How Spinall Went from Church Gigs to Becoming one of Nigeria’s top Djs

Widely regarded as one of Africa’s top DJs, Nigerian producer SPINALL is undoubtedly one of the continent’s most sought-after artists. SPINALL is a well-known force to be reckoned with, having received numerous accolades for his work and several top-charting collaborations under his belt.

He grew up in a musical family, and it was always a central focus. His father was a drummer in a local church, which sparked his interest in performance at a young age. SPINALL soaked up a variety of genres growing up, including gospel, highlife (a Ghanan jazz/African fusion), and juju (the music of the Yoruba). He was particularly interested in hip-hop and R&B, citing DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Premier, and DJ Kool Herc as some of his early influences.

“The first time I had to be a disc jockey was at the church. They had a youth party, and a friend called me to DJ for them because she knew that I was always playing loud music. She did not even know if I was a DJ or not at the time,” SPINALL told Punch Newspapers in 2018. “My first experience was a bit overwhelming but I did a good job even though I did not have a lot of Christian music. I repeated Cece Winans about 20 times, but the pastor did not complain and everybody seemed to be having a good time.”

Since then, SPINALL has released several chart-topping albums and singles, including his most recent, Top Boy. Wizkid, Fireboy DML, Tiwa Savage, DJ Snake, 6lack, and Kranium are just a few of the many musicians that the great producer has collaborated with, both in Nigeria and internationally. His love of music and undeniable talent as a DJ have been a major part of his life from a young age and have helped to shape his successful career in the industry.