Their story reminds me of some of the best music stories I’ve heard from the legendary music producer Laolu Akins, who was once an A&R for CBS Records/Sony music Nigeria. It was a story of how a regular boy and girl who
were doing a regular job on the street but nursing a passion for music were discovered, mentored and guided to produce music in a more structured environment that also provide management.

As I sat down for a sneak/private listening of their four singles in the presence of their producer who was narrating the production process of the songs to me, also present in the meeting were two ladies from their project management team.
They talked me through the story of how every member of this group was discovered. The story was similar in nature to the one I heard from Laolu Akins. How he discovered Shina Peters, Adewale Ayuba, produced and signed them up to CBS Records/Sony music. The most interesting one that almost relates to the Street Billionaires was how he discovered Mike Okri, got him to become like a sort of backup singer for Onyeka Onwenu who then got signed to CBS/sony Music; this was before Mike became his own solo artiste that delivered tunes that stunned the country. All these artistes went on to achieve award winning albums in the country. The origin of the Street Billionaires has the same script, and I am of the opinion that considering all their sounds I was privileged to hear, it will end up well like the artistes mentioned above. They are individual artistes with a burning passion for music but have no means to reach their goals.

They were doing various jobs on the streets to keep body and soul together before they got discovered through the project called Street Billionaires. Gbafun was a mechanic; Lemon, a car wash attendant; Candy, worked in a fuel station, as an attendant while Ijay was a DSTV cable installer. When the idea of Street Billionaires, spear-headed by the producer of the project was birthed, the idea was to send their team of A&R to the streets and go to various music related events to scout for raw talents. They did a good job by
assembling this team who can also cut it as individual artistes.

Their debut is the single titled “Snooker”. “Snooker” starts up with synth that sounds like the announcement of an army ready for battle in ancient times as Gbafun takes the first shot with his passionate and explicit rap verse. IJay reiterates with the emotive vocals of a battle announcer as those synths play once again through the beat, closely followed with a melodic pre hook and chorus by Lemon; a back-up fighter in defense mode. Then came the Candy,
first lady of group with a delivery that is nothing “lady like” as she rips into the beat with an aggressive declaration of opposition against any other female rapper in the game while teasing and taunting the resistance preparing them for the kill as Lemon slays at the end of the track with the final chorus. Despite 100% Yoruba lyrics, “Snooker” is sure to generate mass appeal as the Street Billionaires are able to articulate the emotion of the song across their multiple
genres and styles.

“Snooker” is Afro-Pop at its best and was produced by hit maker and Street Billionaires mentor – Don L37. ‘I will describe my experience working with the Street Billionaires as a rainbow experience because it’s full of colour, life and an extraordinary level of energy.’ – Don L37.

– Sesan Adeniji

Culled from the latest edition edition of Mystreetz Magazine