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Podcaster, DAYGENIUS Tells City People
Adebayo Ayodeji Oladele, popularly known as DayGenius, is a Nigerian music commentator, podcaster, creative director and one of the outspoken voices championing hip-hop culture in the country. He has built a reputation for his blunt opinions, honest music reviews and fearless approach to discussing artistes and their projects. What started as a personal hobby of sharing his thoughts about music with friends and people online has grown into a platform that attracts attention from some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars.
Beyond music commentary, DayGenius is the host of the DayGenius Podcast, where he has interviewed over 40 rappers. He is also the co-founder of Battle Rap Africa, alongside Olawale Jokotoye. Since its establishment in 2020, the platform has organised over 20 events aimed at promoting and developing battle rap culture. His passion for hip-hop and consistency in creating conversations around Nigerian music have earned him recognition in the entertainment industry.
Recently, he added another milestone to his career when he emerged as Music Publicist of the Year at the Galaxy Music Awards (GMA), beating other notable names in the category, including Joey Akan and Gracey Mae. In this exclusive interview with City People Showbiz Reporter, EMMANUEL DANIJI, DayGenius speaks about his journey, what has helped him build a strong voice in Nigeria’s music industry, his relationship with artistes, handling criticism and backlash, turning down money to compromise his principles and what the future holds for him.
For those who may be hearing about you for the first time, can you introduce yourself, tell us a little about your background, and explain how you became a music influencer?
I’m DayGenius. I’m a Creative Director by profession, but I talk about music online for fun. I didn’t plan to be a music publicist or influencer. I just wanted to share my thoughts about music I love and dislike with friends and people in my community.
My views brought lots of mixed attention, but they also gave me access to lots of top artistes like Odumodublvck, M.I Abaga, Modenine, Ice Prince, Ladipoe and even getting posted on Don Jazzy’s page.
I also love talking, so I started the DayGenius Podcast, and we have interviewed over 40 rappers and are still counting.
My love for hip-hop and my passion for not letting it die made me start Battle Rap Africa with my partner, Olawale Jokotoye. We have done over 20 events since our inception in 2020.
Congratulations on winning the Music Publicist of the Year award at the GMA. How did you feel when your name was announced as the winner, especially with other big names in the category? Did you expect to win?
Shout-out to Galaxy Music Awards. I never thought I was going to win this award. This is my first-ever nomination for a music award. I was nominated alongside the likes of Joey Akan and Gracey Mae.
I was outside the venue taking a smoke break when someone among the organisers ran towards me to tell me that they needed me on stage. I was shocked. He said I had just won the award.
I’m still in disbelief. I went on stage to pick up the award. I didn’t prepare any speech because I didn’t think I was going to win. laughs
Yeah, it feels great to be recognised for all the hard work I put into trying to make people know the music and artistes that I love.
Looking back at your journey, what do you think has contributed most to your success? Was there a particular moment when you realised that your voice and opinions were beginning to carry weight in the Nigerian music industry?
Most of my success comes from my consistency and my bluntness. I say it as I see it. I don’t try to pander or lobby for fans and engagements.
When I knew my opinion was carrying weight was when Mavins reached out to me and told me they wanted me to review/react to the latest album Ladé was about to drop, The Revival Album.
Also, fans get very emotional when I say I don’t like a song by one of their faves. People always look forward to what DayGenius will say when a new song or project drops.
Music influencing has become a major part of how people discover songs, discuss artistes and judge new releases. What do you believe makes your approach different from that of other music influencers?
I don’t bootlick. I really don’t care. I just say it as I feel it is. Like I have always said, I’m not saying my opinion is law or fact; it’s just how I feel about the song.
I’m very different from others. Most others get paid to talk about the music; I just do it for fun. No brand deals, no contracts, no payment… just me sharing my undiluted POV.
Your approach to music commentary and criticism may not always sit well with everyone. How do you handle backlash from fans, artistes or industry stakeholders who disagree with your opinions? Do you ever feel pressured to tone down your views?
Disagreement is welcomed. I really don’t care. I don’t understand why an artiste or a fan will be mad about my POV or taste on a piece of art.
I don’t feel pressured to tone it down because I don’t even tone it up in the first place. It’s just me talking about my listening experience.
There is a thin line between constructive criticism and being perceived as someone who wants to pull an artiste down. How do you strike that balance, and what principles guide the things you say about artistes and their music?
I don’t have the power to bring down any artiste. I don’t do gossip or try to talk down on any artiste.
Yeah, there have been instances where an artiste insulted me for my views. More recently, YCEE insulted my family just because I asked him why he hadn’t replied to a diss track by Phenom, so I had to clap back, and it went viral for a week.
I don’t like that type of virality, but that happens sometimes when an artiste is being emotional about criticism of his art.
In an industry where relationships, access and personal interests can influence public conversations, how do you protect your credibility and ensure that your opinions remain honest? Have you ever turned down an opportunity because accepting it could compromise your principles?
I was offered a lot of money one time to fake-hate an artiste. I had to turn it down because it didn’t feel right. I was also promised deals and connections to brands for podcast partnerships if I could say stuff against an artiste that I really like.
Yeah, I get deals and offers like that a lot of times, but I turn them down. The deal is, I don’t really intend to make a living from this hobby of mine, but if money must come in, it must come the right way and without conditions that will make me not be a real nigga.
Some people believe music influencers now have too much power over the success or failure of artistes, while others argue that they simply reflect what listeners already think. Where do you stand on this debate, and how much influence do you believe your voice actually has?
Most music influencers are fake. They are mostly paid gigs. It’s very hard to see an influencer who talks about music because that’s what he really thinks. They are mostly dropping positive reviews just to make the artistes and their fanbases happy.
Winning an award of this nature brings greater visibility and expectations. What does this recognition mean for your career, and how do you intend to use the platform to contribute to the growth of Nigerian music and the next generation of music commentators?
I love the award. I have updated all my social media profiles with the award. It means everything to me. Looking forward to the next level. I want more awards.
Finally, now that you have won the Music Publicist of the Year award, what should your fans and critics expect from DayGenius going forward? Are there new projects, ideas or changes you are working on that people should look out for?
More work, more raw opinions, more creative ideas… and more support for rappers and battle rappers.
