M.I.........The J-town lyricist

Jude Abaga is a Nigerian rapper. He is currently signed with Chocolate City Music. Jude Abaga also known as M.I(popularly called Mister Incredible) is a Nigerian born musician.His highly acclaimed album, Talk About It was released on the 11th of December 2008 under the Chocolate City Label and made history by selling a record 30,000 copies in less than 30 minutes!.
His influences are Lauryn Hill,Robert Nesta Marley,Sarah Mchlaclan, Pablo Neruda, Jay Z and DMX. M.I was born to Pastor and Mrs Abaga, both active members of the local Church choir in Jos, Plateau, Nigeria . His mother taught the basic music notations and later bought him 7-key mini piano ,which launched him early into the world of music.
M.I’s encounter with Hip-Hop started with sampling the works of DMX and Lauryn Hill in 1998 . He later delved into writing poetry. In 1999, MI left for Calvin College, Michigan, USA to pursue a degree in business and economics. There he interacted with the budding Michigan hip-hop community. He performed at all the major hip-hop and R&B shows and concerts in school and later came third in the Calvin College “Hip hopera” 2003.
M.I returned to Plateau, Nigeria in 2005 to find the local music industry on the verge of a revolution and was set to take African Hip-Hop to new heights. A proficient producer, lyricist, songwriter and instrumentalist, M.I has been described by DIV as the future of African Hip-Hop.
He has produced and featured on the works of artists like Jeremiah Gyang, Djinee, Shifi (Style Plus), Jesse Jagz, Ice Prince,Ruby, Lindsy , Leone,Banky W,Tuface Idibia.

Crowd Mentality – the first single off his album “Pyeri Boy” has topped every major chart in and around Nigeria and was number one on the Creative economy website www.creativeconomy.org.uk Soundtrack, beating music from Nine other countries around the world! Talk About It was one of 2008’s most anticipated album’s and it came on the heels of Asa’s self titled album, 9ice’s Gongo Aso , P Square’s Game Over, D’banj’s The Entertainer, Mo’hits All Stars’ Curriculum Vitae and Naeto C’s You Know My P.

Since its release M.I has won 7 awards including Best Rap Album and Hip Hop Revelation of the Year (Hip Hop World Awards (2009), Best New Artist and Nest Rapper(N.E.A Awards 2009), Musician of the Year (Modemen Awards 2008),Best Hip Hop Artist( City People Awards 2009) and won two awards at the MTV MAMA Awards 2009 - Best New Act and Best Hip Hop.
He is signed on the award winning Chocolate City Music label.

A quick pick into M.I.'s Autobiography:

Born in the city of Jos, music immediately surrounded M.I's life. M.I was able to see first hand musicians such as Panam Percy Paul, the Winners Band and the Footsteps band. M.I's father at the time was the pastor allowing M.I to grow up around constant singing. At an early age M.I's mother taught him the sulfa notation and how it applied to a simple chorus. It was after this that M.I began to learn how to play the keyboards; on a small 7 key toy keyboard. By the age of 10, M.I could play the drums and keyboards to an extent. M.I also compared notes with Jeremiah Gyang who was a very close childhood friend. M.I discovered rap music when he began secondary schoo. It was here that M.I fell in love with this art form. Around 1998 M.I got his hands on DMX's debut album and Lauryn Hill's Mis-education album and began to write his own music and poems. While in college M.I put aside hip hop music for an acappella group but continued his writing in hopes of one day picking up where he left off. Towards M.I's senior year in college he started writing long poems with a very rhythmic tones. M.I was able to record a few of his songs which were placed on a college album.On returning to Nigeria in 2003, M.I returned to Jos, which was brimming with young rappers and hip hop producers. Through the influence of Jeremiah and another talented Jos producer "E Kelly," M.I quit his job and started to work at Inner Hub Studios and to work on producing and recording his own music.M.I was signed to Chocolate City in 2006 and came out with the hit single "Crowd Mentality" which had topped charts all over Nigeria. M.I today has continued to grow into stardom in Nigeria. He has participated in a variety of shows, worked with other Nigerian artists such as Modenine, Jeremiah Gyang, Styl Plus and more. M.I has been a part of various projects such as Bring the Noise traveling to other African Countries as well as the UK collaboarting with other artists and performing. M.I is set to drop his album this year and proves to be one of the greatest new Nigerian Hip Hop artists. His words will move you with their deep messages as well as get you up off your feet. His journey is only beginning!