PsychoYP
PsychoYP | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Nicholas Ihua-Maduenyi |
Also known as | Psycho |
Born | Abuja, Nigeria | 28 October 1998
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Years active | 2017–present |
Labels | Apex Village |
Nicholas Ihua-Maduenyi[1] (born 28 October 1998), widely known as PsychoYP, is a Nigerian alternative hip hop rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is a member of the music collective Apex Village.[2] He came into the music scene with a critically acclaimed mixtape, YPSZN, which earned him a nomination at the SAMAs, and the Headies for his second mixtape album YPSZN2. Dubbed "The Fresh Prince of Nigerian Rap",[3] he is regarded as one of Nigeria's rap music pioneers in the alté music scene.
Early life
Music came to me when I found like-minded friends that also had a passion for it. Together we found where we could record and make what we wanted. I decided it was for me as soon as I started making what I knew would be Psycho YP’s sound. That was around 2016.
Ihua-Maduenyi was born on 28 October 1998 in Abuja, and comes from Rivers State.[4] While in secondary school in 2013, he met with Kuddi Is Dead, a member of Apex Village.[5] In an interview with OkayAfrica, he said "as a kid, I was always around music. My mum would play Nigerian music, music from other African countries, and foreign music. I like to think she played a big role in putting me on this path by being in love with music. We'd have P-Square, Michael Jackson, Drake, and Lil Wayne (to name a few) on repeat every weekend. My two siblings and I all had experience with singing and rapping, but something about it just kept me going".[5]
Career
YP is an acronym for "Yung Papi".[6] In 2016, he launched his music career as a rapper on SoundCloud as Psycho, while based in Manchester, England,[7] and went on to release his EP "Lost In The Sauce" on 26 August 2016. In the following year, YP and Kuddi is Dead released a collaborative 4-track EP "This Is What You Wanted" on 21 May 2017,[8] and released a SoundCloud exclusive with "This Is What You Wanted II" on 21 February 2018, featuring Ayüü, Zilla Oaks, and Marv OTM.[9] On 8 June 2018, he released "YPSZN",[10] with guest appearances from Fasina, Marv OTM, Denzel Oaks, Zilla Oaks, and Remy Baggins.[11] The project spawned the hit track "Oga".
On the 28 October 2018, he released a music video for Oga, directed by Kuddi is Dead, and Lekinson. On 22 March 2019, he released "Oga (remix)" featuring Blaqbonez, and Ycee.[12] On the 4th of November, 2019, he released "YPSZN2",[13] with guest appearances from BOJ, Terri, Nathalie Sade, Dami Oniru, Ayüü, Zilla Oaks, Ladipoe, Skales, and Blaqbonez.[13] On the 12th of November, 2020, YP and Azanti went on to release their self-titled debut EP "YP & Azanti, Vol. 1".[14] The extended play spawned the minor hit tracks "Caro", and "Focused".[2] On the 11th of March, 2021, the official music video for "Caro" was released, directed by Cindy Ihua, and produced through Ceeander Entertainment, and Legacy Films.[15]
On 26 August 2021, YP released his first solo EP Euphoria,[16] with guest appearances from Trill Tega, Rasstokyo, J Molley, PatricKxxLee, and Alpha P. On 20 December 2021, he headlined his first Lagos concert at Hard Rock Cafe in Nigeria,[17] featuring guest appearances from Blaqbonez, Dremo, Laycon, Wurld, Alpha P, Terry Apala, Laime, Mojo, SGaWD, King Perryy, and many more.[17] In 2022, he released his third mixtape album YPSZN3 on 2 November. The mixtape album's lead singles include "Bando Diaries", "IC3", and "Stronger", which features a guest vocal from Zlatan. On 8 November 2022, YPSZN3 debuted on the newly launched Nigeria TurnTable Top 50 chart at number 26.[18]
Artistry
PsychoYP is known for fusing Afrobeats, Afroswing, Hip hop, Trap, Grime, Drill and R&B,[19] to create his musical element. In high school, his friends began calling him Yung Papi,[19] and "Papi Chulo".[6] Nicholas eventually picked up "Yung Papi" as an acronym for YP,[6] before adopting Psycho, from a movie he watched to form the stage name PsychoYP.[19] Nicholas "PsychoYP" cited the Nigerian rapper M.I, and the American rappers Drake, Lil Wayne, and Gucci Mane, as his musical influence and/or inspiration while growing up.[20]
Discography
EPs
Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
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NG | ||
Euphoria |
|
Collaborative EPs
Artists | Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|---|
NG | |||
PsychoYP & Kuddi Is Dead | This Is What You Wanted |
|
|
PsychoYP & Kuddi Is Dead | This Is What You Wanted II |
|
|
PsychoYP & Azanti | YP & Azanti, Vol. 1 |
|
Mixtapes
Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
NG | ||
YPSZN |
|
|
YPSZN2 |
|
|
YPSZN3 |
|
26 |
Singles
As lead artist
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NG |
SA |
UK | |||
"Who Dis"[21] | 2017 | — | — | — | Non-album singles
|
"To the Max"[22]
(featuring Odunsi) |
2018 | — | — | — | |
