Wizkid

Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, widely known as Wizkid, was born on July 16, 1990, in the Ojuelegba suburb of Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria. As a prominent figure in the Afrobeats movement, Wizkid has made a significant impact on the music scene with his unique blend of Afrobeats, afropop, R&B, reggae, dancehall, and pop. His musical journey began at the tender age of 11 when he recorded his first tracks and collaborated with a group of friends from church, known as the Glorious Five.

In 2009, Wizkid signed a record deal with Banky W's Empire Mates Entertainment (E.M.E), which marked the beginning of his rise to fame. His debut studio album, Superstar, released in 2011, featured the hit single "Holla at Your Boy" and other popular tracks like "Tease Me/Bad Guys" and "Don't Dull." The album established him as a leading artist in the Nigerian music industry.

Wizkid's international breakthrough came in 2016 with his collaboration on Drake's chart-topping single "One Dance," which not only reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 but also topped charts in fourteen other countries. This achievement made him the first Afrobeats artist to enter the Guinness World Records. Following this success, he signed a multi-album deal with RCA Records and released his third studio album, Sounds from the Other Side, in 2017, featuring the single "Come Closer" with Drake.

In 2019, Wizkid collaborated with Beyoncé on the track "Brown Skin Girl" for The Lion King: The Gift, earning a Grammy Award for Best Music Video. His fourth album, Made in Lagos, released in October 2020, received widespread acclaim and commercial success, reaching number one on the Billboard World Albums chart. The album included the groundbreaking single "Essence," which became the first Nigerian song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

Wizkid's fifth album, More Love, Less Ego, was released on November 11, 2022, followed by his sixth album, Morayo, dedicated to his late mother, which is set to release on November 22, 2024. With a net worth of fifty million USD, Wizkid continues to be a trailblazer in the music industry, breaking records and setting new standards for African artists.