Rotimi

Olurotimi Akinosho, better known as Rotimi, is a contemporary R&B artist as well as an actor known for his roles on the Starz shows Boss and Power. He garnered wider attention with his 2019 single “In My Bed” featuring Wale, which hit number 16 on Billboard’s Mainstream R&B chart. Rotimi has also appeared in films like Divergent, Acts of Violence, and Coming 2 America. In 2021, he released his debut full-length, All or Nothing.
Born in 1988, Rotimi grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, the son of Nigerian parents. As a teenager, he excelled at sports, playing varsity basketball. He also developed a passion for performing, singing in the honors choir. After high school, he attended Northwestern University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Communication and minored in Business. In 2011, his career was boosted by a recurring role in the Starz series Boss. After appearances in the films Black Nativity, Imperial Dreams, and Divergent, Rotimi was cast as the character Dre for the second season of another Starz series, Power, produced by 50 Cent. Rotimi had released independent singles — such as “Beautiful Music” and “Forever” — and mixtapes as well, but 50 Cent gave him another boost by offering him a recording contract.
Signed to G Unit, he released 2015′s “Lotto,” a single featuring 50, and Royal Wednesday, a six-track EP of commercial but tough-sounding R&B. 2016 saw the release of the single “Netflix and Chill” and, in 2017, Rotimi delivered the eight-track collection Jeep Music, Vol. 1. The EP Walk with Me arrived in 2019, faring decently on the Independent and Heatseekers charts. He quickly followed it up with another EP, The Beauty of Becoming, capping off a prolific year. Included on the set was the track “In My Bed” featuring Wale, which hit number 16 on Billboard’s Mainstream R&B chart and earned gold certification.
Meanwhile, Rotimi continued to maintain his acting career, appearing in the 2020 film True to the Game 2 with the song “What’s the Cost.” That same year, he issued an acoustic collection titled Unplugged Sessions. In 2021, he appeared alongside Eddie Murphy in the comedy Coming 2 America. He also released his debut album, All or Nothing, which featured guest spots by Yung Bleu, Fireboy DML, Alpha P, and others. ~ Matt Collar & Andy Kellman