Controversial Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola better known as Portable, has praised rapper and record label boss, Olamide for being a key figure in his music journey.
During a recent chat with Echo Room, Portable called Olamide his “godfather,” acknowledging him as the driving force behind his breakthrough in the industry.
Portable reminisced about the backlash Olamide received for collaborating with him on the remix of his 2021 hit song, “Zazu.”
He emphasized, however, that Olamide’s support played a significant role in his rise to international success, leading to a feature with British rapper Skepta and a world tour.
He said,
“Olamide is my Godfather. He brought me to the industry. One day, I messaged him and asked if he had issues with me because he stopped posting me.
“When Olamide helped me, people said he made a mistake. Look at me now, I have gone international and Skepta featured me. I’m touring the world”.
Portable previously revealed that his song “Zazu” had already gained worldwide recognition before Olamide’s remix.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Bae U Barbi Show, the singer who has been in and out of controversies claimed that Olamide wouldn’t have collaborated with him if he wasn’t already popular and his song hadn’t gone viral.
He dismissed rumors that he has been riding solely on the success of “Zazu” since his rise to fame. He clarified that he has since released other hit songs and two albums, proving his continued relevance in the music scene.
He said,
“Since when we did dropped ‘Zazu’ with Baddo [Olamide], that one has gone [sic]. I am the one they [fans] are listening to, I am dropping back to back. If you don’t drop again, they will forget you. If I don’t drop again, they won’t hear me. That is why I am putting more energy.
“It is because I was popular that made Olamide help me. If I wasn’t popular, they won’t help me. ‘Zazu’ blew worldwide. My freestyle went viral”.
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