''Omo Baba Olowo'' (
Yoruba
The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...
: ''Son of a Rich Man'') is the debut
studio album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
by Nigerian singer
Davido
David Adedeji Adeleke (born November 21, 1992), popularly known by his stage name Davido, is an American-Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. His music blends traditional African elements with global mainstream pop. Davido is widel ...
. It was released by HKN Music on July 17, 2012.
The album was produced by Jay Sleek,
Maleek Berry
Maleek Shoyebi (born 11 August 1987), professionally known as Maleek Berry, is a British-Nigerian record producer and recording artist. After his break into the spotlight in 2012, Maleek Berry was nominated as "Music Producer of the Year" at the ...
, GospelOnDeBeatz,
Spellz
''Spellz'' was a 2006–2008 magic series featuring famed magician Jay Sankey. Produced by GAPC Entertainment in partnership with TVO Kids, with the participation of Knowledge Network from 2006 to 2009, SCN and the Canadian Television Fund, Spellz ...
, Dokta Frabz, Mr. Chidoo, Theory Soundz and
Shizzi
Oluwaseyi Akerele, popularly known as Shizzi, is a Nigerian platinum record producer, disk jockey and songwriter.
Music career 2009–2015: Early life and career
Shizzi started out as a drummer in church. He achieved recognition for his work on ...
. Its release was preceded by four singles: "Back When", "
Dami Duro
"Dami Duro" is a song by Nigerian singer Davido. It was released as the second single from his debut studio album, ''Omo Baba Olowo'' (2012). It peaked at number 1 on Gold Myne's list of the top 10 songs of 2012, surpassing Iyanya's "Kukere".
R ...
", "Ekuro" and "Overseas". The album's music is a mixture of
Afrobeats
Afrobeats (not to be confused with Afrobeat or Afroswing), or Afro-pop or Afro-fusion (or Afropop or Afrofusion), is an umbrella term to describe popular music from West Africa and the diaspora that initially developed in Nigeria, Ghana, and ...
and hip hop. It features guest appearances from
Naeto C
Naetochukwu Chikwe, stage name Naeto C, is a Nigerian rapper, Afrobeat artist and record producer.
Early life
He was born in Houston, Texas and is of Nigerian origin.
The Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha appointed Naeto C, as his Speci ...
, Sina Rambo,
B-Red, Kayswitch,
Ice Prince
Panshak Henry Zamani (born 30 October 1984) better known as Ice Prince Zamani or just Ice Prince, is a Nigerian rapper, hip hop recording artist and actor. He rose to fame after releasing " Oleku", one of Nigeria's most remixed songs of all t ...
and
2 Face Idibia.
''Omo Baba Olowo'' received generally negative reviews from music critics, who denounced its lyrical content and Davido's songwriting. The album won Best R&B/Pop Album and received a nomination for
Album of the Year at
The Headies 2013
The Headies 2013 was the 8th edition of The Headies. It was held on 26 December 2013, at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos. The show was hosted by Tiwa Savage and Dr SID. Olamide was the biggest awardee of the night, winning three awards from seven ...
.
It was also nominated for Best Album of the Year at the
2013 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.
Launch concert
On July 22, 2012, the album's launch concert was held at the Expo Hall of the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos. Davido's father
Adedeji Adeleke
Adedeji Adeleke (born 6 March 1956) is a Nigerian billionaire, business magnate and president of Adeleke University. He is also the CEO of Pacific Holdings Limited. He is the father of Davido, a Nigerian musician and Sharon Adeleke. He was m ...
and
Aliko Dangote ''For people with the given name, see Aliko (given name).''
Aliko ( sq-definite, Alikoi; ) is a village and a former commune in Vlorë County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Fini ...
attended the event. Other celebrities in attendance included
D'banj
Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo (born 9 June 1980), better known by his stage name D'banj, is a Nigerian singer and rapper and the founder of Mo' Hits Records with producer Don Jazzy. He has won several music awards, including the awards for ''Best Af ...
, Ikechukwu,
Naeto C
Naetochukwu Chikwe, stage name Naeto C, is a Nigerian rapper, Afrobeat artist and record producer.
Early life
He was born in Houston, Texas and is of Nigerian origin.
The Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha appointed Naeto C, as his Speci ...
,
Toke Makinwa
Toke Makinwa (born 3 November 1984) is a Nigerian radio personality, television host, vlogger, lifestyle entrepreneur, actress and author. Toke is known for hosting ''The Morning Drive'' on Rhythm 93.7 FM and for her YouTube vlog series ''Toke ...
, Munachi, Sasha,
Daddy Freeze
Ifedayo Olarinde (born 6 May 1976), popularly known as Daddy Freeze, is a Nigerian -Romanian broadcaster and radio talk show host.
Early life
Ifedayo Olarinde was born in Cluj-Napoca, Romania to a Nigerian father and a Romanian mother. He sp ...
