Nigerian rapper Odumodublvck has revealed his near-death experience with drug abuse and how he eventually overcame the addiction.
The rapper, born Tochukwu Gbubemi Ojogwu in 1993, is one of Nigeria’s most prominent new-generation artists, celebrated for his “Okporoko music,” a fusion of Afrobeat, Drill and Grime. He rose to prominence with tracks like Picanto and the award-winning Declan Rice, while his mixtape EZIOKWU debuted at number one on Nigeria’s albums chart. Signed to Def Jam, he is also among a small group of Nigerian rappers to surpass 100 million YouTube views.
Speaking on the Tea With Tay podcast, Odumodublvck recalled that his struggles with drugs began during his days at the University of Lagos, where he regularly abused illicit substances until one episode nearly cost him his life.
“I was a very bright student while studying at the University of Lagos. But I was indulging in illicit drugs. One day, I took it and almost died. I called my mother to book my flight to return to Abuja. After that incident, I only took drug once before quitting,” he recounted.
The ‘Blood On The Dance Floor’ hitmaker said the turning point came after that overdose, noting that he has since stayed away from substances. He expressed gratitude for surviving, acknowledging that many others were not as fortunate.
“I’m grateful because there are some people that went into that life [illicit substance consumption] and they didn’t make it out. Some people didn’t make it alive, some had lost people to it like they died because of drug abuse. Some even committed suicide due to drug overdose. I’ve seen a pregnant woman and her husband battling drug addiction. It’s really terrible!” he added.
Odumodublvck cautioned young people against substance abuse, stressing that the dangers far outweigh any perceived benefits.
