Rapper Songwriter Performer

Efa Iwara

I was a rapper first. I wrote my first verse at nine, started out in a group called X-Factor in 2006, and never really stopped.

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Portrait of Efa Iwara
Rapper firstWriting since age nine

Music

The words came first.
The music kept going.

From his first verse to the latest releases, Efa’s music carries the same instinct for story, rhythm and feeling.

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Love and Hate · Music video

Love and Hate

A playful confession about the contradictions that make love feel real.

With Love and Hate, I wanted to explore one of the most fascinating contradictions of human relationships: how the very things that frustrate us about someone can also be the things we cherish most about them.

The song is an intimate, playful ode to a lover, told through the language of affection disguised as complaints. I sing about the things I supposedly hate about her, but beneath the humour lies a deeper truth: I wouldn’t have her any other way.

Her stubbornness, peculiar habits, little excesses and unpredictable ways become expressions of the individuality that makes her special to me.

What interests me artistically is the ability to communicate genuine affection without becoming overly sentimental. I wanted to capture the kind of love that develops beyond the initial excitement of romance, when you have seen someone’s imperfections up close and somehow find yourself loving them even more. It is a love that allows for teasing, disagreements, laughter and vulnerability.

Working with Deborah Prest allowed me to bring another dimension to this expression, creating a musical conversation that feels personal and relatable. Through Afrobeats, I wanted to give this very human experience a playful rhythm and an emotional warmth that listeners could connect with.

As an artist, I am interested in telling stories that make people recognise themselves. With Love and Hate, I hope listeners are reminded that love isn’t always found in grand gestures or perfect moments. Sometimes, it lives in the little things that drive us crazy, but that we would deeply miss if they disappeared.

Ultimately, it is a celebration of loving someone, imperfections and all.

Walking Step (Clock It) cover artwork

Featured release · 2026

Walking Step (Clock It)

Efa Iwara featuring Teniola Aladese · Afrobeats

With Walking Step, my intention was to create more than just an Afrobeats song. I wanted to create an anthem that celebrates women, their individuality, beauty and self-worth, irrespective of race, culture, background or body type.

Featuring Teniola Aladese, the song is an invitation for women everywhere to embrace their confidence, recognise their worth and take up space unapologetically. I am particularly interested in the relationship between music, movement and identity. There is something powerful about the way a woman carries herself when she feels confident. Sometimes, all it takes is the right song to remind her of who she is.

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Artistically, I envisioned Walking Step as a global catwalk anthem. A song that makes a woman instinctively want to get up, dress up and walk with purpose. Whether she is on a fashion runway, walking down the streets of Lagos, London, Johannesburg or New York, or simply admiring herself in front of a mirror, she should feel like the world is her runway.

I wanted the infectious rhythms and playful energy of Afrobeats to carry a message that transcends language and geography. The collaboration with Teniola also brings a feminine perspective to the song, making its celebration of women more authentic and expressive.

Ultimately, Walking Step is about confidence as a form of self-expression. I want every woman who hears it to feel beautiful, powerful and deserving of admiration. The world is your runway. Own your walk.

Selected releases

Portrait of Efa Iwara

ABOUT ME

A storyteller, first by way of music.

Efa Iwara is a Nigerian recording artist, songwriter and storyteller whose music lives at the intersection of hip-hop, soul, Afrobeats and alternative African sounds. With a voice that balances introspection, wit and emotional honesty, he crafts songs that are as cinematic as they are deeply personal inviting listeners into stories of love, ambition, identity and the complexities of modern life.

Long celebrated as one of Nigeria’s most versatile screen actors, Efa brings that same commitment to character and narrative stories Influenced by both classic hip-hop storytellers and contemporary African innovators, Efa creates records that resonate across borders while remaining rooted in his Nigerian identity. His sound effortlessly moves between vulnerable confession, playful charisma and infectious rhythm, giving each release its own distinct world.

Explore the stories I’ve brought to life

5+years of experience
60+Listeners On Spotify
500+Monthly Listeners

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Keep the music close.

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