* En anglais uniquement
Widely heralded as one of Africa’s most commercially successfully rappers, M.I. Abaga first tasted mainstream success in 2008 with his debut, Talk About It. The album was a watershed momentfor Nigeria’s hip-hop community, laying out the much-needed blueprint for commercial success selling rap in the country.
Born Jude Abaga in Jos, Plateau state, he experimented with music in high school in Nigeria, and later while earning a business degree from Calvin College in Michigan. While attending college in the U.S., he became heavily influenced by American rappers like Jay-Z and DMX; crafting the early parts of his trademark punchline-heavy musical style.
He signed to popular Nigerian label Chocolate City Music in 2007, and captured public attention with his single, ‘Safe’ with featured frequent collaborator and friend, Djinee. The buzz generated from the single bled into the release of his 2008 debut, Talk About It, which, in addition to its success, birthed the careers of future Nigerian stars such as WizKid, Ice Prince and his brother, Jesse Jagz. In the decade that followed, he released several critically acclaimed projects including: Talk About It, MI2, Chairman, Rendezvous and Yung Dxnzl; as well as his popular ‘Illegal Music’ mixtape series.