Today is the fifth anniversary of the passing of the late Nigerian rapper Dagrin. On April 22, 2010 his rising star got knocked off the orbit, and sadly the indigenous rapper who made the art of indigenous rap acceptable to the mainstream in Nigeria couldn’t live to reap the fruit of his labour.
However as he is no longer here physically, Dagrin still remains with us. Today, indigenous rap is the hottest trend in the Nigerian music scene. Dagrin was the architect of the movement that we now see Olamide, Phyno, Reminisce and others proudly representing.
His bravado, honesty and courage he expressed on his classic (?) second album CEO also helped usher in a new level of emotional content in our rap music. Downplaying the flashy, and creating emotional rhymes he weaved a classic ghetto tale of a young man who made it despite all odds. Just as he was about to buy that mansion on the hill, death came calling.
Because of what he did in 2009/2010 we have come to expect a whole lot more from our rappers. Yes, they still drop the party songs and all that but tucked in the albums we now hear them speak about a life not so flashy and bright. Dagrin is the man we should thank for this.
Half a decade since his exit from this realm, he is still here with us, from the numerous rap hits and albums we’ve heard since his death. Dagrin is one of the rappers who has changed the manner of rap in Nigeria.
Tonight, as Olamide and Reminisce celebrate the achievements of Barack O’Grin his music will ring loud again, and we will remember the man who redefined the game.
