Abu Ibrahim (aka IB) is an outwardly calm poet with an important message. His spoken word performances are marked by plain-spoken diction and a certain emotional tenor that enlivens his poems’ subjects. So politically and socially aware are his poems, yet so effortless in a way that euphemizes their serious focus that one feels compelled to react to them spontaneously. This uniqueness in his poetry has been recognized on a number of occasions, the first being the selection of Music Has Failed Us, his debut album, for potential nomination for the Grammy Award. He was also one of the poets that campaigned for the inclusion of “Spoken Word” as a standalone Grammy Award category in 2021.
Here, he talks to Chimezie Chika about his work, Music Has Failed Us, and other related topics.
Chika: Congratulations, IB, on the release of your debut spoken word album, Music Has Failed Us. Though your album is an undeniable tour de force, if only for the inclusion of a number of strong poems therein, I have honestly wondered if Spoken Word, as a genre, is not better served on a live stage, given its peculiar history, than in studio recordings and albums. What is your opinion on this, with regards to your own work?
IB: Thank you. I believe albums and live performances offer unique experiences for a poet. Performing poetry on stage gives me the opportunity to get real-time reactions from the audience, while recordings or an album is a way of sharing my art with a larger audience especially in this age of digital music distribution channels. So I’d say both are really relevant to me as a poet. But as regards where it is better served, I have a bias leaning for the stage. The stage is where I find fulfillment and there’s this elevated experience I get from performing live.
Chika: In one sense, the title of your album, the expression “Music Has Failed Us” is particularly enigmatic. Its content highlights a certain sonic intensity. Perhaps, in general, you are aiming for an effect that is intrinsically paradoxical. Do you feel then that music could be given new life through its incorporation of hybrid forms, spoken word being one of them?
IB: I love poetry because it gives me the freedom to manipulate words and that was exactly what I did with titling the project. You hear the phrase, “Music Has Failed Us,” and you are immediately puzzled. I also think infusing music and spoken word poetry would be heavenly. A few artists have experimented with this. I dream of a project like that. The difference in sound, and the sheer artistry of it, would be amazing.
Chika: The best poem of the album, the eponymous “Music Has Failed Us,” rendered stirringly by you, is a searing indictment of contemporary Nigerian music. The poem is so intensely moral, and perhaps, as a result of this, judgmental. In a political sense, there also seems to be justification for that final pronouncement: “Music has failed us.” Can you elaborate on the meanings you attached to that title? I am particularly interested in multi-faceted narrative you weave in this poem and the motivations, personal or public, behind it.
IB: In “Music Has Failed Us,” the title really says it all. It speaks to a deep disappointment I feel with modern Nigerian music, like it’s lost its way from what it used to be – inspiring and socially conscious. When I think about the poem, I see it digging into why things have changed, pointing fingers at things like music being all about money, sex, fame and drugs. The title isn’t just about music; it’s a mirror reflecting bigger issues in Nigerian society, like values getting lost along the way. The poem’s tone is pretty serious, and yeah, maybe a bit judgmental, but it’s because I want people to think about what’s happening and maybe make some changes. I worry about losing our cultural roots and the true meaning behind music. Overall, “Music Has Failed Us” tells a story that’s personal to me but also speaks to wider concerns about Nigerian music and society.
Chika: I was equally moved by both your performance in the poem “We Know What Terrorism Is,” as well as its subject matter. What inspired you to write and perform a poem about terrorism?
IB: “We Know What Terrorism Is” is a poem I wish I had never written because I genuinely wish no one had to suffer from terrorism. There are people in northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt who are being slaughtered on a daily basis with scant reporting of their story. The sporadic nature and the scary increase of the number of terror attacks are alarming. This is why I was moved to write the poem. Even more personal, is the fact that some of my friends have lost loved ones to this menace.
Chika: Having listened to the album several times, I have come to the conclusion that your poems are marked by an overt social awareness and that politics is central to your work (It is evident even in eulogistic poems like “Daddy Said”). Why do you think that is?
IB: The reason my poems often talk about society and politics, like “Daddy Said,” is because I believe it’s important to talk about what’s going on in the world. Politics affects how we live and how we see things around us. So, when I write about political stuff, I hope to make people think and maybe even want to change things for the better. Also, growing up in a place where there’s a lot of unfairness and problems, it’s hard not to write about them. Plus, poetry has always been a way for people to speak out about what’s wrong and to try to make things right. So, it’s kind of natural for me to write about these things. Overall, I want my poetry to shine a light on issues that matter, challenge how things are, and hopefully, make a positive difference.
Chika: Which leads me to the question of how you got into Spoken Word Poetry. How long have you been practicing the art of poetry? And judging from your poems, it also seems reasonable to ask if you have any background in music. Of course spoken word blends the two forms.
IB: It’s no secret that I love listening to music a lot. I also rapped frequently as a member of the music club during my secondary school days. Apart from that, I have no professional background in music. I started taking poetry seriously in my second year at the University of Benin after my friends encouraged me to put myself out there. That was in 2010. Back then, I would perform at campus fellowships, faculty dinners, departmental events, and others. As a student, I became the PR person for an organization called The Mannequin Mode, who are organizers of arguably Nigeria’s biggest spoken word poetry concert. These are moments that are priceless to me.
Chika: Which spoken word poets or page poets do you find particularly inspiring?
IB: In no particular order, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Christopher Okigbo, Dennis Brutus, W.B. Yeats, John Milton, Suli Breaks, Philip Asaya, Efe Paul Azino, Saul Willams, Kanye West, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and more.
Chika: Where do you want to take your art in the next few years? In short, when are we expecting your next project?
IB: In the next few years, I am looking to solidly build my brand beyond the shores of Nigeria, collaborate with brands, poets, and artists on projects, participate in festivals, continue to grow as a poet, and more. I can’t exactly say when my next project will come because there is so much that goes into putting out an album or a poetry collection. I can make one promise though, and that’s the fact that it’s going to be another brilliant work of art.
Chika: Thank you, IB, for taking your time to offer these insights.
IB: The pleasure’s mine.
