Pepenazi
| Pepenazi | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Opeyemi Gbenga Kayode |
| Also known as | PepeIllegal |
| Born | 16 April 1988 |
| Origin | Odigbo, Ondo State |
| Genres | Hip hop, AfroPop, Dance Hall |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, songwriter, Recording Artist, Performer |
| Years active | 2012 – present |
| Labels | Ecleftic Entertainment |
| Associated acts | Olamide, Davido, Tiwa Savage, Skales, DJ Xclusive, Reminisce, Falz |
| Website | www.pepenazi.com |
Opeyemi Gbenga Kayode (born 16 April 1988), popularly known with his stage name, Pepenazi is a Nigeria-based songwriter, recording artiste and performer. He is currently signed to Ecleftic Entertainment. He made his debut into the Nigerian Music Industry in 2012 when he dropped his single titled Arose produced by Bam Tunes. Arose's video had established acts in the Nigerian music scene make cameo appearances including Vector, Ice Prince, W4. He however took a break from the industry to complete his undergraduate education and serve his father land. On his return to the Nigerian music scene in October 2014, he dropped two singles, Born You and Low Simultaneously. The songs gained air play but Pepenazi came into broader limelight after dropping his Olamide featured pop-centric single titled Illegal. The second half of year 2015 was Pepenazi's breakthrough period such that in recognition of his fast rise to prominence, he was nominated as Rookie of the Year at the 2015 Headies' Flip the Script Award.
Pepenazi was born in Lagos, Nigeria. He grew up listening to songs of music greats including Ebenezer Obey, Sunny Ade, The Beattle, IK Dairo, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, as they were his father's favorite. He had his primary education at Kemeesther Nursery and Primary School, Aguda Surulere, Lagos and his secondary school education at Mayflower School, Ikenne, Ogun State; where his love for Rap emerged, as he loved listening to the likes of Wyclef, Notorious B.I.G, P Diddy, Fat Joe, among others. He went further to earn for himself a Bachelor of Technology's degree in Estate Management from the prestigious Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State. He recorded his first single as an undergraduate student of the school. He contested in an election of the Student Union Government of the school and emerged the winner of the polls to become the Union's Director of Socials. Under his auspices as the DO Socials, he alongside other performing acts in the institution made a musical album titled Futa's Finnest.
Pepenazi's first professional venture into the Nigerian Music Industry was in 2012 when he dropped his rap single titled Arose Produced by Bam Tunes, this was followed up by a video. But as a final year student, who needed more commitment to his academics, Pepenazi proceeded on a break off the entertainment scene and could not immediately consolidate on the credits his first entrance accorded him. The break had to be extended because of the compulsory National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) program he had to undertake. Music could not be taken away from him as he competed in and won the 2013 Airtel NYSC Lagos Camp Freestyle Competition after he thrilled his colleagues. Despite the break, Pepenazi still featured on two consecutive albums of Popular Nigerian Entertainment act, Olamide namely Baddest Guy Ever Liveth and Street OT. He was featured on track 11 titled Motivation (with Olamide, Ice Prince and Endia) and track 20 titled Usain Bolt P (with Olamide, Lil Kesh and Chinko Ekun) of the two albums respectively. In the month of October, year 2014, Pepenazi staged a come back dropping two singles, Born you and Low simultaneously. They enjoyed air play on some radio stations, especially in Lagos.
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