Sasha P talks to MSN

For the last decade the talented rapper, Sasha P (Yetunde Alabi) has staked her claim as the most well-known female artist in Nigeria, creating a reputation that has been emulated by many more young ladies.


A rap act with a large street following, Sasha has scored many firsts in her career. During her very early days in the game, she became the feminine of the sometimes-explicit music genre in Nigeria.

Surprisingly she says; she didn’t set out to be a hip-hop act.

“I never really decided to do Hip hop. It all just happened as a natural progression. I’ve always loved the arts and started off writing poetry, growing up on a lot of 90's Hip hop.”

But when the dust finally settled, she began to “express herself,” she says “through rap and when I met the biggest Hip hop group in Nigeria at the time, Trybesmen, I discovered it was rare to see a female in hip hop.”

A fortnight after meeting Eldee’s Trybesmen, she was handed her first recording contract.

“I was given a recording contract within 2 weeks of that meeting. That was 12 years ago and I haven’t looked back since, I love music, I love Hip hop, I followed my passion.”

The winner of several awards, Sasha has remained the most visible Nigerian female rapper for several years but she has occasionally faced stiff opposition from others, who took after her when she started.

More contemporary rap acts like Eva Alordia, Mo Cheddah, and Pryse have themselves, become local rap music poster girls, following the path laid out by Sasha P.

In her early days, Sasha P enjoyed some decent reviews for the works she did. Her debut album, First Lady, released in 2007, and a fitting title title, received mostly positive reviews.

Over the years, she has shared the stage with some of the world’s most iconic female stars including Eve, Rihanna, Dru Hill, Ginuwine, Shakira, P Diddy, Boys II Men, R Kelly and John Legend among others.

Sasha’s music leans towards the more vocally perfect pitches of Lauryn Hill, and also draws on the tight feel of 2 Pac’s bars, as well as other well-known influences.

However, she insists she has a style of her own. An amazing talent, who has also tried her hands at other ventures like fashion; she owns the clothing line Eclectic by Sasha.

In the last few years of her active music life, she’s also taken to community and national service, playing a part in several charity campaigns.

In recent times, she’s also taken to motivational speaking, making paid-for appearances. In one of her regular engagements, she told her audience “when you find your passion, you will dine and wine with kings and queens.

“This is why I have come to speak to you about passion. Outside music, like some of you know, I have passion for clothing and as a motivational speaker. When I was studying law, I had a passion for rap and Eve was the artist that I was imitating then.

“But ten years later,” she said, “I found myself on the same stage, performing with the same Eve. When you believe in yourself, you motivate yourself.”

A career well lived, Sasha will forever be remembered in the history of Nigerian music, as the lady who gave hope to many, not only in music but for pursuing all her passions.

“My music career has been extremely rewarding, it has taken me to unimaginable heights; it has given me a platform to fulfil a lot of my dreams and the desire to do more keeps growing. I teach, I learn, I contribute to my generation.

“My dream was to always have a voice in my generation which is why I studied law and so far God has been good. Being paid to do what I love, it sounds cliché but I’m the happiest girl in the world.”