# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
The Top Indigenous Rappers In The Game Currently | Notjustok

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Top Indigenous Rappers In The Game Currently | Notjustok

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
One of the biggest genres in Nigeria is Hip-hop (or rap music). There is a myriad of rappers in the Nigerian music industry and they are all killing it individually and collectively. There is such a thing known as Nigerian rap where rappers either rap fully in their local dialect or mix their dialect proportionately [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Olamide, Naira Marley & the legitimacy of indigenous rappers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On the need to accept that street-bred artists who rap deserve their props as true lyricists

In January 2015, Reminisce, Olamide and Phyno altered the landscape of Nigerian rap music, and by extension, all of Afropop. The three rappers came together for "Local Rappers", the scorching, classic single which pronounced the beginning of a new regime. "Streets ti takeover, punchline o ja'wo mo (Streets have taken over, punchlines don't cut it anymore)", they aggressively chanted over Tyrone's ominous and gloriously thumping beat.

At the time of this collaboration, all three rappers were already prominent figures in pop culture: Reminisce was gearing up to release his third studio album, 'Baba Hafusa', Olamide was four albums deep with numerous hits, and Phyno had become the new face of indigenous rap from the East. With all these successes, though, critical praise was being hoarded in some quarters, especially amongst those who didn't consider rappers who rap in their native tongues true lyricists. To that effect, "Local Rappers" wasn't just six middle fingers thrown up at naysayers, it was the sounding horn for a siege that has only become stronger over time.

These days, street-bred music is more integral to the lifeblood of Afropop than it has ever been. A significant portion of the artists that operate in this space use rapping as their preferred vocal medium, but they still face the same stigma of not being regarded as rappers in their own right. In the past year, debates on whether Naira Marley should be considered a rapper or not have popped up frequently, with the detracting side claiming he and other similarly styled artists don't make 'real hip-hop'. Without mincing words, this stance is-and has always been-antiquated.

On "360 Poetry", a standout cut off his 2006 mixtape, 'Pentium IX', respected Nigerian lyricist Modenine rapped, "afro hip-hop needs to go to the barber", an unsubtle dig at rappers who were beginning to infuse elements of their local language into their music. For Modenine, making rap music meant "keeping it real" and adhering to the musical blueprints of pioneering hip-hop acts from the late '70s and the '80s. What this idealistic point of view doesn't consider is that, you can't expect someone who was born and raised in Ojuelegba to rap in the same way as another person who lives in Brooklyn.

Currently, rap music is the biggest genre in the world, and while its global listenership is important for this prestigious standing, its global adoption is also a defining factor. As hip-hop culture traversed the world, inspired and talented artists in each country adopted its musical attribute, with many making sure to localise their own music by infusing elements that are distinct to their environment. In fact, this is the foundation of contemporary afropop.

Pioneering afropop acts of the late '90s and early '00s, such as the Trybesmen, Maintain and Plantashun Boiz, were known for dousing their hip-hop/R&B-influenced leanings with distinctly Nigerian qualities, like the stories they told and their liberal use of pidgin. In doing this, they weren't diluting the essence of hip-hop, rather they were creatively evolving those influences to assimilate their peculiarities. While they amplify this ideal much more, indigenous rappers of these days are only working within the same context. These artists are reflecting their societal and linguistic conditions, while also tapping into a myriad of musical influences and setting trends in the process. That's ingenious, if you ask me.

On the other side of this madcap creativity, is the widespread acceptance of these locally-indented and street-bred from of music. Over the last decade, no rapper has held Nigerian pop culture in a chokehold like Olamide; Phyno and Reminisce are still two of the most bankable rappers in Nigeria; with his slew of anthems, Naira Marley dominated music conversations last year; and Illbliss may not be in his phase of consistent hits, but he's made an enduring career off rapping in a mix of English, pidgin and Igbo.

All of these successes isn't really unprecedented, though. In his classic 2007 single, "Ruggedy Baba", Ruggedman points that "the fusion of grammar, your slang and your mother tongue" is a sure way of connecting to listeners in and from your homeland, and it also roots your music as it travels all over the world. Even though he spits most of his lyrics in clear English, the Yoruba folk production and 9ice's phenomenal hook in Yoruba were markers that Ruggedman was somewhat prescient and on-the-money. He wasn't detracting from or predicting doom on English-speaking rappers, but letting his colleagues understand the legitimacy of those who choose not to rap in English or adhere to old rules.

Following the stunning run and nationwide success of the late great Dagrin, you'd expect for there to be a permanent change. Instead, indigenous rappers still have to contend with the same thumbed nose treatment from a self-appointed cognoscenti. The amusing part about this view, is that you can find older precedents for even the most eccentric personalities in this sect: Mr Real is more or less mid '00s Soulja Boy, who grew up in Agege, and you can trace the rambunctious yelps of Slimcase all the way back to Public Enemy's Flava Flav.

In more ways than one, the growth of street-bred rap mirrors the growth of hip-hop in general. As it's become more global, rap music has evolved into a multiplex of styles, and the genre has only grown bigger from accepting the legitimacy of these formerly unorthodox and more melodic deliveries. In the U.S, trap music and its variety of adjacent stylings have pushed past the backlash of boom-bap purists to become pop music norm, the Chicago-popularised drill music now has strong footholds in the U.K and amongst a sect of Latinx rappers, while Latin Trap and French rap music are making global superstars of their foremost purveyors.

Can't wait until the day that people realize the biggest artist in the world being a rapper is a huge win for the culture.

- 🎹 (@Dr_Sweets23) April 6, 2020

Drake once rapped, "I've got the billboard melodies, rap is just something I do on the side", a conceited smirk at the criticisms he's drawn from those who don't fully regard him as a rapper, when he embodies the boundless scope of what it means to be a rapper in the 21st century. In the same vein, you can mention inventive and influential iconoclasts like Future, Young Thug and Playboi Carti, all of whom have constantly flouted the idea of what old hip-hop heads deem to be rap music.

