eLDee
Lanre Dabiri, (born May 23) better known by his stage name eLDee, is a Nigerian American rapper, record producer and architect. "Lanre" is a nickname for the Yoruba name "Olanrewaju" (meaning "My wealth is the future").[1] eLDee studied Architecture at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. He is an original member of the band Trybesmen, which was started in 1998 with rappers KB and Freestyle. He has been based in Atlanta, USA since 2002.
Lanre Dabiri was born May 23 1977 and raised in Kaduna, a city in Northern Nigeria. In 1998, eLDee and his high school friend “Kaboom” teamed up with “Freestyle”, and the group Trybesmen was born, which popularized the music genre Afro-hip hop/Afro-pop. Subsequently, eLDee founded his own independent label (Trybe Records) to support the group. They had two hit singles in 1999; "Trybal Marks" and "Shake Bodi". Trybesmen’s debut album was released shortly afterward, titled L.A.G. Style.
Lanre Dabiri aka “eLDee the Don” is the founder of Trybe Records. A music producer, recording artist, and a qualified architect. Born May 23 and raised in Kaduna, a city in Northern Nigeria, eLDee’s love for music and the arts started at a very young age. In 1998, eLDee and his high school friend, “Kaboom” teamed up with “Freestyle”, and the group Trybesmen was born. Subsequently, eLDee founded his own independent label (Trybe Records) to support the group, and took the Nigerian music scene by storm with two hits in 1999; “Trybal Marks” and “Shake Bodi”. Trybesmen’s debut album “L.A.G. Style” was a massive hit and still a cult-classic. eLDee, as the head of Trybesmen and Trybe Records, engineered what has now become the music genre most call Afro-hip hop/Afro-pop. With Trybesmen’s undeniably incredible blend of Afro beat, Reggae, Highlife and hip hop, and with over 78 sold-out shows in one year, it was no surprise that Trybesmen became a force to be reckoned with across West Africa.
Trybe Records also created a platform for new talents that would help achieve the goal of placing African Hip Hop/African Pop on the international map. Trybe Records boasts of developing successful artists such as Sasha, who won the Kora’s Most Promising Artist Award in 2004, 2Shots, Lequse, olaDele, Timi, and Sid, who is now a member of the “Mo-hits Records” label.
eLDee came up with a collaboration of all the artists on the record label and named them Da Trybe. They produced singles "Work it out" and "Oya" in 2002, and the album BIG Picture in 2005. and he became a producer.
eLDee came up with a collaboration of all the artists on the record label, named them “Da Trybe” and solidified Trybe Records” place as a force to be reckoned with in the Nigerian Music Industry with hits such as “Work it out” and “Oya” in 2002, and the album “BIG Picture” in 2005. Making a move to the United States in 2002, eLDee recorded a solo album titled “Long Time Coming” and followed up with “Return of the King” in 2006.
After moving to the United States in 2002, eLDee recorded a solo album titled Long Time Coming and followed up with Return of the King in 2006. The latter album earned various nominations and awards for both videos and songs, including the Nigerian Entertainment Award for “Best International Album”.
“Return of the King” was very well received earning him various nominations and awards for both videos and songs including the Nigerian Entertainment Award for “Best International Album”. eLDee, though currently living between Nigeria and the United States is a household name both in Africa and in the African communities abroad. He has been featured on numerous international radio stations both in Europe, Asia and the USA. Back home in Nigeria, the hit-music playlist is incomplete without eLDee. His personal hits like “I go yarn”, “Champion”, “African Chiquito” and “Bosi Gbangba” have been aired on radio stations all over the world. eLDee has also been featured in countless local and international magazines and newspaper articles and remains one of the most RESPECTED artist/producer out of West Africa, on the international scene. eLDee has emerged as a multi talented professional. eLDee has worked with various artists of various nationalities, doing various styles, producing amazing music and creating great videos. eLDee has produced and directed numerous videos both for Nigerian and international artists and is able to bring anyone into his world of creativity in an effortless manner.
eLDee’s resume not only brags about his work as an artist, producer and video director, but also as an interactive media genius. His business resume boasts of clients like CNN, D3 Publishing, Hines, Accenture, Andersen, Kimberly Clark, Naruto, Primedia, NBA, UPS, Cartoon Network, Consumer Source, Warner Bros, just to name a few of the fortune 500 companies he has had the opportunity to design and develop for with an Atlanta based firm. eLDee and his group of colleagues have received numerous national and international awards for design and advertising media campaigns.
eLDee writes and produces most of his music, and owns all rights to his works through his reign of over a decade. His much-anticipated album “Evolution” is due out later this year (2008) and promises the world, true music, pure energy, and undeniable versatility. Keeping the world at the edge of their seats, everyone awaits the “Evolution” which boasts of club bangers, great music, and international artist collaborations. “Evolution” is one of eLDee”s most important work yet! Lanre Dabiri, aka “eLDee the Don”, a business mogul.
Trybe Records currently has signed six artists with two albums to its credit. The label has developed artists such as Sasha, who won the Kora’s Most Promising Artist Award in 2004, 2Shots, Lequse, olaDele, Timi, and Sid, who is now a member of the Mo-hits Records label. "Trybe gear", a clothing line, is also in the pipelines.
