Ayobami Olaleye professionally known as Phantom is a platinum selling, award-winning Afrobeats record producer, singer, and songwriter. In 2020, he became the third Nigerian Afrobeats producer in history to be certified by Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) after Burna Boy’s "Ye" became a certified gold record in France. The song earned him an award at 2019 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival, in the African Producer of the Year category, with a nomination at The Headies, in the Producer of the Year category.
On 8 August 2022, he was cited as one of the producers on the TurnTable Nigeria Producer Top 100 chart, and reached number 17.
Early life and career Ayobami Olaleye was born in Abule Egba, a suburb area of Lagos, and raised in a polygamous family of Oba-Afolabi Olaleye, who was a businessman, and Titi Olaleye, who was a school headmistress. He had his primary education at St John's Primary School and his secondary education at Vetland Grammar School, before proceeding to study Urban and Regional Planning for his tertiary education, where he graduated with a B.Sc in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Lagos. In 2022, he shared his early musical experience with The Guardian, saying "I grew up in Lagos, listening to African folk music, being influenced by Ebo Taylor, Manu Dibango, and Fela Kuti."
Phantom began creating music in 2007 after his friend introduced him to the music digital software Fruity Loops. He tells Adedayo Laketu of MoreBranches "I started making beats professionally in 2010 and since then its been fulfilling, yet challenging journey". He achieved recognition for his work on Burna Boy's 2018 single "Ye". In 2018, he co-produced the Headies award-winning Best R&B/Pop Album The Mayor of Lagos by Mayorkun. In 2022, he signed a global publishing deal with BMG Rights Management, through BMG UK. His production hits include "Diana" by Fireboy DML & Chris Brown, "Skeletun" by Tekno, "The Benz" by Spotless, "Bolanle" by IVD & Zlatan, and "Sugarcane" by Camidoh.
Discography Singles + List of charted singles as a featured artist, with selected chart positions Artist Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album NG US UK Camidoh "Sugarcane" 2021 — — —Sugarcane - EP
Production discography Singles produced TitleYearAlbumRelease date"Better Dey Come" (Base One)2016rowspan="3" "The Benz" (Spotless)2018"Wole" (Base One)"Skeletun" (Tekno)2019Rhythms of Zamunda5 March 2021"Juliet" (Base One)"Bolanle" (IVD, and Zlatan)"Kata" (Tekno)2020rowspan="3" "Incase" (Young Jonn)"Her Body" (MC Galaxy)2021"Sugarcane" (Camidoh)Moves: 5 Years of Culture - Afrobeats10 December 2021"Diana" (Fireboy DML & Chris Brown)2022Playboy4 August 2022
Selected albums/eps produced ArtistAlbumRelease dateCertificationsLabelNoteBurna BoyOutside26 January 2018 Spaceship / Atlantic / Bad HabitProduced 1 songMayorkunThe Mayor of Lagos16 November 2018Davido Music WorldwideProduced 1 songVarious artistsRhythms of Zamunda5 March 2021Def Jam Recordings AfricaProduced 1 songAcebergTMFar from Home16 April 2021SJW EntertainmentProduced 1 songVarious artistsMoves: 5 Years of Culture: Afrobeats10 December 2021Moves RecordingsProduced 1 songFireboy DMLPlayboy4 August 2022YBNL Nation / EMPIREProduced 1 song
Accolades YearAwardCategoryNominee/workResult2019Soundcity MVP Awards FestivalAfrican Producer of the YearHimself for "Ye"The HeadiesProducer of the YearHimself for "Ye"2022Ghana Nigeria Music Awards Festival USAGhana Nigeria Collaborations of the YearHimself for "Sugarcane"
References