In 2001, after jay-z had dropped 5 successful albums, sold up to 5 million copies of his third album (life and times of shawn carter vol 2), performed at sold out shows, he felt there was still an obstacle in the way to greatest of greats.
He knew he was the must relevent rapper at that point, but there was something more he wanted. He would here people make comments like. "jay-z is hot, he is really paid right now, but that kid nas is something else". Jay new he had to go against one of the best in the game. He knew nas was a worthy adversary, even before he went against him. Not concidering the fact that he sampled nas on his first single, in 1996, "dead presidents", and knew through his career so far, then, that nas was a very talented rapper. But he felt he had to bury nas, for him to gain everything he wanted.
I guess he woke the sleeping lion, because we all know what happened after that. ETHER!!!
I guess that is kind of what happened in the nigerian scene recently, with mode going at ruggedman on the last track of his new album. A lot of people say rugged can not stand to mode, but what i would say is that, if he felt that way, he would not have bothered going at rugged, just like jay would not have gone against nas.
Anyway, what i want to bring out of this is that, while mode and rugged were strugling for the crown, this kid just comes from behind and snatches it from both of them.
You have to agree with me that this kid is what mode and rugged are not. He is very skilled lyrically, yet very versitile. I know mode is lyrically, but sometimes he gets boring, and sometimes rugged gets too commercial, this kid is the best blend i have heard. He is really MR INCREDIBLE. I f you do not have his album, you need to go out and get it to know what i am talking about.
I have his biography right here, check it out.
Born in the city of Jos, music immediately surrounded M.I's life. M.I was able to see first hand musicians such as Panam Percy Paul, the Winners Band and the Footsteps band. M.I's father at the time was the pastor allowing M.I to grow up around constant singing. At an early age M.I's mother taught him the sulfa notation and how it applied to a simple chorus. It was after this that M.I began to learn how to play the keyboards; on a small 7 key toy keyboard. By the age of 10, M.I could play the drums and keyboards to an extent. M.I also compared notes with Jeremiah Gyang who was a very close childhood friend. M.I discovered rap music when he began secondary schoo. It was here that M.I fell in love with this art form. Around 1998 M.I got his hands on DMX's debut album and Lauryn Hill's Mis-education album and began to write his own music and poems. While in college M.I put aside hip hop music for an acappella group but continued his writing in hopes of one day picking up where he left off. Towards M.I's senior year in college he started writing long poems with a very rhythmic tones. M.I was able to record a few of his songs which were placed on a college album.On returning to Nigeria in 2003, M.I returned to Jos, which was brimming with young rappers and hip hop producers. Through the influence of Jeremiah and another talented Jos producer "E Kelly," M.I quit his job and started to work at Inner Hub Studios and to work on producing and recording his own music.M.I was signed to Chocolate City in 2006 and came out with the hit single "Crowd Mentality" which had topped charts all over Nigeria. M.I today has continued to grow into stardom in Nigeria. He has participated in a variety of shows, worked with other Nigerian artists such as Modenine, Jeremiah Gyang, Styl Plus and more. M.I has been a part of various projects such as Bring the Noise traveling to other African Countries as well as the UK collaboarting with other artists and performing. M.I is set to drop his album this year and proves to be one of the greatest new Nigerian Hip Hop artists. His words will move you with their deep messages as well as get you up off your feet. His journey is only beginning!
Yeah that is all about M.I. Now check out some comments about him i found on his facebook page.
M.I is the real thing........after him u can add Modeeee......9, forget all d fakes such as that baba, this baba we re nt referin to adisa babba.....!!! M.I you d MAN.....fire burn them all.......!!!!!
talk about it talk about it... hot album hot album... you're on fire on fire!!!
Saw M.I perform at rhythm unplugged he murdered that show....The big booty squeezer
THIS GUY IS TOO MUCH ABEG! no doubt the best rapper naija has produced! any1 who wan contest?
first time i heard u spit flame was @ surulere when u came to nosa's studio. u are some alot of quality rap loving fans should look 4rd 2, all d best in ur pursuit of success..glad 2 knw u r finally out.
Im not really into rap music but MI gets my attention all the time. He's smoking hot and boy, does he know it! Cant wait for the album.
D illest MC d continent has seen!keep it up bro.
Bro is been a long while i have ebeen waiting for a Rapper like this in 9ja,i use to like Naeto C,but you are the Bomb,keep your Game tit,lots of love.
.I u're jus simply MagnIficent....when u go drop ur album abeg....nuf of all dis wack mcees on air. One Album n u'll flush all dem lyrical underground n overground rappers away. keep d delivery skills awake
Dis is d illest...d realest...d freshest...hottest artist with d slickest sound so far...So if u don't know, now u know...i'm definitely a big fan of urs bruv...still waiting for an album or a single i can buy...(or download...lol)...
The comments are endless, i just have to stop, this kid is the shit and the urine right now.
. "When I decided I wanted to rap, I remember it was a big day. It was a Saturday. I took the whole day and meticulously ripped down all my basketball posters, and cut out all the pictures of the Rap magazines that I had: Source, Blaze, XXL, cut out the covers, pictures, and hung 'em up. And what I had on top of that, right next to my bed, literally, if I wake up and turn to the right, the wall that was right next to my bed was the lyrics. I had pages and pages and pages of lyrics. And to make my wall, you had to be amazin'. You had to be Nas, Eminem, Canibus. You had to be... Royce [Da 5'9] would get a verse, Pac. I used to sit, wake up, and even if I'm just in my room, chillin', read the verses. I already knew 'em word for word, but reading the words was special. Like readin' 'em out. I don't know why I did it, but I felt compelled."
The Roots. I'd definitely say The Roots. I know that's so Philly all day. That's horrible. I'm being bias but definitely The Roots.
Mos Def. I think Mos Def goes in there. He really deserves it.
Talib Kweli.
I have to put Mos Def and Talib Kweli both in there. They both deserve
it. Those guys both are the ones that come to my mind right now.
Eve. I would definitely put myself in there. I didn't know we could induct ourselves, so of course me.
Queen Latifah.
What about Queen Latifah? She has to go in there. You have to think
about artists like Queen Latifah and MC Lyte, where are the females [in
the SOHH Hall of Fame?] I have Queen Latifah on there because she's
Queen Latifah. There's not much more you can say about that. She was out
when I was a kid-kid. And her career, still, has transcended. Now she's
in the movies but you can't take away what she's done, especially
because she's a female in hip-hop. She was definitely an influence for
me.