In the Nigerian context, Olamide, Naira Marley and their colleagues who adopt the same ideal are not only making boundless rap music, they're also setting the blueprint for tomorrow. From this perspective, it's easy to realise that not giving indigenous rappers their due has its drawbacks for Nigerian hip-hop as a whole.

These days, there's a certain narrative making the rounds about how rap music in Nigeria struggles, however, if you look at Nigerian hip-hop and sum up its parts, you'll realise that rap music in general is thriving. The same rap scene that is often condescending to its increasingly successful, indigenous counterparts could do with some integration to catalyse its growth.

The result of this is interactive co-existence, where both sects respect, mingle, support and collaborate in formal and informal settings. In addition, rappers will be mindful of their own artistic sensibilities, the same way mainstream afropop and street-hop artists are, such that there's an avenue to tap into each other's fan base and build real value, rather than pointlessly debating who or what is real rap.
Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Olamide, Naira Marley & the legitimacy of indigenous rappers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On the need to accept that street-bred artists who rap deserve their props as true lyricists In January 2015, Reminisce, Olamide and Phyno altered the landscape of Nigerian rap music, and by extension, all of Afropop. The three rappers came together for "Local Rappers", the scorching, classic single which pronounced the beginning of a new regime.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
The Evolution of Indigenous Rap In Nigeria

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Evolution of Indigenous Rap In Nigeria

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hip hop arrived in Nigeria in the ’80s and has since undergone an expansive rise from more commercial-friendly sounds to lyrical chops delivered predominantly in native languages. We chronicle the rise of hip-hop in Nigeria and examine the importance of indigenous rap as a means of expression in mar…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Guy
Registered to vote | Incredible Music | @thisistasck | @vault_hill

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
MI Abaga, Falz join Binance NFT 100 Creators programme

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
MI Abaga, Falz join Binance NFT 100 Creators programme

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
African musicians including Nigerian rappers MI Abaga and Falz as well as cultural institutions such as the Uganda Museum have been named as part of Binance NFT’s inaugural 100 Creators programme ahead of its launch on 24 June.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Why are NFTs a big deal for Nigerian artists

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why are NFTs a big deal for Nigerian artists

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The use, utility, and acceptance of crypto-assets and their derivatives have resulted in many innovations using blockchain technology around the

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Does Drill Music have a place in Nigeria?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Does Drill Music have a place in Nigeria?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In the 2010s when the Altè guys DRB Lasgidi, Santi, Odunsi The Engine and Co came into the mainstream, the new sound and culture they heralded received a few backlash and criticisms

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
The Uprising of the Drill Music Sub Genre in Nigeria - Radr Africa

# data[].attributes.body
How it was created

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Nigerian rappers are carving a niche for the drill music subgenre

Members of a rap crew during a drill music video

If there is one aspect of the African culture that does not fail to muster recognition from the global community, it would be the music. For decades now, music from Nigeria has undergone some metamorphosis while maintaining and sharing stories from the core of the African voice, and drill music is yet another medium to tell these stories.

Notably, Nigerian musicians have been on the frontlines of the major exporters of music and culture. Through exemplary collaborations, Nigerian artists have been able to create a growing fusion of newly recognized genres to the concept of storytelling. One of the notable sub-genres cracking it in the Nigerian music scene in our current digital era is "Drill music".

Drill music, a sub-genre of trap music that originated in Chicago's Southside in early 2010, is a music category characterized by dark, violent, and cynical lyrical content, embedded in ominous trap-influenced beats. Artists (usually called drillers) who make the kind of music in this category often belong to street gangs or are influenced by the socioeconomically-deprived neighborhoods where they live in and bank on crime as a way of life for many.

The sub-genre which quickly spread its tentacles to the UK underground music scene also carried over to Brooklyn, New York, and introduced influential rappers such as the late Pop Smoke Chief Keef and Sheff G.

Unlike trap music which involves a lot of autotune, the Drill genre avoids auto-tune and leans towards more expressive deliveries with violent lyrical content and bare-boned quality in tone and language. Drill artists are associated with stone-cold metaphors and clever word plays which favors a technique that resembles unemotional reportage, often underscoring the usual ominous subject matter in focus.

Although drill music in Nigeria is relatively still in its infancy, it is gradually gaining ground among young rappers in Lagos and Abuja. For a community of people who have known hardship, fought against police brutality as part of their daily lives, and often had to "pull the next man down" to climb higher up the food chain, it is no surprise that the Nigerian music scene has birthed its drill genre and is steadily carving a spot for itself in the music industry.

In this article, we'll spotlight the prime runners leading the pack of rappers who are doing all they can to establish drill music as an official subgenre in the Nigerian music industry.

CHOP LIFE CREW

The Lagos-based label, prominent within the Nigerian rap scene is home to some of the hottest Drill and Afro-grime artists in the country. L.K (El-K), one of the duo of the rap crew appears on several records by almost every existing and aspiring drill artist in the country, is a pioneer and a force to be reckoned with in the Nigerian drill music scene. L.K has been underground for a while now, blessing rappers with verses till he released his single titled 'lowkey Fm'. He further exhibited his musical dexterity in the crew's popular "chop life crew (step)" record released earlier in 2020 with label mate Mojo' and continues on this path of rap.

The intriguing video for this banging record ensures viewers grasp the entirety of the concept of drill in Nigeria. Watch the video below:

JAIYE

This is one name that is constantly synonymous with the drill music sub genre in Nigeria. 'Jaiye234' as shown across his social media accounts, is known for his ability to bring his spin of cynical lyrics and nihilistic delivery on the eerie bass-heavy genre. He officially launched his music career in 2018 with the release of his debut single titled 'Itchin', which is essentially an introduction of himself and a guide into the depth of talent he's built in. With follow-up tracks such as , ' and , Jaiye develops his sound, displays his versatility, and continues to reinstate his mark as the number one driller in Nigeria. Jaiye releases music under the thirsty worldwide imprint which is home to prominent associated act Straffiti.

The latest addition to the discography of the 'if it ain't sprite, it ain't right' rapper is his recent release featuring Chop life crews' duo- L.K and Mojo, titled . The solid record is a renewed attempt to portray his persona which is influenced by his nationality and experience coming from the trenches.

