PRODIGY, BEST AFTER BIGGIE

"Dagrin actually walked with aids to a private ward from ICU"

Christopher Wallace AKA Notorious B.I.G, AKA Biggie is arguably the best rap lyricist the music world has ever seen. Biggie's style was unique. He was a story teller that could use his language effectively. His pronunciations and grammatical inflection provided the necessary rhymes that make the rap genre of music an art nay science. His musical career was short. He had one album, a monster hit before he was felled by bullets of an unknown assailant. His second album was released some weeks after his death. His death rocked the music industry in the U.S and the entire world just as the ill-timed death of Olaitan Olanipekun AKA Dagrin AKA Fimi Le Joh AKA wateva u wanna call me is rocking the Nigerian music industry. The self acclaimed best after Biggie (like the lyrics in his song- Gboro, goes omogidi ya to si omolangidi am a prodigy, I’m the best after Biggie) seems to have a lot in common with Biggie. Apart from having a short music career, his rap style was unique and he was also a terrific story teller. Dagrin knew how to make rhymes with his native language (Yoruba) mixed with a twist of English and Pidgin English yet spiting bars and making rhymes. Someone without a good understanding of his language choice would think he was saying gibberish just to make rhymes. The truth is that the contents of his music made sense and he told stories about his rough beginnings and his dreams of the future (Gehtto dreams), his lifestyle (Gboro, Pon-Pon) his sexual orientation (Kondo) his gratitude to God (Thank God) etc. It is sad that his stories came to an abrupt end some weeks after he recorded his latest single titled “If I Die”. One wonders if he had a premonition of his death. The self made millionaire, CEO of Mosofunyin (thought I told you) Entertainment, the stable which released his second album titled CEO (Chief Executive Omoita) was involved in a ghastly motor accident on Wednesday April 2010 . He was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at LUTH and was later moved to a private ward after showing signs of improvement. Quoting his manager, Dagrin actually walked with aids to a private ward from ICU. Upon hearing the news about his improvements I was thankful that the lyrical story teller has a new story to tell the world upon his comeback. My hopes were dashed when I got a call that he passed on 8 days after his accident from complications arising from the accident. What could have happened? This incident punches a lot of holes into our Medical system in Nigeria. He was just 24 years old and his star had just begun to shine brighter. I was watching his Uncle on TV and he said that Dagrin was the bread winner of his family. Oh what a pity!! Today 30th April 2010 he will be committed to mother earth. Nigerian Music industry mourns this great loss and I wonder if we will ever get to hear more of his works released after his death. It’s a great loss and the emotions his fans and colleagues feel is palpable. Yeterday a candle light procession from his house in surulere to O’jezz at the national Stadium caused so much traffic that people who did not know him commented “He must have made a lot of impact”. Yes he did!! R.I.P Dagrin