Mode 9

Mode 9 (real name Olusegun Babatunde Adewale) is generally regarded as Nigeria’s best rapper. A detail affirmed by his six consecutive wins—seven in total—of the Lyricist on the Roll category at the Headies. Born in London and relocated with his parents to Nigeria shortly after, Mode 9 attended Federal Polytechnic, Bida in North-Central Nigeria where he studied Building Technology.

Growing up, he looked up to American rappers Rakim and Eric B and in school he was a member of rap group Swat Root. Swat Root managed a few notices, a number of the collective releasing singles to considerable airplay. Upon graduation Mode 9 signed with Payback Tyme records in Abuja, releasing the single It’s About to Get Ugly (2001) to widespread acclaim.

Mode 9 moved to Lagos and released the mixtape Malcolm IX (2004), proving that the hype surrounding him at the time was well deserved. ‘419 State of Mind’ off the album chronicled the advanced fee fraud scam, prevalent at the time, in witty verse; ‘Elbow Room’ offered hip-hop heads great punchlines—which remains his strength.
By Pentium IX (2007), Mode 9 had come to be seen by his fans as equal to some American rappers, and he has since performed with a few on stage and on singles online.