Reminisce: The Low-key Superstar
Alaga ibile Baba Hafusa is number 1
E kan ma try ni mami (You can only try)
You’ll never get another one
Where I Come From [2016]
One of the most low-key celebrities I have met, sometimes shy and very conscious of things around. I first met Baba Hafusa at the 2015 edition of ‘Wave Your Banner’ at the LTV BlueRoof where he thrilled us with a stage performance and through a journey. At that point, I came out of my shell and became a stan, a position I’ll like to maintain.
There’s no better way to describe Alaga Ibile other than ‘I Remember’, a track off his fourth studio album, El-Hadj.
Coming from a humble background where he literally had to sleep in the studio with same pair of trousers and shoes, with an extra shirt, feasting on garri as he recorded songs. He had a mantra of focus plus hardwork which eventually paid off. Before he reached limelight with his famous single, ‘kako bi chicken’, he recorded a song titled ‘If Only’, produced by Sarz around 2006. The song gained massive airplays and kept him in people’s minds especially after he followed this monster hit with another track, ‘2mushh’ in the late 2000s.
In March 2012, Reminisce released his first album with title, Book of Rap Stories which had his first tracks like 2mushh, If only, kako bi chicken and Ever since ft 9ice. He featured artistes like Patoranking, RuggedMan, Dagrin and Jahbless. This album sold well, especially in the southwest zone of Nigeria.
In 2013, Alaga followed with a sophomore album, Alaga Ibile which earned him some honours like in. 2014, when Time Magazine named Reminisce as one of seven “world rappers you should meet”. Isn’t that interesting? Tracks like Daddy (ft Davido), Eleniyan (ft Wizkid), Government (ft Olamide & Endia), Rude Gyal (ft Burna Boy), he was also named by NOTJUSTOK, as one of the top three hip hop artists of 2014, just behind fellow ‘local rappers’, Phyno and Olamide.
BabaHafusa album which had tracks like BabaHafusa, Busayo, Local rappers, Tesojue and Skilashi among other tracks and features with Vector, Ice Prince, Sean Tizzle, Olamide and Phyno sold over 500,000 copies in Nigeria 2 weeks after release and claimed the number one spot in iTunes for more than a week, Reminisce became the first rap act in Africa to have an album debut on Billboard Charts Worldwide Music category at number 12.
The Baba Hafusa album is arguably one of the most successful rap albums in Nigerian history.
Just one year after, El-Hadj dropped, bring his fourth studio album with artists like 2face, Olamide, Seriki, 9ice, Ice Prince, Solidstar, and Mr Eazi featuring, as well as collaborations with label signees Sojay and Oladips. With over a decade in the industry, His run has been of great inspiration to others.
During the national lockdown in 2020, Reminisce blessed us with his latest project, a six track EP titled Vibes and Insha Allah with features like Tiwa Savage, FireBoy DML, Mo and Fatima Safaru, all delivered impeccably on this project.
Although he is one of the best rappers in Nigeria, I think Reminisce is underrated rappers, probably because he doesn’t blow his trumpet as much. He just wants to do his music and entertainment.
