Nigerian rapper M.I Abaga has said that popular singer Burna Boy, veteran rapper Eedris Abdulkareem, and controversial activist VeryDarkMan (VDM) all share a strong spirit of bravery and activism.
He made the comment during a recent episode of the *Menism* podcast, where he spoke about his journey in music and the people who inspired him.
M.I explained that Eedris Abdulkareem was a major influence in the early Nigerian hip-hop scene, describing him as “the Burna Boy of his time” because of his energy, fearlessness, and socially conscious songs.
“Eedris was more like Burna and VDM. He would just say something, put it out there, and everybody would sing it,” M.I said. “He had a song called *Mr Lecturer* and many other tracks that talked about serious issues.”
He also reflected on how local rappers like Eldee The Don and Ruggedman helped shape his dream of becoming a musician.
M.I cautioned against the popular view among some young artists that no one paved the way for them, stressing that the Nigerian music scene today was built on the efforts of pioneers like Eedris and others.