PROFILE


SHOVAY, is an acronym for ‘Show Your Value’ a name given to the up-and-coming musician, Damola Babafemi, by his friends. Shovay has been doing music professionally since 2003. He would have started long before then, but his parents insisted that he must get a degree first.

This does not run contrary to the thinking of the graduate of the University of Ado Ekiti, (UNAD), who majored in Animal Production. He plans to go into animal production along with hip-hop music, which he loves so much.

Before 2003, the Lagos-born singer of Ekiti State origin , who plays the guitar, sings and raps, had been writing songs and performing in and around the campus where he obtained his degree. “But in 2003, I realised that I could actually make money from music so I started doing it professionally. Since 2003 my eyes opened to the benefit of music financially,” he said. He has performed at many occasions including the Face of UNAD sponsored by Globacom and many shows with musicians like Cornel, Danny Young, LKT, D’Accord, among others. Shovay said that he is into secular hip hop with traditional African elements, including language, but said he would not compare what he does with the music of the late DaGrin, who got famous that way. “But what I do is almost the same with his music.

They are songs that almost everybody can relate with,” he said. Of his foray into music, he said it has been very wonderful as he has been getting impressive comments even from people he does not know. Looking at the progress he has made so far, and with the backing of people like DJ Fat Fem, this energetic son of a onetime DJ is definitely set to go places with hip hop. Shovay has come out with two singles Egbamu and My Only One. The second is a song with love undertones, which features musician Cornel and was inspired by the singer’s mother. These singles, which are already enjoying airplay on most of the radio stations in Lagos, are a prelude to what his album will look like when it is released later in the year.