Wizkid - Ayodeji Balogun

Ayodeji Balogun Biography / Profile

Nigerian singer, song writer, recording artiste, stage performer and a model, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun aka Wizkid was born on July 16, 1990 into a polygamous multi religious family in Surulere, Lagos state. His father having married three wives and a Moslem while his mother is a Christian.

Ayodeji Balogun Age

Ayodeji Balogun is 34 years old.

Ayodeji Balogun Early Life

At 11, Wizkid was already singing in his mother's local church as lead vocalist.

Ready to see him through school no matter what it took, his parents were disappointed when he told them about his dream to be like Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade and Bob Marley. In 2009, he got admitted to Lagos State University (LASU), but he couldn’t concentrate on his studies and had to drop out from school in the same year to focus on his craft. He was admitted once again into a private university in Lagos state, Lead City University but he dropped out again after completing two sessions deciding to focus fully on his music career.

Ayodeji Balogun Career

Wizkid started his singing career with the group, Glorious Five which was a gospel singing group. He released seven tracks with the group before they eventually parted ways. Wizkid went on to pursue a career in POP music.

Before he became well known, Wizkid collaborated with M.I on his award-winning track “Fast Money” and sang back up for Naeto C, OJB Jezreel, Ikechukwu, and M.I among who he constantly mentions Naeto C and M.I as his mentors.

He got signed to Banky W's EME label in 2009 heralding his big break which came in 2010 when he released the single, “Holla at your boy” for which he earned an award and a nomination for Best Pop Single at the Headies award in 2011 with the video nominated for Most Gifted Newcomer Video at the 2011 Channel O Music Video Awards and Best Afro Pop Video at the 2011 Nigeria Music Video Awards (NMVA).

On 14th February 2011, Wizkid released his debut album, "Super Star" which was nominated for the Album of the Year at the 2012 Headies Awards and which had hit singles like; "Tease Me/Bad Guys", "Don't Dull", "Love My Baby", "Pakurumo" and "Oluwa Lo Ni"

After parting ways with EME music in 2013, Wizkid went on to start his own record label, Starboy Entertainment Records, releasing his second studio album, "Ayo" under it with features from artistes like Femi Kuti, Banky W, Seyi Shay, Phyno, Tyga, Akon and Wale and with lead single "Jaiye Jaiye". The Starboy label soon became home to artistes like Maleek Berry, Producers Uzezi Oniko and Okiemute Oniko popularly known as Legendury Beatz, L.A.X, Efya, R2Bees, and Mr Eazi

In 2013, he was ranked 5th on Forbes and Channel O's 2013 list of the Top 10 Richest/Bankable African Artists.

In April 2015, he released a collaborative single with Chris Brown titled "African Bad Gyal" which was scheduled to be the lead single in his third album, he performed the song live on stage with Chris brown at Chris brown's concert in Durban, South Africa during his "One hell of a Nite" world tour.

In 2016, following his guest feature on Drake’s Afrobeat-infused One Dance single, Wizkid became Nigeria’s first artist to emerge on Billboard’s Twitter Last 24 hours chart. The single peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, a position it maintained for 10 non -consecutive weeks. It maintained the number one position in 15 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia and Wizkid became the first Afrobeats artist to appear in the 2018 Guinness World Records

In 2017, Wizkid made history once again by becoming the first Nigerian celebrity to win the award for Best International Act at the MOBO Awards in New York, United States of America, defeating the likes of Jay Z, Drake, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Akon and Nicki Minaj. In thesame year, he released his EP "Sounds from the Other Side"

Wizkid has worked with A-list artists locally and internationally including the likes of Drake, Chris Brown, Trey Songz, French Montana, Kranium, Ty Dolla $ign, 2Face Idibia, Naeto C, Sound Sultan, award-winning producer OJB, among others. He co-wrote Banky W's "Omoge You Too Much", a song off The W Experience album.

Wizkid has followed the music across races, going on tours in Houston, Dallas, Toronto, Vancouver, New York City, Providence, Calgary, Atlanta, Washington DC, and Chicago, London and has performed at concerts like the HMV Apollo on 4 June 2012, BBC Radio 1Xtra Live 02 Academy in Brixton alongside Trey Songz, Tulisa, Kendrick Lamar and Angel on 12 November 2012, 2013 Felabration concert, a yearly concert in honor of the legend, Fela Kuti, Guinness Colorful World of More concert alongside D'banj, Tiwa Savage, P-Square, Davido, Ice Prince, Burna Boy, Olamide and Phyno in November 2013,

He signed a one year endorsement deal with Pepsi in 2012, On 23 October 2013, BellaNaija reported that Wizkid signed an endorsement deal with Guinness for the "Guinness World of More" concert, On June 18, 2015 Wizkid signed an endorsement deal with Globacom Nigeria worth #128 million.

Ayodeji Balogun Personal Life

On October 2010, Wizkid welcomed his son, Boluwatife Balogun from his then girlfriend, Oluwanishola Ogudugu although he publicly denied the child when he was born, he owned up two years later. Since then, Wizkid has had three other children from different women and in 2018, has been rumoured to be dating the 'Kele Kele Love' coroner, Tiwa Savage.

Before he became known as Wizkid, His stage name with the Glorious five was Lil’Prince

Ayodeji Balogun Awards

Wizkid's awards have gotten too numerous to mention but they include: 3 Billboard Music Awards, 2 iHeart Radio Awards, 2 BET Awards, 2 MOBO Awards, 1 MTV EMA, 3 MTV African Music Award, 3 AFRIMA Awards, 2 AFRIMMA Awards, 5 Nigerian Entertainment Awards, 5 Headies Awards, 2 Ghana Music Awards, 2 Channel O Awards, 2 African Pride Awards, 2 City People Entertainment Awards, 2 Dynamix All Youth Awards, and 1 4Syte TV Music Video Award among others.