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The song “Obodo” is still as evergreen as ever but the singer of the song, Ukeje Okechukwu Edward, a.k.a Mr Raw, formerly known as ‘Niggá Ráw’ , disappeared from the music scene and only recently reappeared with a new album featuring 2Face Idibia. In this chat with Weekend Groove, role model of upcoming Hip Hop acts in Eastern Nigeria speaks on his absence, his music and why he changed his name from ‘Niggá Ráw’ to ‘Mr. Raw’.
So what’s new about Mr Raw?
A lot of things are new about me because presently I am still recording songs and doing other businesses. And there are a lot of artistes I am actually trying to help push their songs under my label ‘Raw Deal Entertainment’. Presently, I have a new fifteen-track album titled ‘’ The Greatest “ featuring 2Face Idibia and some other acts. And I can say the album is doing credibly well and two videos from the album titled ‘’Asanwa” and ‘’Forget Swagga ‘’ are already on air.
How exactly did you meet Klint the Drunk beforeoreeaturing him in your song ‘’Obodo ‘’?
Actually we were friends back in Enugu, we used to perform in schools. He would be the MC while I sing and sometimes he cracked jokes and our other friends like Mc Lopgh, Smatter Man, Ernest Asuzu, the actor, also rapped too. I and ‘Klint the Drunk’ have been long time friends and I still wish to do something with him very soon. Why I featured him in my song is because everything about him is music, for example, if you listen to his comedy, what he does most is singing out the jokes.
What made you so popular?
I think it’s my ‘Igbotic’ rap. Like when I did the Obodo song people really accepted it, that was in 2005 but I wrote the song in late 90. And another thing that announced me was the Benson and Hedges ‘Grab the Mick’ music competition in 2002. People really accepted me when I was rapping in Igbo. I came first then in Enugu and it was even I and Klint that did the competition together.
He was singing while I rapped. And finally at the grand finale I won, that was in Abuja. I can never forget that year. That same year, I still went for Star Quest competition. Initially, they didn’t want me to enter for the competition because I just won Benson and Hedges competition. I came second while Kcee emerged winner and I am happy he’s doing great now.
What is the story behind your change of name from Niggá Ráw to Mr. Raw?
Yeah ,the change of name actually came about because on-air personalities could not say my name without driving another connotation to it. It was affecting information about me. Some foreign stations like MTV Base couldn’t play my music until I removed the word ‘Nigga’ from my name. I had to do it. But what actually gave me the push to change my name to Mr. Raw was when many people complained that they weren’t able to buy my songs online.
I had to search for my name online and I didn’t see it in one of the popular websites. But when I searched for one of my songs it popped up. I saw that they censored ‘Niggá’ and replaced it with five stars. So if you search for Niggá Ráw you wouldn’t find it unless you searched for one of my songs. Nigerians outside the country buy songs online before they get the hard copy.
So I had to change the name. Then again, if you are going to foreign embassies to get a visa, the promoter is usually scared of telling them at the embassy that a ‘nigga’ wants to go to their country.
But really, the ‘Nigga’ in my name wasn’t like the American Nigger. Mine is actually an acronym NIGA which means Nigerian Guy Anakpo Raw (Nigerian Guy who is called Raw). But how many people would you be explaining this to?
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