Highstarlavista has said an endorsement from Phyno would take his rap career to the next level, calling him a pioneer of Nigerian rap music.
Rising rap artiste Highstarlavista has said an endorsement from veteran rapper Phyno would push his career to a new level, describing him as a pioneer of Nigerian rap music.
His comments, shared in a video via X user @ChuksEricE on October 14, 2026, also touched on why Phyno remains the go-to name whenever rap conversations come up online.
Nigerian rap artiste Highstarlavista has opened up on how much a nod from veteran rapper Phyno would mean for his career, describing the Enugu-born rapper as a pioneer whose influence in the genre is hard to ignore.
In a video shared via X by user @ChuksEricE on October 14, 2026, Highstarlavista addressed a question he said keeps coming up in comments and posts online, about why Phyno’s name always comes up whenever Nigerian rap is being discussed.
“I always see comments and posts where people ask, ‘Is Phyno the only rapper? Why do they always call him when it comes to rapping?’ Phyno is a pioneer of rap music,” Highstarlavista said.
Highstarlavista
He went further to explain what an endorsement from Phyno would mean for where he currently stands in his own career. “At the level I’m now, if Phyno adds his support to me, I’m 100% sure I will move to the next level,” he said.
Highstarlavista’s comments tap into a question rap fans often raise: why does Phyno’s name feature so prominently when people discuss Nigerian rap, especially with newer artistes making their mark?
Phyno — born Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike — has spent more than a decade in music and is regarded as a pioneer of Igbo rap. He has also worked with some of the biggest names in Afrobeats. His influence on the genre has made him a reference point for many upcoming rap acts, a reality Highstarlavista appears to be acknowledging directly.
Rather than pushing back against the comparisons or comments he says he frequently encounters online, Highstarlavista’s remarks suggest he sees Phyno’s dominance in the space as something worth embracing, rather than resisting.
As at the time of this report, Phyno has not publicly responded to Highstarlavista’s comments. NewsFlash NGR will update this report should the veteran rapper react.
Meanwhile; 10 Nigerian Music Industry Record Label CEOs running an industry now worth between $4.9 billion and $10.8 billion. Meet the 10 men actually behind the money.
You know that $1.8 billion figure everybody keeps sharing?
Forget it. It’s old.
Nigeria’s music industry left that number behind a while ago and most people just haven’t updated their numbers. Local consumer and ad revenue by itself is already at $4.9 billion. Then you add global streaming, the international tours, the foreign labels buying their way in — and the real figure sits closer to $10.8 billion.
Universal Music Group put money into Mavin. Warner partnered with Chocolate City. Sony is paying attention. These companies don’t move like that for fun. They ran the numbers first and decided Nigerian music was worth it.
So the only real question left is who’s behind all of it.
Let’s get into the ten Nigerian music industry record label CEOs holding this thing up.
Universal bought a majority stake in Mavin and the label crossed a $100 million valuation. Don Jazzy took Rema from a kid on the internet to a global star. Now he’s sitting in rooms with the biggest music company on earth.
Took him over ten years of quiet work to get there. People only started clapping recently. “The recognition came late. The work never stopped. Continue reading here
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