Naira Marley

British-Nigerian Afro-trap star Naira Marley has cultivated a brash and colorful sonic identity that has attracted devoted followers who proudly call themselves Marlians. Despite persistent controversy surrounding his public persona and repeated encounters with authorities, he stands among the leading figures in Nigeria’s Street Pop scene and ranks as one of the most prominent African acts based in the United Kingdom.

Born Azeez Adeshina Fashola on May 10, 1991, in Agege, Lagos State, Nigeria, he relocated with his family to Peckham, South London, England, at age eleven. His childhood goal centered on becoming a voice actor, yet during his college studies in business law he discovered a strong affinity for music and performance. Encouraged by friends, he entered the industry with the 2013 single “Marry Juana,” a collaboration with Max Twigz, and followed it with his debut EP Gotta Dance the next year. He chose his stage name after Nigeria’s official currency.

Marley began dividing his time between the U.K. and Nigeria, achieving wider recognition with the 2018 single “Issa Goal,” featuring Olamide and Lil Kesh. The track served as the official anthem for the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s national football squad, during that year’s FIFA World Cup. His sound fuses Afrobeats with hip-hop in a style later labeled Afro-trap, performed in a multilingual mix of English, Pidgin, and Yoruba.

Although critics condemned his lyrics and alleged criminal associations, the music resonated deeply with working-class Nigerian audiences, generating an intensely loyal following. In 2019 he issued the polarizing single “Am I a Yahoo Boy,” prompting his arrest by the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on charges he characterized as fabricated. After a short period of incarceration he returned with “Soapy,” whose accompanying dance trend swept social media and earned Viewers’ Choice honors at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards. Later that year he issued his second EP, Lord of Lamba, and founded Marlian Records, the imprint that released his debut full-length album, God’s Timing’s the Best (GTTB), in 2022.