Nigeria, like most parts of the world over, has witnessed an array of music producers who debuted as musicians.
Having excelled as music producers, they have been able to prove their mettle by churning out hits-after-hits as musicians.
Some have proceeded to take the music exploit notches higher through release of albums and/or extended play records (EPs).
The music-producers-cum-musicians have conquered the music industry by attracting awards in both categories.
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Here are 21 Nigerian music producers who double as musicians:
1. Young Jonn
Udomboso John Saviours aka Young Jonn recently signed as an artiste with Chocolate City after years of being a record producer and audio engineer with YBNL.
The ‘Dada’ crooner is best known for producing the critically acclaimed single titled “Story For The Gods” off Olamide’s Street OT album.
His first EP, Love Is Not Enough, is to be released on April 1, 2022
With music production credits on albums including Street OT and 2 Kings, Young Jonn was ranked #3 in The NET’s list of “Nigeria’s Top 7 Biggest Music Producers” and went on to be nominated in the “Producer of The Year” categories at the 2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards and The Headies 2015.
2. Samklef
Samuel Oguachuba a.k.a Samklef is a talented music producer and artiste.
As a producer, Samklef produced a large portion of Wizkid’s widely acclaimed album ‘Superstar’, thereby significantly contributing to the huge success of the album.
He has also worked with names like Sunny Nneji, Ruggedman, Durella, Skales, D’Prince, Simisola, J Bryte, Emmsong, O’cube, Jahdiel, Vector, Mudina, to mention a few.
He released his debut album titled “NONI” in 2010 and later re-packaged and re-introduced it with an international edition titled “NONILIZING”, released in January 2011.
He has been nominated for awards and has won many, one of which is the award for Producer of The Year 2011 at the City People Awards.
3. Krizbeatz
Chris Alvin Sunday, professionally known as Krizbeatz or KrizBeatz the drummer Boy, is a Nigerian record producer best known for producing Tekno’s ‘Pana’.
He was ranked 3rd on Pulse Nigeria’s 2016 list of “Top 5 Best Nigerian Music Producers”.
KrizBeatz has worked majorly with Yemi Alade including several artistes like Oyibo Rebel, Skales, Lil Kesh and Koker while also releasing his own single titled “Erima” and the hit single “911” featuring Yemi Alade and Harmonize which further pushed his career to limelight.
The song “911” has garnered over 13 million views on YouTube.
4. KDDO
Ayoola Oladapo Agboola also known as KDDO or Kiddominant is a Nigerian recording producer, songwriter, and artiste.
He’s best known for producing Afrobeats longest charting billboard single “Fall” by Davido, which peaked on US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart at number 13 and US Hot R&B Songs chart at number 25 on Billboard.
He has a 2018 single ‘Alright’ featuring Wizkid.
There is also his memorable hook on AKA’s ‘Fela In Versace’.
He released his EP ‘Too Late Too Lit’ on May 14, 2021.
5. Johnny Drille
John Ighodaro, professionally known as Johnny Drille, is a Nigerian singer, record producer and sound engineer.
He produced “Jaiye” (Time of Our Lives) by LadiPoe featuring him.
He is also credited for the engineering of Latest Mavin act, Boy Spyce’s EP titled after his moniker.
His career came into the spotlight when he released a cover of “Awww” by Di’Ja. He is currently signed to Mavin Records.
6. Echo The Guru
Emmanuel Nwachukwu Ejidike aka Echo The Guru is a record producer and music creative, telling stories with music.
His songs include ‘Ajuru’, ‘Heaven on Earth’ and ‘Complicated’.
He spent 2019 making and uploading one beat per day.
Echo’s discography includes tunes with Skales, Yemi Alade, OBT, Fireboy DML.
He’s credited for producing Fireboy DML’s ‘King’.
7. Tekno
Tekno is undoubtedly one of the most important artists in the music industry these days, as he has been releasing songs one after the other.
Tekno is not only a musician but also a producer who used to be and still is.
Tekno Miles has been playing the piano since he was eight years old, when his father enrolled him in a music class, and has since learned to play additional instruments such as drums and guitar.
He has produced a number of tracks, including a Swae Lee and Drake collaboration titled “Won’t Be Late”
8. Maleek Berry
Maleek Shoyebi started out as a producer. He was nominated for the ‘Music Producer of the Year’ category at the 2014 Nigeria Entertainment Award. He has songs such as ‘Kontrol’, ‘Bend it’, ‘Pon My Mind’, ‘4 Me’ and ‘Sisi Maria’ to his credit.
9. Pheelz
Phillip Kayode Moses, better known as Pheelz, is a Nigerian record producer, singer and songwriter who has worked with several artistes and musicians, such as Olamide and Tiwa Savage.
Pheelz is credited to have produced all but one song on Olamide’s Baddest Guy Ever Liveth album.
In 2022, he had a hit with his song “Finesse”, a collaboration with BNXN (formerly known as Buju).
10. Terry G
Terry G once ruled the streets of Lagos with his eccentric and unique music.
The “Gingah your Swagger” had people dancing to his dance hits.
Although, he was first known as a producer before he became a singer.
He’s collaborated with a number of musicians and produced a number of hit singles. In addition, the singer/producer has a number of hit songs to his credit.
11. Sarz
This artist’s real name is Osabuohien Osaretin.