, Adaure Achumba,
Mo'Cheddah
Modupe-Oreoluwa Oyeyemi Ola (born October 16, 1990), known by her stage name Mo'Cheddah (sometimes stylized as Mocheeda or Mocheddah), is a Nigerian rapper and singer. She released her debut studio album, ''Franchise Celebrity'' (2010), while signe ...
,
DJ Xclusive
Rotimi Alakija (born 16 October 1980), better known as DJ Xclusive, is a Nigerian disc jockey, record producer and recording artist.
Early life
Rotimi Alakija was born in England to Nigerian parents. At an early age, he moved back to Nigeria ...
,
May D
Akinmayokun Awodumila (born 28 December 1984), popularly known as May D, is a Nigerian singer. He was formally signed to R&B duo P-Square's record label Square Records.
Biography
May D was born Akinmayokun Awodumila in Lagos into a family o ...
, Dayo Ephraim and
Funke Akindele
Olufunke Ayotunde Akindele-Bello (born 24 August 1977) popularly known as Funke Akindele or Jenifa, is a Nigerian film actress, politician and producer.Funsho AkinwaleFunke Akindele gives first glimpse of her twins ''The Guardian'' Akindele sta ...
.
Composition
The album opens with "All of You", a song with a mid tempo beat. In "Dollars in the Bank", Davido addresses gold diggers who are out for his wealth. In "Video", he lures a female fan into shooting an adult film with him. "Mary Jane" has two different connotations. From the surface, the song is about a "bad girl" that makes Davido's head swell while in a deeper meaning, it is an ode to
marijuana
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...
. In the drum-infused "Gbon Gbon", producer Shizzi reproduces the sound of "Dami Duro". "No Visa" is a fusion of
Europop
Europop (also spelled Euro pop) is a style of pop music that originated in Europe during the mid-to-late 1960s and developed to today's form throughout the late 1970s. Europop topped the charts throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with revivals and ...
and
Azonto
Azonto is a dance and music genre from Ghana. Ghana News Agency cites their study which found out the dance is connected to the traditional Ga dance Kpanlogo, associated with the coastal towns in the country such as Chorkor, James Town, Tes ...
. "All of You" reveals a conceited Davido who sees himself as a victim of unjust castigation. "Feel Alright" is a song about the wax and wane of a relationship. The Maleek Berry-produced "New Skul Tinz" has an imperceptible dancehall feel to it. In "Enter the Center", Davido is reminiscent of
Terry G
Gabriel Oche Amanyi (born March 17,1986), popularly known by his stage name Terry G, is a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter and record executive. He is widely known for his eccentric dress-sense, controversial lyrics and awkward identity. He ...
.
Singles
The
Naeto C
Naetochukwu Chikwe, stage name Naeto C, is a Nigerian rapper, Afrobeat artist and record producer.
Early life
He was born in Houston, Texas and is of Nigerian origin.
The Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha appointed Naeto C, as his Speci ...
-assisted track "Back When" was released on May 7, 2011, as the album's lead single. The song was recorded on
Old Kent Road
Old Kent Road is a major thoroughfare in South East London, England, passing through the London Borough of Southwark. It was originally part of an ancient trackway that was paved by the Romans and used by the Anglo-Saxons who named it Wæceli ...
in London. The music video for "Back When" was shot and directed in Nigeria by
Clarence Peters
Clarence Abiodun Peters (born 27 July 1978) is a Nigerian music video director, filmmaker and cinematographer. He is the founder and CEO of Capital Dream Pictures, a production company that specialises in the realms of the performing arts, fi ...
. It was uploaded to YouTube on May 9, 2011, at a total length of 3 minutes and 48 seconds. The album's second single "Dami Duro" was released on October 30, 2011, during the
Occupy Nigeria
Occupy Nigeria was a socio-political protest movement that began in Nigeria on Monday, 2 January 2012 in response to the fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government of President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday, 1 January 2012. Protests took pla ...
protests. Davido told Adeola Adeyemo of ''
BellaNaija
''BellaNaija'' is a lifestyle, entertainment and fashion website in Africa. headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.
History
BellaNaija was founded by Uche Eze in 2006 as a media startup which later metamorphosed into BellaNaija.com while studying for ...
'' he was skeptical when he dropped the song. The music video for "Dami Duro" was shot and directed in Lagos by Clarence Peters.
The album's third single "Ekuro" was released on January 25, 2012. Nigerian singer
Aramide
Aramid fibers, short for aromatic polyamide, are a class of heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibers. They are used in aerospace and military applications, for ballistic-rated body armor fabric and ballistic composites, in marine cordage, ma ...
released a soulful rendition of the song. The accompanying music video for "Ekuro" was shot and directed in Miami by Antwan Smith. "Overseas" was released as the album's fourth single on May 6, 2012. It features vocals by Sina Rambo and was produced by Shizzi. An unfinished version of the song, titled "Take You Round The World", was released a week prior to the official release. The music video for "Overseas" was also shot and directed in Miami by Antwan Smith.
