In a recent interview with the CTRL Room, popular rapper Odumodublvck, real name Tochukwu Ojogwu, shared his views on the lack of respect given to the hip-hop genre and its artists in Nigeria. He revealed that during his early days as a struggling artist, he was often overlooked and not provided with seats at award events.
Recalling one such incident, Odumodublvck recounted how his team suggested that he affiliate himself with afrobeats superstar Davido to gain fame. However, he rejected the idea, opting instead to align himself with UK grime stars whose genre resonated more with his artistic vision.
Explaining his decision, Odumodublvck said, “In 2019, someone in my team suggested that we go to Lagos and meet Davido. But I couldn’t see the benefit of that. Even if Davido took me to America and I performed my own rap music, his fans wouldn’t understand it because they are predominantly afrobeats fans.”
He continued, “Instead, I chose to follow the path of artists like Teezee, BOJ, and Sholz, who are the gateway to the UK market. Our styles align more closely, internationally. So I decided to go after what resonated with my vision and sound.”
The rapper went on to express his frustration with the lack of respect given to hip-hop in Nigeria, particularly at award shows. He revealed that during one such event, he and his team were not even provided with seats, highlighting the disregard for the genre.
Odumodublvck further shared that he agreed with Wizkid’s controversial statement that “hip-hop is dead”, stating, “I was tremendously happy about Wizkid’s statement … Hip-Hop was dead.”
Despite facing obstacles, Odumodublvck has managed to carve out his own path in the Nigerian music industry, achieving success against all odds. He concluded by asserting that hip-hop artists deserve respect for their contributions and urged the industry to acknowledge their talent.
