“We got tired of recycling the same old slang we’d been hearing since secondary school, so we took it upon ourselves to build something new — a lexicon inspired by our real lives, our environment, our mood. Over time, it became a whole language system that’s now a core part of my artistry.” For Nigerian Afrobeats breakout star, originality is what defines his style. With a sound craft that cuts across folding rap, pidgin crooning, and hip-hop into an Afrobeats vision large enough to house them all; Marvin Ukanigbe Oseremen discusses his playful yet heartfelt approach to music, his viral record and catalog, all for iMullar.
Mavo announced himself with his debut EP “UKANIGBE” in 2023, capitalizing on his rising profile, he followed up with “SANKO”, and a deluxe edition. Bringing his “Afro- trap music” to a wider audience than ever before. “KILOMETER” added more moments to his come-up. The EP plays like a coronation, brimming with genre fusions, a truly gripping one: his gravelly, acerbic stream of consciousness covering everything from campus hustle to youthful heartbreaks with a pimp swagger and tales from a street prophet. His ear for fitting beats, ability to build a bond with producers, making songs that range from legwork-inspired to pidgin cloud rap, a hybrid of the game.
With half a million monthly listeners on Spotify and the number steadily growing, Mavo has a strong aversion to being pigeonholed. He doesn’t mind experimenting, he has the license to do so, allowing everyday life to mould his lyrics. “Escalidizzy” which features Wavestar holds the playfulness of Nigerian Jargon, shrouded in Amapiano and synth. In a freewheeling conversation, the artist talks about life ahead of his latest hit record, Nigeria’s new age industry, and a jargon-inspired diction that seems to be now key to his artistry.
For you, where did it all start? What is the genesis of your relationship with music?
It really started back in SS1. I joined a music club in school — just something to do at first — but over time, it became a serious part of my life. That was my entry point. From there, it was a slow build. One freestyle turned into two. One idea turned into a whole verse. Then a song. Then a vault. I didn’t even realize how deep I was in until it became impossible to imagine not making music.
Some of the newer artists wield a smaller vocabulary comparatively, but this is not because Afrobeats has “dumbed down”. The genre has evolved; it has moved away from complex lyricism toward elements traditionally associated with youthful lifestyles. How do you come up with your terms? From “Kilolo” and “bizzy”, to “Kilogbede”?
I think every tight-knit friend group has their own way of speaking — inside jokes, code words, stuff like that. For me, the Bizzylingua grew out of that, but with more intentionality. It started with me and my friends in university. We got tired of recycling the same old slang we’d been hearing since secondary school, so we took it upon ourselves to build something new — a lexicon inspired by our real lives, our environment, our mood. Over time, it became a whole language system that’s now a core part of my artistry.
Amongst all, “Escalidizzy” is obviously the catchy phrase here? From a jargon/boys boys POV and a title for a song, how did that term come about? And how did it translate into the song?
Izzy is a suffix in the Bizzylingua, and Escalade is obviously a car — so Escaladizzy just clicked. It sounded right. It felt coded. Most importantly, it was rooted in the same language I was already using every day. My music is deeply tied to the lingo I speak, so including these terms in my lyrics feels natural. It’s not forced — it’s just how I talk.
For a newcomer in the scene, your catalog is quite deep. How did you go from hoarding songs to the numerous releases?—Which are good records by the way.
I record all the time. My vault is always growing — sometimes way faster than I can even keep up with. But when it’s time to release, I sit with my team and we go through everything together. The final decision always comes down to what energy I’m feeling at that moment or what story I’m trying to push. Nothing’s random — everything ties back to the mood or the message.
Personally, it’s not about the catalog’s bag, how deep it is. It’s more of the experimental process, there is a bit of everything in there, every song has its playbook. You must have had countless inspiration to harness all that. How did you get to a place where you felt comfortable doing all of this experimenting? Especially in an era where mainstream is what gets the job done.
I’ve always been and will always be comfortable dropping what I want because I established that what is for me is for me, and what is for them is for them. They can never be like me.
“Prada Yourself” is one of the smoothest songs in your bag, whose idea was it for the second half?
Mine.
Speaking about fans, I wanted to talk to you a little bit about your relationship with the internet. Because on one hand, you’ve got this incredible fan base and you’ve become this mini icon for Gen Z. But of course, being on the internet for long periods of time can have really serious effects on mental health. So I was wondering if you’d found a balance of that yet, or if it’s just something you just soldier through.
I value community, so engaging with my fans online isn’t some task or strategy — it’s second nature. When I’m in the mood, I show up. When I’m not, I don’t. And I think that’s how it is for everyone. It doesn’t have to be complicated just because I’m an artist. It’s all about balance and listening to myself first.
I saw a funny video where an invigilator took a video of you writing exams. How do you balance school and music? With all this hype?
I just try to use my time efficiently. I plan out my days and make sure I get enough rest. It’s not perfect, but that structure keeps me grounded. Whether I’m in class or in the studio, I give it what it deserves at the moment.
People love the chemistry you have with Wavestar, Escalidizzy is a testament to the bond, but you and Kilobou, I LOVE it, tell me about it.
Kobi went to my uni and he used to be in my room a lot, so we naturally built a relationship. One break, he sent me a song to complete. I did — and that was the beginning of our creative link-up. When we resumed school, Kobilou Kilobizzy just fell into place naturally. It wasn’t planned — it was just bound to happen.
Exclusive for Imullar, how far is the debut album?
Very far. I’m not dropping an album anytime soon.
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