BET Nigerian Hip Hop Cypher - A Smash, or Trash?

Last year it was Ghana. This time, in October 2011, Nigeria got a slot at the highly respected BET Hip Hop Cypher. The event has come and gone but the question still lingers: was the Cypher a Smash, or Trash?

Nigerians have an enviable crop of talented hip hop musicians, who sing, dance and rap hip hop. Good money is being made by these artistes, with live shows, endorsements and record sales to prove it. So when MTV sent a production team to Lagos to pick the lucky few, they had plenty of choice...

ROLL CALL

To represent Nigerian on the global Hip Hop platform, were Six males and Five  female  rappers, as follows:

Male Contingent:

1. Modenine - Notably the most "respected" Nigerian rapper, who's been on the scene longer than most.

2. M.I. - Known for being articulate and witty, his fearless lyrics are admired and catchy.

3. Naeto C - Commercially successful, he's more of a laid-back rapper with many hits to his name.

4. Ice Prince - fresh kid on the block, his popular tunes have won him awards all this year.

5. SauceKid - Well known for his freestyles and flawless delivery/wordplay, he's a no-nonsense rapper.

6. Xo Senavoe – A commendable rap artiste, not to be overlooked by his Nigerian peers.

Female Contingent:

1. Sasha – aka "The First Lady" of rap, the most popular female Nigerian rapper

2. Eva – Another respected female rapper, started making waves early this year and hasn't stopped since.

3. Blaise – Confident female rapper known for her quality lyrical content.

4. Muna – A well known rapper and former beauty queen with a flair for swag and style.

5. Zee – Signed to Capital Hill Music, she's fearless and fierce in the rap scene.

The Cypher: How Did They Do?

The reviews were mixed: some said it was okay, though nerves and inexperience got the better of some. Many however were proud of the Nigerian rappers' achievements and what a leap it was for the Naija Hip Hop scene to have a listening/viewing public on an international scale. The Cypher itself was not aired at the live BET Awards show that night, but this was no set back for the proud Nigerians who watched videos of the Cypher and gave their thumbs up.

There were two or three shining stars. Modenine, MI and Saucekid stood out with good lyrics and delivery which seemed worthy of note. Ice Prince and Naeto C were said to not have lived up to expectations as some viewed their lines as weak or unimaginative, at best. XO Senavoe on the other hand, gave a commendable effort according to general views.

For a few days after the Cypher was aired, Twitter was awash with comments about the performance, and everyone had good things to say all round. Most were just happy that Nigeria had a look in this year.

Technically, it goes without saying that the Rap industry in Nigeria still has a long way to go. In America, rappers find it hard to obtain acceptance in the music industry, as only a select few manage to achieve commercial and public success. The same also goes with Naija rappers: one has to really stand out to win accolades in what has become a competitive industry indeed.

The female rappers, though talented, are still way behind their male counterparts, and their showing at the Cypher was, on several levels, considered as lacking. They did their best over all, but it was obvious they have a long way to go before they can deliver like their female peers in America, and even their male peers in Nigeria. 




Best Bits...

XO Senavoe

The Lyrical Dangote, even Aliko couldn't get on this "bill"Last year watched this from my office - now I'm here - Surreal!Pray for me, I'm spittin' in a sick way, and I'm (Azikwe Nnamdi) - Truth!Yeh "We Are Africans - Awoo!"But the Rap crown was roaming (Roman) and so I ceased her (Ceaser) - Poof!Talking 'racks on racks on racks'?'Maybachs on bachs on bachs'?Not stopping 'til Fortune companies hire Blacks on Blacks...

Ice Prince 

I'm sitting on their heads, I'm like a basinI shut it down from Las Gidi to BeijingOnly keep it sidelined when i'm on the beachLife is not fair, so I'm thinking how to bleachBut when it gets dark, I see through the EclipseI don't even need a hook, my bars are like fishYeah, my pro flow is like propaneFly like a pigeon (pidgin),English is broken,See me cracking up and I aint even jokingOne time for me and you, you get no thing

Sauce Kid 

If you expect the unexpectedThen it becomes expectedSo why expect respectOr get disrespectedWe all got different views but yo check this perspectiveI'm with the in-crowd, don't know where the rest isThe game can't be told my dawg you just gotta learn itYo who gonna respect the wages gotta earn itI'm from a grimy hood, my goons don't find fairWe scare through the night, give Freddy Krueger nightmares.. 

Naeto C 

There's only 12 peeps in my cartelRappers turn around me like a carouselBy the time I made my first 6MYou were riding JinchengsCos the king's swag needs blue like the BIC penI am not cheap baby boy I like the big spendCos I'm a boss and you living in the kid's p[enNow let's separate the boys from the men -I make more money, I don't need that many friendsWhat's up You know I did it all for the NairaMy name is Naeto C and this is BET the CypherYes Boss...

ModeNine 

Funny pants like you Lil Wayne kick itProtesting against me lames, picketYou won't be fly if you bought a plane ticketLook ma word play's incredible famTo get into ma rhyme book you need a retinal scanStake out the doberman in the Sentinel vanThe definition of a heckler unintentional fanBlow me - pause, homieYou full of baloneyPhonies creeping and crawling without spinesDouble jeopardy you get blindsided and outshinedI burn mics leave nothing but charred outlinesThe last time I was outrhymed I was about nineNo five, plank a bee hiveBetter yet strap weights on a deep sea dive...

M.I.

Word play, I'm killing it, lyrical executionMy style is fresh like its eruditionWhat I do to 16s it must be statutoryForensics in the laboratory try to gather for meRoute to find and catch and stone meBut I'm so evil they should get a pastor for meBefore a confrontation, so what's the complication?The best rapper pound for pound any denominationMy skills above my alibi or my corroborationSo bring your allegation I will reallocate themYeah I'm reckless and I'm everything you looking for: CraiglistI bring the drama to your doorstep: NetflixAll I spit right here the flow is ambidextrousI cross BET the Cypher from my checklist And I'm done...

Well, that was it folks. Till next year....