Bella Shmurda is a Nigerian singer and songwriter who reached a wider audience through “Vision 2020” and its 2019 remix with Olamide. His real name is Abiola Ahmed Akinbiyi. Songs such as “Cash App,” “Philo,” and “My Brother” trace different parts of his career, from the financial pressures of his early years to romance, friendship, and grief. His voice and street-pop style connect those subjects to the Lagos communities that shaped him.
His career now includes two studio albums, several EPs, and a role at Dangbana Republik, the label associated with singer FOLA. And his second studio album, Sanity, arrived in October 2025, followed by further music in 2026. His personal life has also changed: in a January 2026 interview, Bella described himself as married and a father. That direct statement offers a clearer account than older biographies that still describe him as single.
Bella Shmurda at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Real name | Abiola Ahmed Akinbiyi |
| Professional name | Bella Shmurda |
| Birthday | 27 January |
| Reported birth date | 27 January 1996 |
| Age | Reported as 30 in January 2026 birthday coverage |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Hometown | Ikorodu, Lagos State |
| Childhood community | Okokomaiko, Lagos |
| Occupation | Singer, songwriter, and label co-founder |
| Main musical styles | Nigerian street pop and Afrobeats |
| Breakthrough | “Vision 2020” and its remix with Olamide |
| Studio albums | Hypertension (2022) and Sanity (2025) |
| Label | Dangbana Republik |
| Marriage | Described himself as married in January 2026 |
His Real Name, Birthday and Lagos Background
Bella Shmurda’s name appears in different orders across interviews and music profiles. Abiola Ahmed Akinbiyi and Akinbiyi Abiola Ahmed refer to the same artist. He explained to TheCable that “Bella” came from Abiola, while “Shmurda” came from his admiration for American rapper Bobby Shmurda. The shared stage name reflects that influence, rather than a family connection.
His birthday is 27 January. Birthday reports published in January 2026 described him as 30 and gave his birth year as 1996. Some older coverage gives a different age, so 30 is best understood as the age supported by those recent birthday reports, rather than an independently established civil-record detail.
Bella comes from Ikorodu in Lagos State and has repeatedly spoken about his childhood in Okokomaiko. Both places belong in his biography: Ikorodu describes his roots, while Okokomaiko was central to his everyday experiences and early music. His songs often return to the pressures of that environment. Money, opportunity, loyalty, and the effort to build a better life appear throughout his catalogue. Those subjects were present before his first major collaborations and remained part of his work after his audience expanded.
Family, School and His First Interest in Music
Bella described a polygamous family in his 2022 PAUSE interview. His mother worked in education, and his father had worked as a customs officer. He attended Lagos State University Staff School before secondary school in Badagry. Music already had a place in his school life. He recalled drums, classroom performances, and responsibilities as a music or band prefect. These experiences gave him a practical connection to rhythm and performance before professional studio work became his focus.
His musical influences included Oritsefemi, Pasuma, King Wasiu Ayinde, and Olamide. Fuji and contemporary Nigerian music helped shape his approach to melody and social commentary. His ambition was to make songs that listeners could dance to without losing the message within them. University brought a harder choice. Bella attended Lagos State University, but the demands of music competed with school. In a 2021 interview with Pan African Music, he described the difficulty of paying fees and balancing academic work with his career. He also recalled disagreement with his mother over his commitment to music, followed by an improvement in their relationship.
Did Bella Shmurda Graduate from LASU?
Bella attended LASU, but a completed degree should not be stated as an established fact. In January 2022, he said he had left the university after failed courses and chose to pursue music. That statement conflicts with biographies that describe him as a graduate. His own account supports a more careful description: he studied at LASU and later left to concentrate on his career. Attendance and graduation are separate claims, and the available evidence does not justify treating them as interchangeable.
Vision 2020 and the Breakthrough with Olamide
Bella had recorded music before his breakthrough. He told TheCable that he recorded “Vision 2020” in 2018 and had released other singles before it. The song reached a much larger audience in 2019. That sequence helps explain the different years attached to the track. Its creation belongs to 2018, while its breakthrough and Olamide remix belong to 2019. Bella described the song as a response to his surroundings and the promises attached to Nigeria’s future. Its appeal came from the distance between those promises and the life he knew.
