Tag: Erigga

Rapper Erigga has expressed frustration over Nigerians’ value for international recognition more than local talents. 

Speaking in an interview with Yanga FM, the artist reacted to the then relocation of the Headies Awards to the United States, noting that it reflects a wider problem of Nigerians valuing foreign recognition more than local achievements.

Erigga noted that Nigerian artists often prioritise showcasing foreign talent, despite the thriving music industry and large audiences in Nigeria. 

“Nigerians have this attitude when it comes to our own; we don’t regard our own. The average Nigerian prefers to show you 300 people wey dey dance to him song for London than to show you 5,000 people doing the same in Nigeria.

“I feel like music should be for everyone. Regardless of where you are, you should appreciate your own because they (London) appreciate their own. We have this disconnect issue; we prefer what is outside.

“Sometimes people be like, ‘Erigga, do one English rap for me,’ and I’m like, shey me na English professor? I dey educate people wey I meet for street,” he said.

Rapper Erigga has blamed internet fraudsters known as Yahoo boys, for the decline of genuine romance in the country.

In an interview with Yanga FM Lagos, Erigga stated that the lavish spending of Yahoo boys on women has created unrealistic expectations, making it challenging for men with limited financial resources to maintain healthy relationships.

Erigga lamented that romance is fading in Nigeria, with many men focusing solely on financial wealth and women dating for survival rather than love.

He said: “Yahoo boys don kill romance. [Genuine] romance no longer exists. When last did you see two lovers holding hands together in the street? It has been long we saw such. The problem now, is that we are raising weak men who feel their entire value is in their pockets.

“Nowadays, relationship is expensive. It used to be meat pie, Mr Biggs Fanta, very affordable back then. And the women were very appreciative. But men also share in the blame, weak men are the ones who set the standards -women took and raised the bars.”

He added that societal standards have been set by men who prioritise financial display, leading to women expecting expensive gestures.

The rapper urged men to explore alternative ways to connect with women, emphasising emotional intelligence and personal skills as more effective ways to spark genuine interest.

Rapper Erigga has stated that the ongoing feud between colleagues Odumodublvck and Blaqbonez is detrimental to the hip-hop scene.

In an interview on Yanga FM, Erigga claimed the beef is creating tension and forcing other rappers and fans to take sides.

According to Erigga, fans are partly to blame, as they “like it when rappers fight.”

He argued the feud is giving hip-hop a bad image and allowing outsiders to criticise the culture.

He added that the focus should be on celebrating hip-hop achievements, rather than fueling conflicts.

“Nigerian fans like it when rappers fight. The ongoing beef between Odumodublvck and Blaqbonez is bad for the culture because it enables people who don’t love our culture to bring in their crazy opinions.

“Beef isn’t really good for the music business, especially for hip-hop. It brings traction but it doesn’t help the culture. Blaqbonez and Odumodublvck are beefing, they’re both my close colleagues so the room now is a bit tensed.

“People are hyping their beef not because they love hip-hop but because they love to see artists fight. When last did you see them celebrating hip-hop achievements? They only come around when the culture is heated. This their fight is beyond rap beef.”

Erigga acknowledged that rap battles are part of hip-hop, but thinks the current beef is causing more harm than good.

Rapper Erigga has faulted the rise of tech gurus and influencers for the decline of music quality in the industry.

Speaking in an interview, the ace rapper said the replacement of traditional A&R experts with tech gurus has led to a focus on trendy artists and numbers, rather than talented artists and quality music.

“Everything begin spoil when the Tech Bros enter music come replace actual A&Rs wey know talents, wey know how to nurture and groom talents.

“Tech guys don’t care about the music, what they care about is numbers and the metric with which to get these numbers. They can’t actually scout talents. So, what they do is scout momentum. It’s not like they really care about the artist, they care about the momentum. So, when the momentum drops, they go to the next person,” he said.

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Erigga explained that tech gurus prioritise metrics and numbers over actual talent, scouting for momentum rather than talent, and abandoning artists when their popularity drops.

“With the entrance of tech gurus, people no longer chase talents anymore, but numbers,” the rapper expressed.

He expressed concerns over the divided attention span in the music industry, citing social media influencers’ activities, which distract from music and shift focus from nurturing talent to chasing numbers and trends.

“Back then, an artist’s competition used to be his fellow musicians. But right now, you fit just drop one hot track like this, next thing – GehGeh and VeryDarkMan don dey fight and the public attention will move from your song to their saga,” he lamented

Rapper Erigga has advised creatives to act swiftly on their ideas, warning that delaying execution could lead to someone else bringing those same concepts to life.

In a recent tweet on X, Erigga explained that when ideas are left idle for too long, they often manifest through others, not because they were stolen, but because their time had come.

“Ideas have a momentum of their own,” he said, adding that if one person fails to act, the idea may find another vessel.

He urged creatives to overcome fear and procrastination, emphasising the importance of taking bold steps to avoid missing out on valuable opportunities.

He said, “If you have an idea you’re excited about and you don’t bring it to life, it’s not uncommon for the idea to find its voice through another maker. This isn’t because the other artist stole your idea, but because the idea’s time has come.”

Famous rapper Erigga has crowned Phyno the greatest Nigerian rapper of all time, citing his consistency and enduring relevance in the music industry.

In a recent chat with Echoo Room, Erigga revealed that he had always wanted to collaborate with Phyno, saying that their recent hit single “Up Iweka” was a result of their conversations.

Erigga lauded Phyno’s ability to thrive across different eras, saying, “I have always wanted to do a song with Phyno. We have always had that conversation.

Read Also: Mercy Chinwo, Erigga shine at 17th Headies award

“Whenever I told him of my intention, he would always say it was left to me.

“When I want to make an album, it is always a problem trying to look out for features because I am not that guy that just puts everybody on a song. Sometimes, the collaboration won’t come out when the energies don’t match.

“I look at Phyno as someone who has been in the game and lived through different times.

“He is the GOAT. Phyno is the greatest Nigerian rapper because he lived those times, and he is still relevant.”

Rapper Erigga has argued that women prioritise financial stability over romance, with “romance” translating to monetary gestures and “love” meaning having their bills footed.

He asserted on X that true relationships are lacking in Nigeria, with many women dating for survival rather than a genuine emotional connection.

He wrote: “Nigerian women are not deep. They date for survival, not romance. Thus, an intentional man means rich. Romance means a monetary gesture.

Read Also: What you shouldn’t do when I die, Rapper Erigga informs loved ones

“Love means footing their bills. What you people are doing in Nigeria is not a relationship”.

Rapper Erhiga Agarivbie popularly known as Erigga has shared with his families and friends the protocol to follow when he passes on.

He posted on his X platform as he expressed that when he dies, nobody should take a peek at his dead body in the coffin.

He explained that his shyness might cause him to laugh, revealing his rationale behind this decision.

READ ALSO: I fathered myself from age 8, yet my father feels entitled – Rapper Erigga

He said: “My own is that, when I die nobody should come and look at me inside the coffin l’m a very shy person, I might laugh.”

Erigga had a few days ago advised men on how they should deal with a partner who cheats on them.

He revealed that even though their girlfriend might be cheating on them, they should remember that the heart still belongs to him.