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Tag: MI ABAGA

  • Why artistes are turning to drugs – MI Abaga

    Why artistes are turning to drugs – MI Abaga

    Nigerian rapper MI Abaga has revealed why many artistes turn to drugs.

    The chocolate city record label boss spoke about the widespread problem of mental health difficulties in the entertainment industry in a recent interview.

    MI Abaga revealed his concerns about how people in the creative industry suffers from this problem the most

    According to him, because of constant rejection, hopelessness, and negativity, creatives, most especially artistes are prone to mental health issues.

    In his words:

    “Creatives are generally more at risk of mental health challenges to the extent that even when we are in the middle of it, there is no support. We face a lot of rejection, hopelessness, and negativity. Yet, when one becomes successful, it gets even worse.

    The problem is so big and many artists are turning to drug abuse. We need to tackle the issue collectively to find ways to help creatives in Nigeria and Africa when faced with rejection.”

     

  • Chocolate City celebrates 50 years of hip-hop with star-studded track

    Chocolate City celebrates 50 years of hip-hop with star-studded track

    Chocolate City Music, renowned as a pioneer in the African music industry, has released the ‘Chocolate City Cypher’ to celebrate the golden anniversary of Hip-Hop.

    Abuchi Ugwu, Chief Executive Officer, Chocolate City Music, said the tribute track features elite artistes including MI Abaga, Jesse Jagz, Ice Prince, A-Q, Loose Kaynon and Blaqbonez, marking a celebration of the genre that has shaped generations.

    According to Ugwu, hip-hop has given a voice to the voiceless and brought diverse communities together and as such needs to be celebrated.

    “Since its emergence in the Bronx in the early 1970s, hip-hop has grown from a local movement to a global phenomenon, influencing fashion, language, and lifestyle.

    “As hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, Chocolate City honours this legacy by showcasing the best of Nigerian hip-hop through the Chocolate City Cypher.

    “From the days of MI’s groundbreaking hits to the current era of Blaqbonez, we have not only witnessed but also shaped the evolution of this genre in Nigeria.

    “This Cypher celebrates that legacy and our ongoing commitment to hip-hop.”

    Ugwu said that Chocolate City’s impact on Nigerian hip-hop could be traced back to the late 2000s, with MI’s “Safe” remix, revolutionising the industry.

    According to him, MI’s lyrical prowess and storytelling set a new standard in the Nigerian music scene, paving the way for future hip-hop artistes to thrive.

    “MI went on to win the MTV Africa Music Awards as “Best New Act” in 2008 and numerous other awards for his hip-hop style.

    “The introduction of the Choc Boiz, a rap ensemble made up of MI, Jesse Jagz, and Ice Prince, marked a new era in Nigerian hip-hop, blending Afro beats with contemporary hip-hop rhythms.

    “It also created a unique sound that resonated across the continent,” Ugwu added.

    He also said that Chocolate City had continued to shape the careers of some of the most respected names in Nigerian hip-hop culture, providing a platform for rappers like Loose Kaynon, AQ, Pryse, Candy Bleakz and Blaqbonez.

    “To date, the label has produced over 25 hip-hop albums, stamping its authority as the number one hip-hop label on the African continent.”

    Aibee Abidoye, Vice President, Music, Chocolate City Music, said, “we have succeeded in weaving the past, present, and future of Nigerian hip-hop around music that fans will enjoy through the Cypher.

    “Chocolate City Cypher showcases our contribution to the genre and reminds us of its power to voice societal narratives. We are proud to be a driving force in this journey.”

    He added that the Chocolate City Cypher blends topical conversations articulated through brilliant wordplay and effusive lyrics.

    “Each artiste brings a unique style and perspective, ensuring that the Cypher resonates with a wide range of audiences.

    “The track is available for download on all major digital music platforms,” Abidoye said.

     

  • MI Abaga reacts as Oladips who was reported dead shares proof of life

    MI Abaga reacts as Oladips who was reported dead shares proof of life

    Nigerian rapper, MI Abaga has shared his reaction to the speculation surrounding the reported death and possible return to life of rapper Oladipupo  Oladimenji, fondly called Oladips.

    Oladips re-emergence on social media after news of his alleged death surfaced on November 15.

    In a twist of events, a new video surfaced online Thursday showing the rapper vibing to a song from his new album, ‘Superhero Adugbo,’ with the tag ‘proof of life.’

    Reacting to the news on his X account, rapper M.I. expressed shock, saying, “Oladips resurrected? Or wazzzz going on? Welcome back to life.”

     

     

  • Tosyn Bucknor changed my life forever- MI Abaga

    As Nigerian radio listeners come to terms with the sudden death of Tosyn Bucknor, more celebrities have continued to express how the beloved media personality touched their lives on social media.

    MI Abaga, Nigerian rapper and chairman of Chocolate City Music took to his Instagram page to recount the impact Tosyn Bucknor made in his life.

     

    In his words:” I hope heaven is real.. I hope they threw an ever bigger party than usual when you arrived to celebrare you. I hope you can see how many people you touched!
    I hope you can see how all the years of giving and selflessness and stainless integrity in service, how they changed your world.

    “I hope your husband, sister and family find peace.. I know it won’t be easy..
    I hope you know how much I cherish you.. how you changed my life by just being my friend and standing next to me..

