Yes, you read the title right, I’m not jonzing you. Naija Music will never go mainstream in America (and by mainstream I mean like Estelle mainstream). Now, before you cyber crucify me for making such a bold statement, please read the full article (and maybe take a deep breath and step away from the computer for a few minutes if you’re really vexing).
Here are 3 reasons why Naija Music will NOT go mainstream in the US:
1. Artistes sing in languages and use phrases and terminology unfamiliar to most Americans
This is probably the most obvious reason. Most Naija Musicians sing with a mix of English and Pidgin. A large number of popular Naija Music artistes also sing in their native language which is completely foreign to most Americans.
For Africans “who dey hear pidgin well well” it’s hard to put yourself in the position of someone “who no sabi am at all”. For someone who has never heard this language and doesn’t understand the basis of it, it literally sounds like you’re speaking gibberish.
2. African culture holds very little influence in America
Unlike Hispanic culture, African (particularly Nigerian) culture holds little to no relevance or influence in American culture which is just another barrier to the acceptance of Naija Music on a mainstream level.
In America, the Hispanic population (people of Central and South American origin) is the largest minority population in America which means that not only does this population surpass the amount of black people in America; it is a group that holds a large amount of cultural influence. Extensive exposure to Hispanic culture and language made it easier for Reggaeton to become mainstreamly popular in America.
3. Generally speaking, Africa as a whole carries a negative connotation in America
How many times have you heard stories or seen black Americans denounce their African lineage? These people would rather embrace their slave background than attempt to identify with African culture. For most Americans, Africa is a poor “country” filled with people who live in huts and have no access to clean water or electricity (thanks to the media).
Regardless of the fact that it’s totally false, this is still the vague perception of Africa within America which prevents African artistes from making a connection with their American audience because they will be seen in such a light.
But aren’t there a lot of internationally recognised Naija Music artistes already?
Yes, however MOST of the people outside of Africa that listen to Naija Music and attend shows are Africans living in those countries or first/ second generation immigrant children who have African parents which therefore means that the culture is not entirely foreign to them.
What about G.O.O.D Music signing Don Jazzy & D’Banj?
Well, until we see what that collaboration produces, we can’t use it as an indicator to gauge how well Naija Music will be received in America. Kanye West has done collaborations with other International artistes trying to make their way into the American market with no success (more on that later) and even the song “Lift Off” Don Jazzy co-produced for Jay-Z & Kanye’s new album did not have a typical Naija Music feel to it so I’m eager to see how they will infuse Naija style into G.O.O.D Music.
IMPORTANT: Naija Music is not the only international style that’s trying to crossover to the American market. In Asia, “KPop” otherwise known as Korean pop music along with JPop(Japan) and CPop(China) have been attempting this for the past few years. Korean pop music is essentially the Asian equivalent of Nigerian Music in terms of popularity across their continents of origin.
Some of these Asian artistes have done collaborations with American entertainers like Lil’ Kim and Kanye West in addition to collaborating with American producers to release songs that would appeal more to the American market. Despite this and other forms of exposure within America, KPop singers still haven’t managed to crossover on a mainstream level and you wanna know why?
Because the cultural barrier is too large. Just like Naija Music artistes, KPop musicians sing in foreign languages mixed with English and exude aspects of Asian culture that Americans can’t relate to.
And FYI, just like some Naija artistes (M.I, PSquare, & Tuface), some KPop artistes were also profiled on the Wendy Williams show and other American talk shows; one of them even went on tour as an opening act for the Jonas brothers. Again, we’re not the only ones trying to make it in America.
The interesting thing about all of these American TV appearances is that instead of warming these artistes up to the American audience, it actually just increases the artiste’s profile and popularity within their original fan base.
A Few Words about Nneka & Asa
Both of these women are extremely talented, internationally recognized Nigerian artistes. HOWEVER, they are an exception to the typical Naija artiste gaining worldwide attention.
Asa: Asa spent a large part of her childhood in Lagos but, she did not get international musical recognition until she returned to France (her birthplace). Asa is described as a ‘Nigerian-French singer’ whose style is soul and jazz. She is signed to an independent European label which technically makes her a European artist whose musical style is influenced by Nigerian culture. Many of Asa’s concerts and interviews are in French and in many cases she is internationally recognized as a European artist.
Nneka: Similar to Asa, although Nneka grew up in Nigeria, her musical career grew out of Europe. Nneka is also signed to a European/ international label which means that although she is African, she is also considered to be a European Artist. Nneka’s international recognition grew out of Hamburg, Germany and spread to other parts of Europe. Her sound is described as “soul, hip hop, R n B, Afrobeat, Reggae and Jangle Pop”.
The main points to realize about Asa and Nneka’s careers are that although they are African and sing with Naija influence in their music, their musical careers did not develop in Nigeria, they are not signed to Nigerian Labels and therefore cannot be categorized as typical Naija artistes.
So, If I don’t think Naija Music will go mainstream what DO I think is going to happen?
Well, a few things actually:
1. It’s possible we will see/hear an influence of Naija Music in some American songs that may or may not become mainstream. Depending on what artiste and producer creates the tracks and how well it’s done will determine the level of success the influence of Naija Music will have in American pop music.
2. Other Naija Music artistes may get signed to major American labels. To make their sound sell in America, the artiste’s style will be a watered down version of the typical Naija sound.
3. The quality of Naija music will continue to improve and new superstar artistes will emerge.
Final Thoughts: African artistes should continue making music that cater to the tastes of their true fans, people who not only enjoy listening and dancing to their music but who also understand and appreciate the culture behind the music.
**BREAKING** Did anyone see the Naija Cypher on the BET Hip Hop Awards tonight?! No??… Oh, me neither, I guess that proves my point.
177 responses to “Why Naija Music Will Never Be Mainstream In America”
Ahh this is rubbish joor loool i joke very good article sha
bullshit
Haha Miss AJ… Wait till tha A.P.P.E movement steps on da scene….We goin 4 mainstream America for Impossible is nothing
Chief!
Nice article by the way MissAJ… well said and thats just simply the truth about the current situation in Nigerian music today
I must say there is some element of truth in this article, however, I think one thing that i find interesting is the fact that most non-nigerian africans tend to really enjoy nigerian music. Any comments?
yea ummmmmm good article but i still think it depends on how good the artist is. i dont totally agree. for example wande coal, banky w, Waje, Muna, M.I, Ice prince would flow well with any foreign beat or artist UNLIKE Durella, Konga, even D banj. So like i said it depends but who gives a FUCK. They still repping we go 2 any club now all we wna hear, dance to is Niger music…………..it makes us happy.
this is very very true to be frank and honest cause most African artist (or better yet artist with African genes) that have gone international did not start their music in Africa and have close to zero influence of Africa in their music like mohombi- congo ,taio cruz, asa ,etc. and really africa did not contribute to where they are in their careers.
but @AJCiti its no completely impossible we just need that artist with that global appeal and sound and also very good labels with strong international backing from major labels. My reason for this is ::in the last two years romania has been able to produce some artist that have hit everywhere worldwide including USA like Inna – HOT, Edward Maya – Stereo Love , Alexandra Stan -mr Saxobeat , even from belgium like Stromae – Alor Danse
In conclusion , its is possible for it to happen but definitely not with are current crop of local champions (you know their names) No connection Wifi type of artists but only with artist with that international mentality
Alot of people are going to disagree with this article but at the end of the day that is the 'bitter' truth.That said,i don't think breaking into the Mainstream American market should be d main priority of our Nigerian artistes cos everyone seems to be walking in that lane now, of course i'm not saying that is a bad thing but we all need to appreciate ourselves 1st and not make pleasing other people what makes us feel good.Music is a universal language,our artistes only need to work harder on pleasing d fans back home (where their major fan base is) and hope someday they (Americans etc) 'understand' our Music. Ok i'm talking too much already…x_x Well said Miss Aj!
