“I’m the voice of the streets” – Rapper Jeriq

• Jeriq, a prominent Nigerian hip hop artist, has gained fame and received significant support from his fan base, setting the pace for Igbo rap.

• Jeriq’s musical journey began as a chorister in the Catholic Church, where he experienced his initial artistic growth.

• He emphasized that his father’s Igbo Highlife music played a significant role in his decision to pursue an artistic career.

Jeriq is establishing himself as a key figure in Nigerian hip hop, with his music setting the standard for Igbo rap.

Jeriq recently spoke with Apple Music Africa Now Radio about his rise to stardom and the support he receives from his base.

According to Jeriq, his musical adventure began as a chorister in the Catholic Church, where he received his early artistic growth. He also mentioned that seeing his father play Igbo Highlife music influenced his decision to become an artist.

“I started music when I was in [the] Catholic church. I was in the choir, so that was when I got into contact with music for the first time. My dad always played Emeka Morocco’s music, so it was a combination of church and the music I was hearing growing up. When I was done with school—that was in 2015—I jumped into the studio and recorded a track. I’d been writing songs before then, but that was when I recorded and released my first official track.”

Jeriq released the track ‘Jehovah’ ahead of his new album ‘King,’ whose video he says was inspired by his desire to excite the street.

“The music video is inspiring and that was what I was trying to achieve. I was trying to inspire the streets, because if you watch the video, you see when I was broke, and I was not ok. It’s just a video of “rags to riches”—that was what the video was [talking] about. It’s time [to] inspire the streets, telling [people] not to give up. As long as you keep hustling, one day it must be your time to shine.”

Jeriq’s latest album follows what he describes as a difficult period in which he faced numerous hurdles. According to the rapper, ‘King’ is a triumphant celebration as well as a statement of his status.

It’s all about celebration and fulfillment for me because I went through a lot. The album is basically full of stories about my trials, tribulations, and triumphs. That track is telling people I’ve finally won, telling my mum, too, that I’ve finally made it. That track is about celebrating, manifesting, and confirming that I’m the king of this ‘ting, bro.

Jeriq made headlines in 2023 when 15,000 people attended a concert in his hometown of Enugu. The rapper tells Apple Music Africa Now Radio that he is a hometown hero who attributes his success to the streets. He also says he plans to take it a step further and headline a stadium performance next.

“Where I’m from, I’m the voice of the streets—I’m the hometown hero. I love the streets; I’m from the streets, so we connect with each other. If I’m being honest with you, the streets made me. I can’t do anything without the streets, so I’m planning on hosting a stadium show this November, something like then I did previously. I’m taking it bigger.”

Jeriq’s latest album ‘King’ was released on August 16, 2024, and it marks another milestone in his career, establishing him as a driving force in Nigerian indigenous rap music.