In a year brimming with breakout stars, one name has soared above the rest and apparently, all the way to Pluto. Nigerian artist Shallipopi has officially been named Billboard’s Rookie of the Year, a fitting title for an artist who’s turned a cosmic metaphor into a musical movement.
Born Crown Uzama in Benin City, Nigeria, Shallipopi isn’t just an entertainer, he’s a cultural force shaped by royal heritage and street-smart swagger. Descended from the Uzama lineage, the revered kingmakers of the Benin Kingdom, his artistry carries the weight of tradition, but his sound? That’s from another planet.
“It’s Pluto season,” Shallipopi told Billboard, jokingly reclaiming the dwarf planet NASA demoted in 2006. “They might’ve stripped Pluto of its planet status, but I’m claiming it now.” For fans — known passionately as Plutomanians — this declaration isn’t just a flex; it’s a lifestyle.
Blending Afropop, amapiano, hip-hop, and Nigerian street sounds into what he calls Afro Pluto, Shallipopi has carved out a niche that feels both deeply local and cosmically unbothered. His flow walks the line between speech and melody, rich with slang, swagger, and story.
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His rise has been meteoric. After 2023’s viral hit “Elon Musk,” Shallipopi doubled down on global visibility. In 2024, he hopped on the remix of Tyler ICU’s amapiano anthem “Mnike” — a song Rihanna publicly named one of her favorites — and followed it up with “Benin Boys,” a thunderous hometown anthem alongside fellow Benin City star Rema. The track kicked off Rema’s Heis album, which later scored a Grammy nomination.
He’s also rubbed shoulders and dropped bars with Afrobeats’ heavyweights: teaming up with ODUMODUBLVCK on the rowdy club track “Cast,” and exchanging verses with YBNL label boss Olamide on “Order.”
But it’s “Laho”, his most infectious anthem yet, that’s truly stamped his interstellar passport. Sung partly in his native Bini tongue and laced with swaggering nods to footballer Mario Balotelli, “Laho” sparked a dance trend that’s found a second life in the world of pro sports.
Indiana Pacers star Pascal Siakam revealed in an ESPN interview that he’s brought the “Laho” shuffle — pointed fingers and slick footwork — to the NBA court as a new three-point celebration. “I just be playing it,” Siakam said, “and the guys caught on. We’re pulling it out for the playoffs.”
From the streets of Benin to international charts and NBA sidelines, Shallipopi has made it clear: his rookie season was only the beginning. He’s not just riding the wave — he’s controlling the orbit.
