Nigerian rapper, Zlatan Ibile has shared the story of how Olamide, the boss of YBNL, played a crucial role in shaping his music career.
In an interview with popular Nigerian YouTuber, Korty EO on Thursday, December 28, the Zanku hitmaker revealed the journey of meeting Olamide and seeking his collaboration.
Zlatan explained that he initially approached Olamide by consistently reaching out to him on Snapchat and persistently sending messages. Despite facing challenges in aligning their schedules for meetings, Zlatan's determination paid off when Olamide finally gave him a verse.
According to Zlatan, the experience was life-changing, and he had expected to rap alongside Olamide. However, the YBNL boss had a different plan, recognizing what it takes to capture the attention of Nigerians and become a big star.
Zlatan shared that after recording his verse, his fortunes took a turn. The impact was significant when Davido danced to the song and reached out to collaborate.
He said, “Olamide giving me a verse at that time was life-changing for me. I was always tracking him and begging him in the DM for a verse. He gave me appointments twice but they didn’t materialise until the third time. He invited me to his house and because I was doing more rap, I thought we would be doing a rap song, then all of a sudden, Olamide started singing an Afrobeats song, ‘My Body.’ He did that because he knew it was what would make me an instant star. I recorded my verse and that was how my story changed.”
Subsequently, Burna Boy's team also contacted him for a song, transforming what started on Soundcloud into the biggest collaboration of that year.
This revelation by Zlatan highlights the influence and support that established artists like Olamide can have on emerging talents, shaping their trajectories in the music industry.
