Popular Nigerian indigenous rappers, Olamide and Phyno are some of the artists in the country that have waxed strong in the last decade, sharing a bond of friendship that transcends business.
When their first feature which went ahead to be a smash hit was released, not many people saw the partnership coming. Who would have thought that Olamide – who raps in Yoruba – and Phyno – who raps in Igbo – would continue to put each other on every project they work on.
In the last ten years, both Nigerian stars have worked together so much that we can easily pick their top hit songs over a decade of continuous collaborations.
Dope Money
Released in 2013, this track was one of the songs on Olamide’s third studio album, ‘Baddest Guy Ever Liveth.’
The Phyno feature was a surprise for many at the time, seeing as not many indigenous rappers have started adopting the concept of different languages on songs. Olamide brought Phyno on this track and it was hugely accepted.
The song spoke about the lifestyle you can afford when you have money and many other things.
Ghost Mode
After the success of their first collaboration, a series of more was set in motion and the audience couldn’t get enough of the bromance between the two rappers.
Ghost Mode followed and it was widely accepted, simply because of the flow, lyrics, and synergy between Olamide and Phyno. Alone, they spat fire, but together, it seemed like they had a magical touch that could raise a dead song back to life.
Ghost Mode did well with airplay on radio stations and parties all over the country.
Ladi
Following the success of their collaborations, Olamide and Phyno decided to give their fans a collaborative studio album, ‘2Kings.’
One of the hit songs on that album was ‘Ladi’ featuring Lil Kesh.
This particular track became some sort of anthem on the streets back then because of the nature of its lyrics, and even though this affected the airplay, it was and is still a song people jam to at parties whenever it comes on.
Fada Fada
When Phyno released his sophomore album in 2016, one of the songs that stood out was ‘Fada Fada (Ghetto Gospel).’
So much thought must have been put into the production of this song because it still remains one of the few Nigerian songs that can be played at a club and also at a church.
Fada Fada as rightly called the Ghetto Gospel uses hip-hop beats to create a thanksgiving song with Phyno giving thanks for all he has gotten at that point in his life.
Who You EPP
In 2016, Olamide released his sixth studio album, ‘The Glory’ and one of the tracks that stood out was ‘Who You EPP.’
The reason for its popularity cannot be simply accredited to just the song but also because of the catchphrase, ‘who you EPP’ which later became a popular street slang amongst young and sometimes old Nigerians.
Also, the presence of Phyno on this track was able to get the message of the song across to Igbo-speaking fans, thereby exposing the song to a wider audience.
Conclusion
Over the years, we’ve seen Olamide and Phyno work together, creating gems for us. One thing that is constant is that they both love and respect each other, strengthening the bond between them. On the business side, choosing to work together frequently is a brilliant business decision.
Olamide has the Yoruba-speaking audience while Phyno has the Igbo-speaking audience, an arrangement that will have both audiences listen to that same song and enjoy it.
Both artists have more than ten songs together and we look forward to seeing more from them in the future.
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