Rising Afrobeats star Shoday has opened up about the gritty early days of his career, admitting he once borrowed iPhones from friends involved in fraud just to shoot quality content that could help him break through on social media.
The 26-year-old singer, born Shodade Solomon Segun, shared the story during an appearance on the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast presented by OkayAfrica and hosted by Joey Akan. The revelation, reported on July 31, 2026, paints a vivid picture of the extreme hustle many young Nigerian creatives endure before tasting success.
Shoday explained that at the time, using an Android phone simply could not deliver the polished videos needed to stand out.
“As at that time, there were a couple of my friends that were into fraud. So, they had iPhones. If you’re doing skits or content at that time and you’re not using an iPhone, you’re using Android, there’s a way Android used to lag behind when you’re editing. The video won’t come out nice,” he said.
He understood the power of algorithms early.
“From the onset, I kind of understood the algorithm. A quality video can easily fly more than just making a random video and expecting it to blow.”
Borrowing the phones became a regular routine.
“Most times, I would go to their place and borrow their phone. It got to one point that I wasn’t comfortable with it again. I needed to get my own phone.”
Determined to stop relying on others, Shoday threw himself into dual hustles. In the afternoons he sold noodles from a truck with about ten other people. They were dropped on different streets and tasked with convincing passers-by to buy.
“You’ll now be convincing people to buy it. The noodles might not even be sweet to you, but you’ll convince them to buy it. It’s not Indomie; it’s noodles. You know Nigerians, every noodle is Indomie,” he recalled with a mix of humour and honesty.
At night he performed comedy to earn extra money. The combined grind eventually allowed him to buy his own device and keep creating content without depending on anyone else.
Today Shoday is celebrated for hits such as “Casablanca” and the collaborative track “Hey Jago” with Poco Lee and Rahman Jago. The songs have racked up millions of streams and views, turning the once-struggling content creator into a recognised voice in Afrobeats. Hailing from Ogun State and raised in Lagos, he has steadily built a dedicated following through sharp melodies and consistent output.
His story stands as a raw reminder of the unconventional paths many Nigerian artists take. From borrowing phones linked to questionable sources to selling noodles on the streets and cracking jokes at night, Shoday’s journey shows how far determination and smart content strategy can carry a dreamer.