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.

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

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