Eedris Turayo Abdulkareem Ajenifuja, born on December 24, 1974, popularly known as Eedris Abdulkareem, is a Nigerian hip hop, R&B and Afrobeat artist, songwriter and singer. He was the lead rapper of the defunct Nigerian hip hop boy band The Remedies. He is one of the pioneers of Nigerian hip hop and he is regarded as one of the most influential Nigerian Rappers of all time.
Profile Summary
| Full Name: | Eedris Turayo Abdulkareem Ajenifuja |
| Date of Birth: | December 24, 1974 |
| Place of Birth: | Ilesha |
| State of Origin: | Osun State |
| Occupation: | hip hop, R&B and Afrobeat artist, songwriter and singer |
| Net Worth: | $1 millions |
| Wife: | Yetunde |
Early Life and Education
Eedris Abdulkareem was born on December 25, 1974, to a polygamous family in Kano State. He hails from Ilesha, Osun State, in the southwestern part of Nigeria, where he completed his primary, secondary and tertiary education.
Abdulkareem completed Army Day Secondary School in Kano and proceeded to obtain his West African Senior School Certificate and went further to obtain his bachelor’s degree.
Career
Eedris Abdulkareem started rapping while he was still in school but gained prominence due to the uniqueness of how he did his things in 1996 after he joined and performed in a hip hop group titled “remedies” with the likes of Tony Tetuilla (the golden father of Afrobeats artists from Nigeria) and Eddy Montana before they went their separate ways to pursue their solo careers in 2002.
The high rate of corruption in Nigeria inspired him and made him rap in Pidgin English, which primarily criticised the Nigerian government’s leadership system. Eedris AbdulKareem was also voted, together with great personalities like Dora Akunyili, Pat Utomi, and others, including millions of Nigerians, to represent Nigeria in carrying the Olympic torch in 2000.
However, other famous Nigerian artists, including Tony Tetuila, Plantashun Boiz, and Double X Posse, condemn and criticize his hit song track labelled “Wackawickee MC’s” from his debut album.
He was signed to Kennis Records alongside 2face Idibia and released his first solo album titled “Pain and Stress = Success” (P.A.S.S.) on the Kennis Music label, which was rigorously received by other expert artists, and then he spiced it up with another album titled “Mr Lecturer”, whose lyrics were solely based on the hassle faced by female Nigerian students at various universities, polytechnics, and colleges where the lecturers demand money or sexual approval in exchange for recommended grades.
In 2004, Eedris Abdulkareem further released an album, “Jaga Jaga” which was even mooter and more disputable than his former ones. Jaga Jaga is a Yoruba term for “shambles“, which centres on the corruption and sufferings of Nigerians and dropped to critical acclaim.
Although the song was banned on radio and television under the regime of the then president, Olusegun Obasanjo, nonetheless, it continued to be played in nightclubs. The “Jaga Jaga” album covers were designed by the great Ghariokwu Lemi, who designed most of Fela Kuti’s classic album covers.
In November 2005, Eedris Abdulkareem put up his own record label called “Lakreem music” and produced his fourth album titled “Letter to Mr President”, which addressed Obasanjo’s criticisms of the album “Jaga Jaga”.
The album also includes “flash up, Unu Lighter”, as well as a “tribute to Obasanjo’s wife”, Stella Obasanjo. She died on October 8, 2005, after undergoing tummy tuck cosmetic surgery in Marbella, Spain, a few weeks before her birthday and the victims of the “Bellview Airlines tragedy.”
In 2007, he released the “King is Back” album, which centres on his tribulations in the hands of Obasanjo’s government and industry dealers, as well as concert promoters who ignore him for standing up for the truth in “koleyewon” and other songs, followed by “Unfinished Business” in 2010.
He later released “nothing but the truth” in 2020, and he has been able to release seven albums from 1996 to date.
Songs
- Wonkere feat. Fatai Rolling Dollar (2011)
- Dance With You(2011)
- Seriki Kano(2012)
- Baba(2012)
- Jaga Jaga part 2 (2006)
- I Go Whoze You ft Vtek (2013)
- Trouble Dey Sleep ft Konga (2016)
- Country Hard ft Sound Sultan(2020)
- Say No To Southern Kaduna Killings(2020)
- Egunje ft Samklef(2020)
- Trouble Dey Sleep(2020)
- Jaga Jaga Reloaded (2021)
- Free Naija(2021)
- No Forget ft AB1(2021)
- Oti Get E (2021)
- Aluta Continua(2022)
Social Media
- Instagram: @abdulkareemeedris
- Twitter: @EedrisOriginal
Eedris Abdulkareem Net worth
Eedris Abdulkareem has an estimated net worth of $1 millions. Eedris Abdulkareem is a Nigerian hip hop, R&B and Afrobeat artist, songwriter and singer.
Personal Life
In 2004, Eedris Abdulkareem married Yetunde, after they briefly dated, and the marriage is blessed with three children(two girls and a boy) whose names are; Tolani, Titomi, and Abdulrahim.