Nigerian rapper, Jude Abaga, better known as MI, has opened up on the early struggles of singer CKay before his rise to global stardom.
Speaking on the Culture Custodian podcast, MI recalled how CKay, then a teenager, defied his parents and moved to Lagos to pursue music.
According to him, the singer secretly saved money, rented an apartment, and bought music equipment without informing his family.
After arriving in Lagos, CKay only sent a message home to announce that he had relocated.
But his bold move soon turned sour as he was scammed and left stranded.
MI said he stepped in and offered CKay a place to stay.
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“One day I came into the Chocolate City office and Moti played me a beat. I asked, ‘Who made this?’ and it was just this kid sitting there. Later I heard he was only 16 or 17,” MI recounted.
“He planned his move to Lagos without telling his parents. He saved money, rented an apartment, bought equipment… but he got scammed. So, he was stranded. I told him to come stay with me, and he lived with me for a year.”
MI added that during this period, CKay worked as a producer but never lost sight of his dreams.
“He was always prepared and detailed. He never let emotions overshadow logic. He would try, fail, and keep moving. Even before the world saw it, he already knew where he wanted to go,” he said.
MI Abaga also revealed that years later, when he met CKay again in Houston, it was a “full-circle moment” seeing him as a global superstar.
CKay, who joined Chocolate City in 2015, gained worldwide recognition after the release of his hit single Love Nwantiti in 2019. He has since launched his own record label, Boyfriend Music, in 2024.