Veteran rapper Illbliss has strongly asserted his legendary status in the Nigerian music industry, claiming he has put in more work than most artistes, with the possible exception of Olamide (Baddo).
In a recent interview on Naija 102 FM, the “Emini Baller” hitmaker expressed frustration at being constantly labelled a “that year” artist despite his consistent presence and contributions over the years.
“I don’t think there’s anyone in the Nigerian music industry — except maybe Baddo — that has worked more than I have.”
Responding to a question about what he thinks is wrong with the Nigerian music audience who forget about the OGs, he said:
“You can never feel like you’ve achieved it all because nobody gave you anything.”
He highlighted the generational shift in the industry, noting that the new generation enjoys technological advantages, while his era required more manual grind.
“The new generation have tools that are in their favor. Technology and the streaming platforms. You can record a song in your room, post it, start a TikTok challenge, and blow — all from inside the same room. My generation had to do all that in person. You’d walk to the radio station, convince the OAP to play your song. You’d tell your friends to request for your songs on the stations before you’d start getting any airplays. There was also no money in shows then like there is now.”
When asked about his opinion on the “rap is dead” conversations in the industry, Illbliss defended the genre, rejecting claims that rap is dead in Nigeria.
“How can someone sit down somewhere and say rap is dead when there’re still amazing rappers like Olamide, Phyno, Falz, Reminisce, Odumodu Blvck…making incredible rap music to represent Nigeria.”
He acknowledged Afrobeat’s dominance but maintained respect for its relationship with rap.
“We agree that afrobeat has more numbers than rap music but afrobeat is our little cousin.”
The outspoken rapper emphasised his longevity, noting he entered the game young and continues to age gracefully while many from his generation have faded. His comments have sparked debates online about legacy and the evolution of the Nigerian music industry.