Blaqbonez, OdumoduBlvck, Olamide Emerge Most Streamed Artistes On Spotify

Global online streaming platform, Spotify, says Olamide, Odumodublvck, Blaqbonez, Zlatan and Ice Prince are the most streamed Nigerian hip-hop artistes on its platform.

Spotify’s Artiste and Label Partnerships Manager for West Africa, Victor Okpala, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.

According to Okpala, Hip Hop has achieved global prominence and this triumph extends to Nigeria where it has profoundly influenced the evolution of afrobeats.

He added that it was not surprising that Nigeria has a significant position within Africa’s Hip-hop listenership landscape, securing the second spot after South Africa.

He stated that this position underscored the genre’s popularity within the country and reflected the widespread impact of Nigerian Hip hop on the African music scene.

“The spotlight falls on Olamide, Odumodublvck, Blaqbonez, Zlatan and Ice Prince as the most streamed within the realm of Nigerian Hip hop.

“Nigeria’s patriotism in music is evident as most streamed Hip hop artistes are Nigerians, unlike regions such as Kenya and South Africa where international hit-man, Drake, leads.

“Hip hop is one of the most popular music genres in the world and it continues to have an input in newer genres and music movements springing up in Nigeria and around the world.

“Its ability to evolve and stay relevant is a testament to its power as a form of artistic expression that resonates with listeners worldwide”.

Okpala further said according to Spotify’s data, Nigerian Gen Z individuals aged between 18 and 24 constituted a huge segment of Hip hop listeners, accounting for 55 percent of the total streams, followed by listeners aged 25 to 29, contributing 19 percent of the streams. According to him, the age brackets of 0 to 17 and 30 to 34 both hold a nine percent share.

He added that from a gender perspective, Nigerian Hip hop music predominantly resonates with males, commanding a substantial 75 per cent of the recorded streams, while females account for 24 per cent.

“Nigerian Hip hop gained popularity in the 1990s with artistes such as Modenine, Naeto C, Bouqui, Ruggedman, Gino, Eedris Abdulkareem, eLDee, Sasha P, Ikechukwu and a whole lot more.

“These artistes pioneered the sounds and culture of Hip hop that have influenced Nigerian tracks and has grown to gain substantial traction within the continent.

“It is interesting to see how Nigerian listeners who are Hip hop enthusiasts are contributing to the elevation of the Hip hop genre and the sounds that tapped influences from it.

“The Gen Z demographic is playing a significant role in this trend,” Okpala said.