You know him as Adekunle Gold, his parents called him Omoba Adekunle Kosoko. Since hitting the limelight in 2014 with “Sade” Adekunle Gold has remained strong in public consciousness. He is not yet a superstar; he is that kind of star whose style has set a unique path for. How well do you know him? Not enough not to be informed by these five facts about the singer.
Simi
The first time we wrote this post, it was 2018 and this was what we wrote about him and Simi under the subheading “Simi is his partner”, just felt you should see it, unadulterated:
‘Not that kind of partner. Take your mind of the gutter; now read on. Admittedly, you are not the only one thinking such talks. Adekunle Gold’s romantic life is unknown; Gold is private anyway. He and Simi have done a couple of songs together including “Uncle Suru”, “Take Me Back”, “No Forget”, etc. In addition to this, Simi is the inspiration behind the man’s love song “Orente”. There are loved up pictures of the two at events and that one at the beach where Gold had Simi in his arms and the world on his feet.
See Lola Rae bio
‘On Simi’s birthday, April 19th, Adekunle Gold wrote this about her: “To the girl that deserves every good thing in the world, thank you for giving my life a meaning. Happy birthday, babe.”
‘What does it mean when someone gives your life meaning? It could be that they are your lover or strong influence in your chosen career as Gold graciously admitted that Simi is a better writer and he never releases any song she doesn’t approve.
‘They should marry already… you wish.’
And he married her. Ok, ok, that was what we wrote about him. See all about their romantic story in the entry for Simi.
Adekunle Gold is already thinking 2020
Remember the vision 2020 government officials during the Obasanjo regime kept mouthing; well, turns out they might be referring to the King of Kings. This is the title of the album the artiste plans to release in 2020. If this happens, Gold would have released his third album in a span of five years, an impressive feat for one relatively new to the industry and one who relies heavily on the strength of his lyrics.
Adekunle Gold’s first album Gold came out on 1st December 2015 and includes hits such as the award-winning “Sade”, “Orente” and “Pick Up”. About 30 came out in May 2018, a fourteen-track album which he described as a reflection of “my heart, my fears, my pleasures, my pain, my losses, and my faith.” One thing he didn’t mention which thankfully is not unknown to his fans is “my vision”. In 2020.
He was a “king” of photoshop
Well, perhaps a Prince. The photoshops are not that convincing and no one is fooled. But he tried as Nigerians say. In one he was in the middle of a road with Tiwa Savage, hugging her from behind as they stare at the distant clouds. In another, he was seated in what looked like a studio with Tonto Dikeh. She had her face on his cheek and sharing in his smile, an unconvinced puppy on her feet. The one with Toolz is perhaps the most ridicule. Well, he tried. He has earned the title, with his boldness if not art.
There is, also, this one with Nicki Minaj. Perhaps the most realistic.
True lie story
Adekunle Gold owns a unique genre
Adekunle is considered one of the few artistes in Nigeria whose songs have meanings in themselves and do not just aim to entertain with beats. He does beyond this, he has created a music genre, urban highlife. Urban highlife is a combination of highlife, folk, a little of pop and rock which has both local and foreign content in nearly equal proportions and sometimes utilizes the tool of storytelling.
See also Seyi Shay
This genre might not be the creation of the musician. You won’t sweat it out to count in more than the fingers of one hand musicians who sing in this line. It is, however, Adekunle Gold who names it. He owns it in as much the same way as Mungo Park owns the discovery of the end of the Niger.
Image sources:
