Veteran rapper Tobechukwu Ejiofor, known as Illbliss, has expressed regret over the loss of music stars Wizkid, Davido, and Burna Boy to Afrobeats, despite their beginnings as rappers.
In an interview with Radio Now 95.3 FM, Illbliss reminisced about the thriving rap scene in Nigeria before artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido transitioned to singing. He acknowledged that this shift played a significant role in their rise to global fame.
Illbliss admitted that hip-hop in Nigeria is not highly profitable, with only a few rappers, including himself, achieving commercial success.
“We, the Hip-Hop community, lost a lot of our soldiers—Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido. All three started as rappers but found their way into the Afrobeats vibe, which made them global stars,” Illbliss said. “Hip-hop is a tough sell in Nigeria. Not everyone has been as fortunate as myself, Vector, M.I., Reminisce, Olamide, and Phyno. It’s not a long list.”
