10 facts about Timaya you never knew – #10 is a dark past that almost destroyed him

Facts about Timaya: Timaya is among the popular musicians in Nigeria who has been in the music scene for quite some time. In a career that spans over one decade, he has managed to make his music thrive in an industry known to be highly competitive. Besides being a popular musician, the following are 10 things you should know about this great Nigerian artist: Timaya.

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The birth or official name of Timaya is Enetemi Alfred Odom. He was born in Port Harcourt, River State in Nigeria on the 29th of November 1977. He is the ‘last-born’ of a large family that comprises fifteen children. Besides using his stage name Timaya, he is also referred to as Egberipapa 1 or Dem mama soldier.

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2. Singer, Songwriter, and Producer

Besides being a creative music artist, he is also an award winning songwriter and music producer. He has been writing his own songs as well as for other artists. Timaya also does music productions. Some of the popular artists that have gained from his writing and production skills include Eulonzo Jordan as well as YouTube’s star Jarrett Holt.

3. Different Musical Skills

One reason that has made Timaya weather the stiff competition in the music industry in Nigeria is his ability to perform in different genres. He is quite adept in Raga, Hip-hop, dancehall, afro beat, as well as afro hiphop. This has seen him produce quite a number of albums and singles since 2007.

4. Humble Beginning

The 36-year-old journey to stardom has not been easy at all. First, his performance in college was not the best. Secondly, at some point in life he was forced to sell plantains in the streets of Mgbuosimini to make ends meet. Fortunately, he was quite talented in music. During his high school days, he won quite a number of accolades during competitions held amongst schools.

5. Journey to Stardom

The early days of his musical journey saw him perform with underground or upcoming musicians. Most of the time he was a backup singer and at one time he was providing back-up vocals to renowned musician, Eedris Abdulkareem. Later on, he featured in videos of a rap group called UDX, which is based in Lagos. He also collaborated with other musicians such as Biodin, Kunle, Raphael, Temi (Divino), among others.

6. First Major Breakthrough

His first major breakthrough came after releasing his hit song “Dem Mama”. This conscious song was about the destruction that was taking place in the oil rich Delta region. The track brought to light the brutality emanating from the soldiers and directed towards innocent civilians in a bid to hunt down militants. This track led to him being nicknamed Egberi Papa 1 (the town crier of the people) of Bayelsa.

7. Awards

In the course of his musical journey, Timaya has achieved quite a lot. Besides being a wealthy musician, he has also won numerous awards. Some of the awards include Album of the year in 2008, Best dancehall/Reggae album in 2009, best Collabo in 2009, and also best collaboration in as well as in 2010. These came from Nigeria Music Awards, Hip Hop World Awards, among others.

8. Working with Other Artists

The budding Nigerian singer has also worked with several artists including industry heavy weights such as J Martins,Terry G, in the award winning “Owey” from the album “which Kind of Life”, Keffee’s track Kokoroko, P Square, Spyder Man, Don Jazzy, DJ Xclusive, DJ Spinall among other musicians. His simple personality makes him easy to work with. This has also led to his skills being highly sought after.

9. Peace Ambassador

Due to his socially conscious music and always willing to stand for a good course, Timaya was appointed as the Peace Ambassador in 2011 by the IIFWP (Inter-religious and International Federation for World Peace). He is viewed as a person who has a positive impact on the society more so the youth. This was observed especially after releasing his single “Dem Mama” where he tackled the subject for many years.

10. Controversies

In a recent interview with a popular newspaper, Timaya is claimed to have hinted on becoming a man of the cloth or pastor. To him, this was the best way to reach out to the people. This coming shortly after going through a break-up with a controversial actress whom he had dated for years.

Timaya was also called out by an American woman late last year on rape issues. Despite her claims, Timaya denied and he managed to stay strong and keep the fire burning.

From the above, it is obvious that he has achieved a status that many Nigerian musicians would dream of accomplishing. In addition, he is also respected for his laid back and conservative approach to not only music but also life in general. To date, Timaya has sold more than 30 million records in Nigeria as well as globally.

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