15 Years After His Death, Dagrin’s “Pon Pon Pon” Recognized by Grammys as Afrobeats Pioneer

In a powerful nod to Nigeria’s musical roots, the Grammy Awards has officially recognized Dagrin’s iconic hit “Pon Pon Pon” as one of the Top 10 songs that shaped Afrobeats, cementing his legacy 15 years after his tragic death in a car crash in Lagos in 2010.

The late rapper, born Oladapo Olaitan Olaonipekun, is now being celebrated on the global stage for a song that once echoed from the gritty streets of Mushin to the heart of Nigeria’s music revolution.

The announcement by the Recording Academy not only honors Dagrin’s lyrical genius but also reframes the global Afrobeats narrative, challenging the widely held notion that the genre’s international ascent began with superstars like Wizkid, Davido, or Burna Boy.

Long before “Essence” or “Last Last,” there was “Pon Pon Pon” — a raw, unfiltered anthem that married Yoruba street slang, local drums, and hip-hop attitude in a way no one had done before.

Dagrin didn’t just rap — he documented urban Nigeria, transforming the struggles, hustle, and hopes of a generation into three-minute poetic bursts. His 2009 album, C.E.O (Chief Executive Omoita), became the blueprint for Afro-Street Rap, a subgenre that has since morphed into a vital strand of modern Afrobeats.

According to a 2022 study published in the Journal of African Cultural Studies, Dagrin’s unique style represented a "sonic hybrid of indigenous street life and global hip-hop consciousness", creating an identity that young Nigerians could see themselves in — and outsiders could admire.

His ability to code-switch between Yoruba, Pidgin, and English made him not just a rapper, but a voice of the streets.

This recent Grammy acknowledgment has ignited widespread emotion on social media, with fans, scholars, and fellow artists paying tribute. “Dagrin walked so we could run,” tweeted Nigerian rapper Olamide, who has often cited Dagrin as a major influence.

Music critic Joey Akan wrote: “You can’t tell the story of Afrobeats without Dagrin. You can’t talk global respect without first respecting the streets.”

The Grammy list, sourced from the Recording Academy's archives and historical analysis of the genre’s evolution, is part of a broader effort to trace Afrobeats’ true origin stories, which often get lost in the glitz of current-day streaming charts and sold-out arenas.

Dagrin’s death at just 22 years old shocked the nation and left fans wondering what could have been. But with this honor, it’s clear that what he did achieve in his short time on earth was more than enough to shape the course of an entire genre.

As the global music world continues to embrace Afrobeats, it now does so with a clearer understanding of its foundation — one that was laid not just by chart-toppers in London and Lagos nightclubs, but by a young man in a Lagos studio who simply wanted to make the streets heard.

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Pon Pon Pon may have dropped over a decade ago, but in 2025, its beat still resonates — not just through speakers, but through history itself.