Entertainment

Are artists failing to make music that captures the Nigerian reality?

Published

Monday, 19 May 2025, 1:55 am

Are artists failing to – Are artists failing to…

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Buju Banton’s comments, however, motivated by a bit of envy from Afrobeats’ global surge, also carry some elements of truth, at least from an outsider’s perspective. According to Banton, Nigerian pop music hardly captures Nigeria and Africa’s bleak social and economic realities.The massive disconnect between the artists and the average Nigerian Street Music Stars and the philosophy of individuality A different era of music The duty of the artists to reflect the times

Are artists failing to – When Dancehall star Buju…

When Dancehall star Buju Banton tackled Afrobeats for lacking substance, many observers and commentators including this writer pointed out how the Jamaican erred in comparing the dominant theme of social justice and political philosophy that shapes Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat to Nigerian pop music.

Buju Banton’s comments, however, motivated by a bit of envy from Afrobeats’ global surge, also carry some elements of truth, at least from an outsider’s perspective. According to Banton, Nigerian pop music hardly captures Nigeria and Africa’s bleak social and economic realities.

This sentiment was echoed by a commentator who in a fan mail to the popular Loose Talk Podcast stated that if one considers the dominant theme of Afrobeats and its merry nature, it hardly gives an outsider an insight into the Nigerian reality. To an outsider, it paints a picture of what many including Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka describe as the happiest people on earth.

Nigeria is currently witnessing its worst economic downturn in generations created by decades of raging corruption and abysmal leadership. However, the nation’s mainstream music hardly reflects this reality. While Nigerian pop music has always been escapist in philosophy and paperweight in its thematic preoccupation, musicians across different eras have crafted records to capture the nation’s socioeconomic realities.

Since 1999, there have been viral hit songs that reflect the state of the nation. Sound Sultan’s ‘Ole (Bush meat)’, Lagbaja’s ‘Suruu lere’, 2Baba’s ‘4 Instance’, Eedris Abdulkareem’s ‘Jaga Jaga’, and African China’s ‘Mr. President’. 2Shot & 9ice’s ‘Make Them Talk’, Mr. Raw & Duncan Mighty’s ‘Ko Gba Dun’, Wande Coal’s ‘Shey Na Like Dis’, Da Grin’s ‘Democracy’, and MI Abaga’s ‘2010’ are some of the many songs that reflect the economic situation of the 2000s and early 2010s.

These songs bring to mind a time when Nigerian artists of varying classes and artistry showcased a level of political consciousness so much that it became customary to dedicate a song in an album to this cause.

A political consciousness that permeated all cadres of artists irrespective of genre. One that had the era-defining rapper Eedris Abdulakareem recording a song that placed him at odds with President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In 2024, musicians hardly craft music that reflects widespread poverty, insecurity, and bad governance. Even in the face of mass migration that has divided families and robbed the country of many of her brightest minds, it’s Sound Sultan’s ‘Motherland’ released nearly 20 years ago that best captures this reality.

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This writer, like other observers, wonders why there is a failure or perhaps a reluctance from Nigerian artists to make music that captures the nation’s socioeconomic realities. This article examines this situation.

The massive disconnect between the artists and the average Nigerian

Let’s face it, more than ever before there’s a massive disconnect between the successful artists that shape the mainstream and the Nigerian listeners they service.

The global success of Nigerian pop music opened a massive source of income far greater than what previous generations of artists managed. With wealth at their disposal, many artists are removed from the dire state of the Nigerian economy majority of listeners and their fans are subjected to.

It’s common for artists to spend more time touring the world and living abroad, and only returning to Nigeria to unwind. With this disconnect, it’s unlikely for artists to sing about a Nigerian reality they are largely shielded from unlike in the 2000s and early 2010s when it wasn’t easy for artists to escape the Nigerian reality.

Culture Writer Marv Akintomide shares this sentiment. He opines that these artists live very different lives from the average Nigerian.

“Nigerian music isn’t a reflection of the times that we presently live in. The music now is more of artists’ sexcapades, cash out and net worth, jewelry, and brags of flashy lifestyles that the majority who make up their fanbases cannot afford. This even creates a bigger conversation that bigger artists live lives different from the average Nigerians”.

When one considers that the average B-list artist in the last four to five years can make more money than even some A-list artists managed before then, it provides some context on why they don’t see the need to craft anthems for socioeconomic change.

More than ever before, Nigerian popstars have become politically exposed such that making music that reflects the state of the nation would lead to what many of them consider unwanted scrutiny, especially considering Nigeria’s highly polarising polity.

Street Music Stars and the philosophy of individuality

Historically, Street pop stars are among the prominent voices for socioeconomic change. The dire realities of life in the inner city inspire the likes of African China, Ortisefemi, 9ice, and Timaya to craft tunes to bring attention to the pain of their people.

A different era of music

The duty of the artists to reflect the times

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Entertainment

'There is more to music than talking about money and women' – Ruggedman

Published

5 hours ago

May 18, 2025

Julie

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Veteran Nigerian rapper Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, popularly known as Ruggedman, has said that the essence of music goes beyond singing about themes of money, women, sex, and drugs.