Dancer Poco Lee helped the song travel further through a video. Olamide saw the material, contacted Bella, and became involved in the remix. Bella later credited Olamide with support for the recording and video, including production costs. The collaboration gave him access to an audience beyond his immediate community and university circle. It also placed his voice beside an established artist whose music already spoke to Nigerian street culture.
Olamide’s involvement should not be confused with proof that Bella signed to YBNL. Their collaboration and mentorship are well documented, but those facts alone do not establish a record contract. Bella’s later accounts of his business arrangements describe a different label relationship.
High Tension, Cash App and National Recognition
Bella released his first EP, High Tension, in January 2020. Songs such as “Sho Mo Mi,” “Omnipotent,” and “Vision 2020” gave listeners a fuller introduction to his voice. The project also allowed him to move beyond a single breakthrough record. “Cash App,” with Zlatan and Lincoln, became another major step later that year. Its energy differed from the reflective appeal of “Vision 2020.” The song reached dance floors and street-pop audiences through its rhythm, direct delivery, and memorable chorus.
Bella admitted that he initially doubted it. He told Pan African Music that the recording felt noisy and outside his usual style, which contributed to a delay before release. Zlatan and Lincoln added their contributions, and the result became one of the defining songs of his early career. The record’s chart history gives a clearer measure of its reach. TurnTable’s August 2026 career review credited “Cash App” with a No. 3 peak, 26 weeks on its chart, and double-platinum certification.
Bella also received a Next Rated nomination at the 14th Headies. Omah Lay won the category at the ceremony held in February 2021. References to the 2020 awards cycle and the 2021 ceremony can make this appear to be two separate nominations, so the edition number is useful.
High Tension 2.0 and Opportunities Beyond Nigeria
High Tension 2.0 followed in 2021. Its track list included “Rush,” “World,” “Far Away,” and “Party Next Door.” The EP extended his early catalogue and gave him more material for performances and videos. The same year brought a different form of industry support. YouTube selected Bella for its Foundry artist-development programme, alongside 26 other independent acts from 14 countries. The programme offered partner support and seed funding for content development.
Foundry was an artist-development selection, rather than a competitive music award. That distinction matters because it explains what Bella gained: resources and support to help his work reach a broader audience. His appearance at Wizkid’s Made in Lagos concert at London’s O2 Arena in November 2021 added a major international stage to his experience. He performed as a guest, rather than as the event’s headline act. Together, the EP, development programme, and guest performances show how his career expanded through several routes. Recorded music remained central, but videos, live appearances, and artist relationships also helped him reach listeners outside Nigeria.
Hypertension and His Best-Known Songs
Bella’s debut studio album, Hypertension, arrived in October 2022. It followed two EPs and brought a wider range of collaborators into his catalogue. Philo, with Omah Lay, became one of its key songs. Other guests included Simi, Phyno, Victony, and Popcaan. These collaborations placed Bella’s voice beside different styles, from romantic pop to dancehall, without removing the street-pop character of his work.
The album also included New Born Fela, Contraband, Lagos City, and Man of the Year. Its subjects moved between ambition, pleasure, relationships, and the costs of recognition. TurnTable reported that Hypertension reached No. 2 on its album chart and earned platinum certification. Its August 2026 review credited the album with 107 weeks on the chart, evidence of sustained listening beyond its release period.
A Guide to Bella Shmurda’s Songs
| Song | Year | Place in his career |
|---|---|---|
| Vision 2020 remix, featuring Olamide | 2019 | The collaboration that expanded his early audience |
| Cash App, with Zlatan and Lincoln | 2020 | A major street-pop hit |
| Rush | 2021 | A prominent song from the High Tension 2.0 period |
| Philo, with Omah Lay | 2022 | A key collaboration from Hypertension |
| Newborn Fela | 2022 | Part of his debut studio album |
| NSV, with Tiwa Savage | 2023 | A collaboration produced by Krizbeatz |
| My Brother | 2023 | His tribute to Mohbad |
| Loner | 2024 | Part of the period around R2, Sept 12 |
| Dangbana Riddim, with FOLA | 2025 | A collaboration tied to his label’s newer generation |
| Happy Song | 2026 | A later release centered on happiness and gratitude |
His catalogue also includes guest appearances. Triumphant belongs to Olamide’s Carpe Diem, with Bella as a featured artist. He joined Odumodublvck and Cruel Santino on Dog Eat Dog II in 2023. These credits are distinct from releases on which Bella is the lead artist.
