Sulaimon Shekoni Solomon, professionally known as Khaid, is a Nigerian singer and rapper who grew up with a tailor father and a teacher mother.
He stated that he was raised in a family of ten, which included his parents, eight siblings, and himself. He also revealed that when he got his big break with Sydney Talker, he was still working as a hustler mechanic.
He went on to say that he didn’t finish his education after high school because he was terrified of taking the JAMB and didn’t want to go to university.
Khaid did mention that he worked as a mechanic, painter, and barber after high school.
Khaid said; “I grew up in a family of eight kids. My dad was a tailor and my mum was a teacher as well as a hairstylist. I grew up in the Ojo area of Lagos State. My primary and secondary education was at Ola Greater Tomorrow School, Ojo. I started singing when I was in secondary school after which I dabbled in different street hustles. I was once a mechanic, painter and a barber.
I was influenced to do music from a very young age because my parents were music lovers. My dad loved fuji music and my mum listened to Michael Jackson. From constantly listening to Michael Jackson, I got exposed to more foreign music. That was where my love for trap music grew and I started making trap songs.”
I was still a mechanic then when Sydney Talker sent me a message on Instagram. When I saw that he followed me and ‘liked’ some of my posts, I thought it was a fake account.
So, I did not bother to check it out. When I eventually checked it, I wanted to send him a message to thank him for following me. But I realised he already texted me. We kept talking until one day, I just told him I was in Lagos Island and asked if I could come see him. I went to his house and I came up with about six songs. After a freestyle session, I later got signed and we did the paperwork.”
Speaking on his plans to complete his education, Khaid said; “I still have plans to go to university. Immediately after I left secondary school, I did not want to go to university because I was scared of writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. Also, I was a mechanic at the time up until I got signed to a record label.”