Nigerian emcee, Fecko, took an eleventh-hour lead in the Take Back the Mic app charts, emerging as the show’s winner. As the leader among both fans and Celebrity Champions alike, he wins $25,000 and a VIP trip for two to Kigali, Rwanda, courtesy of the Rwanda Convention Bureau.
Fecko recently spoke to Africa.com about his victory and what lies ahead.
Africa.com: Who is Fecko?
Fecko:
Fecko is a Formidable Emcee Constantly Knocking-out Obstacles. My real name is Ifeanyi Chukwuebuka Ibegbunam. I hail from Anambra state in Nigeria, but I grew up in the suburbs of Lagos – Mushin to be precise. I’m an African Hip-hop artiste who has been uniting Africa one track at a time. I have worked with several heavyweight rappers across the continent. Apart from music, I’m an animator, graphic designer, actor and environmental biologist. If I were to describe myself in three words, I’d say ‘Limitless African Youth’
Fecko:
I have been in the industry for over decade. I recorded my first demo in 2005, and I recorded an album of eight tracks in 2006 which got shelved. I released the First Impression mixtape in 2009. Few years later, I got featured on The Joe Spazm mixtape hosted by legendary DJ Jimmy Jatt. Independently, I have released 5 music videos, several singles and I teamed up with Teck-Zilla on two EPs – Raplogic and ART. I had to go on hiatus for two years to focus on serving my country as a National Youth Service Corp member and I worked as a creative director at a coworking space before The Mic Africa happened.
Africa.com: What are your thoughts about The Mic Africa being the first music competition and docu-series TV format born in Africa?
Fecko:
Honestly, this is the first of its kind. I’m aware of other music competitions, but The Mic Africa stood out for me. It blazed the trail as the first major Pan-African hip hop show. It’s beyond showcasing African talents. It’s also a window into the reality of creatives in the motherland. The story-telling was remarkable and the production of the show was world-class. I hope we win an Emmy for season 1. Kudos to Amp Global for doing an amazing job. It can only get bigger and better.
The show got to my notice through Buddha Blaze. He informed me about the competition and I shared the news with my fellow Nigerian rappers. He also encouraged me to register. I’m glad I did, because it eventually paid off.
Fecko:
It was an amazing experience. There was always an element of surprise! Everyone that participated in the competition had something different they brought to the table. It felt like we were all in the same physical space even though the show was done virtually. I networked with other creatives across the continent and I got more fans from East Africa. It wasn’t easy campaigning for votes during the yuletide season. The final stage was really intense. I was super-excited when I discovered I won.
Africa.com: What are your plans now that you’ve won?
Fecko:
Winning a competition puts me at a point where I can be challenged. It means I have to keep getting better. Most people are watching and expecting me to justify why I won. Honestly, I’m only in a competition with myself right now. I’m focused on becoming a better version of Fecko. My fans should expect more music and great content from me. I also won’t relent on changing the narrative of my community and also changing the lives of people around me.
Africa.com:What advice would you give to someone considering auditioning for The Mic: Africa?
Fecko:
My advice would be; have an original story, have a great team behind you and have a relatable brand identity. Aspiring contestants also need to be tech-savvy. Apart from having the talent, they also need to work hard. Hardwork beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
Africa.com: Do you think African music has changed the way the world sees Africa?
Fecko:
Absolutely, it has! The likes of Burna Boy and Wizkid are changing the perception about Africa on a global scale. Africa is the future and the world needs to gravitate towards positivity in the motherland.
Africa.com: Where do you see yourself headed in the next 5 years?
Fecko:
In the next five years, if aliens or an asteroid haven’t invaded our planet by then (Hahaha), I hope to become a global icon on the verge of changing the world.
Africa.com: If there were one thought that you want people to recall about you, what would that be?
Fecko:
Working on some new singles, an EP and an album. I also have plans of producing a short-film and possibly a web-series.