In the vibrant and ever-evolving landscape of Nigerian music, a fresh and dynamic voice is capturing the hearts of many—Chinaza Michael Iroh, popularly known as Riich Mic. Hailing from the bustling town of Ohafia in Abia State, Riich Mic’s journey from drumming in the church choir to serenading audiences with his soulful melodies is nothing short of inspiring. Now based in Abuja, this singer-songwriter isn’t just making music; he’s crafting immersive experiences that resonate deeply with listeners. With hit singles like “De Go” and “Ife Mi” under his belt, Riich Mic is setting the stage for a new era of sound. In this exclusive interview, he takes us through his journey, shares his inspirations, and reveals what the future holds for his music.
Hypetribe: Please introduce yourself—who’s the man behind the magic
Riich Mic: My name is Chinaza Michael Iroh, known as Riich Mic I’m a singer and songwriter.
Hypetribe: Tell us, how did you first fall in love with music? What was that moment when you just knew, ‘This my calling’?”
Riich Mic: I’ve always known that I have the gift and I come from a family of amazing singers, my mom has the most beautiful voice and my dad’s baritone was out of this world (bless his soul). So right from childhood, I knew I was called to do music.
Hypetribe: Looking back, how would you describe all the events that have led to this moment? Was it smooth sailing or full of gbas-gbos?
Riich Mic: Omo! The journey has not been a bed of roses for me, I’ve had my fair share of struggles and challenges, and there are still challenges even at this stage too, but I thank God and I’m grateful for where I am today, it is definitely not where I used to be.
Hypetribe: Walk us through your creative process—where do you feel most inspired to create, and how do you turn that inspiration into a finished hit?
Riich Mic: The studio is always my safe space, it’s where I find more comfortable to create everything I put out, just get inspired by my everyday life and experiences.
Hypetribe: Which Afrobeat legends or Naija stars have been your biggest influence? Who helped shape your sound?
Riich Mic: Fela Kuti definitely has a lot of influence on Afrobeats today, so he’s one of the people who influenced my style. I also listened to 2baba while growing up, I listen to Burna, Davido, Olamide, Wizkid, Johnny Drille, and Patoranking, these are people I have learned a couple of things from to help shape up my sound, there are a lot of other people on the list as well.
Hypetribe: What’s the craziest or most unexpected thing that has happened—or that you’ve done—while recording? Any studio gist that still cracks you up?
Riich Mic: I don’t really do anything out of the ordinary, so there’s probably not much of a crazy thing I’ve done during my recording sessions except the fact that I don’t drink alcohol or smoke anything during my recording sessions, I write and record sober.
Hypetribe: If you had the chance to collaborate with any artist, local or international, who would you pick and why?
Riich Mic: Honestly I’d love to work with every A-list artist out there that’s doing well, including everyone I mentioned who has an influence on my sound, especially Johnny Drille, he’s one of the people on t of the list.
Hypetribe: Your newly released single ‘Ife Mi’ is full of lyrics that lovers definitely want to hear this season What inspired it? Who—or what—was your muse? Abi you don finally find the ‘prettiest girl in your hood’?
Riich Mic: I wrote the song particularly to celebrate love, you know picking out the right words to appreciate and declare how much you love the one you’re singing it to, to make them feel special, loved and valued. It could be your wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend, siblings, or even your neighbour. It’s just an everyday song to celebrate love.
Hypetribe: Any funny or memorable story from your early days in music? Maybe a performance that went wrong or a moment that still makes you shake your head?
Riich Mic: You know then, as an artist that’s passionate about my music and really wanted to be heard and seen, I used to reach out to a lot of event planners and ask for gigs, sometimes I’d literally beg to come perform for free and all that stuff. At one of the events I was scheduled to perform, I transported myself there, waited for the whole event, and even invited some friends, including my girlfriend at that time. I waited and waited, it got really late and the event finished and I was never called out to perform, I was embarrassed and hurt because I had invited people to come to see me perform and I disappointed them. But it never deterred me from pushing, instead I was motivated to work harder.
Hypetribe: You once said in an interview that ‘music was calling you’—can you describe that experience? How did you know this was your path?
Riich Mic: Like I said earlier, I always knew I had it in me, but it was just there, something I did for fun until I attended a music workshop that had other artists in attendance too, I saw how passionate they were with the music and how serious they took it, and some of the people that lectured us about the music and the entertainment industry really changed my perspective about the music and it helped me to make the decision to get into the music professionally.
Hypetribe: Was there ever a time you felt like walking away from music? What made you stay?
Riich Mic: There were times I had doubts, I would ask myself what if this thing doesn’t pay off? But I never thought of quitting, instead, I’d pray and tell God that I know he’s going to do his thing in my life, I don’t know how he’ll do it but I believe he’ll do it, and of course he did.
Hypetribe: As you move forward in your career, what’s one thing you’re most grateful for? And when the pressure gets too much, how do you keep yourself motivated?
Riich Mic: I’m grateful to God for the day I met the CEO of Bankerz Muzik Management because that was the day my life and career started to change, I’m grateful for the gift of my voice, I’m grateful to my family and friends and everyone who has shown me love and support up until this moment. If I ever feel down or feel pressured, I don’t let it weigh me down, I just take it as a phase that will pass, I do the best I can and leave the ones I can’t control, I pray about it and believe it’ll definitely go away.
Hypetribe: At the end of the day, what does success mean to you? What will be the real ‘I don make am’ moment?
Riich Mic: Being able to get the world to hear my music and sing word for word, to see the positive impact that my music has in the lives of everyone that listens to it, to be able to change lives through my music, when I’m able to give my family the good life that they deserve, which is already happening little by little. When this is fully achieved, then will I say I am successful.
Hypetribe: What’s cooking for 2025? Any exciting plans you want to gist us about?
Riich Mic: This year is all about good music and showing the world what I’m capable of. An EP is coming shortly and it’s going to be one of the best projects to come out of Nigeria in 2025. A lot is coming this year.
Hypetribe: Omo, it’s been vibes on vibes! Thank you so much for your time—I really enjoyed this conversation. Wishing you mad success in your career, and we can’t wait to see what’s next for you.
Riich Mic: Thank you so much for the opportunity, I appreciate it, keep doing the good work you’re doing.
As we wrap up this conversation, one thing is clear—Riich Mic is an artist with a vision, a voice, and an undeniable drive to make his mark. His journey, though still unfolding, is laced with passion, resilience, and a deep love for the art of music. His soulful tunes, infused with that unmistakable Naija flavour, leave a lasting impression on every listener. If you haven’t plugged into his music yet, now’s the time to catch the vibe. Stay tuned, follow his journey, and watch as Riich Mic continues to light up the Nigerian music scene, one hit at a time.