Long before his name appeared on a marquee, Adinu was already shaping the sound of others. Working as a songwriter under the name Thenigpen, he co-wrote Dangerous and Dance for Ayra Starr's 2026 album Starrgirl, adding his pen to records for other notable African acts including RU. It is a quiet kind of influence, the kind that earns credibility before the spotlight ever turns your way.
Now he is ready to stand in it. The Appetizer, a six-track EP released through Madhouse Records, is his formal introduction as a recording artist. The project pulls from personal experience and leans into storytelling, moving through different moods and textures across its runtime. Dear Father opens up something vulnerable and introspective, while My Lane settles into a cooler, more self-assured groove. Bonanza brings the energy up for a celebratory moment, and Is It Over shows a willingness to push past genre expectations.
That range makes sense when you know the man behind the music. Adinu holds a law degree from Lagos State University, and that background in structure and argument seems to inform how he builds a song. There is intention in how these tracks are arranged, a deliberate attention to detail that separates a good record from a forgettable one.
Madhouse Records, the independent label backing him, operates across Nigeria and the United States, which signals that this project is already thinking beyond one market. The Appetizer is out now on all major streaming platforms, and if the pen work is any indication, the full course is worth waiting for.
Originally published by NotJustOk.