The term street credibility was made popular by 9ice and 2face back in the days when 9ice still had it going for him in music. Street credibility in music basically means being accepted wholly as an artist by the streets and its people. In mainstream music in Nigeria today, this is kind of the most difficult acceptance to have. Being super popular has not translated to street cred for most Nigerian artists. Ask an average street boy if he knows Tiwa Savage and you might just get a ‘NO’ for an answer. But try asking him if he knows Olamide (Badoosneh), and you will most assuredly get a ‘YES’. We take a look at Nigerian singers who rank top on the streets.
Olamide: Olamide has managed to appeal to all kinds of music audience there is in Nigeria. The street knows Olamide just as much as he’s known by the ‘tush’ people. This isn’t a coincidence at all. You can feel the street vibes in all Olamide’s song, you can equally get the feel good dance vibes. Other artists have identified this part of him, hence the reason he’s one of the most featured artists in Nigerian presently.
Lil Kesh: Lil Kesh made the ‘Shoki’ dance and beat popular. You can’t mention ‘shoki’ today and leave his name out. Being an integral part of the YBNL set up, one can easily say Olamide has had a lot of input into why he appeals to the street.
Small Doctor: Everybody in Nigeria may not know him, but he’s very popular on the streets. His usual lines like ‘I dey kill mosquito well well’ has found its way onto the lips of people on the streets; even women. Street carnivals could not have enough of him last December.
Phyno: Phyno took the whole country by storm just as Da Grin did by being to Igbo speaking people what Da Grin is to Yoruba speaking people. Phyno successfully broke into the western market with a collaboration with Olamide. That turned out to be the collaboration that calved a niche for him as rapper the hood wants to listen to.
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