"Tribal Bias Still Exists in Music Industry" – Illbliss Recounts Hurtful Encounter with Lagos Radio Presenter
Veteran Nigerian rapper Tobechukwu Ejiofor, popularly known as Illbliss, has revisited a painful memory from his early music career that speaks volumes about tribal prejudice in Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
During a heartfelt conversation on the Real Shareholders Podcast, Illbliss recounted how a Lagos-based radio presenter discouraged him from pursuing music in the megacity simply because he rapped in Igbo. The presenter bluntly told him he would not succeed unless he abandoned his language and “joined them.”
“The presenter said, ‘You can’t make it here. You’ve come here with an agenda. Omo-Igbo.’ Then he broke off into fluid Yoruba… He told me the music was good but wouldn’t go far.”
Illbliss, who had just released his track ‘Igbo Boy’, said the experience left him deeply disheartened. The song, far from being confrontational, celebrated the Igbo culture and its love for enjoyment. But the presenter’s comments highlighted a much deeper issue of tribal bias, one that Illbliss says undermines the dream of national unity.
“We can disguise all we want about being one nation, but the tribal divisions are incredible to handle,” he said.
💭 Opinion: A Wake-Up Call the Music Industry Needs
Illbliss’ revelation isn’t just a trip down memory lane—it’s a reflection of a persistent challenge many Nigerian artists still face today. Language and ethnicity are often unspoken walls in an industry that prides itself on being “unifying.”
From indigenous rappers in the East to Hausa singers in the North, the Nigerian music industry—especially in cities like Lagos—can sometimes operate with a silent hierarchy that favors one culture or dialect over others. But must success in Nigerian music mean speaking Yoruba or adopting Western flows?
If music is a universal language, then artists should be celebrated for their diversity, not sidelined for it.
🔥 Trending Hashtags:
#TribalismMustFall #IllblissSpeaks #IgboRapMatters #NaijaMusicUnity #SayNoToBias #LagosMusicPolitics
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