Released on October 20, the first clip of OBI Slave We depicts the hard life of African migrants in a squat in Lyon. Born in Nigeria, OBI arrived in Europe crossing the Moroccan and Spanish borders in horrific conditions. A striking story that he wants to tell through his title Slave We, armed with his pen and his flow. "We are slaves in the city, because we are not free, we do not possess anything, not even the right to move. The looks we are given are hard, we are at the mercy of fate. However, we retain hope and faith in a possible freedom. We pray a lot. There's all that in Slave We," explains the artist. A story that he also transcribes visually. The clip explores a squat in the Croix-Rousse district of Lyon, where he lives with other migrants. A raw filming location, chosen to show a difficult daily life. "For the clip, we improvised everything, nothing is calculated, everything is true. We see companions at the end." he says. "We are invisible when we live in a squat. Sometimes it feels good to be seen. This squat is my home, it's where I wrote all my songs, including Slave We. I'm glad to show you around a bit." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_VvQ3vIEzo&ab_channel=OBIVEVO
A self-taught artist
His love for music and words was born in Nigeria, where he participated in hip-hop battles in the streets. Paperless for ten years, plagued by evictions and precariousness, OBI finds in music an outlet. After years of wandering, he settled in the squat of the Maurice Scève college in Lyon. He taught himself how to use recording software, before meeting the musician Cédric de La Chapelle who helped him produce his songs. Through a universe between rap, electro, soul, and afro-trap, OBI tells the story of the struggles, the discrimination, but also the hope that remains. His first album is scheduled for next spring.
