YOUNG BEEJAY: LAGOS’ AFRO-FUSION MAVERICK READY TO TAKE ON THE WORLD

GET TO KNOW : Young beejay

Selected by: Victor Ikhifa

Name: Young Beejay (real name Jesse Smith)

Where He’s From: Snake Island, Lagos (roots in Benue State)

When He Started: 2014–2015

Genre: Afro-fusion

File Next To: Wizkid, Burna Boy, Skilibeng Sounds Like: “Just normal vibes from an African boy living in Lagos, merging western components — hip-hop, Caribbean sounds, island vibes. Afro-fusion, not strictly Afrobeats.”

Beejay and I are sitting in his crib, the kind of laid-back spot where friends drift in and out, some making something to eat in the kitchen, others like producer Mahdjay (Jerry) tapping away at beats on his laptop. The room hums with casual energy: laughter, low conversations, occasional bursts of music. Beejay himself sits calmly in the middle of it all, exuding a playful but grounded vibe. Beejay has something fresh to celebrate: the recent drop of his new project, Busybee Disco, a release that reflects the evolution of his sound and his ambition to capture both local and international ears.

He starts telling me about his roots. “My name is Jesse Smith, he laughs. It’s all English names.” Beejay came from mixing Brooklyn and Jesse. I was born in Snake Island, Lagos, but my family is from Benue State. I grew up in Ikotun, and then we moved to Sango, where I started recording and pushing music fully,” he explains.

It’s clear his early environment shaped him. “I grew up in the trenches where it was hard for everybody,” he says. “Seeing all that motivated me to tell my story and uplift people who come from where I’m from.”

He’s been making music since 2014; his first recording was back in JSS3, after testing the waters at school events, trying to be “the wavy guy” in school.

Beejay draws inspiration from a wide range of sounds. “Wizkid, Burna, Drake, Lil Wayne, Westside Gunn, Future, Young Thug… but also Barrington Levy, Phil Collins, Bobby Brown, Michael Jackson, and Kenny Rogers. My parents were big music lovers, especially my mom; she played a lot of country music, so that’s in me too,” he reflects.

When asked to define his sound, Beejay says confidently, “It’s Afro-fusion. I merge hip-hop and Caribbean sounds into it. Not strictly Afrobeats, more like island vibes—think Vybz Kartel, Skilibeng, and Popcaan.” His sound emerged through “trial and error,” he admits, trying different combinations of lyrics, melodies, and beats until things clicked naturally.

Beejay’s creative process depends on the situation. “Sometimes producers already have beats, and I just freestyle melodies over them. Other times we start from scratch; I bring samples and give input. I like to be hands-on.” And when it comes to lyrics? “It’s easier singing from personal experience. That’s where you get real vision for what to say, not just vibes for vibes’ sake.”

Despite people often labeling him as alte, Beejay doesn’t see himself that way. “Yeah, people call me alte, but I think I’m just Afro-fusion,” he clarifies.

When he’s not making music, you’ll catch Beejay skateboarding or chilling with his crew. “Are you a party monster?” I ask. He laughs: “When I have the energy, I’m like 50% party monster.”

If music hadn’t worked out, Beejay imagines he’d be back in school, chasing a degree, something he paused to fully focus on music.

His breakout moment came two years ago at a Lagos Island show just after dropping his impressive body of work, BREAKING BAD. “They gave me the mic, and like 70% of the crowd was singing my song. I was shocked.” But the journey hasn’t been without hurdles. “Lagos has a lot of gatekeepers,” he says. “But if you build your fanbase and work hard, no one can stop you. When you blow, they all come to you.”

For listeners, Beejay wants his music to hit deeper. “Take the lyrics seriously. These are real-life lessons; it’s not just fun and vibes.”

Looking ahead, Beejay dreams of collaborating with Wizkid, Burna, Vybz Kartel, Drake, Skilibeng, and Future. His next goal? “I’m going all out — performances, radio tours, university tours across Nigeria, then to the diaspora. But first, I want to fully capture the local scene.”