Interview with Zuby at Bitcoin Historic

Rap Rhymes to Bitcoin Revolution – Freedom in El Salvador
In a world where centralized systems often stifle individual potential, few voices cut through the noise like Zuby's. The British rapper, author, podcaster, and self-described "strong independent thinker" has built a global following by blending unapologetic conservatism, fitness evangelism, and cultural critique with infectious beats and sharp wit. Born Nzube Olisaebuka Udezue in 1986 to Nigerian immigrant parents in London, Zuby – real name Nzubechi Echezona – rose from underground hip-hop scenes to become a beacon for the self-reliant. His albums like Zubstitution (2018) and Brighter Days (2021) tackle themes of resilience and anti-victimhood, while his bestselling books, The New Rising: Principles for the New Renaissance and Strong Advice: Zuby's Guide to Fitness For the Modern Man, preach personal sovereignty over excuses. Hosting the Real Talk with Zuby podcast, where he grills guests from Jordan Peterson to Russell Brand on everything from faith to free speech, Zuby embodies the ethos he raps about: "You don't need permission to be excellent."
But Zuby's influence extends far beyond the mic. A vocal advocate for decentralized finance, he sees Bitcoin not just as money, but as a tool for reclaiming human agency. In November 2025, he jetted to El Salvador for Bitcoin Historico, the nation's landmark conference celebrating four years of Bitcoin as legal tender. There, amid volcanic vibes and pupusa-fueled festivities, Zuby didn't just attend – he amplified President Nayib Bukele's vision, linking the cryptocurrency's borderless promise to the broader fight for freedom. "El Salvador isn't just adopting Bitcoin; it's modeling what sovereignty looks like," Zuby posted on X before the event, teasing his speech with a nod to the country's transformation under Bukele.
Bitcoin Historico: A Stage for Sovereignty
Bitcoin Historico, held November 12-13 in San Salvador's historic heart – from the opulent National Palace to the vibrant Plaza Gerardo Barrios – wasn't your typical crypto confab. Organized by El Salvador's National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC), it marked the fourth anniversary of the Bitcoin Law, blending high-stakes panels on monetary sovereignty with cultural flair: 21,000 free pupusas (crafted with traditional beef fat, no seed oils), drone shows, and murals honoring Bitcoin pioneers. Giant LED screens broadcast talks to the public, turning the event into a national fiesta of financial innovation. Attendees, from plebs to power players, paid exclusively in sats, underscoring El Salvador's commitment to circular Bitcoin adoption.
Zuby arrived as a headliner, sharing stages with Bitcoin evangelists like Max Keiser, Stacy Herbert, Jimmy Song, Jeff Booth, and Lina Seiche. His centerpiece moment came during the closing panel, "You Can Just Do Things," moderated by author Knut Svanholm. Flanked by Keiser's fiery rants on fiat failures and Seiche's tales of scaling school renovations via Bitcoin grants, Zuby delivered a mic-drop message: Stop waiting for permission; start building. "Ideas without action are just daydreams," he urged, drawing parallels between his own bootstrap journey – deadlifting 442 pounds at 6'4" while touring globally – and El Salvador's audacious pivot to Bitcoin. He praised the nation's infrastructure boom, from geothermal-powered mining to remittance apps slashing fees for diaspora families.
But Zuby's speech stole hearts with its raw emotion. In a viral clip shared days later, he highlighted El Salvador's staggering security gains: a 98% drop in homicides over the past decade, from gang-ridden chaos to one of the Western Hemisphere's safest spots. "People say freedom and safety are opposing goals, but you cannot have freedom without a baseline level of security," he declared, crediting Bukele's unyielding anti-gang crackdown. The crowd – a mix of Salvadoran families, global Bitcoiners, and even British comic Russell Brand – erupted. Zuby's words resonated beyond finance: In a nation once synonymous with violence, Bitcoin wasn't just currency; it was the spark for holistic rebirth, funding schools, roads, and dreams.
Offstage, Zuby soaked it all in. He posted selfies from the National Palace, captioning one: "Inside El Salvador's National Palace. I'll be speaking here tomorrow for Bitcoin Historico." Another captured him hyping a Keiser-Brand duet: "Let's go! @rustyrockets and @maxkeiser on stage at Bitcoin Histórico in El Salvador! " By event's end, #BitcoinHistorico trended worldwide, with Zuby's takes amplified across podcasts and X, drawing 700,000+ views on his homicide stats video alone.
Bukele's Bitcoin Bet: Zuby's Unwavering Ally
Zuby's El Salvador pilgrimage wasn't a one-off; it's the culmination of his longstanding admiration for Nayib Bukele, the millennial president who's turned a Central American underdog into the "Bitcoin Nation." Bukele's 2021 gamble – making Bitcoin legal tender despite IMF warnings and volatility – slashed remittance costs (now 23% of GDP) and positioned El Salvador as a crypto hub, buying one BTC daily and stacking over 5,800 coins by late 2025. Critics decry the environmental toll of mining or label it a risky authoritarian flex, but Zuby sees genius: "Bukele gets it – centralized money is centralized control," he tweeted post-event, echoing his podcast riffs on fiat as "theft by inflation."
Zuby's support for Bukele aligns with his broader worldview. A fierce defender of Western values against "woke" overreach, he views El Salvador's story as a masterclass in decisive leadership. Bukele's territorial control – deploying 75,000 troops against MS-13 and Barrio 18 gangs – mirrors Zuby's no-nonsense fitness mantra: Crush weakness to build strength. In interviews, Zuby has lauded Bukele's forward-thinking, from drone surveillance to Bitcoin-backed bonds that lured JPMorgan and Eaton Vance back to Salvadoran debt markets despite early jitters. "He's not just talking sovereignty; he's delivering it," Zuby said on Real Talk, tying Bukele's reforms to his own Nigerian roots – a reminder that true progress skips bureaucracy for bold action.
This affinity shines in Zuby's Bitcoin evangelism. He's long stacked sats, viewing the protocol as "digital gold for the digital age" – uncensorable, scarce, and empowering for the unbanked. At Bitcoin Historico, he challenged attendees: Use BTC not for speculation, but to fund real freedom – education, health, security. His panel plea, "Stop waiting, start building," echoed Bukele's ethos, inspiring Salvadoran youth via CUBO+ programs and global builders eyeing El Salvador's zero-capital-gains tax for crypto investors.
A Renaissance Man for a Decentralized Era
Zuby's El Salvador chapter cements his evolution from rhyme-spitter to renaissance catalyst. In a 2025 landscape of AI upheavals and fiat fragility, his message – fused with Bukele's – is electric: Decentralization isn't abstract; it's actionable. Bitcoin Historico proved it, uniting 1,000+ attendees in a pupusa-powered proof-of-concept for nation-state innovation.
As Zuby returns to London, penning his next book and deadlifting into dawn, one line from his Historico speech lingers: "Freedom isn't given; it's seized." In Bukele's oasis – safer streets, stacked wallets, sovereign souls – Zuby found a mirror. For Bitcoiners worldwide, it's a rallying cry: Build like El Salvador. Stack like Zuby. Freedom awaits those who act.
Eyes on the chain. Mic in hand. Spears up, LFG.