Solomon Oyeniyi, widely recognized as K-Solo in the Nigerian music scene, is a celebrated music producer, musician, and public speaker based in Lagos, Nigeria. With a career spanning nearly two decades, K-Solo has left an indelible mark on the African music landscape.
Early Career and Rise to Prominence
K-Solo is the CEO of Samsolom Enterprises Nigeria Limited & Creator of Igberaga Records, K-Solo iNC Music Company Lagos, Nigeria. He is known for producing award-winning songs for top Nigerian artists such as Paul Play Dairo, Sunny Nneji, Timaya, Banky W, Klever Jay, Muma Gee, and the late Kefee.
K-SOLO & KIKELOMO OYENIYI: TOP 1O MUSIC INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIP BREAKUPS #NigezieAtTenSeries
Challenges Faced
K-Solo's journey has been fraught with challenges. He recalls the early days when he had to rely on a small generator due to unstable power supply, which often led to the loss of hours of work. He also speaks of encounters with untalented artists who tried to exploit him and instances where his rights as a producer were stolen after creating hit projects.
Despite these obstacles, K-Solo advises younger producers to stay true to their passion and make an impact. He cautions against simply following trends, as they are often fleeting.
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New Projects
K-Solo is currently working on two major projects. One is a Master Class aimed at educating and assisting young producers, sound engineers, and editors in understanding and mixing sound effectively. This Master Class will be available both physically and online. He is also excited about his upcoming album, with the first single titled ‘One Life’. This song, which features live saxophone and guitars, reflects on the hurdles of life and encourages listeners to live life to the fullest, regardless of others' opinions.
Family Life
K-Solo recently welcomed a child with his wife, Matop Oyeniyi. The couple shared their joy on Instagram, expressing their gratitude for the new addition to their family. K-Solo was previously married to Kikelomo Akinkunmi in 2011, a marriage that was marked by turbulence.
Relationship with Artistes and Industry Issues
K-Solo maintains good relationships with most of the artists he has worked with, including Timaya, Paul Play, and Klever Jay. However, he notes that some artists forget their roots and fail to show gratitude. He emphasizes the importance of respecting contracts, transparency, and dedication in the music industry.
One of the significant challenges facing producers in Nigeria is the lack of a strong regulatory body. This leads to issues such as beat theft and infringement of rights. Many producers are also not adequately compensated for their work, receiving only stipends and lacking royalty rights.
K-Solo advocates for DNA testing at birth to avoid issues of paternity and infidelity. He believes it is better to face the truth early on rather than later in life.
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Promoting Culture and Unity Through Music
K-Solo believes that music is a powerful tool for healing the world and unifying people. He encourages collaborations between artists from different regions of Nigeria to promote unity and understanding.
Beef with DMX
During the mid-1990s through the early 2000s, DMX and K-Solo, who first met as inmates in prison during the course of K-Solo's three-year prison stint, disputed over who was the first to write "Spellbound". Despite that K-Solo released his version in 1990, DMX, who released his version in 1991, claimed that he was the first to write "Spellbound". In his 1998 hit single "Get At Me Dog", DMX told K-Solo to "suck [his] dick". K-Solo later responded to DMX on a track named "The Answer Back", in which K-Solo claimed to be DMX's real father, and alleged that the legitimate reason for DMX's disgruntlement was because K-Solo had given DMX's mother a sexually transmitted infection. As the track continues, K-Solo went on to vindicate himself by saying that it was in fact DMX's mother that had "burned" him first.
On Beef II, K-Solo took a lie detector test to prove that he was the first to write "Spellbound". In an August 2006 interview, he said "The truth of the matter is that being in L.A., I have people that I never would in LA, like Tito Ortiz, Chuck Lidell, true beat-that-ass-niggas. I have personally talked to the UFC folks and they would love to see us fight, I would love to see us fight. I mean we are forever going to be linked in the beef shit because there has not been a clear winner. I feel that I destroyed him, I assume he feels the same. It’s obvious we both don’t like each other and I think it’s the only way to settle this beef, but let’s face it, I saw dude do 50 push-ups and almost fall down afterwards. It took like 10 minutes to catch his breath to smoke another cigarette. Obviously he is not ready for that.
In a January 2007 interview, he was asked why DMX continued to seek conflict, especially with his recent appearance on Hot 97 and stated "He knows what it is. I told him to get into the cage with me. Five rounds, homie, fight me! He wouldn't do it. I am asking Keith Murray to do the same. I’ll break his ass down in two. He’s a five dollar dude. Sign the papers, we’ll set it up, and can handle it. That goes for any ma’fucka who has problems with me. We’ll get in the cage. If you can beat me, you get the money and I’ll get my ass beat. Let people do what they got to do. I’m in war mode. I’m more ready now than I've ever been. People aren't getting away with that dumb shit.
Squashed Beef with Keith Murray
After Redman contacted both rappers, K-Solo and Keith Murray squashed the beef and have since performed together on multiple Hit Squad shows.
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