User:Annodom/Mi aka jude abaga

 M.I M.I's encounter with Hip-Hop started with sampling the works of DMX and Lauryn Hill in 1998. He later delved into writing poetry. In 1999, MI left for Calvin College, Michigan, USA to pursue a degree in business and economics. There he interacted with the budding Michigan hip-hop community. He performed at all the major hip-hop and R&B shows and concerts in school and later came third in the Calvin College “Hip Hopera” 2003. Since his return from the USA in 2004, M.I has won the ears and hearts of even the most ardent critics of Hip Hop music, by his polished yet charismatic blend of Hip hop with African rhythms to create a poetical, witty and endearing brand of unique music, he got him signed to the Chocolate City label in 2006.

M.I has been described as the most anticipated Hip Hop artist in Africa during the Bring the Noise tour which took 12 artists representing 12 countries around East, West, North and South Africa as well as the United Kingdom between 2007 and 2008. M.I represented Nigeria at the British Council/NESTA sponsored program which was aimed at highlighting the freshest and best talents from around Africa and the United Kingdom.

Hits like Crowd Mentality won him three Hip Hop World Nominations and One award in the 2008 edition of the awards. The same song was voted most popular song on a global poll conducted by the Creative Economy Unit, Arts Council, England beating 9 other songs from 9 countries including India, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Indonesia, Philippines in 2007.

In 2008, MI has been nominated in various categories in the Nigerian entertainment industry. He won the best Rap Single in the 2008 Hip Hop world awards also crowned artist of the year from the Mode Men Awards 2008 were he was nominated alongside Dbanj, J Martins and a host of others.

Other hits like Blaze (featuring Jesse Jags & Ice Prince) and Safe (featuring Djinee) have simultaneously topped the music charts country wide for the past three months, making him one of the most sought after artists without a released album.

On the release of the Talk About it Album in December 2008, a never recorded sale of 30,000 copies was sold in 5 minutes. Since the release of the Album, he has been crowned by Nigerians as the King of Hip Hop Music in Africa.