In March 2010, I was in 200-level, studying Law. In February of that year, we were done with Faculty exams.

What we had left were our three General Studies (GST) exams. Two months earlier, I had moved from my Grandfather's house to a self-contained apartment around the school.

As we were about write those GST examinations, Fila and Michael joined Tayo, A-Y and I in our hostel. We'd study together, cook 'peperoni concussion rice' every evening - mostly handled by Tayo - and go to examination halls together. It was also important that I started producing about two years before then.

During our breaks from reading, Michael who was the first artist to rap over my beats would play two albums on his Nokia phone; Epiphany by T-Pain and Da Vinci Mode by Modenine. He was particularly obsessed with the first 10 tracks on Da Vinci Mode. In fact, I remember one morning where he repeated those 10 tracks from 6 am till 12 pm.

At first, I didn't realize it was the much-talked about Modenine album that people had been talking about on Twitter for much of final quarter 2009. While Ruggedman's Ruggedy Baba made me fall in love with Nigerian Hip-Hop again, E Pluribus Unum made me like Modenine. However, Da Vinci Mode is my favourite Modenine project yet - it's also his most accessible project.

While Da Vinci Mode transcended the regular Modenine and completed the 'accessible music cycle' that Modenine started on E Pluribus Unum, the album is also one album that regular people could listen to without getting tired. The music was diverse that when Modenine - who usually used Nigerian references - used a Nigerian reference on the album, it struck a chord.

This moment was also key in my personal life. It was at that time that a friendship started between Tayo, A-Y, Michael, Fila and I. This isn't unlike the relationship between Modenine and Kraftmatiks. The album was recorded in the home where Kraft and Mode lived in Lekki. In those moments and as well as on E Pluribus Unum, a brotherhood was formed.

According to veteran, Terry tha Rapman, "He (Modenine) recorded most of Da Vinci Mode in his home studio in Lekki and the Knighthouse Studios in Ebute-Meta,Lagos which was also where I was recording the 1st Joe Spazm mixtape."

On Modenine, Terry says, "Modenine is a creative genius and I learnt a lot about little details that make an album from him - asides the music."

Nine of the 22 tracks on Da Vinci Mode were produced by Kraft. Other producers on the project include, Wassbeats, BigFoot, Kid Connect, XYZ, Myme, Jamix, X-Blaze, Modenine and Toomuchmuzik.

Pre-Da Vinci Mode talk: Coronavirus

On a funny Monday evening, I got in touch with Modenine via a WhatsApp message. He was so open and straightforward that we agreed to a chat via Skype. Right there, he sent me his Skype ID and we agreed to have the interview on Tuesday. For a bonafide legend of Nigerian music, his youthful excitement to oblige a random journalist was envious.

He also looked younger as he dressed in a jacket, a cap and a T-Shirt. As he was setting up the camera in his London, England home, I was in the office. Somehow, he heard "Coronavirus" from the TV in my office. He was like, "Eh, what are they saying? I hope this thing hasn't gotten there o? Hm"

As I laughed, he took time to educate me on coronavirus and why the African immune system might be better equipped to handle the virus. However, he noted that African governance might lead to more deaths than weak immune systems. However, he was still optimistic, "I think we should be able to survive it. Ebola is way more dangerous than coronavirus. We must be cautious though."

I'll tell everyone this though, one thing I did a lot during this video chat was scream. Some stories - both ones that relate to Da Vinci Mode and those that don't - blew my mind.

Pre-Da Vinci Mode talk: Recent Modenine

Modenine was passionate because he had just obtained his Nigerian passport with plans to come back home soon - the last time he was home was in 2017 when his dad died. While he was skeptical about the reception he might get, he was upbeat about his hobby as a Music Producer and Sound Engineer. It makes him excited that his favourite rapper, Royce Da 5'9 is also producing.

"Just like Royce has an album entirely produced by him, I also have an album coming later this year - solely produced by me (he smiles with pride)," he says. During the chat, Modenine showed me his drum machine. He even says that he might even make trap music.

But then, he did state that, "I'm not under any pressure to drop music. I just drop for the fans who are interested. But now that my favourite rapper, Royce Da 5'9 is back, I'm giving y'all (laughs). I've liked Royce from day one - XYZ (Producer) and I are probably the biggest Royce fans in Nigeria. It's just a blessing in Hip-Hop that people want to make substantiated music."

It was during this chat that I realized that Modenine's two albums of 2019; Esoteric Mellow and The Monument were recorded as one album eight years ago. The early production on the album was produced by a German. Mode then gave TeckZilla and Stormatique the work to reproduce the album, but Stormatique finished first. That's why The Monument came out first.

Over the last weekend, TeckZilla confirmed what Modenine says; his part was delayed because he was working on collaborative EP, iLLYZILLA with iLLBliss at the time.