Bella Shmurda’s “My Brother” and His Friendship with Mohbad
“My Brother” is Bella Shmurda’s tribute to his close friend and fellow musician Mohbad. It was released on 6 October 2023, after Mohbad’s death on 12 September. The title describes their bond. Mohbad was Bella’s friend and collaborator, rather than his biological brother. The song addresses that friendship through loss, memory, and the absence left behind. Its meaning depends on their relationship, not simply on the circumstances that drew wider attention to Mohbad’s death.
“My Brother” also occupies a different place from Bella’s party records. Its purpose is remembrance. The accompanying tribute video gives the song a visual connection to the friend it honours, rather than presenting grief as another promotional theme. TurnTable reported that the track debuted and peaked at No. 2, remained on its chart for 13 weeks, and received platinum certification. Those figures describe its audience reach, but the song’s personal meaning comes from the friendship behind it.
The Grief Behind “R2 Sept 12”
Bella carried that grief into the five-track EP R2 Sept 12, released on 26 April 2024. The project included My Brother, Loner, Feelings, 1999, and Oghene. The title refers to the date of Mohbad’s death. Apple Music’s editorial account describes an EP shaped by loss, with friendship and uncertainty present beyond the explicit tribute song.
Bloody Civilian appeared on 1999, while Zlatan and Jeriq joined Oghene. Those collaborations gave the project different textures without separating it from its emotional centre. The EP allowed Bella to place the tribute within a broader account of life after his friend’s death.
Sanity and His Music in 2026
Bella released Sanity, his second studio album, on 3 October 2025. The 16-track project followed Hypertension and the intervening EPs. Its collaborators included K1 De Ultimate, CKay, Seyi Vibez, FOLA, and King Promise. The album drew on several sounds already present in Bella’s musical background. Fuji Fusion brought K1 De Ultimate into a direct collaboration, while other tracks explored amapiano, R&B, and reggae influences.
The album’s title connects to pressure and responsibility. Bella’s explanation in January 2026 described a man who now had expectations to meet as a husband, father, and leader. That perspective adds context to songs concerned with peace, loyalty, and the demands of adult life.
The project’s release credit names Dangbana Republik, with an exclusive licence to ONErpm. This identifies the release arrangement without revealing its financial terms. His activity continued into 2026. TurnTable dated Happy Song to 14 August and described it as his second solo song of that year. The track brought happiness and gratitude into the foreground after projects closely associated with grief and emotional strain.
Dangbana Republik, FOLA and His Business Decisions
Dangbana Republik connects Bella’s own releases with his work around other artists. The name appeared before its more formal role as a label with FOLA’s arrival in 2024. FOLA’s development became an important part of that story. TurnTable’s August 2026 review credited him with 27 entries on the Official Singles Chart and two No. 1 songs, “Paparazzi” and “treat u right.” These are FOLA’s achievements, but they also explain the growing attention around Bella’s label.
Bella and FOLA collaborated on Dangbana Riddim. Bella described the record as personally important and spoke with pride about FOLA’s progress. Their work places him on both sides of artist development: he once benefited from Olamide’s support, and he now has a role in another singer’s career.
His approach to independence also reflects an earlier contract experience. In December 2022, Bella said he paid about ₦20 million to leave a three-year record deal after one year. He described dissatisfaction with the financial arrangement and the support available for his work. That amount is his account of the exit payment, rather than an independently audited transaction.
Bella Shmurda’s Wife and Children
Bella Shmurda has said he is married. In his January 2026 interview about Sanity and family life, he stated, I am married, and I’m a father. The interview did not identify his wife or give a wedding date. His statement establishes the marriage he chose to disclose, but it does not support attaching an unverified name, photograph, or relationship history to his spouse.
Bella announced the arrival of a son on 24 July 2023. His message also disclosed that he had lost a child at birth the previous year, during the period around his debut album. He described his son’s arrival as another chance and a new purpose. The announcement helps explain the personal changes behind his later comments about responsibility. It also shows that his family life and career developed alongside each other, even when he kept parts of that life away from interviews.
