Wizkid is the Nigerian singer-songwriter who carried Afrobeats from the streets of Ojuelegba in Lagos to the top of the world's charts. Born Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, he broke out in 2010 with "Holla at Your Boy" and quickly became the face of a sound that would conquer the globe.
His journey runs through landmark albums like Made in Lagos and Morayo, and era-defining singles including "Essence" with Tems and "One Dance" with Drake — records that turned a Lagos street kid into a Grammy-winning global icon.
Early Life
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun was born on 16 July 1990 in Ojuelegba, a busy neighbourhood in Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria — which makes him 35 years old. Long before the world knew him as Wizkid, he was already recording music, starting at the age of 11 as part of the group Glorious Five.
Over the years he has collected a string of aliases to match his stature: Starboy, Big Wiz, Wizzy, Lil Prinz, Machala and Baba Nla — each one a marker of how deeply Lagos and the wider Afrobeats world have embraced him.
Career
In 2009, Wizkid signed with Banky W's Empire Mates Entertainment, and a year later he broke through with "Holla at Your Boy", the single that announced a new star in Nigerian pop. His debut album Superstar arrived in 2011, followed by Ayo in 2014.
His global breakthrough came in 2016 on Drake's "One Dance", which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 1 in 15 countries — a run that made him the first Afrobeats artist to enter the Guinness World Records, standing alongside fellow giants like Burna Boy — read the Burna Boy biography.
After signing with RCA, he released Sounds from the Other Side (2017), then the landmark Made in Lagos (2020). Its single "Essence" featuring Tems climbed to No. 9 on the Hot 100, went 4x Platinum, and became the first Nigerian song to chart on both the Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200 — read our Tems biography — age, career, songs for her side of the story. Tems later curated the soundtrack for the film Children of Blood and Bone — see our Children of Blood and Bone soundtrack — Tems, Burna Boy, Ayra Starr feature.
In 2021 he won the Grammy for Best Music Video for "Brown Skin Girl" with Beyoncé. More Love Less Ego followed in 2022, and in November 2024 he released Morayo, dedicated to his late mother Jane Dolapo Balogun, who died in August 2023. That same month he made his directorial debut with the self-directed video for "Kese (Dance)". Today he records through his own Starboy Records in partnership with RCA.
Recent Work
In 2026, Wizkid joined forces with Asake for the collaborative project REAL Vol. 1, a meeting of two of Afrobeats' biggest names. He also appears on "Gimme Dat" with Ayra Starr — read our Ayra Starr biography — age, career, songs for more on her.
Personal Life
Wizkid keeps his personal life largely out of the spotlight and rarely discusses family matters in interviews. Reports about his relationships and children circulate online but remain unconfirmed, and unverified net-worth figures are not published here.
Watch the Official Video
Watch the official music video for "Kese (Dance)" by Wizkid below, via WizkidVEVO.
FAQ
How old is Wizkid?
Wizkid is 35 years old — he was born on 16 July 1990 in Ojuelegba, Lagos, Nigeria.
What is Wizkid's real name?
His real name is Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun; Wizkid is his stage name.
What is Wizkid's biggest song?
"Essence" featuring Tems is his biggest solo hit — the first Nigerian song on the Billboard Hot 100 — while "One Dance" with Drake was his global breakthrough.
How many albums does Wizkid have?
He has six studio albums: Superstar (2011), Ayo (2014), Sounds from the Other Side (2017), Made in Lagos (2020), More Love Less Ego (2022) and Morayo (2024).
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