Da Vinci Mode: Intro by Will.I.Am of Black Eyed Peas

Terry tha Rapman made this happen. He says, "'There was this interview of Will.i.am talking about Modenine's skills on MTVbase when he came to Nigeria. My friend had it recorded it on his phone and sent it to me. I sent it to him (Modenine) and he used it for the album's intro."

Da Vinci Mode Talk: Okomaiko

As we were about to close the random chat, he noted that he was done correcting kids. He says, "I let the kids make their mistakes. I realize they're better for it."

The first track we talked about on Da Vinci Mode was 'Okokomaiko.' After I told him that Da Vinci Mode was my favourite album by him, he says, "That's the first time I'm hearing that." When I was raving about 'Okokomaiko,' he probably realized that I was acting like a kid with a toy, so he gave me the story,

"I didn't even change the names; Emeka, Kalu, Dele... They were real people I grew up with in 'Okokomaiko.' Let me tell you a story; Terry (tha Rapman) was in an Uber when he called me. He said Kalu (whom I mentioned on 'Okomaiko') was his driver who knows me from Okokomaiko. Dele's brother is in London here.

On how he made the beat to 'Okokomaiko,' Kraft says, "I just played around with samples and it birthed this song. When Mode heard it, he just knew. In fact, the opening line of that song came out the moment Mode heard the beat. With a guy like Mode, overtime his experiences become the rule book to how he lives. He just played back his days in Okokomaiko.

"Even when it's fictional, you could see that side of his fence."

Modenine then tells me a story about how small the world is, "It's a small world. A lot of people came through my albums and say things. Some of my albums that people don't really like, I play again and go crazy. So, I get why 'Da Vinci Mode' might be your favourite. There is a story; I'll be doing a show in Malta later this year and a White boy who is the organizer of the show knew me through my song, 'Spartans' (off Paradigm Shift).

"Guess what, I never had any intention of performing it. I don't even have the data and raw instrumental. Now, I have to - I won't lip-sync," Modenine says.

The guy who did the street panegyric at the end of 'Okokomaiko' is a guy called Japhextra who used to work at Rhythm FM. According to Modenine, that part was never meant to be on the song, but it was added after Japhextra killed it in one take.

Da Vinci Mode: Title and release

In 2009, Modenine used be a Twitter user. One day, he put out a tweet for people to name his next album. One follower just responded randomly and says, "Da Vinci Mode" and for Mode, the title stuck. He says, "You have to put this out there and let the guy come forward. I forgot the guy's name but I won't take credit for another person's work."

On what inspired the album, Modenine says, "There's an interesting story behind it. The album was meant to drop in 2009, but I got very sick - I had a fever and I lost my voice. So many things happened and the last thing that happened was that I was trying to record with my health and then my hard drive fell."

While we were at the discussion, Mode played 'We At It Again' from his computer and it led us to Kraft.

Da Vinci Mode: Kraft and 'We At It Again'

While playing 'We At It Again,' Mode paid homage to Kraft. It was quite ironic because on 'We At It Again,' Mode told wack rappers he had defeated with no "150 BPM" tracks to pay homage.

"Hands down! Kraft is one of the best producers in Nigeria. Coming from me; other guys are good beatmakers, but I'm talking about producers. Kraft and I woulds sit down and talk producers from the 1960s and 1970s. That's what we used to do - vibe on a musical level. But you know how Nigeria is; even if you are the best, you can still suffer," Modenine says.

Kraft describes how he met Modenine as very 'casual.' They were at an event around 2005 when Kraft walked up to Modenine and they talked. He says, "I used to be very introverted. The loudest thing about me was my music. So, I just walked up to Mode and told him I wanted to make music with him. He was very open and we met up later.

"So, the first time we met he asked me, 'Are you from this planet?" I also had this laptop that only I could see. Mode and Elajoe used to laugh at me for it. I got really close to Mode and we'd play music together. It got to a point where I could put out 10 beats and say Mode would pick nine."

Da Vinci Mode: More commercial than the others?

A lot of 'Hip-Hop heads' in Nigeria still claim that the album is more 'commercial' than the other albums in Modenine's discography. However, Modenine has a perspective. To him, he was only trying to do the best he could in a system that was not as open to accepting him as it was to others without losing himself.

He says, "When I was still living in Nigeria trying to survive on this music, I had to create a balance - it was hard. I didn't want to create an album that wasn't still me, so I had to create the balance (between me and what is accessible). If I had done a 100% commercial album, guys who supported me from day one might have turned their backs.

"If I'd made a hardcore album, I would have gotten no shows."

