Igwe Aka’s Latest EP Is The New Music You Need

Alternative hip-hop lovers, I’m back with another insanely talented new artist for you to discover if you haven’t already. Nigerian-born and Sacramento-raised, Igwe Aka just released his latest EP Super Eagle, with four tracks that have all the classic elements of hip-hop laced with experimental sounds, lyrics, and a whole new vibe. I love when I find something that feels really authentic and fresh, and this project is exactly that.

You may be familiar with Igwe Aka from a few of his tracks such as “Big Tony (Anthem)” and “Red” which amounted to millions of streams on Spotify. For now, let's focus on Super Eagle. Within the tracklist, we have a strong start at “ONITSUKA TIGER.” This track feels very personal. It gives us some insight into Igwe’s personal experiences, his journey in music, losses he’s faced, all while rapping in a strong flow over a gentle piano-type beat.
Following closely behind is the second track “TONY ON THE RADIO,” which might be my favorite. The vibe of this track is very raw and real; again, definitely a personal story here. Igwe’s flow synchronizes well over the production, he has a harder delivery yet you can hear the emotion in his voice over most of the verses. Once we reach the chorus, Igwe’s voice lightens up, he lets the beat breathe and the synth sounds evoke a feeling of nostalgia. You feel like you really know him at this point.

I’ll touch briefly on the last two tracks. “OFF BRAND” is a classic and current melodic rap track. This fits well into the realm of popular rap tracks, of course, with his own personal touch. The closing track, “EUPHORIA (ZOOM),” is a chill vibe. It’s relaxed, and if you listen closely, more of his story unfolds.

Igwe Aka is truly an original talent. I might compare him to the likes of early 2010s Chance The Rapper or Mac Miller, he’s drawn influence from artists like Joey Bada$$ and Kanye West. And yet, he’s created his own lane--I hope you’ll be following his journey from here!