CKay Reveals He Ran Away From Home, Dropped Out of University to Chase Music Dream

Nigerian singer CKay has opened up about the sacrifices he made early in his career, revealing that he defied his parents’ wishes and dropped out of university to pursue music full-time.

Speaking during a recent livestream on Twitch with streamer Caterefe, the Love Nwantiti hitmaker said his parents were strongly against his decision to go into music. As a result, he left home at the age of 19 to follow his passion.

CKay explained that he ran away from Kaduna to Lagos, where he initially stayed with a friend before eventually securing a one-room apartment. He added that he wrote a long message to his mother, which he sent via Blackberry after arriving in Lagos.

According to him, he began working as a music producer in multiple studios to survive, but eventually made the difficult decision to drop out of university at 100 level in order to fully focus on his music career.

The singer, who gained early recognition in 2018 with his breakout track Container, later achieved global success with Love Nwantiti, a song that went on to break multiple streaming records and surpass a billion streams on Spotify.

🧠 Opinion: Behind Success Lies Risk, Pressure, and Uncertainty

CKay’s story is one of those classic examples of “high risk, high reward” in the creative industry.

From the outside, his success looks like a smooth rise to global fame, but his revelations show a much tougher reality — one filled with conflict, uncertainty, and bold decisions that many young people would struggle to make.

Running away from home and dropping out of university are not easy choices, especially in a society where education is often seen as the safest path. But CKay’s experience highlights a truth in the entertainment world: passion sometimes demands sacrifice before it rewards success.

At the same time, his story is not a guaranteed blueprint. For every CKay who makes it globally, there are many others whose risks don’t pay off. That’s why his journey should inspire determination, but also encourage balance and careful planning.

What stands out most is not just his success, but his persistence — working in studios, building connections, and staying consistent long before the world recognized him.

In the end, CKay’s story is less about rebellion and more about conviction. He chose belief over comfort — and for him, it paid off.