By: Bobby Nishimwe
On Tuesday, we lost a rising Nigerian star with one of the most rich voices in the industry, Aloba Promise Oladimeji, better known as Mohbad. The loss hit fans and African artists hard, especially due to Mohbad’s young age of 27, captivating voice and having just recently released an EP called “Blessed'' three months prior to this unfortunate event.
I want to start by saying that the nature of Mohbad’s unfortunate passing has not been confirmed by his loved ones and team. So, nothing that I am going to say will be a reflection of the details surrounding Mohbad’s death, as that information has not been provided. Anything I discuss will rely on general events surrounding Mohbad’s time while he was still with us.
Mohbad’s life is truly a testimony within itself. He grew up as a Pastor’s son in tough circumstances in Ikorodu, a city in Lagos state, rising up to be one of the most promising young Nigerian artists of our generation. In one of his promotional interviews for his recent EP, he talked about his journey in music being almost a thing of chance. For Mohbad, music was a means of gaining success to escape struggle.
Mohbad’s music touched on various themes from society hardships, spirituality, joy and romance.
After several engagements with Naira Marley on Instagram, Mohbad was signed to his Marlian Record Label in 2019. Although this record deal helped to propel him to new heights it also dropped him to new lows. The past year had proved to be a tumultuous time between Mohbad and Naira Marley. Their relationship got so severe that it led to a hostile and public breakup. After their separation, Mohbad created his own record label called Imolenization towards the end of 2022.
Mohbad’s sound can be described as a perfect marriage between Olamide’s afro-melodic rap style with the Marlian street Fuji-trench style. It’s an art form that combines everyday Lagos street life expressions with spiritual themes channeled through Yoruba-heavy lyrics, easily captivating the hearts of listeners. To say that Mohbad (Imole) was talented is an understatement, he was a gifted vessel that delivered harmonious refuge for those burdened by life’s struggles.
My first time hearing Mohbad was at the end of 2020 when he had just released his hit track “KPK (Ko Por Ke)” with fellow Nigerian artist, Rexxie. This track took over African TikTok the following year, with its energetic beat leading to the “Bobrisky” dance challenge. It was one of those tunes that truly helped most of us fans of Afrobeats get through the mental hardships of the covid era.
He went on to create hit songs such as Feel Good, Backside, Ronaldo, Peace, Ask About Me and so many more.
Listening to his EP and recent interviews, you get the hint that Mohbad was going through a lot. There was a particular verse that caught my attention on his track, Beast & Peace, where Mohbad said “You don't have to hurt me, before you win. You don't have to kill somebody before you sin.” These are not the words of a man who was experiencing sunshine and roses, rather one who may have the instinctual feeling that fate might be catching up with him.
In one of his interviews, he said “he was expecting more” with regards to the reception of his EP dropping but that “what you love doesn’t love you at times, what you expected to happen doesn’t happen at times.” These statements come off as those of an individual who is grappling with issues of belonging and acceptance. To feel like he was showcasing more love to others than he was receiving must have been a painful experience for Mohbad to go through.
One of his last messages to his fans was “I love them. I want to tell them I still have a lot of songs like a lot of projects to come. So they should stay calm and easy easy on me.” He announced that he had at least two albums ready, with the name of the first album he had hoped to drop being named after his kid. Even with all that he was going through, Mohbad still found a way to think about the future.
When you listen to his earlier work, you can feel his pain as he describes the tough circumstances that he had to live through. Mohbad described the defeated nature that life brought him to as he witnessed his dad’s lack of economic success. In his song “sorry,” he highlighted how this situation led him down to a life in the streets at the cost of attaining education because all he was worried about was the difficulty poverty had brought upon his family. Throughout the song, he showcased a spirit of atonement for his bad decisions and looked to music as his hope for a better future.
Mohbad’s decision to start both of his EPs, in 2019 and 2023, with tracks that touched upon his hardships showcased his ability to be vulnerable through music. At times it’s very difficult for fans to distinguish between fiction and non-fiction when listening to song lyrics. Listeners indulge in music more so for how it makes them feel rather than what it says about a given artist. I find a certain level of selfishness in that form of music consumption as it easily allows us to detach ourselves from the real life experiences of the individual behind the song. In the case of Mohbad, I think there should have been more probing on both the fan and music institutions of Nigeria to find a way of bringing light into the life of an individual consumed by the darkness of mankind.
Mohbad’s death causes us to reflect on how we as an African music community deal with those struggling with the scars that are caused by both life and industry-related hardships. Where is the refuge for artists like Mohbad who have provided a safe space for their listeners through their art, but struggle to find one for themselves. What do support systems and institutions of care look like within the African music industry? I certainly do not have the answers to these questions, but I do hope that conversations start on how we move forward in creating systems that care for the wellbeing of the human behind the art. I wish Mohbad rest and hope he has found the peace that this world denied him.
Tributes from fellow Nigerian artists
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