Inetimi Alfred Odom, better known by his stage name Timaya, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He is from Odi, Bayelsa state, Nigeria.

Timaya is known for combining Nigerian pop with elements of dancehall, hip-hop, and soca, as well as Afro-Caribbean/Dancehall music.

Early Life

Inetimi Alfred Odom was born on 15 August 1980 in Port Harcourt City, Rivers State, Nigeria. He grew up as the youngest of fifteen children in a large family. His father worked as a banker, while his mother was a trader. For his early education, Timaya attended Assemblies of God Nursery and Primary School.

His secondary education began at Nkpolu Oroworukwo in Port Harcourt, where he often broke house rules to attend late-night music events. After relocating to Lagos, arranged by his mother, he enrolled at Ikeja Grammar School and eventually obtained his secondary school certificate there.

Timaya later returned to Port Harcourt to study banking and finance; however, he performed poorly in examinations and dropped out after the first semester. He then moved back to Lagos to join Eedris Abdulkareem's hip-hop group as a backup vocalist.

After three years with Eedris, Timaya left the group to focus on his solo career. He began recording collaborations with fellow up-and-coming artists and made his first cameo appearance in an unreleased music video by UDX, a Lagos-based rap group.

Subsequently, he met producer Obaksolo in Mafoluku, Oshodi, who produced his first major hit record, "Dem Mama," after hearing him perform the a cappella version. He also collaborated with Namse Udosen (Menthol X) on the track "Pomporo" on his debut album, True Story.