Adedokun Waliyu 
Reacting to the comment of pop star, Wizkid, that rap is dead, a popular rapper, Jude Abaga, aka MI, insisted that the genre of music has had a great year.
MI stated this during an Instagram Live session during the week. He said, “When I speak, I am speaking with experience, and the weight of my contributions. I want to say this was a great year for the genre. That’s what is important because since I came into the genre, we (rappers) have always been criticized.
It does not matter where the criticism is coming from. In life, one will attempt to do hard things; things that go against the grain. That’s why we love hip-hop, because it is against the grain. Hip-hop is so important because it is the genre for the people that have seen the most pain. Everyone else can dance; but if I am hurting, I want a genre that can talk to me.”
Also revealing what fellow rapper, Vector, told him, MI said, “Even though I felt Vector was wrong about many things, there are two or three things he pointed out to me that I can improve on. One of the things he taught me was that I could be more vocal about where I come from. That is why I am doing a lot more in Jos, Plateau State.”
