Since August 2016, Nigerian-American rapper, director, and entrepreneur Tobechukwu “Tobe” Dubem Nwigwe has made an imprint in the music industry for his authentic “hood hymns,” visual storytelling, and integration of faith and family in his art. Nwigwe stopped by the AFROTECH™ Conference on Nov. 15 for the session, “Visionary Beats: Tobe Nwigwe on Visual Storytelling,” where he shared details about his creative process, the importance of living in your purpose, and how he wants to be a true example for his children and fans.
Before Nwigwe became recognized as Grammy-nominated Best New Artist in 2023 and Webby Special Achievements award winner, he didn’t see himself as an artist growing up. The Houston, TX, native attended the University of North Texas and was on track to play for the NFL. However, after an unfortunate injury, he dove into different passions.
Nwigwe told AFROTECH™ in an interview that he has always known who he is as a person. The originator just needed to figure out which lane he was talented in. His artistry started with weekly social media posts of original songs. His viral traction from social media led him to collaborate with other artists such as PJ Morton, Pharrell Williams, Nas, Big K.R.I.T., and many more. While fans love the creative delivery and messages he displays in his music, Nwigwe emphasizes that his creative work is an extension of his family and who he is. As the father of five continues to work on more projects, more people will learn about the artist holistically.
“I truly believe that a part of my purpose is to be the bridge between the continent, the village, and the hood,” he said. “I feel like because I had such a unique experience growing up, where I had a full-fledged Nigerian experience inside my house, and I had a full-fledged African-American experience outside the crib, I’m one of the few people who can literally bridge the gap between the sounds. And I really look forward to doing that in the future.”
Part of being a creative and an entrepreneur requires going through different seasons, he adds. These seasons can teach you specific lessons as you climb towards achievement. One of the lessons is realizing that everyone cannot come with you. Nwigwe candidly shares that while he wants to always lend a hand to people as much as he can with his success, in order for him to grow, he has to know when to go on the journey without them.
“I think in entrepreneurship, I realized that I cannot take everybody with me even though my heart’s true desire is to bring everyone else,” he said. “I’m talking about, even if a n—a ever held a door open for me, not in a figurative sense, and they go, ‘Here you go, come on in.’ I’m like, ‘Oh man, come on in with me; we are about to eat.’ I wanted to bring everybody with me, and I operated in that space for the longest time. But God had to tell me, ’What I got for you ain’t necessarily for everybody else.’ So take the people who’re really with you and let everybody else go.”
Some of Nwigwe’s projects include “Tobe from the Swat,” “The Pandemic Project,” “On My Soul,” and the recently released album “Hood Hymns.” While working on his craft behind the scenes, the visionary has embraced technology as a resourceful tool. Nwigwe uses certain software to organize his creative ideas and help bring them to life. As future advancements become more accessible to people in the entertainment industry, Nwigwe does not shy away from adapting to the change and intentionally pushes his message to the world for the next generation and the following.
“People often think that because you’re talented, then the money should be flowing in. That’s not how it works,” he said. “You can have talent, but you have to figure out how to market and brand yourself, and then be relentless in doing those things. So when I have all these ideas, I leverage all kinds of digital trends or tech to keep my stuff organized. The software I use cuts down the time in every aspect, such as set design or the ideation phase. It helps to make things more efficient. From there, I can focus on other areas and get things in front of my team.”
Whether creating a new song or spending time with his family, Nwigwe wants to present himself the same way. The visual storyteller wants to be a true representation of his community and a voice for those who may need inspiration in their lives.
“I feel like our stories definitely need to be told, but they need to be told by the people who are experiencing them,” he said. “By the people who can do it the way that people can receive it. If you’re capable, do it. Don’t make excuses. I started my stuff because I felt like there was a void in the industry as it relates to things that I wish I had known when I was younger. So I just started doing that type of music. Still, to this day, when I speak to myself, I speak to my younger self and anybody who comes from where I come from. I make music specifically for them. Anybody else who gets it, okay, that’s a bonus.”
