How I discovered Olamide as a 14 year old boy – ID Cabasa

Legendary music producer, Olumide Ogunade, popularly known ID Cabasa, in an interview with Olaitan Ganiu he spoke on the origination of his record label Coded Tunes and how he discovered hip hop star Olamide.

Read the excerpts below;

Professionally, when did you start your career?

I started as a teenager way back in the late 80s. I was in the secondary school while also doing music by the side. But, professionally, it was around 2003 after I left the university. I worked in a corporate company for a while before I left to fully focus on music production.

Is that when you started Coded Tunes Record?

I started Coded Tunes production in my house in 2003. But before Coded Tunes, we had a clique called, The Smiling Head Soldier which was headed by 2phat. It comprises me, 2phat, Lord of Ajasa and MC Spako. And then, we used to have a lot of squads coming to make beat in my studio.

There was this massive squad called, Yabtown Squad which is where Reminisce originated from. It is a clique of both rappers and singers and some of them were my juniors in secondary school.

From there, we decided to gather momentum and create something larger than just being Smiling Head Soldier or Yabtown Squad. And obviously the name of the studio that unites us is Coded Tunes. So, that was how we started Coded Tunes.

You’ve been a blessing to many big stars of today. Do you receive accolades for this?

I will say I’m one of the few lucky ones that got the accolade that I deserve. In fact, I get more accolades than I think I deserve because all of those I’ve worked with till date are still much loyal to our friendship and some of them still mention my name in their interviews. Last year, 9ice titled his album after me. Olamide still doesn’t believe we are in a way apart.

He doesn’t see me as ID Cabasa who just produces beats for him but rather sees me as his father and always consults me at any of his projects. We still play and do things together. The same goes for Reminisce, Seriki and every other guy, even the ones that are not part of Coded Tunes family which I’ve worked with. They still appreciate me; the likes of Banky W, Ruggedman, Durella and co.

How did you discover Olamide?

Olamide came with a friend to record in my studio; a friend was featuring him. I fell in love with the young boy of 13 or 14 as he delivered his rap line. I could hear a depth that you won’t get from most of his age mates.

I was so impressed that I told him that he’s free to come to my studio at any time. He will come to the studio, then I will make beat while is writing his lyrics. From there, the interest to have him as part of Coded Tunes developed and the rest is history. By the time Coded Tunes transited to a proper recording label, Olamide was the first person signed alongside Seriki and Kayefi.