Ladipoe Reflects on Overcoming Early Struggles and Doubts in the Music Industry

Nigerian hip-hop artist Ladipo Eso, widely known as Ladipoe, recently shared insights into the challenges he faced at the beginning of his music career. Speaking in an interview, the Mavin Records talent recounted how industry insiders doubted his potential due to his distinctive musical style.

Ladipoe revealed that some industry figures even advised him to consider relocating if he wanted to succeed in music. “When I first started making music, I was told that because of my style, no one would ever listen to my songs here in Nigeria and that I should try elsewhere in the world,” he recalled.

Despite the scepticism, Ladipoe chose to stay in Nigeria and pursue his passion, a decision that ultimately paid off. He proudly noted that all his songs have exceeded his expectations, proving his critics wrong. “All my songs have exceeded my expectations,” he said.

However, Ladipoe admitted that complete satisfaction remains elusive, especially for creative individuals. “It is human nature for satisfaction to be elusive. I feel this applies twice as much to creative people, such as artists like myself. I am grateful but not satisfied,” he explained.

Ladipoe also shared a memorable, humbling experience from his early career. During a performance, he was met with a lukewarm response from the crowd, and his band mistakenly started with the wrong song. “I remember once, early in my career, I came on stage with so much energy and shouted into the microphone, ‘Who is ready for some more hip-hop?’. The overwhelming response from the crowd was, ‘no’. I remember being so deflated,” he recounted. “To make matters worse, my band started off by playing the wrong song first, which further demoralized me. It was terrible. But I look back now and laugh. I am grateful for growth.”

Ladipoe’s journey underscores the importance of perseverance and self-belief in the face of doubt and adversity.