Ah, you do not have to be a Hip-hop head to appreciate the sweet symphony of Nigerian rap beef. But in this increasingly digital age, everyone has to make do with the cacophony of subtweets and veiled threats.
Over the weekend, the internet buzzed with another social media spat between two of Nigeria’s most exciting rap exports, Odumodublvck and Blaqbonez. What observers first noted as a simmering tension has now boiled over onto X (formerly Twitter), with both artists trading jabs that are as direct as they are.
Well, online.
Odumodublvck, ever the provocateur, threw the first major stone, allegedly responding to Blaqbonez’s diss track ‘Who’s Really Rapping’ with a declaration that he embodies everything Blaqbonez aspires to be. His words cut deep: “If rap hard for me your last hit no go dey with me. I’m everything you want to be, nigga. Your spirit is weak.”
Blaqbonez, not one to back down, quickly retorted, but with a twist. He challenged Odumodublvck to abandon the digital battlefield for the hallowed grounds of the recording studio. “Enter studio and get TF out my mentions. This no be Twitter warfare. And stop calling the whole industry crying about me. No be so Kendrick Lamar dey do. Hip-hop legacy,” he fired back.
Odumodublvck’s subsequent retort about meeting “for street” rather than the studio is not what we want to see. And this, dear readers, is where I am stepping in as an observer, a fan, a griot of our pop culture.
With all due respect to the digital dexterity of these two lyrical gladiators, this isn’t how rap beefs are settled. This isn’t how legends are forged. This has all the likelihood of becoming another missed opportunity, a squandered moment for Nigerian hip-hop to truly shine.
We need less Twitter fingers and more studio fire. Give us diss tracks!
For decades, the diss track has been the lifeblood of hip-hop. Nothing quite brings out the creative muscles of a rapper like a lyrical duel with another. It’s a brutal, beautiful art form rooted in the competitive spirit of rap battles, where words are weapons and beats are battlegrounds.
From the raw, unfiltered aggression to the intricate wordplay and thinly veiled metaphors, a good diss track is a masterclass in lyrical warfare. If you think I am exaggerating, ask Drake.
The history of rap across the world is littered with iconic beefs that birthed legendary diss tracks. Think of the infamous East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry that gave us Tupac’s venomous “Hit ‘Em Up” aimed at The Notorious B.I.G. and Bad Boy Records, a track so potent it still sends shivers down spines.
Or the lyrical match between Nas and Jay-Z, culminating in Nas’s surgical precision on “Ether,” a track so devastating it became a verb in hip-hop lexicon. More recently, the entire world watched as Kendrick Lamar systematically dismantled Drake and J. Cole with tracks like “Euphoria,” and the Grammy-award winning “Not Like Us” reminding everyone that true rap beef happens on wax, not in character limits.
These aren’t just songs; they’re historical documents, cultural touchstones that define eras and cement legacies. They push artists to their creative limits, forcing them to innovate, to dig deeper, and to deliver their most impactful bars. The stakes are high, the rewards are immense, and the impact on the culture is undeniable.
Nigeria’s hip-hop scene, while vibrant and dynamic, has had its own share of lyrical skirmishes. While perhaps not as globally publicised as their American counterparts, these beefs have shaped the landscape of Nigerian rap and given us some truly memorable moments.
One of the most iconic Nigerian rap beefs was the prolonged lyrical sparring between M.I Abaga and Vector. Their exchange, which saw tracks like Vector’s “Judas The Rat” and M.I’s “The Viper,” will forever be referenced to when discussing in the depth of the Nigerian rap scene.
It was a clash of titans that spread to the streets. When MI rapped that “You rappers should fix up your life,” it stirred a reaction that helped fans believe that the genre was not completely dead, a testament to the fact that Nigerian rappers could hold their own in the intricate dance of diss records.
These beefs, though sometimes messy, ultimately served to elevate the craft, push boundaries, and generate excitement within the genre. They proved that Nigerian hip-hop had the grit, the lyrical firepower, and the competitive spirit to stand alongside its global counterparts.
Which brings us back to Odumodublvck and Blaqbonez. Both are undeniably talented. Odumodublvck, the most recent winner of The Headies’ Next Rated award, brings a raw, street-certified energy and a unique flow that has captivated a new generation. Blaqbonez, the self-proclaimed “Best Rapper in Africa,” possesses a sharp wit, clever wordplay, and a knack for crafting catchy yet lyrically dense tracks. They have all the ingredients for a classic rap beef.
But instead of channelling this energy into studio sessions, into crafting scathing verses over menacing beats, we’re getting screenshots and character limits.
Imagine the anticipation, the debates, the sheer excitement if these two were to drop full-fledged diss tracks. The internet would truly break, not with fleeting tweets, but with in-depth analyses of bars, punchlines, and subliminal shots.
This is what the culture craves.
This is what hip-hop demands.
So, Odumodublvck, Blaqbonez, hear this plea from a passionate observer of the game: Stop subbing. Stop hinting. Stop fighting on the streets of social media. Go to the studio.
Let the anger, the frustration, the competitive fire, fuel your pens and ignite your microphones. Give us something that will be talked about for years to come. Give us hip-hop legacy. Don’t let this moment pass you by.
Yours in service,
