Enugu is a cultural hub that grooms home-grown music stars that eventually reached the top in their musical careers. Here are profiles of the top 10 home-grown music stars whose careers took off from the Coal City. Some of them have moved on to gain national and international attention. Since Independence, the capital of the Eastern Region became the watering ground for highlife music.
No. 10 Runtown
Although Runtown’s music flowered outside Enugu, he was nevertheless born in Coal City on 19 August 1989. He moved with his parents to Lagos and thereafter to Abuja with his mom after his father passed. His hit song, Gallardo won “Best Collaboration of the Year ” at the 2014 edition of the Nigeria Entertainment Awards. Davido rendered vocals in the song. His debut album, Ghetto University was sponsored by MTN Music Plus throughEric Many Entertainment. It reportedly streamed into a mouth-watering N35million online earnings, establishing him as one of the “Top 5 Most Streamed Artists” Combined YouTube video views: 447.8K
No. 9 Slowdog
Born 27 November 1978 as Nnanna Emmanuel Okechukwu, Slowdog is a rapper songwriter, recording artiste, and stage performer. He is one of the few artistes that stayed behind to ply his trade in Enugu and the Southeast. His family moved from Jos, Plateau State to Enugu where he did his primary and secondary education before enrolling at the IMT to study marketing, graduating in 2003 with a higher diploma in marketing. He began rapping in Igbo at 16 while still in high school. His smash hit, Testimony (ft. Phyno and TJ) was released as a remix in 2017. But it was the song, Who grab that tin (ft. Dekumzy) that shot him to fame in the Southeast in 2006. Combined YouTube video views: 484K
No. 8 Stormrex
Stormrex is also one of the well-known Enugu home-grown music stars. She is the only lady that made it to the top 10. Princess Stormrex (real name Theresa Chinonso Igwilo), is a Nigerian singer and songwriter from Enugu State. It is safe to say that Phyno is her greatest motivator and mentor. Through him, she has done collaborations with MI Abaga, Uplifted, Dekumzy and many more with Phyno. Her most popular song is Walk with me, featuring Olamide (309 views). She is known for her soulful voice and has collaborated with artists like Flavour and Phyno. Combined YouTube video views: 613K
No. 7 Dekumzy
Dekumzy, the Nigerian record producer, musician, composer, pianist, and songwriter, was born on 27 March 1983 in Enugu. His real name is Derek Osonwa and he burst on the scene with his first major production of the Duo Resonance album titled “Chinweike” in 2006. His hit productions include Flavour’s Baby Oku, Mr. Raw’s Strong and Mighty (ft. Flavour), and Bracket’s No Time (ft. P-Square). He is best remembered as founder of Enugu Girl Band, Desperate Chicks (Stormrex, Ursula Ice and Barbie). When the band disbanded, he married Ursula and Stormrex went solo. Combined YouTube video views: 1.1 Million
No. 6 Mr. Raw
His most popular online song is Ko Gbadun, featuring Duncan Mighty 809K views). Mr. Raw (real name Okechukwu Edwards Ukeje), a veteran Nigerian rapper is the pioneer of Igbo rap. He was born and brought up in Enugu. One of his hit songs, “O! Chukwu” won Best Afro Hip Hop Video at the 2007 NMVA Awards. Highly revered by his peers for his mentorship and the pioneer promotion of Igbo rap, he has naturally collaborated with other great Enugu exports including Flavour, Phyno, 2Baba and Illblisss. Combined YouTube Views 5.0 Million.
No. 5 Zoro
Zoro is Coal City’s 5th most popular online artist, with combined YouTube views of 22.1Million. His real name is Chimaobi Chrismathner Owoh and he is a rapper and singer noted for his dexterity with Igbo rapping. In collaboration with the other Enugu big names – Flavour and Phyno especially – Zoro has released several hit tracks including Ogene which features Flavour and Phyno. Predictably, his most popular online song is Ogene, featuring Flavour at 5.2M views. Combined YouTube video views: 23.4 Million.
No. 4 Frank Edwards
His most recent album is Emmanuel (featuring Moses Bliss) which is doing well on YouTube at over 1.0M views. Born Frank Ugochukwu Edwards on 22 July 1989, he is established as one of the greatest gospel singers to come out of Nigeria. He is also a music producer and sound engineer with his own record label, Rocktown Records. He now lives in Lagos but was born and raised in Enugu where he began singing and learnt to play the piano at the age of 10. Frank is a pentecostal Christian and has many hit Christian songs to his name. Combined YouTube Views: 118Million.
No. 3 2Baba
Born Boniface Idibia in Jos, Plateau State on 18 September 1975, the Idoma native began his music career in Enugu after he enrolled at IMT to study business administration. He became famous on Campus as Lord Elly, playing gigs not only at IMT but also in nearby institutions, notably UNEC and ESUT. 2Baba was one of the trio of an all-boys school band, Plantashun Boiz that took Enugu by Storm. His bandmates included Blackface (Ahmedu Augustine Obiabo) and Faze (Chibuzor Orji). He ultimately dropped out of IMT to pursue a music career in 1996, learning composition and surviving by producing jingles for Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS). He also adopted the stage name 2Face in the same year. It took him another 20 years to change the name to 2Baba, when he had already blown it big in Lagos. YouTube Views: 174 Million
No. 2 Phyno
@phynofina is one of the better known Enugu home-grown music stars. His greatest online hit song is “Fada, Fada (over 37M views). He was born Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike in Enugu City on 9 October 1986. His stage name was coined from Phenomenal, a tag from a high school mate in praise of his musical skills. Phyno is a rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Like most other artists featured here, he also enrolled at IMT to study public administration and this was where his music career took off. He is still producing hit songs, the latest being “Do I (ft. Burna Boy). His combined YouTube Views of 275.8 Million stand in second place behind his buddy, Flavour among the home-grown stars.
No. 1 Flavour
There is more to Flavour beyond the N’Abania – and it is in the taste and appeal, as one reviewer discovered in an Enugu Metro exposition. His most popular song is “Time to Party” featuring Diamond Platnumz (over 142M views in March 2025). Flavour’s real name is Chinedu Okoli. He was born, grew up in and began his musical career in Coal City. His stage name, Flavour, was derived from his first album, Flavour n’Abania. This star singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, is especially appreciated for his unique blend of highlife and afrobeat. With 2Baba and Phyno, Flavour is the first of a troika that qualify as the greatest exports from Enugu to Nigeria and world music. He has several hit songs and albums that have attracted over 1.4 billion views in March 2025.
These musicians represent a fraction of the talent that Enugu has produced in the Nigerian music industry. Their contributions have helped shape the diverse sounds and styles that define Nigerian music today.