Zeroing in on Nigeria, Ruggedman urged artists to draw inspiration from the country’s situation in the creative process of making music.

The veteran rapper said this while speaking in an interview with Sunday Scoop, noting that he believes music is a tool for spreading information.

He said, “There is more to music than talking about money, women, sex and drugs. From the start, I have always known music to be a way of spreading information, so that can’t change with me.

ALSO READ: What I would do if a woman pushes me to hit her – Rapper Ruggedman

“The situation in Nigeria is more than enough to fuel any creative choice to speak through music.”

Speaking further during the interview, Ruggedman addressed the recent backlash against celebrities who were criticised for not publicly advocating for the release of social media personality, VeryDarkMan. The veteran stressed that advocacy was a personal choice that individuals must be allowed to make on their own.

The ‘Opomulero’ singer also spoke about his foray into acting, revealing that he started acting in the late 90s when he took on roles as an extra.

He said, “My going into movies didn’t start today. I featured as an extra (waka pass) in a few movies by the late Francis Agu in the late 1990s. I love movies and have always wanted to act and produce movies or TV series.”

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On how he handles criticism of his decision to transition into acting, the veteran rapper explained that, as a critic himself, he’s able to see criticism as feedback and a way to learn and improve his craft.

“As a serious critic myself, I am open to and take criticism well because it’s one of the ways you learn and improve. I definitely love the praises too because it means one is doing well,” he said.

In February, Ruggedman, who is 51 years old, revealed why he’s still not a husband or father.

ALSO READ: Ruggedman on how infidelity allegations and 9ice’s song affected his life

On not being a father, the rapper explained that he’d vowed not to have a child out of wedlock when he was much younger, and he is still keeping that vow. On not being married, Ruggedman said that although he’s not averse to marriage, he’s not yet found the right person.

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Nigerians are too judgmental – BBN's Doyin says no more participation in reality shows

Published

8 hours ago

May 18, 2025

Julie

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Former Big Brother Naija housemate Doyin David has said she will never again participate in any Nigerian reality TV show, revealing the reasons behind her decision.

Doyin, who was one of the housemates on the Season 7 and All-Star editions of the popular Nigerian reality TV show, made the declaration in a recent podcast.

Citing how her previous participation in reality shows negatively impacted her mental health and public perception, Doyin hinted that she’s open to appearing on a reality TV show outside the country.

Doyin explained that she found her experience on Nigerian reality TV shows challenging for reasons she blamed on the organisers of the shows and Nigerians who she described as ‘too judgemental’.

ALSO READ: ‘BBNaija’ star Doyin says she dates to have a good time, not to marry

She faulted the organisers of Nigerian reality TV shows for intentionally misrepresenting the personalities of participants. She insisted that the way some people see her, which is down to how the show portrayed her, is not who she really is.

In addition, Doyin declared that no amount of money on offer would make her take part in another Nigerian reality TV show.

She said, “When you go on a reality TV show. They portray you how they want to portray you. Not everything is how you really are, but they’ve given everybody an impression of you, and some of those impressions are not true.

“There’s a lot that people think about me and think I am, in terms of my personality, that is really not who I am at all.

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“Being on a reality TV show, my experience was very challenging mentally, very exposing. I wouldn’t do it again for any amount of money. Except it’s a reality TV show outside the country, then I’ll probably take it. But Nigerians are too judgmental, so no, I’m not blessing them with my presence ever again.”

ALSO READ: BBNaija’s Doyin says she does not know the price of anything in Nigeria

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PHOTOS: Davido performs groomsmen duty at manager Asa Asika's wedding

Published

11 hours ago

May 18, 2025

Julie

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Nigerian afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, was on groomsmen duty this weekend at the wedding of his long-term manager, Asa Asika.

Asa married his love, Leona Adesanya, a couple of days after their engagement was announced on social media.

On Saturday, May 17th, the lovebirds held their traditional wedding in Lagos, which included Davido and the 30bg crew.

As expected, Davido was on hand to show support to his manager, who has been with him since the start of his music career.

In the presence of family and friends, Asa and Leona had a wedding rich in beauty and emotional moments, with Davido’s speech at the ceremony a major highlight.

ALSO READ: VIDEO: Davido brought to tears while speaking at manager Asa Asika’s wedding

In his heartfelt speech, Davido recounted how he and Asa worked hard together to build their music empire from absolutely nothing.

Davido hailed Asa for being more than just his manager, saying he’s his ‘shield’, his sanity and his brother in every battle.

He said, “Seeing you stand beside Leona, with peace in your eyes and love in your heart — I couldn’t hold it in. Not just because of the man you’ve become, but because of how you became him. Nothing was handed to us. We built this through fire, faith, and a bond that never broke.

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“We didn’t chase the spotlight. We stayed rooted. Loyal to our story, loyal to our people. We didn’t sell out — we carried the culture, even when it felt heavy. That’s why the blessings never left. Because we never left us behind.

“You’ve been more than my manager. You’ve been my shield. My sanity. My brother in every battle. When the lights were off and it got dark, you stayed. And even now, with the world at our feet — you’re still that same solid soul I started with.”

ALSO READ: Davido’s manager Asa Asika says big artists on a song isn’t Afrobeats style