true talk keep it up
Nice article by the way, with some element of truth also, but the aforementioned Asa sang some of her songs in yoruba, interview or concert in French seems not to matter, as the songs take her to the interview and concerts. The mention of pidgin or vernacular in the songs as barrier for Americans hold no water, the name Awilo Longomba rings any bell, widely known, many danced to the music, but not many understand whatever he was singing. Many spanish, Pueto Rican, and Mexican singers made it in America with their vernacular. African Cultures have no influence in America? I may not know much about this, but some part of me still disagree especially to why Naija music will never be mainstream in America, though you can not take culture outta music and music outta culture, but I bet you don't listen to Beyonce, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Kanye, Akon becos of their "American Culture", but because they give you good video, good lyrics, and nice costume too, maybe nude or kiss better in their videos. *wink*. How do you describe or what excuse will you give the Mo'niqe's PHAT GIRLS choice of theme song? 2face's African Queen. In as much as Mo'hit might has begged or paid heavily to have Snoop Dogg on their Endowed Video, am also very sure 110% that they didn't beg or pay to produce Lift Off, and neither did they pay to get signed on GOOD music, but they did get paid; this is because the American audience in large part appreciate the good work so far; 2face will not have wasted time on the International Edition of his last album if he knew he was selling it to African Migrant to America when the "Indigenous" Edition can also serve them better….keep up the good work….
current situation? I sigh
Its more about americans being into only their own music. The same way the whole world should concentrate on their own music and stop trying to make it in america. The mentality that american must accept ur music b4 u are global should be killed.
who ever thought Dbanj would be on the same stage with kanye…2face in the studio with Mary j,..i think music has no language if you song is good then its good…we didn't hear what awilo was saying yes we danced to it.cabo snoop of Angola no one understand a word of what he is saying yes that's about the bigest jam of this year..even fat joe did a remix of WINDECK..the opening song for France 98 world cup the opening song was done by a Senegalese man…must me sound like them for our music to be appreciate? do Jamaican try to song like them? Nigerian music might not have gotten there yet but it would definitely do one day..
DONT WAKE UP ONE MORNING TO WRITE SENSELESS ARTICLES WITHOUT THINKING..THIS PEOPLE PUT IN A LOT OF WORK TO THIS..AND WOULD GET THERE WITH TIME..
AJ You are so right…..
But I am going to add just a little thing, 'Never say Never' with NIger. There is nothing we can't do. THe whole world sabi us. We dey sell drugs well well for the streets of Europe, our girls dem dey stand for streets everywhere for evening dey pursue customers, if we say we wan carry bomb enter plane, we go do am-even if say we go put am for pants!!!!!
Our young people start music and within a space of ten years we are almost taking over Africa! Within this short period, Niger don dey hold concerts at Hammer-smith Apollo for all Africans. Who would have thought about it?
Me, I think ur reasons are on point but I wan talk again say, when Niger wan do something, nothing dey stop us. The only thing that I am worried about is the speed of music development might eventually lead them to sacrifice quality- quantity against quality. Make the bust wey don occur for Nollywood no happen for Niger music.
ok their seems to be a lot of truth in these article but i think the whole cause of these is due to nigerians that live in america, they don't promote the nigerian culture like the mexicans or other hispanics community in america does. the way nigerians in england promote our culture has made it possible for most nigerian artist to go out there and have a good show. so until we start promoting and appreciating our culture ourselves then the americans wouldn't either. it has nothing to do with language barrier, no one knows what pitbull says but yet he puts out hit records just from speaking his native language. NIGERIANS in AMERICA please promote NIGERIA more!!!
A lovely article and well analyzed. However i tend to disagree, as regards to Asa, being an European Artist.
I agree she has an international label and could make her get recognized as such, but please, her first album "Asa" was mainly sang in her native language( Yoruba) . Lets tell ourselves the truth, they dont understand Yoruba in Europe, so what does that make her?
Asa is the silver lining in the Nigerian crossover quest and other artistes planning such should think of things they can learn from her success to make our beloved Entertainment Industry Bigger.
Lovely Article again.
Cheers
"her first album "Asa" was mainly sang in her native language( Yoruba)? Come on, Only 'Awe' and 'Eye Adaba' were mainly Yoruba. 'Peace' only had little yoruba too, 'Bibanke' had yoruba chorus. Jailor had little pidgin at the end. So your claim is totally unfounded. Asa is so lyrically sound that when a non-yoruba hears the yoruba parts, they sound just as good as the ones in English.
I'm surprised you got only three comments on this but, let's see…
First I'll attempt to cite examples that defeat your points outright…
1. Shakira, Shaggy, Celine Dion
That should defeat your first point easily. They all started singing with non-US influences on their music, but even a totally different language in some cases. What happens is a no-brainer, they get into the US, tweak their music, keep the spine that got them famous in the first place and the rest is history. Celine Dion famously learnt most of her English in two days, just as she was about to leave for the US.
2. You don't need to be culturally dominant to influence popular music.
This is in response to your second point. It is based on the fallacy that cultural influence and music tastes are one an the same, a very wrong assumption. If there was any truth in that Adele, with her near-classical feel won't be here dominating the charts for months, Bob Marley would not have been able to sell to the exact people he spoke out against, Sean Paul's Jamaican dancehall wouldn't have been on Beyonce's first attempt at a solo-career.
A side-point to that, young Americans are known to take up new cultural influences every now and then, a few decades ago, the Pan-African movement was extremely 'cool'. It probably gave birth to what is now known as hiphop, so to base your assumption on a simple case of what is now, is not only wrong, but short-sighted.
3. Again, the popular perception of a region does not determine sales.
Simple example..(according to what I've been told) in the 90s, the inner-city urban areas like Compton, Brooklyn ranked among the worst places to live in the US. The gang culture and crime rates probably remain the only thing you hear about those areas in the news. These perception still went on to give us what is possibly the greatest era(commercially) of African-American music in history. And no, you can't argue against this, they made most of these sales as a direct result of the negative perception. That makes your third point the weakest of the lot.
4. Asa and Nneka are only as European as Tiwa Savage and D'Banj are American.
Excuse the sarcasm in that, but I think classifying Asa as French when she goes as far as singing in Yoruba is just clutching straws. I'd rather you left that part as an anomaly you can't explain. So what if they're signed to European record labels? Wasn't Fela signed to Universal at one point in time?
In my opinion, you are what you sing. The main influences on your music tell us where you're from. I can't speak for Nneka and her extensive discography, but I have listened to a lot of Asa. If that is not Nigerian, then could you please tell me what is.
Now let me give you reasons why I think Nigerian music might go mainstream in the US.
1. Pop music gets bored. It is forever in search of new raves. Nothing says Nigerian music will be forever ignored.
2. Music tastes are becoming more universal. We have the internet, Beyonce described how she literally found the choreographers for her 'Run The World' video on Youtube, all the way from Eastern Africa.
3. The Billboard is only a major producer away.
4. African immigration is at it's all-time peak. You trivialise selling out IndigO2 in Greenwich, this won't have been possible 20 years ago.
