My Bariga Boo is 27 today! 10 times Olamide Baddosneh was bae as we wish him a happy birthday!

Everybody should just clear the road because I’m having palpitations and there is a possibility that an inhaler might be required, and maybe a bottle of Orijin or three just to coolu temper.

What happened, I hear you ask? Ladies-sneh and gentlemen-sneh, they call him Baddosneh. Eyan nla-sneh. Eyan Mayweather-sneh. Today is my baby boy’s birthday! My Barigo Boo, my Baddo Bae, my Ijebu jump-off, Olamide is 27 today, so excuse me while I disgrace myself briefly.

I personally think Olamide is lyrically gifted and I love almost every song he’s ever put out there. His ability to flick between Yoruba, complete with proverbs and street slang, to English and back again without missing a beat is envious and I think he is one of the more talented musicians we have at the moment.

To celebrate his birthday therefore, here are ten of MY favourite Olamide videos and songs. Come, see ehn, if your own is not here, go and on your radio and play your own by yourself. These are my faves! Hope you like them!

1. All-time favourite Olamide song bar none – Anifowose
Mo n da gbe {I’m carrying it alone}
Mo n da fa {I’m pulling it alone}
Mi o mo ile onisegun, mi o mo ile alfa
{I do not know any herbalist homes nor do I know the home of any cleric’s}

2. Shakiti Bobo – Eyin omo Wobe! All you shudren of Wobe!! You know what time it is! You know a song is about to be gangsta when the verse starts with “Ko ni da fun awon scrap yi o!” #ZeroDulling

3. Eleda Mi – for when you want Holy Spirit to use you but then you remember you grew up on them streetz! Won a sha agolo de Porta mehn!

4. Story For The Gods appeals immensely to my rah-réh side. Dongoyaro, monkey tail and feverish sex are things we should all endeavour to experience.
Ni ilekun ba shi le, asé o mu Nafi wa! {That’s how the door opened, turns out she brought Nafi along!}
Lale yi, won daran {This night?? They’re in trouble!}

5. Falila Ketan – this is up there simply because Olamide is not just a great singer but an educator. I’d never even heard the word “ketan” till I heard this song. Means ‘bow legged’ by the way so…y’know…it’s raunchy as hell. The base beat also makes me want to break out in Galala dance – except that I look like a constipated cockroach when I do my own. Anyway, Shoro ni yen??? I want to romaaaaaa!

6. I love, love, love Melo Melo cos it shows that a street boy can be chock full of depth. And still keep the Yoruba on fleek. Bia, if dem tell you dis word, you no go gel??
Eyin fun jowo – teeth worth more than money
Eyin m’enu gun– teeth make d mouth beautiful
Apon b’epo re mi Akanke– my fair skinned Akanke like palm oil
Igi leyin ogba mi – my backbone
Ni igba ko sowo– when there was no money
Ni igba ko so ola– when there was no wealth
Ni igba ko so oro -when there were no riches
T’aiye ro mi pin – when the world thought I won’t make it, you stood by me

7. Lagos Boys is just pure shi-na (lau-lau chpping of life), which, let’s face it, is something Lagos Boys are good at doing so…skeh skeh robo skeh! Robo skeh skeh robo!

8. Sina Rambo – Mr Icey feat. Olamide – this song is here simply because it is the very first time I woke up to Olamide in a song. I mean, I’d heard ‘First Of All’ and back in 2102, I’d thought it was some random Ghanaian song. I’d heard “Stupid Love” and I thought it was another nameless, faceless Naija artiste. I’d also heard the name Olamide and I’d thought “Wetin e dey sing sef?” But this song started the never ending love affair.

9. I Love Lagos – Because you can take the boy out of Bariga but you can never take Bariga out of the boy. Olamide pens an ode to the city of his birth, one of his 3 greatest loves – Lagos, his mother, and his son Miliano of laive! Also, Odunlade Adekola is in the video, what’s not to like??

10. Mama Mi – Even kids yet to be born know that Olamide loves his mother like no other. A fitting end to our list, the birthday boy gave us Mama Mi. A love song so endearing in his unique way that you can’t help but to love Iya Olamide along with him.