Why I Have Problem With Nigerian Rappers Now Singing for Popularity - M.I.

It is not news to anybody that the reigning sound right now in Nigeria is Afrobeats. Hip-hop as a genre is not really dominating the airwaves although there continue to be a number of rappers who are still very much shining. Acts like Ladipoe, Falz, and more. But one thing that has also become very apparent is that a lot of rappers or artistes who started off as rappers are now singing more to push their songs and become more popular. One person who has a lot to say about this is Nigerian rapper, M.I.

M.I is still till today hailed as one of the best rappers out of the continent and during a sit down interview with The Beat 99.9FM, the rapper was asked about how he feels about the issue of rappers now turning into singers. Here's what M.I said.

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During the show, M.I was asked, "It seems like a lot of rappers or artistes that started off as rappers then ventured off into singing. That's where the misconception that rappers are not really doing that great stemmed from. So what do you say to the rappers or the musicians who maybe started off as rappers and then ventured off into singing when they saw that rap wasn't really paying the bills?". M.I responded saying:

I would say that there are rappers who are rappers. There are rappers who are musicians. There are musicians who will rap. So you think about Styl Plus and Shifi who is not a rapper, but he has verses that are arguably some of the most popular verses in Nigerian history. And then you have people like Mode 9 who is a rapper's rapper, he is not doing a melody. In the middle, you have a lot of people who dabble between the two: myself, Jesse Jagz, Ice Prince, Naeto C. And I would say that that is even part of the fabric of Hip Hop. Let's go back to like Bone Thugz. Let's go back to like Nelly or Ja Rule, it's part of the fabric of hip hop. I don't think it's a new thing, I think it's something that should be encouraged. I have a line in "Rappers Fix Up Your Life" where I say, "Rappers are singing now just to get popular". And I think people interpreted that to mean rappers shouldn't sing. I was saying if you are a rapper, and the only reason you are singing is to get popular, I have a problem with that. But if you're just an artiste making dope content and putting that out, I encourage that. I always have. I was singing on my first album, on "Forever" and many songs. So I believe as an artiste, do what inspires you.

What do you think of what M.I said? Do you think there is a problem with rappers turning to singing for the sole reason of becoming popular? Or do you think there's no issue with it? Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment either below or on my Jide Okonjo Facebook post.

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