First off, I’ll have to give a pretty big thumbs up to the Nigerian music industry.
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We’re doing well, ruling both home and abroad, making songs with foreign artistes and so much more.
Although artistes of old like Fela and some other people were celebrated worldwide, I wasn’t born then, so I’d rather talk on what I know.
I can remember the time when “African Queen” by Tuface Idibia first got played on MtvBase, which was also used as a soundtrack for the Hollywood movie “Phat girls” and which won the MTV European Award then.
It was a very great feat for Nigeria at that time. There’s also D’banj and his “Oliver Twist”, which was danced to all over the UK.
Davido, Psquare, Wizkid, Asa, Nneka, Fela Kuti etcetera, are no less significant in the international music scene.
Despite the fact that Naija is repping well music-wise, we still have some problems, let me call them bugs, and we certainly need some serious debugging.
NUMERO UNO
Personally,
I think some Nigerian songs in recent times are just...in the words of my cousin “dish dish keh”,meaning all beats and no meat.
There seems to be a dearth of songs with any actual message, be it love, death, war, birth, politics (I know some people will mention “Rara” here).
There's no meaningful message, little or no content at all, even Emma Nyra, a former TripleMG diva is with me on this.
She told Hiptv in an interview that Nigerian artistes make such songs because the consumers(that’s us people) only love music they can dance to.
In other words, to hell with songs that make some form of sense, they don’t bring in the money.
I disagree with Emma on the aspect of Nigerians only loving club songs. Asa’s songs did and are still doing well, they are basically poetry sef.
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What about Dare Art Alade and his song “Pray for me” which took over the airwaves for a very long time.
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It was everyone’s favourite chill out song, girls in my hostel played the song till I couldn't stand it anymore (some even cried, cried I tell you! ).
There are other songs that have been great successes and have serious substance, but I’m too lazy to mention them.
In conclusion,
CONTENT PEOPLE! CONTENT!
And I don’t mean punctuating your songs with shrieks, grunts, groans, and words (if they can be called that) that can’t be found in any language on earth. I call no names.
NUMERO TWO (What's two again? )
Why is it that when a particular song starts reigning and everyone likes it, the artiste who owns the song would make successive ones using the same beat or catchphrases that he used for the successful one.
As if that isn’t enough, you'd find other musicians doing the same thing too (my people will call it ‘tapping blessing’).
Then everywhere would become saturated with songs that are basically carbon copies of the other. No individuality, I call it the “follow the winning team” syndrome, and it's really really annoying.
Make your own kind of music, don’t merix....sorry “remix”other people’s sound.
Diversify, you mustn’t be a rapper, there are many other music genres you can try your hand at. You never know, you might be the next Fela Kuti or Oliver De Coque.
NUMERO THREE
Today we finally got light for three days-Alleluia!.
To celebrate, we decided to watch music videos instead of the news (mum loves her news).
First channel we clicked, butts.
Second channel, butts.
Third channel, butts.
Fourth channel, ahhhh...you guessed wrong, it was boobs.
My mum then said something funny (it wasn’t, she really can’t make a joke if her life depended on it).
She said
These girls are silly oh, see how they are naked while the boys are clothed.
I laughed, we all laughed to humour her (shhhh, don’t tell her), but it got me thinking.
When did Naija start this excess butt and boobs movement?
I know sex sells, but come on! Even songs whose lyrics have nothing to do with nudity are using endowed video vixens as click bait.
In one video, the girl had both her legs round her head in one contortionist’s nightmare pose and yet she still found space to twerk!
Dia riz god oh!
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Biko, my country people, please tone down the 18+ images, some of our old school parents don’t know what parental control is.
Anyway, all these are my opinions. If you feel any isn’t really right or if you know of other problems prevalent in our Music Industry, please your comments are welcome.
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This post is also totally resteemable.
In other news, I apologise for going AWOL, there was a bit of a light issue in my area, I ran out of browsing data, and my niece caught chicken pox ( she’s getting better now).
I’m back now, hopefully..
Steemit is hardwork, so I’m going to work hard to post often, and I hope you guys will be there to support me.
Wow...very nice post showing many celebrated African/nija artist
Very nice post. Keep it up @yvonn
Thank you very much
Welcome dear and do find time to also check out my blog
Will Do
😃
Great and keep steeming hot
I see and understand your plight.
The trouble starts from the people unfortunately. I know great artists, ric hassani one of them, bez, blackmagic, niniola, and a host of others, the issue is the people want boobs and butt.
As a producer, i get requests all the time for club beats, whenever I ask why, they say and i quote
" na the reigning thing, na watin dem want"
Im not against this, i do my job, and teach those that'll listen the right way to move.
Naija we no try oh. Lol, I'm tired of covering my siblings eyes 😃.
I guess I'll just have to hope for better days, or pray they grow up quickly.
Welcome back @yvonn
You mum was right, i always wondered the same about naked girls, but it is a universal problem anyway.
The music industry is affected by our demands, and for people like songs that they will dance to, so the musicians are providing it.
And I don't see it ending anytime soon.
@ogochukwu
It's sad, even if demand says dance music, the artists should once in a while try to spread their wings.
What if people will like it.
You never know, if you don't go.
There's an artist who's popular now, I've forgotten his name, but he started out with blues and R&B.
He was booed out of all his perfomances.
But when he came back with soulful sounds you shake your nyash to, he became a hit.
There's a saying, "When you come to the land of men with one ear, cover one ear". The musicians have no choice but to give the people what they want, and the people often declare, in a loud unbroken voice, "We wan shake nyash!"
And thus, the MAJORITY of the Nigerian music industry is born.
Lol.... soulful ass shaking music? Strange.
When you remember his name please tell me.
Lol, this is the type of music we have here:
Lol, that's trap right?, couldn't hear half of what they said. I like Kodak's "pattycake", the video at least. Haven't really really listened to it.
lol no its rap...the videos are questionable
This is awesome! Keep writing like this and you'll be a star 😊
A star? Shucks! 😊