Rotimi, the Nigerian-American actor known for his roles in US TV dramas Boss and Power, has also made a name for himself in the music industry. With a string of hits to his name, music is his first love, alongside his lady, of course.
His latest release is a catchy Afrobeats track titled Sade, featuring Nigerian artist Mayorkun and South African rapper Nasty C. Rotimi shared, “Me, I’m proper African American and so I wanted to bring the Afrobeats vibes, the R’n’B vibes, the Amapiano vibe all in one record, it was just me, who I am. These guys just helped complement it beautifully.”
Embracing his mixed identity, Rotimi revealed that it was when he found comfort in who he is that he was able to create great music. He explained, “I’m half Igbo, half Yoruba, and also being light skinned it was tough growing up, even coming back [to Nigeria] because they called me white man… Once I lived in that space, that’s where the records came, that’s where the In My Bed came, that’s where Love Riddim came, and all these big records.”
Acting initially served as a way to fund his music career. Rotimi’s manager noticed his natural presence on camera during video shoots and suggested he explore acting. Despite this detour, music has always been his primary passion.
Balancing his time between music and acting, Rotimi has had to work quickly in the studio to meet the demands of a long-running TV show. He shared, “I would go to set and they’d be like ‘your call time is 6 am’, and I’d be finished at 11 pm at night, and the label’s like ‘listen bro’ you have two hours to give us something’. In those two hours I would make a hit like In My Bed, records that happen to be platinum records now.”
Recently, Rotimi has had to juggle his music career with his personal life, which includes his partner Vanessa Mdee, a Tanzanian singer-songwriter, and their two children. The couple met at the Essence festival and instantly knew they had found something special.
Sharing their lives on social media, Rotimi and Vanessa Mdee aim to be role models for others in the industry. They believe in showcasing black love and family while still being stylish and successful.
Rotimi’s sense of responsibility extends to his music career as well. He aspires to represent Africa globally, with tours in the Caribbean, concerts in Amsterdam, and one of the biggest records in Nigeria. He emphasized the importance of saying no, staying true to himself, and striving for continuous improvement.
