Mani Lapussh is an emerging artiste who stands on self-expression by building his own sound around what he calls–AfroWorld. From connecting with one of the genre’s biggest acts, Rema, his journey has been about seizing opportunities and redefining what it means to be an artist. But Mani Lapussh isn’t just about music—he’s an all-round entertainer, fashion-forward and unafraid to push creative boundaries. In this talk with Notesphere he discusses his musical evolution, vision for AfroWorld, and thoughts on the Grammys.
NTS: I was going through your discography today, and I see you’ve got a record with Rema. That’s huge! How did that come about?
Mani: Oh, that was actually a branded song. It was a competition I entered for TomTom. I came across Rema’s post on my Explore page, saying, “Stand a chance to be on a song with me. Jump on this beat.” I’m huge on competitions and love adventures, so I thought, Why not? I submitted my entry and forgot about it because, you know, these things are always 50/50. Then one day, I got a message saying I’d been selected for the Top 50. Then it was the Top 20, then the Top 10—that’s when I realized it was getting serious. I started praying for God to help me get it. One day, I got a long tag with “Congratulations, Mani Lapussh, you just won!” I was shocked. They called me, we recorded the song, shot the video, and the rest is history.
NTS: That’s a great story. Getting a Rema verse, even back then, was massive. He’s one of the most valuable Afrobeats artists now.
Mani: You can say that again. Right now, Rema is the most valued. In fact, he doesn’t just give anyone a verse.
NTS: So how did your creative journey start? Have you always been into music?
Mani: I wasn’t always a musician, but I’ve always been a creative. It’s something I was born with. I could dance, act—anything entertainment-related came naturally to me. Singing wasn’t even on my radar at first; I was a rapper. I used to win rap competitions and was even the Hennessy Artistry Champion at one point. One of my friends, Flo, said to me, “Guy, you know you’re supposed to be singing, right? This rap thing…try singing.” I thought, Why not? and gave it a shot. That’s how I started singing. Big shout-out to all the rappers out there, but that’s how my journey in singing began.
NTS: Afrobeats is definitely more singing-oriented than rap, isn’t it?
Mani: Exactly. In Nigeria, you see rappers diversifying and incorporating melodies into their flow. Even globally, artists like Drake have shown how rap and singing can blend seamlessly. Nigerian rappers are beginning to strike that balance, making rap more melodic and relatable.
NTS: This segment is called Meet the Artist. It’s an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to our audience. So, who is Mani Lapussh?
Mani: My name is Ede Emmanuel, aka Mani Lapussh. I’m an artist, songwriter, and 360 entertainer. I sing, rap, act, dance, and produce. I’m a creative at heart, not confined to societal expectations. I’m here to entertain.
NTS: You mentioned producing. Do you produce your own songs?
Mani: I used to, but someone advised me to focus more on the music itself. That said, I still come up with the ideas for 50-70% of my songs. I know the type of beat I want and work closely with producers to bring it to life.
NTS: You grew up in Warri, right? What was it like moving from Warri to Lagos?
Mani: Yes, I was born and raised in Warri, where I did my primary and secondary schooling. Moving to Lagos was something I always knew would happen because it’s the hub for entertainment. When I finally made the move, it was a bit different but nothing I couldn’t adapt to.
NTS: Was that when you started rapping, when you got to Lagos?
Mani: No, I already started singing before I got to Lagos. Rapping was in school. So after school, I did a little bit of the rapping and the rest was singing.
NTS: Who were you listening to back then for musical inspiration?
Mani: I was listening to Wande, lots of Wiz. I’ve always been a Chris Breezy fan even till date. I was listening to Burna and Davido too. You had no choice but to be a fan of these guys ‘cause this was what was popping then.
NTS: Let’s talk about your new single “Only You.” I want you to tell people who are getting to know you for the first time, and they see this song come on shuffle. What does this song mean to you, and what can it mean to them?
Mani: Nothing too personal, though. I don’t wanna lie and say I was sleeping and God put this in my head haha, but nothing too serious. It’s just like an everyday experience an outsider might have. Any guy who goes out has probably experienced this. You know when you’re in a club or lounge, and at some point, you see a really sexy bad bitch dancing and whining. You might have that thought of dancing with her but have second thoughts. She may be looking at you, and you’ll be confused if you should walk up to her. So, every guy has had that moment, whether to walk up to her or not. But me, I’ll walk up to her; whether she says no or not, I’ll know. As soon as I heard the beat, I knew it worked for me. So “Only You” is actually about lust.
NTS: Are you a relationship person, or do you prefer multiple things with different people?
Mani: I can be any person I choose to be at a time, so I just go with the flow. But if I can be a relationship person, I can also switch it up if it’s not working.
