Wizkid’s first son, Boluwatife Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Tife or Champz, has officially stepped into the spotlight with the release of his debut extended play titled Champion’s Arrival.
In less than 24 hours after its release, the five-track project recorded over one million streams on Spotify. It also reached number one on the Apple Music Nigeria Top Albums chart, making the 14-year-old one of the youngest artistes in the country to achieve such recognition.
Tife announced the project on his Instagram page on Tuesday, writing, “The Champion has arrived. My debut EP ‘Champion’s Arrival’ is out now on all platforms.” The post quickly went viral, attracting thousands of likes and comments from fans who praised his confidence and talent.
Champion’s Arrival features Champion Montana, Grind, Superstar, Champion Sound and Champion. The EP showcases Tife’s versatility, combining rap, melody and youthful energy with clear influences from Afrobeats.
The project was produced by iamhosana_ and visually directed by DIKASTUDIOS, the creative duo behind the viral teaser that introduced his musical journey.
Before the official release, Guardian Life reported in October that Tife had teased the project on Instagram with a short performance video where he rapped, “Shoutout to the OGs in the game, but it’s time to pass on the baton,” and “I’ve got zero competition.” The teaser went viral, gaining over 50,000 likes and building anticipation for his debut.
Social media has since erupted with excitement. One user, @mubamz, wrote, “Shoutout to all the OGs in the game but it’s time to pass on the baton to Champion. Iyen Bolu na? I’m here for it like mad.” Another fan,
@iamsanchez005, commented, “Abi nah Wizkid write this song? Too mature for Bolu nah. Omo see music. There’s no way this boy, 14, that song Grind is crazy.”
Tife’s mother, Shola Ogudu, also joined in celebrating her son’s success. Sharing the EP link on her page, she wrote, “Super proud of you SON!!!! We give God all the glory.”
Like father, like son
This achievement has drawn comparisons to his father’s musical journey. In November 2024, Wizkid topped the Apple Music Nigeria chart within eight hours of releasing his sixth studio album Morayo, which he dedicated to his late mother, Juliana Morayo Balogun. The 16-track project featured Asake, Brent Faiyaz, Jazmine Sullivan, Tiakola and Anaïs, and broke multiple streaming records, with the single Piece of My Heart recording over 1.5 million Spotify streams on its opening day.
With both father and son achieving chart-topping success less than a year apart, fans say the Balogun family has proven once again that music truly runs in their blood.
