 |
Google Knowledge Panel: Own Your Name on Google! |
Lil Trenchy
| Lil Trenchy | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||
| Born | Akande Yusuf Ayinde
April 27, 2007 (age 19)
| ||
| Other names | TrenchyDaGod | TrenchytheGoat | Small Marley |
| Occupations |
| ||
| Years active | 2022–present | ||
| Works |
| ||
| Founded | DGR Music Group | DGR Wiki | DGR Novels |
| Musical career | |||
| Genres |
| ||
| Instruments |
| ||
| Labels |
| ||
| Education |
| ||
| Website | dgrmusicgroup.com | ||
Akande Yusuf Ayinde (born in Isolo, Oshodi, Lagos, Nigeria), known professionally as Lil Trenchy, is a Nigerian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Emerging from the streets of Sango Otta, Lil Trenchy is best known for his emotionally intense lyrics, melodic flows, and storytelling that centers around struggle, betrayal, trauma, and survival. He rose to prominence with songs like "Night Cold","Unwritten Prophecies", "No Love Zone", and "Heartless From Trenches", marking him as one of the most authentic and rising voices in the Nigerian hip hop scene.
Early Life
Lil Trenchy was born and raised in the heart of Isolo, Oshodi, in Lagos State, Nigeria. He later relocated and grew up in Sango Otta, Ogun State, where his experiences in the trenches would become the backbone of his music. Born into a modest family, he grew up surrounded by hardship, violence, and financial instability. These realities shaped his worldview and heavily influenced his songwriting.
Trenchy often cites the emotional pain, hunger, street survival, and the internal war with mental health and nightmares as core elements of his upbringing. He has stated, “Facing hell, fighting demons every night… I can’t sleep. Nightmares in the day. Opps wanna bring me down.”
He attended Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade, where he balanced education with his early pursuit of music.
Career
Beginnings (2019–2022)
Lil Trenchy began his music journey in 2019, freestyling in local settings and recording short verses on his phone. What started as a form of therapy quickly evolved into a passion. His raw talent and emotion-heavy delivery gained him attention among peers and in the local underground scene.
During these early years, he honed his skills in writing, flow, and vocal cadence often inspired by artists like Polo G, Lil Tjay, Juice WRLD, Lil Durk, and King Von.
Breakthrough and Official Debut (2022–Present)
In 2022, while still in high school, Lil Trenchy officially entered the music industry with his first professionally recorded tracks. He signed to DaGod Record, an independent label, and began releasing singles that reflected his life story and inner battles.
Songs such as "Unwritten Prophecies", "Only My Shadow", "I Cry", and "Dead Prayers" garnered buzz for their emotional weight and street realism. These records earned him a growing fanbase and respect in Nigeria’s indie hip-hop scene.
His collaborations with fellow artists such as Xiskid, Ejiez Baby, and Bob Manny added dimension to his catalog and expanded his reach. With each release, Lil Trenchy further established himself as a voice for the misunderstood and broken.
Musical Style and Themes
Lil Trenchy’s music blends melodic rap with drill and trap elements. His lyrical content is deeply personal, often focusing on:
Mental health
Emotional trauma
Street violence
Loyalty and betrayal
Struggles of survival
Love and heartbreak
Faith and hopelessness
He delivers his bars with raw pain, reflecting a soul that has endured darkness. His signature quote
"No Scripture, No Priest, No Preacher can read the pains that grew roots from my hunger and needs" summarizes the depth of his artistry.
Lil Trenchy has said that every song he writes is “a piece of me,” aiming to connect with anyone who has ever felt alone, misunderstood, or broken.
Public Image and Influence
Though early in his mainstream career, Lil Trenchy has cultivated an image of a truth-teller, survivor, and symbol of resilience. He represents not only himself but also "the mug, the struggle, the hustle, and dem trenches."
Through music, Lil Trenchy gives a voice to Nigeria’s street youth and underrepresented youth battling mental and emotional scars. He is considered part of the "Pain Rap" and Melodic Drill wave, a lane made popular by American artists but now grounded in his Nigerian roots.
Discography
Selected Singles
Night Cold
Unwritten Prophecies
Unfinished Story
No Love Zone
Heartless From Trenches (feat. Ejiez Baby)
Only My Shadow (solo & feat. Prince Muller)
Ain’t No Love (feat. Bob Manny)
Before The Silence
My Story
I Cry
The Cursed Manuscript
Dead Prayers
No Way Out
Mental Trench
Endless Games
Unreleased Albums
True 2 Myself
Die A Legend
Veltures Don’t Kry
Sad Games
Da God
Invite Only
4 My Brothers
Gucci Gangs
Grandson
Legend n De Hood
Personal Life
Lil Trenchy comes from a close-knit family. His relatives include Akande Sodiq and Akande Omowumi, known publicly as Miss Capalot. He is also affiliated with Prince Muller and Xiskid, two fellow creatives from his neighborhood.
In interviews and lyrics, Trenchy has remained transparent about his struggles with inner demons, depression, and growing up without privilege. Despite this, his message remains clear:
“You come from the fire you were born to shine.”
Social Media and Streaming Presence
Legacy and Future
Lil Trenchy continues to evolve his sound and voice as he works on multiple unreleased albums, including Die A Legend and Sad Games. With his unmatched authenticity, he stands out as one of Nigeria’s most promising storytellers a bridge between pain and poetry, between the ghetto and greatness.
Lil Trenchy stands as a voice shaped by reality rather than industry fantasy. Emerging from an environment where hardship was ordinary and stability was rare, his artistic identity developed through experience, observation, and emotional survival. His sound reflects the psychology of endurance. Not just music for entertainment, but expression for those who understand struggle as a language.
His artistry is rooted in sincerity. Every record carries fragments of lived moments, internal conflict, ambition, and reflection. Rather than presenting a glamorised version of street life, his work focuses on consequence, growth, and the quiet strength found in self-awareness. This emotional honesty became the foundation of his credibility and the reason his audience resonates beyond surface-level fandom. As his influence expanded, so did his vision. He recognised that the challenges he faced were not unique; countless independent artists operated without structure, transparency, or access. Instead of waiting for change, he built it.
This philosophy gave birth to DGR Music Group, a creative company built on independence, ethical practice, and long-term vision. Designed to operate as both a record label and music distribution platform, DGR Music Group positions itself as a support system for artists navigating an unpredictable industry. Its purpose is not to control creativity but to strengthen it, offering strategic guidance, release management, brand development, and artist empowerment while maintaining ownership integrity.
DGR Music Group operates on the belief that artists deserve knowledge, control, and dignity within the business of music. It transforms raw talent into structured potential, creating pathways for sustainable careers rather than short-lived hype. Expanding beyond sound, the brand introduced a narrative division known as DGR Novels. This literary extension explores the emotional landscapes and storytelling elements that fuel the music, translating them into written form. Through reflective storytelling, semi-fictional narratives, and reality-inspired literature, DGR Novels captures the inner worlds of modern youth, focusing on identity, struggle, ambition, trauma, and transformation. It is where emotion becomes story and story becomes legacy.
Together, Lil Trenchy, DGR Music Group, and DGR Novels represent a unified creative movement. One rooted in authenticity, driven by purpose, and structured for impact. It is not merely a brand. It is a platform for voices forged in adversity and refined by vision.