[Gist] Isn't YCee becoming irrelevant already?

While Midnight Vibrations didn't make so much impact as expected, we earnestly anticipated Ycee to bounce back for the latter part of 2018 with so much renaissance and a mad vibe.

To make it in the Nigerian Entertainment is an uphill task, to remain relevant and become consistent is another difficult  task entirely on its own.

Considering the input and hardwork you've put in, the cost of recording, cost of settling PRs, DJs and Bloggers to hype your song,  yet the bulk of your success still falls on the people that listens to your song.

They are the ones who will buy the song and promote it naturally for you.

_{"The major determinant of the success of an artistethese days falls on the audience."}

YCee's issue is unknown. A few times he has been vocal on social media about his issues ranging from his Sony Music deal to endorsement deals circulating around the same crop of artistes. YCee was definitely on everyone's list of artistes to look out for in 2018 and to be candid he has really flopped his lines in 2018.

Several years ago when YCee came into the industry in 2015, he gave us this rap style that was quite different from the styles the rap gurus employed, he came in and redefined rap. Whilst there was still some streetiness in his music, it still had this urban outlook that the elites and the street could vibe to.

The beat was alternate, but when YCee laid his vocals  it brought back a spark that switched up the whole end product.

2015

It started with Jagaban but prior to this, YCee had recorded a song with Patoranking. All through this, he was still in School trying to balance education and career. Then the Jagaban wave came. Whilst it was extraordinary YCee could pull this off without the assistance of any top notch artiste as this was the routine way upcoming artistes are being introduced to the teeming audience. Jagaban made a lot of noise. It was everywhere and it reverberated all around Lagos and Nigeria at large.

Within a few months, Ycee probably achieved one of his goals, a collaboration with Olamide, as a remix to his hit, Jagaban. Knowing how well he was developing into an enigma, he further strengthened his reputation by winning the Rookie of the year award at the 2015 Headies.

2016

In 2016, there was a lot of buzz around the Jagaban crooner, as he was getting invites to shows, he wasn't also getting featured in most of the hit songs we heard that year. And there was also a rumour he had been signed by Wizkid to Starboy. While nothing concrete was established, Wizkid became a good friend of YCee and his reputation began to soar when he released Omo Alhaji.

Few months after this, we heard Sony musichad also signed YCee after inking deals with Davido. This was a welcome development for YCee as it would ensure his music transcendedoverseas and also introduce his music to more people. We further heard Su mi and other hits from the Omo Alhaji crooner. In less than year, he had changed the rap genre with the lyrics accentuating the beats leading to a nice flow.

2017

By 2017, the game had changed completely in the music Industry, Mr Eazi had taken over with Banku music and was carting away followers and was already having a large fan base. Wizkid was seeking international fame and Davido was thinking how he will get back to the scene. Olamide ruled the streets and was not giving anyone a chance to overtake.

Ycee was still sustaining his audience with a few songs but this songs didn't compare to what other artistes were pushing out. We felt his Sony Music deal would propel and also speed up his foray into the international scene. We thought this would introduce his music to the global market.

This would in long term make him associate and also affliate with other foreign artistes. This hasn't happened yet and apart from the Juice hit(which was the only major spark on the "First Wave" EP), YCee was relatively quiet for the most part of 2017.

At some point, YCee had to voice his frustrationon Social media about his Sony contract and this year also, he ranted about endorsementdeals circulating around the same people.

2018

It's 2018 already and Ycee has kicked off on a slow pace. Midnight vibrations with label mate, Bella didn't live up to the hype. The whole product was just too cold for the environment out there. The street had taken a turn, only a few were vibing to that kind of music. Small Doctor had taken over with Penalty, then next came the Wobey sound and coupled with Davido's Pon Pon sound, the kind of sound Ycee and Bella created in Midnight vibrations wasn't even in the scene.

While Midnight Vibrations didn't make so much impact as expected,  we earnestly anticipatedYcee to bounce back for the latter part of 2018 with so much renaissance and a mad vibe. Instead, there hasn't been so much fuss about Ycee. He has been relatively quiet.

We expected YCee  to come back to the scene like a roaring lion and drop covers, freestyles and collaborate with other acts, but it seems YCee is missing. Not to compare, Wizkid has been trending in 2018 due to his collaborations with other artistes. From Kana to Nowo, For You, Immediately, Alright and recently Bad Energy with Skepta. Wizkid hasn't released any track yet in 2018.

Whatever the reason is, we hope we get to the see the Ycee that bursted our brain when he broke out in 2015.

Written by Olabode Otolorin.

Otolorin Olabode is a music journalist, writer and critic. He lives for the art and he also has a thing for upcoming artistes and can be contacted via +23464717949 and can also be followed on Twitter: @viewsfromdbod