DID YOU KNOW? Eedris Abdulkareem lived under CMS bridge for 6 months to pursue music career

Eedris Abdulkareem, the Nigerian rapper, says he slept under the popular CMS bridge for more than six months on his arrival from Kano.

The 47-year-old rapper spoke about his foray into the music industry when he featured in ‘Afrobeats: The Backstory’, a music documentary produced by Ayo Shonaiya, the filmmaker and entertainment lawyer.

The ‘Jaga Jaga’ crooner said it was under the bridge that he met Steve Kadiri, the late Raypower broadcaster, who died of complications arising from a kidney transplant in 2009.

He said it was Kadiri that introduced him to Kenny ‘Keke’ Ogungbe, who was the anchor of AIT Jamz, the music programme, alongside Dayo ‘D1’ Adeneye.

“At an early stage, I decided that, you know what, I want to use music as a voice to speak for the voiceless, that way I’d be heard, and a lot of people would get to understand my lifestyle and a lot of people would want to live that lifestyle,” he said.

“Babe Keke (Kenny Ogungbe) thought came into my mind, D1 (Dayo Adeneye) thought came into my mind, so I headed to Lagos.

“As soon as I got to Lagos, the first thing was under CMS bridge and Obalende… it isn’t far from that side, so every night I slept under the bridge for a long time.

“So, one night after like six month, I dreamt and God said ‘You need to leave the underbridge and get to Raypower.

“May his soul rest in peace, Steve Kadiri saw me a couple of times and he was like ‘guy what are you doing here?’, and I told him I have a mission. When he asked what was the mission, I said music. [He took me to the studio where he then introduced me to Baba Keke.”

Abdulkareem, who was first signed to Kennis Music as a member of the 3-man group ‘The Remedies,’ boasts of multiple albums that include ‘P.A.S.S’ (2002), ‘Mr. Lecturer’ (2002), ‘Jaga Jaga’ (2004), ‘Letter to Mr. President’ (2005), ‘King Is Back’ (2007), ‘Unfinished Business’ (2010), and ‘Nothing But The Truth’ (2020).

On Wednesday, the ‘Jaga Jaga’ crooner was reported to have been diagnosed with kidney failure.

Myke Pam, an associate of the singer, revealed that the singer has been undergoing dialysis in an undisclosed Lagos hospital since his diagnosis.

He added that the ailing singer has been put on an appointment for a kidney transplant.

MI Abaga is leading a fundraiser for Abdulkareem’s kidney transplant.