Dagrin: 1984-2010
We were pleased to find out that the video of his amazing 'Pon Pon Pon' single off his CEO (Chief Executive Omo-Ita), will be released in colour on April 22, 2011, the 1 year anniversary of his death.
HIS LIFE
Though he was called by different aliases such as Barack O’Grin, Chief Executive Omoita (C.E.O), Misofuyin and others, Oladapo Olaitan Olanipekun was popularly known as Da Grin.
He attended Rosemary Nursery and Primary School and Good Shepherd Nursery and Primary School, then Community High School and Egbado College for his secondary education. Born into a polygamous home with his mother being the second wife, Life for him was not a bed of roses; Da Grin’s attempts to gain admission into a tertiary institution hit the rocks due to financial and family issues. He did however study in a computer institution somewhere around Lagos State. He later decided to invest his time and effort in music since he loved music and writing lyrics.
Like many other artistes, the beginning was rough for Da Grin; his first album titled ‘Still on the Matter’ did not live up to expectation. He was however not discouraged but went back to the studio to record his sophomore album titled ‘Chief Executive Omoita (C.E.O)’ which was signed to his label Misofunyin Entertainment and managed by Edlyne Records. With C.E.O, he caught the attention of the Nigerian music industry and performed in many shows in and outside Lagos. And soon after that, most artistes wanted him on their album and singles.
During his brief career in the Nigeria’s music industry, Da Grin featured dozens of musicians including Kenny Saint Brown, 9ice, Oluwe, YQ Isolate and others in the Nigerian Hip-Pop scene. Da Grin is a three-time Hip-Pop Awards nominee; he was nominated in the Album of the Year, Artist of the Year and Best Rap Album categories of the 2010 Hip-Hop World Awards. He won the Best Rap Album category (posthumous).
On April 14th, Da Grin paid a visit to the Hip Hop World office at Ikeja, the awards were drawing closer and with three nominations to his name, his dream was finally coming true. However, this was not to be as he was involved in a ghastly motor accident a few hours later.
HIS DEATH
Da Grin passed away on Thursday, 22nd of April, 2010 from injuries sustained from a ghastly motor accident that took place on Wednesday, 14th April, 2010 when he rammed his black Nissan Maxima 3.5 SE with a customised number plate DaGrin 03 into a stationary truck parked in front of Alakara Police station, Mushin, Lagos.
After the accident, he was rushed to Tai Solarin Hospital, Mushin from where he was later transferred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). Even though the doctors were on strike at that time, he was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit, operated on but died eight days later. He was just 26 years old. His death came as a rude shock to both the Nigerian entertainment industry and the public; he had 4,930 friends on facebook.
His death raised many questions; would he have lived if the doctors were not on strike and probably showed more commitment, or would he still be living if he was taken somewhere else, a private hospital maybe or been flown him abroad where he would have had access to the equipments needed to treat him?
Not long after his death, one of his singles, ‘If I Die’, which was not released before his death was all over the internet. Even though he sounded philosophical, many who have listened to that song say it was rather too deep and spiritual. His fans believe he may have had a premonition about his death; that why he left that parting song for his fans was to let them how he wanted them to carry on after his death. Here is an excerpt from the song, “If I die, if I die, make you no cry for me. E jen simi, ejo keje ki n mi…Ko le ye won, ko le ye won…” meaning (“If I die, if I die, don’t cry / mourn me. Let me rest in peace, please let me breathe…They can’t understand…”).
THE BIOPIC
This month (April), fans of Da Grin will be offered a closer view of the life and times of their idol in a biopic titled ‘Ghetto Dreamz’, which was created to immortalise him. Before his death, he was one of the hottest items on the Nigerian music scene; his popular style of rapping in English and Yoruba languages earned him the respect of colleagues, who have paid tributes to his artistry.
After his death and before the biopic, a group of Nigerian artistes featuring Eldee, Waje, Jah Bless, Ruggedman and Jaywon recorded a song titled ‘My Pain’ to honour him. Sound Sultan and M.I. also recorded tribute songs also to honour him.
Directed by Daniel Ademinokan and produced by Ope Banwo, Chief Executive Producer of Stingomania 360, Ghetto Dreamz is a chronicle of Da Grin’s rise to stardom; it also tells the story of his life and struggles. In the Biopic, we see how the rapper dropped out of school, ended up in a slum in Lagos and started hustling at the popular Computer Village (IT market) before releasing his first album, ‘Still on the Matter’, which didn’t make much impact in the music industry. The scene with his car just before the crash, set against the song ‘Ghetto Dreamz’ was quite moving. The same car he crashed in was used in the biopic. The movie also revealed his softer side–his love life–of which very little was known, as well as his family.
Apart from immortalizing Da Grin, Ghetto Dreamz will give his family an opportunity to benefit from his efforts. In an exclusive interview with Hi Magazine, Comrade Olaniyi Abolaji Olanipekun, Da Grin’s father revealed that the family has not received any honorariums from his tracks and other ‘collabos’ that were released when he died. According to him, “Nobody has given the family any kobo from the proceeds they got from releasing his songs. In fact, the guy who released ‘If I die’ the same night Da Grin died claimed he did it out of emotions. As I speak, he hasn’t given the family anything. He is out there enjoying the money and taking care of his own family”.”Even the tribute songs done to honour him… the songs should have been handed over to the family… so we can benefit from it. Rather the artistes are the ones making money out of it. That is not the way it should be”, he added.
Trybson Dudukoko a musician on the books of Stingomania 360 will star as Da Grin. The role of his mother went to Rachael Oniga, while Kayode Odumosu (Pa Kasumu) and Doris Simeon got the roles of his father and girlfriend respectively.
The trailer of the film had already been released and the movie which is speculated to have cost over N7 million is set to hit theatres and cinemas on the 22nd of April, one year anniversary of his death. Whether this biopic will do justice to Da Grin’s life is yet to be seen.
From me to Da Grin, “Olenu bi, Pon pon pon”! Rest in Peace
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