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Before streaming platforms reshaped global music, before international record deals became a benchmark for success, and before Afrobeats stars began selling out venues like the O2 Arena, there was Ajegunle in Lagos—a dense, vibrant neighbourhood where street culture produced some of Nigeria’s most influential musical voices.

Among those voices was Baba Fryo, born Friday Igwe, a musician who didn’t just entertain but chronicled everyday street life through rhythm and lyrics. His 1996 hit “Denge Pose” became a defining anthem of its era, introducing a dance style and cultural expression that spread far beyond Ajegunle.

But behind the success story lies a more complicated reality. While the streets danced to his music, the music industry struggled to protect him. Piracy eroded his earnings, and the commercial rewards of fame fell far short of expectations.

More than two decades later, Baba Fryo reflects on his journey—the rise, the setbacks, and his continued resilience—in a conversation with TheCable Lifestyle’s Testimony Adebisi.

Explaining the origin of his stage name, Baba Fryo traces it back to everyday life in Ajegunle.

“In Ajegunle in those days, anyone who bears Friday, you’d call him Fryo. You abbreviate the name,” he said, describing how community slang shaped his identity.

Baba Fryo also revisited the era when Galala music and dance dominated the streets, clarifying common misconceptions about its origins and evolution.

According to him, Galala is primarily a dance style, not a genre of music in itself. He credited dancer and performer Daddy Showkey with popularising the movement.

“Galala is a dance. That dance was created by Daddy Showkey,” he explained. “When Father U-Turn released his songs, he said his songs were Galala, but Galala is a dance.”

He added that several street dance styles existed at the time, including “Tear Am,” “Swo,” and “Konto,” all of which influenced performances and music expression in the community.

Baba Fryo noted that his own sound evolved differently from his peers, blending influences rather than strictly aligning with one style.

“For my own style of music, I would say I just chose to create different kinds of music,” he said. “Mine is an Afro Reggae beat because my song has been mixed with Reggae music and Afro music.”

Reflecting on the broader music scene in Ajegunle during his rise, Baba Fryo highlighted the trio that helped define the era: himself, Daddy Fresh, and Daddy Showkey. Each artist, he said, developed a distinct identity while contributing to a shared cultural movement that helped bring street music into national consciousness.

Though the sounds differed—ranging from reggae-infused rhythms to highlife-inspired influences—the impact was collective: a new wave of Nigerian street music that shaped the foundation for later generations.

While “Denge Pose” remains a cultural landmark, Baba Fryo’s story also reflects the challenges faced by many early Nigerian music pioneers, particularly issues of piracy and lack of industry structure at the time.

Yet despite financial setbacks and shifting industry dynamics, his influence endures in Nigeria’s evolving music landscape, where street-inspired sounds have become a global export.

Over twenty years after his breakout moment, Baba Fryo’s story is not just one of fame, but of endurance—an artist still standing, still reflecting, and still part of the cultural conversation.

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The paternity dispute involving Nigerian socialite Cubana Chief Priest and his alleged Kenyan baby mama, Hellen Ati, has taken a dramatic turn after she appeared in an emotionally charged livestream, hurling curses at the businessman and his supporters.

Visibly distressed, Ati used the broadcast to vent her frustration over what she described as the burden of single-handedly raising their alleged child, vowing that the socialite would face consequences for his alleged neglect.

In a fiery and explicit tirade, she accused Cubana Chief Priest of pursuing her romantically while concealing his marital status, only to distance himself from her once she became pregnant. She lamented being subjected to public mockery and criticism online, with many questioning the legitimacy of her claims and the timing of her pregnancy.

Ati further alleged that the socialite’s wealth and public image had emboldened him to mistreat her, drawing a broader connection between such treatment of women and the pressures that drive some to pursue risky cosmetic procedures out of shame.

She issued a stark warning, declaring that anyone who attempted to shame or humiliate her further would face the consequences of her wrath, threatening to direct her anger at his extended family if provoked.

Visibly emotional throughout the video, Ati admitted to struggling with her mental health amid the saga, citing a previous history of psychological distress, and insisted she had reached a breaking point after persistent attempts to seek acknowledgment and support for the child.

She maintained her resolve to continue speaking out despite public backlash, urging the socialite to take responsibility for the child’s welfare and declaring that she would no longer remain silent or beg for recognition.

The development has since stirred fresh reactions on social media, with the controversy reigniting public debate over accountability, responsibility, and the treatment of women in high-profile relationship disputes.

Watch video below..

https://x.com/RealCeecee/status/2068063985383960705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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Popular Nigerian streamer, Peller has officially completed the traditional marriage rites of his fiancé, Jarvis, after travelling to her hometown in Benin City to officially pay her bride price.

He made this known via his social media handle on Sunday.

He wrote “Today, I proudly paid the bride price of the woman I love.

“A beautiful journey has officially begun, and I’m grateful to both families for their blessings.

“She said “yes” to forever, and now it’s time to build our future together. Officially off the market.”

This comes just weeks after the streamer proposed to his lover, Jarvis on the 3rd of June in Ghana.