5. The quality of Nigerian music (sonically) keeps getting better.
6. D'banj and Don Jazzy.
I do apologise for the extremely long reply, and any typos.
good points and true
your first point is stupid celion dion is a pop, shakira sings in english in america, shaggy does reggae..the type of music they make was already prominent in america before them
your 3rd point, how do u compare nigeria to brooklyn, you have a country that is know for being corrupt to a BOROUGH that has crime just like any other state in american
he's saying that they are european artist not american that why they havent crossed over
American Music Industry is the HARDEST IN THE WORLD TO MAKE IT IN, one day your hot the next day your not, for you to survive you have to have a biggggg following, even don jazzy only has 30k followers on twitter compared to wale who has 1 million & counting
omo, u r 3 much…
Can you tell me which fans where at the sellouts at indigo 02 in greenwich? i'll give u the answer.. mainly Nigerians and few africans in diaspora.. i live and work as a promoter here in the uk, so i know how this works.. it won't have happened 20yrs ago, yes but now there are more nigerians in diaspora than 20yrs ago.. so do't say because there was a sellout in indigo nigerian music is gonna go mainstream that's out of point find some other point.
My point stands, if there are more Nigerians in the UK, they have a greater influence on the charts. Record labels and the radio realise that there is an untapped demographic they have to cater to. That acceptance will grow. Bigger picture.
Preach on my brother…your mama born pikin…lol
I like the article.
I think it has to do with other things as well.
Look at the following artists, Baaba Maal, Habib Koite, Ladysmith Mambazo, Angelique Kidjo, Freshly Ground, Lira, Amadou & Miriam. Can you spot the difference between these acts and our Nigerian Artistes?
this is an article written by a mind plagued with inferiority complex and a very myopic at that…..the only example that comes to mind is REGGEA MuSIC….there is really not much difference between jamaican patois and nigerian pidgin english, how come reggea is widely accepted in US…Naija sound is already a success in the UK and that success can be replicated in the US as well through good marketing perseverance…inviting us to BET cypher is a start..
The article is silly at best..
She Ain't Myopic And She Don't Gat No Inferiority Complex! She Was Speaking The Truth.. So Stop Insulting! And Don't Yell At Her!
Well…..what I think is that once Nigerian artists are more original and don't necessarily copy the form of American culture, we would definitely have a chance. Nas had a sample of Fela's 'Na Poi' on his song with Alicia Keys, he also had another sample from Amadou and Mariam's 'Samabli' song (they are from Mali) on his song 'Patience with Damien Marley. Remember Jay-z and Punjabi MC from India?? I mean look at the FELA on Broadway show, it has become one of the biggest musical shows ever, winning countless awards.
So to be honest African music would eventually become mainstream as far as we maintain the originality in our music. Once that's done, we wouldn't need to go looking for support from America, they would come to us becaause they would have no choice as they would realise they can't do without us. It would take some time but it would evetually happen…
its our culture who wants it to be a mainstream anyway mtsewwww.
This article is very very un-informed and very poor! I will save this for the next decade and prove to you how false you were!
What you define as barrier doesn't exist no more! Even culture hasn't started.
Nigerian Music hasn't started!
The articles is a bit flawed but IT IS GENERALLY TRUE. I live in America and Nigerian music will never be mainstream here. All the people that disagree and cite examples dont understand anything.
Tuface's International version was not bought by white people.
Asa's music has been released in the US but only Africans buy it still.
People mentioning Awilo are kinda funny. That Nigerian's accept any music dont mean Americans will.
Nigerian artists will continue doing collabos, selling out shows abroad to Nigerians and even appearing on TV once in a while but AJ said and i agree they will NEVER GO "MAINSTREAM"
Notjustok is funny sha talking americans not repping naija ……… how many upcoming artists songs have u screened by not putting or posting them on ur site!……..u see there is politics everywhere
True buh u never know
it's a wonderful article, please continue post the interesting writing! thank you.
a lot to think about here…
yoo pls use ur head before u write down these article, Sean Paul, beenie man, pit bull, Damian Marley just to list a few have gone mainstream for Gods sakes these's are Jamaican dance hall and south american artiste who most of the time speak their language when singing. like serzly probably u just like moving backwards and nobody wants that.
It is all about the music. It is all about the music. FELA! FELA! FELA! FELA! If you have any white friend on facebook who lives in North America, you'll see how much they bump to Fela. The other Nigerian artist in our generation is mmmeeehhhh… (just there, nothing special)…
If every artist in Nigeria will work hard to make music that is as good, if not better than Fela's music, Nigeria will take over the world. I say that without blinking. Fela was on broadway, won a Emmy. Who knows how long before the producers of FELA (Will Smith, Jay-z, etc) turns it to a major hollywood movie. Wake up ppl.
The only barrier to Nigeria music going mainstream is the music. It starts from the artist. I am a nigerian living in North america. If Fela was to throw a concert in NY today, he could probably sell out the Yankee stadium, and that is because of his impact on mainstream music today. Fela inspired Beyonce's Last Album. Fela died how many years ago? I have had the opportunity of hanging out with Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas, You should see the way he talked about Fela when I told him I was Nigerian. Timbaland, Missy Eliot, and a whole bunch of them will tell you how influential Fela's music is.
Our threshold for quality music is really really really really low. If our rappers are truly amazing, better than Kanye West, and all other mainstream rappers in North America, they would have been aired on BET Cypher, people will listen and it will become mainstream. Give people "AMAZING" and they will come for more, and for more and for more and for more. If you doubt me, go listen to Bob Marly and see why he is the icon he is.
It is the music, it is the content. it is the quality. So before anybody deceives you with made up excuses, go and do your research. Nigerian artists, stop expecting that you can sing pigeon english over western beat and that it will go mainstream. If we come up with something so original, dope and fresh, the western world will buy Nigerian music like the US buys Middle east oil. No excuses, If we have 5 solid Nigerian artists whose originality and music quality is in comparison to Fela, we will be #1s on billboard… (well maybe)… and this is where I take shots at Notjustok.com for posting up crappy songs out of favouritism. Where as there are actually unknown artists who are really trying out there. Notjustok, you have a responsibility and a part to play here.
Fela knew his responsibility to push the boundary as an artist and he did, does our generation know their responsibility? Discipline? If you think it comes easy, you've been fooled. How many Nigerian artists today can boast they practice for 10 hours every day… I rest my case!!!
Fela was/is popular in America because no American does what he did, and in doing what nobody did, he was radical about the Nigerian plight. Same goes for Bob Marley, how many Americans do you know singing reggae or afrobeat….America is protective of the American interest, you would have to break their arms for them to willingly give the spotlight to a foreigner when they have their one people. If they let us in in hiphop, the African American stand a risk of losing their crowd should be attract the audience to our style, same with R n B, the question is always, what is in it for us? Does the artist get a full fledge American work staff (Management et al), does the artist stay here and pay taxes and spend all the money they will be getting within their borders, is there a potential threat to their current state by allowing foreign acts dominate their industry? They have not figured out a way to properly sell their music in our countries despite their popularity there so why should they give you an avenue to do so in their land, all of these reasons are somewhat short-sighted and driven by solely by money matters, which is wat makes Kanye's signing of D'banj and Don Jazzy interesting because while money is part of the equation, we know by now I hope that Kanye is driven by the creative and so he is moving faster than his industry is willing to go, he understands that you can win both ways….for as long as we are trying to break into areas that they already occupy, the American industry would resist
one thing i have realized as an artist living abroad is that when u have another language u are fluent in most ppl in that country gravitate towards you think about it its like living in Canada and bieng bilingual you will always have the edge over someone who only speaks english so at the end of the day forget US or euroupe just be yourself and do what you do best with hard work and a team with solid infrastructure (a little bit of luck too lol) theres no telling where one"s music can go
Great Article and also great reply by @ikillcuriousity. A lot of discussants concentrated on Asa being or not being "African". That is besides the point because she is still not mainstream and neither are the more popular Angelique Kidgo and Salif Keita and Baba maal…except I am getting the meaning of mainstream wrong. Seal, Sade Adu, Tunde Bayero of Lighthouse, Lemar, are mainstream artistes. Sade Adu is highest selling British female ever and she is of Nigerian descent. But I have never heard her credit Nigeria nor have I really seen the Nigerian influence in her music. I distinctly remember Seal thanking American audiences for "accepting us Brits" Thus Nigeria cannot really boast of a mainstream artiste with verifiable success yet. I am also yet to know how many records the Nnkekas and Asas have sold. Are they gold, platinuum what? or are they just European experiments. The most surprising thing is the Euphoria that has greeted Dbanj's Good Music signing. Fela, Okosun, Christy Essien, Paul IK Dairo (Senior of course) were all signed to bigger labels than Good Music. Sony Okosun's "Neighbour" was number 2 in Jamaican Charts and was even covered by Rita Marley, Bob Marley's widow. Still each of these acts were not mainstream. Yes, Fela and Femi's relative . success does not make them mainstream. The question you should ask is "if Dbanj's Scapegoat makes it to the Grammies, what category will it be nominated in?" Your answer would be "World Music" just like Asa, and 2face and Kidgo and femi Kuti.
