BELLA SHMURDA IS A CONSCIOUS AFROBEATS SINGER AND SONGWRITER HAILING FROM LAGOS, NIGERIA. AS THE “NEW VOICE OF THE STREET”, THIS INDEPENDENT ARTIST IS THE LEADER OF DANGBANA REPUBLIK: A COLLECTIVE OF STRONG-WILLED, STRAIGHT FORWARD CREATIVES, STUBBORN TO THE HUSTLE. THIS MULTIPLE AWARD WINNER IS DEDICATED TO SPEAKING THE TRUTH AGAINST ALL ODDS. BORN AHMED ABIOLA AKINBIYI ON 27 JANUARY 1996, BELLA SHMURDA COMES FROM A POLYGAMOUS FAMILY IN IKORODU, LAGOS. AS THE LAST BORN OF 10 CHILDREN, HIS JOURNEY INTO THE PERFORMING ARTS STARTED IN PRIMARY SCHOOL. WHILST HERE, HE PARTICIPATED IN CULTURAL DANCE AND SANG IN THE SCHOOL BAND BEFORE BEING PROMOTED TO MUSIC PREFECT. HIS LOVE FOR MUSIC CONTINUED TO GROW AND IN 2011, HE PENNED HIS FIRST TRACK WHICH WAS A GOSPEL SONG! BELLA SHMURDA ATTENDED BOARDING SCHOOL IN BADAGRY, BEFORE MOVING TO OKOKOMAIKO. THIS TRANSITION EXPOSED HIM TO LIFE ON THE STREET. THOUGH HE GREW UP ON FUJI MUSIC, THE STRUGGLE INSPIRED HIS EARLY MUSIC. WHILST HIS MUM WORKED 12-HOUR SHIFTS, HE WOULD SECRETLY ATTEND STUDIO SESSIONS. AS A UNIVERSITY LECTURER HERSELF, SHE HEAVILY ENCOURAGED BELLA SHMURDA TO FOCUS ON HIS STUDIES, BUT HE HAD OTHER PLANS.