Zlatan Ibile Reveals He Once Drove Taxi at Night to Survive Despite Winning Airtel Talent Show

|By Queen Banigo

Nigerian rapper Temidayo Omoniyi, better known as Zlatan Ibile, has disclosed how he once resorted to commercial driving at night to fund his education and feeding, despite being a talent show winner.

Speaking in an interview with streamer Shank Comics, the Zanku Records founder recalled his financially difficult days as a student at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Zlatan said he won the Airtel One Mic Talent show in 2014 at age 19 but still struggled to survive.

He recounted using the car he won from the competition to operate a cab service from Abeokuta to Shagamu at night for ₦350 per trip just to afford food and continue schooling.

His major breakthrough came three years later in 2017 when he featured indigenous rap superstar Olamide on his hit single ‘My Body’. Zlatan has repeatedly credited the collaboration as the turning point of his career, describing Olamide’s verse as “life-changing.”