There’s something special about an artist who creates not for clout, but because they have no other choice. TUKUR Olamide Basit is that kind of creative – the type who turned isolation into art, YouTube tutorials into a skillset, and personal demons into melodies that linger.
The Ogun State native turned Lagos creative quietly taught himself music production during what he describes as “a year of emotional breakdowns and necessary solitude.” What emerged from that cocoon is “Smooth Criminal,” a debut single that feels like overhearing someone’s private thoughts set to hypnotic Afrobeat rhythms. There’s an unpolished honesty in his delivery that makes you lean in closer.
TUKUR cites Burna Boy as an influence, but there’s more here than just musical inspiration. Like his idol, he approaches songwriting as storytelling – each verse a vignette, every hook a confession. What sets him apart is that rawness; the sense that these aren’t crafted lyrics so much as thoughts that escaped before they could be filtered.
Beyond the music, there’s a restless creative energy at work. When asked about his plans, he casually mentions interests spanning gaming design, fashion concepts, and film scores – not as side hustles, but as extensions of the same artistic impulse that birthed “Smooth Criminal.” It’s this multidimensional approach that makes his debut feel less like a first step and more like the unveiling of a creative universe already fully formed in his mind.
What’s most compelling about TUKUR isn’t the music (though that stands strong on its own). It’s the complete absence of posturing. In an era where artists are encouraged to package their trauma as content, he simply states: “This isn’t just music to me – it’s therapy. It’s my truth.” That rare authenticity, more than any marketing strategy, is what makes him one to watch.
