JOBNR -Top Nigeria rap kings who made a mark in 2013 .

2013 was a successful year in the music industry. Many Nigerian rap artistes made a mark in both local and international arena. We take a look at some top Nigeria rap kings who made a mark in 2013 and what should be expected in 2014. They are considered by fans as the most gifted rappers in the Nigerian music industry today. This analysis considered the volume of the body of work of each artiste, their lyrical content,  their style and manner of delivery, their word play and versatility, the metaphorical depth of rhyming and their story telling ability.

Also it puts into consideration their inclination to address contemporary and diverse subjects in the society and use punch lines that reverberate in the hearts of their listeners. The commercial appeal and  rap influence of these artistes are not left out as it takes only skills to write a commercially successful rap song that people could chant to the rhythm.

These are the best the fans have considered to be their favourites for 2013 while having bigger expectations for 2014. Are there any upcoming artistes that could dethrone them just like Niki Minaj has done in the USA? Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Olamide:

Since the death of the late Yoruba rapper, Dagrin, it appears he passed his indigenous baton to Olamide who has never looked back and has become the favourite of fans all over the world. This is because Olamide seems to have added to what Dagrin was trying to do. Popularly known as “the voice of the street,” he  is getting closer and closer to the rap throne and his stock has risen.  Badoo won three awards at the 2013 Nigerian Entertainment Awards in  the prestigious categories like Best Album of the year, Best Indigenous Artiste and also Best Collaboration for his support to Phyno’s Ghost Mode. Olamide’s ability to string difficult punch lines in his Yoruba dialect without failing to entertain and use effective metaphors sets him in a league of his own.

Durosoke and Stupid Love clearly display his talent. The kid can spit! Illuminati became a word that was used in his song, though he is the only one that could really say what he meant by that. Believe that there will be more collaborations and successful 2014 because that is what people want to listen to. Successful songs weaved in the local dialect.

Naeto C:

Naeto C’s debut album, You Know P, released in May 2008 defined Naeto C as an artiste with remarkable rapping talent. He is definitely one of the best rappers in 2013. In the same year, he was honoured with an MTV Africa Music Award.

Naeto C flows are not necessarily  packed with a lot of punch lines, but his musical content  is clearly enjoyable.  His third single, Kini Big Deal, ruled the charts, clubs and everywhere else for a very long time.  It is fair to say that his commercial appeal is undeniable. His second album, Super C Season, received rave reviews and Ten over Ten was quite popular. Though some fans said married life has slowed him down a little, the belief is that he must keep up the tempo if he doesn’t want to be relegated to the background in 2014 because there are more  inspirational upcoming rappers on the block.

Ice Prince:

Looking at Ice prince  Zamani, one could say he is certainly the most commercial  and bankable rapper in Nigeria right now.  2013 has been his year. His songs have a wide commercial appeal. He won the 2013 BET award for the Best African Act. His hit songs like Oleku, Aboki and Super Star  have enjoyed wide air plays around the globe.  His ability to combine catchy and concise rap lines and hooks  is a proof that he is a natural artiste. His flows on Molowo Noni with Samklef is a good example of  Zamani’s versatility. Ice may not be one of the best rappers out there, but his ability to string commercially likeable lines is proof of his talent. Little wonder he was considered for the LEADERSHIP Entertainer of the year. Hoping to have more chats with you bro at the award ceremony. Kudos.

Vector:

According to fans, Olanrewaju Ogunmefun, better known as Vector tha Viper, is a protégé of Jay Z. Vector is dope lyricist. He won the Headies award in 2012 for the best Lyricist On The Roll. Vector’s style of rap runs through the fast and equally slow tempo. His style of rap has been compared to that of rapper Jay-Z.  His ability to use catchy phrases is noticeable in his delivery. He is definitely a gifted rapper whose word play is immense.  The simple and easy going artiste once told me rap is like food, and he does it effortlessly. He laces his flows with soothing undertones as evident in the song Follow me they go.

