Nigerian artist Sulaimon Shekoni Solomon, widely recognized as Khaid, has reflected on his childhood challenges growing up with a tailor father and a hairstylist mother.
The Headies nominee revealed that he was born into a family of ten, comprising his parents and eight children, himself included.
Khaid disclosed that he didn't pursue higher education after completing high school due to fear of taking the JAMB exam. However, in the hustle that followed, he engaged in various occupations such as a mechanic, painter, and barber.
Recalling his upbringing, Khaid shared, “I grew up in a family of eight kids. My dad was a tailor and my mum was a teacher as well as a hairstylist. I grew up in the Ojo area of Lagos State.”
“My primary and secondary education was at Ola Greater Tomorrow School, Ojo. I started singing when I was in secondary school after which I dabbled in different street hustles. I was once a mechanic, a painter, and a barber.
“I was influenced to do music from a very young age because my parents were music lovers.”
“My dad loved fuji music, and my mom listened to Michael Jackson. By constantly listening to Michael Jackson, I got exposed to more foreign music. That was where my love for trap music grew, and I started making trap songs.”
“I was still a mechanic when Sydney Talker sent me a message on Instagram. When I saw that he followed me and ‘liked’ some of my posts, I thought it was a fake account.
“So, I did not bother to check it out. When I eventually checked it, I wanted to send him a message to thank him for following me. But I realized he already texted me.”
“We kept talking until one day, I just told him I was in Lagos Island and asked if I could come see him. I went to his house, and I came up with about six songs. After a freestyle session, I later got signed, and we did the paperwork.”
Regarding his educational plans, Khaid mentioned, “I still have plans to go to university. Immediately after I left secondary school, I did not want to go to university because I was scared of writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. Also, I was a mechanic at the time up until I got signed to a record label.”
