Renowned Nigerian rapper Olamide has once again made waves in the music industry with his surprise release, the 7-track EP titled ‘Ikigai’, unveiled on June 27, 2024. The title ‘Ikigai’, a Japanese term meaning “reason for being” or “life’s purpose”, reflects Olamide’s introspective approach on this latest musical endeavor.
In a remarkable achievement, ‘Ikigai’ has set a new record for the most opening day streams by a project on Spotify Nigeria in 2024, garnering an impressive 1.86 million streams within its first 24 hours. This surpasses Shallipopi’s ‘Shakespopi’, which held the previous record with 1.59 million streams.
Olamide’s dominance on Spotify further solidifies his status as the most streamed African rapper on the platform. His 2020 album ‘Carpe Diem’ also holds the record for the most streamed album by a Nigerian rapper on Spotify.
‘Ikigai’ features collaborations with YBNL superstars Fireboy and Asake on track 3, ‘Uptown Disco’. Additionally, Olamide reunited with former YBNL associates Pheelz, Young Jonn, and Lil Kesh for track 7 titled ‘Synchro System’, showcasing his diverse musical influences.
This latest release marks Olamide’s 10th solo project and 15th overall, expanding his extensive discography as one of Nigeria’s foremost mainstream artists since 1999. ‘Ikigai’ not only surpasses the first-day streaming numbers of Olamide’s previous albums but also places him among the top opening day performers on Spotify Nigeria.”
