Okoro Daniel O.
Last Updated on February 13, 2023 by Okoro Daniel O.
Except we all want to continue pretending, the truth is, it is no longer what it used to be in YBNL after Pheelz went solo.
Till the end of time, Fireboy must continue being grateful to Pheelz for cooking records that catapulted him into the mainframe A-list artiste in the Nigerian music industry. Pheelz cooked it all for Fireboy all the way from LTG (Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps) to APOLLO.
Yeah, it’s all not a new stuff for Pheelz, he’s been doing it since the inception of the YBNL label, Olamide, Lil Kesh, Adekunle Gold, and host of others such as Teni, MI Abaga, Runtown, et all benefited from his ‘become-mainstream’ production charm.
At the end of 2020, after the whole COVID-19 lockdown thingy, and most importantly, the #EndSARS protest, YBNL’s finest producer, Pheelz, announced his decision to run solo too. “I’ve been making stars, let me make me too” – He said.
Well, the undeniable fact is, the award-winning music producer wasn’t able to reach out to as many numbers as expected (by maybe only me, and not him) after releasing his first personal debut 7-tracks EP, Hear Me Out (2021), despite having lots of expected-to-make-hit songs embedded. Courtesy of the audience we have in this part of the world, whom oftentimes prefers the beat to what lyrics were used in the song.
Thankfully, in 2022, he [Pheelz] collaborated with former Burna Boy’s Spaceship label artiste, Buju (now BNXN) to release a worldwide hit record, “Finesse (Folake for the night)” which furthered recomposed Pheelz’s relevancy in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
Now, after 2020, seems Pheelz probably signed an agreement with YBNL boss, Olamide Baddo, to take a break from producing for label artists or Olamide decidedly gave him a break. This because, his last known production for the label artistes dates back to Fireboy’s 2020/21 award-winning second studio album, “APOLLO“. Don’t get me wrong, he [Pheelz] still produces songs for other artists. He produced “Watimagbo” (Adekunle Gold feat. Davido), and many others. Well, I might be wrong, ‘cos Fireboy already announced he was done with his third album production around August last year (2021), and also affirmed it in his hit song “Peru” – “Mi o ki n gba gbo, but I’m on molly/My third album is loading“. I can’t precisely tell if any of the songs were produced by Pheelz.
Regardless, he [Fireboy] has since then released another debut single off the upcoming album, titled “Playboy”. The song was produced by Bizzouch (RICH BIZ). Well, the song wasn’t bad, it was awesome, compulsively it lasted 3 weeks on my non-stop personal playlist to the extent that my neighbors quarrelled my obsession with the song. Aside from being a huge fan of Fireboy, the song wasn’t entirely bad in terms of production.
I know it’s really not enough to judge the sounds so far, but there’s no way Pheelz’s creativity will ever be forgotten as long as Fireboy’s name gets mentioned.
No, if Pheelz was a concussion maker, he would definitely know how to mix herbs(agbo) that would cure every known (and unknown) disease in the world. Damn, that man is a genius. LoL. It’s funny how majority of people couldn’t even decipher the magic he performed with Ameno in the Olamide‘s Voice of the Street song until after several years later. No, Pheelz will forever be a blessing to the Nigerian music industry. He deserves a statue, if only Rochas Okorocha can help us make one for him.
Pheelz will always know just what to cook for you no matter how musically dense you are.
Wait, do you know also know that in “Champion” (Fireboy feat. D-smoke), there was no real physical choirs humming the champion’s vamp part? Those voices (tones, obviously) were all Fireboy’s and Pheelz’s. Fireboy affirmed this during the facetime session he had with DSmoke when he was about to release the video for the song “Champion”. Honey, if you do not have the luxury of heavy loudspeakers, but truly wanna know what Pheelz cooked for Fireboy, kindly get yourself a standard headphone (or earpiece) and replay all his projects from LTG to APOLLO. Thank me later.
But has it really been the same with Fireboy so far? Truth is, I can’t say until he releases his widely anticipated third studio album. Will he beat his former records? I still don’t know. It’ll all be unwrapped after he releases the debut.
Is YBNL missing Pheelz? LoL, even Olamide Baddo himself knows he will always miss Pheelz.
Adios.
Written by Okoro Daniel O.
WHO IS PHEELZ?
