Just like tossing a coin and getting neither head nor tail. It lands wheeling on its side. Strange? It is. We cannot say Olamide is an opportunist, yet we cannot disregard the fact that he took the chances of Dagrin’s demise to roughen his way up into limelight. Only a few artists could make it up his way. I remember his lyrics in ‘Ghost mode’ by Phyno where he said: “One man mopol mi o ni record label, awon tan sign yin ibi ti mo de won o le de be”. A hit line that says he doesn’t have a record label and as well lauding his great achievements.

Yes! He is not an opportunist. The YBNL nation that comes into realisation today and as well has produced quite a number of hip hop acts isn’t a day job. I know how long it took Olamide to register that name in our minds, I know how many tracks he made chanting that ‘yahoo boy no laptop’, before he eventually made it an album and then launch it as his label name.

We don’t stop a child from being a leper, only if he can live by himself in the woods. I knew it wasn’t Olamide’s intention to let go of Lil Kesh when his contract ended but the ‘Skibo robo skibo’ ambassador already had fame and the whooing street love he had received over time with Shoki, Efejoku and other hit tracks in his head that he forgot he still needed much to learn. It’s not all about the punchline, nor the vulgarity, nor the way one trends with the beat. It’s more about understanding your audience and knowing how to blend your ways with their demands. It’s more about tailoring your moves to remain relevant in the industry.

I have not said Lil Kesh is no more relevant in the music industry and my point isn’t about his still-smooth relationship with the YBNL boss. I’m saying in a nutshell that YAGI has come some years too early. The record label might not be really functioning but that does not erase its existence. To be candid, my love for Lil Kesh as an artist came from Olamide’s influence. The street accepted him that early and loudly because he was backed up by King Baddo himself. The big mistake he
made was not waiting for the time when he would have grown too rooted in the minds of his lovers that his detachment from YBNL wouldn’t have an effect on his career.

Lil Kesh is not mature enough to own a record label. He still has much more to learn. One reason he has not really received any major award so far. He makes his tracks and has his fans but arguably small doctor is currently more respected and adored on the street than he is. You can dream big but you need to start small if and only if you don’t want to crumble and leave on yourself lasting scars.

Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Op-ed Editor