Nicholas Ihua-Maduenyi (born 28 October 1998), widely known as PsychoYP, is a Nigerian alternative hip hop rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is a member of the music collective Apex Village. He came into the music scene with a critically acclaimed mixtape, YPSZN, which earned him a nomination at the SAMAs, and the Headies for his second fit album YPSZN2. Dubbed "The Fresh Prince of Nigerian Rap", he is regarded as one of Nigeria's rap music pioneers in the alté music scene.
Early life
Ihua-Maduenyi was born on 28 October 1998 in Abuja, and comes from Rivers State. While in secondary school in 2013, he met with Kuddi Is Dead, a member of Apex Village. In an interview with OkayAfrica, he said "as a kid, I was always around music. My mum would play Nigerian music, music from other African countries, and foreign music. I like to think she played a big role in putting me on this path by being in love with music. We'd have P-Square, Michael Jackson, Drake, and Lil Wayne (to name a few) on repeat every weekend. My two siblings and I all had experience with singing and rapping, but something about it just kept me going".
Career YP is an acronym for "Yung Papi". In 2016, he launched his music career as a rapper on SoundCloud as Psycho, while based in Manchester, England, and went on to release his EP "Lost In The Sauce" on 26 August 2016. In the following year, YP and Kuddi is Dead released a collaborative 4-track EP "This Is What You Wanted" on 21 May 2017, and released a SoundCloud exclusive with "This Is What You Wanted II" on 21 February 2018, featuring Ayüü, Zilla Oaks, and Marv OTM. On 8 June 2018, he released "YPSZN", with guest appearances from Fasina, Marv OTM, Denzel Oaks, Zilla Oaks, and Remy Baggins. The project spawned the hit track "Oga".
On the 28 October 2018, he released a music video for Oga, directed by Kuddi is Dead, and Lekinson. On 22 March 2019, he released "Oga (remix)" featuring Blaqbonez, and Ycee. On the 4th of November, 2019, he released "YPSZN2", with guest appearances from BOJ, Terri, Nathalie Sade, Dami Oniru, Ayüü, Zilla Oaks, Ladipoe, Skales, and Blaqbonez. On the 12th of November, 2020, YP and Azanti went on to release their self-titled debut EP "YP & Azanti, Vol. 1". The extended play spawned the minor hit tracks "Caro", and "Focused". On the 11th of March, 2021, the official music video for "Caro" was released, directed by Cindy Ihua, and produced through Ceeander Entertainment, and Legacy Films.
On 26 August 2021, YP released his first solo EP Euphoria, with guest appearances from Trill Tega, Rasstokyo, J Molley, PatricKxxLee, and Alpha P. On 20 December 2021, he headlined his first Lagos concert at Hard Rock Cafe in Nigeria, featuring guest appearances from Blaqbonez, Dremo, Laycon, Wurld, Alpha P, Terry Apala, Laime, Mojo, SGaWD, King Perryy, and many more. In 2022, he released his third mixtape album YPSZN3 on 2 November. The mixtape album's lead singles include "Bando Diaries", "IC3", and "Stronger", which features a guest vocal from Zlatan. On August 17, 2022 he collaborated with Favi and Hotkid on Crime. On 8 November 2022, YPSZN3 debuted on the newly launched Nigeria TurnTable Top 50 chart at number 26.
Artistry PsychoYP is known for fusing Afrobeats, Afroswing, Hip hop, Trap, Grime, Drill and R&B, to create his musical element. In high school, his friends began calling him Yung Papi, and "Papi Chulo". Nicholas eventually picked up "Yung Papi" as an acronym for YP, before adopting Psycho, from a movie he watched to form the stage name PsychoYP. Nicholas "PsychoYP" cited the Nigerian rapper M.I, and the American rappers Drake, Lil Wayne, and Gucci Mane, as his musical influence and/or inspiration while growing up.
Discography EPs + List of studio extended plays, with selected details and chart positions Title Details Peak chart positions NGEuphoria Released: 26 August 2021 Label: Apex Village, ONErpm Formats: Digital download
Collaborative EPs + List of joint EPs, with selected details and chart positions Artists Title Details Peak chart positions NG PsychoYP & Kuddi Is DeadThis Is What You Wanted Released: 21 May 2017 Label: Formats: Digital download PsychoYP & Kuddi Is DeadThis Is What You Wanted II Released: 21 February 2018 Label: Apex Village Formats: Digital downloadPsychoYP & AzantiYP & Azanti, Vol. 1 Released: 12 November 2020 Label: Apex Village Formats: Digital download
Mixtapes + List of mixtapes, with selected details and chart positions Title Details Peak chart positions NGYPSZN Released: 8 June 2018 Label: Formats: Digital downloadYPSZN2 Released: 4 November 2019 Label: Apex Village Formats: Digital downloadYPSZN3 Released: 2 November 2022 Label: Apex Village Formats: Digital download 26
Singles As lead artist + List of charted singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions Album NG SA UK "Who Dis" 2017 — — — rowspan="3" "To the Max" (featuring Odunsi) 2018 — — — "Be Like You" 2019 — — — "Euphoria" 2021 — — — Euphoria "IC3" 2022 — — — YPSZN3 "Bando Diaries" — — — "Stronger" (featuring Zlatan) — — — "Midlife Crisis" — — — rowspan="2" "WYDTM" (featuring Azanti) — — —
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryNominee/WorkResult2018Nigerian Teens Choice AwardsChoice Fast Rising ArtistHimself Choice Hip Hop Artist2020South African Music AwardsRest Of Africa ArtistHimself for YPSZN2The HeadiesBest Rap AlbumYPSZN22023The HeadiesBest Rap Single"Bando Diaries"Best Rap AlbumYPSZN3
Featured in
Crime By Favi
References