Watching rapper perform "Odysseus" album live, gave me so much life

I love Jesse Jagz.

The ex-Chocolate City man is a god on the mic. He understands poetry, lyricism, and every element that Hip hop has. That’s why he is widely respected and placed on a pedestal above lots of rappers.

In the hierarchy of skilled rappers, the Hip-hop community has M.I Abaga and his brother tied at the top spot. The conversations around the genre and its most prestigious creators will never die down. But few will argue that Jesse Jagz isn’t leading the race, based on pure skill and understanding. He is a polymath, a savant, and everything between.

When Jagga unveiled the album art of his “Odysseus”, the community celebrated. Any day Jagz drops an album is a great day. There’s every reason to celebrate. It’s music Christmas again, and our lives are about to heat up with some music from the god.

It’s days like this that make us remember how much we have missed from Jesse Jagz during his journeys to and fro Chocolate City, and his creative breaks. Jagz serves us and himself best when he is releasing music. Anything else is hell, in these times when rappers are evolving into pop versions of themselves.

I watched Jesse Jagz perform his "Odysseus" album live, and it was one of the most empowering music experiences I have ever had. I have seen rappers hit the stage and deliver. But with Jesse, the electricity in his performance overpowers the room. It feeds on the enthusiastic essence of every member of the audience.

At Spice Route, Victoria Island, Lagos, Jesse Jagz stepped on stage as part of the weekly Industry Nite concert and delivered mind-numbing music.

“Yes yes y’all…” he began, as a thunderous wave of approval hit the crowd. He is sporting a black hoodie. Sunshades insulate the crowd from his cavernous gaze, as he acknowledges everyone in the crowd. Multiple cameras click away. Pressmen working at capturing the magic. This was a chance for Jagga to gauge live reactions to his new projectc. The one that had taken 2-years to come to life.

He shields the track list from us…because he is Jesse Jagz, and he can damn well do whatever he wants. If he says ‘no tracklist,’ then there’s no tracklist. Respect Hip hop royalty.

Jagz goes into a run of songs with the live band, performing song after song. Trust Jesse, there’s a healthy mix of everything in there. He alternates between intensely conscious music to bouncy pop variations of his talent. It was all in there. Whatever you need.

His elder brother, M.I Abaga, hovered above the stage. The proud big brother sang along, danced along, nodded along, and yelled along. And for all his troubles, he got a little story from his younger brother.

“You see this my tooth that is broken?” he opens his mouth wide and points to a broken incisor. “That was done by M.I."

In 1993, Jesse and Jude Abaga had engaged in a little fight after the former decided that he had had enough of his older sibling bossing him around. That was his moment of revolt against the oppression of the short black boy. He squared off with M.I, who took him out with a good beating and broke his tooth as a reminder that there are levels to this fight. It was a lesson well-learned.

"Don’t mess with your elder brother,” he said, as he launched into another song. Between, there were powerful freestyles, delivered to whip up the audience. At some point, the applause was deafening. Jesse stopped the show to raise the middle finger to the popular narrative which holds that rap music is declining in popularity.

“Hold on, hold on, una say Nigerians no like rap abi?” He asked before dropping another 16 bars from his head.

Rapper Hotyce also showed up to drop a verse, and there were performances of Jesse Jagz’s previous hit songs including ‘Pump it up, ‘Bad girl’, and ‘Sex & Scotch’.

As Jesse left the stage, people reluctantly shuffled their feet away from the concert. This was the new Jesse Jagz, one who had taken the long road to getting this far. It has been a legendary journey for him. A journey in and out of Chocolate City. He has become Hip hop’s journeyman; an African Odysseus, who is at the end of his odyssey.

Watching him leave the stage, guided by bouncers and a road manager to his lounge. I couldn't help myself anymore. forget home training.

“I love you Jesse Jagz!” I screamed out loud. I din't mind. I simply love Jesse Jagz.

He didn’t respond. There was no "thank you," no "I see you" or anything. I would have managed a nod from him. But nothing came.

Tough luck. No homo.