by
Kultured Natives
Born Naetochukwu Chikwe, Naeto C did so much in what many might call a short period. No one could have guessed that this returnee—he returned to Nigeria from the United States in 2006 to establish a full-time music career—would wound up making music that would soundtrack the late 2000s and early 2010s, significantly changing the state of Nigerian Hip-hop. And yet that is what happened. But how did Naeto C change Nigerian Hip-hop?
Breaking the Sound
There was a disconnect between the sound Naeto C was bringing and the type of music that was mainstream then. On the one hand, we had Nigerian rappers like 2Shotz, Illbliss, and Modenine who were making music for hardcore lovers of Hip-hop, and on the other hand, we had the likes of D’banj, P-Square, and 2Face making party music with great commercial appeal.
While Naeto C’s music had mainstream appeal with its catchy hooks and melodies, he never compromised on lyrical content. His rhymes were clever and often touched on themes such as Nigerian culture, identity, and everyday life, showcasing his skill as a lyricist and storyteller with a natural American accent making many say, “he didn’t sound Nigerian.”
According to him, something was missing until he dropped Ki Ni Big Deal which would change the sound of Nigerian Hip Hop forever because although rap had been blended with African-focused genres such as Afrobeats and Highlife to great success before Naeto C, the release of Ki Ni Big Deal explored a new standard of sonic diversity, you may not be able to give a million reasons why this set a new standard but after each listen you could tell this was different, it wasn’t copied it was created.
Rapper as Pop Star
Before Naeto C, few rappers were truly pop stars. When we say pop star, we are not just talking about the look but also the feeling you get from watching a person, whether it is live or in a music video, and the showing that Naeto C, World Famous Academy and Obi Asika’s Storm 360 records put on was more than music…it was a lifestyle!
As Osagie Alonge, host of the “A Music In Time” podcast, once said: “When I first saw the Sitting on Top video on Sound City, I said to myself this is different; this is way different from anything we have been listening to from Nigeria or even Africa.” Shot by Clarence Peters a renowned video director and released in May 2012, the video starts with an introduction on the journey viewers are about to go on and launches them into Naeto C’s world as he plays a “Naetendo”, besides this the storytelling, visual effects, post-production, and styling were key elements that made the video stand out in that era.
Looking back now, it is not difficult to see how they were able to achieve it, after all, Storm Productions was an entertainment company and Asika was actively involved in producing various Nigerian reality television programs, including the popular Big Brother Nigeria.
Naeto C and Storm did not only influence entertainment and fashion at the time but also popular vocabulary, introducing pop culture expressions like “P”, “Yes boss”, “Shikena” and “5 & 6”.
Breaking Stereotypes
Before Naeto C decided to go into music fully in 2006, he had already graduated with a B.Sc. in Biology and was considering furthering his education to become a medical doctor, but with the formation of a music group World Famous Academy with Ikechukwu and Uzikwendu in New York, Naeto was provided the much-needed inspiration to pursue his music dreams.
“The Only MC with an M.Sc.” is a line associated with Naeto C, and it isn’t just a cool thing to say, Naeto C was a successful Rapper (MC) who went on to get a Masters in Energy studies.
Some may ask why he took a temporary break from music in 2010 at a high point in his career, to go study and get an MSc from the University of Dundee, which brings us to our last point on how Naeto C changed the face of Nigerian Hip Hop.
In recent times, pursuing a music career has become more attractive, but in the 2000s and early 2010s instead of being supported, many saw their choice as unusual, different from the usual path of pursuing a ‘real job.’, and those who followed their musical dreams were often seen as bold and defiant.
Naeto C was born into a prestigious and privileged background with his mother, Kema Chikwe being the former Minister of Transport and then Aviation in Nigeria, this could suggest there was already a mould of excellence and he was carrying a lot of expectations to get it “right”.
Choosing to get a B.Sc., becoming a Nigerian pop star, and then choosing to go back to studying as part of his plans for a better life after the music is what people today would call a “G.O.A.T move”.
If that was a brilliant move, then he went on to do it better by having a successful and memorable career with no controversies, especially the Baby Mama drama, which was becoming a celebrity trend at the time.
In 2012 Naeto C got married to his sweetheart Nicole and has been a husband and father since then.
Naeto C’s career changed the face of Hip Hop forever, not only by ushering in a new sound but a new type of rapper who is a Nigerian pop star and sings melodious Afrobeats hooks, choruses, incorporating easy-to-follow flows, and crisp culturally relatable lyrics. His influence on the new age of Nigerian rappers is undeniable, not just in music but also in personal branding. In a 2023 Interview with Beat FM, Odumodublvck revealed Naeto C to be one of his Top 5 rappers in Nigerian history, citing Naeto C’s signature cap of which Odumodublvck also has a signature hat of his own.
Now that Afrobeats has taken off as a mainstream sound, almost every rapper wanting to go mainstream is having to adjust by singing more melodious hooks and choruses, like Blaqbonez on his big mainstream records such as Ice Spice, Back in Uni, and Nyem Ego. Every rapper who wants a big mainstream record is becoming some type of Naeto C clone, even if they hardly know it. He is an icon to be admired and studied by every rapper who doesn’t want to be swept away and forgotten as the flood of new Afrobeats talents rushes through.
“Those who look within, find everything”
Starting as a Web designer in junior secondary school, growing into a Blogger, Content Writer, Marketing Consultant, and now an Afrobeats Music Business “nerd”, Kultured describes “I-Self” as a restless soul, self-development junkie, and freethinker with a love for creating things and telling stories.
Currently creating 4TheArtistes, Kultured believes the future of the Music Business is independence, so the vision is to empower artists all over Africa with the knowledge and resources to be proven independent artists, develop their record labels, attract investors, and retain ownership. Kultured is helping Artistes get better deals, gain ownership, have full creative control, and manifest prosperity, by laying the foundation of “operation build to own” which is Artiste education for Afrobeats Artistes.