From time immemorial music and musicians have at all times been a part of our lives and upbringing. We hear their music at house from the turntable machines, cassette stereo and DVD units, we dance to them at events and in spiritual homes. From neighborhood entertainers cum musicians to half time or skilled and established musicians, they’re personalities we love, cherish and detest typically.
In secular and non secular music, there’s a lengthy listing of musicians who made waves and bought extensive acceptance. On this two-part collection, in no explicit order, you’ll reminisce and get educated concerning the musicians of yesteryears. Some left the shores of Nigeria for need of a greater life, situations and maybe a extra fulfilling profession and a few are nonetheless in Nigeria, stepped onto different endeavours whereas others are combining livelihoods with their ardour, music on a low key, as they are saying music is drugs that soothes the soul.
Lord of Ajasa
He’s credited to have began indigenous rap in Yoruba. Olusegun Osaniyi recognized by his stage identify ‘Lord of Ajasa’ rode the airwaves in early 2000 even earlier than the likes of Da’Grin, Olamide and Reminisce have been related to the style.
Lord of Ajasa had collaborated with 9ice, Olamide, amongst different Nigerian singers. He was recognized of peptic ulcer left the music trade to face different companies, as a graduate of Amount Surveying. He additionally joined the hosts of musicians that relocated from Nigeria to the US, Houston, Texas exactly. Lord Of Ajasa who’s married to Funmi Kasali Osaniyi, is now the CEO of Apashe Information. Stories have it that, Osaniyi is again to what he loves finest, making music.
Aladin
Within the occasions when Nigerian music bought a lift, Aladin was a musician with a unique flavour. The musician, who sings melodic music of style from Northern Nigeria, was a toast of many from the late 2000s. Music followers gyrated along with his music in an period when the Afro pop style was at his early occasions within the Nigerian music scene. Now, based mostly in Austria, a European nation, Aladin has a spouse from Bulgaria and his youngsters within the Jap European nation.
Daddy Recent
You probably have been following Ghetto music within the 90s, an outline of a model of artistic music style from Ajegunle-Apapa space of Lagos the place creativity is cast out of the crucible of poor residing situations, then the identify Daddy Recent will greater than ring a bell. Onyebuchi Michael referred to as Daddy Recent was an merchandise with the well-known Daddy Showkey as they made a formidable group named ‘De Fairly Busy Boys’ comprising of Daddy Showkey, Cashman Davies and Horny Fairly within the late 90s. Daddy Recent who recorded music a decade in the past, was reported to have been down with partial stroke early this 12 months in February. He made a video which went viral asking for assist and funds to deal with the sickness and recuperate.
BOUQUI
Bukola Folayan professionally referred to as Bouqui is a self-styled feminine rapper who made waves. Rap music in Nigeria being a tough terrain and style when it comes to endurance, have had Sasha P, Bizarre Mc, Kel, Chemistry, Eva Alordia, all feminine rappers however Bouqui was totally different. She made her debut, self-titled album titled B.O.U.Q.U.I which implies ‘Born As soon as Extra Unto a Quickened and Unparalleled Picture’, with gospel hits and it went mainstream incomes her totally different awards and recognition even at The Headies in 2007. Having began her solo profession in 1999 with singles, Molejo, Vainness and ‘Get it Began’ which made her debut album in 2007.
Bouqui who relocated to the US in February 2014, launched ‘Unstoppable’ In March 2019, was ordained as a Reverend within the US and is presently the youth pastor of Victory Christian Fellowship in Delaware. The amiable singer who’s now a youth pastor nonetheless communicates a few of her messages in music.
D Prince
Charles Enebeli higher referred to as D’Prince, was a part of the heroic Mo’ Hits Crew based by Don Jazzy, his elder brother. D’Prince in 2005 was requested to be part of the Mo’ Hits Information in 2005 after Don Jazzy got here again from the UK to advertise the file label in Nigeria. He wasn’t the primary singers in Mo’ Hits and was a lot below the shadow of D’Banj, Wande Coal and others. In 2012, D’Prince launched his album below the file label with little success. He performs in Igbo, English and Pidgin English. Presently, he’s not doing music however has transited to a file govt having based the Jonzing World Document Label in 2019, by which he signed award successful singer Rema.
