For Mavo and the small, tight-knit team that believed in him before the rest of the world caught on, the now infamous lyric “Hot boxing in the back of the Escaladizzy” became the seed of something none of them could have fully anticipated.

One year ago, “Escaladizzy” dropped on the Nigerian music scene as the work of a young underground artist still finding his footing in an industry that rarely makes room for the unconventional. Within weeks, the track had built up the kind of organic, word-of-mouth traction that labels spend millions trying to manufacture. It took up space inside people’s minds, radio couldn’t get enough, and every few scrolls on social media landed you on the song. However, underneath the streams, features (on the remix starring Ayra Starr, Shallipopi, and Zlatan), and the sudden industry attention something more interesting was brewing. A group of young people who had bet on one person's vision were. 

To celebrate the anniversary of “Escaladizzy”, Deeds Magazine went back to the beginning with Mavo and his team to discuss their most defining moments from that era.

Mavo, Artist

The live performances were probably the most defining moments of that era for me because that's when the scale of it really became impossible to ignore. Seeing crowds know every word, seeing people connect with a song that started from such a specific lived experience was surreal. 

A lot of fans still assume we were signed at the time or had major industry backing behind us, but the reality was very different. Most of what people saw was built on genuine belief, favours, relationships, and a group of people who loved the record enough to contribute their time and talent. We invested a lot of our own personal resources into pushing the project because we believed in it.

Jaye, Marketing, KRL

After the song went viral on tiktok, we’d wake up everyday and see more people had made videos to the song. At the Even in the Day performance, it was great to see how all of the online buzz translated into real life. It was at that point I realised this won’t be just a viral song, it’ll forever be part of culture.

Beverly, Manager & Head of Operations, Kilogbede Records

A lot of people saw the success, the streams, the videos, and the excitement online, but behind the scenes we were still figuring things out in real time. We didn’t have a huge budget. We didn’t have a major label backing us. We didn’t have a machine behind us pushing the record. What we had was a team that believed in Mavo and was willing to do whatever it took to make things happen.

There were days when we were contributing our own money to fund parts of the campaign, trying to balance opportunities with limited resources, and making major decisions while Mavo was still in school. At the same time, the song was growing every day, and the pressure to keep up with that momentum was intense. What stands out to me most is how everyone came together. Nobody waited for someone else to solve the problems. Everybody stepped up. Everybody sacrificed. Everybody believed. That’s what fans probably didn’t get to see.

Looking back now, “Escaladizzy” was more than a hit record. It was a defining moment for the entire team. It tested our belief, our patience, and our ability to adapt under pressure. The song changed Mavo’s career, but it also shaped the people around him and strengthened the foundation we’ve continued to build on ever since. That’s the moment I remember most—not the success itself, but the realization that we were witnessing the beginning of something much bigger than a song.

Tobi Tej, Creative Director & Business Strategist KRL

The element that I’d say that defined the era was marketing. It was the perfect combination of God’s grace, good product, and a good team. Also having a good catalogue was helpful because everything that happened with pushing “Escaladizzy” spilled over to the entire discography. We were so deliberate with how we amplified the momentum. From figuring out the right situation to release the record, to shooting the music video, to doubling down on content to amplify the record & reintroduce fan favorite songs, to the shows (we were making content EVERYDAY! ), to the old Mavo fans schooling the new fans, we put out a dictionary bro lol. I remember getting so many placements on TV & radio with one call, not just because I had the relationships but because it was a great product. We literally strategised and worked every single day since the first snippet spiked on TikTok. It was a great time. It was something fresh the music scene needed. And a lot of gatekeepers didn’t know what to do about it lol. 

Smoke, Videographer & Creative Director

Behind the scenes, it was far from glamorous. A lot of those days were built on long nights, rushed edits, travel stress and figuring things out in real time with a small team. We were shooting content on the move, editing in cars and hotel rooms while trying to keep the energy high even when we were exhausted. There was a little uncertainty, but also a strong belief that the song had something special.

Photo credit : KRL