The Omehga Man

Dubai rapper Omehga isn't alone in wanting fame, but is striving more than most with a debut show and online album

HE HAS LIVED in eight countries, can rap in Japanese and was the opening act for Naughty By Nature's Okinawa tour in the late '90s. But then that's what comes when you're a budding musician who also happens to be a fire fighter in the US Air Force. 
Entering the military straight out of high school, Georgia native Na'im Howard made no secret of the fact he wished to be setting clubs alight (metaphorically) with his hip-hop rhymes alongside keeping people safe during the day.
Stationed in Japan from 1995, Na'im, then going by his stage name Techniique, made it his mission to get noticed as soon as possible.
"Every one in my unit was a 'rapper'." Na'im said. "They would all have their ideas and we'd all try and rap to a beat. I wanted to put on a show though, so I went to find this local promoter. I had to wait for hours and finally caught him as he was getting in his car to go home. I rapped right there in the car park to get his attention."
The tenacity paid off and soon Na'im was regularly performing around the country.
Na'im spent 13 years in the Air force, deployed to countries in this region including Kuwait. While continuing to rap, fire fighting was a childhood passion and has consumed his life. Moving to the UAE in 2012, it remains his employ although now he takes more of a consultancy role with a fire fighting training firm.
"I came here and I thought it's a great place to get seriously performing and releasing music again."
A recent show at XL Beach Club, Habtoor Grand confirmed an appetite for his output exists and thus Omehga, as Na'im now calls himself, was born.
"Omehga means the end. My music is the final word."
 
Facts
. In 2001 released his first solo album Last Man Standing
. Performances in more than 15 countries including Guam
. Counts Jay-Z as an inspiration
. Latest release: Can't Live Without You
david@khaleejtimes.com