Ladipo Eso, often known as Ladipoe or Poe, is a Nigerian rapper and afropop performer. Ladipoe is signed to Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records. He rose to notoriety with the song “Feel Alright,” on which SDC “Show Dem Camp” featured him. In March 2019, he released a new track called “Jaiye” before releasing the blockbuster song “Know You,” which featured Nigerian Joromi artist Simi. He also belongs to the Nigerian ensemble Collectiv3.
Early Life and Education
Mr. and Mrs. Eso gave birth to Ladipoe on April 29th, 1992. He was raised in Lagos and completed his elementary and secondary school before attending the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, where he majored in Biology and Chemistry. It was there that he became interested in music and co-founded the band Lyrically Equipped with his pals Jeffrey and Kurt.
Career
Poe began studying music shortly after graduating from university. Ladipoe’s mother connected him to Tec, a member of the ShowDemCamp organization (SDC). In 2013, his lyrical prowess in the SDC’s popular song “Feel Alright” garnered him a nomination for Best Alternative Song of the Year at The Headies Awards. He was the first rapper to sign with Mavin Records after the label rebranded from Mo’Hits in 2012. Poe released his first single on the label, “Man Already,” which was produced by Altims. Poe is influenced by Slum Village, Lupe, and Little Brother.
His 2021 single “Feeling,” which featured Buju, reached the top of the TurnTable Top 50 chart three times. He performed “Feeling” at the Big Brother Naija sixth season premiere. The song “Feeling” became a hit, even reaching South African clubs, and is still people’s favorite African music on the internet today.
When asked in November 2021 how he grew his music career in an environment where rap music is less appreciated, Ladipoe told The Guardian Nigeria that when he began his musical journey, he was told that rapping had lost meaning in Nigeria, which is when he released ‘Feeling,’ a song in which he featured Buju. The artist has continued to dwell on his tribulations in the music industry, even as he attributes his success to God’s grace.
Personal Life
Ladipoe, a rapper from Lagos, lives in one of the city’s affluent neighborhoods and owns a fleet of exotic cars. Ladipoe is one of the Hennessy vs. Class of 2022 judges and has been traveling around the country interviewing talent for the show. As a judge in the competition, he takes use of the chance to mentor young rappers and assist them in reaching success in the profession.
Fans were caught aback when Ladipoe announced his fatherhood in a video broadcast in August 2021. He is a Mavin Records artist, along with Crayon, Boy Spyce, Johnny Drille, K, Rema, Ayra Starr, Korede Bello, and Magixx.
In a video, Ladipoe was seen holding a baby boy. However, he didn’t reveal the identity of the mother of his child and has chosen to keep his relationship with his partner away from public view.
Songs
He has released many songs, some of which are:
- Can’t Forget – 2016
- Man Already –2017
- Are You Down feat Tiwa Savage – 2017
- T.A.P (Talk About Poe) – 2018
- Complicated feat. Ladipoe –2018
- Maybe feat. Ladipoe – 2018
- Jaiye (Time of Our Lives) – 2019
- Lemme Know – 2019
- Yoruba Samurai (feat. Joeboy) – 2020
- Opor Single – 2020
- Opor (feat. Zlatan Remix) – 2020
- Jaiye (Aluna & Sigag Lauren Remix) – 2020
- Lemme Know (Remix) – 2020
- Know You feat Simi –2020
- Rap Messiah – 2021
- Feeling feat Buju – 2021
Albums
- Talk About Poe (2019)
- Providence EP (2021)
Awards and Nominations
His “Jaiye” was nominated for the Best Music Video at the 2019 Headies award. Falz and Ladipoe’s “Marry Me” won the 2015 Nigerian Entertainment Award for Best Collaboration.
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | The Headies | Best Collaboration | “Know you” feat Simi | Won | |
| 2021 | Net Honours | Most Played Hip Hop song | Nominated | ||
| BET Hip-Hop Awards | Best International Flow | Nominated | |||
| 2022 | The Headies 2022 | Best Rap Single | “Feelings” – Ladipoe feat. Bnxn | Won |
Net Worth
Ladipoe is one of the most talented Nigerian rappers and singers currently waxing stronger in the music industry, with an estimated net worth of about $1 million.
