Nigerian rapper, M.I Abaga has opened up on how his stay in the United States helped shape his discipline, creativity, and focus on music.
Speaking on the Japa Diaries podcast, the rapper shared that music started as just a hobby while he was still in school, but he decided to take it more seriously after returning home to Jos, Plateau State.
“When I got back home, I got a job, and right behind where I was working, there was a studio called Skynet. P-Square had just dropped their first project around that time. These were Jos boys, and before they blew up, they used to dance and mime Michael Jackson songs with a crew of about ten people. They later won a competition and got a record deal. Honestly, many of us used to envy them, but their success gave us hope that we could also make it,” M.I said.
He explained that Jos, at the time, was full of creative energy and young talents who inspired one another. The environment motivated him to start recording his own songs with help from his friend and producer, E-Kelly.
“There was so much energy in Jos then. People were always in the studio, and the studio was just behind where I worked. E-Kelly supported me, and I began to think maybe I could really do this,” he recalled.
Reflecting on his early days in music, M.I said the discipline and work ethic he learned while living in the U.S. played a major role in his journey.
“It’s not like artists were making a lot of money back then. I used to work at an internet café during the day and record at night. That’s one thing about living in Yankee, it teaches you how to hustle. When I got back home, I became more focused. One day, I just told myself, I can actually do this. Then I started traveling to Lagos more often, and here we are,” he added.