Dear Dagrin,
This is two years after, yet it feels like you just paused for
a while working on new stuffs to be released soon… maybe today. The tears and pain
we felt at the news of your departure still lingers till date, and as much I, as
well as other fans and your family pretend like we’ve moved on, we really
haven’t. We still drab in our secret chambers; we still discuss about you and
the spice you brought with your music. We wish you were here.
Your eventual breakthrough inspired a lot of up and coming artists,
and challenged established ones. According to M.I, one of the things that inspired the
recording of ‘M.I2’ was – one
fateful day, he was passing by and heard a random street boy singing one of your
songs word for word…”that was what I wanted for my album. I wanted everybody,
including area boys to relate to my music like they did to Dagrin…,” said M.I.
I was awestricken by your humility especially at the time
when you were fast becoming one of the most wanted rappers in the industry. You
were such a big deal because you were fearless, you were – still is the
definition of the street hustler; you also embraced your language and
personality through your music.
I still remember the last time I saw you - Wednesday, April
13, 2010 around 3 in the afternoon... that fateful day, I was standing with a
friend, Femi 'Maxima' Ogundoro unaware that you were in your newly acquired Nissan
Maxima parked in front of Ebony Gym (by Ogundana Street, off
Allen, Ikeja). I remember you stepped out of it to say hello… something you
didn’t have to do because I couldn’t have thought you were around, let alone in
the car. I teased while congratulating you on it I called you a ‘Big Boy’ and you
blushed in denial. After the pleasantries, you said you were about leaving for
an appointment at somewhere (may be Surulere but I can’t remember) … and that
was it.

I know I was not as close to you as your family and most
of your other friends but I had a fair share of your niceness and genuine
respect. I invited you a friend’s brother’s birthday at Oniru Private Beach and
you showed up with Lala and other guys… it was a fun day indeed.
I join hundreds of thousand fans across Nigeria and beyond,
to remember and celebrate you today. I’d like to let you know that you will never
be forgotten… your pictures, songs and albums are still on my phone/ computer…
I’m still and will always be a fan.
Dagrin, joor oh, I can go on and on but I’m emotionally
drained, plus these keys and fingers of mine shall fail me eventually. You are
a star indeed, a rose that grew out of concrete; a solider – Akogun; Barrack O’
Grin the chosen one… Rest in Peace ma mehn.
HOW DAGRIN DIED?
On April 14, 2010, my colleagues and I got a tip off that
Dagrin had a car accident on his way home. We called his manager, Tunde
immediately to confirm the story but he said it was just a minor accident;
"I was in the car with him and a truck driver mistakenly hit his car and
damaged his fender but everything is okay now" he told us. However,
rumours describing the magnitude of the accident spread further and this
compelled us to pressurize his manager who eventually admitted and confirmed
the ghastly accident.
Dagrin was actually alone and on his way home (Sunshine
Estate, Oko-oba, Agege), after receiving a call that he had a guest waiting for
him. We gathered that he kept calling his house asking them not to lock the
gate that he was on his way back. Time check relays that he ran into a
stationary truck 2 minutes after the call and this was around 2am, in front of
Alakara Police Station, off Agege Motor road, Mushin, Lagos.
Eyewitness revealed that, minutes before the accident, the
truck driver who was carrying cement was negotiating a request of N12, 000 by
the men of the police force when they heard a loud bang.
Dagrin was initially rushed to Tai Solarin Hospital (Baba
Olosha Bus stop, Mushin), but later transferred to the Lagos University
Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba ICU.
Four days later, we gathered that the rapper had undergone
surgery and moved to a private wing of the hospital. In between this time frame,
rumours spread that the rapper had died but close friends refuted the
information stating individual testimonies of seeing and having a word with him
at the hospital. Tunde, his manager also granted an interview on TV, confirming
that the young dude was responding to treatment and fast recuperating.
We gathered that the rapper had to be tied later to the bed
because he kept making efforts to move, each time he recognized any of his
guests.
Crisis started in the early hours of Thursday, April 22 when
the rapper went into coma again. His heart reportedly stopped beating later as
the doctors ran helter-skelter to revive him. The recuperating machine was used
9 times on him but to no avail. He died.
Dagrin, full name Olaitan Oladapo Olaonipekun officially
started his music career in 2006 with an album titled 'STILL ON THE MATTER'.
One of the most popular track off the album was "Rap Rules Anthem" but it was not big enough to register
the album as a success.
His sophomore album, 'C.E.O' (Chief Executive
Omoita), released in 2009, housed hits like "Pon
Pon Pon", "Kondo", "Gboro" and "Ghetto Dreams". This album placed him on the path to
the top, as he became one of the hottest and most wanted artists.
‘STILL ON THE MATTER’ was released on the axis of LEO
Entertainment while 'C.E.O' was released on his indie label called Missofunyin
Entertainment. He later signed a management contract with Edlyne Records in
2010.
Dagrin died at the age of 26 as confirmed by his father who signed
the official press release through Black House Media. He was buried on Friday,
April 30, 2010 at Ebony Private Vault, Atan.