The Nigerian music debate: setting an agenda for today’s stars

Let me say straight away that I am not a big fan of rap, which can be described as the precursor of hip hop in the sense that ragtag was of jazz or in the sense that brass bands formed the basis for highlife before it became a Nigerian or Ghanaian or West Coast phenomenon.

However, having spent years in the university to study the sound, rhythm, motifs, melodies, of different genres of music and the culture that gave rise to them, I am the last to seriously condemn any type of music. I choose what I listen to and trust me I listen to all sorts except rock and roll in whatever form it comes. Hip hop or rap draws my attention sometimes because I love words and poetry and rhymes and meaning (surface or underlying). So you might catch me listening to Tupac (I think he was a philosopher). I also do ‘Yahoozee’ and ‘Bumper to Bumper’ (in the club).

My interest in rap, invariably hip hop music, was kindled by two of my friends – Sam Umukoro, whom I thought had more than a passive interest as he would go on and on with the lyrics of ‘Dear mama’ and ‘California’ by Tupac. He would also go on and on about the sense other lyricist were making in their music. The other person was Recky D. His real name is Ogechi Agomo and up till today I still find it curious why he would choose the former over the latter as his stage name. Ogechi, as I always choose to call him, is a lyricist with a mission and a message. It was always a delight to hear him lay life changing words on the sound track of Lionel Richie’s ‘Easy’. That was how my curious interest in the phenomenon called hip hop started.

Two of the most devastating things to have happened to Africa are slave trade and colonialism. Africa has never remained the same since the last of the colonialists left her shores and independence became an accepted political term. America and other nations with slave history are still buckling under the heavy burden of tampering with the natural course of human existence.

But let me assure you that I am completely apolitical and return to the music. Culture, which includes knowledge, belief, morals, laws, customs, or any other capabilities and habits acquired by humans as members of society (including music) is the first thing that suffers the most devastating blow when cultures clash. Those who are students of history know enough stories of how African culture was dominated and brought under subjection by the colonial masters in the name of religion and a ‘better way of living’; everything colonial became mainstream and everything African became second place at best.

How we got out of colonialism (as a system of governance) is better told by the Ajayi Crowthers, the Herbert Macaulys, the Alaja Browns, the Awolowos, and the Azikiwes of this world. But decades after the struggle we are still tied to the apron strings of the west and America in what is now known as neo-colonialism, a term that refers to the political and economic domination of underdeveloped countries by their former colonial masters. I am of the opinion that neo-colonialism is even much stronger in its ramifications because of globalisation where the world has become a global village still dominated by the stronger nations especially America.

The black man in America had to find a way of expression. They did it in Negro spirituals, the gospels, jazz, blues, rap and hip hop. They did it to break away from domination. They did it to assert their nationhood in a community that would concede nothing them.

Today, hip hop is alive and strong all over the world including Nigeria because of their creativity, ingenuity, resourcefulness and relentless spirit. One thing you can not take away from hip hop is its African origin of oral poetry, audience participation and its syncopated percussive nature. But hip hop is not just music; it’s a culture, a movement, a people’s way of life. Which people? The African American.

I am curious to know if the African American ethos and pathos are still completely aligned and in consonance with present day African realities.

Pardon me if I seem to stray every once in a while to distant subjects. But let us return to the music. Jazz is an (African) American music with universal acceptance. So are blues, soul and hip hop. So when you work into a music shop in New York, London, Shanghai, Dubai and Lagos, you would most likely find records or CDs in these genres properly categorised and segmented. Same goes for classical music (even if they may be subdivided in to western and oriental) and country music.

I will pose a question here: where do record stores abroad place hip hop music from Nigeria? Certainly not under the American version of hip hop. You may wish to look for your 9ice, D’Banj, Wande Coal, Paul ‘Play’ Dairo, Eedris Abdulkarim, Ruggedman, Modenine, Tony Tetuila, Sasha and MI in the ‘others’ or at best African Contemporary music shelf.

The biggest musicians to have come out of Africa in the mould of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Papa Wemba, Oliver Mtukudzi, Thomas Mapfumo, Angelique Kidjo, Manu Dibango, Baaba Mal, Salif Keita, Ebenezer Obey, Sunny Ade, Oliver De Coque, Haruna Ishola, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Kofi Olomide, Awilo, E.T. Mensah to mention a few, had definitive sounds but could only make it as far as the ‘world music’ shelf. But they were afrobeat, juju, fuji, highlife, soukous, makosa musicians.

Afrobeat is still largely dominated by the immediate family of Fela, especially his two sons – Femi Kuti and Seun Kuti and a hand full of those who backed him up as instrumentalists in the Egypt 80 band. Makosa and soukous were the rave only in the 90s even though it still remains a strong force in Francophone countries. The biggest name in juju music till date is still Sunny Ade after Ebenezer Obey became a preacher. You might decide to add Yinka Aiyefele who plays juju music with a ‘gospel’ slant. Highlife as simply remained with those who produced what we refer to today as evergreen. It is said that Sunny Neji plays highlife. That is debateable.

Lagbaja, of whom I am a very big fan, was bold to christen his music Africano about five years ago. Although he is the most creative and research-oriented artist that I know in Nigeria at the moment, his music still borders on experimentation. It remains to be seen if future generations will carry on with what he has started.

American culture through Mtv and the internet may have influenced this present generation of hip hop artistes, I think the Nigerian government through the different culture and broadcasting agencies are accomplices and have collaborated with the west to erode our musical and cultural heritage. So instead of consolidating, our musicians are simply deviating and propagating foreign musical cultures.

It is heartbreaking that they do not realise they are, indeed, the most privileged generation ever, with the technology available to them. They do not see an opportunity for cultural renaissance beyond the bling, sagging pants and effeminate fashion. What a time to break away from all the things that so easily hold us down and assert our African musical heritage! It is heart-wrenching that when nations are busy pushing their ideals and ideologies forward on the global platform we are busy soaking-in what they have on offer without giving back anything indigenous and tangible in exchange.

Some people say our artistes now win Mtv Base awards. Fair enough, but awards are subjective most times. In any case, that medium is still looked upon as a medium of cultural subjugation. Ask why MI, Ruggedman, Modenine, 9ice, Dbanj or Lord of Ajasa can not be ranked and judged in the same category with NAS, Jay Z, Akon, 50 Cent or Eminem.

No musician whether popular, classical or traditional lives forever. But their works live long after the have passed on. The other reality also is that some musicians make more lasting and enduring impression than other with their music. I think of Handel, Fela, Bob Marley, Michael Jackson and many more in other genres in all the cultures of the world.

With everything that is available to them to etch their names boldly and gloriously in the hearts of men and women too, most musicians in this present generation have short-changed themselves by being just about Hennessey, Moet, Bacardi, Bentley, Hummer and chicks. It is not all about the money.

Before the eloquent ones amongst you pick up your pen or start pounding the keys of your computer to write a blog, think about this: when you stand with your contemporaries around the world, what kind of music do you tell them you perform?