Blaqbonez Essentials

Wielding slick cadences and melodic turns, Nigerian rapper Blaqbonez explores hedonistic, provocative themes between Caribbean, Afrobeats and hip-hop soundscapes. His dexterity catapulted him from a 16-year-old budding artist to one of the country’s most talked-about acts—and netted him a deal with 100 Crowns, an imprint of M.I Abaga’s Chocolate City Records. “An important thing for me is giving you something different with every body of work,” Blaqbonez (real name Akumefule Chukwu-Emega George) tells Apple Music. “I try to create a persona for whatever I do.” Across four alter-ego-driven projects, he’s delivered a series of relatable hits (“Consent”; “Haba”; “Mamiwota”) and provocative yet endearing tracks with a cross-section of African stars—from the playful “BBC” with Tiwa Savage to the strip-club anthem “Heartbreaker” with South African rapper Nasty C and the riches-over-romance manifesto “Bling”, alongside Buju and Ghanaian singer Amaarae.