EEDRIS ABDULKAREEM, THE OP THEY CAN’T SHUT UP

In Nigerian music, where Afrobeats reigns supreme and trends burn brighter and faster than ever, some voices from the past refuse to fade into nostalgia. Eedris Abdulkareem, a name synonymous with both pioneering hip-hop and biting social commentary, has again drawn a chair up to national conversation. His latest track, titled crudely – “Tell Your Papa,” is a direct, unfiltered message aimed squarely at the current administration, delivered via the President’s son, blip.

The song itself is classic Eedris – raw, impassioned, and pulling no punches. Rhyming … with Nation and still gliding smoothly across the beat, Abdulkareem paints a grim picture of the Nigerian reality; economic hardship, insecurity, and a perceived disconnect between the leadership and the led.

The central hook, urging Seyi Tinubu to relay the populace’s suffering to his father, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a move that feels audacious but not entirely unexpected from an artist who has built a career on confrontation.

For those whose memories stretch back to the early 2000s, this is familiar territory. Eedris Abdulkareem isn’t just a rapper; he’s an agitator wielding his freedom of speech in one hand and his platform in the other. His 2004 hit, “Jaga Jaga,” became a cultural phenomenon because of its charmingly brutal depiction of a nation falling apart resonated so deeply with the masses that it became an anthem of discontent. It also famously made an op out of President Olusegun Obasanjo, leading to its ban from radio airwaves, an act that only cemented its legendary status and Eedris’s reputation as Him.

But Abdulkareem’s journey didn’t start with solo activism. He spent his formative years in the late 90s as part of the groundbreaking group, The Remedies. Alongside Tony Tetuila and the late Eddie Remedy (Eddy Montana), Eedris was part of a trio that helped lay the foundation for contemporary Nigerian pop and hip-hop. Hits like “Shakomo” and “Sade” dominated dance floors and marked a pivotal shift in the urban music scene, blending indigenous sounds with hip-hop and R&B influences. While The Remedies focused more on party anthems and catchy hooks, the swagger and street sensibility that would define Eedris’s solo career were already evident.

Following the group’s split, Eedris launched a solo career that quickly established his distinct identity. Beyond “Jaga Jaga,” tracks like “Mr. Lecturer” tackled societal issues like sexual harassment in universities, proving his commentary wasn’t limited to just politics. His career, however, hasn’t been without its controversies. Incidents like his reported clash with American rapper 50 Cent’s entourage aboard a plane in 2004 painting him as a complex and occasionally volatile figure.

He holds a mirror up, however cracked or controversial it may sometimes seem, forcing a look at the state of the nation. Love him or loathe him, Eedris Abdulkareem refuses to let Nigeria forget its problems, or the power of music to give them a voice. He’s still telling truth to power, one track at a time – even if he has to tell the son to tell his papa.