If you have been a fan of Nigerian or Afrobeat music for 4 or more years, then you are definitely familiar with the name Brymo who got critical acclaim for his feature on the overwhelming hit single, Oleku.
He has been quiet music wise for obvious reasons. The good news is that those reasons, may have finally been resolved, and Brymo has stepped into the new chapter in the journey of his music career as he gets ready to release his 4th studio album TABULA RASA.
We all know Brymo is the stage name but people really wanna know much more. Shoot!
I am Olawale Ashimi, although recently I have developed a fondness for my grandfather’s name “Olofo’ro” and would prefer to be addressed by it. I was raised in Okokomaiko, Lagos where I lived at least the first 20 years of my life. I ditched football for music and moved to the city to chase my dreams.
How did the music start?
Music started in ’99 when I wrote my first song and thought about joining a group or starting one. I would listen to the radio most nights to every melody of every song. I learnt song writing by basically studying other singers.
Your biggest influences when coming up?
My biggest influence are my parents and the numerous loads of musicians they listened to. The likes of Ayinla Omowura, Barrister and K1. Throw some KSA in there. I also had this neighbour who was a bachelor and played lots of Fela. As a teenager, I started with R. Kelly, my first and only demo was influenced by his “snake” song. I called it “I like ‘em girls”, it was never released.
The first time I heard about you was on a song by SLIM T titled “Die Representing”. Was that the song that actually brought you out?
Oh it was “Shawdy” in 2008, a lot of people still tell me how surprised they were to find it was me on the song, I also did a number of collaborations in 2010. Slim T’s happened to be one of those.
How did you make that BIG break? – The Choc City deal.
I have not made that big break…… It was Denrele, we met in ’07 or there about through a lady that used to manage me. He also invited me to the Sound City urban blast in ’09 and I was also a nominee at the SMVA that year. So in 2010 he was the one who hooked me up with M.I and that set the ball rolling.
Oleku was at a time, the biggest song in Nigeria and possibly Africa and you were one of the major factors. What was the inspiration behind that?
Oleku was a huge one…. It was for me a result of practice. I had recorded with Jesse Jagz on “l.ov.e u” and Slim T’s “die representing”. I was picking up making music on ready-made beats. I was thrilled and Oleku was the cusp of all that. Also Jagz was a big fan of me singing in Yoruba and after a while I was willing to try. Oleku was the first time I sang in Yoruba without caring about language barrier.
Ice Prince ft. Brymo – Oleku
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