Mazbou Q

aka The Rap Scientist, Unchained XL, Hugh Ozumba


Mazbou Q draws from many styles of music. Under his former moniker, Unchained XL, he made Afrobeat-inspired hip hop, which is still central to his sound, but Mazbou Q’s music now extends all the way from sparse, synth-driven beats through to the funky tracks performed live, and modern hip hop sounds of drill and trap. Mazbou has also turned his knowledge of rapping into an incredibly popular social media channel.

The man behind the raps is Hugh Ozumba, who started his career in metalcore band East of Eden. The band inadvertently started when he and his teen friend Spencer Jones got together to record a few demos with no aim in mind. They put a song online and were surprised when people offered to join their band.

Mazbou Q - CLRS (Official Music Video) ft. King Green (2023)
Unchained XL in 2018
Photo credit: Emily Raffils (point and shoot)
Mazbou Q - G.O.A.T Problems (Official Music Video) ft. RAIZA BIZA (2021)
Unchained XL - Walk Out music video (2016)
Mazbou Q
Photo credit: Publicity headshot by Raphael Recht
Mazbou Q as time traveler for 'Don't Stop Regardless' release
Unchained XL aka Mazbou Q, 2019
Photo credit: Wolfpack Creative
Mazbou Q - Weight On My Bars, Pt. 6 LIVE @ Berklee College, Boston (2023)
Unchained XL live with Ankara Shirt
Mazbou Q - 'The Get Up' | RNZ Music Live Session (2021)
Unchained XL
Photo credit: Emily Raffils on point n' shoot
Unchained XL live at Music In Parks, Auckland, NZ
Unchained XL performs 'Figures' live at the Ellen Melville Centre for 95bFM's Drive Island VIII (2019)
Unchained XL - But Do They Know feat. JessB & Nuel Nonso music video (2018)
Mazbou Q live at Cross Street festival, Auckland, NZ, 2023.
Photo credit: Gal Hochman
Mazbou Q - Go and Be Free official music video (2022)
Unchained XL in 2019
Photo credit: Geoff Ong
Mazbou Q - Beat Up, Bullied and Dunked On live at Ponsonby Social Club, Auckland (2024)
Mazbou Q - 'Don’t Stop Regardless' | RNZ Music Live Session (2021)
Mazbou Q - CRYPTOGRAPHY official music video (2025)
Hugh Okechukwu Ozumba aka Mazbou Q in 2015
Mazbou Q at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), NYC, 2024. 
Mazbou Q playing bass
Mazbou Q - Now I'm Whole official music video (2023)
Mazbou Q with Kevin Posey
Mazbou Q talking at an event
Mazbou Q
Photo credit: Publicity shot by Raphael Recht
Mazbou Q 'The Science of Rap' Presentation at Berklee College of Music, Boston (2023)
Mazbou Q in 2021
Photo credit: Promo shot by Wolfpack Creative
Mazbou Q with band in 2024. R-L: Mols-Esme, Fae, Isaac Griffiths, April Haines, Niran.
Mazbou Q live in 2024.
Mazbou Q at Gotham Professional Arts Academy, Brooklyn, NYC, 2024.
The Science of RAKIM: Swinging Flow?? (2024)
Kevin Posey X Mazbou Q - Your Shine (official video) ft. Kirsten (2020)
Mazbou Q writing rhymes
Unchained XL aka Mazbou Q in 2019
Photo credit: Emily Raffils on point n' shoot
Mazbou Q at Live Womad, 2023.
Mazbou Q at Hip Hop Congress Conference, 2024.
Unchained XL/ Mazbou Q interview discussing hip hop, Nigeria, powerlifting, MMA, colonialism etc (2019)
Mazbou Q at BLM protest
Photo credit: Pale Swanney
The Science of AESOP ROCK: Galloping Rap Flow?! (2024)
Unchained XL live with Phodiso
Mazbou Q at NYU, 2024.
Mazbou Q live at Cross Street festival, Auckland, NZ, 2023.
Photo credit: Gal Hochman
Unchained XL - What You Said music video (2018)
Unchained XL (from left): keyboardist Isaac, Hugh Ozumba, and drummer Niran
Mazbou Q - POLYMERS official music video (2025)
Unchained XL performing 'Weight On My Bars, Pt. III' live on RNZ (2018)
Mazbou Q, high school mentoring
Mazbou Q at Berklee College of Music, 2024.
Third Culture Minds: Black New Zealanders on how hip hop finally gave them a place to belong. Featuring Mazbou Q, JessB and Mo Muse (2020)

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