"Be Like You"[23] | 2019 | — | — | — | |
"Euphoria" | 2021 | — | — | — | Euphoria |
"IC3"[24] | 2022 | — | — | — | YPSZN3 |
"Bando Diaries"[25] | — | — | — | ||
"Stronger"[26]
(featuring Zlatan) |
— | — | — | ||
"Midlife Crisis"[27] | — | — | — | TBA | |
"WYDTM"[27]
(featuring Azanti) |
— | — | — |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominee/Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Nigerian Teens Choice Awards | Choice Fast Rising Artist | Himself | Nominated |
Choice Hip Hop Artist | Nominated | |||
2020 | South African Music Awards | Rest Of Africa Artist | Himself for YPSZN2 | Nominated |
The Headies | Best Rap Album | YPSZN2 | Nominated | |
2023 | The Headies | Best Rap Single | "Bando Diaries" | Pending |
Best Rap Album | YPSZN3 | Pending |
Featured in
References
- ^ Boluwatife, Adeyemi (10 November 2021). "PsychoYP is the Chosen One". Bounce!. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ a b Kelly, Christopher (28 May 2022). "PsychoYP Is at the Apex of Alté Cruise Counterculture and He Ain't Coming Down". Culted. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "The Fresh Prince of Nigerian Rap: The Psycho YP Story". The Culture Custodian. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- ^ a b "Nigeria needs to embrace hip-hop, other alternative genres - Psycho YP". The Guardian. Guardian Saturday Magazine. 4 July 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- ^ a b Storm, Camille (19 December 2019). "Interview: PsychoYP Wants to Lead the New Wave of Nigerian Hip-Hop". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
- ^ a b c Laketu, Adedayo (20 September 2017). "IN Due Time with PsychoYP". MoreBranches. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ Idowu, Tomi (27 March 2017). "Psycho Overcomes The Sauce And Addresses A Side Chick on "Uber"". The Culture Custodian. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ "Psycho and Kuddi Is Dead Drift From Trap to Hip Hop on 'This Is What You Wanted' EP". The Culture Custodian. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "This Is What You Wanted II". SoundCloud. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ Idowu, Tomi (8 June 2018). "PsychoYP Is A Leader of His Class And His New Project 'YPSZN' Proves It". The Culture Custodian. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "PsychoYP's YPSZN Is Simplistic But Sophisticated". Radr Africa. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "PsychoYP Draws Verses From Dremo, YCee and Blaqbonez on 'Oga Remix'". The Culture Custodian. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ a b Alake, Motolani (7 November 2019). "'YPSZN2' is PsychoYP's manifesto to a larger market [Album Review]". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ Alake, Motolani (14 November 2020). "Psycho YP and Azanti present their chemistry on 'YP & Azanti Vol. 1' [EP Review]". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "Watch PsychoYP & Azanti in the Fresh Visuals for "Caro"". MoreBranches. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ Alake, Motolani (31 August 2021). "On 'Euphoria,' Psycho YP has teeth and he bites hard [Pulse Album Review]". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ a b "PsychoYP announces his first Lagos headline concert". MoreBranches. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "Nigeria Top 50 Albums". www.turntablecharts.com. TurnTable Charts. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- ^ a b c Gorman, Molly (27 April 2022). "PsychoYP on shaping his sound and the Nigerian music scene". Mission Statement. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ Bourdin, Nils (20 February 2020). "PsychoYP, trap music in Abuja". PAM - Pan African Music. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ Abimbolu, Debola (21 July 2017). "Listen to PsychoYP's literally socially-conscious new single, "Who Dis"". The Native. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ Abimbolu, Debola (12 December 2018). "Psycho YP tag teams Odunsi on new single, "To the Max"". The Native. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ Peter, Dennis Ade (23 May 2019). "Listen To Psycho YP's Groovy New Single, "Be Like You"". The Native. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ Mudasiru, Wisdom (11 August 2022). "Psycho YP, Zilla Oaks & BackRoad Gee bring the heat on 'IC3'". The Culture Custodian. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ "PsychoYP & Odomodublvck combine on new drill song, "Bando Diaries"". The NAtive. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ Overo, Naomi (26 October 2022). "PsychoYP and Zlatan Link Up For "Stronger"". The Culture Custodian. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ a b Staff, Wonderland (6 May 2022). "PsychoYP Releases "Midlife Crisis" And "WYDTM"". Wonderland. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ Online, Tribune (2023-06-20). "Authenticity, ambition: Favi marks new era in career with new single 'Omo Oro". Tribune Online. Retrieved 2023-08-06.