Inetimi Alfred Timaya Odon, professionally known as Timaya, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. Born on 15 August 1980. He is from Odi, Bayelsa state, Nigeria. Timaya is one of Nigerian musicians known for combining Nigerian pop with elements of dancehall, hip-hop, and soca. He owns the record label “Dem Mama”.
Early Life
Inetimi Timaya Odon is a native of Port Harcourt City in Rivers State, Nigeria. He was born on 15 August 1980, grew up as part of a large family and him being the youngest of fifteen children. Timaya’s father was a banker, and his mother was a trader.
Education
Timaya attended Assemblies of God Nursery and Primary School. For his secondary education, he began at Nkpolu Oroworukwo in Port Harcourt. He frequently disregarded household regulations to go to late-night music gatherings.
Following his mother’s arrangement for him to relocate to Lagos, he enrolled at Ikeja Grammar School, where he later graduated with a secondary school certificate. Timaya returned to Port Harcourt to pursue studies in Banking and Finance, but struggled academically and dropped out after the first semester. He then relocated to Lagos, where he joined Eedris Abdulkareem’s hip-hop group as a backup vocalist.
After three years with the group, Timaya left to focus on his solo career, collaborating with emerging artists and making cameo appearances.
Producer Obaksolo in Mafoluku, Oshodi, played a pivotal role in producing Timaya’s first major hit, “Dem Mama,” inspired by the 1999 destruction of Odi, a community in the Niger Delta. The song addressed the military’s actions following the alleged killing of eight policemen, earning Timaya instant street credibility for his boldness.
Career Journey
Timaya’s solo journey commenced in 2005 with the release of his debut single, “Dem Mama,” narrating the tragedy in his community, Odi. This track became a cornerstone of his debut album, “True Story,” which dropped the following year to critical acclaim. His sophomore effort, “Gift and Grace,” hit the shelves in 2008, followed by his third studio album, “De Rebirth,” in partnership with Black Body Entertainment. This collaboration spawned the chart-topping single “Plantain Boy,” propelling Timaya to greater visibility both locally and internationally.
In 2010, Timaya featured on Kefee’s “Kokoroko,” winning the Best Collaboration award at the 2010 Headies Awards. Collaborations with artists like Kcee and the release of his album “Upgrade” in 2012 solidified his position in the industry with hits like “Bum Bum” and “Malonogede.” He continued his success with the release of his fifth studio album, “Epiphany,” in 2014, featuring global hits such as “Bum Bum Remix” with Sean Paul.
Timaya’s career reached new heights in 2018 when he received his first Grammy nomination in the Best Reggae Album category. Additionally, he established his record label, DM Records Limited, nurturing talents like Patoranking and Runtown.
After years of touring and releasing singles, Timaya dropped his EP “Chulo Vibes” in 2019, collaborating with artists like Alikiba and Burna Boy. This was followed by his sixth solo studio album, “Gratitude,” in 2020, featuring hit singles like “Balance” and “Gra Gra”.
In 2021, Timaya joined forces with BNXN and producer Yung Willis for his single “Cold Outside,” which quickly became a chart-topper. The song amassed over 75 million streams within three months of its release and continued to dominate charts worldwide.
Timaya continued his momentum into 2022 with the release of “Charger,” the third single off his upcoming studio album “Chuloverse,” showcasing his versatility with a modish Amapiano rhythm.
Awards and Nominations
• Afrotainment-Museke Online African Music Awards
-2011: Best Afro-Dancehall song, ” Plantain Boy” (Won)
• Nigeria Music Awards
-2008: Album of the Year, True Story (Won)
• The Headies
– 2008: Best Reggae/Dancehall Album, True Story (Won)
– 2009: Best Reggae/Dancehall Album, Gift and Grace (Won)
– 2009: Best Collaboration, “Good or Bad” (with J. Martins and P-Square) (Won)
– 2009: Artiste of the Year (Nominated)
– 2010: Best Collaboration, “Kokoroko” (with Kefee) (Won)
• Nigeria Entertainment Awards
– 2014: Indigenous Artist of the Year (Nominated)
• AFRIMMA
– Afrimma 2015 Best Dancehall Artist (Nominated)
– Afrimma 2016 Best Dancehall Act of the Year (Nominated)
– Afrimma 2017 Dancehall Act of the Year (Won)
– Afrimma 2018 Best African Reggae/Dancehall Act (Nominated).
• Grammy 2018
Morgan Heritage’s Reggae Night (Global Remix) off the album Avrakedabra.
Outstanding Collaboration
- Cold Outside feat BNXN
- Bum Bum remix feat Sean Paul
- Pull Up feat Burna Boy
- Malonogede feat Terry G
- Life Anagaga – MI feat Timaya
- Reggae Night – Morgan Heritage feat Timaya & others
- Kokoroko – Kefee feat Timaya
- Alubarika – Patoranking feat Timaya
Net Worth
Timaya is one of Nigerian A- list artiste with an estimated net worth of $11.4 million. He just gift himself a Tesla Truck worth millions of dollars.