Olurotimi Akinosho is also known as singer Rotimi and better known as Dre from the hit show “Power” created by his boss 50Cent.
Rotimi was born in Maplewood, New Jersey, to Nigerian parents– his father an investment banker of Yoruba origin and his mother of Igbo origin,working for the government.He attended Columbia High School, where he was a standout performer on both the basketball team and the choir. He continued his studies at Northwestern University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Business in 2010.
As a contemporary R&B artist, Rotimi released two digital mixtapes promoting his image to the public. His videos have been featured on international and U.S. based entertainment media including MTV, MTV Base, and numerous music stations worldwide which earned him an apperance on stage opening for Jennifer Hudson, T.I., Estelle, and NERD; he also performed on BET’s show 106 and Park and appeared in R&B singer Keyshia Cole’s music video “Trust and Believe” as Cole’s unfaithful boyfriend.
Eventually American rapper and executive producer of Power, 50 Cent started noticing his talent and took him under his wing by signing Rotimi to his label, G-Unit Records.
At his first with acting, Rotimi auditioned and subsequently got his first acting role on a TV show called Boss as drug dealer Darius Morrison. Rotimi also appeared in three episodes of series-Betrayal.
Rotimi made his first big screen appearance in the film Black Nativity in 2013.Following this, he starred in Imperial Dreams at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival , which later won for “Best of NEXT”
Rotimi next appeared in the high grossing film, Divergent in 2014 which first really showcased his talent as a seasoned actor.
He was added to the cast of US hit TV series Power as a series regular, in the role of “Dre“, the quick-tempered young apprentice of Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s character.
What more can I say,there is no stopping this young vibrant Naija boy.
