HHAP EP 71: MULTIPLE DIASPORA CULTURAL EXPERIENCES INFLUENCING THE CREATIVITY OF SAMPA THE GREAT

The podcast features discussions on African hip hop music & culture. The podcast is produced & hosted by Msia Kibona Clark and students in the Department of African Studies at Howard University and students in the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.

The podcast features interviews and discussions with artists from all over the continent and the Diaspora. The podcast is unique in its format, and values in-depth discussions with people actively involved in hip-hop culture in Africa and the African Diaspora.

We have interviewed diverse artists, activists, and scholars on topics ranging from language, religion, gender, activism, and politics.

The podcast has released dozens of episodes, which are available on this site, as well as iTunes, Spotify, GooglePlay, Stitcher, and on most platforms you go to for podcasts. You can subscribe to the podcast and receive new episodes as they are released. We have recently released several video episodes on our Hip-Hop African YouTube channel.



HHAP Ep. 84: A Conversation with M.I. Abaga on Integrity and Longevity in Hip Hop Hip Hop African Podcast

Understanding the World of HipHop and Afrobeats with legendary Nigerian Hip Hop artist M.I. Abaga Jude Lemfani Abaga, also known as M.I. Abaga He is a Nigerian rapper, songwriter, and music producer. He was born originally in Jos, Northern Nigeria, and released his debut album in 2008. He was the CEO of the label Chocolate City from 2015 to 2019 and then started his label in 2020 with incredible music. Before getting into the music industry, he studied in the U.S. for a while, then came back to Nigeria and got his music career launched in 2003. “Hip-hop, as an art form, requires integrity for you to be respected.” – M.I. Abaga He has received several music awards, including the MTV Africa Music Awards and BET Awards. He is also involved in different initiatives to bring about social and political change in Nigeria; he was declared the U.N. Office of Drugs and Crime Goodwill Ambassador against the smuggling of migrants in 2012. In his role, he was charged with speaking out on and drawing attention to the smuggling issue in Nigeria’s most recent election; his organization TASCK, a creative agency in the last general elections launched a campaign encouraging people to vote. Having been in the industry for over two decades, M.I. has nuggets of wisdom to share with people in or who are eyeing the music industry. He believes that all upcoming artists should not limit themselves to one genre of music but should instead try different things to find out what they are most comfortable with. “Every artist has to pick their point, be true to it, and make a case.” – M.I. Abaga In this episode, M.I. takes us through his music career journey. From how he got into the industry, the challenges he has encountered, how he is mentoring young talents, his experience working with other artists, to his relationship with Afrobeats. He will also enlighten us on the tension between success and integrity for artists. Where do they draw the line? M.I. is on a mission to solve a big problem in Africa. He is working towards ensuring that creatives starting their careers don’t have to go through traumatic experiences. Through his agency, he is offering them support and infrastructure to help them build sustainable businesses for them from the onset. Listen to learn more from MI. “The goal is not to attempt to be perfect. The goal is to attempt to create with integrity, trust and know, and when you get feedback that doesn’t agree, learn, and grow.” – M.I. Abaga M.I.’s Socials https://twitter.com/MI_Abaga https://www.instagram.com/mi_abaga/ https://www.youtube.com/user/mrincrediblemi https://www.facebook.com/miabaga001 Key Talking Points of the Episode: [05:48] MI’s career trajectory [07:58] The power of being a veteran artist [12:41] The undeniable shift in the music industry [13:23] Introspection through experience and loss [18:27] M.I.’s first album [25:25] Why is it important for M.I. to help other artists? [38:22] M.I.’s relationship with Afrobeats as a genre [43:46] The tension between success and integrity as artists [50:20] What is M.I. working on currently?
  1. HHAP Ep. 84: A Conversation with M.I. Abaga on Integrity and Longevity in Hip Hop
  2. HHAP Ep 83: Nigeria’s Dhoro Styles on Graffiti as a Medium of Communication
  3. HHAP Ep 82: Nigeria’s Loudbase AF Promoting Hip-Hop in Africa
  4. HHAP Ep. 81: M.anifest: From Madina to the Mecca
  5. HHAP Ep. 80: Introducting our New Assistant Producer & more Announcements

HHAP Episode 16: Wanlov the Kubolor

  Nov 1, 2017   1 Min read
This month we’re featuring a conversation with Ghanaian artist Wanlov the Kubolor. In the interview we talk about Wanlov the Kubolor’s experiences, his music, the controversies,

Artist Profile: Graffiti Writer Behulum

  Apr 26, 2017   0 Min read
Artist Profile: Graffiti Writer Behulum (Ethiopia) at the 12th Annual Trinity International Hip Hop Festival. This is a special podcast episode recorded at the Trinity

Podcast Introduction

  Oct 5, 2016   0 Min read
We are introducing a new podcast show titled The Hip Hop African podcast. The podcast will feature interviews with artists and conversations around certain social
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