Paul Simon"s Greenland Album was a Grammy Winner and moved serious units with collaborations with Black Mambazo of South Africa and Hugh Massakela and even recorded in SA. How mainstream did South African music become? At best such music forms like Baha Boys "who let the dogs out" and MAKAREENA will simply be asides…like eating Ethiopian dish for and going back to your MacDonalds.
To be mainstream, there are identifiable sound patterns and language. Indeed the Will.I.Ams experiment with fusions but it is still identifiable as either HipHop, Rap, Reggae, Rock, Soul, RnB, Jazz, Country, House and Garage etc. In fact the awards are classified in these categories. In Nigeria, the music is so nebulous that 9ce with his Neo Fuji wins Best Hip-hop act even in Mtv Awards.
Truth is, it is not yet Uhuru for Nigerian music. we are still discovering ourselves and our sound. Asa's second offering especially "Be My Man" chased the mainstream. But in doing that, she lost a bit of her following as this album is not as well received as the first which to me is the best album ever made in Nigeria. Here lies the conundrum. Should the acts pursue mainstream? What if it enstranges them from their original fanbase? Was 2face right to make an "international album" that sounded as homegrown as any he has done?
I say "to each his own" and I maintain "it is not yet uhuru for Nigerian music as we are only just discovering ourselves and our sound"
Forget that Nigerian is make waves and you think its making everywhere in the world? never!!! only in some places where they have Nigerians. America music is worldwide, mega hot everywhere you will hear it. who ever thinks Nigerian music will take over America, that person is stupid for thinking that way. thats like saying Nigerian home video sh** will take over the America movies
I agree with you to a certain extent, but disagree with you on two things, your classification of Asa and Nneka. First I'll start with Asa (brace yourselves this might be a long post). Happy reading if you dare 🙂
Asa, though signed to an European label is very much a Nigerian artist, her entire first album was produced by my friend Cobhams and was significantly in her mother tongue, she just isn't based in Nigeria. Being signed to an European
label affords her two things, access to an organized industry so much so its process is almost mechanical. Secondly, it affords her access to other local (french-based) artists by way of the management networks.Now let me explain how
these two benefits translates into what you call acceptance, but before even doing that, let me just say, Asa can never get mainstream acceptance in America (not unless she can crush records like no one to ever come out of France) and
even then she might just make a flicker in the US market. Asa's style is soul/jazzy and unlike hiphop or pop, it does not require you define your audience based on geography, first point of connection is the music, then comes the voice,
then the lyrics/style with which the lyrics are delivered, so before you even get to hear the soul singers voice or accents, you have connected to something, and because it is soul music, you are expecting to here something personal and
so you are eager to find out the meaning when the lyrics are in a foreign tongue. That been said, the organized industry where she releases her records has a system of reaching the airwaves, tracking airplay and fairly accessible
distribution channels all of which factor into sales which is somewhat indicative of acceptance.
Next is access to local artists since she is based in France, as a result of sales/airplay, she is garners reviews, and fellow musician now want to mix with that sound, so collaborations occur and fanbases grow, much more so, her local
Nigerian fans sing her praises even more and so her recognition grows more. You say most of her interviews are in french, well that is because in those interviews, she is addressing the French people who are buying her music, it is her
chance to talk to them, and that is the language they best understand, you don't hear her sing in french, because in her songs she is expressing her thoughts, she gets personal so to speak and she deems her thoughts best expressed in
yoruba and english not french. Just the label of being an European artist doesn't just grant her acceptance, what is must important to her acceptance is the the French understand the culture of language, same as Japan where she is
getting acclaim, America has no culture of language, even spanish is accepted only as circumstantial, it is for this reason that Asa cannot gain mainstream acceptance in the US.
Now for Nneka. like Asa, Nneka has an appeal in the music, it is live performance friendly, thus her huge indie performance venues, but how did those venues get to be packed u ask, well simple. Nneka has been recognized for her lyrics
and often they are likened to Fela, now that sounds great, but then when you realize that the Fela topics they refer to talk about corruption in Nigeria, the system of chaos, it quickly become clear that they also enjoy the reaffirmation
of a decaying Africa, the one always striving for hope, couple that with her bohemian style and you have white indie fan base. Of course that is not all that Nneka talks about in her songs, but you get the picture (I hope). The activism
of her style and the musicality of her sound allows her a niche where she can be expressive and the audience can carry on with her even when they are unsure of the who, what and why of every verse, but even at that she is still very
much a Nigerian artist, just like Asa she has a management team that exists within an established industry and they act according to promote her. Here also it is not just her association with a foreign label but her ability to create a
niche very true to her identity. Both herself and Asa did not form their identities to suite any target, they just allowed their expressiveness create their space. One this is however very important, in both their genres, they are
heavily lyrical to a point that thier messages are universal.
Lastly to clarify my statement about hiphop/pop been linked to geography, it would be really weird if a rapper from Nigeria was rapping about getting pulled over by the popo on I-95 and dealing with issues geographically pertinent to
America. Hiphop lyrics came from a place of familiarity and consciously or subconsciously described ones environment so until America really want to know about our environment/way of life not what they get from National Geographic they
wont be taking our raps seriously especially with the dissimilarity of our attitudes. As for pop, well it is short for popular with the masses…the primary masses for an African artist are African, the world is trying to be like the
next African as much as they want to be the next American so that acceptance is going to be a hard one to make, the reach of afropop would have to come from we in the diaspora bumping an artist like Wizkid and causing the American next
door to want to feel ur high and thus listen to the same artist just to feel among…lol
That's just a piece of my take on the issue, like I said, I do agree with some of the points you touched on…pardon any mistakes in my typing, this is just an at the moment response, not a necessarily an edited remark.
ciao..
Nice article but you should also know that nothing is cast in stone, for Europe its all about the melody, techno sort of tracks, lady gaga, black eyed pea type thingy sells for me, a typical example of that here is Oliver Twist by D'banj and Higher by Eldee….it will get there, and for people like M.I, Wizkid,Wande coal, i think they have a good chance of making it globally, the same reason why we enjoyed Awilo and Magic system will take them global, the time this will happen, i cant say but it cant be ruled out totally
Stop contradicting yourself @ whoever wrote this article! @What about G.O.O.D Music signing Don Jazzy & D’Banj?
Well, until we see what that collaboration produces, we can’t use it as an indicator to gauge how well Naija Music will be received in America.
You should have wait and hear the collabo before jumping into conclusion.You sounded like Reuben Abati. just because you can compose good English does not mean you have good sense of reasoning.
