatherland.
That, again, is a gamble that has failed several
Nigerian artistes who sought the greener
pastures at what can be described as the peak
of the careers. For instance, observers believe
that the foreign adventures that the likes of
Lagbaja, Adewale Ayuba and D’Banj embarked
at various times caused major setbacks for
them. Indeed, D’Banj warned his colleagues
against such moves a few months ago. For
Wizkid, however, it seems to be so far so
Grammy – sorry, so good.
Wizkid is raising Nigeria’s flag alongside
Faridah Seriki, daughter of a politician, Demola
Seriki.
This is more surprising to many people as the
singer, whose stage name is Kah-Lo, is not yet
popular in the country.
The graduate of Hofstra Journalism in the
United States of America was nominated for
‘Best Dance Recording Rinse & Repeat – Riton,
Featuring Kah-Lo’.
To buttress the song’s popularity, it has been
streamed 5 million times on Spotify and played
1.5 million times on YouTube less than a
month after its release.
Ultimately some Nigerian artistes – even if of
mixed descents — have won the Grammy. They
include SEAL (Olusegun Samuel) an R&B ,
singer born to a Nigerian mother and Brazilian
father. There is also Sade (Folashade Adu),
Chamillionaire (Hakeem Seriki), Sikiru Adepoju
and Kelvin Olusola.