The contemporary Nigerian music landscape is a beautiful, if occasionally monolithic, giant. While the global eye remains trained on Lagos and the infectious grooves of Afrobeats, a sonic shift is quietly brewing in the North of Nigeria.
Enter Khalifa Suleiman. A 20-year-old Business Administration student at Federal University, Dutse, better known to his listeners as Khalee Gee. Dressed in his traditional Northern turban, he raps in the rapid-fire, frantic cadence of South London UK Grime, a fusion nobody else in Northern Nigeria is currently doing. His breakout single “Northern Nomad” has become his most streamed and most viral song to date, but his catalog, including the softer, more melodic “Cosmic Dreams,” traces a longer journey from standard Hausa rap to something entirely his own.
In this edition of The Lane, Khalifa talks Sadia Abdul through that journey, the people who tried to talk him out of it, and an unreleased song built around the hardest day of his life.
Your songs—specifically your standout single Northern Nomad—have this distinct, unmistakable UK Grime vibe. I wanted to ask: are you creating this music with the UK market in mind, or is it fundamentally for the people back home?
That’s a very good question. Actually, I am creating this music for the people at home right now, but I wanted to stand out. I started out making standard Hausa rap right after secondary school. But I quickly realized that the market was just too oversaturated. There were too many Hausa rappers, and everyone was chasing the same sounds. I wanted to stand out a bit more.
So, I actually took a break from making music for about a year or two. Right around the time I was starting university, I came back to it. I discovered UK Grime while scrolling through TikTok. I saw some videos from the UK and was just incredibly impressed. I thought, “Okay, if I can bring this style into the Nigerian market, I’ll be the only person doing it.” And obviously, right now, I’m the only one. That was the whole idea behind it.
That must mean you like cyphers and battle rap. Have you ever stepped into that arena?
No, no. (laughs) Well, I tried it once, but the person I was rapping against absolutely finished me! I decided right then that battle rap wasn’t my thing. I think I’m much better at the craft of writing songs in private and performing them later.
When I first heard Northern Nomad, I thought it was your very first song. But your catalog on Spotify goes deeper. Cosmic Dreams, for instance, has a melodic, softer feel that feels closer to what mainstream audiences are used to. Did you have to actively teach yourself to rap in that specific UK Grime style?
I’m actually still teaching myself up to now. I’m far from perfect. I actively practice how to sound like that because there are times when my Nigerian accent or my Hausa accent slips through in certain places. Since I’m the one who wrote and performed it, I noticed those tiny slips immediately. So yes, I’m still learning, and I hope to keep getting better.
So when you sit down to write your lyrics now, you’re actively writing with that specific Grime rhythm and tone in mind?
Exactly. I’ve gotten so used to it that even when I’m texting people, I don’t notice it. I’ll read my own texts back, and they will be sounding in that exact UK Grime tone in my head. My brain has just conditioned itself to think in that cadence.
You’ve completely conditioned yourself! But what is the reception like from your inner circle and the public? Your friends have watched you transition from a standard local rapper to a UK Grime artist wearing a traditional turban—which is an incredibly cool visual contrast.
First of all, on an artistic level, I don’t really care how people perceive the art or if they like it. Normally, a creator isn’t supposed to worry too much about that. But there were times when people really tried to discourage me. They’d say, “This isn’t a normal sound. People here listen to Afrobeats. If you want to make it in the Nigerian music industry, don’t do this.” They wanted me to stay comfortable doing standard Hausa rap because that’s what they knew. They couldn’t see my vision of wanting to stand out and sound unique. During those times, I’d sit alone and have to convince myself to keep going. A huge part of me wanted to stop back then.
I’m glad you didn’t. You really do stand out, especially being from the North and rapping like that. Going back to your catalog, Cosmic Dreams had a bit of that rap style, but it didn’t feel like a fully realized Grime song.
It has a very melodic tune to it. It’s melodic, but it’s not fully singing, and it’s not hardcore rap either. That was just where I was at artistically when I made Cosmic Dreams. Northern Nomad is really where that Grime style came full circle and became fully realized.
Aside from people giving you doubtful advice, what has been the hardest part about trying to break out? Are you trying to enter the mainstream outside of Northern Nigeria? Are you applying for festivals, residencies, or anything like that?
Right now, I’m really trying to focus on my studies. I’m in my final year studying Business Administration.
I’ve been doing music seriously for about two years now. Everything I’ve done—from the editing to the concept—has been intentional. But when I started, I didn’t actually have the goal of going mainstream. My dream was simply to build a dedicated community of, say, one million people. Even if that sounds crazy, it felt possible. I just wanted to satisfy the people who followed me with good music. If I don’t “blow up” mainstream, I’m still fine. I’m happy just making my music.
I actually work in archives and museums. Sometimes when you go to exhibitions, music is displayed as an archive of a specific era—like the Fela Kuti exhibition they had. If we were to archive your music for a museum 100 years from now, and people could only listen to one song to understand who Khalee Gee is, which song would it be?
That is a really deep question. Honestly, the song that means the most to me isn’t even released yet. I did it with a French artist named Kenana. She reached out because she liked my music, and I suggested we collaborate. She sent me her verse, which was about her childhood and the trauma she experienced growing up.
I wanted my verse to match that depth. I wrote about something I’ve never been vocal about before, and I was honestly scared of how people would judge me because of how vulnerable I sounded.