I agree with this article on some points however the real issue is that not enough Nigerians in the US are supporting Nigerian Artists. Look on FB and Twitter. 80% of Nigerian social media support is from Nigeria and countries in Africa. Agree or not, social media following is a gauge on relevance and importance in the US. There are about 20 million Nigerians in the diaspora. This number is significant enough to start positively influencing the image of Nigerians overseas but we are not making enough effort. Most are satisfied with the status quo. At least I am doing my part promoting Nigerian Music in the diaspora. **Shameless plug** Download @jandusradio mobile app and listen to 170 African Stations (18 Nigerian) on your bb. Iphone and Droid coming soon! http://www.jandusradio.com/mobile
Stop contradicting yourself @ whoever wrote this article! @What about G.O.O.D Music signing Don Jazzy & D’Banj?
Well, until we see what that collaboration produces, we can’t use it as an indicator to gauge how well Naija Music will be received in America.
You should have wait and hear the collabo before jumping into conclusion.You sounded like Reuben Abati. just because you can compose good English does not mean you have good sense of reasoning.let me tell you this @ Johm F Kennedy Airport N.Y. i met this guy that happens to be a white Dude in 2009, when we started talking after couple of minute he asked me where i came from and as a proud 9ja boy despite all the scamm story about my beloved country, i told him am from Nigeria he said really? i said yes o yes…. he said he love my accent i responded in a good manner saying thank you… guess what? he started the whole story about Fela Anikulapo kuti.. i was shocked he invited me to broad way in mahathan where we both hook up for Fela @ broad way… Am not trying to form anything but just telling you that the word itself impossible says I'm possible.
i sincerely dislike dis article and i best believe d writer shuld quit ………its filled wit negativity and only expresses mediocrity on the part of notjustok……who says naija music cnt be mainstream?…..dnt forget that music is universal…..nonsense points made…..wt effort have u done to get our music mainstream….downsetters.
i have learnt here.really, thanks for the article its a simple wake up call
Fela was/is popular in America because no American does what he did, and in doing what nobody did, he was radical about the Nigerian plight. Same goes for Bob Marley, how many Americans do you know singing reggae or afrobeat….America is protective of the American interest, you would have to break their arms for them to willingly give the spotlight to a foreigner when they have their one people. If they let us in in hiphop, the African American stand a risk of losing their crowd should be attract the audience to our style, same with R n B, the question is always, what is in it for us? Does the artist get a full fledge American work staff (Management et al), does the artist stay here and pay taxes and spend all the money they will be getting within their borders, is there a potential threat to their current state by allowing foreign acts dominate their industry? They have not figured out a way to properly sell their music in our countries despite their popularity there so why should they give you an avenue to do so in their land, all of these reasons are somewhat short-sighted and driven by solely by money matters, which is wat makes Kanye's signing of D'banj and Don Jazzy interesting because while money is part of the equation, we know by now I hope that Kanye is driven by the creative and so he is moving faster than his industry is willing to go, he understands that you can win both ways….for as long as we are trying to break into areas that they already occupy, the American industry would resist
I have no problem with the article you wrote, or even the opinion that you stated. But on all levels, the reasons you gave are all incorrect therefore are void.
1.You must be uneducated to think that because there are more hispanic people over here, that it means they have the most influence on the overall population. That is false. African American culture holds way more influence on the majority of the population than any other minority group. Out of all the hispanic countries counted, mexicans make up most of their total tally. Yes, this is an important fact.
2.Because people don't understand the lyrics have little to no effect whatsoever. In fact it'll be more of the reason for them to want to listen. It's something unique & different. It also sounds good overall.
3.That is a mindset that has very little existence. Back in the day, that's what people thought. That Africa is this huge dessert full of huts and naked people. Everyday more people are becoming more educated and have knowledge of how things really are. Just look at all the artists going abroad to do interviews with "big name" American television hosts. Audiences are being made aware.
Nigerian music has the potential, to the highest degree, to be big here in the U.S. But at the end of the day, I really don't want it to be mainstream because over here, mainstream is soooo stupid. Artists like drake, lil wayne, nicki minaj, (matter of fact, the whole young money squad), kanye west, rihanna, etc..have totally destroyed the hip hop culture, and music in particular. It's all about guns, sex, drugs, murder, money, cars, and all these material things. I'm just tired of this illuminati rappers and by dbanj and don jazzy crossing over to kanye's label, it can only bring destruction to the Nigerian entertainment industry.
I think we should leave it where it's at.
The writer is of this garbage is a plain idiot… #Nuffsaid !!!
Well…..what I think is that once Nigerian artists are more original and don't necessarily copy the form of American culture, we would definitely have a chance. Nas had a sample of Fela's 'Na Poi' on his song with Alicia Keys, he also had another sample from Amadou and Mariam's 'Samabli' song (they are from Mali) on his song 'Patience with Damien Marley. Remember Jay-z and Punjabi MC from India?? I mean look at the FELA on Broadway show, it has become one of the biggest musical shows ever, winning countless awards.
So, basically all we need is just originality and at the end of the day, we won't need to beg to let our music be heard…….people from the western world would beg to hear us as they would have no choice. Its gonna take a while but it would happen eventually…..
Anybody who disagrees with this article is a fool PERIOD!! Read the article again nd try to understand what the writing is talking about FOOLS!!
the thing is that there are over 1billion people in Africa so if Nigerian Music can be able to conquer all of that
then that is a great achievement. we have seen that Nigeria can now say they have conquered Africa bcos their music is played all over the continent but do u want to know why? it is because Africans love to dance and since the music is energetic enough to get u dancing, it is accepted. But when it comes to conquering America and other international markets, lets tell ourselves the truth, the quality of Nigerian music is low.Everybody is calling Fela today and how his music was able to cut across different cultures, well that is bcos Fela had something different from the Americans so his music was enjoyed bcos of its uniqueness, Nigerian artistes these days Get Tattoos all over their bodies , sing about being pimps and sex stories which is not different from what we see in America so the question is why would I patronize your music if its just a rip off of my people, and my people can do it with more originality? The new thing now is Autotune every single artiste in Nigeria uses it, Live performances are poor ( they dont sing on stage, they mime and scream the song and jump around) those who make music that had foreign standards are criticized and accused of being unoriginal (example Darey, Djinee sings RnB in Pidgin with standards that can match any RnB record in the world but who buys His records or pays to watch him live? even Banky W, when W used to make songs like dont break my heart and My regret which was recognized by John Lennon, No one in nigeria bought his music but as soon as he made party songs, he blew up) its not totally their fault that lyrics are poor, they are just supplying demand.
Personally I'd say Africa is even enough for us, we do not need the U.S or any other market but if we must conquer and take our arts to them I suggest we look into the following
**More Originality (If u are going to sell them, what they can conveniently get locally, what makes u think they'd want to buy it? we need to preserve our sound, that point that language or style is a barrier is just not true, how many of them could properly understand Fela? he also sang in Pidgin as well as Native languages such as Yoruba)
* *Live performance should get better (its called live for a reason, if I wanted to mime, I could just keep my money to myself, play the CD and Mime )
**Organization ( every single artiste in Nigeria owns a record label, Nigeria is yet to produce a record label that matches standards worldwide and that has financial capacity to promote an artiste to an international level
**Independence( if we keep making it look like we need them, they'll keep treating us with little or no respect )
I love Nigerian music to death not withstanding the above mentioned but if we do not put some of these things into consideration, Good luck to them
I hope we make it someday
I agree with only the first point simply because there are artists like Gloria Maduka, Rotimi that rep Nigeria in their interviews but do not necessarily sing in Pidgin or local languages 100%. Artists like these are usually not supported in the Nigerian circle even though they are recognized and appreciated almost every where else. We need to embrace artists like this that have the potential to take our beloved Naija music higher.
helo peeps.would just like to enlighten you about my views regarding this
in regards to point 1.
nigerian musicians have good vocabularies regardless.we have been so infused with english in our subconscious that unknowingly,we SPIT the best metaphors.i have been in uk for a while now and just realising the strong subliminal messages in our song.
i would never stand for it.i believe we are the best and with time,we would definitely make it in america .even though it looks tough.that should not deter us.
all the best…..
