Nigerian Rapper known as “Blaqbonez” tops our AOTW

Emeka Akumefule, known professionally as Blaqbonez, is a Nigerian rapper signed to Chocolate City. Emeka was born on 29 January 1996, to an Igbo family, and grew up exposed to the Yoruba and Urhobo culture in Nigeria. Blaqbonez hails from Imo state, a state in south-eastern Nigeria dominated by the Igbo tribe. He grew up with his mother, a pastor, in a Yoruba and Urhobo mixed environment. He had his tertiary education at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), where he studied Computer Engineering. Blaqbonez is popularly known for his distinct rap style as well as his creative ingenuity.

Four: Shut Up

With over 1.1M views on its official music video on YouTube; “Shut up” was released on the 20th of September, 2019 as a Single. It was produced by Tempoe and Written by Blaqbonez

FYI

• In 2019, he was profiled by The New York Times as one of the new guards of Nigerian music.
• He is widely known for his controversial self-proclaimed status as the “Best Rapper in Africa” (abbreviated as “BRIA”), which became the most talked about topic in the Nigerian hip hop space between July and September 2019.
• He was 13 years old when he discovered he could rap, and his journey into music was a result of happenstance.
• In participating in underground rap battles. He eventually won Terry Tha Rapman’s Zombie Competitio rappers in the challenge.

Three: Back In Uni

The song produced by Jae5 and released in October 2022 and garnered over 7.1M views on its official music video on YouTube is the Single from Blaqbonez called “Back In Uni”. It peaked at number 10 on Apple music top 100 songs in Nigeria for the 26th of October, 2022.

Two: Nyem Ego

“Nyem Ego” serving as the fourteenth track off Blaqbones latest fourteen-track album, Emeka Must Shine has garnered over 162k views on its official audio on YouTube. The song which was released on October 27, 2023 Featured Jeriq. Produced to Blaise Beatz and Masterkraft, the song peaked at the no 1 on Apple Music’s TOP 100 Chart for the 7th of November, 2023.

Discography

Studio albums

• Sex over love (2021)

• YOUNG PREACHER (2022)

• Emeka Must Shine (2023)

EP’s

• Bad Boy Blaq (2018)

• Bad Boy Blaq Re-Up (2019)

• Mr. Boombastic (2019)

Awards / Nominations

• On the 16th headies award show held at Atlanta on September 3, 2023 he won in the category of the “Best rap album of the year”
• In 2016, Blaqbonez was nominated for the award for Best Rap Album of the Year.
• In 2020, he won the Soundcity MVP Award for Best Hip Hop Artist of the Year
• He has also been nominated for The Future Awards Africa Prize for Music.

Bonus: Like Ice Spice

On the 7th of July 2023, Blaqbonez released his single “Like Ice Spice” off his album “Emeka Must Shine” which garnered over 2M views on its official music video on YouTube and over 9.1M streams on Spotify. The song was produced by Northboi the Oracle and Ramoni.

One: Bling

With over 3.4M views on YouTube on its official music video on YouTube, this song “Bling” is safe to say is one of the most popular songs by Blaqbonez till date. Off his album “Sex Over Love” this song was released on the 9th of April, 2021 featuring Amaarae and BNXN. It was produced by Type A and written by Blaqbonez, Amaarae and BNXN.