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

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