Stephen Ojo
Lagos
“The Man Behind The Blue Paint”
Nigerian-American artist Papi Ojo was born in Lagos, Nigeria. At the age of 11, Papi Ojo moved to America with his family in hopes of a more sustainable way of life. Although far from home, Papi found his calling for music and dance inspired by his West-African heritage and culture.
In 2014, Papi Ojo, alongside his older brother, Sedo Ojo and dance mate, Caleb Bonney, created the diverse and energetic dance group AVO Boys (Africas Very Own). Through their electric and energetic performances around New York City, AVO was able to expose and uplift African culture at a time and in places where it had never been.
As Papi Ojo perfected his God-given gift of choreography and dancing, major doors of opportunity began to open. Papi danced alongside some of this generation's most notable R&B and Afrobeats artists, including Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Teyana Taylor, Wizkid, Davido and more. Papi has also appeared in campaigns with Nike and Adidas, and as an extra on Ava DuVernay’s award-winning series, When They See Us.
One of Papi’s most notable performances was as “The Blue Man”, dancing alongside Beyonce in her critically acclaimed film “Black Is King”. His choreographic brilliance is spotlighted in music videos for Beyonce’s “Spirit” and “Already”. Since the premiere of Black Is King, Papi has earned global recognition and a profile in TIME magazine.
In 2019, Papi Ojo expanded his creative capabilities and published his debut single Awelewa, followed by Carry Go. To further show the world how serious his musical pursuits were, Papi released a 5 track EP titled “Unexpected” in 2021 featuring Hip Hop’s very own, Lil Mama.
Papi Ojo has received nominations for AEA’s Upcoming Afro beats Artist of the Year and Dancer of the Year 2023 and received TheComeUp Afrobeats Artist of the Year award.
Papi Ojo has also taken his talents to the big screen, Guest Starring in Law & Order SVU and Law & Order Organized Crimes.
Papi Ojo currently resides in Nigeria where he aims to reconnect with his roots and take his craft to new heights. He is currently working on a new EP and plans on taking the charts and airways by storm in 2024.
Read his recent profiles in Time Magazine, BuzzFeed, Okay Africa and Ebony.