What Bella Shmurda Has Said About Religion
Bella has described belief in God without committing to a fixed religious label. Asked directly by PAUSE in March 2022 whether he was Christian or Muslim, he replied: I pray to God. It’s not labeled. He explained that he accepted prayers and did not regard membership in an organised religion as essential to faith.
His answer leaves room for spirituality and traditional belief without placing him neatly within one denomination. The clearest description is therefore the one he gave himself: he believes in God and has described that belief without a specific label. A religious identity should not be inferred from his name, nicknames, or individual song titles.
Bella Shmurda’s Net Worth and What His Career Reveals
Bella Shmurda’s net worth cannot be responsibly expressed as a precise dollar figure from the evidence available. His releases, performances, and label work establish a commercial music career, but they do not disclose his assets, liabilities, ownership shares, or personal take-home income. The distinction matters because a successful song generates money for several parties. Recording rights, songwriting rights, distribution agreements, and business costs affect what reaches an artist. A streaming total alone cannot establish personal wealth.
There are concrete measures of his career’s scale. In its August 2026 review of his chart record, TurnTable credited Bella with 55 entries on the Official Nigeria Top 100 and 17 Top 10 songs. The publication also reported platinum certification for Sanity and Hypertension. Those figures support a discussion of audience demand. They do not support a balance-sheet estimate. His reported ₦20 million contract-exit payment offers a specific financial detail, but it cannot establish what he owns or owes in October 2026.
Community Support Beyond His Releases
Bella’s community work includes a scholarship offered after a young child performed “Triumphant,” his collaboration with Olamide. The support began in 2021 and connected his music to a practical educational commitment. He also announced a birthday initiative in January 2022 to feed 1,000 disadvantaged residents in Ojo.
That was a stated plan for an annual programme; the announcement should not be treated as proof of identical activity every subsequent year. These efforts sit alongside Dangbana Republik’s creative work. Support can take the form of school fees, food, studio access, or an opportunity for a younger performer. Each is more useful to describe through the specific action than through a broad claim about generosity.
Income Source: Music sales, Live performances, and streaming revenue
Debut: His professional 2018
Vision 2020
Famous Albums
Social Media Profiles
| @BellaShmurda | |
| Youtube | @BellaShmurda |
| @BellaShmurda | |
| Wikipedia | @BellaShmurda |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bella Shmurda’s real name?
Bella Shmurda’s real name is Abiola Ahmed Akinbiyi, also written in a different order as Akinbiyi Abiola Ahmed. He formed “Bella” from Abiola. He chose “Shmurda” because he admired American rapper Bobby Shmurda.
How old is Bella Shmurda?
January 2026 birthday coverage described Bella Shmurda as 30, with a birth date of 27 January 1996. His birthday is consistently given as 27 January, although older reports differ on his age. The recent birthday coverage supports describing him as reportedly 30 as of October 2026.
Is Bella Shmurda married?
Bella Shmurda said he was married in a January 2026 interview with Mixtape Madness. He also described himself as a father. The interview did not identify his wife or provide details of their wedding, so those parts of his family life should remain separate from speculation.
Who is “My Brother” by Bella Shmurda about?
“My Brother” is a tribute to Mohbad, Bella Shmurda’s close friend and fellow musician. Bella released it on 6 October 2023, after Mohbad’s death that September. The song later appeared on R2 Sept 12 and uses “brother” to describe their friendship.
What religion does Bella Shmurda follow?
Bella Shmurda has described faith in God without a fixed religious label. In his March 2022 PAUSE interview, he declined to define his belief simply as Christian or Muslim. His own explanation emphasised prayer and a personal relationship with God.
What is Bella Shmurda’s net worth?
A defensible net-worth figure is unavailable from the financial evidence reviewed. Bella has an established recording career and a role at Dangbana Republik, but the value of his assets and liabilities is unknown. Chart positions and streaming figures measure music consumption, rather than personal wealth.
A Career That Now Includes Other Artists
Bella’s current role extends beyond the next song under his own name. Sanity developed his album catalogue, “Happy Song” added a new release in 2026, and FOLA’s chart record brought attention to Dangbana Republik’s work with another artist. The connection between these stages is specific. Olamide helped Bella reach a wider audience through “Vision 2020.” Bella now has the opportunity to provide practical support within his own label, alongside music that still draws on the neighbourhood, friendships, and family responsibilities he discusses in interviews.
