The name and music of the departed prodigy, Dagrin shone like a
million stars on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, exactly five years after he
died, as artistes, DJs, sang and blared his music on this day and night.
SAMUEL ABULUDE and ANTHONY ADA ABRAHAM, write.
For many who can’t remember him, rapper Olaitan Oladapo Olaonipekun a.k.a Dagrin was one of the best testimonial hardcore rap artistes Nigeria boasted of.
He blazed the trail with traditional hip-hop music, which many youth musicians today , such as Olamide and Phyno are benefitting from. The award winning rapper from Ogun state weaved his style of music in Yoruba dialect, and brought out the best of it.
Dagrin died on April 22, 2010, eight days after crashing his car in front of Alakara Police Station, Mushin, Lagos.
He was born October 21, 1987 in Ogun state and known for the initials like Barack O’Grin, Lyrical Werre, Fi mi le Jo.
A film of his life entitled Ghetto Dreamz was released in April 2011 while his music Label Misofunyin Entertainment was associated with different acts like Sossick, 9ice, Konga, Omawunmi, Ruggedman, Kode, Sheyman, Dr Frabz, Frenzy, etc.
Five years on, his memories, legacy and music still resonate in the consciousness of those who loved him and his music.
Few artistes like Olamide, Lord of Ajasa, Reminisce, 9ice, Seriki, JahBless, Lil Kesh and CDQ have kept on the legacy of Yoruba and English infusion into rap as a genre.
One of Alapomeji record label’ former signees, Seriki Omoowo wrote a remembrance message to Dagrin that in his short lived life, he left an imprint on the music industry.
He stated, “In a flash you came and left, but left an imprint on everyone you left; the ones you left behind, the ones that left after you left and the ones that showed up after you left”.
Also, one of the main pioneers of Indigenous hip hop, Lord of Ajasa, whose real name is Olusegun Osaniyi also paid respect to the artiste at the Industry Nite, organised by Smirnoff by blowing off the minds of the crowd with his performance.
There are five songs from Dagrin that the world would not forget in a hurry.
Efimile (With YQ)
This was not Dagrin’s first song in the industry, but it was the very one that brought him to the fore in the indigenous rap music, which he helped to pioneer. It was released in 2008 in a blissful revelation of Dagrin’s Yoruba lyrical prowess, which the world later came to terms with. Efimile was indeed a hit for YQ, but much more for Dagrin.
Pon Pon Pon
As Dagrin grew into the industry, the short black boy (not M.I.), as he was fondly called, released a song highlighting the uniqueness that comes with an average Nigerian street boy, who did what the world would regard as strange, just to make a living. Produced by Sossick, Pon Pon Pon was a massive hit for Dagrin, and was eventually on Chief Executive Omoita (CEO) – the album that won him Best Rap Album at the Hip Hop World Award (HHWA) in 2010. Even in death, Dagrin was still seen as the Pon Pon Pon master.
Ghetto Dreams
“Sometimes when I sleep and I’m dreaming, I just don’t wanna wake up, I realise that I’m married to the game and me and my b**** never break up, I put it down for the Ghetto…” Those were the opening lines of Ghetto Dream, one of Dagrin’s most celebrated songs. In this song, Dagrin narrated his road to stardom, how he was pressed to drop out of his journey to pioneering Yoruba rap. He narrated how he started his career with “free shows and one red shoe”. The lyrical content on this particular song was beautifully crafted in a melancholic mode to tell his true story. The track informed the title of a biographic movie released after his death. Interestingly, Dagrin had dreams to be Nigeria’s president.
Kondo
Kondo (Magic stick) was one of Dagrin’s explicit outings in the industry. The party banger, alongside Pon Pon Pon, was one of the songs that pushed his CEO album to winning the Best Rap Album in 2010. The song, produced by Sas, joined the likes of Yahoozee, African Queen in making its way to the Nigerian street – even to the lips of the market women. It was indeed one for the street.
If I die
Dagrin’s most controversial song was undoubtedly If I die, recorded a few days to his eventual death. In the song, Dagrin urged his fans not to cry if he eventually died. And he did die. ‘If I die my guy, make you no cry for me… God na my creator Fela na my mentor, money no dey drive me, money na my conductor’, he said in the song, which hit the airwaves only after his death. The song was very much unlike Dagrin – he stuck strictly to English and pidgin rather than a blend of Yoruba with English or pidgin. The song leaves us with one question: did Dagrin know he was going to die?
