When Nkemakolam Okorafor, better known by his stage name Mazi Floss, chants “One day I go be a boss, AMEN” on the opening track of his latest project, XOSMF (Xtraordinary Sounds of Mazi Floss), it does not sound like a throwaway lyric. It feels like prayer, prophecy, and defiance rolled into one. This is not just music for Floss — it is testimony, rooted in culture, diaspora experience, and a resilience that has carried him from Eastern Nigeria’s streets to Dublin’s nightclubs and back home to Nigeria’s competitive Afrobeats scene.

Roots from Eastern Nigeria, Dreams Abroad

Born in Ireland and raised in Eastern Nigeria, Floss now lives in Lagos, shuttling between home and abroad as he continues to grow his global presence. He grew up surrounded by the music and cadence of Igbo life. He often describes his sound today as “Afro-sensation” — an infusion of ogene gongs, ichaka rattles, oja flutes, and masquerade chants woven into Afrobeats and global club rhythms.

That deep cultural grounding never left him, even when his journey carried him away from home. After secondary school, he moved abroad to pursue further education. It was in Dublin, Ireland, he says, that everything shifted. “Music just started for me there,” he recalls. A chance encounter with Kelvin (known as Naughty1) led to studio experiments, their first track “Like a Millionaire,” and eventually the birth of the group Millionaire Boyz (Millaz) — pioneers of Afrobeats in Ireland.

Millionaire Boyz: Pioneers in the Diaspora

In 2007, Millionaire Boyz, popularly known as Millaz, came together in Dublin. Alongside Floss and Naughty1 were freestyle king Chibu, punchline specialist Shaq, and lyricist Xjay. “There was no Afrobeats group in Ireland at the time,” Floss explains. “We were not just good, but great — the talent, the looks, the swag.”

Millaz quickly became Ireland’s first major Afrobeats band, carving out a cultural space long before the genre gained global momentum. They opened for virtually every A-list Nigerian act touring Dublin then — from Olu Maintain, Mo’Hits, and P-Square to international stars like Chamillionaire and Styles P. They even collaborated with Republic of Loose, Ireland’s top live band, appearing on their 2008 album alongside names like Sinéad O’Connor.

By 2008, Millaz headlined their own sold-out show, cementing their reputation as the torchbearers of Afrobeats in Ireland. Their breakout tracks — “Naira (She’s A Hustler),” “Sugar Mummy,” and “African Woman” — became anthems for African youths in Dublin. But by 2009, the group had split.

For Floss, it was a turning point. “I had no choice but to start my solo act,” he says. In 2010, he released Point n Kill, his first single, and stepped onto a path that has defined him ever since: carving identity out of resilience.

YSG Records and the Nigerian Industry

By 2011, Floss was back in Nigeria, signed first on a trial basis to YSG Records, and then officially under the same stable that housed rap star Vector. The period produced a burst of singles: Sweet Girl (ft. Vector), Omalicha, Turn It Up, Pino Pino, Ojoro, Last Name (ft. Phyno), Joromi.

It was also a time of learning. “Things weren’t going as planned with the label,” Floss admits. “But the passion and drive couldn’t let me settle for any limitations.” That decision to walk away from comfort and reinvent himself would later lead to the creation of his independent label.

Collaborations and Growth

Through the 2010s, Floss built credibility through collaborations with some of Afrobeats’ biggest names. His catalogue includes Mash Up ft. 2Baba, N’ife A N’eme ft. Runtown, Fire ft. Timaya, All About the Bengees ft. Patoranking and Oil Man ft. Ikechukwu.

He has also appeared on records such as Get Up by Show Dem Camp, Ihotun by Larry Gaaga, 2Baba, and Sound Sultan (soundtrack to the Rattlesnake remake), Ifeoma (off the Nneka the Pretty Serpent remake), Bianu by Tunde & Wunmi Obe, Ogele Boyz by Sauce Kid, and many more.

“The vibe and energy while creating music with these artists was top notch,” Floss reflects. “We blended really well and I learnt a lot.”

Founding XOS Music

After his YSG experience, Floss co-founded XOS Music — Xtra Ordinary Sounds of Music. “I wanted to create a home where if success or failure comes, it would be on our terms,” he says. XOS became not just a label but a philosophy: that music could be extraordinary when rooted in truth, resilience, and culture.

XOSMF: A Reintroduction

In December 2024, Floss released his second EP under XOS, titled XOSMF (Xtraordinary Sounds of Mazi Floss). He describes it as both a reintroduction and a manifesto.

• Upper Echelon affirms his consistency despite doubts: “All the people wey no believe me, one day I go take them to church, AMEN.”
• INFO captures the relentless hustle: “Nowadays we doing everything big… die trying I’m hustling to get rich.”
• She’s A Baddie celebrates feminine beauty and joy, while Shake Your Body is a summer-ready dance anthem.
• DUMEDU invokes masquerade spirituality and cultural pride: “Nwanne Aputa m ebe ana eti mmuo oo” (Brother, I appear where spirits are invoked).
• Kwechiri echoes the slogan “No gree for anybody,” insisting on resilience in the face of envy and betrayal.
• Jaiye toasts to life despite hardship: “No matter the pressure, we go jaiye.”
• The Truth speaks directly to Nigeria’s youth: “Keep telling the truth, keep telling them everyday… we are the leaders of tomorrow.”

Taken together, the EP is both deeply personal and socially conscious. It shows an artist equally comfortable manifesting greatness, singing love songs, invoking masquerade traditions, and calling out political injustice.

Beyond Music

Floss’s vision extends beyond charts. His Nkemakolam Okorafor Global Charity Foundation focuses on giving back through charity and empowerment. “Long-term, it’s about doing what I love — releasing music, touring, performing live with my band — but also helping people,” he says.

He dreams of one day working with giants like Burna Boy, Davido, Tiwa Savage, and Odumodublvck, but insists that the essence is never to be boxed in. “I’m unique in my own way. I diversify. I try my best to show what I’m made of through my songs.”

Carrying the Torch

From Millaz in Dublin to XOS in Lagos, the thread in Mazi Floss’s story is one of continuity: carrying the torch of Afrobeats across borders, across decades, and across struggles. If Afrobeats today is a global phenomenon, it is because of pioneers — not only the chart-toppers we see now, but also groups like Millaz that once opened Irish stages for Nigerian legends.

Mazi Floss embodies that bridge: Igbo roots, diaspora hustle, Nigerian resilience, and global ambition. And as he insists on Upper Echelon: they may doubt now, but one day, they will believe.