Watch full video here:

ODUMODUBLVCK

ODUMODUBLVCK pronounced (Odumodu black) is a self-acclaimed roadman who is popular for his distinct appearance and violent style of delivery. Also known by his alias 'Big Gun', ODUMODUBLVCK is a drill and afro-grime artist you listen to for the first time and want to know what goes on inside his head. His style of delivery makes you want to watch your back at the sound of his vocals. Always dressed in the distinct Igbo hat (Okpu agu) meaning 'warriors hat', ODUMODUBLVCK has been spitting voracious bars since he debuted with a joint tape with Reeplay titled ANTI-WORLD GANGSTARS in 2018.

Lyrics like "Shakabula dey inside my tongue, ODUMODUBLVCK my middle name na Big Gun." and "how many men I go carry go Jesus? Too many men, idiots", are some of the numerous bars that make the Abuja-based rapper a prominent figure in the Nigerian drill music scene. Associated acts include , , and . His latest album titled 'Time and Chance' is an interesting addition to his in-depth discography which is described as a cry and an announcement by the rapper himself. It is an exposé into the revelations of his experiences in life and of those around him which influence his music style.

DROXX

A Lagos-based rapper who originally began his music career as a trap artist, swiftly developed into a drill artist influenced by challenges he had to deal with growing up in the city of Lagos. The rapper may be young by age but is determined to show his growth in his deep-rooted lyrics. Droxx introduced his skills and musical stance with his first official drill record "Officer" as a lead-up single to his debut project -Riot. The release of 'Officer' helped mark his transition from simply an "artist" to a "drill artist".

"Officer" is a track about navigating the brutal police culture, accompanied by a video that displays a rebellious picture of fed-up youths, bandanas over-dyed hairs, and bare torsos.

The EP compels Droxx to share his life's experiences in more ominous vocals and a storytelling technique to sell the emerging take on the Western rap phenomenon alongside rapper Mo'gunz. Droxx is one to look out for in the #234Drill music scene.

The EP compels Droxx to share his life's experiences in more ominous vocals and a storytelling technique to sell the emerging take on the Western rap phenomenon alongside rapper Mo'gunz. Droxx is one to look out for in the #234Drill music scene.

PSIV

PSIV (pronounced P-S-4) is the latest addition to the growing drill music scene in Nigeria. The rapper debuted with a single titled 'Too fly' in 2018 and kept releasing hard-hitting records in 2019 and 2020. He gained relative recognition with his release in 2020. 'Gangland' he calls it, is an outcry against the realities of his life, the struggle in his motherland, and the fight against oppression and police brutality. The heavy bop is a rendition of blistering lyrics over an ominous drill beat with featured lyrics from South African rapper Espiquet.

Psiv further shares his relentless zeal to seal his name in the growing music scene with a drill project titled Welcome to the 234, an extended play consisting five reassuring tracks highlighting his lifestyle, gang activities and touching on oppression and bad governance.

Listen to Psiv on Spotify

As the drill music scene continues to grow in Nigeria, several rappers are seen making impressions and diversifying their style to fit into the 'decade's most important rap subgenre' as described by Pitchfork in 2019. For a music industry which is famous for its ability to create interesting fusions of external genres with the home grown Afro sound, drill music might just become a rapidly welcomed sound in the Nigerian music scenery.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Uprising of the Drill Music Sub Genre in Nigeria - Radr Africa

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If there is one aspect of the African culture that does not fail to muster recognition from the global community, it would be the music. For decades now, music from Nigeria has undergone some metamorphosis while maintaining and sharing stories from the core of the African voice, and drill music is yet another medium to tell these stories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
7 Hard Nigerian Drill Artists You Need to Know - GRM Daily

# data[].attributes.body
Hard drill music in Nigeria

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Hard Nigerian Drill Artists You Need to Know - GRM Daily

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With the drill sound blowing up globally, we thought we’d take a look at some of the other parts of the world that have made the sound their own.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
HHAP Episode 45: Phlow, Navigating Hip Hop & Representation in Nigeria

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In this episode of The Hip Hop African Podcast, we speak with Nigerian hip hop artist, Phlow. We talk about the impact of Afropop on hip hop culture in Nigeria, and the choices artists often make between hip hop and Afropop. Speaking of Afropop, we also discuss the possible opportunities for Nigerian hip hop in the wake of one of Nigeria's fastest growing exports: pop music.

Phlow also talks about the struggles with longevity for women in the Nigerian hip hop scene, as well as the term "femcee" and the evolution of attitudes towards the term among women artists. In the conversation Phlow discusses the media's focus on her ascetics, especially the reference to her as a "babe that can rap" by some media outlets. She discusses the pressure within the music industry that would like her to highlight her looks as a way to market her music. Phlow also points out that it is not only within hip hop that she experiences this type of objectification. She discusses being referred to as a "babe", or a "beauty" in both hip hop circles and in her 9 to 5 job.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
HHAP Episode 45: Phlow, Navigating Hip Hop & Representation in Nigeria

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Listen to this episode from Hip Hop African Podcast on Spotify. In this episode of The Hip Hop African Podcast, we speak with Nigerian hip hop artist, Phlow. We talk about the impact of Afropop on hip hop culture in Nigeria, and the choices artists often make between hip hop and Afropop.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
The Best Street Style at Lagos Fashion Week

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Lagos, like Tokyo or London or Paris, is a city known for style. The streets of the Nigerian metropolis are filled every day with people who artfully blend the modern and the traditional, the classic and the fashion-forward. During Fashion Week, which kicked off last Thursday and ended this past weekend, Lagosians are known to pull out all the stops. Captured outside the tents at the Federal Palace Hotel on Victoria Island, the epicenter of the action, Stephen Tayo's photographs offer a snapshot of the wildly imaginative looks on parade. In one image, a babushka boy rocks a dainty scarf to punctuate a clean white Polo shirt; in another, a show-goer wears a floor-sweeping scarlet dress resembling papal robes. There's a young man on the scene whose ensemble, while minimal, appears especially attention-grabbing, with slinky, hip-hugging bell-bottoms and graphic, white sunglasses to give Andy Warhol a run for his money. Maybe most thrilling of all, at least in Tayo's eyes, is the man wrapped in a beautiful, canary yellow shawl. "It's the Akwete fabric from [the region of] Igboland," says Tayo, 25, who has been shooting the event for three years in a row. "It's a bold color and very suiting to the eyes, but it also connotes sustainability, because it's handmade from here."

