Ycee

Ycee, born Oludemilade Martin Alejo, fuses hip-hop, trap, Afrobeats, Afro-house, hyphy, R&B, and alte as a Nigerian rapper, singer, and songwriter. He arrived on the wider stage in 2015 via the single “Condo,” which carried featured vocals from reggae-dancehall singer Patoranking and drew two nominations at the Nigeria Entertainment Awards. A Sony contract followed in 2016, though he exited the roster two years later; his first studio album, Ycee vs. Zaheer, surfaced in November 2019.

Raised in Lagos State, Alejo entered the local underground rap circuit in 2012 with the early singles “Smile on Me,” “Pass Me,” and “Shots.” He later joined the independent Nigerian imprint Tinny Entertainment, only to step away briefly after gaining admission to Lagos State University. The 2015 release of “Condo” marked his return and opened the door to mainstream attention; that momentum produced the 2017 debut EP First Wave, whose track list featured the singles “Juice (featuring Maleek Berry)” and “Link Up (featuring Reekado Banks).” Following his departure from Sony, he delivered the full-length Ycee vs. Zaheer two years afterward.