Few people could have imagined how popular Oluwatosin Ajibade, better known by his stage name Mr. Eazi, would become when he initially entered the music industry. Eazi, who was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and partially raised in Ghana, established a speciality by fusing R&B, highlife, and Afrobeat into what he popularly called "Banku Music." This fusion presented a new African sound texture to the world.
Mr. Eazi demonstrated that African music can be both remarkably local and remarkably worldwide, starting with his breakthrough track "Skin Tight" with Efya. His mixtapes, "Life Is Eazi, Vol. 1 & 2," was a love letter to his african roots, from the food slogans and beat rhythm from Accra to hustle and bustle of Lagos to the adoration of women from Africa, Eazi wore his roots with pride.
Mr Eazi understands the power of collaboration as it opened more reach for him from DJ Spinall to Major Lazer, Burna Boy, Wizkid and more. While many applauded his musical feats, he took it a notch further by becoming the first African artist to be named Apple Music’s Up Next artist in 2017, a landmark moment that introduced him to U.S. audiences through a spot on The Late Late Show with James Corden and a mini-documentary. Everything on a success bucket list, Mr Eazi was ticking it off.
But music is only one part of the story. Far from just an artist, Mr Eazi has positioned himself as a visionary. He established emPawa Africa in 2019. One of his biggest legacies is emPawa Africa, a funding and incubator program that has enabled dozens of up-and-coming African musicians, such as Joeboy and J.Derobie, to advance their careers. He stands out as not only a performer but also a creator of Africa's creative economy because of his dedication to establishing frameworks for the coming generation.
He still has a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Mr. Eazi represents a new generation of African creatives that combines creativity and business, from digital investments to international endeavours. He has garnered media attention for being among the first Afrobeats artists to sign equity-based music distribution agreements, demonstrating his resolve to transform the commercial landscape of African music.
Today, Mr Eazi stands as one of the most influential voices in Afrobeats’ global rise. His music has traveled stages from Coachella to international festivals across Europe and America, while his collaborations with artists like J Balvin, Nicki Minaj, and Diplo have pushed African rhythms into new markets. However, his impact extends beyond music that crosses genres. He has completely transformed the way young creatives approach the market over the last ten years by extending the role of an artist to include that of a strategist, investor, and builder of creative infrastructure. Instead of only expecting to get signed, they now learn how to create something for themselves. Mr. Eazi has established a significant business footprint outside of emPawa. He has made investments in African tech businesses in sectors like media, logistics, and fintech. He stands out from the crowd in 2023 when he announced a collaboration to build a $20 million investment fund centred on African creative and entertainment firms. Not many artists are planning that far ahead or supporting it financially.
He’s also created Zagadat Capital, his investment company, which manages a growing portfolio across sectors. Through this, he’s been part of deals with companies like PawaPay (mobile payments) and BetPawa (sports betting), among others. These aren’t just endorsement deals, they're actual ownership stakes in companies that serve everyday users across the continent.
He has applied the same zeal to investments and technology. He has invested in media, transportation, and financial firms in recent years. These actions show a definite objective: increasing the value of African talent in a global market. They are not merely side projects. Mr. Eazi is taking action to support his frequent statements about artists becoming owners.
He continues to create in spite of everything. His visual album The Evil Genius offers something more complex than the typical single drop format by fusing music, narrative, and visual art. He is experimenting with the creation, consumption, and sharing of music.
Outside of work, his personal life has also been in the spotlight. His relationship and now marriage to Temi Otedola, daughter of Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola sparked major buzz across social media and entertainment platforms. But even in that public space, Mr Eazi has kept things low-key. Their relationship, from engagement to wedding, has reflected the same calm and intentional vibe that fans see in his music and business moves. For many young people, their story has become a symbol of balance, love, ambition, and personal growth all coexisting
He’s also been helping African music reach new ears around the world. Collaborations with global names like J Balvin, Major Lazer, and Nicki Minaj have introduced his sound to audiences in Latin America, Europe, and beyond without changing who he is to fit in. Mr Eazi isn’t doing everything loud. He’s building slow, steady, and with purpose. He sees the gaps for artists, for creators, for the culture and looks for ways to fill them. Whether it’s through funding, new tech, or simply leading by example, his impact reaches far beyond the studio.
In a space where quick fame can burn out fast, Mr Eazi is showing what it looks like to play the long game. For an artist who once described himself as an “accidental musician,” Mr Eazi has built a career that feels anything but accidental. His achievements, musical, entrepreneurial, and cultural, reveal a man committed to more than fame. He is engineering a blueprint for African music’s global future.