More than anything, Lagos street style is defined by a sense of fearlessness and unbridled joy. It's a reassuring reminder that thinking bigger and bolder with your fashion choices pays off. "Lagos style, I'd say, is very unapologetic," says Tayo. "There's a blend of everything!" And yet, as he also points out, there is one thing that unifies everything under the sun here: excitement. "Everyone shows up and kills it," says Tayo. "There's enthusiasm all around."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Best Street Style at Lagos Fashion Week

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lagos, like Tokyo or London or Paris, is a city known for style. The streets of the Nigerian metropolis are filled every day with people who artfully blend the modern and the traditional, the classic and the fashion-forward. During Fashion Week, which kicked off last Thursday and ended this past weekend, Lagosians are known to pull out all the stops.

# data[].attributes.body
My favorite r&b album  right now

# data[].attributes.body
Colorful and ethinic

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
11 Top Nightclubs and Venues to Hear Nigerian Afropop Music in Lagos

# data[].attributes.body
Nigeriannn hip hop

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While nightclubs and hangouts in Lagos are generally accepting of pretty much every kind of music, certain places particularly prefer to keep their playlist very Nigerian. Wherever you are in Lagos, these 11 nightclubs and venues are the top choices to enjoy a variety of Nigerian Afropop music to the fullest. You might need to wait a while at some of them to hear anything else.

All the branches of Club Rumours are owned by internationally acclaimed Nigerian musician 2baba. Therefore, it must come as no surprise that you are bound to be serenaded all the way to the dance floor with the Naija tunes bumping from their speakers.

The Place is another multi-located nightlife threat dedicated to providing its energetic guests with nothing but an indigenous ambiance every time. This means a local menu, and of course, local music and dancing.

Escape nightclub is another throbbing nightlife scene in Lagos. Regardless of the fact that it's one of the places that witnesses a mixture of nationalities and races, the DJ is most likely going to regale you with Nigerian Afropop music for most of the night. Escape is also a favorite spot among celebrities.

The atmosphere at Q-Bar is fun and relaxing every night. Visitors to the bar have the option to eat, have drinks, and/or play snooker, all while thoroughly enjoying the DJ's choice selection of Nigerian music.

Quilox 's reputation as a very "Lagosian" spot remains untarnished. Here, you'll find the "big girls and boys" of Lagos who like to get down the Nigerian way, and this largely hinges on the kind of music being played. It's also one of the quickest ways to party in the same room as a Nigerian celebrity.

Don't let Sip's quiet exterior discourage you; even an evening at this lounge would bring you up to speed with the latest Nigerian Afropop music releases.

Club Vegas is one of the Mainland's most popular nightclubs. The music, vibes, and energy coming from the club could keep you there all night.

Party people troop to the three floors that constitute Club 57 to have some of their most unforgettable nights. The crowd at club 57 is quite diverse, but they share a love of dancing to Nigerian Afropop music at its best and loudest.

Shaunz Bar may be famous nationwide for the quality of its karaoke, but it can also get quite groovy on Friday and Saturday nights. On these nights, you can be certain to move your body to the Afropop sounds you are likely to hear.

Even on Thursdays (after salsa night), the DJ at Lounge 38 is vibrantly spinning Nigerian hit after Nigerian hit for guests to enjoy. Party lovers in the neighborhood who like to keep things within the hood tend to gravitate towards this lounge for this reason.

The location of this bar within the popular Elegushi Private Beach alone, complete with its general ambiance almost prevents it from bumping anything but the hottest and grooviest of Nigerian music. Perhaps you may ask Nigerian artiste Olamide-he seems to really like Elegushi.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
11 Top Nightclubs and Venues to Hear Nigerian Afropop Music in Lagos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While nightclubs and hangouts in Lagos are generally accepting of pretty much every kind of music, certain places particularly prefer to keep their playlist very Nigerian. Wherever you are in Lagos, these 11 nightclubs and venues are the top choices to enjoy a variety of Nigerian Afropop music to the fullest.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Afrobeats - Nigeria's groove goes global | DW Documentary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Afrobeats - Nigeria's groove goes global | DW Documentary

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
The Sound of Nigerian Hip Hop – The Sounds of Spotify

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Nigerian Hip-Hop Artists: 10 You Should Be Listening To

# data[].attributes.body
Nigeria Hip hop Ten hip hop Artist

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If there's one thing that gets most of us through the day, it's music. Whether we're scrolling through SoundCloud looking for mood tunes to help alleviate a case of the Mondays, or listening to a mixtape someone has sent our way, not a day goes by without some kind of music playing in our office.

Since our inboxes tend to get inundated with lots of projects from artists interested in coverage, we decided to spotlight some of the names we've been hearing about every month. This time we're taking look at some of the voices driving Nigeria's vibrant rap scene.

Take a look at past installments here.

Afrobeat and Afropop are largely considered Nigeria's leading music markets. As a result, the Nigerian market hasn't always been the strongest supporter of rap. It's a reality that has, to an extent, stymied the growth of a definitive hip-hop culture in Nigeria. The actual music industry has been little help in the matter simply because many of the leading voices have deemed rap to be much less lucrative than Afrobeat or pop.

This attitude isn't necessarily a historical standard, though. In the '80s rap enjoyed a highly visible moment with collectives like Sound on Sound which was comprised of Mr. Kool, Monica Omorodian, Ebony Laoye, Ron "Scratch" McBean and Troy "Jedi" Williams - the latter two were Americans who relocated to Nigeria. In 1988 Sound on Sound released the album From Africa, arguably making Williams and McBean - who were also once part of a New Jersey DJ also called Sound on Sound - the first Americans to release a rap project on the continent.