Celebs Pay Tribute To Dagrin 5 Years After
Indigenous rappers Olamide and Reminisce headlined a memorial concert in honour of the late rapper. The rising star, died on April 22, 2010 after his new car ran into a broken-down truck. A fifth year memorial concert was held in Lagos at Spice Route, Victoria Island, Lagos. The concert which was part of the weekly entertainment rendezvous- Industry Nite also featured Seriki, Lord of Ajasa, YQ, Sossick, WondaBoy, BaseOne, JahBless, PoslyTD, Chinko Ekun and CDQ and Dagrin’s cousin, Tee Blaq.
Dagrin Was Our Puff Daddy- Jesse Jagz
One of Nigerian best rappers, Jesse Jagz extolled Dagrin as one of the finest rappers to have come from Nigeria. He said that though Dagrin was late, his music and legacy of uniqueness and originality live on. “Oh what do you want me to say? Dagrin was legendary. The lad was like our own Puff Daddy in Nigeria. We all miss him. I remember him for somebody who broke barriers and struggled to get himself, his music out there and got accolades for it. The rap music community misses him greatly. Even as I’m now the king of Rap (laughs) courtesy my Best Rap Album award at HEADIES 2015, I respect Dagrin aka Barack O’Grin and was inspired by his dedication and desire to survive in this unpredictable industry of ours”, says Jesse Jagz now of Chocolate City.
I’m Still Shocked At Death of Dagrin- Azeezat
Popular singer and COSON Executive, Azeezat said that she was still shocked at the demise of the prodigy, Dagrin even five years after. The singer who was at the Nigeria Entertainment Conference in company of her husband said that the industry still missed Dagrin and it was sad that such a talented and young musician in his 20s died.
“I am still at shock that Dagrin is no more. I mean that despite the fact that the rapper had died five years ago, it’s still fresh in my heart. I don’t even know how his mother feels all these years. If Dagrin was receiving royalties from his music and hit songs, his family would have been consoled with the money that his music is producing. And that is what we have been preaching at COSON- that artistes, both past and present deserve to receive money from the airplay of their songs while still active and even when they retire. This is what musicians and owners of creative works should fall back on, in case anything happens to them. Dagrin was such a promising artiste who was cut at his prime. He would have been a star now and would have been reckoned among the rap kings. Dagrin impacted the industry in his own way,” says Azeezat Niniola Allen.
I Met Dagrin Last Here- Eldee
Popular musician, Eldee (Lanre Dabiri) said that Dagrin was such a talented musician whose music spoke of his potential and relevance. “I came here (OceanView Restaurant) this morning and got emotional as I walked down to the venue of this entertainment conference. This is because, I met Dagrin last here at this venue and he performed. It’s such a humbling and sober experience that such a youngster full of dreams and potentials ended in such a way. The lesson for us is to be careful how we live and give our best to change somebody for good while on planet earth. Dagrin though lived a short life but lived his life to the full through his music”, said Eldee. He advocate a playdata music monitoring system to monitor songs of musicians on radio/tv and online platforms.
Dagrin Left A Big Legacy- Oritsefemi
My Pain, a collaborative effort featuring 20 artistes was recorded in Dagrin’s honour. DJ Spinhall couldn’t muffle some words as at the time that our correspondent met him. “I’ll get emotional now if you want me to say something on Dagrin but I will at the Industry Nite,” he said.
Other Quotes of Musicians On Dagrin
“He was his own prophet”-KSB
“He died too Soon”- Essence
“He’s Been forgotten So Soon”- K-Solo
10 Things You May Not Know About DAGRIN
1) The rapper attended Meiran Community Primary School, Roseille Nursery and Primary School, Meiran Community High School and Egbado College.
2) Dagrin’s mother, Mrs Olaonipekun, was the second of his father’s three wives.
3) He was 22 years old when he died in a car accident.
4) His father’s speech at the candle light ceremony was the rap he did to the song he was featured in by YQ, titled: ‘Efimile’
5) His car, Nissan Maxima, was a 2008 model and carried the number plate, DAGRIN 03
6) His father’s nickname is Nelly. He has a music store located at Meiran Bus stop, ‘House of Nelly sounds’ store where he used to stay before moving to Surulere.
7) The late rapper’s body was brought into the cemetery for burial in a black Ebony Escalade Cadillac ESV 2007 model.
8) His Twitter ID was @Dagrinfimile, Facebook was Dagrin fimilejo. He had 4,930 friends on Facebook.
9) The last time he logged on to twitter was on Thursday April 8, 2010.
