G.O.A.T

Never in the history of naija rap has an album ever been as anticipated as MI’s sophomore album “MI2 The Movie”, MI’s ascendancy in the naija rap game is a relatively known one, from his critically acclaimed debut album “Talk about It” to his groundbreaking “Illegal Music” mixtape, Mi simply took the naija rap scene by storm and ever since he has not looked back. MI 2: The Movie (also known as MI 2) is the second studio album by Nigerian rapper M.I Abaga. It was released on November 23, 2010, by Chocolate City.The album is the follow-up to his 2008 debut Talk About It. It features guest appearances from 2face Idibia, Bola Adebisi, Brymo, Flavour, Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz, Julius Ceaser, Femi Odukoya, Loose Kaynon, Praiz, Ruby Gyang, Timaya and Waje. In MI 2: The Movie, M.I addresses a wide array of topics, such as corruption, poor education, the Niger Delta crisis, shooting, looting, and the sexual objectification of women.The album was ranked as the best Nigerian album of 2010 by music blog Jaguda.It won Best Rap Album and was nominated for Album of the Year at The Headies 2011. The comical intro “prelude” fits perfectly to the movie theme as MI does his best impersonation of saving a damsel in distress, this is quickly followed by the Brymo assisted “Action Film”, where MI shows that he is still the same actor we all know and love with lines like “yo, back with my new flow/ for the club, for the streets, for the studios/in my new crib, new car, new clothes/same actor, different year, new boss”.  M.I switches up his lyrical flow and beats, by taking on Nigeria’s traditional genre of music called ‘high-life.’ This genre typically appeals to a more mature crowd but in recent times has produced hip-life music greats, like Nigeria’s J-Martins and Timaya, that appeal to both young and old. The track, Track 4 titled ‘Number One ft. Flavor’ shows hip-hop can blend seamlessly with high-life. The sound is beautiful M.I is clearly not leaving any fan behind: old, young, Nigerian or otherwise. On ‘One Naira,’ despite Waje’s strong vocals as a feature on the track, there is no confusion on whose album it is. M.I gives a poetic type performance reminding us a big part of rap is poetry. The track is about relationships and loyalty. Loyalty “whether na one Naira, or 1 million. Baby you got me,” loosely translated to mean whether you are rich or poor (one dollar vs one million dollars), you got me. The album takes on another path as ‘Wild Wild West’ portrays the ills and sudden unrest in Judo’s hometown Jos. ‘Craze’ also depicts the current deforming situation of the country, as M.I relates his disgust for corruption. Nobody’ featuring Tuface is a great collaboration and both artistes render superb performances on a subject that touches their personal lives.It focuses on the various types of ‘beef’ that accompany fame and fortune for those in the spotlight. M.I raps ”Ask Timaya, ask Wande/follow you bumper to bumper on Sunday/but do you yumu yumu on a Monday…if your fine boy too much they say you turn gay/if you make too much cash they say it’s ’19, or its drugs or it’s fraud…” “beef” works well as he addresses his beef with Iceberg Slim & Kelly Hansome with simple yet thought provoking lines like “See musicians tryna beef me for real son/maybe they doin it to promote their album/they know that using my name will help them sell some/so Iceberg it’s alright you are welcome/but I’m not in their league help me tell them/the super eagles don’t play against the falcons/see wor wor pikin dey form handsome/kelechukwu clap for yourself, well done”. Generally, there are mixed feelings about this album while some fans tagged it as one of the greatest Nigerian Hiphop albums ever released, others felt it was too commercial for a critically acclaimed Rap Album. But one thing we can all agree on is that MI2 The Movie was a great Album.

Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974 – February 15, 1999), better known by his stage name, Big L, was an American Rapper from Manhattan, New York. His first professional appearance came on the remix of Lord Finesse’s “Yes You May” in 1992, and later became a member of collective D.I.T.C. (Diggin In The Crates) due to his association with Finesse. Coleman released his debut album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, in 1995, and significantly contributed to the underground hip hop scene in New York. Shortly before his death, he created his own independent label, Flamboyant Entertainment, on which he released one of his best-known singles, “Ebonics”, in 1998. The main components of Coleman’s lyrical technique were a straight forward matter-of-fact style, multi-syllabic rhyming and a rough sense of humor. Many of his songs feature violent and homicidal lyrics, with songs “All Black” and “Devil’s Son” being prominent examples of his use of the sub-genre horrorcore.On February 15, 1999, Coleman was fatally shot by an unknown assailant in his hometown Harlem, a neighborhood of Manhattan. His second studio album, The Big Picture, was put together by Coleman’s Manager, Rich King. It was released the following year and was certified gold. Four posthumous albums have been released, mainly consisting of unreleased songs which were put together by Rich King and Coleman’s brother Donald. Coleman was born in Harlem, Manhattan, New York on May 30, 1974 as the youngest and third child of Gilda Terry (d. 2008) and Charles Davis. His father left the family when Coleman was a child. His two siblings were Donald and Leroy “Big Lee” Phinazee (d. 1999). At the age of 12, Coleman became a big fan of hip hop and began freestyling against people in his own neighborhood. Around this time, Coleman adopted the stage name “Big L”, a reference to his childhood nickname “Little L”.  Coleman attended Julia Richman High School. While in high school, Coleman freestyle battled in his hometown; in his last interview, he stated, “In the beginning, all I ever saw me doing was battling everybody on the street corners, rhyming in the hallways, beating on the wall, rhyming to my friends. Every now and then, a house party, grab the mic, a block party, grab the mic.” He graduated from high school in 1992. He formed a group with three which was called ‘Three the hard way’. The group eventually fizzled out due to lack of enthusiasm. ‘Rodney’, Coleman, ‘Doc Reem’ made up the trio of the group. After ‘Rodney’ left the group they were renamed as ‘Two hard motherfuckers’. This was the time when Little L came to be called as Big L. Lamont recorded several demo videos. Several of these videos were later included in his debut album which was titled Lifestyle ov da poor and dangerous. Lord Finesse was at an autograph event at a record shop where Coleman did a freestyle. Following this Coleman and Finesse exchanged numbers. Several people close to Big L remember the time when Big L was brought onto the stage by Finesse and there were some really good moments created. He appeared alongside Finesse in the Yo! MTV ‘s Raps to promote the latter’s ‘Return of the Funky Man’.Nubian productions had held a freestyle battle in which Lamont triumphed over 2000 contestants. A deal sign with Colombia pictures happened. The first single ‘Devil Son’ was released in 1993. As Big L recounted, he was a great fan of horror flicks. They fascinated him. Plus he recounted that he had seen very horrible things in Harlem. All these put together inspired him to come out in the single track. He performed at the Birthday bash of Finesse among Fat Joe, Diamond D and Nas. In the year 1994, Coleman released Clinic which was a promotional single too. In the month of July the same year a radio edit version of ‘Put it on’ was released. In three months’ time the video was released for the public to enjoy. The following year, he released ‘No Endz, No Skinz’.Brian Luvar directed this single.Lifestyle ov da poor and dangerous released in the year 1995, in the month of March. It came out at 149 on Billboard and number 22 on Top R & B/ Hip hop albums. As of the year 2000, the album sold 200,000 copies. In 1996 he was dropped from Colombia which was due to disputes with the production on the grounds of his rapping style. Big L recounts the experience as being among a bunch of strangers who did not know anything about music. Big L started working on ‘The Big Picture’ which happens to be the second studio album. Big L had formed a group Children of the Corn along with Killa Cam, Bloodshed, and Murda Mase. On March 2, 1997 this group closed as Bloodshed died in a car accident. In 1998 Flamboyant entertainment was formed as an independent label. In 1998, Ebonics, the next single was released. One of the famous hip hop murders is that of Lamont. In his childhood, Big L was constantly involved in battles in the neighborhood. He himself saw that he would be rhyming and battling in his future. He made enemies of which one of them had caught up. Big L lies buried in the George Washington Memorial park which is in Paramus in New Jersey. On 15th of February in 1999 on the 45 West 139th street he was shot a total of 9 times in the head as well as the chest in Harlem. Big L’s friend from childhood Gerard Woodley was arrested for the crime but later, amidst controversy he was released. The murder case remains a mystery till date. The New York police believe that it could have been a revenge for childhood act which Woodley believed to have happened. Whether it did or not is unsure.Coleman’s first posthumous single was “Flamboyant” b/w “On the Mic”, which was released on May 30, 2000. The single peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and topped the Hot Rap Tracks, making it Coleman’s first and only

