Tobe Nwigwe is an enigma. The lyrics and tone of his music tell the story of a difficult upbringing as a first-generation-Nigerian kid in the Alief neighborhood of Houston, Texas. Tobe has a singular goal in life: “to make purpose popular.” Through tremendous consistency and execution, Tobe’s music and influence has infiltrated pop culture. It’s positive promises spread across North America through two multi-city tours, a ground-breaking performance on NPR’s Tiny Desk, made its way onto gaming platforms MLB and NBA 2K20, playlists curated by former First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama, and Beyoncé and a host of festivals, concerts, blogs, and fashion magazines. Tobe’s message has attracted fans across the globe, including culture heavy-weights: Erykah Badu, Sway Calloway, Jill Scott, and Dave Chappelle. 

CAMHLAB is an ongoing artist-in-residence initiative that gives the Museum to artists and supports them working within, and in partnership with, CAMH to develop new work and ideas. Through both short-term residencies and long-term collaborations with artists, CAMHLAB offers critical and early-stage direct support of artists’ process and production of new work. CAMHLAB residencies seek to directly connect artists and audiences through unexpected and unforgettable experiences of contemporary art. Learn more about the program here.

For more information, visit CAMH.ORG/CAMHLAB.