The Complete Journey of Zinoleesky from 2018 to 2025: Rise, Challenges, and Success Story”

Here’s a detailed account of Zinoleesky’s journey from around 2018 up to 2025, covering his origins, rise, challenges, and growth. (While some early years overlap a little before 2018, this gives proper context to his breakthrough.)

Early Life & Beginnings (Pre-2018 to 2018)

• Background & Origins
  ­Zinoleesky was born Oniyide Azeez on April 21, 2000, and raised in Agege, Lagos State. (Wikipedia)

• Early Passion for Music
  From adolescence, he was drawn to rap and began freestyling. Over time, these freestyles — often captured on his phone — started gaining traction online. (Wikipedia)

• Viral Breakout
  By around 2017–2018, videos of his freestyles went viral, helping him build a grassroots audience. (Wikipedia)

• Family Tensions
  He later revealed that his path wasn’t easy: his parents didn’t support his music aspirations. In a 2025 interview, he said he ran away from home to pursue music because his parents expected him to take a more “professional” path. (ValidUpdates)

2019: The Big Break & Signing

• Turning Point — Signing with Marlian Music
  After building momentum independently, Zinoleesky signed with Marlian Music (Naira Marley’s label) in December 2019. (Wikipedia)

• Early Singles
  Around this time, he released songs like “Popo,” “Joromi,” “Firi Yoyo,” and “Money” (featuring Zlatan). These tracks helped him reach a wider audience. (Wikipedia)

• Refusing Another Deal
  Interestingly, prior to signing with Marlian, there were reportedly offers from other labels (like Davido’s DMW), but he turned one down, choosing to go a different route. (Wikipedia)

2020: First Project & Breakout Hits

• Debut EP: Chrome Eccentric
  In December 2020, Zinoleesky released his first EP titled Chrome Eccentric. (Wikipedia)

• Hit Singles
  Two songs from the EP, “Ma Pariwo” and “Kilofeshe,” became major breakout hits. (Wikipedia)

• Style Definition
  His sound began to be defined as street pop — a mix of Afrobeats, trap, R&B, and more, with a raw, street-level authenticity. (NME)

• Growing Recognition
  The success of “Ma Pariwo” and “Kilofeshe” put him on the map, both in Nigeria and in smaller international circles. (Wikipedia)

2021–2022: Consolidation & Artistic Growth

• Riding the Momentum
  After his breakout, Zinoleesky continued dropping music, including new singles. According to some sources, he released a track titled “Naira Marley”, produced by Niphkeys, which reinforced his bond with Marlian Music. (Mp3Bullet)

• EP “Grit & Lust”
  In December 2022, he released another significant project: the EP Grit & Lust. (Wikipedia)

• Chart Performance & International Reach
  From that EP, the single “Personal” gained traction not just in Nigeria, but also on UK and US Afrobeats charts, signaling his growing international appeal. (NME)

• Musical Identity
  Around this time, he was being recognized not just for hit singles but as a pioneer of street pop. His mix of trap, Amapiano, Afro-House, and Afropop became more refined and intentional. (NME)

2023–2024: Personal Life & Continued Momentum

• Collaborations and Features
  During this period, Zinoleesky featured on songs with other major artists. For instance, he appeared on Adekunle Gold’s “Party No Dey Stop” (from Adekunle Gold’s Tequila Ever After project). (Wikipedia)

• Public & Personal Growth
  His profile continued to rise, but he also began speaking more publicly about his life: the challenges of fame, his roots, and his aspirations.

• Fatherhood Begins
  In December 2023, Zinoleesky welcomed his first child, a daughter named Zendaya. (Linda Ikeji's Blog)

• Transformation Through Fatherhood
  In interviews, he reflected on how becoming a father changed him: he said it forced him to rethink his lifestyle, drop some habits, and become more focused. (The Guardian Nigeria)

2025: Landmark Moments & Maturity

• Debut Album: Gen Z
  A major milestone: on April 25, 2025, Zinoleesky dropped his debut studio album, Gen Z. (bujpod.com)

• About Gen Z

  • It’s a 16-track project featuring a number of notable collaborations: Naira Marley, Toosii, Ms Banks, Young T & Bugsey, Didi B, and Donae’O. (bujpod.com)

  • The album blends his signature street-pop sound with global influences — Afrobeats, R&B, dancehall, trap — showing both his roots and international ambition. (bujpod.com)

  • Standout tracks include Most Wanted, Suit & Tie (with Toosii), Abanikanda (with Naira Marley), Doctor (with Donae’O), Ayamase (with Ms Banks), among others. (The Radar)