Christopher George Latore Wallace was born on May 21, 1972. He is better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie. He was an American rapper and songwriter. Wallace was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on May 21, 1972. He was the only child of Jamaican immigrant parents. His mother, Voletta Wallace, was a preschool teacher, while his father, Selwyn George Latore, was a welder and politician. His father left the family when Wallace was two years old, and his mother worked two jobs while raising him. He was nicknamed “Big” because he was overweight by the age of 10 Wallace claimed to have begun dealing drugs at about age 12. His mother, often at work, first learned of this during his adulthood. He began rapping as a teenager, entertaining people on the streets, and performed with local groups, the Old Gold Brothers as well as the Techniques. His earliest stage name was MC CWest. At his request, Wallace was transferred from Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Fort Greene to George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School in Downtown Brooklyn, which future rappers Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes were also attending. According to his mother, Wallace was still a good student but developed a “smart-ass” attitude at the new school.  At age 17 in 1989, Wallace dropped out of high school and became more involved in crime. That same year in 1989, he was arrested on weapons charges in Brooklyn and sentenced to five years’ probation. In 1990, he was arrested on a violation of his probation. A year later, Wallace was arrested in North Carolina for dealing crack cocaine. He spent nine months in jail before making bail. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, Wallace signed to Sean “Puffy” Combs’s label Bad Boy Records as it launched in 1993, and gained exposure through features on several other artists’ singles that year. His debut album Ready to Die (1994) was met with widespread critical acclaim, and included his signature songs “Juicy” and “Big Poppa”. The album made him the central figure in East Coast hip hop, and restored New York’s visibility at a time when the West Coast hip hop scene was dominating hip hop music. Wallace was awarded the 1995 Billboard Music Awards’ Rapper of the Year. The following year, he led his protégé group Junior M.A.F.I.A., a team of himself and longtime friends, including Lil’ Kim, to chart success. Rooted in the New York rap scene and gangsta rap traditions, he is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. Wallace became known for his distinctive laid-back lyrical delivery, offsetting the lyrics’ often grim content. His music was often semi-autobiographical, telling of hardship and criminality, but also of debauchery and celebration. Biggie had earlier had a daughter with his earlier girlfriend Jan Jackson named T’yanna. He later dated Lil Kim; a member of his crew -Juniour MAFIA. He later met Faith Evans and they got married just eight days after. He was quoted saying “I married her after knowing her for eight days and I was happy. That was my baby,” he said to Vibe magazine. He conceded that the speed of their courtship did not provide a solid foundation. “We should have got to know each other and then got married”. Wallace was murdered in a drive-by shooting while visiting Los Angeles on March 9, 1997. The assailant remains unidentified. The murder was thought to be the culmination of an ongoing feud between rap music artists from the East and West coasts. Just six months earlier, rapper Tupac Shakur was killed when he was shot while in his car in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. Ironically, Wallace’s death came only weeks before his new album, titled Life After Death, was scheduled to be released. The murder of Biggie has never been solved, though it has been suggested that either Marion “Suge” Knight, the former head of Death Row Records, Shakur’s label, or the Crips gang may be responsible. Knight was also shot (but not wounded seriously) in the fatal Las Vegas attack on Shakur and is rumored to have engineered a retaliatory strike against Wallace, whom he held responsible for the Las Vegas shooting. With two more posthumous albums released, Wallace has certified sales of over 28 million copies in the United States, including 21 million albums. Rolling Stone has called him the “greatest rapper that ever lived”, and Billboard named him the greatest rapper of all time. The Source magazine named him the greatest rapper of all time in its 150th issue. In 2006, MTV ranked him at No. 3 on their list of The Greatest MCs of All Time, calling him possibly “the most skillful ever on the mic”. In 2020, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Before his death, Biggie had plans to begin a clothing line called Brooklyn Mint to cater for plus size customers but this suffered a setback as a result of his death. On the 16 September 2020, B.I.G.’s crown was auctioned off for $600,000 with proceeds going to his foundation, “Think Big”- with the BIG representing Books instead of Guns. The car in which Notorious B.I.G. was fatally shot was also put up for auction, with the seller of the GMC Suburban supposedly seeking £1.25 million. Although life might have been snuffed out of the “King of New York” in his prime, we are left to ponder on what the mic god might have achieved if he had been around for longer. Make no mistake though, the only Christopher we recognize in this rap game is Wallace. References: Life after death: How the Notorious B.I.G. lives on 25 years after his murder – CHUCK Anold The Unsolved Mystery of the Notorious B.I.G – Randall Sullivan

