Aka Nigel Benn, The punchline king. Mode9 has carved a niche for himself as one of Africa’s most respected and lyrically gifted rappers, winning The Hip-hop World Magazine awards, Lyricist on the roll 5 years running and has also winning 3 channel O awards. He’s collaborated with the best of Africa’s emcees and is still climbing. He has performed with the dearly departed Guru from Gangstarr, Wyclef Jean and has opened for Akon.
Now 5 albums deep, his last album, Davinci Mode caused major industry buzz in Africa and received huge critical acclaim. This is his 1st ever UK Show.
There are many talented individuals breaking through the entertainment scene, but there is only one Misfit and he goes by the name of Shadez.
Shadez is known for delivering thought-provoking and cleverly assembled real life related lyrics, on a combination of electro tinted and futuristic sounding tracks, common in the work of N*E*R*D and Lupe Fiasco. Just as they have achieved, Shadez aims to bring his sound to the masses.See him Live at Cargo on the 27th of July
Is part of Nigerian music history. He was one of the members of Nigeria’s first ever Hip-hop group, Emphasis. The creators of Pidgin English Rap.
Now reinvented as K16, he is attempting to transform the hip-hop scene yet again with his debut album THE RETURN OF THE BADDEST due out in December.
He gives you a window into Nigeria with his lyrics about politics, sexuality, education and more, all delivered with a unique triple language flow. His brand new EP Tribute to the South is available as a FREE DOWNLOAD now.
See him Live at Cargo on the 27th of July
K16 - Free me jor from Tribute To The South (2010)
K16 feat Unseen - School Daze from Tribute To The South (2010)
So who is TAIYA SOUL? A singer/songwriter that believes music is the food of life, everything in life has its own beat and pulse.
From the tender age of 3 Nigerian born Taiya Soul displayed a desire for music and performance, as a dancer.
It wasn’t until age 10 that Taiya Soul started song writing an ability she gained from both her parents as they unknowingly fuelled her passion for words.
At Secondary School Taiya Soul met A girl by the name of Chantel Allayne and went on to form the group ‘Panache’, a three piece harmony group but left a year later after realising it was not the way she wanted to go and wanted a more prominent role in music.
Soon after leaving Panache she met a rapper by the Name of Smooth Flo and together with Smooth Flo’s girlfriend they formed another group and went on to secure a management deal but the deal soon fell apart and the group broke up.
Through Smooth Flo Taiya Soul met another Rapper named Skills who was part of a Hip Hop group, unknown to Taiya Soul that this meeting was going to shape a vital part of her life.
The time spent with Skills and his group saw her performing with them as the female lead, as well as working with other artists such as English/ French group ‘Fighting Chance’ and producers Mark and Jim.
In 2004 she met a Producer / Sound Engineer by the name Ena who introduced her to Osiki ‘GeneOz’ Ojo.
This period gave Taiya Souls song writing a distinct voice and it is an experience that has brought her to the present day launch into the music industry as a solo artist.
In 2009 She featured on the single ‘Swagger on Lock’ with K16 from his Album The Return of the Baddest
Taiya Soul is currently working on her debut Album ‘Discovery’ under independent record label Land Mark Records, with power house producer Mannay after much pressure and has never looked back.
Pryse is a UK based Nigerian female rapper who is all set to storm the naija music industry. Born in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as Princess Esindu, she started rapping at the tender age of ten with her older brother (now popular producer, Big H).
She was encouraged down the path of music by her family, who owned and ran a recording studio in Port Harcourt. Pryse spent most of her teenage years listening to Jay Z, writing rhymes and recording songs. At the age of sixteen, she was an active member of the All Out Squad, a hip-hop crew which consisted of Big H, and others. Artistes she has worked with include, Frank D ‘Nero, Zubi, Mack Gee, Double Kay, Rha tha Answer and others.
She had to put down the mic for a few years when she moved to Nottingham, UK to attend Nottingham Trent University. Now, however, she is ready to get back to making music again. She feels like the game is ripe for a true female lyricist and she is more than willing (and capable) to fill that void. Her influences include Jay-Z, Lil W
ayne and more recently, M.I.
Fazillion is a rapper and the leader of a 6 man group ‘Microphone Assassination Squad’ (M.A.S) founded in Zone 6 Abuja,Nigeria. Now based in London , his mixtape '101% R.E.A.L. (Smoke sessions Vol 1 )' released on 05:05:10 is making waves online and on the streets of Nigeria. Featured on 'Naija Stand up' one of the hits from K16's 'Tribute to the South EP' , he would be around to set the night rolling. Performing live on the 27th
Un- seen hails from the eastern parts of Nigeria. He was born in the UK and moved to Nigeria as a child where he grew up. He is currently based in the UK where he has spent the past few years working and developing his music. He is the second signed artist to Ikuku Records and is a lyricist, songwriter, rapper, producer and more recently performing artist.
His sound fuses elements of traditional hip hop, afrobeat, highlife, and African folk music. He has an unconventional flow with his style of rapping and mixes pidgin, English and Igbo words effortlessly giving him a unique style.
Un-seen’s debut album ‘Paranoid’ is set to be released in 2011. The two singles “trouble” and “no be hip-hop” are tasters of what will be expected on the album and are an example of Un- seen’s lyrical and musical style.