He is also not only a music producer but a singer fondly called Sarz on the beat.
He has worked with several Nigerian artistes and is considered one of Nigeria’s most talented producers.
He has released hit singles such as ‘Legwork Riddim’, ‘Good Morning Riddim’, ‘Inbox Riddim’, ‘Spiritual Riddim’ and ‘Celetronic Riddim’.
12. Don Jazzy
Also known as Michael Collins Ajereh, Don Jazzy is a star producer and a record label owner.
He has featured in several songs with a vast number of Nigerian artistes, including those not signed to his record label.
There are songs like ‘Igwe’, ‘Endowed’, ‘Surulere’, ‘Been Long You Saw Me’ and ‘Pere’ to mention a few.
13. Cobhams Asuquo
Cobhams Asuquo is one of the most well-known producers in the country today, and his talent cannot be overstated, since any song he creates becomes a hit.
Aside from cooking beats for the likes of Asa, Charly Boy, Darey Art Alade, Roof Top Mc, and others, the only music producer with a third eye has proven his lyrical talent on several occasions.
14. Phyno
Phyno is one of Nigeria’s biggest Indigenous rappers whose songs have amassed millions of streams over the years.
He started his music career as a producer in 2003 and is renowned for rapping in the Igbo language.
Phyno developed an interest in music production during his secondary school days and began producing because the Highlife producers in the East could produce the kind of Hip-Hop beats he wanted.
The rapper rose to stardom after he released “Ghost Mode” featuring Olamide in 2012. Thanks to his several hit songs Phyno is still one of Nigeria’s biggest artists to date.
15. Omah Lay
Omah Lay made his major breakthrough in the industry in 2020 with “You“. When he released his debut EP, “Get Layd” he proved he was here to stay.
The Talented singer in a short amount of time has been able to gain a number of fans and even embarked on a tour in the USA which are high achievements for him.
However, not many know that Omah Lay started out as a producer and only got into singing when he became frustrated with artists not giving him credit for his work. Becoming a singer was definitely the right choice.
16. Jesse Jagz
One of the most intelligent artists in the Industry, Jesse Garba Abaga, better known by his stage name Jesse Jagz, is a Nigerian hip hop artist.
He re-signed with Chocolate City in April 2015, after leaving the label in May 2012 to start his own brand, Jagz Nation.
He began his career as a producer, but he refused to settle for less, so he moved on to music. Jesse Jagz has a few songs under his belt and is unquestionably one of today’s most brilliant musicians.
Jesse Jagz has produced songs for several artists, including Majek Fashek, M.I Abaga, Banky W, Ice Prince, Mode 9, and Proverb and Dekunle Fuji.
17. Ckay
Chukwuka Ekweani, better known by his stage name Ckay, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and record producer signed to Warner Music South Africa.
He was formerly signed to Chocolate City, a member of Warner Music Group independent label services ADA.
His international hit single “Love Nwantiti”, also known as “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)”, was released in 2019 by Chocolate City.
On 29 March 2022, the song debuted at number one, following the launch of the Billboard Afrobeats chart.
18. JJC Skillz
Abdulrasheed Bello, known professionally as Skillz or JJC Skillz, is a Nigerian songwriter, rapper, record and television producer.
JJC Skillz earned recognition in Nigeria after the release of his single We Are Africans, an afrobeat anthem.
Prior to the success of We are Africans, Skillz was producer for the British hip-hop record company and musical group Big Brovaz.
In December 2002, he released his debut album, Atide, an experimental album with lyrics in English and Nigerian languages and influenced by hip hop, African and salsa musical styles.
He co-produced with his wife, Funke Akindele, Industreet a television show about the Nigerian music industry.
19. J Martins
This is yet another talented music producer whose unexpected turn to singing catapulted him into the spotlight. J Martin’s mastery of rhythm and rhyme explains his meteoric rise in Nigerian music.
Not only has J Martins produced a few major tunes for others, but as a singer, he has sold tens of thousands of copies.
In fact, J Martins is said to be the producer behind one of the P-square iconic albums, ‘Game Over“.
20. Davido
Davido is one of Nigeria music royalty but not many know he started out as a producer.
Despite the fact that David Adeleke has never been credited with a successful song for another singer, Davido, as he is affectionately known, has a long list of hit songs to his credit.
He used to produce and previously produced a single called ‘Open Pooner‘ for Dammy Krane.
His breakthrough song, “Dami Duro” was first produced by him before Shizzi reworked it. He also produced an unreleased song for one of his artists, Peruzzi which is titled “Gaza.
21. OJB Jezreel
Late Babatunde Okungbowa, popularly known by his stage name OJB Jezreel or OJB, was a Nigerian singer-songwriter and record producer.
He died on June 14, 2016 of kidney disease.
He worked with 2face Idibia to single-handedly produce ‘Face 2 Face’, the album that contained tracks like African Queen that took 2Baba to another level.
He also worked with Beenie Man, a Jamaican American-based musician.
He produced artistes like RuggedMan re-establishing rap music to gain its ground in Nigeria.
He also produced Jazzman Olofin, Weird MC, Paul Ik Dairo, Daddy Showkey, Sir Shina Peters, Olu Maintain.
OJB also produced albums and songs for Kcee, Faze, Iyanya, D’banj, Durella, Wizkid, Yemi Alade.
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