The man behind the sound
Phantom, born Ayobami Olaleye, is a Nigerian record producer and songwriter, and the producer behind Burna Boy’s “Ye”, Wizkid’s “Master Groove”, Fireboy DML’s “Diana” and Camidoh’s “Sugarcane”.
He grew up in Abule Egba, on the edge of Lagos, the son of a businessman and a school headmistress. He studied Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Lagos. At home he listened to African folk music, and he names Ebo Taylor, Manu Dibango and Fela Kuti among his early influences.
He started making music in 2007, when a friend showed him FL Studio, and was producing professionally by 2010. His first released credit came in 2016. Two years later, Burna Boy’s “Ye” made his name: the record won him African Producer of the Year at the 2019 Soundcity MVP Awards, earned a Headies nomination, and has since been certified Platinum in seven countries, the United States among them.
Since then he has produced for Wizkid, Fireboy DML, Tekno, Stonebwoy, Patoranking, Asake, Mayorkun, Camidoh and Eric Bellinger, among many others, and co-produced Mayorkun’s Headies-winning debut, The Mayor of Lagos. In 2022 he signed a global publishing deal with BMG.
Sources: Wikipedia, Phantom’s press kit, and the full list of sources.
Timeline
Year by year
2007
First beats
A friend introduces him to FL Studio (then Fruity Loops) and he starts making music.
2010
Producing professionally
He begins making beats professionally.
2016
First released credit
Produces “Better Dey Come” for Base One.
2018
“Ye”
Burna Boy’s “Ye”, from the album Outside, brings Phantom to wide recognition.
26 January 2018
2018
“Master Groove” with Wizkid
Wizkid releases “Master Groove” on Nigeria’s Independence Day.
1 October 2018
2018
*The Mayor of Lagos*
Co-produces Mayorkun’s debut album, which goes on to win Best R&B/Pop Album at the Headies.
16 November 2018
2019
Soundcity MVP Award
Wins African Producer of the Year at the Soundcity MVP Awards Festival for “Ye”, and is nominated for Producer of the Year at the Headies.
January 2019
2020
Certified in France
“Ye” is certified Gold by SNEP, making Phantom the third Nigerian Afrobeats producer certified in France. It has since gone Platinum there.
2021
“Sugarcane”
Camidoh’s “Sugarcane”, produced by and featuring Phantom, is released; the remix with Mayorkun, King Promise and Darkoo follows in 2022.
10 December 2021
2022
“Diana”
Fireboy DML’s “Diana” with Chris Brown and Shenseea appears on the album Playboy.
4 August 2022
2022
TurnTable Producers chart
Reaches No. 17 on the TurnTable Nigeria Producers Top 100.
8 August 2022
2022
BMG publishing deal
Signs a global publishing deal with BMG Rights Management through BMG UK.
24 August 2022
2023
Platinum in the United States
“Ye” is certified Platinum by the RIAA, Burna Boy’s first: one million units in the US. It is also Platinum in the UK, France, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand and Switzerland.
January 2023
Influences
What shaped the sound
Ebo Taylor, Manu Dibango and Fela Kuti, and the African folk music he grew up with.