In celebration of the life and times of one of the most influential Nigerian musicians to grace the booth and create legendary works, DAGRIN, we look at five other Artistes from the 2000's till present whose styles and musical influence affected and are still affecting the Nigerian music space.
1. Tuface Idibia: More commonly known nowadays by his other alias, Tubaba, he has been perhaps the most influential Nigeian music artiste over the past two decades. Right from his days as a member of the defunct R&B group, Plantashun Boiz, Tubaba's greatness as a vocalist and performer was never in doubt. His solo career began with the launch of the 2004 album Face to Face which turned unbelievers to disciples and earned mostly positive reviews. Though mired in a couple of controversies over the years, he is still highly respected in the game. The singer has been a reference point of influence, both in style and substance, for even his contemporaries. Artistes like P-Square, D'banj, Timaya, Wizkid, Timi Dakolo, etc, have testified to his influence on their careers, as well as their lives, many pointing out his humility at such great heights a source of reverence for them.
2. Asa: Asa has 3 studio albums to her credit, the first of which was the self-titled 2007 release, Asa, which remains one of the greatest studio albums in Nigerian music history. She emerged on the scene at a time pop music was the mainstay in the contemporary space - largely dominated by men. Not the archetypal diva, the guitar-strumming, dreadlock-wearing, bespectacled, and gruff-sounding soul singer, became a breakthrough for alternative sounds as well as many other female artistes in Nigeria.
3. Rooftop MCs: True, they weren't the face of alternative music, neither did they wield earth shaking influence as musicians, but no other artiste or group has managed such controversial efforts at paradigm shifting, especially in the Nigerian gospel music scene, as these dudes. Their first album efforts, Shock Therapy, a 2003 rebellious mix of rap, rock and Afrocentric vibes laced with gospel undertones, that commanded attention, worry and discourse from conservatives, earned them critical acclaim and a whole lot of fans - Christian and non-christian. Their unrelenting efforts finally culminated in the 2007 Cobhams Asuquo produced Lagimo, perhaps their greatest work till date. Their ability to cater to a wide range of audience, stir up critical discussions in Nigerian christian circles and gospel music sect, and even among lovers of rap and rock music genres definitely earns them a place on the influential list.
4. Mode Nine: The rap game in nigeria could easily be described 'before and after Mode 9'. The 7-time Lyricist on the Roll award winner at the Headies burst onto a rap scene which was relatively unpopular and needing a next level push, as most of the rap songs aired on radio where foreign, save a little dose of Trybesmen, Ruggedman, Six foot plus and a few others, He came bearing metaphors and slinging sharp punchlines with reckless abandon, soon becoming the focal point for the rap genre in Nigeria which subsequently began to witness a surging number of skilled entrants. His formidable style of hip hop which stays rooted in the origins of flow is blessed with 7 studio albums and 5 mixtapes. Modo!
5. Wizkid: Since the release of the 2010 hit single Holla at your boy, the kid has been dropping mega-hit after mega-hit. He has collaborated with almost every big name in the game and has raked in tons of endorsements in the last couple of years. He oozes swag that young, aspiring and even established Artistes wish they owned. With 3 highly successful and critically acclaimed studio albums, his entry into the game saw a major influx of young cats who changed the dynamics of the industry and brought a new vibe which heavily influenced Nigerian pop culture. A testament to the strength of his brand is his Starboy jerseys, a collaboration with Nike, which went live on September 10, 2018 and sold out in 10 mins.
1. Tuface Idibia: More commonly known nowadays by his other alias, Tubaba, he has been perhaps the most influential Nigeian music artiste over the past two decades. Right from his days as a member of the defunct R&B group, Plantashun Boiz, Tubaba's greatness as a vocalist and performer was never in doubt. His solo career began with the launch of the 2004 album Face to Face which turned unbelievers to disciples and earned mostly positive reviews. Though mired in a couple of controversies over the years, he is still highly respected in the game. The singer has been a reference point of influence, both in style and substance, for even his contemporaries. Artistes like P-Square, D'banj, Timaya, Wizkid, Timi Dakolo, etc, have testified to his influence on their careers, as well as their lives, many pointing out his humility at such great heights a source of reverence for them.
2. Asa: Asa has 3 studio albums to her credit, the first of which was the self-titled 2007 release, Asa, which remains one of the greatest studio albums in Nigerian music history. She emerged on the scene at a time pop music was the mainstay in the contemporary space - largely dominated by men. Not the archetypal diva, the guitar-strumming, dreadlock-wearing, bespectacled, and gruff-sounding soul singer, became a breakthrough for alternative sounds as well as many other female artistes in Nigeria.
3. Rooftop MCs: True, they weren't the face of alternative music, neither did they wield earth shaking influence as musicians, but no other artiste or group has managed such controversial efforts at paradigm shifting, especially in the Nigerian gospel music scene, as these dudes. Their first album efforts, Shock Therapy, a 2003 rebellious mix of rap, rock and Afrocentric vibes laced with gospel undertones, that commanded attention, worry and discourse from conservatives, earned them critical acclaim and a whole lot of fans - Christian and non-christian. Their unrelenting efforts finally culminated in the 2007 Cobhams Asuquo produced Lagimo, perhaps their greatest work till date. Their ability to cater to a wide range of audience, stir up critical discussions in Nigerian christian circles and gospel music sect, and even among lovers of rap and rock music genres definitely earns them a place on the influential list.
4. Mode Nine: The rap game in nigeria could easily be described 'before and after Mode 9'. The 7-time Lyricist on the Roll award winner at the Headies burst onto a rap scene which was relatively unpopular and needing a next level push, as most of the rap songs aired on radio where foreign, save a little dose of Trybesmen, Ruggedman, Six foot plus and a few others, He came bearing metaphors and slinging sharp punchlines with reckless abandon, soon becoming the focal point for the rap genre in Nigeria which subsequently began to witness a surging number of skilled entrants. His formidable style of hip hop which stays rooted in the origins of flow is blessed with 7 studio albums and 5 mixtapes. Modo!
5. Wizkid: Since the release of the 2010 hit single Holla at your boy, the kid has been dropping mega-hit after mega-hit. He has collaborated with almost every big name in the game and has raked in tons of endorsements in the last couple of years. He oozes swag that young, aspiring and even established Artistes wish they owned. With 3 highly successful and critically acclaimed studio albums, his entry into the game saw a major influx of young cats who changed the dynamics of the industry and brought a new vibe which heavily influenced Nigerian pop culture. A testament to the strength of his brand is his Starboy jerseys, a collaboration with Nike, which went live on September 10, 2018 and sold out in 10 mins.
3 Comments
Felix
ReplyDeleteAre there more musicians that have done this or is it only these 5?
ReplyDeleteAnyway it's true
See guys, if wizkid can be among those 5, then DAVIDO should actually come before him. Davido made more achievements than Wizkid in this game.
ReplyDelete