Synopsis

Mode 9's "Cry" follows two separate stories of loss and tragedy. One centers on a young woman whose difficult life leads to marriage, domestic hardship, and the death of her husband in a drunk-driving accident. The second follows two close friends whose paths diverge after they join rival campus groups, eventually bringing them into a deadly confrontation. Nnenna's mournful vocals frame Mode 9's detailed storytelling, while the video uses dramatic performances and stylized editing to reinforce the song's themes of grief, regret, and social failure.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Cry" features Nigerian singer Nnenna and appears as the second track on Mode 9's 2007 album "E' Pluribus Unum."

• The collaboration reportedly dates back to 2005, when Nnenna performed the song with Mode 9. It later became the track that gave her wider national and continental recognition.

• At the 2006 Channel O Spirit of Africa Music Video Awards, "Cry" won Video of the Year, Best Hip Hop Video, and Best Director.

• The song also won Best Rap Single at the 2007 Nigerian Hip Hop Awards, then known as The Headies.

• The video helped establish "Cry" as one of Mode 9's signature releases and is frequently remembered as one of the most successful Nigerian rap videos of the 2000s.

• Its unusual combination of emotionally direct storytelling, soulful female vocals, and lyric-focused Nigerian hip-hop helped the track reach listeners beyond the core rap audience.