Olamide signs two Instagram rappers

Nigerian users of social media were impressed when Picazo Rhap showed up on multiple timelines rapping to a beat from the song ‘Able God’ by Chinko Ekun.

Surrounded by friends, one of whom holds the camera, the young rapper produced a freestyled verse soundtracked at intervals with chants from his friends. The performance ends with a punchline that sends the rapper spinning, the phone shaking and his friends shouting.

He posted the video on Twitter, captioning it: “I decided to jump on this instrumental. Oya rate me”.

The effect on social media was immediate, and from the amount of engagement it received, it seems his performance was rated very highly. Some made jokes about his preening camera holder, some championed his delivery, but everyone seemed to love the video with the young rapper and his posse. A particular line from his verse – “Sango [a Yoruba god] no dey use gas” – was repeated over and again.

But Picazo Rhap remained unknown to those who missed the initial social media share, especially on Twitter where the excitement began. He was found when some users tagged his account and the rapper himself showed up to claim his image. His name trended for hours and by the next morning, a new chapter to the story had opened.

Apparently, Olamide saw the video and considered the rapper worthy of joining his YBNL label. He posted a video showing Young Picazo on Twitter and Instagram with the single word “Signed”. Picazo posted an acknowledgement of his new status, and within 24 hours, another member of his group named Yomi Blaze was also welcomed to YBNL.

Olamide, who in the past discovered and signed Adekunle Gold and Lil Kesh before they hit the mainstream, has now gotten Picazo and Yomi Blaze to join older YBNL acts Limerick and Davolee on a new song titled ‘Juju, Guns & Roses’. Listen to it below: