Zaylevelten

He originally released music under the name Aizay, but eventually adopted the name Zaylevelten after repeatedly having Aizay mispronounced. The name came together from the fact that people were already calling him “Zay” and “Levelten,” eventually becoming the distinctive stage name he uses today. (greencampng.com)

Musically, Zaylevelten operates in the space between Nigerian rap, trap, Afrobeats, alté, street pop and experimental hip-hop. Rather than committing himself to one genre, he deliberately combines sounds and influences from different worlds. His music has been described as a collision between African dance music, Nigerian street rhythms and the distorted, high-energy textures associated with contemporary underground rap. (Dazed Digital)

His approach to language is equally unconventional. Zaylevelten moves between Nigerian Pidgin, English, Nigerian slang and self-created expressions, building a personal vocabulary around his music. He has described his music as the point where hip-hop and core Nigerian music meet, reflecting his desire to combine his African roots with influences from the wider world. (Dazed Digital)

After establishing himself within Nigeria’s underground scene, Zaylevelten’s profile grew significantly in 2025. His breakout record “Maye” became one of the songs that introduced his sound to a much wider audience. He followed it with releases including “Pawon” and “Fly”, before releasing his 12-track mixtape then 1t g0t crazy on October 1, 2025. The project featured tracks such as “Maye,” “Guide Pass,” “Gbona,” “Fly,” “Pawon,” “Bali” and “SHOW ME LUV” featuring Fimiguerrero. (Spotify)

The project was later expanded into then 1t g0t crazier, adding records including “1sa l0t,” “Wuse Tu” with Mavo and “Lowzy.” “Wuse Tu” became one of the project’s biggest records, eventually becoming Zaylevelten’s strongest-performing song on Spotify among the tracks tracked in 2026. (Spotify)

His growing reputation reached a wider international audience in March 2026, when Dazed profiled him as part of its coverage of the emerging Nigerian Gen Z rap movement. The publication highlighted his ability to merge underground rap sonics with African dance music and Nigerian street culture, positioning him as one of the artists helping push Nigerian rap in a new direction. (Dazed Digital)

2026 became another major chapter in his development. Zaylevelten released “Muzz” in February, collaborated with Mavo on “Wuse Tu,” appeared alongside Famous Pluto on “Chose Me” from STREET THERAPIST, and released “Go Again” and “Shoki” during the first half of the year.

On July 21, 2026, Zaylevelten released B4SAVEME, a four-track EP consisting of “Tease Me,” “SuperMega,” “Yeye Talk” featuring Thisizlondon, and “Update.” Released through AntagonistsMusic / Lizzy Records, the project marked another evolution in his sound while continuing his emphasis on unconventional production, energetic delivery and a distinctly personal aesthetic. (Apple Music - Web Player)

The EP’s lead track “Tease Me” quickly became a standout. By late August 2026, it had entered the Spotify Nigeria Top 200, while Spotify tracking showed the song accumulating more than 3.7 million streams. At the same time, Zaylevelten’s catalogue had surpassed 100 million Spotify streams, according to third-party Spotify tracking data, with “Wuse Tu,” “Guide Pass,” “Muzz,” “Bali,” “Fly” and “Chose Me” among his biggest-performing records. (Tooxclusive)

Beyond the music itself, Zaylevelten has developed an identity centred on individuality, fashion, slang, experimentation and self-expression. He has spoken about wanting to do things differently in the way he talks, dresses, raps and creates. His interest in fashion also extends beyond personal style, with ambitions to eventually create his own clothing and accessories.

As of August 2026, Zaylevelten has moved from being an underground artist gaining attention in Lagos to becoming one of the most visible emerging figures in Nigeria’s new-wave rap movement. His music continues to blur the boundaries between Nigerian street sounds, Afrobeats, alté and global underground rap, while his growing streaming numbers and international coverage suggest that his influence is beginning to extend well beyond Nigeria.

Rather than simply fitting into the next wave of Nigerian music, Zaylevelten is helping define what that wave can sound like: restless, genre-fluid, culturally rooted and deliberately difficult to put in a box.