Without Late Rapper “ Dagrin” , Using Yoruba To Rap It Wouldn ’ t Have Been Accepted

Dagrin did not start Yoruba rap. He finessed it,
and blew it up in a way that was so huge and
inspiring, that 7 years after his demise, it is
grown into more than a genre.
It’s a culture. A phenomenon. A lifestyle. A
community.
Saturday marks the 7 anniversary of Dagrin’s
death. The rapper gave up the ghost on April 22,
2010 at a hospital in Lagos, after an auto crash.
Dagrin who is survived by his parents and
siblings, had released two albums, which
possess a string of hit songs, including the great
‘Pon pon pon’.
Before Dagrin there was Yoruba rap. Other
artists had carried it as a means of delivery, and
created records before he even showed up on
the scene. Lord of Ajasa and AY began this
movement and pioneered it. And although they
created the genre and released records with it,
they didn’t go pop.
But entered Dagrin.
Dagrin’s home was in Meiran, Alagbado, Lagos.
His style of rapping incorporated Yoruba, English
and Pidgin English. In 2010 he was nominated for
the Nigerian Entertainment Awards for Best
Album (C.E.O.), Hottest Single “ Pon Pon Pon“,
Best Rap Act and Best Collaboration with vocals.
His album C.E.O. (Chief Executive Omota) won
the Hip hop World Award 2010 for best rap
album.
From it came the singles ‘ Pon Pon Pon’, and
‘Kondo ’. Dagrin also worked with other Nigerian
artists such as Y.Q, 9ice, M.I, Iceberg Slim,
Omobaba, Terry G, Code, Mistar Dollar, TMD
Entertainment, Omowumi, Chuddy K, Bigiano,
and Konga. He is associated with music
producers like Sossick, Dr Frabz, Sheyman,
Frenzy and 02.
During his short career he created enough to
last a lifetime. Dagrin took dialectical rap, ran
with and made it better. He made it popular,
transformed it from a niche sound to a
commercial movement, made it look cool to the
public, and made money.
But the most important part of it all was how he
broke through glass ceilings and made a genre
so lucrative that it inspired a generation of young
musicians to take the baton after his death and
utilize it to create a cultural movement and
phenomenon. Dialectical indigenous rap is a
money-maker in Nigeria, and it has had stars
such as Olamide and Reminisce.
Olamide himself, did not meet Dagrin, but he was
inspired by the work he put in.
“He paved way for people like me, as well as
Lord of Ajasa. Lord of Ajasa paved the way for
people like me, Idris Abdulkareem, the likes of
AY, Junior & Pretty. It’s a movement, it has to
keep going on. Every now and then, every new
set of artistes that come out, they have to pave
the way for a new generation.” Olamide said.
He speaks the truth. Indigenous dialectical Hip
hop is a movement that will outlive all of its
prophets now. It outlived Dagrin, who put it on
this thriving path.
It’s 7 years on since Dagrin left, but the flourish
he added to the genre has ensured that many
others have risen from his template. This is
immortality. This is the reason for human
existence; to live the world a better place than
you met it.
What do you think guys?
Drop your comments
This Piece was written by Pulse NG

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