Brymo Turns 40: A Look at the Sonic Artist’s Illustrious Career, Discography, and Enduring Legacy in Nigerian Music

Today Olawale Ibrahim Ashimi, known professionally as Brymo, turns 40. Widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most consistent and innovative musicians, Brymo has spent nearly two decades carving a career defined by artistic integrity, sonic experimentation, and blunt cultural commentary.

Born on May 9, 1986, in Okokomaiko in the Ojo area of Lagos State, he grew up in a humble household his father worked as a carpenter and his mother as a petty trader. He began recording music as early as 1999 while a student at Ajangbadi High School and briefly studied Zoology at Lagos State University before leaving to pursue music full time.

Brymo first entered mainstream view after signing with Chocolate City in 2010, a stint that ended in a public contract dispute in 2013. Since then he has operated independently, building a reputation for refusing to be boxed into commercial expectations. Over the years he has moved from R&B beginnings into an expansive blend of Yoruba folk, Afro-soul, alternative rock, jazz and experimental sounds, and in recent years has rebranded himself as a "sonic artist" focused on conceptual projects that sit outside conventional Afrobeats structures.

His recorded output is prolific and varied, totaling more than 14 studio projects. Highlights include his debut Brymstone (2007), breakthrough The Son of a Kapenta (2012), Merchants, Dealers & Slaves (2013), and Tabula Rasa (2014), often cited as a masterpiece. Later works include Klĭtôrĭs (2016), Oṣó (2018), Yellow (2020), the paired 2021 releases 9: Èsan and 9: Harmattan & Winter, Theta (2022), recorded entirely in Nigerian Pidgin, and two 2023 projects, Macabre and Mansa. In 2025 he released Petrichor and the twin Shaitan albums, Shaitan: Telekinesis and Shaitan: Àródan.

Critical recognition has followed his willingness to experiment. He won AFRIMA Songwriter of the Year in 2014, has earned multiple nominations at The Headies including Best Alternative Album and Album of the Year across different projects, and frequently sees his albums ranked among the best Nigerian and African releases in their respective years. He is widely respected as one of Nigeria’s leading independent artists with growing international recognition.

At 40, Brymo remains a voice of substance in a scene often driven by commercial trends. His poetic lyricism, his commitment to storytelling and social commentary, and his determination to use music for personal and communal exploration have influenced a generation of alternative and conscious Nigerian artists. From the streets of Okokomaiko to an enduring place in the country’s musical landscape, his career is a testament to resilience, curiosity, and artistic independence.

Happy 40th birthday to Brymo. His work continues to resonate across generations.