Long Time Coming is the debut album by Eldee, it was released in 2004. Founder of hit group, Trybesmen, Eldee is making a comeback to his Nigerian fans after a brief sojourn in the United States. He was in the country to perform at one of the Big Brother Nigeria eviction parties and later in December to perform at a couple of shows. His album, Hit singles from the album include Many Emcees, African Chikito, and I Go Yarn are making waves on the radio stations nationwide. The CEO of Trybe records, Eldee is a rapper of repute, producer extraordinaire and pioneer of the Nigerian hip hop sound. The don is responsible for identifying and producing talented acts like Sid, Sasha, Del, 2-Shots, just to mention a few. His production has graced a host of Nigerian hit tracks and his sound has not gone unnoticed on the foreign scene as he has recorded songs with international recording artistes like Lauryn Hill.Music has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember.
Return Of The King is the second album by Eldee, it was released in 2006. While some may not be comfortable with eLDee’s choice for an album title – ‘Return of the King’, he most definitely has a claim to the throne, if such a seat exists in Nigerian hip-hop. At a time when hip-hop in Nigeria was badly in need of an identity, groups like the Trybesmen – of which he was a founding member, provided the blueprint for the style that is now generally accepted as African hip-hop. If ‘I Go Yarn,’ the thought provoking single from Return of the King, eLDee’s forthcoming album, is any indication what to expect from the album, his critics will be silenced. ‘I Go Yarn’ is classic eLDee material, original, indigenous, conscious and still a very catchy song. The song laments the situation in Nigeria, a topic most artists are known to blatantly steer clear of. It stresses the disparity between life in developed countries and developing ones.
Big Boy is the third album by Eldee, it was released in 2008. Originally titled "Evolution". Lanre Dabiri aka “eLDee the Don” is the founder of Trybe Records. A music producer, recording artist, and a qualified architect. In 1998, eLDee and his high school friend, “Kaboom” teamed up with “Freestyle”, and the group Trybesmen was born. Subsequently, eLDee founded his own independent label (Trybe Records) to support the group, and took the Nigerian music scene to new heights with two hits in 1999; “Trybal Marks” and “Shake Bodi”. eLDee, as the head of Trybe Records, engineered what has now become the music genre most call Afro-hip hop/Afro-pop. With Trybesmen’s undeniably incredible blend of Afro beat, Reggae, Highlife and hip hop, and with over 78 sold-out shows in one year, it was no surprise that eLDee became a force to be reckoned with across West Africa. eLDee, though currently living between Nigeria and the United States is a household name both in Africa, United Kingdom and America.
10 years in the game and multi-talented rapper and producer Eldee is still working on churning out more hits and re-inventing his art. The former member of Trybesmen has made his mark as one of the pioneers of urban Nigerian music and is now working on a landmark mix-tape (titled Is It Your Money?) featuring some of the most important acts of this decade.Eldee has been an ever present name in Nigerian music since his time with the Trybemen over a decade ago. In 1999 Trybesmen announced themselves as Nigeria’s leading hip hop group, with cuts like Plenty Nonsense, Shake Bodi, and Trybal Marks. The group held numerous sold out shows across the country and beyond, dominating playlists from Lagos to Abuja and mesmerizing rap fans with their multi-lingual flow, interesting themes and unusual videos. The group split up after their 2000 album L.A.G Style with the members chasing up different interests.
Eldee focused on Trybe Records, which he had set up while still with the Trybesmen. The label had propelled new artistes, such as Sasha, Mr Sid and 2Shotz, into the scene. But in 2002, Eldee moved to the United States to pursue a career in interactive media. As successful as this new move was, the Kaduna-born artist didn’t give up music, releasing two relatively successful albums Long Time Coming (2002) and Return Of The King (2006). In 2008 Eldee returned to Nigeria with his album Big Boy, using the title track to remind everyone who he was, and to maintain that he’s still pretty much a force to reckon with in Nigeria’s re-emerging music industry. Another huge track from the album was Bosi Gbangba which, with its video, has been a hit not just in Nigeria, but in other parts of Africa and Europe – even earning him a MOBO nomination for best African act this year.
Is It Your Money? is expected to feature a star studded cast, including international stars such as Yung Joc (who features on a remix of Big Boy), Young Jeezy, Ciara, Black Thought (from The Roots), with many others to be added. There is also a list of Nigeria’s more popular names (such as 2Face, Banky W, Omawunmi and 2Shotz), as well as some of the nu skool (including Kel, Wizkid, Skales, Waje and Chuddy K). Eldee tells NET he will also team up with some Nigerian acts in the diaspora to add to the diverse lineup on the mix-tape. Is It Your Money? is scheduled for release in December. This mix-tape is a milestone in Nigerian music history. No one has had this many artistes on one body of work – not even Alaba says eLDee who’s currently in London, spending time with his wife Dolapo who delivered their first baby at St Heilers hospital, London around 3:15 pm on November 17.
Multi-talented Nigerian music star, eLDee (Lanre Dabiri) and his long-term partner, Dolapo Latinwo-Belo married in November 2008 and were blessed with a daughter shortly thereafter. The couple have been together for about a decade. They started dating during their days as students of the University of Lagos where Eldee is a graduate of Architecture and Dolapo studied Urban & Regional Planning. Distance also didn’t deter them as over the past few years, eLDee was based in Atlanta, USA while Dolapo was based in the United Kingdom.
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