- Veteran Nigerian rapper Illbliss laments the shift of prominent artists from rap to afrobeats.
- Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido started their careers as rappers before finding global success with afrobeats.
- In a Radio Now 95.3 FM interview, Illbliss reflected on the previous success of Nigerian rap and the transition of these artists to afrobeats.
Veteran Nigerian rapper Tobechukwu Ejiofor, popularly known as Illbliss, has expressed deep regret over the departure of several key music stars from rap to afrobeats.
In an interview with Radio Now 95.3 FM, Illbliss reminisced about the golden age of Nigerian rap, highlighting that prominent artists such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido started their careers in the rap scene.
However, these artists’ shift to afrobeats has propelled them to international fame, a move Illbliss sees as a huge loss for the hip-hop genre.
Illbliss acknowledged the commercial challenges faced by rap music in Nigeria, noting that it has struggled to achieve the same level of success as afrobeats.
He further emphasized that the list of successful hip-hop artists in Nigeria remains short, with only a few like himself, Vector, M.I., Reminisce, Olamide, and Phyno managing to make a notable impact.
“We (Hip-Hop community) lost a lot of our soldiers; we lost Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido. Three of them were rappers. I guess they found the afrobeats vibe and it made them global stars.
“Hip-hop is a tough sell in Nigeria. Not everybody has been as fortunate as myself or Vector, M.I., Reminisce, Olamide, and Phyno. It’s not a long list.”
In other news, Nigerian rapper Illbliss pays tribute to his late colleague, Oladapo Olaonipekun, popularly known as Dagrin, while reflecting on his memory
Dagrin tragically lost his life in a ghastly car accident on the 22nd of April, 2010.
In commemoration of the 14th anniversary of his passing, Illbliss honors Dagrin’s enduring influence by acknowledging that his “legacy will live on forever”.
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