Early Life
Ycee was born in Festac Town, a residential area in Lagos State, Nigeria.
He completed his basic education at Dr. Soyemi Memorial Nursery and Primary School before attending the Nigerian Navy Secondary School in Ojo for his secondary education. He later pursued a degree in marine biology at the University of Lagos.
Career
Ycee began his music career in 2012 as an underground rapper before signing with Tinny Entertainment. However, he took a brief break from music due to his academic commitments after gaining admission to the University of Lagos.
His breakthrough came in May 2015 when he released the critically acclaimed song “Condo,” which earned him nominations for Best Collaboration of the Year and Best Music Video of the Year at the 2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. Ycee followed up with the hit single “Jagaban” in July 2015, which caught the attention of Nigerian rapper Olamide, who invited him to feature on the remix.
This exposure helped Ycee gain further recognition, leading to a nomination for Revelation of the Year at the 2015 MTV Africa Music Awards, as well as a nomination for Best Artist in African Pop at the 2015 All Africa Music Awards.
In June 2017, his single “Juice,” featuring Maleek Berry, became a major hit, topping the Playdata charts.
Ycee also sold out a headline concert at the O2 Academy Islington in January 2018, where he performed alongside label mates Bella Alubo, Sona, Eugy, Ms. Banks, and Flosha.
On January 15, 2019, Ycee announced his departure from Tinny Entertainment and revealed the launch of his own record label, ANBT (Ain’t Nobody Badder Than).
Ycee’s debut studio album, Ycee vs Zaheer, was released on November 8, 2019. The album blends various genres, including hip-hop, trap, Afrobeats, Afro-house, hyphy, R&B, and alte. It served as a follow-up to his 2017 EP First Wave and his 2018 collaborative EP with Bella Alubo, Late Night Vibrations.
The album featured collaborations with artists such as Davido, Niniola, Phyno, Ms. Banks, and Dapo Tuburna.
Throughout his career, Ycee has been an active supporter of emerging artists. He featured on the remix of “Nothing” by Dapo Tuburna in 2016, collaborated with Bella Alubo on “Radio” in 2017, and released the Late Night Vibrations EP with her. Ycee also contributed to the track “Big Man Doingz” by Arosino, alongside Dapo Tuburna and Karma.
His collaborations have been a way for him to give back to up-and-coming artists, much like how Olamide helped him with his breakthrough single “Jagaban.”
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