Without any doubt, Vector is a gifted artiste. And certainly, 2014 will be a good year for him. No contest.

Phyno:

Many are still baffled how Phyno is the man of the year.  An array of hits established Phyno as a force on the Nigerian rap scene in 2013. Notable among them are Multiply Remix and Shut Down. Phyno’s ability to use  Igbo, English and Pidgin is a testament to his versatility. His collaboration with Olamide on Ghost Mode made a bold statement that Phyno was not a flash in the pan. Ghost Mode bagged three nominations at the 2012  Headies. His ability to fuse English and Igbo together to create a rap content is certainly one of his core strengths. Phyno’s rap  style is so lovely that even non-Igbo speakers enjoy  his flows even when they don’t understand Igbo. He is one of the best in 2013.

Jesse Jag:

The name alone is a symbol. No list is complete without Jesse Jag. Jesse  has been described as the Kanye West of Nigerian music because of his diverse experimentation with different genres of music from R&B to roots reggae to pop all built on a predominantly hip hop foundation.  Although, these days he seems to lean predominantly towards reggae  as evident in Desire and Redemption, there is no doubt that Jargo is among the most gifted rappers in Nigeria. It is hard not to add him to the list as he cannot only rap when he wants to, he can also come up with the dopest of beats to match his punch lines. He has helped lots of rap artistes to create dopest of beats. Why won’t he be among the best in 2013. 2014 will certainly usher you into something bigger.

Mode 9:

He is a broad in the genre. Mode 9 is without a doubt one of the best rappers in Nigeria. He has picked up the best lyricist in a roll 6 times at the Headies and he is respected across Africa for his rap ability. This guy is a legend of some sort and one of the front runners of the rap genre in Nigeria. He is the true undisputed lyrical heavyweight. ‘Modo’ has stayed true to his Hip-Hop roots, even though he is sometimes criticised for it. His rap style is pure hiphop and reminds us of The Wu-Tang Clan -  an American East Coast hip hop group from  New York. He knows how to lace a beat. But one thing is certain, he lacks good publicity which would have put him top of any rap artistes in the genre. We hope he works on that in 2014 so as to continue getting the thrills from fans.

M. I ( Mr Incredible):

M.I is still on the rap throne and nobody has yet made any move to crash him. He is the best rapper in Nigeria. His rhyming and lyrical ability and his use of relevant metaphors and story telling prowess  put him in class of his own.  Almost every rapper in Nigeria has been nibbling M.I’s flows.

Mode 9 is the only rapper who probably edges M.I slightly in terms of lyricism. M.I’s flow is deceptively simple but packed full of punches. Similarities in styles have also been drawn to renowned rappers such as Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Jay-Z.   M.I’s first  album sold 30,000 copies in the first 30 minutes of its release in 2008 and the hit song, Safe, displayed his ability to blend different Nigerian hit songs into something uniquely beautiful.  The hit single, Teaser, proved  M.I’s versatility and ability to work with artiste from a different genre.

In November 2010, M.I’s second album, MI2: The Movie, was so popular in the week following its release that MI was seventh trending topic globally on Twitter. He has continued to stay relevant in the Nigerian music scene. His official first single titled  Chairman was not as great as his earlier works, but it was acceptable in the eyes of his ardent admirers. Jude Abaga has effectively mentored and inspired Ice prince to a commercial success. Hence M.I deserves the rap crown, not just for his talent but also for his role in the Nigerian music industry in 2013. He has been responsible for bringing out many upcoming artistes such as Jesse Jagz, Ruby, Pype, Ice Prince and Brymo. Little wonder he has been described in many quarters as the “Hip Hop Messiah.” For those who think M.I has lost the rap crown, his song, Undisputed, remains his most formidable response.

As we continue to celebrate our rap kings in 2014, our expectations are that they will dish out more songs that are unequivocally awesome for fans or rap music.