Patoranking has been recognized as one of the most influential musicians coming from Nigeria and is now on a mission to leave an even greater impact. After his graduation from the prestigious Harvard Business School in June, Patoranking returned to Nigeria for philanthropic work and to further his non-profit: the Patoranking Foundation. This foundation has already helped hundreds of students at Ebonyi State and is on a mission to advance Africa through education and impact one million lives in the next decade.
Patoranking began his mission of giving back in 2020, teaming up with ALU for his first official scholarship which was a huge success and landed him in Forbes 30 under 30! Recently, the foundation collaborated with ALX Africa to grant 40 student applicants all across Africa with full scholarships and paid internship opportunities in tech education. Since the launch he continues expanding the number of students granted scholarships. Patoranking connects directly with his students to check in and support their journey.
The foundation also opened a new football turf for the community in Ebute Metta West in Lagos named Ojo Oniyun Playground. Patoranking has traveled internationally to various universities/summits to speak about the importance of education and spoken with members of UK parliament about his mission. He’s also taken on the role as UNDP Goodwill Ambassador for Africa, working with the United Nations to further innovation, education and opportunities for students and young people across the continent.
Born Patrick Okorie in the Ebute Metta community of Lagos, Nigeria, Patoranking grew up sharing one room with his parents and five siblings. His modest upbringing and close relationship with his family instilled a drive and determination to create a better future, and he soon found his path in music.
After several years of underground recordings, 2014 proved to be Patoranking’s breakout year as he had his first major solo hit with “Girlie O,” which was later remixed with another then-rising star, Tiwa Savage. His coronation as a major new artist on the African music scene would be made official with Best New Act awards at the Headies, Nigeria Entertainment Awards (2014) and at the MTV Africa Awards in 2015. As hits like “Daniella Whine and “My Woman, My Everything” (which won MTV Africa’s Song of the Year award) grew his international profile, Patoranking released his first LP, God Over Everything, in 2016. The album, which featured collaborations with Wizkid, Sarkodie and Elephant Man, among others, debuted at No. 4 on Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart. Also in 2016, Patoranking joined the cast of reality TV series The Voice Nigeria as a judge, bringing him into the homes of millions in West Africa weekly.
In 2017, Patoranking appeared on Major Lazer’s “Particula” from the global music ambassadors’ Know No Better project. He landed another milestone in 2018 when Lauryn Hill tapped him as a special guest on her Miseducation 20th Anniversary tour, bringing Patoranking on stage at major arenas like the Barclays Center across the U.S. In 2019, he released his second album WILMER which also debuted on the Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart. Named after his daughter, who was born during the recording process and appeared on the album’s cover, the project focused on themes like love and family and spawned several hit records including “Confirm” with Davido and “Open Fire” featuring Busiwa.
Through all of his successes, Patoranking has devoted himself to giving back. In 2020, he created the ALU Patoranking Scholarship, offering 10 fully-paid scholarships for promising students from across Africa to attend the prestigious African Leadership University. Forbes Africa included him in its 30 under 30 class for 2020, recognizing him for his efforts in the areas of music and philanthropy. Patoranking released his third album – THREE on Aug 28th, 2020 which spawned his current biggest hit Abule which has over 220 million streams across major streaming platforms. Additionally, Patoranking featured on the new version of Bob Marley’s “One Love” alongside Stephen Marley, Skip Marley and Buju Banton’s Blessed Remix.