Over the years, the rap industry has taken form and morphed into this huge ball of musical cohesiveness we currently vibe to in the country.
Rappers in the country are paid handsomely in exchange for their creativity.
Richest Rappers In Nigeria
1. Olamide
He is known as “The king of rap music” and “king of street bangers” in Nigeria. Olamide is one of the pioneer artists to introduce indigenous rap to the music industry.
Most of his songs resonate with the YOLO (You Only Live Once) way of life and thinking– which is a generally accepted school of thought among the youths in Nigeria. It’s hard to miss any of Olamide’s songs because they are street anthems
Today, having now released 9 studio albums, 1 EPs, and 2 collaborative albums, Olamide is the richest rapper in Nigeria with a net worth is estimated to be worth $12 million– that’s a huge feat coming from someone who grew up in the slums and also under the age of forty.
2. Phyno
He is another artist who proudly raps in his indigenous language and encourages other upcoming artists to do the same.
His career in the music industry started as far back as 2003 as a prolific music producer before he decided to give other rap artists a run for their money in 2014 by releasing a studio album titled “No Guts No Glory”.
After that prosperous album stint, other wave-making albums followed in which he incorporated lots of relatable lyrics.
His music style landed him a lot of money-making deals and endorsements, where he made a large percentage of his current $11 million net worth.
3. Falz
The next on our list is the popular lawyer-turned-rapper, who raps uniquely and amazingly. It’s hard to miss his clever word plays and artistic lyrical banter.
Falz, whose real name is Folarin Falana stepped into the limelight with his debut album, Bahd Guys, in 2014, and a few songs off the album was all it took to amass a huge follower base and committed fans; the trick, as he calls it is soft work.
He is worth $5 million–that’s about 150 million in the Nigerian currency and “oh that’s rich”, in the language of money.
4. Ill Bliss
He is the co-founder of Capital Hills Music Label (home to artists like Chidinma, Tha Suspect, and Mz Kiss), and founder of The Goretti Company.
He is from the Eastern part of Nigeria, with several hits to his name.
Ever heard of a quiet celebrity? He is one of them. He keeps his affairs out of the public glare but that didn’t stop us from getting his net worth which is estimated to be about $3.5 million making him one of the richest rappers in Nigeria. He doesn’t rap much these days, but he is still a musical force to reckon.
5. M.I
The Nigerian-born rapper whose real names are Jude Lamfani Adaga is the founder of the famous Chocolate City Record Label (home to artists such as Brymo, Ice Prince, DJ Lambo, and others).
He has a net worth of $9 million and a huge pile of ongoing endorsements and collaborations. He won the Best Hip Hop and Best New Act at the 2009 MTV Africa Music Awards and was also nominated in the Best International Act category at the BET Awards 2010, and lots of local awards and nominations too.
His rap style has been described as “easy-going but packed full of punches”. Well, we couldn’t agree less.
6. Naeto C
He was a popular rapper during the early 2000s, and he dropped several hits and club bangers. A lot of people remember him by his critically acclaimed album, Super C. That particular album had the popular street anthems, Ten over Ten, Ako Mi Ti Poju, and Voodoo. The album won him a headies for the Album of The Year, in 2012.
He is worth $3.9 million, and he has still got a few endorsements despite leaving the rap scene for newer artists.
7. Naira Marley
Ah, the Marlian king. His real name is Azeez Fashola, and he has a huge, crazy, controversial, and dedicated fan base called “Marlians”.
His songs have been known to be the source of huge controversies, party starters, and poppers, but hey, you gotta like his lyrical fluidity and musical beats that get you dancing all night above all the controversies.
Surprisingly, he started his career as a Nigerian-British rapper before moving back to his precious homeland to start his music business in 2018.
He is currently worth 1 billion Naira, and a regular recipient of several endorsements and advertisement deals.
8. Reminisce
He is a rapper, singer, and avid businessman that shot to the musical limelight in 2008 after releasing his version of a track titled “Bachelor’s Life” off 9ice’s album titled “Gongo Aso”.
His stage name is “Alaga Ibile”. He truly carries the name with honor by releasing tracks in his indigenous language–he performs fluidly in both English and Yoruba, and his current net worth is $7 million.
9. Ice Prince
I will let you in on one secret; I used to think he was a non-Nigerian rapper due to his lyrical prowess and unique voice. It’s hard to sound sophisticated in the Nigerian rap industry, but he managed to pull it off.
He is one of the richest rappers in Nigeria and he is worth 250 million Naira. He is also one of the most successful with hits back to back. Do you need proof? He dropped several songs including “Oleku”; a smooth song that rocked clubhouses back in 2011.
10. Vector
He is a Nigerian rapper and singer who has amassed a $2 million fortune to his name in the musical industry. He started as a small-time rapper, and slowly climbed his way to the top over the years with his unique style and craft.
Truly, music is life and a form of art that can only be expressed freely, and the monetary figures prove the appreciation of rap music in Nigeria.