MI Talks about Love, Gratitude, Mental Health in ‘The Guy’

Ferdinand Ekechukwu

There’s this opinion that before Jude ‘MI’ Abaga took the Nigerian music industry by storm following the release of his debut album ‘Talk About It’ in 2008, local rap was as at a commercial low. Pop music was on the pedestal and no other genre of music even came close. MI’s ‘Talk About It’ made Nigerians confront and reassess their perception of rap music made. The LP was succeeded by MI 2: The Movie in 2010.

Having gone from superstar rapper to iconic label executive years after, he released ‘The Chairman as his third studio album in 2014. Abaga released the playlist Rendezvous in February 2018. And in August of that year, he released his fourth studio album A Study On Self Worth: Yxng Dxnzl. 

The Incredible Music boss appears to be reinventing himself once again with ‘The Guy’, a 12- track album which ushers in a new era/season for him, now in its second week of release.

His 5th studio album, ‘The Guy’, lyrically touches on his life as the guy, the artiste, the family man, and business mogul in 40 minutes. MI first teased about his new album in July 2022, revealing that he would be retiring his stage name “Mr. Incredible Abaga (MI Abaga)” in preparation for “The Guy’. On this body of work, MI infuses hip-hop with elements of Afropop, Amapiano and Highlife.

In ‘The Guy’, M.I examines the subject of love, gratitude, masculinity, and mental health. The new project features several Hip-hop heavyweights such as Olamide, Phyno, Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz as well as American rapper, Nas. Wande Coal, Duncan Mighty, BNXN, The Cavemen, and others were also part of this Long Play. With ‘The Guy’, M.I has elected to showcase the man behind the superstar whose talent has for over a decade shaped the African Hip Hop scene. And everyone – the blogs, reviews, music critics, most especially his fans – is talking about it.  

In April, MI urged his fans to anticipate a “classic body of work” which might win the Grammys. “And now that that it’s…music coming soon. Now I can focus so I release this album properly,” he wrote. “Because it is a classic…Might win a Grammy.

 I appreciate your patience.” Reacting to the new album, MI’s fans took to Twitter to praise the rapper for maintaining his excellent flows and delivery several years after debuting on the Nigerian music scene.