A few years later, Emphasis- a trio comprised of Terry tha Rapman, Mouth MC and Junior - gave birth to the version of Nigerian hip-hop that is familiar today. The group dropped relatable verses that gave future emcees the courage to be comfortable with their unique sound. They often rapped in pidgin (a form of broken English with global variations).

This forward movement continued into the late '90s, ushering in a new guard of rappers like Ruff, Rugged & Raw; Trybesmen, Maintain, and many more. With parallels to the golden era of hip-hop in the U.S., this time period was arguably one the richest and most innovative for Nigerian rap. Today, despite the popularity of Afrobeat and Afropop, Nigeria's rap scene remains.

Below are 10 artists who have stayed true to their sound despite the changing landscape.

M.I., born Jude Abaga, stormed the rap scene in 2006 with his single, "Crowd Mentality." Two years later he dropped "Talk About It," which is still considered a classic today. His six-album discography and multiple music awards have helped pave the way for some of the best African acts of today. Without M.I. there would be no Wizkid or Davido, or any of the other notable artists currently crossing over into the U.S. market.

M.I. currently serves as CEO of the highly-sucesseful record label, Chocolate City, which has become one of the largest distributors of urban and indigenous music in Nigeria. There he works alongside the company's Vice Chairmen, Ice Prince, another well-known name in the hip-hop scene. He is most often compared to Kanye West or Jay Z simply because not many strictly hip-hop influenced artists have achieved his amount of commercial and critical success in Africa.

Show Dem Camp

Show Dem Camp is a duo comprised of Olumide Ayeni and Wale Davies, who are popularly known as Ghost and Tec. Since first arriving on the scene in 2009, they have consistently produced dynamic sounds that have pushed Nigeria's lagging hip-hop industry forward. Their most notable EPs, a three-volume series called Clone Wars, enjoyed massive underground success.

The duo then followed up with a full-length debut album titled The Dreamers Project. Unsurprisingly, it received similar praise, particularly because it astutely reflected the day-to-day lives of average Nigerians and tackled issues like socio-economic disparity and political corruption. Though they often offer infectious hooks and lyrics with strong commercial appeal, the two are equally as capable of producing the kind of conscious rap legends like Common, Talib Kweli and those of their ilk have become recognized for.

Remilekun Abdulkalid Safari, better known as Reminisce, has emerged as one of Nigeria's most talented indigenous rappers. A music icon in his own right, Reminisce has accrued an impressive local following. Over the years, he has also become a respected voice in the Nigerian hip-hop community, often speaking about the necessity of preserving the culture around the genre while elevating the discourse around African rap. With several acclaimed studio albums to his name, the current Samsung brand ambassador continues to expand beyond the realm of music.

Boogey or David Iye Odey starting rapping in 2010. After completing his university degree in Morocco, he returned to Nigeria to launch his career. Two year later he released his debuted mixtape, Artificial Intelligence, which, while positively received, didn't quite catapult him to star status. What it did do was catch the attention of several rap veterans, including M.I.. Odey went on to achieve nationwide recognition after M.I. featured him on his infamous mixtape, Illegal Music 2, in 2012.

Gilbert Bani adopted the stage name A-Q and from there set about building a career based largely on his extraordinary lyrical dexterity. Over the years, he's also proven himself to be on of the most consistently able-bodied rappers in Nigeria. Bani currently has three studio albums and five EPs to his name. For those just starting their journey with his is music, start from the beginning. You'll be able to audibly trace the arc of his artistic growth; it's well worth taking the time to do so.

Tobechukwu Melvin Ejiofor or Illbliss is often considered one of the more conscious rappers in the game. Much of his output focuses on lyricism, creativity and ethnic pride. IllyGaty or Oga Boss as he is popularly referred to by his fans, was a member of the now defunct hip-hop collective Da Thorobreds.

The group, consisting of other notable rappers such as Elajoe, Obiwon and B-Elect, copped the award for the best hip-hop song by a group or duo at the 2006 edition of the Hip-Hop World Awards. The honor was bestowed on the group's massive radio hit "Street Hop," which many still consider a classic. Since then, Illbliss has produced four LPs and one EP as a solo artist.

Azubuike Chibuzo Nelson also known as Phyno is a rapper and producer who has been in the industry for over a decade. Nelson got his start in production and is the unsung hero behind many of the biggest Nigerian rap hits of the late 2000s. Over the past half decade, however, Phyno has turned himself into a major force on the artist side too, releasing two critically acclaimed albums: No Guts No Glory, and The Playmaker. Phyno primarily raps in his native Igbo though he often blends in English and pidgin English.

Although a relatively new kid on the block, Oludemilade Alaje or Ycee is quickly becoming one of the leaders of the new guard of Nigerian rap. Popular mainstream hits like "Omo Alhjaji" and "Jagaban", both of which released in 2015, have made Ycee a buzzing emerging talent poised to make longterm influence in the industry. Ycee is yet to release a debut studio album, but his forthcoming mixtape, The First Wave is already highly anticipated throughout Nigeria.

Eva Alordiah

Eva Alordiah challenges the status quo as one of the few female rappers to achieve mainstream prominence in the Nigerian hip-hop scene. Like its Stateside counterpart, the rap scene on the continent remains largely male dominated - perhaps even more so than in America.

Despite that, Alordiah managed to attain a solid foothold and the respect of veteran rappers and newcomers alike. Thus far, she has three critically acclaimed EPs to her name - GIGO, Eva, Because You've Been Waiting, and a studio album titled 1960. Part of Alordiah's appeal and effectiveness comes from her sonic creativity. She is truly a master of infusing hip-hop and traditional Nigerian music.

Florin Falana's stage name, Falz The Bahd Guy, is straight from the rapper's handbook of memorable monikers. Blending comic characters and strong socially conscious lyrics, the lawyer turned emcee has found a way to use humor as a vehicle for identifying with virtually every social class in Nigeria. Falz currenlty has two critically acclaimed albums under his belt - Wazup Guy, and Stories That Touch.

