In a generation of rappers chasing streams and clout, Diego rises like a rebel flame — fearless, intentional, and deeply rooted. Born Samuel Izzy on December 31, 1994, in the bustling city of Lagos, Diego found his second home — and spiritual fire — in Calabar, where he studied at the University of Calabar (UNICAL). That duality — Lagos street grit and Calabar soul — shaped not just his sound, but his mission.
Known on the mic as Ace Lyrics!!, and now widely recognized as “El Diego”, he carries more than just bars — he carries doctrine. The name “El Diego” has Greek ties meaning The Teacher or Doctrine, but for the rapper, it holds a more personal weight: a mantra — “Truly I Am.”
To Diego, music is spiritual warfare. Every verse is a coded message. Every track is a cultured street sermon. From the alleyways of Lagos to the campuses and creeks of Calabar, he’s preaching purpose in chaos, grit laced with grace.
Raised as the middle child of three in a modest Lagos home, music was never a luxury — it was survival. In 2011, his path changed forever when he followed his older brother to a studio session, ended up recording a hook, and felt the spark. He didn’t just find his voice — he answered a calling.
Fast forward to 2017, Diego established his own independent label and studio — Bloodline — a sacred creative space where he recorded over 500 unreleased tracks, all layered with pain, belief, and boldness. His breakthrough mixtape, BMW Lover (November 2020), became a cult classic, balancing coded spirituality with relatable street hustle and vulnerable moments of love and loss.
But Diego isn’t here to blend in. His genre-fusing sound — Trap, Hip-Hop, and Afro-R&B — is a vehicle for something deeper. His lyrics come packed with street wisdom, spiritual affirmations, and Calabar-coded truths. You don’t just vibe to Diego — you decode him.
He calls his sound a “Cultured Street Sermon” — an identity born from two cities but grounded in Calabar bravery. He reps the unheard voices of the South, the Lagos dreamers on the edge, and every young soul balancing between crime, creativity, and calling.
Now, Diego is preparing to drop “Stunna Man”, an anthem for the hustlers, the stunners, the late-night warriors chasing meaning through madness. It’s nightlife gospel — trap beats soaked in grit, glory, and coded prayers.
From his signature ski mask and blackout shades to his spiritual yet streetwise presence, Diego is redefining what it means to be a trap artist from Nigeria. No gimmicks. No filters. Just truth-telling over 808s — straight from the trenches to the soul.
And the future?
“Diego in San Diego, doing numbers.”
Simple. Brave. Legendary.
Just like the city that raised him.
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Follow Diego Online:
@therealeldiego (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X)
therealeldiego@gmail.com
