In the ever-evolving soundscape of Nigerian music, some voices shout while others build in silence, layer by layer, chord by chord. SBThaProducer belongs to the latter camp. The Lagos-based producer and songwriter, born Oluwole Daramola Ebenezer, has etched his signature into songs that have defined moments, careers, and charts, all while remaining modest in profile but massive in impact. Long before he worked with household names like Kizz Daniel, Ice Prince, Bella Shmurda, BNXN, Mohbad, and Chike or held a solid spot at No. 1 on the TurnTable Top Producer chart, SB was a boy in Oshodi with an ear for melodies and was always drawn to instrumentals for the way sound moved through them “I didn’t start as a singer,” he recalls. “I’ve always been drawn to instruments.” His entry into music wasn’t entirely direct, but as a person who has always felt a desire for success, it began with a brief stint learning shoe cobbling, which eventually led him to open his own shop. But beneath that pursuit of financial independence, something else tugged at him. Just down the road from his shop, a music studio became his silent obsession. “I walked in and told them I wanted to learn.” His first boss turned out to be a student himself, an amusing irony that didn’t discourage the then-teenager. “I was learning from someone who was still learning. That’s how it all started.”
It was in that tiny studio that the name “Studio Boy” stuck as a symbol of his constant presence and hunger to understand the mechanics of music. Eventually, that nickname would evolve into “Studio Boss,” but what remained constant was his devotion to craft. “I made my first beat in 2010 and sold it for 500 naira. And I didn’t just make one but two.” There’s no bitterness in his voice when he says this. If anything, there’s pride.” It’s less about the money but more about creating something that could last.” Since then, he’s gone on to work with a genre-spanning roster.
His production style is clean, unfussy, emotionally driven and soulful. What makes him compelling is the intention behind his sound. “I’m not just a beatmaker,” he says. “I’m a producer. I love being in the room with the artist. I write too, which helps me understand the song deeply.” His hands constantly yearn for feeling, and it’s in simplicity that he finds magic. “Take ‘Alone,’ for example, it’s just four key elements. But it’s powerful. When I finished it, I had to thank God. Sometimes I even ask myself, ‘How did I make this?’” This ethos of less-is-more is a deliberate stance in a sonic landscape often saturated with layered percussion and overproduction. SB’s restraint feels almost radical. “I love simplicity. You can say more with less. When you hear a beat and it moves you without doing too much, that’s power.”
His most notable partnership in recent times has been with Fola. Their story began during a trip to Ikorodu, where they both arrived from different cities. SB had just left NYSC camp in Ekiti when they met through Banks Nation Entertainment. That same day, he produced Fola’s first professional song. It was an ordinary moment that would later prove pivotal. “Fola is loyal, hardworking, and knows what he wants. Even if he doesn’t know how to get there immediately, he’ll figure it out,” SB says. Their bond deepened during the lockdown when they lived together. “We shared everything. Food, bills, studio time. That’s when we made ‘Beholder,’” he recalls. The song became a turning point, not just for their careers, but for their belief in their chemistry.
SB’s approach to versatility is similarly methodical. He doesn’t just jump into genres but immerses himself in them. “When I want to produce in a particular genre, I listen to only that genre for like two weeks, whether it is gospel, rap or Afrobeats. I live in that sound before I create it. That’s why I can do anything.” Still, despite his growing influence and chart-climbing credits, SB remains grounded. He doesn’t rattle off his fees or brag about placements. “I don’t even have a fixed price,” he says. “I’m more about connection. If it feels right, we’ll make the music and the money will come.” That philosophy might sound overly idealistic in today’s cutthroat music industry, but it’s working. His beats are increasingly present in the songs shaping Nigeria’s current pop landscape, his methods studied by newer producers looking to carve out their own distinct identities. Yet, SBThaProducer still sees himself at the beginning. “I feel like it’s just starting,” he says. And somehow, you believe him not because he says it, but because everything he’s done so far proves it. He’s building a legacy. With heart. With faith. And, above all, with simplicity.