NTS: You mentioned being an all-round creative aside from music. Do you plan on delving into other fields like fashion, or maybe acting?
Mani: Of course! If you’ve seen me, you’ll definitely know I’m into fashion. It’s something I can easily delve into. I’m already into it because I mostly style myself right now. I’m going to work with big brands in the near future for sure.
NTS: Speaking of big brands, can you tell me a brand you’d love to work with?
Mani: For me, there are a lot of brands out there, but I really love Italian brands. They’re really big on fabric in fashion.
NTS: Who’s a designer you admire or love?
Mani: I fuck with Kanye, anytime. I fuck with him because he doesn’t care what society thinks. He represents what he thinks he wants to represent at that time. He could go really spiritual today, and next year he could be something else, and I feel that’s how music should be. That’s why I call my genre AfroWorld—like I’m not restricted to any genre, I just do music.
NTS: What do you think about people having an issue with artists creating their own brand outside of Afrobeats?
Mani: I have a problem with people telling people that they’re not doing Afrobeats. I don’t know. I’d have a problem with it because everything was carved from Afrobeats. Me saying my sound is AfroWorld doesn’t dispute the fact I came from Afrobeats; it’s just a branch.
NTS: What do you think about award shows like the Grammys introducing an Afrobeats-dedicated category, but calling everything from Africa Afrobeats, even genres like pop, RnB, or Amapiano?
Mani: Oh, okay, I get what you mean now. But can we have an Amapiano category? Does that make sense? Because I think Amapiano is actually quite early for that. You know, Afrobeats has history and has stood the test of time. Some people could even backdate it before Fela, so I think Afrobeats has more skin in the game looking at how far we’ve come. Afrobeats has been here. That’s why I think it got generalized for every African because somehow, I think even Tyla’s songs you can still hear the Afrobeats drum sound. So for now, I don’t think it’s too bad if everyone is getting categorized because Afrobeats is an umbrella that can even cover Amapiano.
NTS: So you think Amapiano still has dues to pay?
Mani: Yes, of course! Some dues still have to be paid. It needs to stand the test of time because what if this genre fades out tomorrow and another sound just comes out? It could be an embarrassment to the whole Grammys.
NTS: Speaking of award shows and categories, what do you think about awards in general? Do you think they add any value to an artist’s craft?
Mani: I mean, it’s human-made, so I understand the fact that people would feel they aren’t 100% genuine. But you cannot invalidate its effect or downplay its usefulness in the music industry. There’s always a measurement in any field that you should have that gives you props for your hard work.
NTS: So it’s like a trophy, just like a footballer after playing his game?
Mani: Yes, exactly, that’s the Champions League of like award shows. There are other shows but no one like the Grammys.
NTS: I’m guessing you also want a Grammy?
Mani: Like mad. Even if they feature me and I get it, I want that. I’ll be happy. I did not say that’s what I live for but of course.
NTS: Umm, you released a debut album in 2018?
Mani: No, that was an EP.
NTS: An EP in 2018, so to an extent, you’ve been in this game for a while?
Mani: Yes, you can say that.
NTS: That’s interesting. So I want to know, when did your career start? When did you have like your first official release as a musical artist?
Mani: We can say when I released an EP cause that’s when I started bringing out serious work. The others were just underground. That’s actually my first and only EP ever.
NTS: But you plan on releasing more subsequently?
Mani: Yes, of course. First quarter of next year, I’m going in back to back.
NTS: Hmm, so the fans can expect a Manila Push EP, project next year?
Mani: Back to back, nonstop!
NTS: I appreciate you coming on here to speak with us, so before I let you go, I want you to tell me about any artist in the world you want to leave a word for like, “Yo, I want to work with this person, let’s lock in.”
Mani: Chris Brown anytime, any day. And Billie Eilish. Chris Brown because I know when I do a song with Chris Brown, people will know this is how to do a song with him. They’ve not done it; this is the way.
NTS: Billie Eilish? For real? What will that sound like? Will that be an Afro record?
Mani: That’s the point, I don’t know what the sound will be, and I’m so curious to see what we’ll create. But I know I just want to cause we could just birth a new sound. For real, we’ll just need to bring a producer that understands our sounds, nothing premeditated.
NTS: I’m getting curious as well to know what that’ll sound like haha!
Mani: Man, wherever Billie Eilish is, I don DM her tire. If you by chance come by this interview, you know mani really wants to do a song with you. E go be like play now till e go happen.
NTS: Man, I wish that wish comes through for real, and I wish you all the best, brother. Thank you for coming on here.
Mani: Same here, brother, same. Thank youu.
