Nigerian rapper Illbliss revealed the painful rejection he faced at the beginning of his career, rather than his choice to rap in Igbo.
Experienced Nigerian rapper Tobechukwu Ejiofor (commonly known as Illbliss) is open to the painful experiences he encountered at the beginning of his music career.
Illbliss, who has long advocated Aboriginal rap, revealed that a Lagos-based radio host once denied his chances of success because he chose to rap in Igbo.
The highly respected lyric poet shared this story in a recent episode Real shareholders podcast. According to him, the incident happened in his early days while promoting a title track Igbo BoyThis is to celebrate Igbo culture and people’s love for enjoyment.
“And then a radio show host called me and said, ‘What do you want to do? You can’t do it here. You came with the agenda. Illbliss recalled that he noted that the host turned to a fluent Yoruba when making derogatory comments.
The rapper admitted that the encounter left him deeply hurt and speechless at the time, especially because his songs were not political rhetoric, but a good record embraced his roots. He added that the host admitted that the music was good but insisted that it would not gain appeal in Lagos as it was on Igbo.
In reflecting on events, Ableis describes it as a clear example of tribal divisions, and these teachers still quietly shape interactions and opportunities in Nigeria’s creative space.
“Just looking at that guy, it makes me feel bad. It makes me realize that we can pretend we want to be a country, but the teacher of the tribe is dealing with incredible.” He said.
Since then, the rapper’s revelation has rekindled a conversation about tribalism and inclusion in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
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