LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigerian rapper and singer Ice Prince has said he spent about ₦340 million on cannabis over a six-year period before quitting smoking two months ago, describing the decision as part of a wider change in his health, lifestyle and spiritual habits.
The musician, whose hit song “Aboki” helped make him one of Nigeria’s most recognisable performers, made the disclosure during a recent appearance on the Black Box X Nevon HQ podcast.
Ice Prince said the amount covered only what he bought from one dealer near his home in Lagos between 2020 and 2026, and did not include other suppliers he said he used in Abuja, Jos, Ghana and London.
“From 2020 to 2026, I spent N340 million on weed from just one dealer alone, not to even mention my other dealers in Abuja, Ghana, Jos and London. This is just one dealer who lives close to me in Lagos,” he said.
He said that at one point, he was spending about ₦60,000 daily on cannabis and also smoking two packs of cigarettes.
“I smoked N60,000 worth of weed every day and when I had people around me, I bought for them too,” he said.
A Change in Routine
Ice Prince said his decision to stop smoking came alongside other changes, including giving up alcohol, adjusting his diet, exercising more consistently and embracing celibacy.
He credited the music producer Chopstix with helping him begin the process, saying Chopstix did more than offer advice.
“He didn’t just say it; he started coming to my house every day around 8 p.m. and we would walk for about an hour. Later, I continued doing it on my own,” Ice Prince said.
The rapper said he later developed his own exercise routine and changed his eating habits, including avoiding late meals.
He said he had stopped drinking alcohol about a year earlier, adding that the decision was not as difficult as quitting cigarettes.
“It was easy because I wasn’t really an alcohol person. But cigarettes — I was addicted and a chronic smoker,” he said.
Fatherhood and Public Attention
Ice Prince also spoke about fatherhood, saying the birth of his son eventually changed his outlook, though he initially struggled with the pressure that came with public attention.
“When I had my son, the joy came later. At first, I thought it was a burden because of everything happening around me at the time,” he said.
He said the period coincided with intense online criticism of him and other musicians, including Wande Coal and Wizkid, at a time when Twitter was becoming increasingly influential in Nigerian pop culture.
“It was a time Twitter was new, and the attacks were enormous,” he said.
Ice Prince said his son later became a major influence on his choices.
“He changed my life and made me see things differently. When I do things now, I think about how it could affect him because people know he is Ice Prince’s son,” he said.
A Spiritual Decision
The rapper also said he had practised celibacy for six months, describing the decision as spiritual rather than merely personal.
He said fellow rapper Phenom influenced his interest in the practice.
“Celibacy is more of a spiritual journey. Phenom inspired me. He used to talk about it and I thought he was joking at first, but after doing my research, I started seeing the spiritual benefits,” Ice Prince said.
