Words by Ehis “Combs” Ohunyon
Nigerian music, or what is generally being termed ‘Afrobeats’, is blossoming and finally getting the recognition it deserves. For a while now, there has been an avalanche of articles and opinion pieces on the state of the music industry. (Kindly permit me to use the word ‘industry’ in this piece when we all know that what really exists falls below the required standards). Following the strides of the likes of Wizkid on the international scene, the music has attracted a strong following but many observers have shown dissatisfaction with an industry that is seemingly growing in terms of achievements but supposedly lacking in direction and substance.
Recently, a number of pertinent issues have been raised – like artists no longer interested in releasing albums as we now belong to a ‘singles’ market where the next hit song is the holy grail. Then when the few albums scheduled for release do get released, they are often lacking in quality. Other issues that have been highlighted include the impact of the internet through online downloads leading to poor album sales, claims and counter claims as to number of albums actually sold, the influence of foreign sounds and culture on our artists, the dearth of lyrics, new breed of Nigerian artists barely being able to perform with a live band and not even dignifying their act with a performance CD, the list of narratives goes on and on.
In reading through all these, one will be misguided into believing that the industry which has bubbled over and recorded some encouraging feats of late is all doom and gloom but for avid followers of the industry, this doesn’t paint the right picture, especially with the various dynamics at play. For instance, during the recently concluded reality show Big Brother Nigeria, every Saturday was party night for the housemates and it featured a celebrity DJ visiting the house and belting out the best of Nigerian music.
If you cast your minds back to those nights, it is easy to recollect Davido’s “If” and Runtown’s “Mad Over You” being played by almost every single DJ. The likes of Mr. Eazi and Wizkid also enjoyed major spins which usually caused the inebriated housemates to wild out. But think back, how many times did you hear a song from 2Baba, Timi Dakolo or Darey? Not much, if at all but does that exclude them from being major names when discussing Nigerian music? But take note, on the day of the grand finale, 2Baba was the man bestowed with the honor of closing the show, simply put – just because a few names circulate the mainstream doesn’t mean they should be the only standard through which Nigerian music can be judged.
Furthermore, while the likes of Wizkid, Davido, Runtown and Mr. Eazi may be the poster boys of the new school, the A-Z of our industry did not start and will not end with them. A few weeks ago, singer Asa held the second edition of her Live in Lagos concert where she performed with her five-man band for about two hours and also featured a 30-piece orchestra band.
At this same event, fast-rising talented artists Aramide, Funbi, Omolara and The Bass is Queen act Lindsey Abudei all showcased their skills to the delight of the fans. These artists may not have their songs on any Top 10 charts but in the last couple of years, they too have shaped the sound of our music. Add to this list the likes of Nonso Amadi, Daramola, Odunsi the Engine and Tay Iwar who have embraced the opportunities created by online streaming sites like SoundCloud to built a cult of followers for their art.
Whilst it is easy to focus on a Ycee, who despite being solidly backed by his label only just dropped an EP sometime this year with his debut album nowhere in sight, some of us have chosen to appreciate the efforts of the likes of Boogey who without a label has managed to push 5 full-length projects within 3 years, with his sixth effort already in the works. A-Q is another who has built an impressive body of work, releasing at least one project every year. The underrated rapper has devised various creative ways in marketing his works, including the bold move of holding his own concert Son of John in 2015 which attained relative success.
There are others, X-treme Music act D-Truce recently released his 23 to Life EP and has been consistent with his message and, alongside fellow rapper Jamal Swiss, has put together installments of the Young Kulture Movement where they perform live for their fans. For every Tekno who struggles on stage, there is a Lindsey Abudei or a Brymo who can hold their own with a live band for long periods. For every song with lyrics focused on profanity and lewdness, the industry commands a Moelogo, Ric Hassani, SDC, Poe, Simi, Johnny Drille, Adekunle Gold etc. who have stayed true to the art and delivered content on premium levels.
What needs to however change is the support we give to our artists because it is strange when, on the one hand, the audience demands for dumbed down, party music and when you are not in the mood for this type of sound, you choose to attack what you helped build up. Arguments have been made and will continue to be made for the music released being a function of what we want to hear rather than the artist being too lazy to change the sound. M.I said this best on “Crowd Mentality”:
I would rather be the same as
All these fake a** entertainers
Make bad music just to rock in arenas
Everybody else say – let’s dance
Who am I to tell them otherwise? That’s a job for Reverends
Like most areas of our lives, demand and supply plays a big role, the relationship between demand and supply underlies the forces behind the allocation of resources. If you demand for the same few artists to headline every concert in the nation even if those artists cannot put up a solid live performance, then that is what will get supplied. If the listening audience demands for ‘content-less’ music, then the artist who is on limited funds, battling the hazards of doing music in an unfriendly terrain would seek to appeal to a larger audience. If we neglect the messages being passed by a Sound Sultan in Mathematics, Craze World or Hello Baale then he will join the bandwagon and produce songs like Kokose.
Also, when we put a target mark on any upcoming rappers forehead by refusing to play his music, then we will end up with a bunch of average ones. The industry is simply a reflection of a structure that has been deeply modified overtime, from the OAP who requests for Payola in exchange for airplay to the ‘fan’ who has never paid for an album. There have been well-written songs released and there will be empty songs. There are artists who have perfected their stage craft, there are others who just lack that skill. In defining the industry, we can’t just pick and choose from what gets aired on mainstream radio and television without finding a balance for talents who have continued to stay true to their art with little or no encouragement.
Ehis “Combs” Ohunyon is a Lagos-based realtor, asset valuer and writer