Hilda Baci, Ilebaye, Very Dark Man, other breakout celebrities of 2023

2023 witnessed a rise of several talents who grew from relative obscurity to stardom.

These individuals captivated the nation with their unique contributions, whether in music, entertainment, or social media.

This piece by PREMIUM TIMES showcases some of the breakout stars in Nigeria during the year 2023.

Shalipopi

Twenty-three-year-old Nigerian rapper, Crown Uzama, best known as Shalipopi, rose to mainstream fame in 2023 following the release of his song ‘Elon Musk’.

Shallipopi started his career making freestyles and posting them on TikTok and other social media platforms.

He made a breakthrough with releasing his single, ‘Elon Musk’. His song ‘Obapluto’, featuring veteran singer Pa Monday Edo, added to his fame.

On 20 June 2023, Apple Music announced Shallipopi as the latest featured artiste in its Up Next Artiste Development Programme in Nigeria. Some of his popular hits include ‘Ex-convict’, ‘Things on Things’ and ‘Sharpiru’.

Boy Spyce

Twenty-two-year-old Nigerian singer, Ugbekile Osemeke, best known as Boy Spyce, began his music career by making covers of songs; his most successful was his cover of ‘Essence’ by Wizkid.

The cover brought him to the attention of Don Jazzy, the CEO of Mavin Records, who signed him for the label. On 23 April 2022, Boy Spyce released his debut EP, the eponymous Boy Spyce.

This year, Boy Spyce astonished fans with a string of chart-topping hits that resonated with a dynamic and electrifying energy. Among these are ‘Carry Me Go’ featuring ‘Khaid’, ‘Folake’ and ‘Relationship’, each boasting distinctive and memorable verses that have left the Nigerian audience eagerly anticipating more musical brilliance from the rising star.

Odumodublvck

Tochukwu Ojogwu, a 30-year-old artiste widely known as Odumodublvck, has swiftly risen to prominence as a Nigerian rapper, singer, and songwriter within the Afro-music scene.

Before 2023, Odumodublvck maintained a relatively low profile, with limited information about his artistic journey. During this time, he inked a record deal with NATIVE Records, marking his debut with the single ‘Picanto’, featuring Ecko Miles and Zlatan.

The track showcased his musical prowess and secured his inaugural placement on the music charts.

Odumodublvck’s career trajectory in 2023 intrigues many. Recognisable by his signature Okpu Agu hat, the artiste has collaborated with notable names such as Adekunle Gold in ‘Wrong Person’, Teni in ‘Wotowoto’, and Fireboy in ‘Firegun’.

Adding to his achievements, he clinched the prestigious Headies “Rookie of the Year” award in June 2023, further solidifying his status as a rising star in the industry.

Very Dark Man

Year 2023 became a turning point for Martin Otse, a 27-year-old Nigerian widely recognised by his moniker, Very Dark Man.

Renowned as a controversial social media personality and influencer, Very Dark Man has made a significant impact this year through his social media videos, engaging his audience in humorous discussions on everyday issues and bold critiques of celebrities.

His content spans a wide range of trendy topics circulating on social media.

Interestingly, this outspoken influencer, known for delving into all things controversial, found himself at the centre of a September scandal.

A nude video of Very Dark Man was leaked online by the popular social media blog Gistlover. Rather than diminishing his presence, this controversy surprisingly contributed to a doubling of his fame.

Layiwasabi

Known for his witty wordplay and comical portrayal of a lawyer in his skits, Layiwasabi, whose real name is Isaac Olayiwola, has successfully amassed a significant fan base through his distinctive online content.

He started his skit in 2020 but could only attain fame this year when his comedic performance suddenly grew his followership to 1.6 million on Instagram. He was also featured in the 2023 Nollywood movie ‘Adire’.

Layi’s skits often deal with everyday experiences humorously. He has a knack for finding the funny side of things, and his videos are always relatable and engaging. In his skits where he plays the roles of a struggling lawyer, he is fondly referred to as ‘The Law’ by his small-time clientele.

Khaid

Sulaimon Solomon, a 19-year-old Nigerian singer best known as Khaid, took the music industry by storm this year.

Khaid’s journey to fame began after he secured a record deal with Sydney Talker’s Neville Records in 2022.

Before this time, he was just freestyling on Instagram, which caught the eye of Sydney Talker, who promptly offered him a recording deal.

Khaid’s rising star status was further highlighted when Spotify recognised him on 31 January 2023 as one of the emerging artists to watch from Nigeria.

