Music And Nigerian Noise

Music they say is food for the soul. 


Aldous Huxley aptly submits and I quote 'After silence,that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music'

For the purpose of this article and for my eclectic taste in music, I will like to see myself as a connoisseur of good music. Did you laugh? Well, believe it or not, I'm as big of a fan of ABBA as I am of King Sunny Ade. I believe very strongly that good music should be ageless and should transcend generations. So has the works of Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie, Micheal Jackson, Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obe, Onyeka Onwenu, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and a couple of others.


Interestingly, these artistes serenaded my father and their compositions have somehow succeeded in enchanting me also. There's a very cogent reason. The singular word is 'Content'.


The meteoric rise of Nigeria's music industry is certainly remarkable. The artistes in my generation are making music in an era where a lot of money is circulating in the sector and I assume they could not have picked a better time to be musicians than now. We have international collaborations every other day now. Our artistes are breaking the Walls of Jericho and starring the biggest names worldwide in their tracks. Certainly, that must be some, if not a colossal improvement from the days of old.


A quick glance through the music player on my computer will leave a regular human being confused as to my personality and my taste in music. I stock all genres and artistes. A glance through will also reveal that two artistes have the most songs in my library. These two would be Asa and Lagbaja. Each must have about 20 songs against their name in my library. Again, it is not coincidence.


Whilst Lagbaja offers a purely afro-oriented style, Asa brings a certain freshness into soul music. Incidentally, both of them are skilled instrumentalists. Lagbaja is renowned for his dexterity playing the saxophone while Asa's expertise on the guitar is exceptional. I am a firm believer in the fact that the future of music lies solely in the ability to play instruments.


The age of music now in Nigeria takes consideration of commercial viability. Will the material sell in Alaba International? Will people buy this work? Will distributors make a kill from this album? In Nigeria now, the streets are not smiling, you either eat or get eaten. Understandable, considering the anarchy that currently pervades the land.


It is this marketability that has consumed the very soul of our music. It is often said that, for everything, there is a price. Our music today makes money even though they make very little sense.


How does one explain an adult man going into the studio for hours and the best he can come up with is 'free madness' or 'jonzing world'? How did we get to this point? One of the raves of the moment did an entire chorus with 4 simple words - Roll-on, Everytime, Gba Control.


Besides the senselessness of the lyrics these days, we now seem to focus on voluptuous half-naked women, expensive automobiles, night-clubs and premium brands of ethanol.


Explain to me in English how Olu Maintain croons 'Personality,... E tun wo boobie...that is all I see' (meaning, Personality...even look at her breasts...that is all I see) and he still gets women dancing. Or how Rayce sings 'Omoge...Shige e...Omoge...Shige e' (meaning, Lady, open your chest 2x). Amazing isn't it?


A hip-hop song in Nigeria today will not sell if the artiste does not talk about tossing dollar bills in the air and he does not recount how he buys Hennessy,Moet or Ace of Spades in the clubs every night. They know that's what a prodigal generation wants to listen to.


Unfortunately, I doubt strongly that my unborn son will be thrilled by Dami Duro or Gaga Crazy in 20 years time. Just as I now enjoy songs my father enjoyed, it'll be a pleasurable experience for my children to have the same. They certainly will not have that with 'Chop banana till you go yo'. No! Never, infact. I'm not speculating, I am certain!


What these artistes lack now is content. Bukola Elemide a.k.a Asa and Bisade Ologunde a.k.a Lagbaja are probably the only ones who will have a real shot at serenading our children. Without bias, kindly pick an Asa album or a Lagbaja album and listen to them. If you hear Hennessy, Bugatti or Dollars, please turn off the stereo and immediately let me know.


There's a message in every track. A salient and instructive message. The messages range from those of love and courtship, societal ills and bad governance to decorum and chivalry. Lagbaja continues to speak against bad leadership as Asa keeps reminding us of how we must wake up to our responsibilities as citizens and hold our leaders responsible. Please, listen.


There are also a few other folks who attempt to be constructive in their art. I have an eye on Nneka at the moment. She seems promising. The others need to attain a level of consistency to score points with me and a few people who I have conferred with who acquiesce with my perspective. I will understand though if they remain commercial in their work, after-all Ajala must eat after his sojourn.


Right now while Lagbaja's sonorous hits spews forth from my computer, there is a cacophony of new-age hip-hop bellowing in the background outside the room.


What the heck, shebi its to dance Azonto or Etighi...Lagbaja, gimme a minute, I'll be right back. 


I'll have him and Asa for a lifetime anyway, the others are just till a new dance step evolves. So, why not?




Follow 'Wole @drwalls28 on Twitter.