Okay, people. Mode 9 is in the news again. Not exactly because he recently released his new album, Paradigm shift. Or because he got a slot on the Star megajam train for the second time running. No. The rapper has got the entire industry talking again, with his umpteenth dis track where he takes arch-rival, Ruggedman to the cleaners; spitting out all the venom he’s been keeping for years.
It was just a few months back that he dropped Talking to you (ft. Banky W) where he covertly attacked Ruggedman saying ‘You gat intellect myopia so if I dis a baba it’s not Ethiopia’.
Not one to run away from a good fight, Rugged replied with Banging where, amongst many other things, he alleged that Modey is a broke rapper and a coward, for refusing to mention his name.
Now, on a bonus track on Paradigm shift, titled Death Blow pt 1, Mode 9 stops at nothing to rip his enemy apart, calling him unprintable names and threatening to expose his secrets. ‘You must be out of your gaddemn mind I didn’t wanna do this now, see what you did to you…/you claiming you gat dough but you still skinny, Cocoyam head, long neck like a guinea fowl/Now you’re bound to commit suicid.
With sarcastic ad libs and very daring insinuations, the song convinces you that the rapper either hates Ruggedman so much and will stop at nothing to pass his message across, or he’s just trying to get us all talking about him again – especially as it’s obvious other emcees have taken the baton from him, taking hip hop to the mainstream and the most unlikely audiences.
“Right now, I’m more interested in M.I’s album. Ikechukwu and Naeto C are more relevant than Mode 9 and Ruggedman now. So for me, I think they’re just looking for relevance. The whole beef thing is baseless. They don’t need it. They don’t even have a share of the market. Do you think they’ll name any hip hop act if they’re listing the top 10 acts in Nigeria? No!”, says Bayo Omisore, hip hop head and editor of Soundcity Blast magazine.
When e-Punch spoke with Ruggedman on Wednesday, he was in the studio working. Is he hurriedly putting together a response to Modey’s diss? ”I don’t have time for that”, he told us. I haven’t even heard the song. But, did he mention my name on it? I have no time for a coward that’s not bold enough to mention my name. This is about the ninth song he is doing against me, and he’s still scared to mention my name. My brother, I have more important things to do.”
”I don’t care about negativity. I have a business. And I’m uplifting other artistes and producers. When he has the balls to mention my name, then we can start talking”.
True, Modey may not have mentioned Rugged on the beef track, but made derogatory and caustic references to his company, 20th September Wear and Ehen – the title of the diss track that earned Ruggedman a place in fame land. He even says Rugged is as wack as Rasqui (one of the victims of Ehen pt 1) and that Daddy Showkey – who is not a rapper- ”took you to the nursery/not you wanna kick rhymes with me?…/ I’ll put your head warmer over your eyes/take it off/ehen”
He goes on: I’m bigger than you lyrically/forget about size/I heard your third album is gonna be your last/Bye bye/You’re hustling to sell it to shoe makers/dem no buy/Ojb raps better than you/you need help…/I know your secrets but I wont hit below the belt.
Contrary to Ruggedman’s current disposition, pundits believe it won’t take long before he retaliates.
”I don’t think they both hate each other as much as they’re portraying it”, says Cool FM OAP Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi. ”They’re doing the 2Pac/Biggie; Jarule/50 thing. But we’re tired of it. Let them change their strategy. I’m cool with both rappers; they’re both okay guys, but I mean, what are they really fighting over? A girl? A car? Money?”
Mode 9’s 22-tracked LP was released on his own imprint Red Eye records.
