The year is 2008, Naeto C drops Kini Big Deal featuring Ikechukwu and the hip hop game in Nigeria changed forever. At the very least Naeto C’s career caught fire.
‘Wahalai talai, gimme lighter, shebi shebi we’re on fire… Kini big deal…’ That was a banger.
The song will become the biggest street anthem of the year and influence pop culture with such a force that if you weren’t rocking a neck scarf at the time, you clearly were not a cool kid.
Naetochukwu Chikwe, “Naeto C” was born to the family of political heavyweights, former Minister of Aviation during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure, and later Nigerian ambassador to Ireland, Mrs Kema Chikwe and Nze Herbert Chikwe.
He left Nigeria after completing his secondary school education, for State University of New York (SUNY) Old Westbury, New York and later George Washington University, graduating with a B.Sc in Biology in 2004.
Naeto C met Ikechukwu and his brother Uzikwendu while in the United States, the trio shared a passion for music and formed World Famous Akademy.
WFA was soon signed to Storm Records in Nigeria and Naeto C was on his way to release his debut album ‘U Know My P’. U Know My P, the first single off the album was released to critical acclaim and acceptance, but it was Kini Big Deal that held the industry at a chokehold. It announced loud and clear, Naeto C was not a rapper to trifle with and that was where he staked his claim.
The rapper released the U Know My P album with hit singles like Ashawo, Ringtone, U Know My P, and it was the best selling hip hop album in Nigeria in that period. Naeto C had climbed the ladder to become one of the hottest MC’s in Nigeria. He could go toe to toe with any other hip hop artist of the time.
Naeto C’s rap was for the cool kids, but it was still music that resonated with the ‘streets’. It was clean lines, polished looks and an identity to associate with. He was the only MC with an MSC. He created a culture among young rap audiences that was instrumental to that phase of their lives with his clean polished looks. He was a suit wearing rapper after all.
‘Know My P’ soon became a street slang, ‘Kini Big Deal’ too became an everyday use. ‘Yes boss’ became an accepted form of greeting and is still relevant today. Naeto C’s influence was undeniable.
There is no way that Kini Big Deal comes on air that you are not hit with a wave of nostalgia. You can hear the lyrics, you feel the vibe, you want to have rhymes as smooth as Naeto’s, and look as fresh as he did. The rapper also made it fashionable to wear the Hausa caps casually. Naeto C was able to with his style and charm, cut through tribal differences and unify the whole of Nigeria as his fanbase.
Naeto C’s Kini Big Deal received such massive airplay, that it was always on rotation on MTV Base. Though released over ten years ago, it is still a bop today. Naeto C’s recent IG Live verzuz with MI reminded his audience just how much of an impact his songs had on them.
In 2011, the rapper released his second album Super C Season with hits like 5 and 6, Ten over Ten, Ako Mi Ti Poju and Share My Blessings and it was clear that Naeto C understood the game.
Over the course of his career, Naeto C won his fair share of awards. In 2008, he won the award for New Musician at the MTV Africa Music Awards. In 2009, he also took home the award for Video of the Year at the Channel O Music Video Awards.
He was nominated for Best New Musician at the MTV Africa Music Award, this is only to mention a few.
Apart from his hit collaboration with Ikechukwu on “Kini Big Deal”, he featured Wande Coal on Ashewo, worked with Davido on “Back When”, and was on General Pype’s Champion remix that had Dagrin, Vector and Sasha.
No matter how long or short his career might be, this is a rapper that was already part of history.
Maybe we should be grateful that Naeto C quit while he was still ahead, he gave the music industry Classics, and that will forever be his legacy. He didn’t stay long enough to perhaps ruin that memory and legacy.
In 2012, he got married to Nicole Chukwueke in a big celebration that had the biggest acts in Nigeria in attendance. The marriage has produced three children.