Do you live in Abuja?
Yes, I do.
Okay, so you might remember the bomb blast that happened at Banex Plaza back on June 25, 2014. I lost my dad in that blast.
I wrote about everything that happened to me on that day. I’ve never been that vulnerable in a song. I want people to take away a message of appreciation from it—to value what they have, because in the blink of an eye, you can lose absolutely everything. I plan to release it in about two months.
I am so incredibly sorry for your loss, Khalifa. But that is absolutely archive-worthy. Those are the stories that people truly connect with.
When it comes to your creative process, do you have any specific rituals when you write?
It used to be a very specific process. I had to wake up around 2:00 AM or 3:00 AM because that’s when the world is quietest and the inspiration hits. Back when we lived in our old house, my mom used to complain because I’d be up pacing around the house in the middle of the night with a notebook or my phone, trying to write down ideas from the day.
But now, I’ve disciplined myself to be able to write wherever and whenever I am. I don’t wait for inspiration anymore. I treat it like a discipline. The more you do it, the more your brain gets used to it.
Which artists do you look up to? When I first heard your stuff, I immediately thought of Central Cee.
That’s where a lot of people mistake my influences! Central Cee is probably third or fourth on my list. My number one is definitely Dave.
Dave is incredible.
Exactly. Dave is first, Stormzy is second, and then maybe Central Cee. People say I sound like Central Cee, which is why he gets brought up. But I choose Dave because of how raw and vulnerable he is in his music. He lets you see the real, unpolished parts of his life—his struggles, how his mother suffered for him, and growing up in council housing.
I feel a deep connection to that because my dad left me when I was nine years old, similar to how Dave’s life was shaped when he was young. I just feel connected to his story.
I know you don’t use traditional music notation or play standard instruments, but how do you source your sound? Do you make your beats yourself?
No, I don’t make my own beats. I source them online from producers who sell them, which is a very common and practical way for artists to work today. However, I am planning to start learning how to make my own beats in 2027. I want to expand my creative control over the music.
Do you read? Not just schoolbooks, but do you read literature?
I actually do. In the last month, I’ve read about three books. The last one I read was called Ghost Stories—it’s a collection of 50 different chapters of people encountering ghosts. Before that, I read Scorpia by Anthony Horowitz, and Aidyn Chronicles.
Do you read any Nigerian authors?
I think Nigerian literature is one of the few sectors in the country that is doing exceptionally well, alongside music. A friend of mine recently told me I need to start reading more local authors, so I definitely want to dive into that.
What is your trajectory for your music over the next year?
Over the next year, my focus is just consistency—dropping as much visual content as I can. I have to balance it with my university projects, so I won’t be 100% invested in just music, but I want to keep the momentum going.
Do you plan on releasing a full album soon, or getting a management team?
I’m not dropping an album anytime soon. Honestly, I think an album is unnecessary right now. I don’t have the massive fan base to justify dropping 20 songs at once—most people wouldn’t sit through it. I prefer keeping people engaged with singles and strong visuals.
As for management, you can be independent and still have a team, but I’m going to wait until the music is actively paying the bills before I start paying other people to manage me. Until then, I’m staying independent.
If someone met you today and asked which of your songs they should listen to first to understand your sound, what would you recommend?
Definitely Northern Nomad. It’s my most streamed song over the last couple of months, it’s the one that went viral, and it’s a perfect introduction to what a Hausa-influenced UK Grime track sounds like. It’s unique.
Are there any other Northern or Hausa artists in your peer group that you look up to or enjoy listening to?
Definitely. The person who originally inspired me to start rapping before I transitioned to Grime is DJ AB. I really enjoy his music. I’m actually just waiting for him to follow me back on social media! (laughs)
I actually styled him and the Yaran North Side for the 2025 cypher video! The outfits were so nice. Honestly, you should just send him this interview when it’s out, or DM him your music. Let the music speak for itself. You’ve built a great lane for yourself.
That’s crazy! Actually, I’ve stopped actively DMing celebrities because it can start to feel like you’re just disturbing them. But just about a month ago, Classiq followed me from one of my Reels and asked if we could work on a song together.
Oh, wow! I love Classiq too. When I was in school, he was huge, think AB, Badman Binladen. That’s amazing, Khalifa. Thank you so much for your time and for sharing your story.
Thanks a lot, Sadia. I really appreciate the interview.
The Work
| Title | Format | Status |
|---|---|---|
| “Northern Nomad” | Single | Released, most streamed and most viral song to date |
| “Cosmic Dreams” | Single | Released, melodic precursor to the full Grime sound |
| Untitled collaboration with Kenana | Single (collaboration) | Unreleased, expected in about two months |
On the Record: Influences and Reading
| Title | Creator | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Music (general catalog) | Dave | “I choose Dave because of how raw and vulnerable he is in his music… I feel a deep connection to that because my dad left me when I was nine years old.” |
| Music (general catalog) | Stormzy | Ranked second on Khalifa’s list of influences |
| Music (general catalog) | Central Cee | The artist listeners compare him to most, though ranked third or fourth on his own list |
| Music (general catalog) | DJ AB | The Northern artist who first inspired Khalifa to start rapping |
| Ghost Stories | Various | A 50-chapter collection of ghost encounters, the most recent book he’s read |
| Scorpia | Anthony Horowitz | Read in the last month |
| Aidyn Chronicles | — | Read in the last month |
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