“ILLY BoMAYE” is the title of my fifth studio album. Started off as a four track EP and then the inspiration couldn’t stop and I kept recording. I’m 90% done and adding finishing touches. It’s a very sincere and honest album; it’s also very Hip-hop and grown. Scheduled to drop late July/early August‘ – Illbliss

If there is one thing we can all agree on, it’s the fact that the Nigerian music industry is always in a state of flux. That is, change is a constant feature. How many times have we been fans of an artiste only for a new trend to crop up and then we notice – much to our chagrin – that our favourite star can no longer keep up? This is how celebrities fall off, giving way to new ones, raves of the moment till another shift in trend occurs and suddenly they’re old news as well. It’s a vicious cycle that underscores the cold and unforgiving nature of the music industry. To put it succinctly: It’s a jungle out there! Therefore, it takes a special type of skill, business acumen, and tenacity to navigate the treacherous waters of this industry. It takes a special type of foresight to not just survive, but thrive. All of this and then some is encapsulated in the person of Dat Ibo Boy better known as Illbliss aka Oga Boss.

With a career spanning over a decade having debuted sometime around 2006, one just has to stop and wonder how he’s still doing it. What’s the magic behind it? Over time, we have seen a lot of arguably more talented dudes shine for a while and then fizzle into nothingness. Undoubtedly, hard work trumps talent ten out of ten times. Illbliss is an artiste who is very comfortable doing his own thing with no apologies to anyone. He likens himself to a King maker who paved the way for Playmakers in the industry. And who can dispute that? Even Phyno pays deference to Oga Boss. Best believe there is a reason for that.

It is quite unfortunate that Illy is one rapper that people are scared to talk about, for some reason. There is not enough buzz and sometimes the media seems to only focus on a select and privileged few, shutting their eyes to all the other gems out there. Thankfully he is unapologetic about that, after all, big dogs don’t bark – they bite! The head of CAPital Hills Music and managing partner at CAPital Dreams Pictures is still firing on all cylinders in 2017, eleven years after, with no intention of taking prisoners. His latest offering, the ILLYGATY:7057 album is proof that Hip hop in Nigeria is not dead – not with guys like him still walking around. But it’s more than that, it’s a case study on how to evolve, how to survive, and more importantly, how to thrive! Wanna get into a boss state of mind? Give this album a listen and Illbliss will show you how. Oga Boss is still the boss abeg. No questions.

IN THE LAB – ILLBLISS IS BACK IN THE STUDIO FOR HIS 5^TH ALBUM

Illbliss is currently in the studio working on his new album. We catch up with him to have an insight to what he has been up to in the past weeks.

“ILLY BoMAYE” is the title of my fifth studio album. Started off as a four track EP and then the inspiration couldn’t stop and I kept recording. I’m 90% done and adding finishing touches. It’s a very sincere and honest album; it’s also very Hip-hop and grown. Scheduled to drop late July/early August, ten months after my fourth album “ILLYGATY” dropped.

 

‘As always, I aim for consistency and greater relevance through these yearly releases. Production is from Major Bangz, Suspect, Kezy Klef and BIG Foot.
‘The last album was my fullest and most comprehensive experiment with digital marketing. We refocused on downloads and streaming and made hugely impressive returns, and still earning; hence, our decision to keep the music strictly with the fans digitally and no physical copies on the streets. This is our theory of the Super Fan. If they love you they will find it by all means’- Illbliss

– Nnamdi Onyimadu