M.I Abaga
Talk About It
Album · Hip-Hop/Rap · 2009
“Talk About It was a watershed moment in my life,” M.I Abaga tells Apple Music about the record that showcased his intelligence, lyrical ease and mastery of metaphor. “It was the realisation of a lifelong dream. The confirmation that I belonged. Nobody could've guessed that this hip-hop loving kid from J-Town would create the template to sell rap in Nigeria. But he did!” Largely credited with taking Nigerian rap into the mainstream, the 2009 album, with tracks like “Safe”, pushed forward a fresh, intentional and disciplined level of artistry that gained critical acclaim and commercial success. The instant classic also introduced a new generation of stars; a feature on “Fast Money, Fast Cars”, gave a budding artist named Wizkid a jump start into the the industry; Jesse Jagz, Ice Prince and Blaise appear on “Blaze”. “I dont think people realise the scale of what we accomplished,” Abaga continues. “We built this from nothing! And we're still here, 11 years later. I don't know anybody else that has done it.”