Diaspora Star | Ms Banks : South London’s Nigerian-British Powerhouse Taking Hip-Hop Global

Thyra Kigho Deshaun Oji known to the world as Ms Banks is redefining what it means to be an African voice in global hip-hop. Born on April 14, 1994, to a Nigerian father and a Ugandan mother, the 5ft 10½ South London rapper embodies the bold, genre-blending spirit of the diaspora generation.

Growing up just off Walworth Road in Elephant and Castle, Ms Banks was immersed in music from the start. Her home echoed with R&B greats like Whitney Houston, En Vogue, and Usher, while her uncle a grime MC known as Remedy exposed her to London’s underground beats. By age 11, she had written her first bars, igniting a passion that would carry her to the forefront of UK rap.

Ms Banks debuted with her mixtape Once Upon a Grind in 2014, showing flashes of the lyrical dexterity that would become her trademark. In 2016, she dropped New Chapter EP, then leveled up with The Coldest Winter Ever (2018) and its 2019 sequel projects bursting with fierce energy and female empowerment. Her 2022 mixtape Bank Statement featured collaborations with stars like Naira Marley and Tion Wayne, cementing her reputation as a versatile artist equally at home in London’s grime scene and Africa’s afrobeats wave.

Her talent hasn’t gone unnoticed by global icons. Nicki Minaj has repeatedly tweeted Ms Banks’ lyrics and hinted at collaborations, while Cardi B tapped her as a UK tour opener back in 2017 a co-sign that helped propel Ms Banks to a wider audience. “I always knew Cardi was a star,” Ms Banks once said. “Being on tour with her showed me how far hard work and authenticity can take you.”

In 2023, Ms Banks appeared alongside Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra at the Eurovision Song Contest opening in Liverpool. By 2024, she was touring with Megan Thee Stallion on the Hot Girl Summer Tour, performing to sold-out international arenas. These milestones highlight her seamless ability to bridge continents — representing both her African roots and her London upbringing.

Whether collaborating with afrobeats heavyweights, teasing a possible track with Nicki Minaj, or taking her sharp lyricism worldwide, Ms Banks shows no signs of slowing down. For Nigerians and Ugandans in the diaspora, her success is proof that heritage is power, and global recognition is possible without sacrificing identity.

Ms Banks is more than a rising star she’s a symbol of a new era in music where African voices shape the global soundscape. And as she continues to drop bars with unshakable confidence, one thing is certain: the world is finally catching up.