Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike, professionally known as Phyno, is a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was born on October 9, 1986, in Enugu State, Nigeria, and hails from Anambra State. Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of indigenous Igbo rap, Phyno is known for seamlessly blending the Igbo language with English and Nigerian Pidgin, helping to popularize indigenous hip-hop across Africa.
Phyno developed an interest in music production during his secondary school years, learning to play several instruments before studying Public Administration at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu. He began his career as a record producer in 2003, producing songs for numerous artists before transitioning into rap in 2010 and relocating to Lagos to expand his career.
His breakthrough came with the release of Ghost Mode featuring Olamide, followed by Man of the Year (Obago), both of which became defining records in Nigerian hip-hop. In 2014, he released his debut studio album, No Guts No Glory, featuring collaborations with Olamide, P-Square, Flavour, Timaya, Ice Prince, M.I Abaga, Runtown, Omawumi, and Mr Raw. The album established him as one of the country’s leading rap artists.
Phyno has since released several successful projects, including The Playmaker (2016), the collaborative album 2 Kings with Olamide (2015), Deal With It (2019), Something to Live For (2021), and Full Time Job (2024). Throughout his career, he has remained celebrated for preserving Igbo culture through music while evolving into one of Nigeria’s most respected hip-hop and Afrobeats artists. Beyond music, he made his acting debut in the 2018 Netflix-acquired film Lionheart.
🏆 Awards & Nominations
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2013 – The Headies:
Best Rap Single for Man of the Year (Obago) – Won
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2013 – The Headies:
Best Collaboration for Ghost Mode (featuring Olamide) – Won
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2013 – Nigeria Entertainment Awards:
Best Collaboration for Ghost Mode (featuring Olamide) – Won
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2014 – City People Entertainment Awards:
Rap Artiste of the Year – Won
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2014 – The Headies:
Best Rap Single for Parcel – Won
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2024 – TurnTable Music Awards:
Comeback of the Year – Won
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2012 – The Headies:
Best Rap Single for Shutdown – Nominated
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2012 – The Headies:
Lyricist on the Roll for Shutdown – Nominated
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2013 – The Headies:
Next Rated – Nominated
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2013 – The Headies:
Lyricist on the Roll – Nominated
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2013 – African Muzik Magazine Awards:
Best Newcomer – Nominated
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2013 – African Muzik Magazine Awards:
Best Rap Act – Nominated
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2013 – Nigeria Music Video Awards:
Best Afro Hip-Hop Video for Man of the Year – Nominated
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2014 – The Headies:
Artiste of the Year – Nominated
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2014 – The Headies:
Best Street-Hop Artiste for Alobam – Nominated
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2014 – The Headies:
Best Rap Album for No Guts No Glory – Nominated
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2014 – The Headies:
Album of the Year for No Guts No Glory – Nominated
🥈
2014 – Channel O Music Video Awards:
Most Gifted Hip-Hop Video for Alobam – Nominated
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2015 – MTV Africa Music Awards:
Best Hip-Hop – Nominated
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2021 – NET Honours:
Most Searched Musician (Male) – Nominated
What is Phyno (Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike) also known as?
Phyno (Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike) is also known as Phyno.
Who is Phyno (Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike)?
Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike, professionally known as Phyno, is a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was born on October 9, 1986, in Enugu State, Nigeria, and hails from Anambra State. Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of indigenous Igbo rap, Phyno is known for seamlessly blending the Igbo language with English and Nigerian Pidgin, helping to popularize indigenous hip-hop across Africa.
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About the Artist
Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike, professionally known as Phyno, is a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was born on October 9, 1986, in Enugu State, Nigeria, and hails from Anambra State. Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of indigenous Igbo rap, Phyno is known for seamlessly blending the Igbo language with English and Nigerian Pidgin, helping to popularize indigenous hip-hop across Africa.
Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike, professionally known as Phyno, is a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was born on October 9, 1986, in Enugu State, Nigeria, and hails from Anambra State. Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of indigenous Igbo rap, Phyno is known for seamlessly blending the Igbo language with English and Nigerian Pidgin, helping to popularize indigenous hip-hop across Africa.
