Offica Explained

Offica
Birth Name:Tomas Adedayo Adeyinka[1]
Birth Date:[2]
Birth Place:Lagos, Nigeria
Origin:Drogheda, Ireland
Instrument:Vocals
Years Active:2018–present
Label:Moves Recordings
Current Member Of:A92

Tomas Adedayo Adeyinka (born September 2000), commonly known by his stage name Offica, is an Irish rapper of Nigerian descent. During a youth soccer career between 2016 and 2019, he released his debut single "No Hook" in 2018, going viral following the release of "Naruto Drillings" in 2019 and "Plugged In Freestyle" alongside drill collective A92 in 2020.

Early life

Tomas Adeyinka was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 2000. At the age of six, his family moved to Drogheda, Ireland, where he currently lives. Tomas' sister, Victoria, is a social media personality, and has been accredited by The Irish Times as "the most popular TikTok creator in Ireland".[3] He is a Christian, and is studying global business at Maynooth University.[4]

Prior to his musical career, Tomas played for Drogheda United F.C.'s under-17 team as a midfielder in the 2016–17 season; he appeared in 21 games. He joined its under-19 team in March 2018; by 2019, he played as a substitute,[5] having appeared in 11 games (as well as one game for Drogheda United in the 2018–19 Leinster Senior Cup[6]) in the 2018–19 season.

Career

Offica released his debut single "No Hook" in late 2018, at the age of 18; the single gained over 100,000 views on YouTube. In an interview with Hot Press, he stated that

In 2019, he released his breakout single "Naruto Drillings",[7] later releasing a remix with British YouTuber KSI, which gained 900,000 views the day after its release on YouTube.[8] He later released "Skiddibop", featuring Fizzler, a British rapper, in November.

Offica released three singles, "Face Reveal", "Where's The Motive?" with Blanco and Reggie, and "Opor", in 2020. He was also featured on "Movie" by Evans Junior, which was released the same year.[9] Regarding "Opor", Ben Beaumont-Thomas, music editor for The Guardian, said in 2021:

In mid-2020, the drill collective A92, based around Offica's hometown of Drogheda, was formed, with Offica joining following its formation; its debut single, "A9 Link Up", was released in September.[10] The group would later rise to popularity following the release of its "Plugged In Freestyle".

In January 2021, Offica released "TAKE IT (YUCK)", later starring on Versatile's "Babyproof", which was released in March. In April, Offica announced that he would be going on tour in Ireland and the UK; he also announced that he would be releasing an untitled mixtape.[11] In May, Offica released "Obito";[12] its music video gained over 320,000 views in the three days after its release on YouTube.[13]

Discography

Singles

As lead artist

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:5em;"
YearPeak chart positions
IRE
[14]
UK
[15]
"No Hook" 2018
"Afrodrip"[16] 2019
"Naruto Drillings"
"Snakes and Scorpions"[17]
"Skiddibop"
[18]
"Face Reveal"[19] 2020
"Where's the Motive?"
[20]
"Opor"[21]
"Mad About Bars"[22]
"Fire in the Booth"[23]
"Plugged In Freestyle"
<
-- the charted one was credited Fumez the Engineer, A92, Offica -->
"TAKE IT (YUCK)"
[24]
2021
"OBITO"
"Blue Bird"[25]
"D-Town Baby"
(with Dbo, Ksav, BT and Nikz)[26]
"Sharingan"[27] 2022
"Plugged In"
[28]
"Kolomental"
[29]
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.

As featured artist

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:5em;align:center;"
YearPeak chart positions
IRE
"Movie"
(Evans Junior featuring Offica)
2020
"Babyproof"
(Versatile featuring Offica)[30]
2021
"Plugged In"
(as member of A92; Fumez the Engineer featuring Suspect, PR SAD, DoRoad, R6, A92, Pete & Bas, Kwengface and PS Hitsquad)[31]
"Oggy"
(Sello featuring Offica)[32]
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.

Guest appearances

Title! scope="col" style="width:1em;"
YearOther artist(s)Album
"Dumb Flex (Remix)"2021Miss LaFamilia, Ivorian Doll, Poundz, Dbo