  • The themes are deeply personal: he reflects on his upbringing in Agege, his hustle, the pains and rewards of fame, loyalty, betrayal, and the responsibilities of adulthood. (bujpod.com)

• Public Reception
  The release was met with a lot of excitement. Many saw it as a defining moment — Gen Z felt like a coming-of-age project, marking Zino’s transition from a rising artist to a more established voice. (The Radar)

• Fatherhood (Continued Evolution)
  In 2025, he welcomed a son, Zafar. (The Guardian Nigeria)

  • He stated that fatherhood has deeply impacted his decisions: he’s more intentional, more anchored, and more thoughtful about his legacy. (Talk Talk Nigeria)

• Reflection on Early Struggles
  In interviews this year, Zinoleesky has revisited his past: the choice to run away from home, the parental disapproval, and how those early sacrifices shaped his drive. (PM News Nigeria)

• Public Image & Growth
  He’s increasingly seen as both a street icon and a mature artist. Rather than just being the “hot new thing,” he is now positioning himself for longevity. His debut album and the personal stories he shares suggest a deeper commitment to his craft and his community.

Themes & Significance of His Journey (2018–2025)

1. Resilience & Sacrifice
   Zinoleesky’s path is marked by hardship: parental pushback, running away from home, and building his brand from street freestyles. His story is one of sacrifice in pursuit of his art.

2. Authenticity & Street Pop Innovation
   He didn’t just emulate existing Afrobeats artists — he helped pioneer street pop, combining the grit of the streets with polished melodic sensibility. His music resonates with youth who identify with both struggle and swagger. (NME)

3. Growth from Viral to Veteran
   From viral freestyle videos to major EPs and, eventually, a full album, Zino has methodically built his catalog. Gen Z in 2025 symbolizes not just artistic growth but a declaration: he’s no longer just an up-and-comer.

4. Global Ambition
   Collaborating with international artists like Toosii, Ms Banks, and Young T & Bugsey highlights that Zinoleesky doesn’t see himself as just a Nigerian star — he’s aiming for a global footprint. (bujpod.com)

5. Maturity & Responsibility
   Becoming a father appears to have catalyzed personal maturity. In 2025, the way he talks about his life suggests he’s evolving not just as an artist, but as a man with responsibilities and a legacy to build.

6. Narrative of Empowerment
   His story empowers other young artists — especially those from underprivileged or non-supportive backgrounds — to dream big, to take risks, and to believe in their voice.

Challenges & Criticisms Along the Way

• Label Associations
  Being signed to Marlian Music, which is run by Naira Marley, comes with baggage. Zino has had to navigate the controversies surrounding his label, balancing loyalty with his personal brand.

• Public Scrutiny
  As his fame has grown, so has scrutiny — about his appearance, lifestyle, and consistency. For example, fans have expressed concern over changes in his weight or personal life.

• Balancing Artistic Vision
  Transitioning from street-hit singles to a full album means balancing what made him popular (raw, catchy tracks) with more mature, introspective content. Gen Z reflects that tension, but risk remains: will all fans follow him into a more mature sound?

Looking Forward: What Gen Z Means (and What Comes Next)

• A Launchpad
  Gen Z isn’t just a debut album — for Zino, it's a launchpad into a new phase. With its international features and polished production, it feels like the start of something bigger.

• Legacy Building
  The arrival of his children, coupled with his growing discography, signals that he’s not just chasing fame. He’s laying the foundation for a legacy: as an artist, as a father, and as a voice for his generation.

• Global Strategy
  His collaborations hint at a deliberate strategy to bridge Nigerian street-pop with global markets. If he continues to lean into that, he could become one of the key African voices in the global Afropop / street-pop scene.

• Artistic Direction
  With maturity — both personal and professional — he might explore more nuanced themes: identity, responsibility, social commentary, and generational change. His future projects could deepen in meaning without sacrificing the catchy, street-minded energy that made him famous.

Conclusion

From his early days freestyling on social media in 2017–2018, running away from home to escape parental pressure, to breaking out under Marlian Music in 2019, Zinoleesky’s journey has been fierce and deeply personal. He’s grown from a viral teenager to a street-pop pioneer, releasing major EPs, charting internationally, and finally dropping his debut full-length album, Gen Z, in April 2025.

But beyond the music, his evolution as a person — shaped by fatherhood, responsibility, and ambition — is perhaps the most compelling part of his story. He’s not just chasing hits; he’s building a legacy.

If you like, I can expand this into a full feature article (with quotes, themes, and future predictions) — do you want me to do that?