His track ‘Jolie’ peaked at number 7 on the official Nigeria TurnTable Top 100 songs on 13 February 2023.

Further contributing to Khaid’s success, the video for ‘Anabella’ was released on 24 July, directed by The Peacock, and quickly became one of his most viewed music videos in 2023.

Ilebayi

Ilebaye Odiniya, also known as Baye or Gen-Z Baddie, is a Nigerian criminologist, model, and reality TV sensation who emerged victorious in Big Brother Naija season 8.

At a relatively young age, she embarked on her journey in the entertainment industry, showcasing her talent in renowned shows like Papa Ajasco and Nnena and Friends.

In 2021, Ilebayi claimed the title of Finest Girl Democracy Nigeria (FGDN) in a prestigious beauty pageant.

Her Big Brother Naija began in the 7th season, where she entered as the fourth housemate on 23 July 2022, only to be evicted in the third week.

However, 23 July marked a remarkable return for Ilebaye, as she was reintroduced as the 13th housemate for the all-star season.

On 1 October, Ilebayi won the BBNaija season 8 and went home with

the grand prize of N120 million in cash and other prices.

Spyro

Oludipe David, a 33-year-old Nigerian singer best known as Spyro, has been in the music industry since 2018. However, his track ‘Who is Your Guy?’ catapulted him to fame.

Initially, the song dropped in November 2022 but reached new heights when re-released in March 2023 as a remix featuring Tiwa Savage.

The remix quickly ascended to the top of the charts, dominating most ‘Shazamed’ songs and Apple’s Top 10 music chart across various African nations, including Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Gambia.

‘Who is your Guy?’ became the highest-charting single for Tiwa Savage and Spyro in 2023. The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, even declared it his favourite song after securing re-election for a second term in office.

Capitalising on the song’s success, Spyro unveiled its music video, amassing over 112 million views on YouTube. The track’s acclaim extended to award nominations and won Afrobeats Single of the Year, and the Tiwa Savage collaboration won “Best Collaboration” at the 2023 Headies awards.

Hilda Baci

Until 2023, not so much was known about Hilda Bassey, widely recognised as Hilda Baci – except that she was a budding actress and a chef.

But her status changed when she set the Guinness World Record for marathon cooking, an impressive feat, clocking in at 93 hours and 11 minutes.

However, her record was later surpassed by the accomplished Irish chef Alan Fisher, who astonishingly cooked for 119 hours and 57 minutes.

Interestingly, Hilda Baci’s culinary prowess first came to the forefront during the Cook-a-thon, where she emerged as the winner of the Jollof Faceoff competition in 2021.

Before this culinary triumph, she pursued an acting career, albeit without achieving significant fame. The Cook-a-thon became the turning point that propelled her into limelight.

Her efforts garnered support from a massive fan base, with Nigerians flocking to the competition venue and trending her name on social media. Even former Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo extended his encouragement during the cook-a-thon.

Regrettably, in November 2023, Hilda Baci relinquished her Guinness World Record title to Alan Fisher.

Fisher’s extraordinary cooking marathon of 119 hours and 57 minutes surpassed Baci’s previous record by over 24 hours. Additionally, Fisher set a new record for the longest baking marathon (individual) at 47 hours and 21 minutes.

Mohbad

The late Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, gained even more recognition after passing on than he enjoyed while alive.

Mohbad died on 12 September at the age of 27 and was buried the following day in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

When a music artiste dies, it is a norm that fans, music enthusiasts or curious people will reflect on the deceased singer’s life and work, leading to a visible surge in their music streams.

This was no different with Mohbad; even so, the controversies around Mohbad’s death made Nigerians more interested in the singer, with Naira Marley and his associate, Sam Larry, being at the centre of the allegations maltreating the late singer while he was alive.

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Within a week of his passing, Mohbad surpassed renowned international artistes such as Nicki Minaj, Eminem, 21 Savage, Lady Gaga, and Chris Brown to become the 46th best-selling digital artiste in the world.

The Global Digital Artist Ranking, based on the overall performance of songs on significant platforms like iTunes, Apple Music, YouTube, and Spotify, placed Mohbad’s tracks, including ‘Peace,’ ‘Feel Good,’ and ‘Ask About Me,’ at number 1 on Spotify Nigeria and leading on other streaming platforms like Shazam, YouTube, iTunes, and Apple Music.

TurnTable Charts reported a 702 per cent increase in Mohbad’s music streams since his untimely demise. This made Mohbad a superstar, even in death.