Kraft speaks on this 'commercial' claim that, "Mode took a lot of whip for Hip-Hop. People used to accuse him of being too hardcore or conservative. So, this was his way to do something that appealed to both sides of the fence. I hope that someday, when the right people curate Hip-Hop, they should say a true king was here."

Da Vinci Mode: Rhyme Tight

Produced by Wassbeats, the original B.I.G sample had the complete line, "Now I'm in the limelight coz I rhyme tight, time to get paid and blow up like the world trade." Due to the offensive nature of that line, Modenine asked Wassbeats to re-edit that line. That's why the sample was on repeated loops at "...Coz I..."

Modenine had met Wassbeats when he went to see Faze to record 'Originality (Remix)' in FESTAC. Wassbeats gave Modenine the beats to 'Rhyme Tight,' 'Your Girl '(off Paradigm Shift) and 'Thinking About You' that day. During that chat, Modenine also told me his Dutch friend, Mark Vlek who knows more about African Hip-Hop than anyone he's ever met.

For Terry tha Rapman, it is that, "The brilliant 'Rhyme tight' - ode to Notorious B.I.G, 'We Dey Vex' with (2face) 2baba and stories like & 'Tales of The Pots' were mind-blowing and humbling."

Da Vinci Mode: Oldest song

The oldest song on the album is 'My Life,' which was produced by Kid Konnect. It was recorded in 2009.

Da Vinci Mode: 'Untitled' featuring MI (Produced by Davido)

The conversation was meant to lead to how making certain songs could be challenging. However, it led us to what would have been the most challenging song from Da Vinci Mode. The song would have been produced by a young and unknown Davido and would have featured MI Abaga.

Modenine says, "Davido's Uncle used to be my friend back in the day. He was trying to organize a show and he came to my house early in the morning in very late 2009 - I was just wearing shorts and slippers. He said, 'Enter car, I wan carry you show some boys for Lekki Phase 1.' I agreed and he drove me to a big house that blew my mind.

"He (Davido's Uncle) then led me to where to where the Children were. As we were going, we passed the kitchen which was a building on its own (laughs). We go upstairs and the first person I saw was Shina Rambo who was and still is respectful towards me. The same thing with Davido - that's why I respect myself around them.

"Davido then gave me a beat - which was a club kinda beat. When I got home, I sent it to MI Abaga. I felt it was going to be slightly hard for me to go on that beat, but I wanted to give this upcoming young guy called Davido an opportunity. I also kinda liked the beat. However, that track never came out - when my hard drive broke, I lost the track."

Da Vinci Mode: So Fly

Produced by Wassbeats, Modenine claims 'So Fly' was the hardest track to make on Da Vinci Mode. The beat seems cut from the boat that brought Kanye West's 'Touch The Sky.' Modenine says, "I don't usually rap on beats like that, so it was slightly hard. However, I took a cue off Wassbeats' hook for the song and related my lines to flying and aviation.

"It was kinda challenging but I had to listen to Jay Z and Rick Ross to be able to add the swag I craved to the beat."

Da Vinci Mode: Music Lives

In Modenine's opinion, the most slept-on song on Da Vinci Mode is the X-Blaze produced 'Muzik Lives.' X-Blaze is Niki Laoye's brother. To Modenine, I think he felt his lyricism on that song was out of the world. Listening again, I agree that it was something special.

During the chat, Modenine told me how his first verse was about crown and kingship. He says, "Back in the day, '25P' was our word for crown. I was just using that bar to say my crown is higher than the other person's."

Somehow, the conversation brought us into whether Modenine ever freestyles songs. He says, "Never! I'm not Jay Z, man. Look, I like to write my first and second verses together so that I don't veer off, but sometimes, I have to take breaks. Other days, I'm on fire. For example, I wrote 'Cry' in like 20 minutes."

Kraft attests to Modenine's famous penmanship. He says, "I'd been hearing about his Ghana-Must-Go of lyrics, but I never believed it. My brother, I saw it live and I was shocked."

Da Vinci Mode: Whut You Want and giving youngsters a shine

Produced by DJ Klem and arranged by Kraft, 'Whut You Want' features Mo'Cheddah. Modenine describes making the song as, "I drove to Knighthouse and told Rogba (Arimoro) that I wanted Mo'Cheddah on the song - she wasn't even there at the time."

Wait, I accept the blame here. I interjected and we both lost our train of thought. That's why we won't get that complete story. I wanted to give Modenine his props for always putting young talent on. On this album, Modenine had Mo'Cheddah and A1 on.

Nonetheless, Terry tha Rapman had this to say, "I was present during the recording of 'Whut You Want' featuring Knighthouse's female diva Mo'Cheddah. I used to visit Modenine at his home studio a lot so I was part of some the creative processes of great songs like 'Badman' featuring a young act A1 who is now known as Suga Boy."