One of the most influential and critically lauded artists of the early 21st century, Kanye West went from hip-hop beatmaker to worldwide hitmaker as his production work for artists such as Jay-Z led to a major-label recording contract. And, ultimately, a wildly successful solo career that counted an unbroken string of chart-topping, multi-platinum albums and nearly two-dozen Grammy Awards for classic sets like 2005’s Late Registration, 2007’s Graduation, and 2010’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Early on, West paired his beats with tongue-twisting raps and outspoken confidence. With a backpack and brightly colored polo shirt, his dapper fashion sense set him apart from many of his rap peers, while his attitude often came across as boastful and egotistical. This flamboyance made for good press, something that West enjoyed, for better or worse, throughout the course of his career. Ye (/jeɪ/ YAY; born Kanye Omari West; June 8, 1977), commonly known as Kanye West[c] (/ˈkɑːnjeɪ/ KAHN-yay), is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and fashion designer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential hip hop musicians of all time, as well as one of the greatest musicians of his generation. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing singles for several artists and developing the “chipmunk soul” sampling style. Intent on pursuing a solo career as a rapper, he released his debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004), to critical and commercial success. West subsequently founded his record label GOOD Music later that same year. West explored diverse musical elements such as orchestral arrangements, synthesizers, and autotune on the albums Late Registration (2005), Graduation (2007), and 808s & Heartbreak (2008). Drawing inspiration from maximalism and minimalism respectively, his fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) and sixth album Yeezus (2013) were also released to critical and commercial success. West further diversified his musical styles on The Life of Pablo (2016) and Ye (2018), and explored Christian and gospel music on Jesus Is King (2019). After a series of delays, his highly anticipated tenth album Donda (2021) was released to continued commercial success, but to mixed critical reception. He released its sequel, Donda 2 (2022), a few months later, exclusively through his tie-in audio speaker service. West’s discography also includes the full-length collaborative albums Watch the Throne (2011) with Jay-Z and Kids See Ghosts (2018) with Kid Cudi. With his outsized personality, he courted plenty of controversy, posing for the cover of Rolling Stone as Jesus Christ, claiming that “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people” during a televised Hurricane Katrina fundraiser, and infamously interrupting an awards speech by Taylor Swift in 2009. And yet, his steady presence in the celebrity limelight couldn’t eclipse his musical talent. His production abilities seemed boundless, as he not only racked up impressive hits for himself (including number one singles “Gold Digger” and “Stronger”) but also had smash hits with longtime collaborator Jay-Z (on their 2011 Watch the Throne track “Ni**as in Paris”) and even Paul McCartney (along with Rihanna on 2015’s “FourFiveSeconds”). As his career progressed throughout the early 21st century, West became a superstar on his own terms without adapting his appearance, his rhetoric, or his music to fit any one musical mold. A proud and vocal Chicagoan, West was actually born in Atlanta, moving to the Windy City with his English professor mother after his parents split when he was three years old. One of his major inspirations, Donda West helped shape young Kanye, taking him to China in the late ’80s on education exchange and establishing a strong base that made him a top pupil in high school. However, his music dreams would eventually eclipse academics and he dropped out of college, setting the stage for his best-selling school trilogy. With guidance from local producer No I.D., West went on to learn the finer points of studio production, programming, and sampling, the latter technique becoming a hallmark of his early-2000s work. The Blueprint West first got his foot in the industry door in the late ’90s, doing quite a bit of noteworthy production work for the likes of Jermaine Dupri, Foxy Brown, Mase, and Goodie Mob. However, it was West’s work for Roc-A-Fella at the dawn of the new millennium that took his career to the next level. Alongside fellow fresh talent Just Blaze, West became one of the Roc’s go-to producers, consistently delivering hot tracks to album after album. His star turn came on Jay-Z’s classic The Blueprint (2001) with album standouts “Takeover” and “Izzo (H.O.V.A.).” Both songs showcased West’s signature beatmaking style of the time, which was largely sample-based; in these cases, the former track appropriated snippets of the Doors’ “Five to One,” while the latter sampled the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back.” The College Dropout More high-profile productions followed, and before long, word spread that West was going to release