Here are the best Nigerian rap verses of 2017.
2017 was supposed to be the year where Hip-hop completely loses its relevance in Nigeria. But here we are, at the end of the year, and it feels like rap music did explode on some level.
Some of the best rappers —A-Q, SDC, and Falz—have released projects, and no matter what how they’ve delivered it, Nigerian Hip-hop is as filled with great rapping as it's ever been.
This list contains the best of the year, the 10 verses that commanded attention, hit us all hard, and spoke about something that’s bigger than all of us. Here are the best Nigerian rap verses of 2017.
A-Q – ‘Change one thing, change everything’
Verse: 1
Best Line: “I lost it all before, and it all came back, lost a good girl once, and she ain’t came back.”
“Never really understood my dad growing up, not like I hated him but love wasn’t holding up….” A-Q is intensely personal on this one and only verse. It’s a personal and sad story about the interconnectivity of sad events. His father was broke, which somehow led to the death of his brother, teaching him lessons about life and the way earth works. The emotions are contagious, the feeling is raw, and the writing, real.
M.I Abaga – You rappers should fix up your life’
Verse: 3
Best Line: “Are you rappers omo we don’t know again/Mhen ah pausing your tracks ‘cause no more flow again.”
A self-righteous Jude Abaga might be a pain in the ass, but he’s a beauty to listen to what depths of creativity his anger can power him too. “I’m doing this for the culture, You need somebody to coach you.” He says while he flogs many rappers with just one advice: Make rigid Hip-hop again.
Did they listen? Yes. Did they obey? Well, let’s just say it wasn’t very polite in the end. That same energy was maintained.
Verse: 3
Best Line: “Stop explaining, don't be lazy/No excuse you fit give them/No be only una wey be victim of the system.”
When Falz was attacked for speaking about internet fraud, he didn’t respond on social media. He is no Twitter-finger. What he did was hit the studio, and turned it into a song, which had more fire and energy than his comments. This is a commoditized advice session, his fight back against the loud voices of misinformation. He’s doing alright sweetie.
“Every teaching, every sermon, every life lesson go surely tell you the same thing/My guy, this life no be level playing field”
Boogey – ‘Liqour Nights’ ft Tay
Verse: 2
Best Line: “I'll never drink again. I said it yesterday and the day before../..then the voice in my head said let the rozay be poured”
Boogey is a genius, who sometimes dumbs himself too much for us to understand at our best intellectual capacity. Well, one one of those rarest moments where he becomes human, he drags Tay on to a record which details an alcoholics problems, and the guilt of dealing with addiction. “need a shrink, man, resistance is hard/My last shrink had to go see another shrink..”
He comes through on this one, creating a hard cocktail of pain, regret, struggle and gut-wrenching admission of defeat.
SDC – ‘Respect My Name’ ft Ikon
Verse: 1
Best Line: “Bang bang, your boys are back, we’ve been a nusisance/This what you get when you mix Fela with the Blue Print.” – Tec
One of the best lyrical workout of 2017, SDC and IKON take on the cliché theme of braggadocio. But they deliver it in the most mind-bending format. Tec opens it up with wordplay creating imagery that is beyond reason.
SDC – ‘Respect My Name’ ft Ikon
Verse: 2
Best Line: “These Tom Fords aren’t blocking out the tomfoolery/to see these bars morph into a Nigerian brewery, and everyone on a tee is a star, I’ll be on that Leggo movie tip.” – Ghost
Ghost continues where Tec leaves it off. He extends the intellectual leap, running through his lines and thumping his chest, playing with some self-reflection as he takes over your brain.
SDC – ‘Respect My Name’ ft Ikon
Verse 3:
Best Line: “Hungry to live, nigga the wolf is starving/jumping out the jungle to pollute the garden.” – IKON.
A rare Ikon verse brings a few things back to mind. This producer can rap. He’s always been a rapper, always is, and always will be. Tapping into the mundane, he builds a narrative on his verse that eases us off the beauty that they have created.
Erigga – ‘Industry Nite Refix’
Verse: 1
Best Line: “na in those days these talents fit blow you, nowadays without money nobody wan know you.”
Contained in his album “A Trip To The South” is ‘Industry Nite Refix’, one of the ‘realest’ songs you would ever hear about the industry and how it works. Erigga tells the story of an up-and-coming artist who is frustrated by the game, and left with nothing. To make ends meet, he goes into the world of crime, where the law stops him, and he is executed.
Yung6ix – ‘Good times’ ft Disally
Verse: 1
Best line: “No directors, if I’m ever losing my way, Lord direct us.”
Off his “High Star” album, Yung6ix digs deep into his soul, taking you along in the journey to what makes him tick. The music, the life, the dream and the vision all come together to form the big picture. It’s an emotional journey that resonates through all of us. With this record, we can all find ourselves in Yung6ix.
Verse: 1
Best Line: “My rich friends are all into business.”
We all have rich friends. They are always spending, living the best lives, driving the best whips, and traveling round the world. But what is the source of their immense wealth? No idea. That’s the truism Ajebutter expands on this record…”Lord save me from temptation lo…” he cries, explaining that “They are telling me to join gang.”