Rapper MI Abaga has recounted how he was chased off the red carpet at the 2008 Headies Awards so actress Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde could take pictures.
The 44-year-old told Vbyz TV Cartel that the incident happened at a time he was still struggling for recognition, despite being nominated that night.
“I have been grinding and no one cares about who I am and in February 2008, I was announced as the winner for ‘Best Rap Single’ and literally my life changed that day,” he said.
“I remember I was walking into the crowd with my manager and as we were walking in Omotola came in with her security. The people on the red carpet did not even know I was nominated, so they were just like ‘common get out of here’.”
MI said he and his manager attempted to stay at one corner but were repeatedly moved because Omotola needed space for her photos.
“So we went to stand at one other corner and because Omotola was moving from side to side to take her picture, they kept chasing us from place to place,” he added.
The 2008 Headies, then known as Hip Hop World Awards, was held on March 15 at Planet One, Lagos. MI won Best Rap Single for ‘Crowd Mentality’, his first major industry win.
He said the award transformed how people saw him.
“Two hours later, I had an award in my hand, a gold plaque from Ayo Animashaun and after that plaque, everybody was like ‘MI is in the game’,” MI said.
The rapper later released ‘Talk About It,’ which cemented his place in Nigerian hip-hop. Omotola, already a Nollywood star by 2008, continued her rise and in 2013 made Time Magazine’s list of 100 Most Influential People.
MI said the memory remains a reminder of how far he has come.
