Fast-rising Nigerian singer and club hype man, Abdulsalam Ahmed Oluwadamilola, popularly known as Medulababy, has asserted that he is the original creator of the viral phrase “Laho” and not hitmaker Shallipopi, who has been widely associated with the term in recent months.
In an exclusive interview with The Nation, Medulababy claimed authorship of the phrase and song title Uwa Lahor, which he said he released on November 8, 2024, months before Shallipopi dropped his similarly titled track in February 2025.
Although both songs differ in sound and lyrics, their titles and meanings align.
“I, Medulababy aka Parapara Presido, am the originator of ‘Uwa Lahor’. I sang and released it in November 2024, while Shallipopi released his version in February 2025. So I’m the real originator of the song’s title,” he stated confidently.
The 31-year-old explained that his inability to promote the song adequately due to financial hardship may have contributed to the public’s misunderstanding about the song’s origin.
“When I released ‘Lahor’, there was some delay in promotion because of financial constraints. I had to hustle as a hype man to raise money to push the song because I have no support from anyone,” he explained.
Despite the situation, Medulababy maintained a positive stance toward Shallipopi, though he acknowledged that they have no personal relationship.
“I don’t know him personally. I only know he is from Edo State and I’m also based in Edo, though I hail from Ogun State. But he (Shallipopi) took advantage of my lack of resources to drop his version with the same title. ‘Uwa Lahor’ and ‘Lahor’ mean the same thing in the Benin language.”
When asked if he would be open to collaborating with Shallipopi, Medulababy responded with maturity and optimism.
“Yes, of course. Music creates opportunities for collaboration as long as there’s love and unity between both artists. I’ll gladly work with him if he’s willing.”
