People’s Accolades Influenced My EP, The Best – Toby Shang

Tobi Michael Adeyeye popularly known as Toby Shang (born 6 February 1994) is a Nigerian hype man, events compere, video jockey and Afro-hype artiste.

He is regarded as one of the most influential evangelists and forerunners of Afro-Hype, a Nigerian genre of music produced by hypemen. 

After pioneering the now-defunct Surulere-based boy band, BT SQUAD, he fell in love with music at a young age. He grew into a versatile entertainer with an electrifying stage appearance. 

Many have been wondering why Toby decided to title his body of work “THE BEST”. While some say it could be an over-inflated ego, Toby Shang has clarified that he is best known as “THE BEST” by his Shangstar fans.

Having worked and collaborated with a couple of new generation Afrobeats acts such as Naira Marley, Nektunes, Crayon and Laycon, he has described his sound as a blend of Afrobeat/Afro-fusion with a dynamic, exciting, and stimulating tone known as hype. 

He has built overwhelming anticipation and has the biggest run ever by a hype man with the topmost popular trending sounds on TikTok, a globally recognised single “Run This Town”.

He also has multiple features from various Afrobeats artistes including Naira Marley, Mavins’ Crayon, Big Brother Naija winner Laycon and many more.

The Award-winning and eccentric hype man, Toby Shang releases his highly anticipated second extended playlist, “The Best” via his entertainment outlet Shang Dynasty and  Azuri distro Nigeria. 

The Best EP represents an advancement in Afrohype, a genre popularised by hype men that blends Afrobeat/Afrofusion with a dynamic, engaging, and stimulating tone known as “Hype.” 

This EP comes after Toby’s first EP, Believe the Hype published in 2021, was a commercial success. The EP, which is now available on all digital streaming platforms, features Naira Marley, Poco Lee, and Rexxie. 

The Best, the opening track and title of the EP, provides a brief overview of how hype men had been dismissed as nothing more than noisemakers, and that no one, not even Toby Shang, would ever be successful in the industry. 

Toby Shang, however, continues to emphasize his accomplishment as a hype man and how he is The Best to Ever Do It, irrespective of those who came before him or those who will come after.