How OlayemiMusic Stole the Spotlight at Lagos DJ Mix Competition 2025 – 12 minutes of vibes and spotlight

By Otosirieze Obi-Young

On the evening of 28th February 2025, The Pulse Arena in Victoria Island pulsed with excitement as the annual Lagos DJ Mix Competition roared to life. Over 500 fans packed the venue, eagerly waiting to witness a battle of beats, skills, and pure Lagos vibes. DJ Consequence, as always, set the pace with a masterful opening with some Amapiano and ofc some Afrobeats like Wizkid and Burna boy, Seyi vibes, setting up and making the crowd go crazy.

Eight of Lagos’ finest DJs came prepared, each armed with their crates of vinyl, hard drives of exclusive edits, and a hunger for glory. The format was strict: three knockout rounds where beat-matching precision, creative set-building, and crowd control would make the superstar of the night and separate the stars from the beginner. By 6:30 PM, the house lights dimmed, the basslines shook the walls, and the first DJ dropped the banger mix.

As the semi-final heats progressed, it became clear this crowd wasn’t here for half-baked efforts. Every DJ had exactly ten minutes to prove themselves, and even the slightest slip, a late drop, or an awkward blend, earned gasps from the audience like “Ah! Wetin be this?”.

Then, drama struck. Mid-set, a fan favourite DJ’s mixer failed. His sound cut out completely, leaving the crowd in shocking silence. Tension filled the air, and pockets of the audience erupted in frustration. One guy in the back shouted, “Ah, dem wan cheat this boy o!”

Another voice closer to the front yelled, “E be like say na this DJ go win before wahala happen o. Wetin dem go do now?” These voices are from fans who thought something had been done to make that DJ on purpose when another said “Dem wan show this guy lagos “.

Some restless guys tried to start a fight, but security moved swiftly, pushing back and restoring order before the situation escalated. The air was tense; everyone was waiting to see what would happen next.
That was when DJ Consequence, with quick thinking, turned to OlayemiMusic by the poolside, without hesitation, gesturing for him to step up and play while the issue was being resolved.

From the very first beat, OlayemiMusic owned the stage. His track, “Sunrise Lagos Mixtape”, sent an immediate shockwave through the crowd. He begins with a popular skits that matches the fight that was happening in the background, “Agege boys” when that ‘Agege boys’ sample dropped, I swear, I had to clutch my chest! Lagos is not for the faint of heart.

This made almost everyone laugh, and this softens the air and made people less aggressive as they shifted focus to him, some people in the crowd who are not yet familiar with his mixes shouted “who be this one” seem they are not very impressed yet, but he soon continued with his remix of Burna boys Bundle by bundle, then soon transitions to Kashcoming – All my money, looping and cueing two relevant part from both song “all my money take all my money go” from Kashcoming and “bundle by bundle” from burna boy, this making entirely new song, like a remix of both songs, Crisp percussion layered over a sub-bass, this wasn’t just a filler set; it was a masterclass. The energy in the arena shifted. People started shouting in incitement, girls were dancing, while some guys sprayed money in bundles, trust Lagos , that few minutes turned to a Lagos party and made people forget the initial event.

“Ah! Who be this guy wey just enter like say e get key to the whole arena!” a lady near the front row shouted, her voice ringing clear above the music.

“Baba, na this kind sound dey burst brain o!” another guy shouted from the left flank, jumping and waving his hands in the air.

As Olayemi transitioned seamlessly into a reimagined remix of Burna Boy’s latest single, someone else screamed, “Omo, see as e blend the track! DJ wey sabi no dey plenty for this Lagos o!”

Throughout his set, the cheers kept growing. You could see heads nodding, feet stomping, and phones going up to capture the moment. Even the judges, usually stoic, exchanged knowing glances. Behind the decks, Olayemi worked with intentional precision, with every cue point hit like clockwork. There was no clutter, no overmixing, just clean, confident transitions.

Compared to the other DJs that night, some of whom leaned too much on safe, familiar hits or struggled to lock in their transitions, OlayemiMusic brought a different kind of sharpness. While a few DJs had moments of brilliance, like DJ Breeze’s rapid-fire cuts and DJ Tayo’’s high-energy drops, they sometimes lost the crowd in their complexity or got stuck in loops that dragged too long, while they’re trying to be sophisticated or do too much. Olayemi’s strength was in keeping it simple but powerful, never trying to do too much. That said, he could’ve taken more risks. There were moments where you could tell he played it safe by sticking to probably songs he has tried and worked on or only afrobeats, amapiano that most Lagos audiences will easily relate to instead of throwing in unexpected genre flips or experimental genre blends. A little more edge or surprise would have pushed his set even higher.

Technically, Olayemi’s standout moment was when he flawlessly synced the vocal loop from Kashcoming’s “All My Money” over the chorus from Burna Boy’s “Bundle by Bundle,” then add his own drum patterns over the top like a chef making a known dish but with his own signature. The way he teased the hook, cutting the vocals in and out before the drop was surprising. His cue and EQ balance was tight and smooth, and his transitions were mostly straight-up mix with little filter, not wild FX-heavy jumps like some others tried and fumbled. It wasn’t flashy mixing, but it was smart, well-timed, and served the moment.

Beyond the technical mastery, his understanding of sound, his environment, and the event dynamics was unmatched. Olayemi knew exactly when to pull back, when to let the percussion breathe, when to introduce skits that have popular artists’ voices, and when to drop something heavy to make the crowd crazy, even when to stop. He wasn’t just playing tracks, he was telling a story and controlling the crowd.

One guy near the VIP area, holding a bottle of beer, shouted, “This one no be small boy o! If dem give am chance, e go carry this trophy dey waka!”

By the time the competition resumed, the energy had shifted. Yes, DJ Breeze eventually took home the official trophy on judges points, but in the hearts of many, the night belonged to OlayemiMusic. Social media exploded, clips of his set flooded Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

In a post-event interview with NaijaLoaded, OlayemiMusic whose full name is Ilesanmi Olayemi Samson confirmed that promoters had already started reaching out, offering him headline gigs across Lagos and beyond. All from a single, unplanned 12-minute performance.

The 2025 Lagos DJ Mix Competition will be remembered for its raw talent, its moments of chaos, and the night an unexpected underdog rose to claim his place in the spotlight.

For those who witnessed it live, it was a reminder that in Lagos, you always have to stay ready. As one fan shouted after the event, still buzzing with excitement, “For this Lagos, opportunity no dey knock—na you go use style open door!”

Indeed, OlayemiMusic opened the door that night, and the whole city took notice.