    I hope you know I remember how your very presence opened doors and unlocked hearts for me..

    I hope you can see that your memory will never die!! You were completely different from everyone else!!!!! I hope you know that you will be missed.. fiercely and scorchingly.. forever
    I hope there is heaven.. and that all the angels and all the saints realise how lucky they are to have you now. Till we meet again.. my dear friend who changed my life forever”.

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BqZos2QH0bC/

     

     

     

    Media personality, Tosyn Bucknor is dead

  • Ramsey Nouah, MI Abaga lament over heavy taxation

    Revered actor , Ramsey Nouah has revealed that Nollywood is heavily taxed, adding that the industry is not yet self sustaining.

    Nouah made this known as a panellist at a tax gathering for start-ups and SMEs in Abuja, the actor noted that the Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS) should come up with a viable taxation structure to keep the industry from collapse.

     

    According to him: “Taxation is inevitable. I support it, but right now Nollywood is heavily taxed. The equipment we use, whether old or new are heavily taxed.

     

    “The industry is not yet self-sustaining. Yet we are slammed with taxes. The practitioners are taxed, the distributors are taxed.

     

    “The Bank of Industry (BOI) pumped some money to expand the horizons of cinemas in Nigeria, quite commendable but it’s still too small.”

     

    MI Abaga, rapper and president of Chocolate City, also stated that the Nigerian music scene is not yet literate enough to withstand the pressure of full taxation.

    “I have been paying my tax in Lagos for five years, taxation is necessary. But we can’t kill the citizens to save government just as we can’t kill government to save citizens,” he said.

     

    “At present the music scene is still evolving, it’s not yet financially literate to deal with issues like full taxation.

     

    “We have a generation of youth that feel short-changed by corruption in public life; music has become an avenue for them to feel a sense of fulfillment. We have to find a middle-line that will benefit us all.

     

    “At Chocolate city, we are in the business for the love of the people, not just for making money.”

     

    New Nollywood actors don’t respect those who were there before them- Grace Amah

  • Like Falz, MI surprises fans with “Rendezvous” album

    Following the announcement of MI’s album slated for May 2018, the rapper shocked his fans when he released it contrary to its earlier slated release. This would be the rapper’s seventh project.

     

    The album cover art has nothing catchy except for a location pin, one he names “the meet up spot”, which is as a result of the multiple collaborations on the album.

     

     

    The self-proclaimed Chairman featured artistes like, South Africa’s top rappers Cassper Nyovest and AKA,Wande Coal, Terry Apala, Moelogo, Dice Ailes, CKay, Yung L, Nonso Amadi, Odunsi (The Engine), Tomi Thomas and more.

     

     

    Grammys 2018: Check out list of winners

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Be9zAT1nwu1/?taken-by=mi_abaga

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Be-J1GTH-NL/?taken-by=mi_abaga

  • M.I breaks retirement promise, announces fourth album

    M.I Abaga, renowned Nigerian rapper and Chocolate City Chairman has announced his new body of work.

    “I should be close to retirement/ but none of you rappers inspiring/ none of you pass the requirements/ I can’t retire yet then,” MI Abaga had declared on his provocative song, titled ‘You Rappers Should Fix Up Your Lives’.

     

    After releasing three albums, a compilation album and three mixtapes, MI is back in the game. The talented rapper made this known on Instagram.

     

    In his statement, M.I said he “will never rush music”.

     

    “People ask me to rush and just put out music. I have tried and failed horribly because music is too important to me,” the Chocolate City president reiterated

     

    “This project has taken so long.. but I promise it is worth it.

     

    “Every project for me is a piece of my life. I will never rush music because I respect my fan base too much.”

     

    MI began his music career when he returned to Nigeria in 2003. Finding his place in an industry dominated by the likes of Modenine, Ruggedman and Eedris Abdulkareem, he quickly commenced the production of mixtapes with his friend Djinee. This led to the critically acclaimed single “Safe”, (a song which he parodied popular Nigerian songs in its lyrics) which gathered impressive airplay by African radio and music video stations such as MTV Vibe.

     

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/Be5uePJHnIN/?taken-by=mi_abaga

    Excitement as Keri Hilson eats ‘Eba and Edikang Ikong’[Video]

  • Banks hardly don’t support record labels -MI Abaga

     

    Nigerian rapper, MI appeared on the popular Loose Talk podcast. As the name implies, talk was literally let loose on the show, where the rapper spoke on his music, record labels in Nigeria among other issues.

     

    At some point during the conversation, funding the Nigerian music business came to the fore . The acclaimed rapper made a shocking statement that raised several eyebrows. He said: “There’s no bank in the history of Nigeria that has given one Naira to any label. There’s one corporate entity that has given any label. It’s young guys.

     

    “In fact, you’re more likely to get money from a Yahoo boy. Shout-out to Yahoo boys. May God prosper your business.”

     

    During the interview, MI also made a salient revelation, he said Chocolate City was funded by bootstrapping.

     

    The self-proclaimed ‘ Short black boy’ is re-echoing a pertinent issue in the Nigerian business climate. Getting funding for a business from banks is a herculean task . Entrepreneurs who desire to invest in the music business look for other means to raise funds aside from the traditional mediums available.

     

    Also read:5 controversial revelations from M.I’s Loose Talk interview