10) He got the nickname Barack O’Grin from the remix song he did with General Pype titled ‘Champion’.
For many who can’t remember him, rapper Olaitan Oladapo Olaonipekun a.k.a Dagrin was one of the best testimonial hardcore rap artistes Nigeria boasted of.
He blazed the trail with traditional hip-hop music, which many youth musicians today , such as Olamide and Phyno are benefitting from. The award winning rapper from Ogun state weaved his style of music in Yoruba dialect, and brought out the best of it.
Dagrin died on April 22, 2010, eight days after crashing his car in front of Alakara Police Station, Mushin, Lagos.
He was born October 21, 1987 in Ogun state and known for the initials like Barack O’Grin, Lyrical Werre, Fi mi le Jo.
A film of his life entitled Ghetto Dreamz was released in April 2011 while his music Label Misofunyin Entertainment was associated with different acts like Sossick, 9ice, Konga, Omawunmi, Ruggedman, Kode, Sheyman, Dr Frabz, Frenzy, etc.
Five years on, his memories, legacy and music still resonate in the consciousness of those who loved him and his music.
Few artistes like Olamide, Lord of Ajasa, Reminisce, 9ice, Seriki, JahBless, Lil Kesh and CDQ have kept on the legacy of Yoruba and English infusion into rap as a genre.
One of Alapomeji record label’ former signees, Seriki Omoowo wrote a remembrance message to Dagrin that in his short lived life, he left an imprint on the music industry.
He stated, “In a flash you came and left, but left an imprint on everyone you left; the ones you left behind, the ones that left after you left and the ones that showed up after you left”.
Also, one of the main pioneers of Indigenous hip hop, Lord of Ajasa, whose real name is Olusegun Osaniyi also paid respect to the artiste at the Industry Nite, organised by Smirnoff by blowing off the minds of the crowd with his performance.
There are five songs from Dagrin that the world would not forget in a hurry.
Efimile (With YQ)
This was not Dagrin’s first song in the industry, but it was the very one that brought him to the fore in the indigenous rap music, which he helped to pioneer. It was released in 2008 in a blissful revelation of Dagrin’s Yoruba lyrical prowess, which the world later came to terms with. Efimile was indeed a hit for YQ, but much more for Dagrin.
Pon Pon Pon
As Dagrin grew into the industry, the short black boy (not M.I.), as he was fondly called, released a song highlighting the uniqueness that comes with an average Nigerian street boy, who did what the world would regard as strange, just to make a living. Produced by Sossick, Pon Pon Pon was a massive hit for Dagrin, and was eventually on Chief Executive Omoita (CEO) – the album that won him Best Rap Album at the Hip Hop World Award (HHWA) in 2010. Even in death, Dagrin was still seen as the Pon Pon Pon master.
Ghetto Dreams
“Sometimes when I sleep and I’m dreaming, I just don’t wanna wake up, I realise that I’m married to the game and me and my b**** never break up, I put it down for the Ghetto…” Those were the opening lines of Ghetto Dream, one of Dagrin’s most celebrated songs. In this song, Dagrin narrated his road to stardom, how he was pressed to drop out of his journey to pioneering Yoruba rap. He narrated how he started his career with “free shows and one red shoe”. The lyrical content on this particular song was beautifully crafted in a melancholic mode to tell his true story. The track informed the title of a biographic movie released after his death. Interestingly, Dagrin had dreams to be Nigeria’s president.
Kondo
Kondo (Magic stick) was one of Dagrin’s explicit outings in the industry. The party banger, alongside Pon Pon Pon, was one of the songs that pushed his CEO album to winning the Best Rap Album in 2010. The song, produced by Sas, joined the likes of Yahoozee, African Queen in making its way to the Nigerian street – even to the lips of the market women. It was indeed one for the street.
If I die
Dagrin’s most controversial song was undoubtedly If I die, recorded a few days to his eventual death. In the song, Dagrin urged his fans not to cry if he eventually died. And he did die. ‘If I die my guy, make you no cry for me… God na my creator Fela na my mentor, money no dey drive me, money na my conductor’, he said in the song, which hit the airwaves only after his death. The song was very much unlike Dagrin – he stuck strictly to English and pidgin rather than a blend of Yoruba with English or pidgin. The song leaves us with one question: did Dagrin know he was going to die?
