PsychoYP
Background information
Birth nameNicholas Ihua-Maduenyi
Also known asPsycho
Born (1998-10-28) 28 October 1998
Abuja, Nigeria
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • Singer
  • Songwriter
Years active2017–present
LabelsApex Village

Nicholas Ihua-Maduenyi[1] (born 28 October 1998), widely known as PsychoYP, is a Nigerian alternative hip hop rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is a member of the music collective Apex Village.[2] He came into the music scene with a critically acclaimed mixtape, YPSZN, which earned him a nomination at the SAMAs, and the Headies for his second fit album YPSZN2. Dubbed "The Fresh Prince of Nigerian Rap",[3] he is regarded as one of Nigeria's rap music pioneers in the alté music scene.

Early life

Music came to me when I found like-minded friends that also had a passion for it. Together we found where we could record and make what we wanted. I decided it was for me as soon as I started making what I knew would be Psycho YP’s sound. That was around 2016.

— The Guardian[4]

Ihua-Maduenyi was born on 28 October 1998 in Abuja, and comes from Rivers State.[4] While in secondary school in 2013, he met with Kuddi Is Dead, a member of Apex Village.[5] In an interview with OkayAfrica, he said "as a kid, I was always around music. My mum would play Nigerian music, music from other African countries, and foreign music. I like to think she played a big role in putting me on this path by being in love with music. We'd have P-Square, Michael Jackson, Drake, and Lil Wayne (to name a few) on repeat every weekend. My two siblings and I all had experience with singing and rapping, but something about it just kept me going".[5]

Career

YP is an acronym for "Yung Papi".[6] In 2016, he launched his music career as a rapper on SoundCloud as Psycho, while based in Manchester, England,[7] and went on to release his EP "Lost In The Sauce" on 26 August 2016. In the following year, YP and Kuddi is Dead released a collaborative 4-track EP "This Is What You Wanted" on 21 May 2017,[8] and released a SoundCloud exclusive with "This Is What You Wanted II" on 21 February 2018, featuring Ayüü, Zilla Oaks, and Marv OTM.[9] On 8 June 2018, he released "YPSZN",[10] with guest appearances from Fasina, Marv OTM, Denzel Oaks, Zilla Oaks, and Remy Baggins.[11] The project spawned the hit track "Oga".

On the 28 October 2018, he released a music video for Oga, directed by Kuddi is Dead, and Lekinson. On 22 March 2019, he released "Oga (remix)" featuring Blaqbonez, and Ycee.[12] On the 4th of November, 2019, he released "YPSZN2",[13] with guest appearances from BOJ, Terri, Nathalie Sade, Dami Oniru, Ayüü, Zilla Oaks, Ladipoe, Skales, and Blaqbonez.[13] On the 12th of November, 2020, YP and Azanti went on to release their self-titled debut EP "YP & Azanti, Vol. 1".[14] The extended play spawned the minor hit tracks "Caro", and "Focused".[2] On the 11th of March, 2021, the official music video for "Caro" was released, directed by Cindy Ihua, and produced through Ceeander Entertainment, and Legacy Films.[15]

On 26 August 2021, YP released his first solo EP Euphoria,[16] with guest appearances from Trill Tega, Rasstokyo, J Molley, PatricKxxLee, and Alpha P. On 20 December 2021, he headlined his first Lagos concert at Hard Rock Cafe in Nigeria,[17] featuring guest appearances from Blaqbonez, Dremo, Laycon, Wurld, Alpha P, Terry Apala, Laime, Mojo, SGaWD, King Perryy, and many more.[17] In 2022, he released his third mixtape album YPSZN3 on 2 November. The mixtape album's lead singles include "Bando Diaries", "IC3", and "Stronger", which features a guest vocal from Zlatan. On 8 November 2022, YPSZN3 debuted on the newly launched Nigeria TurnTable Top 50 chart at number 26.[18]

Artistry

PsychoYP is known for fusing Afrobeats, Afroswing, Hip hop, Trap, Grime, Drill and R&B,[19] to create his musical element. In high school, his friends began calling him Yung Papi,[19] and "Papi Chulo".[6] Nicholas eventually picked up "Yung Papi" as an acronym for YP,[6] before adopting Psycho, from a movie he watched to form the stage name PsychoYP.[19] Nicholas "PsychoYP" cited the Nigerian rapper M.I, and the American rappers Drake, Lil Wayne, and Gucci Mane, as his musical influence and/or inspiration while growing up.[20]

Discography

EPs

List of studio extended plays, with selected details and chart positions
Title Details Peak chart positions
NG
Euphoria

Collaborative EPs

List of joint EPs, with selected details and chart positions
Artists Title Details Peak chart positions
NG
PsychoYP & Kuddi Is Dead This Is What You Wanted
PsychoYP & Kuddi Is Dead This Is What You Wanted II
PsychoYP & Azanti YP & Azanti, Vol. 1

Mixtapes

List of mixtapes, with selected details and chart positions
Title Details Peak chart positions
NG
YPSZN
YPSZN2
YPSZN3 26

