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MOTIVATED: Olami Still

AS A child, music was an escape for Olami. It was a way for him to express himself in the best way he knew how. "I would say music is a tool I used to escape things, like stress. Music is about expression so I would say it’s continued to be a driving force for my artistry and creativity. And for the fans that can relate to what I’m saying," he says

Olami's passion and dedication to music began when he was a young boy. At the age of 14, he released a number of freestyles along with videos via musical platforms like Soundcloud and YouTube.

From there, his lyrical and melodic skills only enhanced and developed through his life. "Yeah I was chasing it man, I haven’t lost that same passion and hunger. Back then, I wasn’t getting any shows or radio spins but I just knew in my head that hard work pays off. So I just kept on going and going and here we are now!", says the young talent.

Fast forward to 2018, and Olami is definitely the one to watch, especially after the release of his catchy new track 'Flex Like Dat'. "I was in the studio with my producer Thrilla, Martinet Soldier, and a few of my people when making ‘Flex Like Date,’ he recalls.

“Thrilla was working with a singer and I laid down a verse for her song. 30 minutes later, he was going crazy on the beat while I wrote the chorus and the first verse. Then I went home and took my time with the second verse and boom.. Flex Like Dat was born."

The London rapper has accumulated a large fan base since his start in the industry, and loves the support he gets from them - particularly through social media. “They [Olami’s fans] hit me up on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat all the time showing love, even when I haven’t got anything new out. I’ve been ready to put out my best music even when I had zero views or streams, so now there’s a buzz around what I’m doing I feel like I can’t let my people down."

Since his claim to fame, Olami has been showered with overwhelming support from big names such as Stormzy, DJ Tiny, Shortee Blitz & MK, and GRM Daily. We asked how it felt to receive such incredible encouragement, he says: “It feels good! I appreciate all the DJs spinning the track, all the radio stations behind us, all the magazines and journalists like The Voice taking time to get to know me.”

Thanks to his endless talent and sheer determination to not only be the best artist he can be, but also produce the best music, the 19 year old star continues to receive a lot of attention and interest from industry professionals - UK and international.

“It humbles me definitely because I’m only 19 and I’m blessed to have all this support.” He explains. “It takes other people years and years sometimes. I remember the first day I dropped my video ‘Glide’ in summer 2016, I was shook that I wouldn’t get a mad response because the song was a bit unique to what was popping at the time.”

Like many UK artists including Dave, Stormzy, Akala and more, Olami likes to send out a message through his music, stating: “I think it’s important to send out messages when necessary you know. Sometimes I just wanna have a good time on a track, sometimes I might share something that my listeners can learn from. Us rappers are like authors so why not spread a message here and there when you can.”

Although Olami Still is young, his age is of no barrier for his extraordinary and unrelenting talent. He has the individuality and strong qualities an artist, new or existing, would want in making music. With that in mind, this will not be the last we hear of the 19 year old UK chart topper.

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