Mel!!!!!!, u made soooo much sense man!, so much!. And its true, NJO could be sooo partial, infact, most of the Nigerian industry is. U've gotta know some1, or have alot of money. Overseas, if u hav a good song, it moves!, coz pple are way more honest there, with no strings attached. why do u think we always hear bout new artist coming up outta yankee, or uk everyday?. But in Naija!!, if u no popular, even if ur song sweet, notin 4 u mehn!, Instead of blogs and radio and media to post a new artists work up, them go dey wait make wizkid drop single. its really sad oh!, asin!, Naija!, we need to stop it.
Im here in the UK now yeah, ive heard sooo many craaazzzyyyyy songs from artist that ive neva eva heard about b4, everyday, new, fresh materials, they put them out, and as people request or respond to them, they BIG them up, but in naija, u gats pay serz money, or the blogger, or TV person gatz be ur uncle or cousin. its bad oh!, we gotta be more honest yo!.
Again!, mel!, u mad pleeeennntttttyyyyyyy sense ma broda!. BLESS u Bro!.
The facts as stated above are true,
1. we don't sing in American language, we sing in Nigerian Language, but then we are nigerian.
Artistes sing in languages and use phrases and terminology unfamiliar to most Americans
We cannot change our culture to enter a market open to everyone, either love it or don't, most other cultures audience make effort to understand, I don't speak spanish but you can't stop me from doing merengue to many a carribean merengue crooner.
2. African culture holds very little influence in America
This is perception and stereotype which is gradually being broken and the same goes for
3. Generally speaking, Africa as a whole carries a negative connotation in America
Me I don't denounce my origins oh…. chei!!! God Forbid
Finally let me drive my point home……… hmnnnnnnn…. i did not see this before i typed my status on FB but i will share it now……
hmnnnnn
I trowe salute oh, una gud pipuru wey dey fo dis worl….ngwanu, dan Allah, mbok, pris, i wan mek dem pipulu dem wey tink se bicos dem neva ge origunal technolori to de wipe awa generation dem commot by to limit noomba of pikin or to de concot rule prus incrudin lawyer to de tiff we pikin …..eheeen,….mek den kno se dis we fesbook,…na we get awa face wey we puti fo booki, jus bicos we no wan yaan gramma nor min se we nor dey unda umblerra of education and read ifafiti commot, abeg, i go de xerox dis status deli naw till end of October monti as fo jaandt na black history mont, nor mind dem oh,….aproko pipuru, i be caramel colour u c now ehn…. oya mek una add una own jam inside…..gramma nor be we language…. nonsense pipuru…abeg i de go chop my lemorade drink shawama… una follow….. likeee den…. God nor go punish we…
Hm[h… who da heck wants to sound like oyinbo…pshewwwww and erm Aj Citi nor be u i de kiss teet fo….
MY reasons why our music has low impact
1. We give our music away free….. everywhere you look there is a free download, its an idiotic practice, DuchessPR say so,
2. A lot of independent artistes have developed an irritating habit of recording one or two or four songs and then running around commercialisiing every arena paying money to cowboys to promote these instead of focussing on delivering a great album which will attract a following who will buy and remain loyal, if only they had an album and not a fileshare link.
3. We as Nigerians have a poor attitude toward our own products……and a shoddy attitude professionally……. I remember the time when I rang one bank….. i won't name names from UK regarding a sponsorship program and the lady heard my oyinbo accent…..hehehhehehhehe okay, she told me to '''hooooooooolllllddddd" then proceeded to describe me in unsavoury terms in Yoruba which i speak perfectly to the person next to her, hmpppph, she devalued herself and the bank…. on the other hand if i rang and got an automated machine speaking all three languages it would be different.
4. I am of the opinion that all outlets and all promotion consortia need to streamline, we need to rally and we need to start to work to support our entertainment industry at home and abroad.
I am abroad, I run a PR company, i promote, market, distribute music, i don't hold my clients to ransom, i am not spankiingly rich, but I shall never do away with my ideas, ideals and idealogy, yes,….. I will continue to work as I do, and make people know that my clients are not shareware or freeware, they are talented and have value.
ehen ,,,,,, Duchess PR don tok,….mek i shikena now, fo anybori wey no hia d grama wey i tok so……….. try to commot fo hia go skul bicos if u no hia d lingo dat min se una nid to reton go skul e be like se una no graduate……
I am Gendeski and I approve this message. If you doubt this article then go on youtube and search your favourite Naija rapper on jimmyjumpoff; they are all wack with the exception of the Late Dagrin.
well the only reason i agree with is the one about the negative connotation, if not this properly written piece is bullocks!!!!!!!!! Nigeria will get her turn when its her turn… urging people to change style and act a certain way other than what they know is fake u need to take a chill pill. Spend ur time wisely ok.
wait till I debunk this unfounded rants…..Gimme a few.
Why can't we create our own Empire at home charity our father say's begin at Home .Americans are going to protect their own first b4 they allow any bodi to take there place . We have what it take to be our own American so to speak. that is What Peter and paul said ''
Be proud of Africa your mother land. Do business in Africa When you are Hot so to speak they will come and pay for you , Is not gonna happen over night patient my people (surulere, na the place i grow up lol.) Africans Do Business With Africans Promote each other , Believe in Each other then the World will believe in you . (I am not a writer , but my wife is writer lol ) Don't fool your self music is universal if is Good it will sell, 2face music was a Fat girl in America. I live in Florida and i play Nigeria music to my American friend they love it , i make copy all day for them they want more , Good music is always gonna sell no matter what.
I feel you bro. If the likes of Fela and Tuface were caught waiting for recognition from the Americans they would be the icons they are noow, and their music would not travel more than Seme border. Let originality take you places and if your fart smell enough they probably gonna perceive it abroad. I hear some of our artists are even shelling out money to be signed by these Americans. I don't blame BET for not showing the Naijacypher, there is nothing special about some Americans wannabes; you are not gonna show something other than a replica of their original.
Sikena,
Gendeski
good article, the only contention i have is asa's classification as nigerian-french! i mean, she's got 2 studio albums out she sings in english and/or yoruba…no french whatsoever, she is signed to a french record label, yes but that doesn't make her french/european otherwise i dey wait for some french language song/line on her albums (well i have the first 2 and yoruba is well represented, a nigerian language as well as english) and here in canada, asa's songs dey get spins ontop radio both from her first album and her 2nd album…makes me proud to be naija…basically, once we stop trying to copy americans/others, we go blow up…thus why fela, nneka, asa dey make am well…our rappers wey dey do well (proto/chiddy of chiddybang and wale) no dey appeal to naija market, dem dey appeal to american market wey be where dem dey based
Well said i think we have learnt since Jamaica could make it with time we will
this article is so on point. The signing odds D'Banj and Don Jazzy was overly celebrated without us considering the actual implications or the contractual details being made public.
I THINK THE AJCITY WAS JUST SAD THAT NAIJA BET CYPHER WAS NOT INCLUDED YESTERDAY NIGHT….THUS DECIDED TO THROW A BIG TANTRUM WITH HER KEYPAD
THE WRIEUP IS VERY DISCOURAGING AND DISPARAGING TO THE HARD WORKING NAIJA ARTISTE….
