There are hitmakers. Then, there are culture-shapers. Mohbad, fondly called Imole, Yoruba for ‘light’, was one of them. His music was not for clubs or charts but for the soul. He rapped, sang, chanted, and wept through melodies that articulated the madness and joys of the Lagos streets. He influenced his tracks from the backroads of Ikorodu to the playlists of New York, and his voice journeyed, telling stories of anguish, longing to belong, to achieve.Â
Mohbad was special not merely for his interesting flows, nor his production choices, but also, and more so, for how credible he was. You could hear him crooning about persisting in one breath, before moving to ‘swinging’ on an amapiano track, but in every tempo, you feel credibility. His lyrics were personal, familiar, and that is why his music reached out not just to street-hop fans, but anybody who ever ‘hustled’, prayed, or dreamed for something different.Â
Best of Mohbad Songs
1. Imole
2. Feel Good
3. Peace
4. KPK (Ko Por Ke)
5. Ask About Me
Best of Mohbad Songs
In his tragic absence (since September 2023), his music has grown more powerful and louder. From Surulere house party bangers to South Africa’s Spotify charts, the presence of his baritone endures. Mohbad might be dead in flesh, but immortal in art. So, let’s sit down for a while, breathe in the air, and round up five of his best songs that highlighted tiny fragments of the energy and commitment of someone who, as he often noted, could never stop shining.
1. Imole
‘Imole’ was not just a hook or a name; a straight-up declaration. Released in 2019, this was one of Mohbad’s earliest songs and possibly one of his best. And here he is not being facetious; he is saying to us straight up: ‘Imole ni mi, mo de fe tan kari aye’ (‘I am the light, I want to shine all over the world’) Ahead of the fame, ahead of the charts, ahead of Marlian Music, this song was him speaking his reality into existence.
The song lyrics were laced with grit and authenticity. Hunger, hustle, and divine interventions were all referred to by him. ‘Imole’ was no prayer; it was a manifesto. He asked for blessings, cherished the affection from his mother, and above all, was loyal to his people. He has raw Yoruba lines and no limitations in emoting; he has shown us what Afro-Adura ought to sound like, of the spiritual, with will and creatures from the streetwise world.
But more than anything, ‘Imole’ expressed a conviction and faith in his own abilities. It felt almost like you were watching a man elevate in front of your eyes– fully aware of the fights ahead of him and confident and purposeful in their meaning. This is a song you turn on when you need to feel the blood surge through you that fires you up– a reminder that even at the edge of darkness, there is light waiting to burst out. And for Mohbad, he was the light.
2. Feel Good
And here’s the song that had everyone dancing on their feet, even when the title suggested otherwise. ‘Feel Good,’ released in 2021 by Niphkeys, was Mohbad in his element: blending raw emotion with infectious rhythm. It was a street banger, with 44 million views on YouTube, and for good reason.
Although it had the tone of a turn-up song, ‘Feel Good’ was tainted with pain and resolve. Mohbad croaked about exhaustion, about praying and working hard without rest. ‘I don work tire,’ he sings with his voice heavy with weariness and defiance. Instead of wallowing, he chose to celebrate, dancing away the pain. He smoked away the pain. He laughed in the face of enemies trying to debilitate him.
‘Feel Good’ is relatable in a country where existence is constantly in rebellion. It’s a party song that captures the point, sometimes, dancing is the only thing that keeps you sane. Mohbad was singing about himself, but we all resonated with those lyrics, particularly when he said, ‘I know there is a day all my pains will go away.’ That’s the genius of Mohbad: even on a party song, he made you feel something real.
3. Peace
In 2022, Mohbad dropped ‘Peace’, a solid record that turned into something of an anthem when he died. It was handled by Rexxie and Spyda Kid and climbed straight up the charts to now sit at 63 million YouTube views. But aside from the stats, this song touched me differently.
‘Peace’ is raw. It’s reflective. It’s vulnerable. Mohbad rapped about how to deal with ‘frenemies,’ enduring gossip, and trying to stay grounded with the world spinning around him. ‘Been through many things,’ he confesses. And you’re probably thinking you can trust him. The song paints a portrait of a man who’s seen too much too soon, a man in search of peace amidst the storm.
There’s something deeply moving about the questions he poses: ‘You go dey when I no get raba?’ or ‘You go dey when I no get ginger?’ ‘Peace’ is what you play when you’re tired of faking, when you need inner strength without the noise.
And no surprise that after his passing, the song reached No. 1 on Apple Music Nigeria and even cracked Billboard’s Hot Trending Songs chart at number 2.
4. KPK (Ko Por Ke)
Mohbad wasn’t just emotive; he was high-energy. ‘KPK,’ the street anthem featuring producer Rexxie, was the kind of song that caused your shoulders to bounce before your head could keep up. It was catchy, it was addictive, and a full-fledged cultural sensation. With 9 million YouTube views, this song was ubiquitous, from danfo buses to Instagram dance challenges.
The name, ‘Ko Por Ke,’ is a loose translation of ‘Is it not plenty?’ It was Mohbad boasting, boasting, and showing himself off in the most Lagos way. From the lyrics full of slang to the head-nodding beat, the song was a celebration of youth, grind, and happiness of becoming. Marlian energy was at play, and Mohbad worked the beat like a pro.
This wasn’t a think-piece track. It was loudspeakers, midnight drives, and those moments when life is actually good, if only for 3 minutes. If ‘Peace’ was the soul of Mohbad, then ‘KPK’ was his swagger. And together, they demonstrated his incredible range.
5. Ask About Me
Dropped in May of 2023, ‘Ask About Me’ was a menacing, haunting single that only grew more powerful after the untimely death of Mohbad. Mohbad delivered some of his best and most prophetic rap to life yet, courtesy of Niphkeys and Nektunez, who produced a thudding amapiano beat. No wonder the song now features 16 million views on YouTube and won the Best Street-Hop Artist category at the 2025 Headies Awards, a posthumous win that caused everyone to weep.
From the start, Mohbad said it straight and in plain language: ‘wonti le mi but won o mumi’ meaning, ‘they have chased me but they can’t catch me.’ He rapped about being stalked, spiritually ambushed, and protected by God. There is this chill line: ‘iku to pa iya teacher, ole pa awon nigga’, meaning ‘the death that killed a teacher can also kill the boys/guys’ (it means life can happen to anyone). It was clear in retrospect, fans couldn’t help but interpret between the lines and read it as a warning; a call for help, maybe, or an oblique threat of danger to come.
But beyond the speculation, ‘Ask About Me’ is a defiant song. It’s Mohbad telling the world who he is– a man who rose from Ikorodu’s gritty corners and made himself unforgettable; a man who wasn’t afraid to speak his truth, even if it made people uncomfortable. This is a song that demands respect. Now, more than ever, we’re listening.
Conclusion
Mohbad was more than an artist; he was a journey. He gave us songs that made us dance, cry, reflect, and protest. Each song was a chapter of his short yet transformative life. He mixed street-hop with soul, turned strife into poetry, and voiced the voiceless– pure talent. Mohbad’s legacy lives on today through these songs and many more. Are you a longtime fan, or are you just discovering him? One thing is for sure: Mohbad’s light can never be dimmed.
