The New Kids On The Block (2)

Vector: In 2009, influential music blog, notjustok.com, wrote about Vector: “The King of UNILAG rap,this young star has been widely celebrated as one of the best underground battle rappers from Yaba all the way to the Island… now he’s set his mind on going nationwide. I gotta say I’m already a huge fan.” Already likened to American hiphop mogul, JayZ, with similar voice, Vector is ready for the game. He is an undisputed emcee endowed with freestyle skills and flair. This he awesomely displays on several freestyle battles including Channel ‘O’ Lagos Party at The Vaults and Unilag Rap King.

Within a short time, Vector, born Olanrewaju Ogunmefun, has become one of Nigeria’s rising rappers with A-list collabos including one with 9ice on his Bashorun Gaa/Versus double album. Vector’s Get Down track from his State of Surprise debut album, also featured one of Africa’s best, Tuface Idibia. Recently, he also teamed up with United States-based Sauce Kid to drop Kitchen Street, a rap tune that has further pushed the dude into the rank of the finest rappers around.

Vector is the voice behind one of the Sprite Commercials airing on most radio stations across Nigeria. This 2012, many would be on the tail of this smooth rapper as one of the faces of hip hop.

Olamide: When you hear the slang, Eni Duro, the fast rising rapper, Olamide, readily come to mind. The young rapper was launched unto the mainstream of entertaiment industry courtesy of Toni Payne, the popular talent manager and estranged wife of Afro pop star 9ice. Though reports had it that the rapper and Toni parted ways same year over management issue, the influence of the newest Coded Tunes artiste’s hit single of the same title spread like wild fire in 2011 and it also established the young man as a lyrically tight microphone player.

Olamide dropped his debut album Rap-So-Di in early 2011, by November of the same year, he released another fresh cut titled Ilefo Illuminati. And with that track, he wins more and more fans. This has made many music lovers believe in this smooth rapper as one of the new kids on the block to hoist the hiphop flag in 2012.

Brymo: His hook on co-Chocolate City label mate, Ice Prince’s 2010 monster hit, Oleku, launched BrYmo into Nigeria’s mainstream hiphop scene. The success of the single made many to tout Brymo as Nigeria’s hook master. But he changed the game when in September 2011, he dropped his first single, Ara, under Chocolate City. The new song at a time claimed number six trending topic globally on twitter.

Apart from Ice Prince, Brymo has also been on a few other hit songs including M.I’s Action Film, 2-Shot’s Attention and Sasha’s Ma Wo Be.

Brymo, born Ashimi Olawale, is a singer, composer, songwriter and recording artiste signed to the Chocolate City music label. In 1999 at age 14 and while still in high school, Brymo wrote his first song. Pleased with the results, the young Brymo was inspired to pursue a career in music. His solo career commenced fully in 2008 when he released Shardy, a hit single, alongside the video. The video peaked at number two on the MTV Base Top 10 countdown. It also reached number one on Nigezie Top 10 as well as bagged a nomination at the following year’s Soundcity Music Video Awards.

Brymo is sure to blow further this year.

Dr. Sid: Sidney Onoriode Esiri, popularly known as Dr. Sid was born on 1 May, 1980 in Ikeja, Lagos state southwest Nigeria. Though music has always been his first love, Dr. Sid worked as a dentist before leaving the job to start a professional career in music.

Currently a member of the Mo’Hits All Stars, Dr. Sid is a singer and song writer of note, and of course can easily be regarded as one of the new faces of Nigerian Hip hop.

His professional music career started in 1999 when he joined the Hip Hop group, Da Trybe. As a member of the group, he performed at major concerts and gigs, sharing same stage with other acts such as Sasha, 2shotz and Trybesmen to mention a few.

After the release of his debut album titled Turning Point on 11 April, 2011, his fame has been on a steady rise.

D’Prince: Charles Enebeli came into the music scene as part of the Mohits Allstars in 2007 and featured on his singles like Close to You, Booty Call and Igbe Mi

His debut single, Omoba, was released in December 2009, with a club bangers like Jonzing World and Give It To Me. His debut album, Jonzing World was released in 2011. He floated a club, Club Jonzing in Victoria Island in partnership with late Susan Yusuf a.k.a. Suzy Q, but the partnership went sour after months of operation.

—Bayo Adetu, Funsho Arogundade & Anthonia Ohiero