Early Life
Bella Shmurda was born into a polygamous family in Ikorodu, Lagos State, as the youngest of 10 children.
His artistic journey began at an early age, participating in his elementary school’s band and cultural dance troupe.
He grew up in Ikorodu, later moving to Badagry for his secondary school education. Bella went on to earn a degree in History and International Relations from Lagos State University.
His breakthrough came with the release of his debut single, “Vision 2020,” which caught the attention of Nigerian rapper Olamide. Olamide was so impressed that he collaborated on a remix of the song.
Bella’s close friend, dancer Poco Lee, helped the song go viral by creating a video that further amplified its success. This newfound recognition inspired Bella Shmurda to release his first EP, High Tension, in January 2020.
Throughout 2020, Bella Shmurda continued to release hits, including “Cash App,” which featured rapper Zlatan.
His growing popularity earned him a nomination for the Next Rated Award at The Headies 2020. He also won “Next Rated Male” and “Street Music of the Year” at the City People Entertainment Awards, and received a nomination for the “Revelation of the Year” award.
Career and Achievements
In 2021, Bella Shmurda achieved significant recognition at the Global Music Awards Africa, which took place virtually in Ghana. He won two awards, taking home the titles of Global Collaboration of the Year and Global Most Popular Song of the Year.
That same year, Bella was the sole Nigerian among 27 artists from 14 countries inducted into the prestigious YouTube Foundry Programme.
This annual initiative by YouTube Music provides artists with valuable resources to help grow their global reach, amplify their impact, and showcase a diverse range of musical styles and heritage.
Following his success in the Afrobeat music scene, Bella Shmurda was featured in an episode of the BBC’s “This is Africa,” an African music interview series.
Additionally, he earned a nomination for the “Next Rated” award at The Headies 2021. His hit song “Cash App,” featuring Zlatan and Lincoln, was also nominated for “Most Played Song – Street Pop” at the NET Honours.
In November 2021, Bella Shmurda made his debut performance at The O2 Arena in London, joining Wizkid on stage at the Made in Lagos concert.
In March 2023, Bella released his first single of the year, “Ara (Gen Gen Tin),” following his album rollout.
His earlier release, “Philo,” featuring Omah Lay, was a standout from his debut album Hypertension, which dropped in October 2022.
The track garnered international attention, leading South African rapper Nasty C to create a remix, which was released in March 2023. Later in May 2023, Bella Shmurda teamed up with Tiwa Savage for a collaborative single titled “NSV,” produced by Krizbeatz.
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