Yes, A1 is now Suga Boy. But my interjection does bear fruit; on Modenine's new album, one of the songs will feature a ridiculously talented 16-year-old. You might need to watch out for that song. I heard the song and it's wild."

Da Vinci Mode: A Troll Blew Death

We were discussing what he felt he could have added to Da Vinci Mode when Modenine said, " I don't think so. An album is an album, man. Everybody was expecting 'Death Blow Pt. 2' but that was me trolling.

So, the story behind that is that 'Death Blow' is one of the greatest diss tracks this country has ever seen. It was Modenine's diss to his rival at the time, Ruggedman. On Da Vinci Mode, we thought the feud would continue with a 'Death Blow Pt. 2,' but instead, Modenine gave us one minute and one second of trolling.

On the track, he says, "See them, dem don dey fear (laughs)...." He then subjected us to some weird mumble by Joe Skippy (who was actually Rhatti). Modenine says he felt no need to go back in on the feud at the time.

Da Vinci Mode: Loke and how the ceiling refused to stay above ground level

Modenine and Overdose (OD) were at home one day when Mode realized that he'd never had an official song with Overdose. He then challenged Overdose to make 'Loke' after both rappers went through beats together and Overdose picked the beat that became, 'Loke.'

"But there is a crazy story behind this; when we were about to record, there was a crack in my ceiling, but Overdose didn't know. Nonetheless, where the mic was, was directly under the cracked ceiling where OD was meant to record. But then, OD didn't like where the mic was, so he moved towards the window. After he moved the mic, he recorded and left - I saw him off.

"When I got back, a chunk of my ceiling was on the floor. The story here is if OD had left the mic where I normally voice, my mic would would have been destroyed - a part of my speaker was cracked.

"After we were done, we needed a hook so we called, YQ who was and always has been a nice guy. I used to see him and DaGrin, they were good guys. We tracked and tracked him till we were able to track him to Knighthouse studios in Ebute Metta where he recorded.," Modenine says.

Da Vinci Mode: Down and Blaise replaces Eva

One of the most amazing songs on this album is 'Down,' and one of its defining factors was Blaise. Nonetheless, Eva Alordiah was meant to be on the verse, not Blaise.

Modenine narrates, "I went to Clarence Peters' studio and he was telling me about this female rapper (Eva) who is good. He then asked me to feature her and I agreed. I met her at a show and asked her if she'd make a song for my album. She replied that she'd think about it.

"So, I just called Blaise who told me she was in Ibadan. She said she was going to be back in Lagos later in the week. We met at Knighthouse studios and recorded."

Da Vinci Mode: Soul To Keep, Tears of Pain, Tales of the Pots and sore throat

The song had a gospel feel to it and it led to questions within Mode's core fan base. He narrates, "I was just speaking the truth. Some of my church boy friends love the song. I had a sore throat while recording the song, I was really sick. By the time I was recording 'Tales of The Pots' and even 'Tears of Pain,' the sore throat got really bad. You could hear it in my voice.

"So what I did was compress my voice. There was a lot of stress because I was doing anything with Kraft - we had no sponsors. People said rubbish, but we made it."

Da Vinci Mode: Remember

At this point, I thought the OG was getting tired of me, so I sought to end the chat. However, he pinned me down for this last story. He says, "Aren't you going to talk about 'Remember'?

Modenine narrates that, "I was on Twitter in 2009 and I asked people to send me beats when this guy from Botswana who's based in South Africa sends me the beat that became 'Remember.' I loved this song a lot."

How many songs were recorded for this album?

Kraft has an answer. Yes, Mode was ill, but music was still coming. Remember, Mode and Kraft were living together at this point, so they recorded music a lot. In fact, Kraft says, "I can't count the amount of music we recorded at the time, but we had a chunk. We would have had more, but Mode's hard drive crashed.

"After a while, some of the songs we recorded for this project came out on '30 Days of Modenine.'"

Da Vinci Mode: Finding the sound

Kraft says that he found the sound for the album while they were talking. He says, "I find sounds mostly through discussions. That's why I developed a telepathic with Modenine."

Da Vinci Mode: Where does the album rank for Modenine?

Modenine says, "I love all my albums. All my albums are important due to the circumstances in which they were all made."

Rappers that Modenine likes?

At the end of our chat, I asked which rappers Modenine was feeling and he says, "Payper Corleone is someone I really like. He raps like he should go join Griselda Records. I think he should make a record with Griselda - it will be really good."

Modenine also hailed Hotyce and X'O for their albums. The legend then prays Overdose comes back to rapping despite his success as actor, Bobby Zamani in the North.

Footnote: At the end of this chat, Liverpool lost to Chelsea in the FA Cup. We move. Kraft dropped a lot of gems in 25 minutes that will see the light of day soon. They were just not related to this album.