PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK: DAGRIN OLAITAN OLAONIPEKUN (1987-2010)

DaGrin was born Oladapo Olaitan Olanipekun (25/10/1987 -22/04/2010). Mr. Olaitan Olanipekun stage name is DaGrin. He also goes by other aliases such as Original Omoita, DaGrin Lomo Na, Lyrican Trouble, Fimilejo, Omo Onile, Solder Boy, Lyrical Wayray, Molenubi, Misofuyin, Omo Ogun, Akogun, Barack O’Grin, Chief Executive Omoita and other.

Education

DaGrin went Rosemary Nursery and Primary School and Good Shepherd Nursery and Primary School before attaining his secondary school education at the Community High School, Egbado College. Mr. Olaitan’s attempts to gain admission to Nigeria’s tertiary institutions hit the rock due to financial and family issues. He did however study in a computer institution somewhere around Lagos State. He later decided to invest his time and effort in music since he loves doing music and writing lyrics with great passion.

Personal Life

He was born to a polygamous family; life was never rosy for Olaitan. Olaitan’s mother was the second of his father’s three wives.

Musical Career

DaGrin was a recording artiste, songwriter, rapper and performer. Like any other artiste, the start was rough for DaGrin. Olaitan’s first album titled “Still On the matter” came and went without much impact in the music industry. He was never deterred by the ratings of his first album; he was determined to make a lasting footprint in the music industry. He went back to the studio and re engineer is God given talents. The result of his hard work and persistence was his sophomore album titled “Chief Executive Omoita (C.E.O) and surely, it was a party banger. He was signed to his own label Missofunyin Entertainment and managed by Edlyne Records.

His imprint Mi So Fu Yin Entertainment was gradually taking shape; Dagrin had a performance in and out of Lagos every other week. Everybody wanted him on their album, mixtape, single… it didn’t matter; everybody just wanted a piece of Dagrin.

Just two days before the horrific accident that took away his life occurred; Dagrin was putting together his last song, Show Me the Money, for Lineo ‘Elepepe Master’. On April 14th, just a few hours before the accident, Dagrin paid a visit to the Hip Hop World office in Ikeja. The awards were drawing closer and with three nominations to his name, the hustler’s dream was finally coming true.

Collaboration and Duets

During his brief presence in Nigeria’s music industry, DaGrin featured dozens of musicians including Kenny Saint Brown, 9ice, Oluwe, YQ, Isolate, Naeto C, Iceberg Slim and others within is short presence in Nigeria Hip-Pop scene. Dagrin is a three-time hip-pop awards nominee; he was nominated in the Album of the Year, Artist of the Year and Best Rap Album categories of the 2010 Hip-Hop World Awards.

WHAT NO ONE WILL TELL YOU ABOUT DAGRINS LIFE, DEATH AND BURIAL

• He was brought into the cemetery for burial with a black Ebony Escalade Cadillac ESV 2007 model.
• Candle light procession in honour of the late rapper started from his former home at Emmanuel Dada Street, off Bello road, Surulere to Ojez, National stadium, Surulere at about 6pm on Thursday April 29, 2010.
• His body was left for Twenty Four hours before embalmment.
• The late rapper was buried at the Ebony Millennium private Vault, Atan cemetery.
• He had 129 pictures in his four photo albums on Facebook.
• The late rapper was buried wearing white hand gloves, white belt and a white T-shirt; and black west coat, black bandana around his neck, a block trouser and a black face cap.
• The slabs on his tomb were four in number
• His body was brought into the cemetery 9.00am on Friday April 30, 2010.
• He was finally interned at about 10.45 am on Friday April 30, 2010.
• The late rapper’s car ran into a parked lorry in front of Alakara Police station, Mushin on Wednesday April 24, 2010.
• He was Twenty Six years old.
• His ill-fated Nissan Maxima was a 2008 model.
• His father lives at number 43 Kola Oretuga Street, off Meiran Road, Iyana Meiran bus stop A.O.L.C.D.A.
• He was the fourth child in a family of nine.
• Dagrin was signed to his own label ‘Missofunyin entertainment’ but managed by Edlyne Records.
• He attended Meiran community primary school, Roseille Nursery and Primary School, Meiran Community high school and Egbado College.
• The bandana on the late rapper’s neck for burial was the same as the one on his Manager Tunde Peters, Zeez, YQ and his close friends.
• His father’s nickname is Nelly. He has a music store located at Meiran bus stop, ‘House of Nelly sounds’ store where he used to stay before moving to Surulere.
• His father’s speech at the candle light ceremony was the rap he did to the song he was featured in by YQ titled ‘Efimile’.
• His casket was coloured brown with a touch of gold.
• He died Eight days after the accident
• Doctors at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital LUTH said he survived nine attacks before he finally gave up during the 1oth attack.
• He died 6.00 pm on Thursday April 22, 2010.
• He died eight days after his car crash , and he was buried eight days after his death.
• Desperate fans almost tore down the Ebony gate at Atan, when they were initially prevented from getting in; and refused to leave his grave after his burial.
• The burial was originally designed to have only 150 people in attendance. Thousands ended up storming the cemetery to pay last respects.
• The late rapper was born Olaitan Olaonipekun to Mr. and Mrs. Olaniyi Abolaji Olaonipekun
• He got the nickname Barack O’Grin from the remix song he did with general pype ‘Champion’.
• Touts were seen at the burial smoking hemp and selling Dagrin T-shirts.
• Julius Agwu and Omo Baba anchored his Candle Light ceremony held at Ojez, National stadium, Surulere on Thursday April 29, 2010.
• His ill-fated car carried the number plate DAGRIN 03. He planned to buy two other cars to be numbered Dagrin 02 and Dagrin 01.
• The accident that claimed his life happened 2.00 AM on April 14.
• He was initially admitted at Tai Sholarin Private Hospital Mushin, Baba Olosa bus stop.
• He had three videos to his credit titled Kilowale –ft PK, Rap rules and Ponponpon.
• He had two albums to his credit titled still on the matter and Chief Executive Omoita.
• Dagrin’s Mother, Mrs. Olaonipekun was the second of his father’s three wives.
• He was a Yoruba lyricist; just like the older but less popular Lord of Ajasa
• The last time he logged on to twitter was on Thursday April 8, 2010.
• He died of severe head injury.
• The slab were the late rapper’s body was kept at the mortuary is tagged number 8.
• The late rapper has three nominations at the coming Hip Hop World Awards.
• His parents were –expectedly- both absent at his burial.
• His Twitter ID was Dagrinfimile
• Two months before his death, Dagrin moved into block 10, flat 3 at the sun shine Estate, Oko Oba in Lagos.
• Source at Ebony casket says his casket cost N150,000
• His Facebook name was Dagrin fimilejo.
• His email address was sendmimore@yahoo.com.
• Striking Doctors at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital LUTH resumed work the same day he was buried.
• The late rapper had 4,930 friends on Facebook. There were underground speculations that Dagrin has a baby outside wedlock which he refused to accept responsibility of before he became a rap star.
• Artiste manager Sunday Are and comedian Tee A were part of logistics support team.
• At the time of his entombment, there was still a vacant tomb opened beside his vault.
• Apart from mortuary expenses, the total bill incurred during his stay at LUTH was about N800,000