Phillip Kayode Moses (born June 5, 1994), born in Lagos State, better known as Pheelz, is a Nigerian record producer, singer and songwriter who has worked with several artists and musicians, such as Olamide and Tiwa Savage. Born and raised in Lagos, Pheelz is credited to have produced all but one song on Olamide’s Baddest Guy Ever Liveth album. In 2022, he had a hit with his song “Finesse”, a collaboration with Bnxn (formerly known as Buju).
Pheelz is a native of Ogun State, but he was born and raised in Ojo, a local government area in Lagos State. He started music as a 10 year old singer in church. While in high school in Ajangbandi Afromedia, Pheelz attended ideal comprehensive high school and later he worked under I.D Cabassa at Coded Tunes, the record label where he met Olamide. In 2011, he featured vocals in a song off Olamide’s Rapsodi album titled “I’m Going In”.
His breakthrough as a record producer came in 2012, when he produced the chart-topping singles by Olamide titled “First of All” and “Fucking with the Devil” off his YBNL album. In 2013, Pheelz was listed in NotJustOk’s “Top 10 Hottest Producers in Nigeria”. He produced all but one song on Olamide’s Baddest Guy Ever Liveth album, a move which made him gain grounds in the Nigerian music industry and won him a nomination at The Headies 2013. In 2014, he was also nominated in the Producer of the Year category at the 2014 edition of The Headies and at the 2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. Pheelz has gone on to produce and be credited in popular songs and albums including The Chairman by M.I, Ghetto University by Runtown and Seyi or Shay by Seyi Shay. In 2014, Pheelz collaborated with COPILOT Music and Sound on a cover of Carlinhos Brown’s “Maria Caipirnha (Samba da Bahia)”. The arrangement represented the musical instrumentation and styles of Nigeria for Visa’s “Samba of the World”, a digital campaign for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Pheelz was nominated and won the “Producer of the Year” category at The Headies 2020 edition.
WHO IS FIREBOY DML?
Adedamola Adefolahan (born 5 February 1996), known professionally as Fireboy DML, is a Nigerian singer. He is signed to YBNL Nation, a record label founded by Nigerian rapper Olamide. His debut studio album Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps was released in 2019. He won Listener’s Choice and was nominated for Song of the Year for “Jealous” at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival.
Fireboy DML grew up in Abeokuta, Ogun state and was a member of his local church choir. He developed interest in music while studying at Obafemi Awolowo University.
WHO IS OLAMIDE BADDO?
Olamide Gbenga Adedeji (born 15 March 1989), known professionally as Olamide (and also Olamide Baddo, BaddoSneh or simply Baddo) is a Nigerian rapper and singer. He is one of the biggest and most influential artists in Africa. He records in Yoruba and English. In 2011, he released his debut studio album Rapsodi while signed to Coded Tunes. YBNL, his follow-up album, was released under his label imprint “Yahoo Boy No Laptop” aka YBNL Nation. The album was supported by the singles “First of All“, “Voice of the Street“, “Stupid Love“, and “Ilefo Illuminati“. On 7 November 2013, he released his third studio album Baddest Guy Ever Liveth. The album’s singles include “Durosoke” and “Yemi My Lover“. On 17 July 2013, Olamide became the first Nigerian to sign an endorsement deal with Cîroc. Continue reading…
WHAT IS YBNL NATION?
Yahoo Boy No Laptop Nation, popularly known as YBNL Nation or simply YBNL, is an independent record label founded by Olamide in 2012.
On 19 February 2020, YBNL Nation signed a distribution, and publishing deal with Empire Distribution.
The label has signed artists which include; Olamide, DJ Enimoney, Fireboy DML, B.Banks, Ololade Asake, Jayboi,Lil Kesh, Viktoh, Chinko Ekun, Adekunle Gold, Xino, Davolee, Lyta, Picazo Rhap, Pelepele (deceased), Limerick, Yomi blaze, Temmie Ovwasa. With producers like Pheelz, Young John, B-Banks, Vinkihill, Pprime.
Hear Me Out (2021) EP
In 2021 he released his debut EP Hear Me Out through Empire Distribution.
“One Life” was released as a single off the EP on 26 November 2020, with its lyric video following on 28 December 2020.
On 15 March 2022, he signed a record deal with Warner UK, shortly after his single “Finesse” became an international success, and earned him, his first career entry on the Billboard Global 200 at number 131, the TurnTable Top 50 at number 1, World Digital Song Sales at number 10, UK Afrobeats Singles Chart at number 1, and the UK Singles Chart at number 52.
