Amidst, all the uncertainty that continues to surround hip-hop music and it’s viability in Nigeria, one thing remains certain: there are loads of talented rappers in this country. The recent spate of diss freestyles flying on twitter over the course of the last two days proves that much. But if there’s anything the genre needs most, it’s a face. And to be a face of rap music goes beyond being able to diss the next guy. It requires the ability to create songs that would stand the test of time, songs that are rich in meaning and relatability. How many of such rappers do we really have? That’s hard to say for sure, but you can be certain that the Inglorious M.O.B is one of such rappers.
If his rap moniker sounds rather familiar to that of The Notorious B.I.G, it’s because the late American MC is one of his biggest influences. The Inglorious M.O.B embodies one of the qualities that made the Brooklyn rapper stand out; that intricate rhyming scheme that seldom predictable but always top-notch. He also possesses the poetic lyricism that typifies Wale, the effortless flows Jay-Z practically trademarked, and the charismatic presence Reminisce always brings to the microphone. M.O.B is a true student of the game and the results are evident on his recently released, stellar debut album “The Inglorious”.
If one considers his journey to the release of his most recent project, one may consider him something of a veteran in the game as well. Motolani Ojo-Bello – that’s where the M.O.B comes from – has certainly been around for a long time. He built a sizeable following during his time as an engineering student at the Obafemi Awolowo University thanks to a string of singles, mixtapes, live performances, and cyphers. Thus, when he was ready to officially launch his career in 2019, he had a faithful fanbase to back him all the way.
“Rise” and “Big Sam” were the two singles with which he announced himself in 2019. But it wasn’t until his appearance on WeTalksound’s “LOFN 3” in February 2020 he made his first big wave. He closed out the compilation album with “Do You?”, a critical and honest examination of his love life. The calming rap paino ballad was unexpectedly engaging in the context of the more energetic Afrobeats songs that preceded it, and proved to be one of the standout songs on a tape that was not lacking in quality. For many, it was their first introduction to his world that emphasizes lyrical substance with minimalist sounds. He followed it quickly with a 7-track mixtape “Psychi 2” that further punctuated his quality. The project also made its way to the honourable mentions list of top Nigerian Hip-hop albums curated by Pulse. That same year, he earned AQ’s seal of approval for his sizzling entry for the Monster Energy Challenge hosted by 100 Crowns Entertainment. He went somewhat quiet in 2021, only appearing intermittently to update his discography with few singles and feature verses. But the relative silence was on purpose and for good reason; he was cooking his debut album.
And what an album it was. From the introspective, pace-setting album opener “Inglorious” to the more contemporary “Shigeo”, from flexing his lyrical muscles on “Represent Freestyle” to hoping he reaches his lofty goals on “Glory”, the rapper invites us to into his mind over the 11 tracks on the project. His thoughts are a mixture of hopefulness and confidence, with a tinge of doubt as he matches on his journey towards glory, stardom and immortality. Will he attain all of that or not? You would have to stream the album yourself to decide. And you absolutely should listen to this album, because it’s proof we do have the type of rappers we all claim the Nigerian Hip-hop scene is in desperate need of.
https://music.apple.com/ng/album/the-inglorious/1618520137?ls
