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MI Abaga taught me how to rap – Ice Prince
Nigerian hip-hop star Ice Prince has revealed that iconic rapper MI Abaga was the driving force behind his growth as an artist, crediting him as the one who taught him how to rap and mentored him through his early career.
During a recent episode of Curiosity Made Me Ask hosted by content creator Isbaeu, Ice Prince spoke warmly about MI, calling him a “big brother” who not only shaped his craft but instilled in him the discipline and foundation needed to thrive in the music industry.
He attributed his lyrical strength and confidence to years spent learning under MI’s guidance. “I can jump on any beat, collaborate with any rapper, and I’ll still shine. You won’t catch me dropping a wack verse,” Ice Prince said with conviction. “It’s not about saying others can’t rap—it’s just that I was trained by the best. Big shoutout to MI Abaga.”
He added, “I rapped with MI for years. He taught me everything I know. That’s my big bro and he schooled me right.”
Ice Prince became a household name in 2011 with the smash hit Oleku, a standout track from his debut album. He later followed up with hits like Superstar, solidifying his place as one of Nigeria’s top rap acts.
In a separate interview from December 2024 on Listen with Osi, the rapper opened up about the challenges he faced growing up.
He shared that financial struggles kept him from pursuing a university education—he missed an admission opportunity simply because he couldn’t come up with ₦20,000.
“I used to miss at least three weeks of school every term because we couldn’t afford the fees,” he said. “I lost my university admission because of ₦20,000. That’s like the cost of one spliff now. I had two weeks to pay it, but I couldn’t, and from there I became a studio rat.”