Singles

As lead artist

List of charted singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
NG
 SA
 UK
"Who Dis"[21] 2017 ——— Non-album singles

"To the Max"[22]

(featuring Odunsi)

 2018 ———
"Be Like You"[23] 2019 ———
"Euphoria" 2021 ——— Euphoria
"IC3"[24] 2022 ——— YPSZN3
"Bando Diaries"[25] ———
"Stronger"[26]

(featuring Zlatan)

 ———
"Midlife Crisis"[27] ——— TBA
"WYDTM"[27]

(featuring Azanti)

 ———

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee/Work Result
2018 Nigerian Teens Choice Awards Choice Fast Rising Artist Himself Nominated
Choice Hip Hop Artist Nominated
2020 South African Music Awards Rest Of Africa Artist Himself for YPSZN2 Nominated
The Headies Best Rap Album YPSZN2 Nominated
2023 The Headies Best Rap Single "Bando Diaries" Pending
Best Rap Album YPSZN3 Pending

References

  1. ↑ Boluwatife, Adeyemi (10 November 2021). "PsychoYP is the Chosen One". Bounce!. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  2. 1 2 Kelly, Christopher (28 May 2022). "PsychoYP Is at the Apex of Alté Cruise Counterculture and He Ain't Coming Down". Culted. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  3. ↑ "The Fresh Prince of Nigerian Rap: The Psycho YP Story". The Culture Custodian. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Nigeria needs to embrace hip-hop, other alternative genres - Psycho YP". The Guardian. Guardian Saturday Magazine. 4 July 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  5. 1 2 Storm, Camille (19 December 2019). "Interview: PsychoYP Wants to Lead the New Wave of Nigerian Hip-Hop". OkayAfrica. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 Laketu, Adedayo (20 September 2017). "IN Due Time with PsychoYP". MoreBranches. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  7. ↑ Idowu, Tomi (27 March 2017). "Psycho Overcomes The Sauce And Addresses A Side Chick on "Uber"". The Culture Custodian. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  8. ↑ "Psycho and Kuddi Is Dead Drift From Trap to Hip Hop on 'This Is What You Wanted' EP". The Culture Custodian. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  9. ↑ "This Is What You Wanted II". SoundCloud. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  10. ↑ Idowu, Tomi (8 June 2018). "PsychoYP Is A Leader of His Class And His New Project 'YPSZN' Proves It". The Culture Custodian. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  11. ↑ "PsychoYP's YPSZN Is Simplistic But Sophisticated". Radr Africa. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  12. ↑ "PsychoYP Draws Verses From Dremo, YCee and Blaqbonez on 'Oga Remix'". The Culture Custodian. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  13. 1 2 Alake, Motolani (7 November 2019). "'YPSZN2' is PsychoYP's manifesto to a larger market [Album Review]". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  14. ↑ Alake, Motolani (14 November 2020). "Psycho YP and Azanti present their chemistry on 'YP & Azanti Vol. 1' [EP Review]". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  15. ↑ "Watch PsychoYP & Azanti in the Fresh Visuals for "Caro"". MoreBranches. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  16. ↑ Alake, Motolani (31 August 2021). "On 'Euphoria,' Psycho YP has teeth and he bites hard [Pulse Album Review]". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  17. 1 2 "PsychoYP announces his first Lagos headline concert". MoreBranches. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  18. ↑ "Nigeria Top 50 Albums". www.turntablecharts.com. TurnTable Charts. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  19. 1 2 3 Gorman, Molly (27 April 2022). "PsychoYP on shaping his sound and the Nigerian music scene". Mission Statement. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  20. ↑ Bourdin, Nils (20 February 2020). "PsychoYP, trap music in Abuja". PAM - Pan African Music. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  21. ↑ Abimbolu, Debola (21 July 2017). "Listen to PsychoYP's literally socially-conscious new single, "Who Dis"". The Native. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  22. ↑ Abimbolu, Debola (12 December 2018). "Psycho YP tag teams Odunsi on new single, "To the Max"". The Native. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  23. ↑ Peter, Dennis Ade (23 May 2019). "Listen To Psycho YP's Groovy New Single, "Be Like You"". The Native. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  24. ↑ Mudasiru, Wisdom (11 August 2022). "Psycho YP, Zilla Oaks & BackRoad Gee bring the heat on 'IC3'". The Culture Custodian. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  25. ↑ "PsychoYP & Odomodublvck combine on new drill song, "Bando Diaries"". The NAtive. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  26. ↑ Overo, Naomi (26 October 2022). "PsychoYP and Zlatan Link Up For "Stronger"". The Culture Custodian. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  27. 1 2 Staff, Wonderland (6 May 2022). "PsychoYP Releases "Midlife Crisis" And "WYDTM"". Wonderland. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  28. ↑ Online, Tribune (2023-06-20). "Authenticity, ambition: Favi marks new era in career with new single 'Omo Oro". Tribune Online. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
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