On this day, a decade ago, the Nigerian music industry was thrown into mourning following the announcement of the death of one of the most promising rappers the industry had seen.
Da Grin whose full name was Oladapo Olaitan Olaonipekun was born on October 25, 1984, and died on April 22, 2010. He was 25 years old.
Da Grin remains one of the Nigerian rappers who revolutionized the Nigerian rap industry. His music portrayed a cultural significance that infused English with his native dialect Yoruba and pidgin English.
He seemingly depicted a thug life synonymous with rappers, and he was unabashed about his bad-boy ways.
In honor of the music icon, a film of his life titled Ghetto Dreamz, starring Trybson Dudukoko, and Doris Simeon-Ademinokan as his girlfriend was made and released in April 2011. The movie title was inspired by a song off his “CEO” album titled “Ghetto Dream.”
In the very short time he spent in the industry, Da Grin released one of the most critically-acclaimed albums titled “C.E.O. (Chief executive Omota English: Chief Executive Gangster)” that won the Hip hop World Award 2010 for the best rap album.
He worked closely with Y.Q, 9ice, M.I, Iceberg Slim, Omobaba, Terry G, Ms Chief, Owen G, K01, code, MISTAR DOLLAR, TMD entertainment, Omawumi, Chudy K, Bigiano, and Konga. He associated with music producers like Sossick, Dr Frabz, Sheyman, Frenzy, and 02.
A custodian of mainstream street hip hop
His songs touch upon ethnicity, pride while surviving the streets of Lagos and a hint of criticism elderly people hurl against – bad behavior. Da Grin was the mouth-piece of the streets.
His legacy is evident in the type of music that sprung after his passing, and the number of artists that picked up the baton from where he left off. A perfect example is a road he paved for artists like Olamide, among others, to find their path in an industry that was still at its teething stage.
The industry had seen rappers who fused English (pidgin-English) and Yoruba, but no one made it as sonically appealing as Da Grin did. Some of his hottest award-winning singles Pon Pon Pon, and Kondo, remodeled how music was recognized.
In 2009, Da Grin was a guest at DJ Jimmy Jatt’s Jump Off, which was a platform that created exposure for rappers. His appearance on that episode was so impressive that it became evident that this young Lagos rapper was going to be a force to be reckoned with among his contemporaries.
Did Da Grin Have a Premonition of His death?
April 2010 was a dark time for music lovers and Da Grin fans as his death made major headlines on blogs and other platforms. He was involved in a ghastly auto accident and was receiving treatment for injuries sustained at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH.
Da Grin was officially pronounced dead by the doctors at about 8:30 pm local time at LUTH.
Before his death, Da Grin released a song titled “If I Die,” which sounded like a prophecy or a premonition of his death. The song was almost too accurate to be a coincidence, and it remains a mysterious question to date. Did he know he was going to die? The lyrics of the song felt like he was sending cryptic messages of what was to come. This we might never get answers to.
Whatever the case may be, the industry will never forget a pioneer in mainstream hip hop, an icon whose legacy paved the way for others to follow. Da Grin, gone but not forgotten.
Watch “Naija AllStars Tribute To DaGrin”
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