The latter is often regarded as one of the best albums of 2015 by music critics. In 2016, Falz also released a collaborative EP titled Chemistry with Nigerian singer, Simi. In a world where highly pop-oriented sounds and half-baked lyrics prevail, Falz has managed to cultivate an audience willing to pay attention to lyrical content and interact with his music - an epic feat if ever there was one.
Also take an inside look at Nigeria's underground skate scene via the WAFFLESNCREAM crew here. Click here for more Buzzworthy features.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Nigerian Hip-Hop Artists: 10 You Should Be Listening To

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If there's one thing that gets most of us through the day, it's music. Whether we're scrolling through SoundCloud looking for mood tunes to help alleviate a case of the Mondays, or listening to a mixtape someone has sent our way, not a day goes by without some kind of music playing in our office.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Hip-Hop in Nigeria: A Few Things We Learned From Afar

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For my entire adult life, I have written about hip-hop culture. I actually fell into this profession in part due to my curiosity about hip-hop's international scene. Nonetheless, I have plenty to learn, so I will be using this column as a way to share a few quick facts that I learn about hip-hop from around the world. In this edition, I dove into the Nigerian hip-hop scene. Here are a few things I found.

From its very beginnings, rap music was a live phenomenon. In hip-hop's earliest days, if you wanted to hear rap music, you would have to catch it happening live at a park jam, rec center, or block party. In those days, the closest thing to a rap record were the countless cassette tapes that were recorded at these live jams. These tapes, featuring early hip-hop luminaries like Afrika Bambaataa, Jazzy Jay and the Zulu Nation, Kool Herc, the L Brothers, Cold Crush Brothers, and more were circulating all over, allowing listeners a chance to hear rap music as it happened live. By the 1980s, rap music had emerged as a recorded medium and a formal genre that grew increasingly intertwined with the record industry. By making the leap from a primarily live setting to records, hip-hop began to spread internationally. Young people around the world took notes from the American pioneers and combined this new sound with the musical traditions of their homelands.

Looking for new hip-hop and R&B sounds from around the world? Check out our playlist, The Global Cypher.

From highlife to the Afrobeat sound of Fela Kuti and King Sunny Ade and beyond, Nigerian music has long enjoyed a rich correspondence with music from around the world. Nigeria enjoys a strong foundation built upon the work of pioneering lyricists like Edriss Abdukareem. Modenine, Ruggedma, and more. Today, hip-hop music in Nigeria has found itself intermingling with afrobeats, reggae, R&B, and more with some thrilling results. Whether it's M.I. Abaga's effortless flows, Idahams' anthemic afrobeats, or the soulful entrancing sound of Tomi Owó, the current crop of Nigerian artists are putting their own unique spin on these contemporary sounds. With respect and deference to all of the artists, DJs, writers, and fans pushing this culture forward, here are six things that I learned about hip-hop in Nigeria.

The first Nigerian hip-hop record

In a wonderful Medium piece from 2019, "Hip-hop in Nigeria: The evolution and how diss records became a part of it," writer Ehis Ohunyon explains that Ron Ekundayo (aka Ronnie)'s 1981 album The Way I Feel contains a song that is widely considered the first Nigerian rap record. The album's title track is a great and funky tune performed in a similar style to early East Coast rap classics like Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight," Lady B's "To The Beat Y'all" and Jimmy Spicer's "Adventures of Super Rhyme" and "Money (Dolla Bill Y'all)." A popular nightclub DJ and on-air personality, Ekundayo was one of Nigeria's earliest adopters of rap music as it began to spread around the world.

The eclectic sound of hip-hop in Nigeria

Today's generation of contemporary Nigerian artists are making serious noise at home and abroad. Wizkid's breezy, dance floor-ready anthem "Essence" (featuring Tems) has become a huge hit, signaling the popularity of the Nigerian afrobeats sound. Nigerian heavyweights like Yemi Aldae and Burna Boy have also been making noise globally for years. As you might expect, the country's up and comers embrace the same eclecticism as its biggest stars, with their music often blurring the lines between genres.

With incredibly catchy songs like "Paloma" and "Oh No," Alpha P effortlessly combines the melody and danceability of afrobeats with an approach rooted in hip-hop. Born in Lagos, singer Tomi Owó uses her rich singing voice to conjure a great deal of passion and tenderness on songs like "Through The Never" and "Beautiful." Carrying on the spirit of Nigerian highlife, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, Idahams' Man On Fire EP is full of colorful, understated tunes. Though much of their music strays away from what we'd typically think of as hip-hop, these young Nigerian musicians embody the culture's energy and boundless sense of experimentation.

Alpha P started rapping in church

With popular singles like "Paloma" and the longing, melody-rich "Oh No," Alpha P is one of Nigeria's brightest young talents with a feel-good sound that combines hip-hop with afrobeats and soul music. I was surprised, however, to learn that Alpha P got his start rapping at the age of 11 in church. "At the time, the only platform that I could really build my skills on was in the church because the church had a department where you can rap, a place called Rap Nation. I learned how to perform on stage from the church and it helped me build my confidence. The songs I made were relatable to people in the church, and [then] I could also go outside the church, and do shows and people still loved it."

Dissing in hip-hop is just as big in Nigeria

Hip-hop is, by its nature, a culture that encourages competition. Hip-hop's first generation of MCs and DJ crews built their reputations through battling, while dancers competed for bragging rights. Coming out of this competitive tradition, the diss song has become an integral part of hip-hop's fabric, especially in Nigeria. Celebrated Nigerian MCs like Ruggedma and Modenine have all dropped fiery diss tracks against their peers. In "Hip-Hop in Nigeria," Ehis Ohunyon breaks down how early hip-hop started off as a fiercely competitive culture and still means a lot: "Streaming numbers, charts positions, the amount of Headies you have covered in dust somewhere in your cabinet are all fine, but rap has never been bound by industry standards. At times, to truly be the best in the game, you ultimately get called to put your skill and lyrical dexterity to test."