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Filomena. Kaguako. Zainab. Boladale. 5 July 2020. Faces of the future: Some of the rising stars of Ireland's black community. The Irish Times. 8 May 2021.
  2. Web site: Tom Adeyinka. extratime.com. 10 May 2021.
  3. Web site: The Irish teenager with more TikTok followers than Miley Cyrus and Ellen DeGeneres. Amy. O'Connor. The Irish Times. 25 October 2020. 10 May 2021.
  4. Web site: Lucy. O'Toole. Interview: Offica and A92 On Drill & Drogheda. 2 February 2021. Hot Press. 8 May 2021.
  5. Web site: Dundalk stunned by Drogs. 24 August 2019. Drogheda Independent. 10 May 2021. On 80 minutes substitute Tom Adeyinka finished the ball to the net from close range after Clarke produced a brilliant cross from the left..
  6. Web site: Live Updates – 2019 Leinster Senior Cup Fourth Round – Sheriff YC -v- Drogheda United. extratime.com. 11 May 2021.
  7. Web site: Naimah. Archibald-Powell. 18 May 2019. Offica drops "Naruto Drillings". grmdaily.com. 8 May 2021.
  8. Web site: Lucy. O'Toole. 22 July 2019. Drogheda drill artist Offica shares video for 'Naruto Drillings' Remix featuring YouTube sensation KSI. hotpress.com. 8 May 2021.
  9. Web site: Evans Junior and Offica Unveil 'Movie'. imro.ie. 18 November 2020. Irish Music Rights Organisation. 23 May 2021.
  10. Web site: Offica's A92 Make Their Collective Debut with A9 Link Up. 18 September 2020. imro.ie. Irish Music Rights Organisation. 10 May 2021.
  11. Web site: Dylan. Murphy. 21 April 2021. Offica announces mixtape and UK & Ireland tour. District Magazine. 8 May 2021.
  12. Web site: The Return of the Mask, Mr.O aka Offica Shares New Single 'OBITO'. Lorraine. Boshell. 18 May 2021. imro.ie. Irish Music Rights Organisation. 23 May 2021.
  13. Web site: Offica clocks up over 300,000 views on 'Obito' video in three days. Hot Press. 18 May 2021. 23 May 2021.
  14. Web site: Discography Offica. irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. 8 May 2021.
  15. Peaks in the UK:
  16. Web site: Offica – Interview. Cailean. Coffey. 17 May 2020. GoldenPlec. 9 May 2021.
  17. Web site: Offica embraces three nationalities on one Drill Track. Edward. Burrell. 16 October 2019. finesseforeva.com. 28 July 2021.
  18. Web site: Lucy. O'Toole. 22 November 2019. Irish drill prodigy Offica teams up with Fizzler for new single 'SkiddiBop'. Hot Press. 8 May 2021.
  19. Web site: Lucy. O'Toole. 8 May 2020. PREMIERE: Irish drill prodigy Offica shares new single 'Face Reveal'. Hot Press. 8 May 2021.
  20. Web site: Offica Joined by Drill Royalty and Founder of Harlem Spartans Blanco on New Single. imro.ie. Irish Music Rights Organisation. 24 July 2020. 10 May 2021.
  21. Web site: 21 August 2020. LISTEN: Offica returns with new single 'Opor'. Hot Press. 8 May 2021.
  22. Web site: Offica steps up to offer a new 'Mad About Bars' Freestyle. Ore. Bolarin. 18 October 2020. grmdaily.com. 7 October 2021.
  23. Web site: 22 October 2020. Offica Joins Charlie Sloth For 'Fire in the Booth' Session. Courtney. W. grmdaily.com. 21 July 2021.
  24. Web site: 18 January 2021. Offica Kick Starts the New Year with Single 'Take It (Yuck)'. imro.ie. Irish Music Rights Organisation. 8 May 2021.
  25. Web site: Premiere: Offica drops off bold visuals for "Blue Bird". Naimah. Archibald-Powell. 26 September 2021. grmdaily.com. 29 September 2021.
  26. Web site: Premiere: Offica & A92 Deliver More Lively Drill Vibes On 'D-Town Baby'. 2 December 2021. grmdaily.com. 16 February 2022.
  27. Web site: Premiere: Offica Unleashes Jumpy Naruto-Inspired Drop 'Sharingan'. Courtney. W. 17 February 2022. grmdaily.com. 23 February 2022.
  28. Web site: Offica Reps Ireland On New 'Plugged In' Session With Fumez The Engineer. Naimah. Archibald-Powell. 2 June 2022. grmdaily.com. 4 June 2022.
  29. Web site: Premiere: Offica Switches It Up On Upbeat Track 'Kolomental' With Dbo & Darkovibes. Courtney. W. 10 June 2022. grmdaily.com. 10 June 2022.
  30. Web site: Andrew. Lewis. 8 March 2021. Versatile unveils brand new track 'Babyproof' ft. Offica. musiccrowns.org. 9 May 2021.
  31. Web site: Fumez The Engineer Delivers Special 'Plugged In' Season Finale With Kwengface, Pete & Bas, DoRoad & More. Courtney. W. 25 June 2021. grmdaily.com. 27 June 2021.
  32. Web site: Sello & Offica Connect In "Oggy" Visuals. 10 September 2021. grmdaily.com. 7 October 2021.
  33. Web site: WATCH: Drogheda rapper Offica stars in YouTube Originals documentary Terms & Conditions: Deeper Than Drill. 5 May 2022. Hot Press. 18 May 2022.
  34. Web site: Tolü Makay, Offica and more honoured at inaugural Black & Irish Awards. Chelsea. Henderson. 6 December 2021. Hot Press. 16 February 2022.