I woke up today to see a lengthy blog post about why M.I didn’t deserve the Awards he won at the 2018 Headies Awards, which held two weeks ago. In other words, there are still people in 2018 who actually believe M.I is not Nigeria’s Best Rap Act, and that his 2017 single, “You Rappers Should Fix Up Your Life” wasn’t the best hip hop song, last year. It wasn’t the same 10 years ago!
Back in 2008, if you think M.I isn’t the best rapper, you have to keep those “abominatous” thoughts to yourself. You dare not say it out, you may End up getting lynched. OK, that’s an hyperbole. But, then, M.I wasn’t only the best rapper because that’s what he was called, he actually did what a “best rapper” should do. He dropped an album that will later become the Template for hip-hop and rap albums, in Nigeria. That was “Talk About It”.
In the early 2000s, Rugged Man breathe fresh air to rap with his single “Ehen”. SauceKid came also, as one of the underground’s that rocked. There was Mode9, Elajoe, Terry Tha Rapman, provingthat the rap game is actually alive, in Nigeria. But, all of ’em lacked one thing.. Of course, they did successful albums, but none could give the original “template,” the format, the way rap albums should be. What a rap album should look like. M.I helped them. Once, he stepped into the game, Everyone had to adjust. Rappers ran away from the game, going on long hiatus. M.I wasn’t Even officially part of a rap group or collective. He just came out of JTown, with his Loopy Music gang. That is, his brother, Jesse Jagz and Icey Prince. The rest is history!
“Talk About It” stands as the only reason we doubt M.I’s prowess, these days. You hear stuffs like, “M.I in those days was better than this.” While that’s not true, and contrary to what people think, the OG has really improved on his game, the album (Talk About It) was definitely M.I living ahead of his time.
From “Crowd Mentality” which stands as a “fun” type of song, to the braggadocious “Safe” with Djinee, to socio-political “Talk About It” and “Short Black Boy,” M.I Abaga exudes an element of supernatural endowment. Whether the album sold 30,000 copies in 5 minutes or in 5 hours, or 5 years, didn’t even matter, anymore. What holds water here is the fact that, even if the man continues dropping music, to name him the G.O.A.T, you’ll still have to refer to “Talk About It.”
In 2018, you can say he doesn’t deserve to be called best rapper or to be giving any Award, but ten years ago, when he got the “Next Rated” Award, everyone nodded. Even the haters couldn’t hum a word. Many years later, we’ll just have to “talk about it” more!!!