Pulse presents the 7 hottest rappers of 2017.
Hip -hop in Nigeria didn't have its strongest run in 2017. With the rise of new pop sound formations, rappers are fast adapting their art to the demands of the industry, blurring the lines between genres to generate value.
Some of them who went this route lost themselves along the way, while others just couldn't come up with anything of note and impact.
But we have the winners of the year. The elite list of rappers who put in the work, pulled in the gimmicks, affected the genre and improved on our musical experience in 2017.
Pulse presents the 7 hottest rappers of 2017.
7. M.I Abaga
The rapper had only one major act in 2017, but it was essential. The rapper sparked a conversation about the revival of Nigeria’s Hip-hop with the release of controversial single, ‘You rappers should fix up your life.’
Just like Abaga said, Hip-hop has been weak. It has been so weak that pulling an act like he did moved him into this list.
6. Erriga
Erriga finally made the movement to Lagos, and celebrated it in the best possible way: By releasing a body of work.
Titled ‘A Trip To The South, the album contained the realest single of the year, ‘Industry Nite’, which deals with the uncertainties of the music industry. He wins with this.
5. A-Q
A-Q wins for the rap community every time he hits the mic. In 2017, he hit that mic with exquisite skill and returned with an album “Blessed Forever.”
The new LP is one of Nigeria’s best albums in 2017, and carries a cohesive storytelling sequence that rap fans love to champion. Add that to the buzzing single ‘Lekki expressway’, and you will find a man who started out the year, and ended as a victor.
4. Show Dem Camp
The group made up of Tec and Ghost pushed the borders of their art with the release of their buzzing EP, “Palmwine Music.” The EP produced by Spax, re-invented the rap OGs who have found a new lease of life. They are knocking on the doors of pop music, while retaining their rap ratings and building a niche fan base.
This new EP came a few months after they began the year hot, by releasing their EP, “Clone Wars 3.”
3. Phyno
2017 was a year of achievement for Phyno who released an album in 2016. This year, he continued the promotion of the album, but was able to score a speculative hit in ‘Zamo’, featuring Wande Coal. The singer also enjoyed a niche hit, ‘Augment’, which continued his chemistry with Olamide. And not to forget, Timaya’s ‘Telli person’, carried a strong verse from Phyno.
But the strongest claim to strength for Phyno was his cultural importance. Phyno, for the third consecutive year, filled up a 23,000 capacity stadium in Enugu. This was the biggest gathering and concert for any Hip-hop artist in 2017.
2. Falz
Falz carried 2017 with his music. The rapper led from the mic, dishing hit records with reliable consistency. His 2017 bests include ‘Jeje’, ‘Something light’, and ‘La fete’. All of these he did by fusing rap to different sound structures, and emerging with pure fire. All of his good work didn’t end in loose singles. Falz topped it up with a surprise album, “27.” This was his third studio album, which has been a critical success.
1. Olamide
Olamide is almost a constant in these lists, and he leads 2017 for doing his one job: Release music. While there are arguments that the singer has fully embraced his pop sound formation, the rapper is still going strong.
In 2017, he’s scored a number of hits, including ‘Wavy level’, and ‘Wo’. The latter inspired him to make a ‘Wobe’ album, which contained sounds mined from the streets of the city.