Olamide did not drop an album,. He dropped himself.
The 17-track effort, simply called Olamidé, is no extra feather in his already brimming cap. It's a chest-thumping, mic-dropping, legacy-cementing enterprise from one who has done it all — built empires, raised kings, mapped new soundscapes, and remained ever-loyal to himself despite each wave the game threw his way.
After working more than a decade in the trenches of Nigeria's music, YBNL head is back not to make a statement — but to make a claim.
From the start, Olamidé has the aura of a seasoned one who has no ends to pursue anymore — but only tales to share and flags to raise. This is Baddo in introspective mood, and also in CEO mood. On Kai and Billionaires Club, he sits with Wizkid like it is 2011 — but the game is now global, the bags are nicer, and the atmosphere is more high-end.
And then he throws a wild card: Dr. Dre. That is to say, that Dr. Dre. On Indika, Olamide drives into the West Coast zone with a reminder that his ears are worldly and his heritage is fertile. Popcaan, Seyi Vibez, Asake, Darkoo, Young Jonn, Muyeez — they all sit shotgun, but this road trip is expertly driven by the man himself.
Such songs as Hasibunallah, Prelude, and Lalakipo form a different level — of a street prophet-turned-mogul's inner monologue. There is appreciation. There is grit. And that omnipresent Yoruba quality that is present in every single thing he does.
This is not music just for streams. It is a montage of Baddo's life — from hustler Olamide to Grammy-nominated Olamidé. From Bariga cyphers to global marathons.
And while Rema burns up the world charts and Davido blasts off from stadiums, Olamide just does what he has been doing best all along: constructing. Holding the door ajar. Culture curation. Passing the mic to the next hot talent with fire in their voice.
Six Nigerian No. 1s in six years. A Grammy nod. And now this? Olamidé is not an album, it’s an archive. A living, breathing document of the man who made the streets poetic and the poetic sound like the streets.
So, whether you’re a day-one fan who still remembers Rapsodi, or a Gen Z baby catching up via TikTok, one thing’s clear: the OG has entered his final form.
His name is Olamidé. Press play HERE and show some respect.
