One of the biggest disappointments that has followed several generations of Nigerian music was the lack of proper documentation that captured the essence, behind the scene activities and life of those eras’ biggest stars- this dearth of knowledge has meant that proper perspective about the life of certain acts have been or are in the process of being lost to time.
Since Wizkid came to mainstream attention with his addictive 2011 single, Holla at Your Boy, he has continuously smashed ceilings of what a Nigerian act can do as well as defined several moments in popular culture. The 29-year-old has also successfully moved from being just a much-loved national artiste to a true global headliner courtesy of collaborations with American artistes like Chris Brown, Future, Drake and Beyoncé and efforts are being made to curate tidbits about his life.
Linking up with the producers of Before They Were Famous, a show hosted by Canadian YouTuber, Michael McCrudden, Wizkid provides a long-overdue insight into his world before the fame and acclaim. He discusses the complexities of life as a young lad in Ojuelegba, Lagos, the fluidity of religion in his family and the lessons having a Muslim father and Christian mother taught him about tolerance.
Moving on, Wizkid talks about his influences in the early days, namechecking Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Bob Marley, Snopp Dogg and Bow Wow. The discussion then turns to his early days in the industry and the interactions – with 2face Idibia, M.I, and Naeto C – that shaped his career and eventual signing to Banky W’s EME.
The 10-minute documentary shows a side to Wizkid that is not widely known by many fans and makes for interesting viewing.
Watch below.