From writing some of the complex songs in contemporary Afrobeats mainstream –within four years of his career, Godwin Emmanuel Ifeanyi also known as ShugaVybz has written for the likes of the two-time Grammy Award-winning composer — Wouter Kellerman. He has also written for Iyanya, Diamond Platinumz, GodBoy, and Davido, whom he helped in crafting his recent Grammy-nominated album ‘Timeless’. 

Born and raised alongside his five siblings in Lagos, Nigeria, ShugaVybz’s interest in music was nurtured by his environment, “My parents and the kind of music my dad listened to when I was younger. I was really close to him, so I heard a lot of rhythmic music,” he adds saying, “Fela Kuti, Sir Paulson Kalu, Osita Osadebe, Lawrence Obusi and the best of the 80s and 90s.” After graduating from the Federal Polytechnic Nekede in Imo State, Nigeria, ShugaVybz, knew it wasn’t going to be all rosy to get a proper job, though his parents wanted him to be a medical doctor. “I always had music in me, but music production came to me through boredom”.

“My journey to stardom hadn’t always involved smooth sailing,” he mentioned. Before his emergence on the Afrobeats scene, he shared that his initial stage name was “Cheeseberry” before transitioning to ShugaVybz when he started working with GodBoy Empire. “I have been in music since 17 years.”

The young Nigerian songwriter, and producer, who’s also a singer has been making a name for himself in the music industry. When talking about newer generation Afrobeats hitmakers, be it music producers and songwriters, ShugaVybz should be one of those who’ve made a drastic shift in the culture. The Nigerian music producer has ranked No. 34 on TurnTable’s Nigerian Official Producer Top 100 chart, with a total of 39.48 pts (points) from his work on Iyanya’s EP ‘The 6th Wave’.

ShugaVybz is best known for producing Majeeed’s hit single “Yawa No Dey End” in 2022. While speaking with TurnTable Charts, he said, “There’s usually no telling where “One Side” by Iyanya would have taken my sound to.”

 “One Side” peaked on the Official Nigeria Top 100 charts at No. 77 on TurnTable Charts, and debuted at No. 16 on the U.K. Afrobeats chart. ShugaVybz co-wrote the international hit song “Away” which peaked on the U.S. Afrobeats chart. 

Now eyeing the foreign market, ShugaVybz fuses African elements from the 80s and Afropop to make up his sound. With his expanding client base increasing daily, he has a working method that puts his work at ease, “I don’t believe production or songwriting has a method to follow, as for me, I just work with the flow.”