1da Banton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Godson Ominibie Epelle (1994-06-27)27 June 1994 (age 31) Port Harcourt,Rivers State, Nigeria |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2015–present |
| Labels | Squareball Entertainment |
Godson Ominibie Epelle, professionally known as1da Banton, (born 27 June 1994) is aNigerian singer, songwriter and record producer who is best known for his 2021 song "No Wahala", which was remixed and re-released in 2022, featuring Nigerian musiciansKizz Daniel andTiwa Savage.
1da Banton was born and raised inPort Harcourt,Rivers State, Nigeria. He studied civil engineering, but dropped out to pursue a career in music. In 2014, he relocated toLagos after being signed by Squareball Entertainment.
1da Banton started producing music following the death of his mother in 2008.[1] In July 2017, he released his debut extended play (EP) titledThe Banton EP. One of the EP's songs, "Way Up", was used as the theme song forthe third season ofBig Brother Naija.[2] He gained global recognition after the release of "No Wahala", which was one of the tracks on his albumOriginal Vibe Machine, released in 2021. The US Secretary of StateAntony Blinken listed the song among his 2021Spotify playlist favorite songs of the year.[3]
In 2022, 1da Banton released a remix of "No Wahala" which featured Kizz Daniel and Tiwa Savage. He has also collaborated with Jamaican singerKranium,Ghanaian dancehall musicianStonebwoy, and Nigerian artistsZlatan,Seyi Shay andBlaqbonez.[4]
In 2023, "No Wahala" was featured on the third season of the American comedy drama seriesTed Lasso.[5]
On 10 April 2023, "No Wahala" surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify, making it one of the most streamed Afrobeat songs on the platform.[6]
In 2024, Banton recorded "Holy Man" and "Evidence" withBella Shmurda,Holy Man onYouTube andEvidence onYouTube and "Best Life" withDesiignerBest Life onYouTube.
Studio albums
Extended plays
Singles
As featured artist
| Year | Event | Prize | Recipient | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | The Beatz Awards 2021 | Best song of the year | "Blaisebeatz (No Wahala)"[A] | Won | [8] |
| 2023 | Soundcity MVP Awards Festival | Digital Artiste of the Year | Self | Nominated | [9] |
"Barrawo" by Ajebo hustlers[2]
"Barrawo" (remix) by Ajebo hustlers featuringDavido[10]