Kai. NotJustOK has just gone and started kata kata. My dear NotJustOk put up a list of 10 most gifted rappers in Nigeria, and people are vexing! I didn’t know of the post until I started seeing retweets with people insulting each other. There’s something about lists that make everyone go crazy when their names or the names of people they like don’t make it on there. I have a secret for you: lists are based on opinions. Most times.
Now, everyone, keep calm and let’s rearrange this list. Verastic style. This is based strictly on my opinion, but if you’re mad at it, I’ll give you the address of Ovie (of NotjustOK), so you can go find him. He’s been finding my trouble lately anyway.
Here’s the original list (with my comments in parenthesis):
1. Modenine (My first time hearing of him was during that pass-the-mic fiasco with Muna. This is not to say that he’s not good or talented or God forbid, gifted, but only to say that Vera doesn’t know him).
2. Olamide (He’s that Yoruba rapper. I like the melody of his songs, but since I can’t speak Yoruba, I can’t tell you about his rapping skills. I hear he’s really good though).
3. Phyno (I know of him from hearing iLLBliss, Ikechukwu, Flavour, and Linx mention his name)
4. M.I (If I had to describe his rap, I’d say, poetic. Intelligent. Coherent. Logical. Fluid.)
5. Sinzu (Sauce Kid) (I knew his name before I knew his songs. The only song of his that comes to mind right now is Carolina, and I loved it, but I don’t know why he changed his name. Sauce Kid was so catchy).
6. ShowDemCamp (SDC) (Are they new? I’ve only learned of them recently. Love their song about a girl putting her down a man’s pants. It’s called Feel Alright).
7. Ice Prince (He’s talented. I personally like him more for being a Jos boy [I’m a Jos girl, too] than I do for his music. But he’s hot right now, nominated for things and stuff, so I can see how he made the list).
8. Vector (I only know him from that Bebedi Alaja song he was featured in. I love that song. And I love the video, too.)
9. Naeto C (I like him more for being a family man than I do for his music. There’s something about Naeto C where I can’t listen to too much of him at once. I like his Tony Montana remix, but mostly because (1) I love the video [that leopard – or was it a tiger – was hella sexy], and (2) D’banj is in it.
10. Reminisce (No. Idea. Who. He. Is. And I’m assuming he’s a guy).
Here’s how I’m rearranging the list
1. M.I.
Full stop. End of discussion. Until I know more about the rest.
I’m not big on music at all, so when I say I don’t know a person or a song, it’s a testament of my out-of-touchness, not a proof of the person’s popularity or lack thereof. That said, when I do listen to music, I actually like to listen to the lyrics. While I do believe that the Nigerian music industry is booming, I have to say that some of the lyrics I’ve heard have been arrant nonsense. There are rappers who sound like they are just talking with music in the background and saying anything and everything as long as their sentences rhyme at the end. That’s not rap. That’s crap. See? I just rhymed. Add some music, and I have arrived.
The reason why M.I. is number one on my list isn’t because he’s allegedly like Kanye (is that even a compliment?), but because he spits out what I consider to be intelligent lyrics. The feeling I get from him is that he’s exposed, possibly reads a lot, maybe has lived abroad, and is genuinely talented. I don’t know if any of these is true, I’m just saying what my judgement of him is.
P.S. Is this list strictly for men? Or are there no female rappers in Nigeria?
P.P.S. Where’s Jesse Jagz on this list?
P.P.P.S. Some of the rappers went on Twitter to say that the list was crap because their names weren’t on it. That’s actually very tasteless.
MI is the BEST ever!!!!!!
I see you’re a fan. Lol.
1. M.I
2. Naeto C
3. Olamide ( that’s because I’ve listened to his songs sha and recognize his voice)
Dear everyone else on the list, If I have heard of you (ice prince and sauce kid), you just haven’t stood outta d crowd to me. And I cannot put a song to ur name (else Vera reminds me)
And the rest of the everyone else, I have NEVER heard of you, I don’t know your music (if I have, I didn’t know it was you singing it)… As in the names are brand new to me (kai, Olufunmie oooo, see your life)
Plus Vera, why didn’t u tell me about these people? Its ALLLLL ur fault.
Like V said, My opinions 🙂
Fufu, you should be ashamed of yourself! I know way more artists than you, even the Yoruba ones sef. Lol. You need to go enroll into Nigerian Artists 101.
