Entertainment
OlaDips’ Stunt: Did Faking Death Boost Album Sales?
In the ever-evolving world of the music industry, artists often go extra lengths to grab attention and boost their careers and promote their work. Recently, Nigerian rapper Oladipupo Oladimeji better known as OlaDips stirred controversy by allegedly faking his own death as a publicity stunt to generate buzz around his new album ‘Superhero Adugbo.’
Recall that Oladips’ management, in a statement released via his Instagram page on Wednesday, announced that the rapper passed away on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
The news of OlaDips’ supposed demise spread like wildfire on social media platforms, leaving fans in shock and disbelief.
However, as the dust settled, one of his associate announced that the singer is alive, that is a stunt to promote his album. With that many began to question the authenticity of the incident, pointing to the timing of the announcement and the subsequent revelation that it was all a promotional tactic.
Opinions on this daring move are divided. Some argue that faking one’s death is an extreme and insensitive way to gain publicity, as death is a serious matter that should not be trivialized for commercial purposes. They believe that such actions could be distressing for fans who may have genuinely mourned the artist’s passing.
On the other hand, supporters of OlaDips defend his bold strategy, emphasizing the cutthroat competition in the music industry. They argue that breaking through the noise requires unique and attention-grabbing tactics, and OlaDips’ staged death succeeded in getting people talking about him and his new album.
Critics, however, question the ethics behind using such a controversial method for promotional purposes. They argue that it undermines the genuine emotions tied to death and could have long-lasting negative effects on an artist’s reputation. Trust, once broken, is challenging to rebuild, and some fans may feel betrayed by the artist they once admired.
The question on everyone’s mind now is whether this stunt successfully propelled his album sales to new heights as the artist, known for his unconventional tactics, left fans in shock when news of his demise circulated
The impact on album sales remains a subject of debate. Some argue that the sensational stunt garnered widespread media coverage, drawing more eyes to OlaDips’ work than ever before. The heightened curiosity might have translated into increased album purchases, as intrigued fans sought to explore the artist’s discography.
On the flip side, critics contend that such a controversial maneuver could backfire, alienating fans who may view it as a tasteless publicity stunt. Authenticity is crucial in the music industry, and faking one’s death could erode trust.
In the end, whether OlaDips’ death hoax boosted album sales or damaged his credibility is uncertain. Only time will reveal the true repercussions of this audacious move in the ever-evolving landscape of the music business.
Award-winning Nigerian singer and activist, Yemi Alade has accused Cool FM Nigeria and Clout Africa of blacklisting her music after she failed to perform at an event organized by the platforms in December 2023.
The singer, in a series of tweets on Thursday night, alleged that her music has been removed from the stations’ playlists for nearly a year, despite her efforts to resolve the misunderstanding.
Alade explained that she was invited by Cool FM to perform at their December event but couldn’t attend.
According to her, she apologized for her absence in January 2024 but faced a cold reception from the management.
She claims this eventually led to her entire music catalogue being banned from the station’s playlists.
“Mr Serge and Mr Joseph, this life is not hard like that. WE SEE YOU… I SEE YOU @cloutafrica @CoolFMNigeria. This world is a small village. My God will fight for me… Una dey form gatekeepers in 2024,” she tweeted, referring to Cool FM and Clout Africa executives Serge Noujaim and Joseph Adamu.
Alade expressed shock at what she described as a deliberate attempt to sabotage her career by refusing to play her songs. She accused the station of barring both her old and new music from the airwaves.
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“Since December 2023. I personally reached out in January. You are still refusing to play my music and giving my team a hard time. You’re not gatekeepers, and you are not God, Mr Serge Noujaim and Mr Joseph Adamu,” she wrote.
She further criticized the lack of communication from the management regarding the issue.
“The common decency to reach out and clear out any misunderstanding borne out of sheer carelessness on your path for a whole year, and your next move is to place an embargo on my songs? Remove my whole catalogue,” she added.
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has congratulated his nephew and global music icon, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido on the occasion of his birthday, describing him as a superstar Osun State is proud of.
This was revealed in a statement by his Spokesperson Olawale Rasheed, where he cited Gov Aeleke as pointing to Davido’s consistency, energy and passion yielding the result he has recorded not only in his music career but also in his life as a person.
Gov Adeleke, stated Rasheed, prayed for progress, more success and achievement for Davido, while commending his continuous outreach to the orphanages and less privileged, which he described as ‘a noble act every blessed hand in Nigeria must emulate’.
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He said, ” I want to rejoice with my nephew, David Adeleke, Davido, on the occasion of his 32nd birthday, I am very happy we are all alive to witness it.
“Davido is a global super star that Osun State is very proud of. The consistency, energy and passion he has inserted into building his music career is evident in the result he has recorded not only in his career but also in his life as a person.
“I pray for him for progress, more success and achievement in long life, prosperity, sound health and mind.
“I equally want to commend his continuous outreach to the orphanages and less privileged. I must say that this is a noble act every blessed hand in Nigeria must emulate.
“Once again, Happy Birthday to Davido”.
Afrobeats sensation Wizkid has unveiled his highly anticipated sixth studio album, Morayo, released today (Nov. 22) via Starboy Entertainment and RCA Records.
The album, whose title translates to “I see joy” in Yoruba, is an emotional tribute to his late mother, Juliana Morayo Balogun, who passed away in August 2023.
“Best album I ever made!! Now listen! It’s only up from here!” the Grammy-winning artist tweeted in July, building anticipation for the 16-track project.
Morayo features an impressive lineup of collaborations, including Brent Faiyaz on “Piece of My Heart,” Asake on “Bad Girl,” Tiakola on “Après Minuit,” Jazmine Sullivan on “Bad For You,” and Anaïs on “Slow.” The album also includes previously released singles like “Piece of My Heart,” which reached No. 4 on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart and No. 7 on World Digital Song Sales, and “Kese (Dance).”
Notably, Wizkid and Asake’s collaboration on “MMS” has earned a Grammy nomination for Best African Music Performance in 2025, cementing their impact on the global music stage.
READ MORE: Wizkid Unveils Morayo Album Tracklist Featuring Asake
The tracklist for Morayo includes:
1. Troubled Mind
2. Karamo
3. Kese (Dance)
4. Bad Girl (feat. Asake)
5. Time
6. Piece of My Heart (feat. Brent Faiyaz)
7. Break Me Down
8. Bend
9. A Million Blessing
10. Après Minuit (feat. Tiakola)
11. Bad For You (feat. Jazmine Sullivan)
12. Soji
13. Don’t Care
14. Slow (feat. Anaïs)
15. Lose
16. Pray
This marks Wizkid’s first album in three years, following More Love, Less Ego, which reached No. 2 on the World Albums chart and No. 59 on the Billboard 200. His previous projects, including the Grammy-nominated Made in Lagos (Deluxe), have solidified his place as a global music icon.
Fans can stream Morayo now and experience the evolution of Wizkid’s sound, deeply rooted in love, loss, and celebration.
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