Nigerian rapper Modenine's new album, The Monument, is a testament to longevity and a lifetime dedication to one's chosen craft. It is also the tale of a rap legend who is puzzled that his vitality has somehow marginalised him, while a continuing stream of weaker or newer rappers are celebrated on account of their youth and ever changing trends.

This is the eleventh studio album by the rapper, whose output includes six mixtapes and numerous singles. The new record is entirely produced by Nigerian producer, Stormatique, whose brother MCSkill Tha Preacha is the only featured artist on the album.

The sole production work and sibling association suggests an organic assembly of all of the eight songs that make up The Monument. This is not the case. Five of the songs were recorded in 2012 for a different project and in conjunction with a German producer who delayed further work on it. As a result, the project was brought to a halt and the songs subsequently vaulted for six years.

"I was like, 'man, I'm tired' " Modenine recalls his exasperation.