Fawas Adeoye and education through Graffiti Art

In the decades since it first emerged as a distinctive artform, graffiti art has infiltrated the mainstream art world and made strides in the realm of education. Teaching artists everywhere have employed graffiti as a means of reaching curious and talented young people. With his striking and colorful compositions, Fawas Adeoye is a celebrated graffiti artist. Adeoye's aim is to use his art to inspire young people in Lagos. In a piece for AfricanNews.com, Adeoye shares his mission: "My graffiti art is strictly about educating people about and enlightening them. I see a lot of things happening in the environment, I feel like I'm in the right position to educate people through my art and my craft."

The hip-hop music and activism of Sasha P

While listening to Nigerian hip-hop and reading essays and interviews on the subject, I came across the music of Sasha P, an MC and songwriter. Affectionately referred to as the first lady of Nigerian hip-hop, Sasha P made waves with her infectious flow, catchy songs, swagger and insightful lyrics. While songs like "Run With It" and "Proudly Nigerian" (both from her 2006 album First Lady) display Sasha's versatility as an artist, she has also used her celebrity as a vehicle to uplift those around her. In a 2019 interview with Plus TV, Sasha spoke about The Hard Knock Series, an artist development initiative to educate young artists about the music business. Sasha explains why this initiative is needed: "Everything revolves around marketing the artist, but nothing revolves around building the artist and making sure there's longevity."

Looking for new hip-hop and R&B sounds from around the world? Check out our playlist, The Global Cypher.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hip-Hop in Nigeria: A Few Things We Learned From Afar

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For my entire adult life, I have written about hip-hop culture. I actually fell into this profession in part due to my curiosity about hip-hop's international scene. Nonetheless, I have plenty to learn, so I will be using this column as a way to share a few quick facts that I learn about hip-hop from around the world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Burna Boy - On The Low [Official Music Video]

# data[].attributes.body
Intro to Nigeria Largest city and home of nigerian hip hop

# data[].attributes.body
A mix of American jazz/soul and west Africa music

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Davido - “A Better Time” & Bringing Nigerians Together Worldwide | The Daily Show

# data[].attributes.body
Davido Nigerian lifestyle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Davido - “A Better Time” & Bringing Nigerians Together Worldwide | The Daily Show

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds.

David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, is a Nigerian-American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Davido blends traditional African elements with global mainstream pop. Wikipedia

Jun 2, 2017 · Davido - Fall (Official Video)---------------------------------------------------More from Davido ...
Duration: 4:18
Posted: Jun 2, 2017

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, is a Nigerian-American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Davido blends traditional African elements with global mainstream pop. Wikipedia How much did Davido donate? How much does Davido make on Instagram?

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Burna Boy - Serving Up Afrofusion with “African Giant”  | The Daily Show

# data[].attributes.body
Burna boy - interview

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Burna Boy - Serving Up Afrofusion with “African Giant”  | The Daily Show

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Burna Boy Has the Whole World Listening (Published 2020)

# data[].attributes.body
Afro fusion music

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
With his supremely catchy Afro-fusion and a new album due Aug. 13, the Nigerian songwriter, singer and rapper makes music as a true global citizen.

The musician Burna Boy started out making party songs. But his focus shifted to music with larger messages: "Some of us are put on this earth to do what we do." Credit... Daniel Obasi for The New York Times

Burna Boy - the Nigerian songwriter, singer and rapper who was born Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu - once thought he'd be content writing the sleek, self-assured party tunes that first drew fans to his mixtapes in the early 2010s. But as his popularity spread worldwide, the spirits who guide his songwriting had other plans for him. Soon, he was taking up broader, more consequential ideas.

"Music is a spiritual thing," he said in an interview via video call from his studio in Lagos. Wearing a white Uber jersey and puffing a hand-rolled smoke, with jeweled rings glittering on his fingers, Burna Boy spoke about his fifth album, "Twice as Tall," which was still getting some finishing touches ahead of its Aug. 13 release date.

"I've never picked up a pen and paper and written down a song in my life," he said. "It all just comes, like someone is standing there and telling me what to say. It's all according to the spirits. Some of us are put on this earth to do what we do."

Success has brought him "a very huge responsibility that I didn't think I would have," he added. For his new album, he said, he's "basically continuing the mission I started, which is building a bridge that leads every Black person in the world to come together, and to make you understand that without you having a home base, you can't be as strong as you are."

Burna Boy, 29, has assembled an international following since he released his 2013 debut album, "L.I.F.E.: Leaving an Impact for Eternity." He sold out Wembley SSE Arena in London last year, and songs from his 2019 album, "African Giant," have drawn tens of millions of streams and views.

His fans include Beyoncé, who featured a solo Burna Boy song, the irresistibly insinuating "Ja Ara E," on her album full of collaborations, "The Lion King: The Gift," which became the visual album "Black Is King" last month. Sam Smith shares their new single, "My Oasis," with Burna Boy as singer and co-writer. And when the 2020 Grammy Award for world music went to Angelique Kidjo, a three-time previous winner, over Burna Boy and "African Giant," she held up the trophy and dedicated it to Burna Boy, praising him as a young African artist who is "changing the way our continent is perceived."

Burna Boy onstage at the Coachella festival in 2019, the same year he released "African Giant." Credit... Amy Harris/Invision, via Associated Press

Burna Boy is a leader amid a bounty of new African pop that has been increasingly welcomed in the West: a confluence of widespread availability via streaming, discovery via word-of-internet rather than former gatekeepers, and the sheer inventiveness taking place outside established music-business strongholds.

But Burna Boy also sees newfound interest in African music as a turn toward refuge. "From what I've read and from what I've studied and from what I researched, the world started from Africa," Burna Boy said. "So music must have started from Africa. And I feel like when everything starts kind of going left, like what is going on right now, everybody runs home."

