Whoever thought hip-hop would make it this far? In this day and age, we have social media and advancement in technology to thank. But even prior to that, hip-hop has been expanding in so many parts of the world that it blends in beautifully with other genres of music. With the growing music industry in Africa, hip-hop has found yet another home. Whether it is Kuduro, Azonto, Kweito and/or AfroBeat, the rhythm and flow of rap mixes in and delivers well.
For most of us in the diaspora, we may find those artists that try to imitate an “American lifestyle” of rap to be cheesy. Thankfully though, there are other artists who remain true to their roots and who look for a medium to bridge the best of both worlds. One of these artists is a Nigerian artist named Mojeed.
Who is Mojeed? Well, almost three years ago, Mojeed was the lead rapper in a band called OMG! They were based in Brooklyn, New York and released their LP titled “Fingerprint Experience”; a mixture of electronic hip-hop. Their track “Blah” led them to win the Coors Light “Search for the Coldest” North Channel where they earned an opening slot for a N.E.R.D. and PacDiv in New York City. Although they seemed to be doing well, due to creative differences the band separated. With the breakup taking a toll on him, Mojeed decided to pursue his education in England.
Can one really escape from music? Mojeed realized he couldn’t. When Nigerian music label Aristokrat Records approached Mojeed wanting him to join forces with them, Mojeed decided to think it over and give music another try. This past year, he flew in and out of Nigeria where he was recording. He knew that this second opportunity was a given one. As the saying goes, “there’s no place like home”. When I caught up with him earlier this week, he stated: “ Music is a universal language. Nigeria is the platform of where I want to launch my music career. But of course, we (Aristokrat Records) want to raise the bar high and expand internationally”. With that being said, Mojeed was excited to share that his first single out of his upcoming mix tape “T.O.N.E”(Threat Of New Entrance) will be released on August 30th, 2013. The song is called “Bosibi” which is Yoruba for “come here”. What to expect from this mix tape is a mixture of AfroBeat/Hip Hop and most importantly something to make you dance, feel good, and ask yourself for the last time: “ Who Is Mojeed?”.
Listen to Mojeed’s debut single Bosibi here. Look out for the mix tape T.O.N.E to be released later on this year.