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

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