Celebs Pay Tribute To Dagrin 5 Years After
Indigenous rappers Olamide and Reminisce headlined a memorial concert in honour of the late rapper. The rising star, died on April 22, 2010 after his new car ran into a broken-down truck. A fifth year memorial concert was held in Lagos at Spice Route, Victoria Island, Lagos. The concert which was part of the weekly entertainment rendezvous- Industry Nite also featured Seriki, Lord of Ajasa, YQ, Sossick, WondaBoy, BaseOne, JahBless, PoslyTD, Chinko Ekun and CDQ and Dagrin’s cousin, Tee Blaq.
Dagrin Was Our Puff Daddy- Jesse Jagz
One of Nigerian best rappers, Jesse Jagz extolled Dagrin as one of the finest rappers to have come from Nigeria. He said that though Dagrin was late, his music and legacy of uniqueness and originality live on. “Oh what do you want me to say? Dagrin was legendary. The lad was like our own Puff Daddy in Nigeria. We all miss him. I remember him for somebody who broke barriers and struggled to get himself, his music out there and got accolades for it. The rap music community misses him greatly. Even as I’m now the king of Rap (laughs) courtesy my Best Rap Album award at HEADIES 2015, I respect Dagrin aka Barack O’Grin and was inspired by his dedication and desire to survive in this unpredictable industry of ours”, says Jesse Jagz now of Chocolate City.
I’m Still Shocked At Death of Dagrin- Azeezat
Popular singer and COSON Executive, Azeezat said that she was still shocked at the demise of the prodigy, Dagrin even five years after. The singer who was at the Nigeria Entertainment Conference in company of her husband said that the industry still missed Dagrin and it was sad that such a talented and young musician in his 20s died.
“I am still at shock that Dagrin is no more. I mean that despite the fact that the rapper had died five years ago, it’s still fresh in my heart. I don’t even know how his mother feels all these years. If Dagrin was receiving royalties from his music and hit songs, his family would have been consoled with the money that his music is producing. And that is what we have been preaching at COSON- that artistes, both past and present deserve to receive money from the airplay of their songs while still active and even when they retire. This is what musicians and owners of creative works should fall back on, in case anything happens to them. Dagrin was such a promising artiste who was cut at his prime. He would have been a star now and would have been reckoned among the rap kings. Dagrin impacted the industry in his own way,” says Azeezat Niniola Allen.
I Met Dagrin Last Here- Eldee
Popular musician, Eldee (Lanre Dabiri) said that Dagrin was such a talented musician whose music spoke of his potential and relevance. “I came here (OceanView Restaurant) this morning and got emotional as I walked down to the venue of this entertainment conference. This is because, I met Dagrin last here at this venue and he performed. It’s such a humbling and sober experience that such a youngster full of dreams and potentials ended in such a way. The lesson for us is to be careful how we live and give our best to change somebody for good while on planet earth. Dagrin though lived a short life but lived his life to the full through his music”, said Eldee. He advocate a playdata music monitoring system to monitor songs of musicians on radio/tv and online platforms.
Dagrin Left A Big Legacy- Oritsefemi
My Pain, a collaborative effort featuring 20 artistes was recorded in Dagrin’s honour. DJ Spinhall couldn’t muffle some words as at the time that our correspondent met him. “I’ll get emotional now if you want me to say something on Dagrin but I will at the Industry Nite,” he said.
Other Quotes of Musicians On Dagrin
“He was his own prophet”-KSB
“He died too Soon”- Essence
“He’s Been forgotten So Soon”- K-Solo
10 Things You May Not Know About DAGRIN
1) The rapper attended Meiran Community Primary School, Roseille Nursery and Primary School, Meiran Community High School and Egbado College.
2) Dagrin’s mother, Mrs Olaonipekun, was the second of his father’s three wives.
3) He was 22 years old when he died in a car accident.
4) His father’s speech at the candle light ceremony was the rap he did to the song he was featured in by YQ, titled: ‘Efimile’
5) His car, Nissan Maxima, was a 2008 model and carried the number plate, DAGRIN 03
6) His father’s nickname is Nelly. He has a music store located at Meiran Bus stop, ‘House of Nelly sounds’ store where he used to stay before moving to Surulere.
7) The late rapper’s body was brought into the cemetery for burial in a black Ebony Escalade Cadillac ESV 2007 model.
8) His Twitter ID was @Dagrinfimile, Facebook was Dagrin fimilejo. He had 4,930 friends on Facebook.
9) The last time he logged on to twitter was on Thursday April 8, 2010.
10) He got the nickname Barack O’Grin from the remix song he did with General Pype titled ‘Champion’.
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