Award-winning Nigerian rapper, M.I Abaga, has revealed that legendary gospel artiste, Panam Percy Paul, played a defining role in shaping his passion for music, saying watching the iconic singer rise to prominence inspired him to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Speaking in an interview monitored by Clusterchannel.com, the rapper reflected on his upbringing in Jos, Plateau State, describing his childhood as one filled with adventure, creativity and a strong musical influence from his family.
According to him, witnessing the emergence of Panam Percy Paul as one of Nigeria’s most celebrated gospel musicians remains one of the defining moments of his early life.
“There’s a legendary artist from Nigeria called Panam Percy Paul. He’s a gospel artist but he’s a legend, a true legend. When I was a child, I got to see him emerge. And I think that really filled my heart with the desire to just participate in this amazing thing called music.”
M.I disclosed that music, rather than rap, was his first love, explaining that he began his journey as an instrumentalist before eventually discovering his strength in rap.
“I didn’t really see myself as a rapper. I was a keyboardist, I used to play the bass, play drums, I used to play instruments. I would try to sing and God did not give me the gift of a very great singing voice.”
He said his transition into rap happened naturally as he embraced the area where he could best express himself.
“Even as I grew, I think I started going into rap a little bit because of what I could do, but my heart has always been for music.”
The award-winning rapper also paid glowing tribute to Jos, describing the Plateau State capital as the city that nurtured his dreams and gave him the freedom to explore his creativity from an early age.
“I was born and brought up in Jos. My childhood is full of Jos. Childhood was so magical. I could play, I could dream, I could go out, I could be adventurous and fill my mind with great visions of what a great future I could have.”
He further credited his parents for laying the foundation for his career, noting that their love for music and the enabling environment they created encouraged him to dream big, explore his talents and ultimately become one of Africa’s most celebrated hip-hop artistes.
