The inspiring journey of ‘Daps’, British-Nigerian director

Getting to know Daps: the younger years

“My global experience is essential to my identity”

Oladapo ‘Daps’ Fagbenle, 37, is a truly international citizen. A British-Nigerian, he has lived and worked in many vibrant regions around the world, including: Lagos, Soto Grande, Connecticut, North Carolina, Kentucky, Los Angeles and London. All of which have shaped the person he is today. Indeed, Daps himself credits this multiculturalism, this nomadic existence, as one of the key driving forces behind his success – and a constant source of inspiration.

Dap’s CV is impressive to say the least. He’s worked with the biggest names in the music industry; directed for Channel 4; and is currently developing a 10-part drama series – he cites Tarantino as a major influence – with acclaimed writer Bola Agbaje. It’s a little-known fact, too, that he was once a NCAA basketball player, and both writes and produces music.

But where did it all begin, and how did Daps get to where he is today?

Daps was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and lived there until the age of 3. His memories of his motherland are ‘good food, happy people, great music’ – and he still has many family members living there. Between the ages of 3 and 6, he travelled back and forth with his parents between Lagos and London. From the age of 6 to 17, Daps lived in the UK capital; where he called North West London home, in particular: Grahame Park, one of the UK’s largest and most iconic council estates.

This area proved to be the inspiration for his first ever music video, aged 17: a song he himself had written, called ‘North West’. He made the beat, mixed the beat, and directed the video – talk about multi-tasking – collaborating with brother and founder of Luti Media, Luti Fagbenle.

After college, Daps relocated to New Jersey; and then attended Campbell University in North Carolina to play basketball. But after a string of injuries, he transferred to Ballarmine in Kentucky, where he completed a Master’s degree in Communication.

Daps moved to New York after graduating, and soon found himself working in production, making music videos. It was here he worked alongside Canadian filmmaker Julien Christian Lutz, aka Director X; learning crucial lessons in set control, talent management – and, as he puts it, how to “shoot the hell out of a scene”.

Making waves in the music industry and beyond

To date, Daps has racked up countless professional achievements and accolades – and at astonishing speed. In 2016, he directed the music video ‘Bad and Boujee’ for American hip-hop trio Migos. The song went on to become a US no.1; and the video was nominated for ‘Video of the Year’ at the 2017 BET Awards, and ‘Best Hip-Hop Video’ at MTV VMA. Daps swiftly followed this up with music videos for Stormzy, and another for Migos: directing ‘Big for Your Boots’ and ‘The Revenant’-inspired ‘T-shirt’, amassing a staggering 75 million and 342 million views respectively. If that wasn’t enough, in 2018 Daps directed ‘Walk It Talk It’ ft. Drake, and starring Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Forest Whitaker – which also picked up a nomination for MTV VMA’s ‘Hip-Hop Video of the Year’.

Beyond music, Daps has directed campaigns for a number of big brands, including: Adidas, BMW, Ciroc, and Samsung. And more recently, delivered acclaimed spots for both Google and Nike.

Again, Daps credits his multiculturalism with his meteoric rise. He believes his nomadic upbringing; his immigrant identity; and his intimate knowledge of both Nigerian and English cultures has helped him breakthrough in an entertainment industry dominated by the American perspective. In other words: by being a migrant, Daps has been able to see more, hear more, and understand more – all of which has influenced his work and artistic vision.

A commitment to making a world of difference

“I want to represent Nigerian migrants in a way that makes our legacy shine”

Today, Daps continues to make a world of difference through his work; championing not only fellow Nigerians, but all migrants. And he believes, identity-wise, it is often people of colour – particularly in cities like London – who are importing and exporting culture; influencing and shaping mainstream tastes and trends.

But Daps has also worked with native and Nigerian-based artists, including Patoranking and Davido – and he firmly believes Nigeria is making some of ‘the best music in the world’. He also has ambitions to shoot a movie in Nigeria. Something akin to ‘City of God’: the Portuguese-language cult classic, shot exclusively in Brazil’s favelas. We look forward to seeing it on the big screen one day…

If you’re looking for advice from Daps, he advocates hard work and hustle. For those at the beginning of their professional journeys, he says: “Stand next to people you’re trying to emulate, and learn from them”. So, if that sounds like something you’d be interested in, watch this space.

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