Zaylevelten has emerged as one of the most prominent voices in Nigerian rap. He was born in Ikorodu, Lagos, and his sound was heavy and experimental, with trap beats and raw Lagos street slang. In under two years, he progressed from under-the-radar tapes to charts, co-signs and international magazine coverage. His fans consider him as a savior. He is a thorn in his side to his critics. In any case nobody is going to be able to stay away from him. This is his full biography, covering his real name, age, state, career, songs, net worth, and family.
Zaylevelten Real Name
The real name of Zaylevelten is Chisom Lucky Okoro. From his 2025 mixtape to his 2026 EP, his songwriting on every streaming platform is known by this name. He runs two identities under one name. He is the rapper and performer as Zaylevelten. As Tenski, he is the producer behind his own beats. The line Tenski, save me has become a tag line on his songs and it has become a chant among his fans. He did not start with this name. His earliest music came out under the alias Aizay. As it was being mispronounced, he changed the name. Almost everyone said Eze instead of I Zay, so he dropped it and kept the Zay. Then he added “Level Ten” another nickname he enjoyed. In his own words, he picked the name because he likes longer names. So when you see Tenski, Aizay, or Zaylevelten on a credit, it is all the same man, Chisom Lucky Okoro.
Age
Zaylevelten was born on the 12th of August, 2002. That means he will be 24 years old in October 2026. He was still listed as 23 on many profiles until August when the time of his birth came. His youth is a big part of his story. As a teenager he began making music in his bedroom using a pop filter made out of a nose mask and a cell phone as his microphone. In his early twenties he had already produced a number of complete projects. He is a definite Gen Z artist in his speech, attire, and art. He was only 23 years old when he was named the leader of a Gen Z Nigerian rap revolution by Dazed magazine in March 2026. Such a weighty name for a young person. He wears it well. His age also explains his connection with his core fans, who are mostly his peers. They come to his shows, sing his ad libs and embrace his slang as a common language. His fan base is extremely loyal, having seen him grow from a youth with big dreams to a now charting artist.
Also Read No11 Biography
State
Zaylevelten’s story carries two states. His family roots are in Ebonyi State, in the South East of Nigeria. Both of his parents come from Ohaozara Local Government Area, and he is proudly Igbo. But he was born in Lagos and raised in Lagos. He grew up in Ikorodu, a busy and vibrant part of Lagos State. In one interview, he said it outright! He stated he has only come to Ebonyi three times in his lifetime and Ikorodu is his home. He is from Ebonyi, but Lagos is his state of origin, his heart and his music. His sound can be heard on both places. His name and cultural upbringing reveal the Igbo side. In his slang, his street references, and even his hustle, the Lagos side is shown. His lyrics are written fluently with the use of Igbo, Yoruba, English and Nigerian Pidgin. That combination is why his music is so unique.
Career
Zaylevelten began his career quietly. He began recording around 2020 and 2021, writing raps whenever he could. His upbringing was strict, so he had limited freedom as a kid, and music became his escape and his outlet.
He attended St. Margaret for primary school, started secondary school at Kith and Kin, a boarding school, and later moved to Tindip, a day school close to home. He also studied at the University of Lagos, and he is now described as a UNILAG alumnus. In 2023, he rebranded from Aizay to Zaylevelten. In July 2024, he released the EP l0cked 1n. He followed it with before 1t g0t crazy in October 2024, then a deluxe edition in November. A separate project under the name Tenski was later taken down because of sample issues.
The real shift came in February 2025. His track watching me started gaining attention, pulling over 10,000 streams in under two weeks. Then Maye went viral a few months later, and the co-signs followed. Davido, Zlatan, and Odumodublvck all showed him love. The NATIVE named him one of its best new artists in May 2025. On October 1, 2025, he released his breakthrough mixtape, then 1t g0t crazy, a 12 track project through Lizzy Records. The tape leaned heavier on Nigerian Pidgin than his earlier work, a deliberate choice to sound more unique. Fans loved it. Then in November 2025, he dropped the expanded version, then 1t g0t crazier, which added Wuse Tu with Mavo, Idansk1 tw0 with Odumodublvck, and other records.
His rise went international in March 2026. Dazed magazine featured him in its Spring 2026 print issue as the face of Nigeria’s Gen Z rap movement. That same year, he stayed busy. He dropped Muzz in February, joined Famous Pluto on Chose Me, released Go Again in June, and hopped on Shoki with Txmmyily. On July 21, 2026, he released his EP B4SAVEME, a bold four track project that served as a prelude to his coming SAVE ME body of work. The EP did serious numbers in Nigeria. It pulled 468,700 streams in its first full day on Spotify Nigeria. The lead single Tease Me debuted at number 5 on the daily chart with 195,000 streams, while the EP climbed to number 2 on Apple Music Nigeria’s top albums chart. By late August 2026, his catalogue had passed 100 million Spotify streams. In October 2026, The FADER named him among ten artists shaping Nigeria’s underground music scene right now. And on October 16, 2026, he appeared on Big Drop with Cruel Santino, a track from Santino’s coming album KOTB, The Bomberman Chronicles. He has also performed on Glitch Sessions, at a Patta SS26 showcase, and on Santi’s Subaruboyz stream.
Zaylevelten Songs
Zaylevelten’s catalogue is short but heavy. His biggest songs include Wuse Tu with Mavo, which has passed 16 million Spotify streams, and Guide Pass, which sits above 10 million. Other popular records include watching me, Maye, Wenski, Gbona, Zanku, Idanski, Yami, Fly, Bali, Pawon, Lowzy, 1sa l0t, and Butti Vybes. He also has SHOW ME LUV with Fimiguerrero, Idansk1 tw0 with Odumodublvck, Muzz, Chose Me with Famous Pluto, Go Again, Shoki with Txmmyily, and the four B4SAVEME tracks, Tease Me, SuperMega, Yeye Talk with Thisizlondon, and Update. His newest single is Lalakula, released on October 1, 2026. And Big Drop with Cruel Santino completes the 2026 list. One thing worth noting about Tease Me is that it samples and flips Wizkid’s classic Tease Me Bad Guys, giving a 2011 hit a darker, modern feel. His overall sound is built on hard trap drums, distorted synths, and off beat vocals. Some fans describe it as opium, a style borrowed from American underground rap and bent into something very Nigerian. Others simply call it Afro fusion.
In either case, he created much of it himself under Tenski and is thus himself the architect and artist of his career. He tells people he does things differently on purpose, in his talking, in his dressing, in his rapping, and in his creation.
Nigerians also search for Kobilou Biography
Zaylevelten Net Worth
The net worth of Zaylevelten is not confirmed. He’s early in his career, and if he were to say that, it would be a wild guess. Public estimates in 2026 range from 50,000 to 200,000 US dollars. That’s from stream royalties, live shows, features, and production. The number of streams on Spotify is over 100 million, and number of monthly listeners on Spotify is hundreds of thousands, and it’s increasing rapidly. He is signed through AntagonistsMusic and Lizzy Records, and he also earns from behind the boards as Tenski. In addition to music, fashion too plays a big part in his world. He has also mentioned that he would like to start his own clothing and accessories business one day.
Family
Zaylevelten grew up in a large household in Ikorodu. He lived with his parents Mr and Mrs Okoro, his four siblings and a few extended family members. He had a family with a lot of people and a lot of chaos and that helped make him a very quiet, introverted person. He has a close relationship with his mother, and he has expressed good affection for her. Being raised in a Christian home and a strict environment pushed him to find freedom through music. Behind him is a circle of his parents and siblings. He is growing a fan base with them and they are keeping him in the limelight.