This text offers an insight into the origins and rise of the hip-hop genre in Nigerian music, from its beginnings, its raw form, to the emergence of a unique national style.
At the time of writing – halfway through the second half of the 21st century – the most popular, ubiquitous and commercially successful sound in the country for the last fifty years is … hip-hop. But nothing was done in one night; hip-hop has gone through a long road to be accepted and broadcast on major platforms, a road spanning four decades with some snags.
Rap and hip-hop culture have developed in many Latin and black neighborhoods in New York since the 1970s, but it was not until 1979 that Nigeria (as everywhere else) had a glimpse of the new trend with “Rapper’s Delight. At the time, hip hop was seen as an ephemeral trend, fun and catchy inspired by fakes, launches and covers around the world. Nigeria was no exception and responded to the wild rap season of 1981 with “The Way I Feel Rap” recorded by popular jockey disc Ronnie Ekundayo of Lagos.
Over the next ten years, many other Nigerian artists will follow Ronnie’s footsteps by experimenting occasionally with hip-hop tracks. The very act of “rapping” comes from a strict identification with the rhythms of funk, disco and the expressive black American style. As a result, Nigerian hip-hop attempts tend towards the accents and inflections of their American influences. A good example is what’s done by Reekado Banks. He is popular with a few of songs such as ladies and gentlemen song by Reekado Banks.
But unlike American MCs, who feast on knowingly rhymed lyrics, fine word games, truer-than-life storytelling and vivid messages; Nigerian rappers aspiring to fame are not necessarily concerned with the desire to communicate with the audience – they rap for sound rather than content. Their verses are rarely understandable, composed of gibberish and sounds that do not rhyme for most of the time; as long as they mimed the gruff tone and tripled staccato rhythm of the old-fashioned New York rap style, they could think of a little glory. Try to download Reekado Banks Move and you’ll realize it.
All of this began to change as Nigerian rap entered its second decade. In 1991 we saw the introduction of a generation of Nigerian hip-hop artists who gave a new sense of location of the style. “Which One You Dey? by the Emphasis trio, “Monika” by the duo Junior & Pretty and the group of four Pretty Busy Boys and “Big Belle” all repressed the established practice of imitating American accents, mixing funny stories about love and life from a contemporary Nigerian perspective with a stream of moderate and understandable words.
Ice Prince as a Nigerian hip-hop symbol
The rapid development of hip-hop in Nigeria may reach its peak when Ice Prince, a Nigerian musician, hits the western world with his music. Even his collaboration with Vanessa Mdee has reached millions of viewers on several streaming video sites. You can download Ice Prince ft Vanessa Mdee mp3 here and feel the sensation. Ice Prince is the best example of how hip-hop music was founded from a combination of African values with American accents. He is one of the symbols of the rise of hip-hop in Nigeria.