an album of his own, on which he planned to rap as well as produce. Unfortunately, that effort was a long time coming, pushed back repeatedly until a freak accident threatened to end his solo career before it even started. In October 2002, West was in a car accident that almost cost him his life and left him with a jaw wired shut during his weeks-long recovery. He capitalized on the traumatic experience by using it as the inspiration for “Through the Wire” (and its corresponding video), which would later become the lead single for his debut album, 2004’s The College Dropout. As the album was further delayed, West continued to create big hits for the likes of Talib Kweli (“Get By”), Ludacris (“Stand Up”), Jay-Z (“’03 Bonnie & Clyde”), and Alicia Keys (“You Don’t Know My Name”). Then, just as “Through the Wire” was breaking big-time at the tail-end of 2003, another West song caught fire, a collaboration with Twista and actor Jamie Foxx called “Slow Jamz,” which gave the rapper/producer two simultaneously ubiquitous singles and a

Welcome to rapjointlagos.com, an online space specifically designed to offer you the very best #retroHiphop and #vintageLagos experience dating back to the 80s, 90s and even 2000s. At rapjointlagos.com, we believe music is life and that sometimes music is the only medicine the heart and soul needs. As Plato would say; “Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul.” As a lover of music, be it Rap, Hip Hop or Jazz, wouldn’t it be a good idea to reminiscence lyrics of songs you knew way back? Our website is a contemporary cultural center that will help you relive and recall the nostalgic feelings of rap music, its beats, and the culture surrounding it. It will also highlight the history, with direct links to the individuals and places behind the moments that shaped the culture in Lagos and around the world as well as the style that evolved along the way. When we initially launched a Kickstarter campaign, we had over 50 backers from various countries who support on this project and shared their personal experiences about hip hop and rap music and the effects it had on them whilst growing up. We also believe you can be a part of this vision by engaging in any of our pledge packages which has different rewards. Aimed at ensuring everyone is immersed in the global historic culture of rap and Lagos, our website is like a community that will curate interactive experiences which will include podcasts, live jam sessions, book and music reviews, one-on-one sessions with artists, story-telling about deep connections with rap music as well as fun and painful memories. On the RJL website, lovers and fans of hip-hop music will be able to relax, share intimate experiences about the life and style around rap music, listen to a wide range of albums, attend events both online and offline, read and engage in discussions about rap, the hip hop culture and lifestyle in Lagos and also connect with others like minds. We also bring you lovable thematic playlists from love to battle and many others. Tribute playlists for famous rappers like 2Pac 4 Life, Biggie and others. Memories from Run DMC, read up experiences and memories individuals have shared about rap music, tributes to music icons who have made impact in the industry and also set the stage for cool, creative and culturally hip sounds, a list of books to quench your thirst for Lagos histories, a short history of hip hop and of course our weekly rundown of selected hits you will surely love. At rapjointlagos.com, we intend bringing you continuous and original content about those cultures you may have forgotten. From exclusive virtual and in-person live events to lyrical dialogues while creating the right vibe and atmosphere that will enable you have a seamless experience around the clock, RJL will inspire you to dig into history in order to unveil the mysteries behind the spirit of rap music. Our website is equally a hub where you can submerge yourself into any kind of genre that shaped your youth days in Lagos in those days and have a feel of retro Lagos. We also have books about local or international politics and any resource that will keep that fire burning within you and keep your experiences alive. You can shop amazing collections from our online store ranging from books on the history of hip hop, birth of an African city: Lagos, The Rap Year book, as well as cool RJL Classic Tees and face caps. Our physical space which is located in Ikoyi will offer a vibrant and safe venue conceptually and physically for anyone from anywhere in the world to connect seamlessly with the richest aspects of retro hip hop and vintage Lagos. One of the sure ways to preserve culture is to embrace history and that is exactly what we intend to do.  So get ready to go on this journey with us at Rap Joint Lagos. To subscribe to our newsletter to receive special offers and first look at our new products, click here and if you would love to make a donation to see more content on Lagos and Retro Hip Hop, click here. A fan of Naughty by Nature, Dr. Dre, Queen Latifah, Lil Kim, Snoop Dog, MC Lyte, Lauryn Hill, Nas, Jay-Z or Biggie? We gat ya! Welcome to rapjointlagos.com

