Deto Black, the Lagos-based Rapper Going Global

To sum up her creative output, the Lagos-based rapper, artist, and model Deto Black points to her Twitter bio, which reads simply: ‘Yung Everything.’ It might initially sound like a throwaway comment, but it turns out it’s her guiding philosophy. “I don’t believe in titles at all,” she says during an interview. “I find them quite harmful.”

Born Deto Tejuoso, the 25-year-old artist has already rapped sex-positive verses on alté tracks, racked up writing and acting credits on viral films Three Pills and Vengeance of Love, become a muse to her childhood friend Mowalola Ogunlesi, and even headed up her own photography series.

Deto’s technicolor wigs, knee-high boots, and mini-skirts may have earned her style icon status in Lagos, but her audience is increasingly international, with 20,000 followers on Instagram alone. And her interests extend even beyond these creative fields: Deto is about to become a chartered accountant, with a degree in social anthropology and a master’s in global governance under her belt.