Ayotunde Olubamibo is the first person to rap in Yoruba language as documented in the NETFLIX series [AFROBEATS – THE BACK STORY] His rap journey started when he raps in Yoruba as an experiment on a ‘ROCK SONG’ he featured with Ìfẹ́ Akín titled THE BEAST IN ME. He gained confidence from that track and later wrote more songs that lead to the ‘FIRST YORUBA RAP’ video song of GONNA MAKE IT. The follow up single was HARD TO SURVIVE/EKO SI LONDON and OTIFUNFUN.
Songs that became a Segway to one of Nigeria youngest and vibrant music genre, YORUBA RAP Which he coined as THE YORUBARZ. Yoruba, the language which majority of the music is composed in and Barz, the terminology musicians use to measure the length of music. The pioneer of Yoruba- Rap, aka Yorubarz. AY have team up with Ìfẹ́ Akín on a come-back trail and to celebrate the 20 years anniversary of Bawo Lose fe by releasing a joint new single title ‘DRUNK FOR YOUR LOVE’. More hit songs will follow this release with new feature artists under the new Elite Extreem Entertainment (EEE) platform.
Ìfẹ́ Akín is a singer, songwriter and producer has been involved in the music scene for 22 years, working behind the scenes to help promote AFRO BEAT music on BEN TELEVISION UK. Ìfẹ́ Akín is the lead singer of a Nigeria Afro-Beat group, POUNDS & NAIRA INC, one of the pioneers of Afro-Beats in the UK and the first Nigeria group song on Channel U – later known as Channel AKA and now called LINK UP TV.
Ìfẹ́ then took a break away from the spotlight and joined the first ethnic black broadcasting television station on SKY – BEN TELEVISION in a full-time capacity in the summer of 2005, working behind the scenes to help promote AFRO BEAT music. He worked with music outfits like the Black Knights TV, Afro Beat Promoters, and DJs – to promote Nigerian artists and was instrumental in helping 2face Idibia to win his first MOBO award in 2007 as the BEST AFRICAN ACT, a story yet to be told. He also influenced (David Clark Cause), the promoter of the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday 46664 concert in Hyde Park London, to book 9ice for his 'first UK Performance'; he left BEN TELEVISION in 2017.
Ìfẹ́ will release a solo album of fifteen songs this year, followed by a collaboration album under 'Pounds & Naira Inc'. Both albums will feature AY (His Cousin), arguably the pioneer of Yoruba-Rap, aka Yorubaz, with new feature artists under the new Elite Extreem Entertainment (EEE) platform.
His musical influences are Fela Kuti, Shina Peters, Michael Jackson, King Sunny Ade, Bon Jovi, Kollington Ayinla, Lionel Richie and more. He also admires artists such as Burna Boy, Davido, Wande Coal, Wizkid, Ed Sheeran, Tiwa Savage, Olamide, Fireboy and many more acts.
Ìfẹ́ Akín is also an entrepreneur, a big football fan and he is also into diet and healthy living.