Idris Lawal

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Idris Lawal’s discovery of music came from growing up listening to his parents’ mixes and Hollywood soundtracks. He recalls weekends and car drives in Lagos where his dad would play long mixes of popular Nigerian musicians (Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Sir Shina Peters, Sonny Okonsu, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Ebenezer Obey). His exposure to western music came from soundtracks he heard while watching movies like The Bodyguard (Whitney Houston) and Indecent Proposal (Sade) with his mom – having to close his eyes during make-out/sex scenes would expose his ears to the background music that accompanies those scenes.

An Introduction to 2pac’s ‘Changes’ by a friend would spark an interest in rap music and inspire a focus on poetry and lyricism that shapes his writing. Growing up in Nigeria, Qatar, South-Africa and Canada; his early exposure to different cultures would become the foundation of his genre-bending sound.

Today, he draws from a variety of musical influences including rap, afrobeat, highlife, afro-pop and soul music; blending into a genre he has called “Afrobop”

Following the release of 3 singles - ‘Gung Ho’, ‘Fools’ & ‘Omoge’, and a multitude of performances in Toronto, Idris Lawal unveiled his debut project. A 7-song Afrobop effort titled ‘Young, Black & Blue’ on June 26, 2020.