MOLA OG, HOW CAN YOU ALLOW THIS TO BE POSTED ON YOUR BLOG….
Shakira- Hispanic
Shaggy- Reggaeton
Celine Dion- North American,
Did he not cover why they were successful?
I didn't even read the rest of your opinion. Read the article before you form an opinion, when I call you an idiot too you won't understand.
i like this
Your article was partly true and partly contradictory. First of all, African music going mainstream in America is like having a foreign-born
become a President in the United States – It will never happen. What will happen though is that the new sound coming out of Africa will get
the due recognition it rightly deserved. The goal of any foreign musician is not to go mainstream in America but get the right amount of appeal
and recognition on the global stage. How do you define mainstream in context of American music ?. Isn't it radio, television and print media ?.
African music might not be centre stage in American music landscape but it is gaining enough buzz to be featured on "American Mainstream" music.
Example of such buzz would be Tuface's African Queen, Kaysha, Nneka, Asa and host of other talented acts from the continent. Their music are
on rotation in "mainstream American" clubs, radios and music television albeit it pales in comparison to American music.
To address your points
1. Artistes sing in languages and use phrases and terminology unfamiliar to most Americans
On the contrary, herein lies the flavor that gets African music (especially Nigeria/Ghana) music gain notoriety. Unlike genre like dancehall that
struggled to break into the U.S mainstream due to language, violence and other complex issues I'm not going to delve into, the new sound from African
are mostly in English and are well articulated and very comprehensive. You'd be surprised how much they love our accent.
2. African culture holds very little influence in America
While this might be true, a vast majority of the educated African American are now identifying more with their African heritage and culture.
They're starting to embrace our food, culture and music more than ever. Your assertion that reggaeton became mainstream was wrong. Reggaeton
is limited to latino populace. Reggaeton has lost it's audience even within the latino community (Do your home work). The sound is monotonous and lacked
creativity and diversity.
3. Generally speaking, Africa as a whole carries a negative connotation in America____The negative potrayal African has received over the years is changing.__Technology has revolutionized the world and real information are now fingers away. People are learning that Africa is a developing economy and __rapidly emerging as a player in the global economy (including entertainment). Top hollywood actors and artists are investing heavily in Africa__ – Will Smith and Jada Pinket Smith (Fela on Broadway, Real estate business in South Africa and Ghana)__ – Danny Glover (Business in South Africa and other part of the continent)__ – Oprah Winfrey (Business in South Africa) …just to mention a few.__American are now making informed decisions and are no longer swallowing everything from their media outlets. Look at Al-Jazeera's entrance into __the U.S news space. It is one of the fastest growing media outlet in the U.S. Years ago, you couldn't phantom that. Another reason Africa is shedding__it's negative image in the U.S, is immigration. African immigrants are the most educated of all immigrant groups in the U.S. We're changing age-old stereotypes__- in colleges, churches, corporate america and entertainment industry in America.
What about G.O.O.D Music signing Don Jazzy & D’Banj?
Like you, I'm leery of that collaboration and awaits the product of that collaboration as well. I predicted a sort of team bolstering operation in American
music industry years ago – Something similar to players acquisition and transfers in sports. Regardless of the outcome of Mo-hits/G.O.O.D music collaboration, this
is going to be the new trend in music. Top producers and artist are going to be poached from all over the world. Internet has broken the cultural and the digital
divide between the west and music exec are looking for new ways to make revenues and that is just one feasible way to do stay aflot in a global economy.
Your last point (if Naija music will go mainstream) cedes to my assertions that Naija music WILL go mainstream, which basically contradicts your headline.
Don't let people that cant say yes to your future tell you no #pdiddy,
* Naija music will be accepted mark my words…
* I don't rate this article coz i thot of this too, one thing!! but i also know music transcends all cultures and genres…
* Asa and Nneka are still naija artists (Asa in particular has an int'l voice end of).
* Everything takes time, even in the UK
NOT JUST OK!…POST MY COMMENT NOW!!!
I love dis article, but i think d OP went wrong where he said singing in our Pidgin and native dialect will be a barrier to hitting mainstream. Its not true, music is a universal language. Shakira sings in Spanish sometimes and Sean Paul sings in Patois yet they hit mainstream America. What is limiting our artistes is lack of originality by some artistes, trying too hard to imitate d Americans. Another limitating factor is promotion. If our artistes can be promoted by international labels in America, i tell u they will be recognised. Lastly the Americans are stuck with their own music, its not their fault. Their media doesnt give dem anything else apart from American music. An American made this comment when she watched Tiwa Savage's Kele Kele Video dat was uploaded to an American Music Site. Most Americans dat watched d video were wowed by Tiwa Savage, even commenting dat she's even better dan fake Rihanna(quoted) lol. It boils down to d inexposure of Naija music to d American audience. Shikena!!!
@Melvitto
1. Context is everything. In the context of commercial acceptance, pop music is just popular music. That's why you hear people speak of rappers going pop. Using that, Celine Dion, Shaggy and even rappers like Kanye West are pop artists.
2. I used my second point to highlight the fact that music like some art cuts across cultural barriers. I can't break that down any further.
3. Read the post again.
4. I don't see how Don Jazzy's follower count is relevant to my post, but I'll like to point out that it's closer to 150,000.
Cheers.
i'll advice you not to reply anyother person apart from the writer himself if he DARES show nose in the replies…we will forever remain perssimistic ..and na why GEJ go increase fuel to 200 bucs be that without much force coz we believe in shuffering and smiling…U've said it all
oga with regards to ur nigeria been corrupt.. U really think BET will air the cypher on saturday if it really grades us according to our corruption level?(mind you we've graduated away from top 10 or 15).. if they really know we are corrupt why should Kanye even allow dbanj to famz for him at DUbai airport… It all goes down to what the Media gives you… the same way its been portrayed to You that in every ghetto in the states ppl Draw Guns out is the same on the other side in all topics from war to Music…Nobody really gives a shit about the bad Nigeria on TV as far as it aint inflicting any harm on them and I believe There is No OCCULT group that really cares about stopping Naija music for a purpose when it aint that we Preaching Gospel or religion on it….you also have the power to change what the Media feeds to you…Did i see MTV premier Tiwa Savage's Video yesterday? #Okay
guy it will start from somewhere ….those people u called Nigerians in diaspora will av white friends and from there , they will introduce Nigerian music to their friends and it grows like ……the world is becoming so global than u can ever imagine……..the last Independence party that we had in Aberdeen i could count close to 5 that came and danced had to naija songs (Scottish ladies o, cos i spoke to 2 of them )……i've been to parties b4 that white guys will come and speak pidgins and whenever i ask them their answer is simple….from their naija friends ………to crown it all i could remember a lovely day like that we finished lectures in uni and i told one of my Scottish friend about terry G…. he checked it in youtube and started playing it in class (computer lab)….even after i left the class…..the fact is you can underrate the power of naija music (good ones)…it has sweet sound and rhymes…..don't dull i beg …….naija music in yrs to come will be in mainstream anywhere cos it offer a new dimension and sound to the whole music sh*t!!!
Breaking News: BET Club Banger award – Wizkid – Wiz Party
Ode oshi lol..u don carry ur madness reach here lol
with all due respect to u [meaning NO respect, bcos u don't deserve any!] ur "facts" r wrong on so many levels!, but i'll focus on one [bcos i do have a life #NoOffense to any1} ur rubbish about culture and language barrier proves ur myopic way of thinking. Jamaican music is a club banger here in NY, and Jamaicans have a unique culture like naija. also their patois is even harder to understand than naija pidgin, but we love their music because we appreciate 'good' music. Music is Universal!
