Artist Focus: M.I. Abaga, The Undisputed Champion!
M.I. Abaga is a lyricist on the prowl!
Real name:Jude Lemfani Abaga Stage name:M.I. Date of birth:October 4, 1981 State of Origin:Taraba Nationality:Nigerian Genre:Hip HopAs a proficient hip hop artist, producer, lyricist, songwriter, and instrumentalist,M.I.Abagahas been described as the future of African hip hop, with many Nigerian hip hop fans having hailed him as the country’s “Hip Hop Messiah” and we couldn’t agree more!
As one of Nigeria’s pacesetting music stars, M.I. has changed the hip hop landscape and brought more competition to the rap game. His rise to superstardom is a tale that would make even his contemporaries green with envy.
M.I. Abaga was born in the city ofJos,Plateau State,Nigeria. His parents arePastorandMrs. Abaga, both of Jukun-Nigerian descent. He has two brothers;Jesse Jagz (also a hip hop musician in Nigeria) andJason Abaga.
He attended Baptist High School, Jos and his mother’s purchase of basic musical notations and a 7-key mini piano influenced his decision to venture into music.
As a teenager, M.I. listened to tracks fromLauryn Hill,Bob Marley,Sarah Maclachlan,Pablo Neruda,Jay-Z, andDMX. His sampling of the musical works of DMX and Lauryn Hill in 1998 was the beginning of his musical journey.
After his education at Calvin College,Michigan,US, he went into poetry and performed frequently in the school’s major hip hop shows and concerts. His attempt at becoming a comedian was met with scorn as people laughed at him and he decided to stick to music instead.
M.I.’s attitude and impressive rap flow earned him a third-place finish at the college show calledHipHopera in 2003.
His career in the Nigerian music industry started when he returned to the country in 2003 and he earned recognition in the rap genre when contemporaries likeModenine,Ruggedman, andEedris Abdulkareemheld the reins.
His return saw him commence production of mixtapes with his friend, singerDjinee. Their collaborated work led to the singleSafe, a critically acclaimed track that got lots of airplay in Nigeria and African radio and music video stations (includingMTV Vibe). The song was a parody of popular Nigerian songs at the time and it got him awards at theNigerian Music Awards,City People,N.E.A. and others.
The buzz aroundSafe gave his first studio albumTalk About It critical reception and it got a 8.5/10 rating byOye Akideindeof360nobs.
Talk About It album won M.I. the following awards: Musician of the Year Award (Modeman Awards in 2008) and the Best Hip Hop Artist (City People Awards).
Nigerians already enticed by his lyrical versatility and impressive punch lines started to believe that hip hop in the country was undergoing an evolution. But the ‘Short black boy’ was just getting started.
M.I. demonstrated his lyrical prowess in the sample mixtapeIllegal Musicin 2009. It was followed byIllegal Music IIin 2012. Back in Jos, he teamed up with his brother Jesse Jagz,Ice Prince,Ruby,Threadstone,Lindsay,MosesandE Kellyto formLoopy Music.
He was later signed toChocolate City, a renowned music label in Nigeria. The deal paved the way for the beginning of his successful career in the music industry and his talent led to further international recognition inSouth Africa viaChannel O Music Award,MTV Base Awards,and theAmerican BET Awards.
M.I. produced and featured on the works ofDon Jazzy, Threadstone (Nigeria’s first rock band),Kel, Djinee,ShifiofStyl Plus, Jesse Jagz,Ice Prince, Ruby, Lindsey,Leony,Wizkid, and others. He runs a production company,Rytchus Era productions with his brother Jesse Jagz.
He was made aGloMobile brand ambassador in 2013 withOmawumi andBurna Boy and was a judge inGlo X-Factor in 2013.
M.I. became the CEO of Chocolate City on June 2015 and his third mixtapeIllegal Music 3 – The Finale was released in February 2016 and got over 400,000 downloads in 3 days.
On February 9, 2018, he released his seventh studio projectRendezvous. It was a playlist that was different from his earlier works. This was followed by the release of another album titledYxng Dxnzl(pronounced Yung Denzl) on August 24, 2018. It included the singleYou Rappers Should Fix Up Your Lives.
Rendezvous was a part of a collection of Nigerian rap albums calledLAMB August, which was aimed at resurrecting rap music in Nigeria. The three albums were executively produced by M.I.
M.I.’s rapping style has drawn comparisons to world-renowned rappersKanye West,Lil Wayne, andJay-Z.TripolofBlaze-A-Micdescribes his flow as “easy going but packed full of punches”. His influence in the music industry is undeniable as he is responsible for pushing various upcoming artists into the limelight. Artists who have been a part of this include Wizkid,Vypa, Jesse Jagz,Pype, Ice Prince,Brymo andKhaliGraph Jones.
He has produced albums and songs for his label mates, most notably in 2011, with two songs in Ice Prince’sEverybody Loves Ice Prince album andRuby Gyang’sThis Is LoveEP.
As a genre that deals with self-appraisal and occasional jabs at fellow rappers, the hip hop game has made M.I. engage in rivalries withKelly Hansome and most recently,Vector.
M.I.’s achievements speak volumes for him and the fact that he is set to drop a new album soon shows that he is far from done in his road to becoming a hip hop legend.
As a one-man wrecking crew, M.I. unleashes bars that are as infectious as they are deadly. His songs often treat societal ills and his lyrics are poetic and mind-boggling. It wouldn’t be too much to say that his dominance in the industry is a long way from seeing its end. Long live the Hip Hop Messiah!