These are the top 10 Nigerian rappers that change the hip-hop game
These hip hop comeback cries should focus on more vital issues such as the quality of music, hip hop artists’ influence on culture, and safeguarding the bags rather than creating diss records, and here are the top 10 Nigerian rappers that change the hip-hop game.
So, can we genuinely say that Hip Hop is alive and well in Nigeria?
So far, the genre has come a long way thanks to a few individuals who lay the groundwork for the current frameworks.
We intend to highlight some of Nigeria’s most important hip hop and rap musicians in this post.
In no particular order
Top 10 Nigerian rappers that change the hip-hop game
1. M.I Abaga
Jude Abaga, the CEO of Chocolate City, made his official debut on the Nigerian music scene in 2006.
While Eedris Abdulkareem, Ruggedman, elDee, and Mode 9 dominated Nigerian hip hop and rap, his presence was a breath of fresh air.
I earned mainstream popularity with his track “Safe,” his debut album “Talk About It,” and the “Illegal Music” mixtape series.
While the forerunners of hip hop were becoming tired of the style and flow, M.I came up with this slick punchline mixed with an ‘American Accent.’
2. Mode 9
Babatunde Olusegun Adewale, a Nigerian hip-hop veteran, has always been highly regarded by music fans.
The rapper might easily be ranked number one, which would be fine.
In terms of lyrics, skill, and a certain rawness, Mode 9 brought a lot of seriousness to Nigerian hip hop and rap.
3. Ruggedman
Ruggedman, born Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, is one of Nigeria’s most well-known and famous rappers.
Ruggedman is credited with inventing the concept of “commercially successful” hip hop music. The rapper abandoned his clean English and hardcore rap style, which was fashionable at the time for songs that used pidgin and regional slang.
He created rap music that you could dance to and relate to. He blazed a trail for numerous rappers to follow in his footsteps.
4. Nigga Raw
While Ruggedman pioneered commercial hip hop and rap in pidgin English with African influences, Nigga Raw blazed a new trail for indigenous rap.
Rapping in his native Igbo dialect, he had songs like ‘Obodo,’ ‘Hip Hop Gyration,’ ‘O! Chukwu,’ and so on.
He paved the way for artists like iLLBliss, Phyno, and Zoro, who are now refining what he started.
Nigga Raw taught us that you could rap in your native tongue and everything would be great.
5. Da Grin
Oladapo Olaitan Olaonipekun, better known as Da Grin, lost away about a decade ago, yet his legacy lives on in the world of indigenous hip hop.
With his debut album, ‘Chief Executive Omoita (C.E.O),’ a Nigerian classic, Da Grin lay the groundwork for Yoruba hip hop.
Da Grin received multiple nominations and won The Headies Award for ‘Best Rap Album’ before his untimely death.
6. Olamide
Olamide Adedeji, also known as Olamide or Baddo, rose to prominence shortly after the death of Da Grin.
After the death of his ‘predecessor,’ his reappearance was timely. Olamide made a strong breakthrough with ‘Rapsodi,’ which was quickly followed by ‘YBNL.’
The rapper racked up national hits in the West, East, North, and South.
Olamide proved that you can be great after leaving his former record label Coded Tunes to launch his own music label, YBNL.
7. Ice Prince
Panshak Henry Zamani widely known as Ice Prince is about the biggest rappers to come out of Nigeria and the legacy lives on.
Ice Prince ushered in an era of ‘soft boy’ laid back to rap.
The man wasn’t trying to be the lyricist of the year but strictly having a good time while rapping, something he is hated for.
8. Eedris Abdulkareem
Eedris Abdulkareem is an ancestor of hip hop music as far as Nigeria is concerned. He is amongst the earliest players in the scene as a part of the popular late 90s group The Remedies.
His fame came more strongly after the group broke up and he went solo. He is best known for songs like ‘Mr Lecturer’, and ‘Jaga Jaga’ which are also titles of his albums.
Eedris’s songs especially the aforementioned two, are still relevant many years after. Nigeria is very much in shambles ‘Jaga Jaga’ and lecturers in Nigerian tertiary institutions are still having ‘sex for grades’ as chronicled in ‘Mr Lecturer’.
9. Phyno
Thanks to Nigga Raw and iLLBliss who paved the way for the emergence of Phyno as far as indigenous Igbo hip hop and rap go.
His first moment of glory came as a featured act on ‘Anam Achikwanu’ by iLLBliss. A year later Phyno came through with his professional debut single ‘Ghost Mode‘.
Nigga Raw and iLLY mag have pioneered rapping in Igbo, but Phyno made the arts flawless. He polished up whatever his predecessors did.
His debut album ‘No Guts No Glory’ is a classic in its own right.
10. eLDee
Lanre Dabiri better known as eLDee is one of those Nigerian hip hop and rap is grateful to have had.
He is the founding member of Tribesmen a hip hop group in the early 2000s. Through his label, he introduced folks like Eva Alordiah, Dr Sid, Sasha P, etc.
Through eLDee Nigeria witnessed its first generation of female Emcees in hip hop and rap. eLDee as a rapper gave us some massive tunes during his active years.
Worthy mentions;
Jesse Jagz
Sinzu (Sauce Kid)
Falz
Blaqbonez, Psycho YP, Payper, these ones are the future of hip hop in Nigeria and hopefully would bring glory to it.