Nigerian Rap Community Once Called Me Boring – M.I

Renowned Nigerian rapper M.I Abaga has weighed in on the ongoing feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, drawing parallels between Drake’s current situation and his own experiences in the Nigerian rap industry.

Speaking on Afropolitan, M.I acknowledged the intense scrutiny Drake has faced, noting that even outside the music industry, tech enthusiasts and other circles have joined in criticizing the Canadian rapper. However, he believes Drake has the talent to stage a comeback.

“If Drake is able to make a comeback, it will elevate him above everyone. Because not just the music industry, but also tech boys—everybody came and danced on his ‘grave.’

“If there’s one person who has the talent to make a comeback album, it is Drake. He is the guy who knows how to put music together. If the first part of listening to Drake’s music was about his journey to becoming a rap star, now life is giving him a second story. And he is the best storyteller there is.”

M.I also acknowledged Kendrick Lamar’s dominance in the rap battle, stating that the beef has cemented his place among the greatest rappers of all time.

“Kendrick wasn’t in my top 10 before this moment. But I think this has put Kendrick, at the very least, in the top 3. I don’t see how, objectively, you can place Kendrick above Drake just because they were active at the same time. Drake was consistently dropping hits for 15 years. You can’t deny what Drake has done.”

Reflecting on his own journey, the Nigerian hip-hop legend recalled being labeled “boring” by the local rap community at a certain point in his career, despite his contributions to the genre.

“I felt a little bit of sympathy for Drake because I have had a similar experience. At a certain point, no matter what I did, the ‘rap community’ in Nigeria would say it was boring. The American hip-hop face-off was great and entertaining. Shoutout to Kendrick and Drake.”

M.I remains one of Nigeria’s most influential rappers, with a career spanning over a decade and multiple acclaimed projects to his name.