Obie Iyoha

Obie Iyoha works as both a producer and an incisive, gritty rapper, functioning as a solo act while maintaining ties to the Black Opera collective. Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, the Nigerian-American musician relocated with his family to Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1999; among his four older siblings was one who exposed him to an extensive range of ’90s hip-hop. During high school he cultivated interests in both poetry and rapping alongside soccer, securing an athletic scholarship to Schoolcraft College that ended when a racial profiling episode prompted his expulsion before sophomore year. He then devoted additional energy to music, posting tracks on MySpace and building a local following through shows that spanned house parties and opening slots for A$AP Rocky and Logic. Following a 2013 mixtape, Iyoha aligned himself with the Black Opera and made his first appearance alongside the group on their 2014 release The Great Year. His official solo debut arrived in early 2016 with the stark yet dynamic album Midnight Run, which featured contributions from 14KT, Chisom Uzosike, and Professor Megablown.