eLDee
 |
eLDee | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | eLDee The Don |
| Born | Lanre Dabiri[1] May 23, 1977 Kaduna, Nigeria |
| Origin | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Genre | Hip-hop |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Label | Trybe Records |
| Website | tryberecords |
Lanre Dabiri (ⓘ; born May 23, 1977), known professionally as eLDee, is a Nigerian American rapper, singer, and record producer who resides in the United States.[2] In 1998, he formed the hip-hop group Trybesmen with rappers KB and Freestyle. In October 2016, Nigeria Entertainment Today included him on their list of the 56 Greatest Nigerian Entertainers of All Time.[3] eLDee founded Playdata charts, Nigeria's first official airplay chart. He has released the albums Long Time Coming (2004), Return of the King (2006), Big Boy (2008), Is It Your Money (2010), and Undeniable (2012).
Early life
[edit]eLDee was born on May 23, 1977, in Kaduna state, a northern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. He is originally from Lagos Island in Lagos State of Nigeria.[4]
Education
[edit]He attended Command Children School kaduna and Essence International School before Moving to Lagos for his higher education. He has a master's degree in Architecture from the University of Lagos, Nigeria in 2001.
Career
[edit]eLDee is credited as one of the pioneers of the afrobeats music genre. In 1998, he started a band called Trybesmen which went on to be one of the music groups that popularized the fusion of hip-hop, highlife, pop and traditional afrobeat music. Trybesmen was a continental hit by the year 2000 and played a pivotal role in the shaping of the new music genre.
eLDee signed a total of 16 artists to his Trybe Records label and named the collaboration of all said artists Da Trybe. They produced the singles "Work it out" and "Oya" in 2002, and the album BIG Picture in 2005.
After moving to the United States in 2002, eLDee recorded a solo album titled Long Time Coming (2004). He followed it up with Return of the King (2006), which contains the single "I Go Yarn". Return of the King won "Best International Album" at the 2007 Nigeria Entertainment Awards in New York City.[5] His subsequent albums are Big Boy (2008), originally titled Evolution, Is it your money Vol.1 (2010) and Undeniable (2012).
In 2019, he said he does not regret quitting music as the path his career was going would not make him have time for his family.[6] eLDee has worked as an artist, producer, director, and interactive media consultant.
Personal life
[edit]"Lanre" is a derivative of the Yoruba name "Olanrewaju" (which translates to "Wealth is moving forward").[7]
eLDee and his long-term partner, Dolapo Latinwo-Bello are married and together they have 2 daughters, Temi, and Toke. He has been based in Atlanta, USA since 2002.
In December 2013 he posted a message on his official Twitter page to voice his support for gay rights, saying that hopefully one day soon Africa will realize that anti-gay sentiment is no different from racial or religious discrimination.[8]
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
- Long Time Coming (2004)
- Return of the King (2006)
- Big Boy (2008)
- Is It Your Money (2010)
- Undeniable (2012)
Compilation albums
- L.A.G Style by Trybesmen (2000)
- The Big Picture (2004)
- The Champion: The Hits (2009)
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "AFRICAN CHIQUITO". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ↑ Akan, Joey. "eLDee: Rapper to make comback for Olamide collaboration?". Pulse Nigeria. Archived from the original on August 13, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
- ↑ "56 greatest Nigerian entertainers of all time". The NET. Lagos, Nigeria. October 1, 2016. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ↑ "eLDee – Today Today (Mp3 Download)". May 13, 2026. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Eldee". afrobios.com. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
- ↑ "I don't regret leaving music –Eldee". The Punch. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Olanrewaju - Nigerian.Name". Nigerian.name. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
- ↑ "Rapper Eldee advocates for gay rights, as fans go wild! – Vanguard News". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. December 26, 2013. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
External links
[edit]| Authority control databases: Artists |
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- 1977 births
- Living people
- Nigerian songwriters
- Nigerian male rappers
- American people of Yoruba descent
- Yoruba architects
- Yoruba musicians
- Nigerian hip-hop singers
- University of Lagos alumni
- People from Kaduna
- Rappers from Lagos
- Nigerian emigrants to the United States
- The Headies winners
- Nigerian music industry executives
- English-language Nigerian singers
- Yoruba-language Nigerian singers
- 20th-century Nigerian musicians
- 21st-century Nigerian rappers
- Nigerian hip-hop record producers
- 21st-century Nigerian architects
- 20th-century Nigerian male musicians
- 21st-century Nigerian male musicians
- Nigerian Afrobeats musicians