Rap Joint Lagos (RJL) is a contemporary cultural centre where everyone can relax and share intimate experiences about rap music and the life and style around it. It was conceived of the beauty and energy that hip-hop inspires in the City of Lagos. RJL offers visitors a space to explore the genre’s philosophical and socio-political depth. It’s largely retro and nostalgic in focus. It also seeks to make music accessible to everyone with a listening point where about 500 donated CDs are available for the listening enjoyment of members of the public for free. It also seeks to create a space for album listening events, lyrical dialogues, books about Rap, Lagos Lifestyle and Culture, as well as local and international Politics. It is a vibrant and safe venue both online and physically for anyone from anywhere in the world to connect seamlessly with the richest aspects of modern and contemporary hip-hop from a uniquely Lagos perspective. Within its short period of existence, it has been named top 5 places for music lovers in Lagos(hoosocials), the top five stores for book lovers (Navi Africa), and got positive reviews from EatDrink Lagos and Lost in Lagos for its themed restaurant. It’s a space that inspires intellectual discussion about Hip-Hop and Lagos. For example, whilst it is ironic discussing love joints (songs) in the same sentence as rap music being a genre notorious for celebrating violence and over-the-top misogyny. Though it is a small part of the full picture. Nonetheless, love is a well-documented theme in the genre. The theme of love has helped rappers crossover into the mainstream and reach radio-friendly audiences: LL Cool J, Heavy D, Nas, Method Man, and many others. One of the founders, Wale Irokosu,  had fun curating a playlist titled Love Joints. As he struggled in deciding whether to categorize some songs as battle/diss or love joints. He consulted with a fellow raphead and co-Founder of RapJointLagos, Gbolahan Opeodu, on the apt categorization of “Break Ups 2 Make Ups” by Method Man feat D’Angelo goes: Wale: Ol’ boy, is this a love or diss joint?Gbolahan Opeodu: It’s a bit of both. A tumultuous and maybe destructive relationship. The verses say one thing the hook says another.Wale: D’Angelo was going mushy but Meth was abusing the life out of the lady!Gbolahan: Lol. That’s typically how those relationships play out.Wale: Abusive!! So, it goes to Battle/Diss category or love joint?Gbolahan: Mehn, this one na Jamb question o! At a push, I would say love. It’s warped but it is what it isWale: Toxic love?Gbolahan: 100%.Wale: Calling someone’s circle of friends unprintable names? Iyen o bosi naw(that’s not good). she be ex-girlfriend naw.Gbolahan: Yeah, I am putting the entire song in context. What I hear is a love/hate relationship. The break-up and makeup cycles.Wale: O deep.Gbolahan: I hate you when we are together but can’t live without you type yarnsWale: True. Why Meth sef dey call the chick? Na ex guy.” The toxic-sounding songs were eventually curated in a playlist referred to as “Tough Love”. These are the kind of discussions that the birth of Rap Joint Lagos encourages. Wale Irokosu is a Lagos-centric attorney and Managing Partner, Probitas Partners LLP,  whose love for hip-hop culture and Lagos led him to Co-found Rap Joint Lagos with like-minded Lagosians. Whilst, Gbolahan Opeodu is the CEO of an agric tech company, Yeelda. They are 2 of 16 corporate rapheads that joined forces to set up Rap Joint Lagos. The Company is Chaired by ‘Labi Williams, a Hip-Hop head. Rap Joint Lagos is like a union or confederation of corporate rap heads and Lagos lovers. Another Director, Didi Awosika, started his working career at MTV Africa before birthing Eureka Media. It’s a labor of love for the founders of Rap Joint Lagos. RJL currently has 18 shareholders including the architect that designed the space, Rotimi Finnih, and the graphic designer that designed the brand, Osione Itegboje. So, it’s truly a Hip-Hop and Lagos community founded and promoted by rapheads for rapheads. The organic growth of the Lagos hip-hop community and its ownership of the RJL is a big part of the focus and the sustainability of the idea. I used to listen to rap with friends at home and we would sit down and dissect albums,” Wale recalls. Now triggered by a sense of displacement due to a lack of an apt space to enjoy rap music, he believes Rap Joint Lagos would fill that gap for many like him. Many have moved on from the genre,” Wale continues. “Work, family, and life has weaned me and most of my friends off night clubs.  We were just tired of enjoying it alone. It felt like there was nothing for people like me again in rap despite the love. We needed our own space. Wale’s attraction to hip-hop began sometime around 1986 as a primary school pupil. It started with break dancing and soon moved to rap. He would converge at his neighbour’s house during holidays especially when his mum wasn’t home, to tap tables and freestyle a few gibberish. Not long after, the relationship evolved as knowledge and interest in hip-hop became the definition of cool for his generation by the time he was getting into secondary school. He admits that Life may have weaned him off a bit of the culture but certainly not the music. “Now, I appreciate the literal, art, and philosophical content more than ever particularly the metaphorical wordplay,” Wale tells me. “It helps in painting vivid pictures in speaking and writing without saying too much,” he goes on, “some of the deepest things I have heard were from rap lyrics.” Some of those lines include: “the purest form of giving is anonymous to anonymous/no guilt in giving or receiving”; “you can’t help the poor if you are one of them/make money and give back/that’s a win-win”; “when you make blames you are defective/when you take blames you are respected”; “I’m like Che with the bling on/ I’m complex” and many more.” Go read full artcle on BellaNaija.