Born Jude Abag in the Jos, Plateau State, he first experimented with music in high school and later, while earning a business degree from Calvin College in Michigan, he became popular on campus playing local hip-hop shows, reading poetry, and even trying out comedy for a short time. Heading back to Nigeria in 2003, he eventually began collaborating with his friend Djinee and produced his first mixtape, PYERIBOY, which yielded the single "Safe." The song earned some national airplay and built momentum for Abaga's debut album, Talk About It, which was released at the end of 2008. The album was a critical success, winning a handful of awards and helping foster the career of peers like Wizkid and Ice Prince. Over the next few years, Abaga became a staple of the Chocolate City roster, releasing the first of his three Illegal Music mixtapes and his 2010 follow-up album, MI 2: The Movie, which won a Headie Award for Best Rap Album. Besides his own music, he became more involved in production, helming tracks for labelmates like Ice Prince and Ruby Gyang. With another high-profile release to his credit, 2014's The Chairman, Abaga had ascended to the upper ranks of Nigerian hip-hop and earned an international following as well. After wrapping up his Illegal Music mixtapes series with 2016's The Finale, he delivered a pair of ambitious releases beginning with 2018's Rendezvous, a highly collaborative playlist made up of what were essentially outtakes from his fourth album, A Study in Self-Worth: Yxng Dxnzl, which appeared shortly afterward. A sort of conceptual journal, Yxng Dxnzl dealt with themes of depression, mental health, and personal affirmation.
In early 2020, after 13 years with the label, Abaga announced his departure from Chocolate City and issued his next project, Judah the EP. This was quickly followed by another project, this time a collaborative album with rapper A-Q called The Live Report.
Mine
M.I. Abaga Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's words you're gonna say
Babe if you're my grenade
Promise me I'm the only one yeah
Promise me I'm the only one yeah
Say what's on your mind before I read between the read between the
Read between your mind
Question is are you gone ride with me mmh
Rock with me at least are you
Realize deep inside
Know you buried all your butterflies in disguise
Down below when she crucify trust the lies
All these feelings she won't verbalise
No more loving games
Recognise the pain
Know you fucked with lames
They don't fuck you right
Take a left in life and drive pandemonium
Playground not for kids
Somehow we can play though
Running back and forth in the night midnight yeah
Focus all on me if you like this ride yeah
Tinder type of love and I swipe you nice yeah
Might just give your ass some advice for life yeah
Take it or leave it miss independent I know
Please stop pretending like you don't like all this gold
Finish your story baby yeah
Numbers on private I see
If it's mine and it's yours
That's words you're gonna say
Babe if you're my grenade
Promise me I'm the only one yeah
Promise me I'm the only one yeah
If it's mine and it's yours
That's words you're gonna say
Babe if you're my grenade
Promise me I'm the only one yeah
Promise me I'm the only one yeah
I know you get all the attention and all of the likes on your Instagram page
I know you've got niggas who promise you everything if they could sit in my place
That's why I'm still on my chase that shit made me quicken my pace
I remember you text me like '*** is funny
You promised the world to you hit and then you fade
I remember I message you back
Like damn your ex did you bad
Plus you've had no success in the past just niggas who stressing you bad
But I'ma be the best you have
I'ma sex you then bless and get you a bag
Whatever you like you'll eventually have
Shop with me walk through the store and just simply grab
If you smile then it yours yeah It's yours
And I don't really care what it cost It's yours
Since I found you I've been feeling like if I lose you I'd be lost It's yours
Yeah
Since I found you I've been feeling like if I lose you I'd be lost
If it's mine and it's yours
That's words you're gonna say
Babe if you're my grenade
Promise me I'm the only one yeah
Promise me I'm the only one yeah
If it's mine and it's yours
That's words you're gonna say
Babe if you're my grenade
Promise me I'm the only one yeah
Promise me I'm the only one yeah
In "Mine" by M.I. Abaga, the artist is speaking to a woman with whom he is involved in a romantic relationship. He tells her that if they are both invested in the relationship, she needs to promise him that she is only his, and he will promise to do the same for her. He urges her to be honest with him, to say what is on her mind before he has to read between the lines. The artist questions whether she is willing to stick with him as they navigate the ups and downs of a real relationship. He acknowledges that she might be used to receiving attention and promises from others, but he offers her something different - something genuine. In the end, he promises to give her everything she wants, but he also warns that there will be pain and challenges along the way.
