Kel-P —the GRAMMY award-winning producer who’s helped catapulted Afrobeats into global obsession— steps into the forefront today with his debut EP, Bully Season Vol. 1. Released by Virgin Records France / Virgin Music US, the project includes the focus single, “True Love,” which premiered earlier this week on the Dotty Show on Apple Music and is accompanied with a studio-style music video. Bully Season Vol. 1 also features Kel-P’s debut single “One More Night.” Named by Rolling Stone as “a song you need to know,” “One More Night,” which flipped Nelly and Kelly Rowland’s iconic R&B hit “Dilemma,” brilliantly introduces Kel-P as a seasoned hitmaker with star power.
Kel-P is a GRAMMY Award-winning, multi-platinum producer and songwriter who has played a vital role in shaping the current sound of Afrobeats after producing many of the genre’s biggest hits, including “Gbona” and “Sere.” Along the way, he has earned 4 GRAMMY nominations, generated billions of streams, and achieved multi-platinum success worldwide. His instantly recognizable tag, “It’s Kel-P vibes,” has become synonymous with transcendent hits and for the first time he’s amplifying another aspect of his artistry with his songwriting and vocals. “It was time to put a face to the name Kel-P,” he affirms.
Born a twin in the city of Calabar, Kel-P lost his mom at two-years-old. He and his brother moved to Lagos where they lived with relatives. Exhibiting a wide musical palette, he embraced the likes of Rihanna, Akon, and Ne-Yo before discovering Davido and Wizkid. Living in a Christian home, the extended family frowned upon his musical ambitions but he remained persistent nevertheless. Eventually, Kel-P met Sarz who encouraged him to start making beats and recording. Early on he looked to Sarz as a mentor, but Kel-P quickly honed his deep and dynamic vision as a producer.
He notched his first marquee production with Solidstar’s “Eleganza.” Building a sterling reputation, he linked up with Burna Boy and produced ten tracks from the superstar’s 2019 blockbuster album African Giant, including “On The Low,” “Gbona,” “Killin Dem,” and “Pull Up.” His catalog continued to expand, highlighted by Wizkid’s smash hit “Ginger” feat. Burna Boy, “Donne-moi l’accord” for Dadju and Burna Boy, “Diamond Platinum” for Jeje, and many more. Branching out, he produced “Faith” from Skip Marley’s Higher Place, scoring a GRAMMY Award nomination for “Best Reggae Album.” 2022 saw Kel-P receive a GRAMMY in the category of “Best Global Music Album” for Angélique Kidjo’s Mother Nature and a Grammy nomination for Made in Lagos: Deluxe Edition by Wizkid.
Earning widespread acclaim, OkayPlayer predicted, “For beatmaker Kel-P, the road to royalty seems inevitable,” and GRAMMY.com christened him “one of the hottest beatmakers and producers in the Afrobeats global movement.” As Kel-P makes his artist debut with his first body of work, he looks to the future. Regarding Bully Season Vol. 1.