There are albums you listen to, and there are albums that carry you through. Mascara Vibez's Rise & Grind is the second kind. It is not background music. It is fuel.
I was in the gym when I came across this album. All ten tracks on the tracklist are amazing — so good that I kept it on repeat until my time at the gym was up. You would enjoy listening to this. The title alone caught my attention first. "Rise & Grind" is the kind of phrase that speaks directly to anyone who has ever had to wake up early, push through the day, and still find energy to chase something bigger. But what I heard when I pressed play matched the title perfectly. The energy is built for motion — for the workout, for the commute, for the moments when you need a reminder that the grind is worth it. I replayed it more times than I can count. This is a project that demands to be shared with people who understand what it means to work for what they want.
Mascara Vibez is not a newcomer to the hustle narrative. Born Blessing Mumeen Lawal on September 17, 2000, and raised in Ifo, Ogun State, he began his professional music journey in 2021 with the release of his debut album, The Life, a six-track project that introduced audiences to a young artist with something to say. He followed it with Trips of Life and Street OT, building a catalog that explores the realities of life in Nigeria's streets — the struggles, the aspirations, and the determination to keep moving.
That progression matters when you listen to Rise & Grind. The title is not just a hook. It is the thesis of his entire artistic approach. His earlier projects carried titles like No Days Off and Brotherhood, and his songs have names like "Reality," "Pain & Trust," and "Hustle Mode." This is an artist whose vocabulary is built around survival, persistence, and the refusal to stop. Rise & Grind fits that lineage perfectly.
The project was released through Audiomack, where Mascara Vibez has built a substantial following — over 359,000 followers and more than 77 million total account plays as of his artist profile. His monthly listener count sits at over 106,000, a number that reflects an artist who has been steadily building an audience rather than chasing a single viral moment.
What makes his trajectory particularly interesting is the DIY nature of his rise. Unlike artists signed to major labels, Mascara Vibez has been building his career through a team management structure, with his PR handled by Naijasureguys (NSG Media). His story is one of persistence — releasing projects, collaborating with producers like Oga Klef and Phelatimo, and featuring artists like Jamokay, Tobless, and Bob Blaq. That grassroots approach gives his music a grounded quality that resonates with listeners who see their own struggles reflected in his lyrics.
Rise & Grind arrives as the culmination of that build-up, a project that press coverage has described as showcasing "a new phase in his musical journey" reflecting "growth, creativity, and determination." If the ten tracks I played through in the gym are any indication, that description holds up. This is an album that knows exactly who it is for: the people who wake up before the sun, put in the work, and refuse to let the grind break them.
Worth listening? Yes, if you need music that matches your drive. No, if you are looking for something mellow to unwind to.
Share it with a friend who knows what it means to grind.
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