He calls his music Afro-fusion rather than the catchall label, Afrobeats, that has been attached to recent, electronics-driven Nigerian music from performers like Wizkid, Davido and Mr Eazi, and even more vaguely to other current African pop as international listeners discover it. (The term Afrobeats also invites confusion with Afrobeat, the complex, steadfast, handmade protest funk that Fela Kuti, also from Nigeria, forged in the late 1960s and 1970s.)

Burna Boy's Afro-fusion is omnivorous and supremely catchy. Its beats are often programmed, but their stops and starts evade expectations. Instruments, sampled or hand-played, bounce against the rhythms or deftly dodge them, while his voice - which can be as staccato as a rapper or as cottony as a crooner - glides easily across and atop everything else.

"I believe I am a citizen of the world, and I have a responsibility to the world," Burna Boy said. Credit... Daniel Obasi for The New York Times

For "Twice as Tall," Burna Boy enlisted an American executive producer: Sean Combs, a.k.a. Diddy, who has long guided rappers and singers (most famously the Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige) toward wider audiences. "I'm on record that I like hit records. If they're not hit records, I don't like them," Combs said via FaceTime from Los Angeles.

"A lot of times when an artist wants to be coached or pushed to maybe a greater level, that's where I've come in," he said. "He, as every artist, he wants his music to be heard by the world. He doesn't care about crossing over. You know, he's not trying to get hot. He's not, like, 'I want to be a big pop star' - he's already a star. He wants his music to be heard, his message, his people."

Most of the album was recorded during the pandemic, and Burna Boy and Combs collaborated across an eight-hour time difference via frequent Zoom calls and file transfers. Combs brought in musical contributions including drums from Anderson .Paak on the foreboding "Alarm Clock" and additional production from Timbaland on "Wetin Dey Sup," a song punctuated by gunshots and sirens that warns, "They only respect the money and the violence."

Combs also makes his presence audible with voice-over intros on some songs, briefly upstaging Burna Boy. But he said that the music was about 80 percent complete, including all of the songwriting, before he was brought in to provide "fresh ears" and his sense of detail. The album he added, is "a modern but pure, unapologetic African body of work."

For the most part, Burna Boy hasn't diluted his African heritage to reach his global audience. Instead, he has placed an unmistakably African stamp on music drawn from all around Africa and from across the African diaspora. He has a calm, husky, resolute voice that exemplifies the West African cultural virtue of coolness: poise and control transcending any commotion. His melodic sense is rooted in pentatonic African modes but unconstrained by them, and he has a stable of producers who deliver some of the most innovative rhythm tracks in 21st-century pop - usually working alongside Burna Boy in his studio, he said. He sings, most often, in a pidgin of English and Yoruba, confident that his meaning will get through even if listeners don't recognize all the words.

"I've never picked up a pen and paper and written down a song in my life," Burna Boy said. "It's all according to the spirits." Credit... Daniel Obasi for The New York Times

"The thing that I learned about him is the importance of what he's doing for his nation and representing the people that aren't really heard globally," Combs said. "Through this album, I think it's important for Africa to be heard. And so it's bigger than just an album. He's not just on a musical artist trip. He's a revolutionary. His conviction is serious."

Hip-hop, reggae, R&B and rock were all part of the mix of music Burna Boy grew up on in Port Harcourt, the southern Nigerian city where he was born, and then in London, where he spent some teenage years in Brixton before returning to Nigeria. His lyrics have often mentioned that he kept some rough company. In "Level Up," the brooding-to-triumphant song that opens "Twice as Tall," he celebrates his own achievements, but also notes, "Some of my guys might never see the sun/Some of them still peddle drugs."

On "African Giant," Burna Boy pointedly addressed Nigeria's colonial history and lingering corruption alongside more hedonistic songs. And with "Twice as Tall" he sought to make music as, he said, "a citizen of the world."

In the 15 songs on "Twice as Tall," Burna Boy takes stock of his accomplishments and his vulnerabilities, and he encourages ambition and perseverance against long odds; he also parties. And he lashes out at racism, exploitation and widespread misconceptions about Africa.

"We're not what they teach in schools out here," he said. "They don't teach the right history, the history of strength and power that we originally had and that they should be teaching now. They don't really teach the truth about how we ended up in the situation we're in. They don't teach the truth about what's going on now and how to overcome it. And I believe that knowledge is power."

He wants all the countries and cultures of Africa to unite as one continent. "I want my children to have an African passport, not a Nigerian passport," he said. "I do not identify with any tribe. I do not identify with any country. I do not identify with anything, really. I identify with the world in the universe - I believe I am a citizen of the world, and I have a responsibility to the world. But at the same time in the world, it's my people who are really getting the short end of the stick. It's just doing what I have to do when I have to do it."

The songs on "Twice as Tall" hold echoes of Nigeria, South Africa, Jamaica and the United States, and there are guest appearances from Naughty by Nature, the Kenyan band Sauti Sol and Senegal's musical titan, Youssou N'Dour. The momentum is crisp and nonstop as the songs draw on - among many other things - Zulu choir singing, electronic dance music, alt-R&B and the patterns of West African marimbas and Zimbabwean thumb pianos.

On the album's most vehement song, Burna Boy, with Chris Martin of Coldplay arriving on choruses, turns to stark, echoey roots reggae in "The Monsters You Made," an indictment of miseducation, historical injustice and systemic racism, delivered in clear English with mounting fury. "When they've been working like slaves/To get some minimum wage," he sings, "You turn around and you blame/Them for their anger and rage."

It's the rare Burna Boy song where he lets coolness fall away. "That song comes from a lot of anger and pain, and me having to witness firsthand what my people go through and how my people see themselves," he said. "I see how many people are deceived and confused. I just try to blend all of that in and make it understood that we're all going through the same problems. We just speak different languages."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Burna Boy Has the Whole World Listening (Published 2020)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With his supremely catchy Afro-fusion and a new album due Aug. 13, the Nigerian songwriter, singer and rapper makes music as a true global citizen. Burna Boy - the Nigerian songwriter, singer and rapper who was born Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu - once thought he'd be content writing the sleek, self-assured party tunes that first drew fans to his mixtapes in the early 2010s.