Nigerian rapper YCee has clarified his stance on the now-viral phrase “Olodo Uprising,” stating that he has no intention of trademarking, commercializing, or profiting from the expression.
The rapper addressed the issue after the phrase gained widespread attention in Nigeria’s entertainment space, with many social media users directly associating it with him.
“Olodo Uprising” became one of the country’s most-discussed catchphrases after YCee used it to criticize what he described as the growing celebration of anti-intellectualism in popular culture.
His comments, which referenced content creator Peller, sparked intense debate online and quickly propelled the phrase into mainstream conversations.
As its popularity continued to grow, some social media users speculated that the rapper could eventually trademark the expression, release a song inspired by it or launch branded merchandise.
YCee, however, has dismissed all such suggestions.
In a post on X, he explained that although many people now associate the phrase with him, he was not the person who created it.
According to the rapper, the expression had already been circulating on the platform long before he used it.
He wrote:
“Also, I didn’t coin the phrase ‘olodo uprising’; it’s been circulating on Twitter since last year.
“No, I’m not going to ‘trademark’ the phrase.
“No, I’m not going to ‘make a song’ about the phrase.
“No, I will not be making ‘merch’ centered around the phrase.”
His clarification appears to be aimed at setting the record straight, as the phrase continues to dominate conversations on Nigerian social media.
While YCee may not have coined the expression, many users credit him with bringing it into the spotlight after his comments sparked a broader conversation about education, intelligence, and the types of content that gain popularity online.
The debate has since extended beyond entertainment, with supporters and critics offering different interpretations of what the phrase represents and whether it fairly reflects the current state of social media culture.
For YCee, however, the message is simple. Despite helping popularise “Olodo Uprising,” he has no plans to turn the viral phrase into a business venture.
Instead, the rapper says he is content to let the conversation evolve naturally, without claiming ownership of an expression that, according to him, was already part of X’s online vocabulary long before it became a trending topic.
