Nigeria’s last hope of dying Reggae

 

The seed of Reggae music was planted in Jamaica and made popular by the Legendary Bob Marley. Since then, Reggae music has left the shores of Jamaica and practically has a life of its own without diluting its core message.

In the words of Wyclef Jean: 

“A lot of my music is very Reggae-driven. Half of my life, Bob Marley was all I listened to”.

 Reggae music captures the pressures of everyday life fusing it into irresistible melodies. In Nigeria, the genre used to be on the front row but now has taken a backseat, even when giving birth to an offshoot known as dancehall. However, there are some Nigerian artistes who would not allow the genre to go into extinction and are thus fanning the ember in their own music, which has pretty much deviated from the hard core Reggae. 

2BABA

Though 2face Idibia is known more as an Afropop and RnB artiste, his love for Reggae music is palpable. Songs like Rain drops, One love reminds you of Bob Marley’s brand of Reggae. The award-winning music icon croons like a bird let off its nest whenever he sings songs with Reggae influences. Reggae lovers are always captivated when the likes of 2face sing songs that capture the emotion of Reggae.

TIMAYA

 Enetimi Alfred Odon a.k.a Timaya is one of the few Nigerian musicians who are still fanning the embers of Reggae music and keeping it alive. Though the message of his songs may not resonate with the message of Reggae, but he makes up for it with his Reggae driven melodies. When you listen to songs like Bow Down, Bum Bum, and Plantain Boy, you may think you are listening to Peter Tosh. He has been able to create his own style without losing the Reggae flavour. 

PATORANKING

Patoranking broke into the Nigerian music industry with his hit song Alubarika in 2013.The song speedily spread like wildfire and gained massive airplays. At a time when Reggae music is losing relevance and Afropop taking center stage, Alubarika became a song that reveals the everyday struggle of the man on the street. The song starts off with a bouncy Reggae beat and hints at the importance of God’s blessings. “I want to touch lives and give hope to the hopeless with my music” Patoranking once said. 

CYNTHIA MORGAN

 Have you listened to Cynthia Morgan’s German Juice, Baby mama and Popori? You will definitely feel the vibes of Reggae in the songs. Though she has been criticized for the usage of Jamaican patois in her music, the voluptuous singer continues to infuse it in her song fervently. The red hair-wearing artiste has said that her patois comes natural to her, even before her manager got her a patois dictionary. 

BURNA BOY

Burna Boy is the poster child for Nigerian dancehall music. The Rivers State-born singer has a baritone voice that appeals to his fans who are enamoured by his brand of dancehall. From Yawa Dey, Soke, and Dor Gongon the talented performer said his early reggae influence came from his dad. “My dad used to play Reggae and Afrobeats. The first Reggae song I heard was in his car. The first CD we had was a mix of all different types of dancehall. I am pretty much a product of my environment”

 GENERAL PYPE  

General Pype is one of the most underrated, yet talented Nigerian artistes. These days it’s difficult to detect the influences of Reggae in contemporary Nigerian music, but the likes of General Pype have constantly showed off this genre in their music. From Victorious man, Champion and Lovers Rock, the seven-star General shows off his pleasant-sounding dancehall vocals in the songs. General Pype is known for the depth of his lyrics and unique delivery.

Written by Kehinde Ajose

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Nigeria’s last hope of dying Reggae

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