YKB
Birth nameYusuf Oluwo Gbolaga
Also known asYusufKanBai
Born (1998-03-06) 6 March 1998
Ketu, Lagos State, Nigeria
GenresAfrobeats, Afropop
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocal
Years active2019–present

Yusuf Oluwo Gbolaga professionally known as YKB (born 6 March 1998) is a Nigerian Afropop singer and songwriter.[1][2] He debuted his first single titled “Swaggu” in 2019 and gained popularity with the hit single “San Siro”.[3]

Early life

Yusuf Oluwo was born on 6 March 1995 in Ketu, Lagos and also spent much of his childhood and early adulthood there.[4]

Music career

YKB discovered his passion for music while he was growing up,[5] and In 2010, he started uploading his music on SoundCloud. He was first professionally called YusufKanbai until he later shortened it to YKB.[6][7]

Officially, he started his musical career in 2019 with his first debut single “Swaggu”.[8] With the release of his first single, he gained popularity and was shortlisted for Mr Eazi's accelerator programme, “Empawa Africa”, joining 29 other musicians from across Africa in 2020.[9] That same year, he released a new project titled “Hear Me Out”. Few weeks after, he featured on four of twelve songs released on the “Ejoya Class Of 20 project".[10][11] 

In January 2021, he released another single “Dey Your Dey”, featuring Nigerian artiste, Zlatan. In April 2021, he was also featured in Laycon’s song “Fall For Me”.[12] In August 2021, he headlined his first solo-show in Lagos. In September 2021, he released his debut EP titled “Before I Blow” comprising 6 tracks.[13]

In September 2022, he released another single “San Siro”.[14] In May 2023, he released his second EP titled “Yusuful Music” comprising 5 tracks including “pressure”, “traffic” and “komplete riddim”.[15]

Discography

EPs/Albums

Release Date Title Details Ref
September 2021 Before I Blow
  • Number of Tracks: 6
  • Formats: Streaming, digital download
[16]
May 2023 Yusuful Music
  • Number of Tracks: 5
  • Formats: Streaming, digital download
[17]

Singles

As lead artiste

  • Mind Games (2021)
  • Dey your Dey featuring Zlatan (2021)[18]
  • Oshofree (2021)[19]
  • Imagine (2022)
  • If (2022)
  • San Siro remix featuring Joeboy (2023)

References

  1. Omenye, Alex (2023-05-12). "YKB Is On A Mission, To Make Lives Better With His Music". The Culture Custodian (Est. 2014.). Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  2. Ephraim, Arshavin (2021-02-01). "YKB: Afrobeats Multi Talented Rising Star". Radr Africa. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  3. Eze, Chinelo (2023-06-11). "YKB And The Renaissance Of Storytelling In Afrobeats". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  4. "The 21 Artists to Watch in 2021 | #TheList2021". NotjustOk. 2021-02-09. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  5. glaziang (2023-03-27). "GLAZIA Man of the Week – Afropop Singer and Songwriter, Yusuf Oluwo, YKB". Glazia. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  6. "YKB". nataal.com. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  7. Olaniyan, Ayomide (2023-01-23). "10 Nigerian artists to watch in 2023". PAM - Pan African Music. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  8. Itodo, Sunny Green (2023-05-09). "I was supposed to be driver when Victony had accident - Singer, YKB". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  9. Nigeria, Guardian (2023-06-24). "Pheelz, Blaqbonez, YKB thrill fans at Activyard". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  10. Peter, Dennis Ade (2020-04-06). "Essentials: Ejoya's 'Class of '20, Vol. 1'". The NATIVE. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  11. Onabanjo, Adedamola (2020-04-01). "Ejoya Music Amasses A Wealth Of Talent On Debut Joint Album 'Class Of '20, Vol. 1'". The Culture Custodian (Est. 2014.). Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  12. "Laycon & YKB unveil the visuals for 'Fall For Me'". NotjustOk. 2021-04-16. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  13. 49thstreet (2021-09-06). "Filled with promise, YKB debuts amazing project Before I Blow". The49thStreet. Retrieved 2023-10-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. Osikoya, Wonu (2022-10-24). "uNder Spotlight: YKB Is Focused On Authentic Storytelling". The NATIVE. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  15. Adebiyi, Adeayo (2023-05-05). "Nigerian Afropop star YKB drops new EP 'Yusful Music', announced as latest Apple Music Africa Rising artist". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  16. "YKB drops new album "Before I Blow"". PMN News.
  17. Bomi (2023-05-09). "Ykb's Yusful Music Review". The Upper Entertainment. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  18. "YKB features Zlatan in new single, 'Dey Your Dey' | LISTEN!". NotjustOk. 2021-01-29. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  19. "The Ones: YKB's "OSHOFREE" [ft. s3nami]". Pitchfork. 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
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