First of all…
Modenine and SauceKid have no business on this list. Modenine is so 1999, as for SauceKid, he should just move back to Yankee, that is pseudo-brooklyn accent is not ‘werking’ in Las Gidi.
In my gingered opinion, MI is number one. Naeto C and Ice Prince deserve kudos too. But you have to give credit to Phyno and Olamide! Those guys flow in their native tongue. All you need to do is listen to Phyno’s “Man of the year—O ba go” and your dada will scatter.
But why isn’t Jesse Jagz on the list? What of Eldee? illBliss? The top 3 in Naija without a doubt are MI, Jesse Jagz and Eldee… then we can call the rest! My opinion!
Air-Mecca, I completely forgot about Eldee when I was typing the post. Since putting the post up, I have gone and listened to Olamide’s music, and he is goooood! Apparently knew a lot of his songs already; I just didn’t know their names or who sang them. I’m gonna go listen to Phyno. illBliss is pretty darn good, too.
Thought I remind you guys of the cypher 2011 BET Awards, since the list mentioned above has all parties, best you have a look and then review your choice..
I believe you guys based your decision on commercial success hence MI came on top for you respected guys, me no gree..
Check the clip out including the ladies, and watch out for my girl Eva, love that babe, always want to drink her like Eva water…lol…
http://notjustok.com/2011/10/18/video-bet-hip-hop-awards-nigerian-cypher-2011-male-female/
I’m not even going to say what I just imagined as you drinking Eva. Lol. It’s possible that part of M.I’s appeal is his popularity, but it can also go the other way (part of his popularity is his appeal). I’ll go check out the link.
Lol this wahala list.
In my opinion, MI tops that list, although he’s getting pot bellied, but I’ve been a fan of MI since Illegal Music and his lyrics ehn. Dear Lord!
Then Olamide; dude is good. Then Phyno. Then the others. Simple.
Loooooooooooooool at getting pot bellied. Wetin consign pot belle and rap? Norrin! Hahaha
MI, that short black boy and a damn good rapper. He just doesnt open his mouth to crap out some few rhyming line. He wraps real good.
And yeah, what the hell happened to Jesse Jags?
Olamide is a really rapper, and he his very indigenous, i mean he’s good at what his portraying.
To all others who are ranting and throwing sticks because they werent listed or they are not happy with the list. Calm down! God’s time is the best bros.
Looooooooooool at God’s time.I just started listening to Olamide after putting the post up. The guy is insane.
Hello Verastic,
Check out this interview MI gave to the African-American talk-show host,Wendy Williams. He did spend some years in America, studying at university. Mr Incredible is a Jos boy himself and happens to be my favourite Nigerian rapper to boot.
Here’s the interview on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuEGYb7PhOs
ciao
Dwin, thanks for the video. I checked it out. Very interesting. Not surprised. I even watched one with P Square. That’s another group I like.
You’re welcome Verastic, glad you found it interesting. As per Naija female rappers, here are a quadruple of them from an old track: TOO MUCH by dj jimmy jatt(a man) featuring the following Naija female emcees: blaise,sasha,kemistry,bouqui…Enjoy mah homegurl, and let’s hit da studio to record own slamming hot tracks!!!
Loool. Dwin, I was with you until you said we should hit the studio. Haaa! I cannot torment people’s ears like that — especially with rapping. At least with singing, I’ll score 50%. But rapping? Aaahhh. Never heard of Blaise and Bouqui. Interesting.
Why yu dey laff now Verastic ? Shebi yu dey MC at peoples weddings ? And one of the meanings of emcee/MC is being abel to rap ? Oya, yu beta brush up your rhyming skills…:) On second thoughts, maybe your singing skills will do better justice to the hot track am composing right now. Now there young lady, put up an American Idol style video demonstrating your singing skills so I alert producers as to the newest, freshest, hottest singing sensation out there. The one, the only, Verastic!…;)
Haaaa! Me, sing? That will be the day. Mba oh. I don’t want.
Awwww…spoilsport!!! :-((
Haha. No, now. I just don’t know the rest, that’s all. Meanwhile, I listened to Olamide (after this post). Love him!
Hey again Verastic, it’s your old African Uncle Dwin again!
Check out these other naija femcees: