Akiode Blessing Mariam, also known as Candy Bleakz is the foremost female rapper in the Nigerian Music scene. Known for her unrehearsed and passionate flow in Pidgin and Yoruba, her androgynous style, and unique personality. Bleakz has been fondly referred to by a string of monikers such as “Ladies' Dragon”, “Dragon Queen” due to influences drawn from Korean cinema and music, and “Queen of the Streets” as Nigeria’s leading female street pop artist.
She gained her popularity as the only female emcee in the indigenous hip-hop group Street Billionaires followed by a solo career which began with the 2019 hit, “Owo Osu”. In 2020, Candy Bleakz signed under the Chocolate City/Warner Music imprint. Her first single, "Tikuku", set the pace for a successful career to come. In 2023, she followed up with “Wale” and its subsequent remix starring Simi off 2024’s Better Days EP.
With fiery braggadocio, Candy Bleakz has labeled her genre of music “Afrostreet”.