Kehinde Okiki Ayorinde, popularly known as DJ Kaywise, is currently one of the most in-demand Nigerian music producers. His approach to making music has seen him collaborate with some of the country’s biggest acts, and his most recent smash hit, “Highway”, is dominating the airwaves.
His career path could have been very different, as he had dreams to be a pilot and actually took steps in that direction, but ultimately decided that he would be better off with a turntable than an aeroplane.
DJ Kaywise was born on August 4, 1992, to Dr and Pastor (Mrs) Bola Ayorinde. He had his primary school education at Abati Nursery and Primary School, Akowonjo, Lagos. After completing his secondary school education, he proceeded to the Anis International School of Aviation and Transport Studies at Oshodi in Lagos.
DJ Kaywise had a short stint working at Sola Travel Agency in Lagos but suddenly developed an interest in music production and became a disc jockey after learning about music mixing from his elder brother. He also worked as a Video Jockey at NigezieTV and Wale Adenuga Productions Television (WapTV).
During his childhood days, DJ Kaywise was a member of the youth choir, and he frequently played the drums in church. He would later infuse his drumming skills into his disc jockey routines.
In 2013, he released his first single, Hangover, which featured Dammy Krane. In 2014 he released the mixtape Emergency, a collection of some of that year’s biggest tracks, including Wizkid’s Bombay, Sean Tizzle’s Take It and Burna Boy’s Don Gorgon. He also collaborated with Iyanya on the track Loyalist.
In 2015, DJ Kaywise teamed up with Ice Prince and Patoranking on the single Feel Alright. In 2016, he made his first vocal contribution to a song as he featured Tekno and Falz on the club anthem Caro. Two years later, he worked with Young John on production as Olamide provided vocals on the 2018 smash hit See Mary See Jesus.
In 2019, DJ Kaywise secured his first international collaboration, working with South African producer DJ Maphorisa and Mr Eazi on the single Alert. 2020 saw him involved in one of the year’s biggest hits, featuring Naira Marley, Zlatan Ibile and Mayorkun on What Type Of Dance.
In a 2020 interview with the Tribune, DJ Kaywise disclosed how he had to sell CDs on the streets in the early days of his career.
“At that early stage I suffered on my own”, he explained. “From one mix tape to another, (I) shared and sold my CDs on the street for almost five years before the industry started noticing me and I started playing at different events. My first gig was N4,000.”
Beyond making music, DJ Kaywise is also involved in talent scouting and management. In 2015, he launched the Kaywise academy, which commits itself to training up-and-coming talents who intend to delve into music and the arts. Since its inception, the Academy has churned out more than 50 graduates.
DJ Kaywise’s hit single, Highway, which has been streamed almost 3 million times on YouTube, has emerged as the Most Played Streethop Song at the 2021 edition of the NET Honours People’s Choice Awards. The track, which had the 28-year-old collaborating with Nigerian rapper Phyno, won the award at the expense of four other songs nominated in the same category: Patoranking’s Abule, Bella Shmurda’s Cashapp, Zlatan Ibile’s Lagos Anthem, and Rexxie’s KPK.
By Jerry Chiemeke