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Wizkid
The Lagos boy from Ojuelegba who pushed Afrobeats from the streets of Surulere onto the world's biggest stages.
The rise
Born Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun in the Ojuelegba area of Surulere, Lagos, he sang in church as a child and broke through with the 2010 single 'Holla at Your Boy' and his 2011 debut album Superstar.
What they did
He won a Grammy for his feature on Beyonce's 'Brown Skin Girl' (2021), topped charts worldwide with the album Made in Lagos (2020), and with 'Essence' became one of the first Afrobeats artists to crack the US Billboard Hot 100.
The full picture
His towering influence is matched by an unpredictable side: long album delays, public feuds with peers such as Davido and Burna Boy, and on-and-off relations with collaborators and his own fanbase. He embodies both the genius and the volatility of the Afrobeats era.
Why it matters
Wizkid proved an African artist singing in Pidgin and Yoruba inflections could be a global headliner on his own terms, opening doors for a whole generation of African musicians.
“"I make music for the world, but I make it from Lagos."”
What citizens said
Afrobarometer Round 9 (2021–2023) — Nigeria
% who say 'trust somewhat' or 'trust a lot' · Afrobarometer Dispatch No. 891