Inetimi Alfred Odom (born 15 August 1980), better known by his stage name Timaya, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He is from Odi, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Timaya is known for combining Nigerian pop with elements of dancehall, hip-hop, and soca, as well as Afro-Caribbean/Dancehall music. He is the founder of DM (Dem Mama) Records Limited.[1]
His solo career began in 2005 with the release of the single "Dem Mama," which spoke about the Odi massacre. His debut album, True Story, was released the following year, followed by his second album, Gift and Grace, in 2008. His third studio album, De Rebirth, was released in collaboration with Black Body Entertainment and featured the lead single "Plantain Boy".[2] He collaborated with Dem Mama Soldiers on the album LLNP (Long Life N Prosperity and in 2012, Timaya released Upgrade. To date, his work has earned him several awards and nominations, including four Headies Awards, two AFRIMMA Awards, one Nigeria Music Award, and one NEA Award.[3]
Early life
Inetimi Alfred Odom was born on 15 August 1980 in Port Harcourt City, Rivers State, Nigeria. He grew up as the youngest of fifteen children in a large family. His father worked as a banker, while his mother was a trader. For his early education, Timaya attended Assemblies of God Nursery and Primary School.[4] His secondary education began at Nkpolu Oroworukwo in Port Harcourt,[2] where he often broke house rules to attend late-night music events. After relocating to Lagos, arranged by his mother, he enrolled at Ikeja Grammar School and eventually obtained his secondary school certificate there.[5]
Timaya later returned to Port Harcourt for university. However, he performed poorly in his examinations and dropped out after the first semester.[4] He then moved back to Lagos to join Eedris Abdulkareem's hip-hop group as a backup vocalist.[6] After three years with Eedris, Timaya left the group to pursue a solo career. He began collaborations with fellow up-and-coming artists and made his first cameo appearance in an unreleased music video by UDX, a Lagos-based rap group.[7] Subsequently, he met producer Obaksolo in Mafoluku, Oshodi, who produced his first major hit record, "Dem Mama," after hearing him perform the a cappella version.[8] He also collaborated with Namse Udosen (Menthol X) on the track "Pomporo", on his debut album True Story.
Career
2005–2009: True Story, Gift and Grace, and De Rebirth
His solo career began in 2005 with the release of his debut single, "Dem Mama," which recounted the massacre that occurred in his community of Odi. The song appeared on his debut album, True Story,[9] released the following year to critical acclaim. His second album, Gift and Grace, was released in 2008. He gained further visibility and international prominence with his third studio album, De Rebirth, released in partnership with Black Body Entertainment and featuring the lead single "Plantain Boy." Both the album and the single were commercially successful.
2010–2017: Upgrade, Epiphany, Bum Bum Remix, and Grammy nomination
In 2010, Timaya was featured on the song "Kokoroko" by the female gospel artist Kefee, which won the Best Collaboration category at the 2010 Headies Awards. Later, he collaborated with Kcee on the song "Erima." On June 25, 2012, Timaya released another album titled Upgrade, which spawned hits like "Bum Bum," "Sexy Ladies," and "Malonogede." The album featured collaborations with Attitude, Terry G, and Vector. Duncan Mighty and Timaya dueted on 'I Know I Know Dat', which leaked onto the internet a few hours after Duncan Mighty's album Footprints was released in stores. Both artists were honoured at the fourth annual Odudu Music Awards, alongside M-Trill, Sodi Cookey, Becky Enyioma, and Timi Dakolo.[10]
In 2014, Timaya released his fifth studio album titled Epiphany. The album featured 20 tracks, including global hits such as "Bum Bum Remix" featuring Dancehall A-Lister Sean Paul, "Sanko," and "Ukwu." It also included collaborations with 2Baba Idibia, Patoranking, Olamide, Sir Shina Peters, Deethi, Phyno, and Terry G.[11]
In 2017, Timaya performed in Nassau where he headlined the first-ever Afro-Soca Concert. In 2018, he received his first Grammy nomination in the Best Reggae Album category. He was featured on Avrakedabra, an album by Morgan Heritage on the track titled "Reggae Night" (global remix). Timaya established his record label, DM Records Limited, which became home to artists like Patoranking and Runtown. In 2017, he signed the young Dancehall/Afro-Fusion artist King Perryy and producer KillerTunes to the DM Records imprint.
Timaya Performing for fans at a tour in Rwanda, April 2022.
2019–2020: Chulo Vibes and Gratitude
After five years of releasing singles and touring, Timaya released an EP titled Chulo Vibes. This project featured collaborations with Tanzanian artist Alikiba, Trinidadian Soca legend Machel Montano, and Nigerian Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy.[12] His sixth solo studio album, Gratitude, a 15-track body of work, was released in 2020. The album included singles such as 'Balance,' 'I Can't Kill Myself,' 'Gra Gra,' 'Don Dada,' and 'Born To Win,' respectively.
2021–2022: Cold Outside
In 2021, Timaya teamed up with BNXN and hit record producer Yung Willis for his latest single titled "Cold Outside." After its debut on October 14, 2021, the song quickly made it to the Official Naija Top 10 charts. In just three months, "Cold Outside" amassed over 75 million streams and was played over 500 million times worldwide.[citation needed]
On 16 March 2022, Timaya released his third single "Charger" from his upcoming studio album titled Chuloverse, following "Cold Outside" and "No Pressure." "Charger," Produced by the Nigerian Amapiano powerhouse duo Smeez & D3an, features a modish Amapiano rhythm—a hybrid of deep house, jazz, and lounge music characterised by synths, airy pads, and wide percussive bass lines originated from South Africa.[citation needed]
2023–present: Gladiator
In 2023, Timaya's 2022 release Sweet Us became a national hit song and an anthem for the 2023 general elections[citation needed] after reaching an agreement with Nyesom Wike's band leader Bamidele, who was the original creator of the song's chorus.[13]
In 2024, Timaya released his 13-track, eighth-studio album. Discussing the album with African Folder's Ukpeme Udoh, Timaya claimed that his life's challenges inspired the Gladiator album. [14]
Honours
The Inter-Religious and International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP) appointed Timaya as a peace ambassador in 2011. Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, co-founder of the IIFWP, described him as "one of those individuals whose lives exemplify the ideal of living for the sake of others and who dedicate themselves to practices that promote the founding ideals of the IIFWP."[15]
