MIG’s Changing the Game with ‘Unkurungu’

Hailing from the evergreen town of Rundu, Mighty Ill Game, or MIG as they’re popularly known, is a group that’s bringing diversity though their unique sound to the music scene.

Comprising of six members, the group combines a mix of dancehall, hip-hop and a Namibian flavoured style of trap music on their latest offering ‘Unkurungu’, and their sound will change how you look at Namibian hip-hop.

While many of Namibia’s leading musicians are centralised in the capital city, MIG proudly represents their hometown and show just how much talent can be found in smaller towns.

Speaking to The Weekender recently, one of the group members Callous said that for now, the group has no plans of relocating and is rather hoping to transform the music scene in their hometown. “Hip-hop is something we grew up listening to and although it wasn’t a genre that had a lot of fans, we are making people love it now,” he said. He attributes some of the attitude change of people to the group’s incorporation of local languages in their music, something which he said helps connect them more with their fans.

MIG has been making music since 2010 and credits their brotherhood and teamwork for staying together for so long. “Groups mainly break up because of egos but you won’t find that with us,” Callous pronounced proudly.

‘Unkurungu’ is definitely one of the best hip-hop releases for the year, adding to the exciting tempo set by many other MCs throughout the year. The men from Rundu certainly solidify the fact that 2017 is the year for Namibian hip-hop – adding a well produced, well curated compilation of music to a list of great hip-hop productions released this year.

One of the highlights of the album is track five, titled ‘Trouble’. The song illicits a strong feeling of pride as the young men spit great bars and set things clear to ensure they stand out. The song also serves as a reminder to the industry that these guys should never be considered as underdogs as their talent puts them on par with some of the more successful musicians out there. Track four, featuring Tesh Lavo, is another great track with a catchy hook.

Their first single off the project, ‘Shuva Niku Neede’, is probably the star of the album and worthy of being released first. This is Namibian trap at its best and whether or not you understand the language used to deliver the message in the song, the sound alone will get you on your feet.

On disc two, MIG features some more bangers, with a little more of an old school hip-hop feel to it.

Smartly, the group only features four other artists on their 22-track album, giving each other enough space to show off their individual skills and that of the group collectively.

MIG combines a variety of rapping styles and good enough singing on hooks that make for an all-round solid album that is a must-have for anyone who loves hip-hop.