Former Nigerian rapper and composer William Orioha, better known by his stage name 2Shotz, was born on March 3, 1979. He now works as a photographer and filmmaker in the US. He won the Best Collaboration award at the 2006 The Headies. His debut studio album, Pirated Copy, was released in 2004. Its foundation was made up of the singles “Carry Am Go,” “Odeshi,” and “Delicious.” That year saw the release of Original Copy, 2Shotz’s second studio album. His third studio album, Commercial Avenue, was released in 2007. His fourth studio album, Music Business, was released in 2008. The fifth and sixth studio albums by 2Shotz, I Am William and Loud Silence, were released in 2010 and 2016, respectively. He is a rapper who performs in English, Igbo, and Pidgin.
Early Life and Education
Despite being a resident of Umuahia, Abia State, 2Shotz was born on March 3, 1979, in Surulere, Lagos State, Nigeria. He comes from a family of three. He attended Government College Umuahia for his secondary schooling after finishing his primary and secondary education in Lagos State. 2 Shotz graduated from Lagos State University with a degree in human resource management and labor relations (LASU).
Career
2Shotz started singing in high school and decided to pursue a career in music before he enrolled at LASU. In 1999, he collaborated with 2Ply to form the band Foremen. In 2000, they signed a record deal with eLDee’s Trybesmen, and their debut album, Men at Work, was released on the label. The song “For the Men” contributed to the album’s promotion. Following the dissolution of the group in 2000, 2Shotz signed a solo deal with Trybe Records.
Later, he joined The Trybe, and the two of them wrote the song “Oya” together in 2001. He founded the record label Umunnamu Music in 2005.
A year later, he joined Obi Asika’s record label, Storm Records, but left to concentrate on Umunnamu Music. He gave up music in 2016 to focus on a career in photography and cinematography and claimed that Nigerians did not value him enough.
Personal Life
2Shotz wed his girlfriend at the Ikoyi Marriage Registry on April 12, 2013, after they had met online. Their daughter was born in Ireland on March 12, 2015. After she accused him of mistreating her, 2 Shotz and his wife filed for divorce in December 2015.
Discography
Studio Albums
- Pirated Copy (2004)
- Original Copy (2005)
- Commercial Avenue (2007)
- Music Business (2008)
- I AM William (2011)
- Loud Silence (2016)
Selected Singles
- “Delicious” (2004)
- “Odeshi” (2004)
- “Carry Am Go” (2004)
- “Make Dem Talk” (2006)
- “Which Level” (2007)
- “Incase U Never Know” (2008)
- Delicious
- Kpef Dey Go
- Attention
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | The Headies | Best Rap Album | I Am William | Nominated |
| 2009 | The Headies | Song of the Year | “In case U Never Know” (featuring Timaya) | Nominated |
| 2006 | The Headies | Best Collaboration | “Delicious” (featuring Big Lo) | Won |
Net Worth
He has an estimated net worth of $5 million.