Blacky
Blackky grew to become well-known within the early 90s as a dancehall artiste with a twist. The singer whose actual identify is Edward Inyang made dancehall/Ragga music in style and the golf equipment embraced his music, a time when dance corridor and raga, each genres which emanated from reggae music, had a world attraction with musicians like Shaba Ranks, Patra.
After successful the Lekki Sunsplash Expertise Hunt in 1990, Blacky bought signed to a file take care of Premier Information and after his profession shone brightly whilst a UNILAG scholar. With songs like Rosie, Bang Stomach Blackky Skank, Killer Illness the artiste with a dance type, was and remains to be a free-spirited man whose songs have been membership bangers, a few of his songs like sugar stick and one other had lewd lyrics.
Blacky remains to be doing music on a low tune because the occasions and traits had handed him when he was one of the vital wanted as 2015 was his final official recording. ‘Rosie’ is his largest tune up to now. He impressed many together with in the present day’s stars like Timaya, Patoranking. He commemorated his twenty fifth 12 months on stage years in the past and bought a Particular Recognition Award in 2016 for his contribution to Nigerian music over time, from 1991 to this point.
Lara George
She is a songstress who grew to become a gospel music artiste after making fame in 2000s as a woman group named Kush whereas in College of Lagos. Lara George launched her debut album ‘Eternally in My Coronary heart’ in 2008 and it included the hit single ‘Ijoba Orun’, which earned her a number of awards and nominations. She has carried out at notable occasions and appeared on BET Worldwide as one of many first Nigerian artists to be aired on that present.
She resides presently within the Alpharetta, Georgia in the US together with her hubby, Gbenga George and household. Lara George who spoke in an interview with yours sincerely whereas nonetheless in Nigeria, disclosed that one other of her hit, ‘Dansaki’ was impressed throughout a tricky second in her life which later turned to God’s glory. She is the Vice President of SoForte Leisure Distribution Ltd., the primary home-grown structured leisure distribution firm in Nigeria.
W4
Within the annals of Nigerian music, the versatile musician W4 (Adewale Adepoju) can be remembered particularly along with his melodic debut titled ‘Solo.’ His sophomore launch, ‘Wa Gba Kontrol’ in 2012 impressed the Afro-pop style promoters and lovers then. The recognition of the tune was intensified after protesters improvised the title as ‘Wa Gba Petrol’ for his or her marketing campaign slogan, through the gasoline subsidy protest in Nigeria. W4 additionally scored successful collaboration with late Sound Sultan and the legendary 2Baba whom he was as soon as signed below his label on the monitor ‘Bush Meat.’ Now, W4 and his music gave the impression to be in background as veteran musicians reel below the pressure and dynamics of promoting their music accompanied by having a deep pocket and being deliberate about sustained promotions by way of the social media. In 2022, he had collaboration with in the present day’s artiste, BNXN formally referred to as BUJU in a single titled ‘Let Me Know’.
KONGA
He got here on the music scene with the danceable avenue tune, ‘Konga’. His actual identify is Lawal Olalekan Olumo having began his musical profession in Nigeria on the streets of Ebute Metta. He launched Child Konga in 2004, the hit tune that was a celebration favorite. Konga did the favored hit monitor ‘Lorile, Odi gombe’ in collaboration with one other artiste, X-Mission in 2009/2010 and this introduced him limelight. Olalekan had narrated his harrowing expertise and that of different artistes within the palms of pirates who copy and offered all his works, milking on him with out the singer making private features. He additional defined how proficient artistes have been despatched to surprising indebtedness which arose from losses incurred after investing borrowed funds to undertake authentic works of arts solely to be pirated freely by criminals who mass produce and promote what doesn’t belong to them. Nevertheless, the Ilorin born artist strived and continued making music and in 2021 launched ‘AWOL’ in Ilorin. Dorosi Konga, his current tune was launched in Might 2024.