The song is about the complexities of romantic relationships, particularly in the era of social media and online dating. It speaks to the pressure on both men and women to find the perfect partner who can meet all their needs and desires. However, M.I. Abaga reminds listeners that love is not just about the good times; it's also about weathering the storms and coming out on the other side stronger. He asks his partner to promise him that she's willing to endure the tough times with him, just as he promises to do the same for her.
Line by Line Meaning
If it's mine and it's yours yeah
You say that this thing we have, it belongs to both of us.
That's words you're gonna say
You promise and assure me that you'll always be mine.
Babe if you're my grenade
You're telling me that if I trust you with my heart, you won't hurt me.
Promise me I'm the only one yeah
You ask me to promise that it's only you and no one else in your heart.
Say what's on your mind before I read between the read between the
Please tell me what's on your mind before I misunderstand and come to my own conclusions.
Read between your mind
I don't want to misinterpret your actions or your words. Be honest with me.
Before I see right through your right through
I don't want to be hurt by learning something from someone else. Be open and truthful to me right away.
Question is are you gone ride with me mmh
I need to know if you'll stick around and be with me through thick and thin.
Rock with me at least are you
Will you be with me through tough times, even if you have to bear the brunt of it?
Realize deep inside
Understand that the things we go through may be tough, but we'll always come out stronger in the end.
Know you buried all your butterflies in disguise
You've hidden all your fears and doubts inside of you, but they'll soon come out.
Down below when she crucify trust the lies
When you're at your lowest point, don't trust the things you're told, since they could be lies.
All these feelings she won't verbalise
You have a lot of feelings that you're unable to express in words.
No more loving games
We should stop playing games and be honest about our feelings for each other.
Recognise the pain
Understand that sometimes the truth can be painful, but it's better than pretending.
Know you fucked with lames
You've been involved with people who didn't treat you right and didn't appreciate you.
They don't fuck you right
Those people you've been with didn't satisfy you the way you needed to be satisfied.
Take a left in life and drive pandemonium
Let's take a different path in our lives and explore new opportunities together.
Playground not for kids
Life is full of challenges and difficulties that require maturity and wisdom to overcome.
Somehow we can play though
Despite the difficulties we face in life, we can still enjoy ourselves and have fun together.
Running back and forth in the night midnight yeah
We're both up all night, thinking about each other and our relationship.
Focus all on me if you like this ride yeah
If you're committed to this relationship, then focus on me and let's ride it out together.
Tinder type of love and I swipe you nice yeah
Our love is like using an app like Tinder; I chose you and swiped right because you're nice.
Might just give your ass some advice for life yeah
I might be able to give you some valuable advice about life and how to move forward.
Take it or leave it miss independent I know
You're very independent and I respect that, but I'm here to support you if you ever need it.
Please stop pretending like you don't like all this gold
You're pretending like you don't care about the material things I can give you, but I know you do.
Finish your story baby yeah
Whatever your story is, I want to be a part of it and help you continue it in a positive direction.
Numbers on private I see
I can see that you're hiding things from me, but I want you to trust me and be open with me.
I know you get all the attention and all of the likes on your Instagram page
You have a large following on social media and get a lot of attention from other people.
I know you've got niggas who promise you everything if they could sit in my place
Other men are trying to win your heart and promise you everything they can to be with you instead of me.
That's why I'm still on my chase that shit made me quicken my pace
Despite the competition, I'm still chasing after you and trying to win your heart.
I remember you text me like '*** is funny
I remember a time when you texted me something funny and we had a great time talking.
You promised the world to you hit and then you fade
Other people have made promises to you before, but then disappeared from your life.
Like damn your ex did you bad
I know that you've been hurt in the past by someone else and I don't want to make the same mistake.
Plus you've had no success in the past just niggas who stressing you bad
You haven't had much success with past relationships and have only been stressed out by other men.
But I'ma be the best you have
I promise to be the best thing that's ever happened to you and treat you right.
I'ma sex you then bless and get you a bag
I'll take care of you sexually and financially to make sure you're happy and secure.
Whatever you like you'll eventually have
I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you're happy and get everything you want in life.
Shop with me walk through the store and just simply grab
We can go shopping together and I'll buy you anything you want, no questions asked.
If you smile then it yours yeah It's yours
As long as you're happy and smiling, I'll do everything I can to make sure you have it.
And I don't really care what it cost It's yours
I don't care about the cost; as long as it makes you happy, it's worth it to me.
Since I found you I've been feeling like if I lose you I'd be lost
Ever since I met you, I've felt like you're the only one for me and losing you would be devastating.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Phyllis Mwihaki Ngetich
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind