Ajebutter22

A Nigerian musician and rapper whose output blends wry yet wholesome lyrics with a notably laconic delivery, Ajebutter22—born Akitoye Balogun—made his initial mark in 2009. He surfaced alongside sister Taymi, known as Socialajebutterfly, as one half of the eclectic hip-hop, electro-funk, and soul duo Soyinka’s Afro. By the mid-2010s he had launched a thriving solo trajectory.

Balogun, who rhymes in English, Yoruba, and Pidgin, expanded his reach with the Studio Magic–produced single “Senrenre,” featured on the chart-topping 2014 mixtape Anytime Soon. The 2017 project What Happens in Lagos redirected his attention toward the everyday victories and hardships of his native city, whereas the 2018 release Make E No Cause Fight and its 2019 follow-up Make E No Cause Fight 2 emerged as full-length collaborations with Nigerian singer Boj and producer Falz. In 2020 he joined Nigerian singer, songwriter, and pianist Mayorkun on the single “Ginger You.”