On this week’s episode of #WithChude, award-winning hip-hop artist, producer, and former CEO of Chocolate City, Jude Abaga, popularly known as ‘M.I’, discusses his journey through music, rise to fame, scandals, and more with host and founder of Joy Inc., Chude Jideonwo.
Reflecting on the period when Jesse Jagz left Chocolate City, M.I told Chude that he refused to take legal action against him because he is family. In his words, “I’m not going to fight my brother in public because of contracts that we signed. So, I said let it go; he’s my brother,” he said.
However, Jesse was not the only artiste that M.I had to let off the hook. He also recounted his experiences with other artistes and the sacrifices he made for them and the record label. “And at the end of the day if the world says we’re going to take all this and call it trash, what can you do? You keep moving,” he said.
Though he is aware that the majority of the backlash he gets on social media are mere publicity stunts, M.I still believes that it is far better to look bad on social media than look bad in reality. “It is okay not to win the fame game,” he said.
Despite the challenges he faced while in Chocolate City, M.I admits that he gave it his best shot, and doesn’t regret the time spent as the experiences and lessons learnt over the years have shaped him into the man he is today.
With two new ventures in the works – Task and Incredible Music, M.I is optimistic that there will be more outstanding advancements in his career in the near future.
#WithChude is a special series of targeted multimedia conversations and investigations focused on narratives that enable and strengthen the mind, heart, and spirit. New episodes of #WithChude show every Saturday at 9 pm on TVC Entertainment, and every Thursday on EbonyLife TV at 7:30 pm. With an extended play podcast up on Spotify, iTunes, among other podcast platforms, every Wednesday at 10:00 am, everyone can join the conversations.
An extended play of the conversation between M.I and Chude can be viewed below.
