8 Nigerian Rappers We Love For Spitting In Their Native Tongue

Hip-Hop is all about expression and poetry to a beat. These rappers on this list have decided to express themselves the best way they know how, and that’s in their native tongue. Whether it’s Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo these Nigerian hip-hop MCs do their thing very well on the MIC.

A lot of times we get carried away with the “gonna finna wanna” rappers that we forget the truest essence of hip-hop. The freedom to express yourself in your own way.

Here are 9 hip-hop acts that flow in their native tongue. Just one of the reasons we love them.

Olamide

The self proclaimed Baddest Guy Ever Liveth, took the platform Da Grin created and took it to a whole new level. You can argue that Olamide made rapping in your native tongue the new cool, and makes hip-hop in Yoruba sound so natural and effortless. What’s even more impressive is that he’s been able to put out solid material consistently for the past 2-3 years  and it’s easy to see him being a name we’ll remember for years to come.

*** Story For The gods

Zoro

Zoro is one of the newer cats on the scene, but he’s repping 042 (Enugu) like he’s been carrying the city on his back. His flow is solid, and even better is his ‘slowed down’ flow that makes you hear and digest pretty much everything he’s saying… of course given you understand Igbo.

*** 042

Kheengz

The only representing the north on this list. He’s not necessarily the only rapper from northern Nigeria, neither is he the only one that can flow in Hausa, but he’s the one that has decided he’ll do it on a consistent basis. That makes him unique, and he’s possibly opening the doors for something new and exciting in Nigerian hip-hop.

*** Haba

Phyno

What Olamide is to Yoruba hip-hop, Phyno is slowly becoming to the Igbo hip-hop movement. Is he the first one to flow in igbo? Nope. But I can tell you he’s the first one that’s made so refined and polished and brings so much swag to his flow it’s ridiculous. With a solid debut album he has shown that he can potentially stay consistently good for years to come.

***Parcel

Reminisce

Reminisce brings such a raw street edge to his flow in Yoruba is hard to miss him when he’s on a track. You don’t talk rappers in Yoruba without bring Reminisce into the discussion. He’s stayed very consistent going from someone flying under the radar to one of the hottest names in Hip-Hop in less than 4 years.

***Ise Yen (by Sarz)

Tipsy

On the opposite gender line we have Tipsy who pretty much carries the torch for the ladies flowing in Yoruba. There aren’t too many else who do it as good as her, and really in my opinion she should be much more highly rated in the media than she is. Switching it from raw bars to a softer flow is nothing to her. She can give it anyway you like.

***So Le

Splash

Splash made a huge “splash” literally when she dropped her single, Church Agbasa. Suddently there was a femcee that could flow very well in igbo. You can correct me if I’m wrong but I believe there wasn’t anyone of note before her. She’s still feeling her through the music game but she’s definitely one to be on the look out for and she’s gathering an ever growing fanbase.

*** Ego Uwa

Seriki

Last and certainly not the least we have Seriki. You ask quite a few people who their favorite yoruba rapper is, and Seriki will be at the top of the list and they have a valid case for their argument. Seriki has been bringing it and holding it down for a long time. He flies a bit under the radar but that doesn’t mean he isn’t just as nice on the mic as the best of them. For his loyal fans though, there isn’t any better than him.

*** Sweet Love

Did we miss anyone? Or someone you think is really good? Let us know by dropping a comment or 2.