The album's fifth single "All of You" was released on September 28, 2012. The song was produced by GospelOnDeBeatz and was rumored to be a beef track. Its music video was shot and directed in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, New York by
Sesan Ogunro
Sesan Ogunro (born 11 January 1983) is a Nigerian music video director based in the United Kingdom, often credited for his work as Sesan. He has directed music videos for Afrobeats genre artists such as D'Banj, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage and Davido. ...
. The Shizzi-produced track "Gbon Gbon" was released on October 17, 2012, as the album's sixth single. The accompanying music video for "Gbon Gbon" was shot and directed in Lagos by Clarence Peters. The
Ice Prince
Panshak Henry Zamani (born 30 October 1984) better known as Ice Prince Zamani or just Ice Prince, is a Nigerian rapper, hip hop recording artist and actor. He rose to fame after releasing " Oleku", one of Nigeria's most remixed songs of all t ...
-assisted track "Feel Alright" was released on December 8, 2012, as the album's seventh single. The song was produced by Dokta Frabz. Aje Filmworks shot and directed the music video in Lagos.
Critical reception
''Omo Baba Olowo'' received generally negative reviews from music critics. Ayomide Tayo of ''
Nigerian Entertainment Today
The Netng (Nigerian Entertainment Today) also known as ''NET'' is an online entertainment news organisation based in Lagos, Nigeria. It is a leading source of African entertainment, fashion and lifestyle news. Netng formed part of NET Newspaper ...
'' awarded the album 3.5 stars out of 5, criticizing its producers for "failing to cover up Davido's failings as an artiste".
Tayo also opined that Davido's "songwriting skills could be better and his voice could be better groomed."
Tobi Amoo of ''
Hip Hop World Magazine
''Hip Hop World Magazine'' is a weekly Nigerian music magazine established in 1995. It has sponsored The Headies award since the award's inception in 2006. The magazine's publisher is Nigerian journalist and music promoter Ayo Animashaun.
Referen ...
'' gave the album 1 star out of 5, extensively stating: "David's debut album fails to strike that balance; not only does it not have enough hits to leave any impression as to his talents as a recording artiste, it possesses too many songs of the same mediocre quality, leading you to wonder if there will be a follow up attempt or if indeed there need be."
Ore Fakorede of ''
YNaija
''YNaija'' is a Nigerian online content publishing platform, founded by Chude Jideonwo and Adebola Williams of RED Africa media group. ''YNaija'' launched in May 2010 with columnists and various news sources. It offers news, original content ...
'' criticized Davido's songwriting and singing voice. Wilfred Okiche said a "trip back to the drawing board should save his career the horror of another record like this."
Toni Kan of ''Africa Magic'' praised the album's production, but ended the review saying it "sounds very familiar in places, leaving you with a heavy feeling of deja vu."
Accolades
Despite the negative reviews, the album won Best R&B/Pop Album and was nominated for
Album of the Year at
The Headies 2013
The Headies 2013 was the 8th edition of The Headies. It was held on 26 December 2013, at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos. The show was hosted by Tiwa Savage and Dr SID. Olamide was the biggest awardee of the night, winning three awards from seven ...
. It was also nominated for Best Album of the Year at the
2013 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.
Track listing
Personnel
Credits adapted from the back cover of ''Omo Baba Olowo''.
* David "Davido" Adeleke – primary artist, writer, executive producer, mastering
* Adewale Adeleke – executive producer
* Dr. Adedeji Adeleke – executive producer
* Asa Askia – co-executive producer
* Sharon Adeleke – co-executive producer
* Kamal Ajiboye – co-executive producer
* Shizzi – producer, mastering
* Jerry "Jay Sleek" Shelika – producer
* Maleek Berry – producer
* Gospel "OnDeBeatz" Obi – producer
* Mr. Chidoo – producer
* Spellz – producer
* Dokta Frabz – producer
* Theory Soundz – producer, mixing, mastering
* Naetochukwu Chikwe – featured artist, writer
* Kehinde Oladotun Oyebanjo – featured artist
* Shina "Rambo" Adeleke – featured artist, writer
* Bayo "B-Red" Adeleke – featured artist, producer, writer
* Panshak Zamani – featured artist, writer
* Innocent Ujah Idibia – featured artist, writer
* TCD Photography – cover art photography
Release history
References
{{Authority control
2012 debut albums
Davido albums
Yoruba-language albums
Albums produced by Shizzi
Albums produced by Spellz
Albums produced by Maleek Berry
Albums produced by GospelOnDeBeatz
Albums produced by Mr Chidoo
Albums produced by Dokta Frabz
Albums produced by Jay Sleek
2012 in Nigerian music