Shallipopi has explained the reason behind his transition from rap music to Amapiano, stating that the genre became a more practical and profitable path for his music career.
The singer and rapper made the revelation while appearing on an episode of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, where he spoke about his early musical roots and the realities of succeeding in Nigeria’s music industry.
According to Shallipopi, he originally built his identity around rap music and considered himself a trap artist before gradually embracing Amapiano sounds that eventually brought him mainstream success.
“I have been rapping for a while. I am a trap star. They made me do Amapiano. It is Amapiano that bring food to the table, so we will do it. I will drag it with them,” he said.
The ‘Cast’ crooner explained that although rap remains his favourite genre personally, earning substantial income from rap music in Nigeria has been difficult due to the market structure and audience preferences.
He suggested that Nigerian listeners generally show stronger support for commercially appealing sounds such as Afrobeats and Amapiano compared to hardcore rap music.
Despite his success in the Amapiano scene, Shallipopi maintained that rap still holds a special place in his career and creative identity.
The artist also revisited his controversial decision to reject the Headies award for Best Rap Song, which was awarded to his hit track Cast last year.
Explaining the reason behind the rejection, Shallipopi said he felt the award category attempted to define him solely as a rapper, despite his work spanning both singing and rap performances.
According to him, the recognition should have reflected his versatility instead of limiting him to one musical identity.
He insisted that his contributions as both a vocalist and rapper deserved acknowledgment across multiple categories rather than being confined to rap alone.