Well Like i previously commented, the stunts, BET pulled last night should be enough for Nigerians to give up on the mainstream thing, we have enough market, its a Billion people in Africa, thats enough market for us! and another point that was not made in this article or i missed it, is "Most Americans are not Open minded" especially the black community. but i dont buy the idea of saying "Never", but all the points in this Article were A+. about the Dbanj signing to Good music, i know kanye has a plan and it is yet to unfold. lets wait and see!
Fuck u not just ok.. saying that kids with african parents.. you guys are bastards.. dont ever disrespect our fathers name… I was born in the U.S.. I grew up with the culture.. and also both of my parents are Nigerian.. So that makes me Nigerian by BLOOD.. you guys can go suck on a camel's dick…useless villagers… and dont think i wont hesitate to tell you how i feel in person.. I will show you what a child of a Nigerian can do.. And little do you know Nigerian Music is starting to turn Mainstream dumbasses… Do your research before putting up useless nonsense.. idiots..!!!
Even u useless cows.. dont even know what yall are saying.. how can i even take u serious when you guys only have about 50,000 ppl come to yalls page a day.. thats nothing.. Just like you guys are.. NOTHING.. I can insult you O!!.. This is coming from a Nigerian Artist who is doing it in America.. and one day you will hear Nigerian Music on mainstream.. even self in Atlanta they are play Nigerian Music on the radio.. you guys are dumb.. but continue to be a fan..
I am still shocked that yall put that up there.. wow.. to tell me I'm not Nigerian cuz i was born in Yankee.. smh.. Dont worry .. Fuck a Blog dog , cuz one day we going to meet.. all of you.. I GUARANTEE it.. Ive supported you guys since you 1st started.. Words cant express my rage.. but trust I will let it be known.. you guys should really watch what you say.. yall dont travel with body guards.. so dont act like you guys cant be touched.. I know what you guys look like and believe I will LET IT BE KNOWN.. Useless pigs
Just for clarification I'm a she 😉
AJ i totally agree with you.i was amazed when i heard Asa playing in starbucks in calgary, canada a few weeks ago.However music is diversifying now and most people are embracing new styles of music which encouraged the Kanye west – D"banj combo,people are tired of the same old stuff so any thing is possible these days.
1 word. BULLSHITTING
Wow some people seriously crucified the writer, He made some valid points but I think it was a bit harsh to say that naija music will never be mainstream. It could be in the right context. Also so what if the people listening to it are 1st or 2nd generation naija people, when reggae first came to America it was listened to by 1st and 2nd generation carribean. Look at it now. I think we shouldnt rush to try and become mainstream in America, lets spread our music through Africa, if anyone wants to listen they will come.
the reasons you gave might be tru..but wat i don't agree with is the fact that you said it will neva, common man don't you blive in change…anything can happen…
DUDE this article has a good direction but lacks substance and unconvincing evidence to back it up. Tot African queen smashed ur idea of "mainstream" that song hardly had any pidgen in it doh
if this is ur dissertation abstract, sorry its an F
well first, this is all shit cause Jamaican music does well here and it fits in to all the shit u just talked bout, the culture, the feel, the intonations, everything, and while your Asa part of the article makes a lot of sense, you're still very wrong, ASA is very much a Nigerian artist, where she's signed to doesn't matter, do you know how many Nigerians are back in Nigeria cause they couldn't break into the US and Europe and get deals over there, these peoplewere born there too oo? Also, all that about her interviews being in french and all relates to europe. I for one has Heard ASA's "Be My Man" in a forever 21 outlet at the Katy Mills outlet in Katy TX in the US, so is not like she just does well in Europe. Again, while your article makes sense, its still very void cause if not you would notice the improvement in Nigerian music getting to mainstream America in the past years. If I wrote an Article on Kanye West ever signing an African Act 5 years ago, it most likely would have made sense then. While we're not quite mainstream, the signs of that coming to an end soon are obvious, I mean you just look at Nigerian music from 2000 till date and tell me you still feel the same
i really have a lot to dispute ooo!!!!
@OP: You said as your first point that ; 'Nigerian Artistes sing in languages and use phrases and terminology unfamiliar to most Americans'. But you do agree with me that Nigerian Artistes are a continental success,now tell me this…Oleku was sung in Yoruba,pidgin and English,yet the song was big in Kenya,Tanzania,Zambia etc,do these countries speak Yoruba or pidgin? Flavours Ashawo remix is without doubt one of the biggest songs in east and central Africa for 2011,the song was done in Igbo and pidgin. I've not even mentioned Psquare,Tuface,Dbanj or Naeto C. So,in other words,your first point is not valid.
Here's another SHOCKER,Nigerian music has ALREADY started penetrating the American market,unfortunately,African American music moguls are now at the fore front of trying hard to bring down Naija music. The Business Savvy AA's like Kanye West and Jay Z have already started embracing Nigerian Acts because they've already seen the future,though we may still suspect their motives. The BET stuff is just one avenue at subtly convincing African Americans that Naija music is no good. I want to refer you to a prominent American music website <a href="http://www.worldstarhiphop.com,in” target=”_blank”>www.worldstarhiphop.com,in that website,they are fond of constantly uploading low grade Nigerian or Ghanaian music videos of 1990s and claiming that its recent production from Nigeria. Specifically check out this link and observe the comments: http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v….
Finally,if our Naija music acts sustain their quality and creativity,the sky will just be their stepping stone.
notjust ok is yanning dust today sha…there was no need for this long lecture, it was quite obvious already…to break into the american market you simply have to do what is commercial in america and african music isnt commercial in africa so it was quite obvious…..p.s you are being very shallow by saying its only africans/black people that listen to nigerian music, thats a big lie, im a dj in the u.k and i know, do proper research before posting an article…lots of love
Before i forget,all this talk about FELA, NNEKA, ASA etc. Truly,they have found favour in European and American markets,but do you all know why? FELA and co,were made popular by their lyrics which most times focuses on the stereo types about Africa i.e corruption,poverty,hardship etc. this goes down well with oyinbos,thats their own version of real African music. However,new generation Nigerian acts like Tuface,Psquare,MI and co,tend to sing more and use lyrics centred on COSMOPOLITAN Africa. They sing about sexy AFRICAN women,making bIg MONEY in Africa,driving the best cars..etc. This type of music is very hard for many oyinbos to swallow because they have never been exposed to this other side of Africa. Hope u guys get my point?
COMPLEX!!!
This a lil racy , n dont talk like you no tomorrow , even if we think we know everything about 9ja musicians ,there swag of music n all that ,superstars emerge all time boi .so quit talking like you dont want to see their hits stream on mtv2, amtv ,sucker free , bet … u lil bitch.
@ AJCiti got you though but dont like the way u talk this whole thing out , /why-naija-music-will-never-be-mainstream-in-america/ sounds more like a curse. Migrated 9ja talents go make it there n go hard , believe that sucker
Stop giving these teenagers a platform to speak on topics they know little or nothing about. This is a consumer's analysis, a basic one at that. I'm highly disappointed in Ovie and Mola for posting this.
@Ajcity nice try but your article has no real evidence but speculation negative facts trying to discourage the nigerian music based on other counter parts failure Kpop ish A canadian for example will laugh all through watching a Kpop artist video on MTV, but play a nigerian song she will ask you to dance and teach her. Try and see if you have the chance then tell me on twitter i lied lol… S/O to everyone that liked @iKillCuriosity Comment. Now my own opinion : Nigerian music has grown from time to time till date, We Nigerians home and or abroad ooo mmm we all relate to our roots, and influence your next man with what the country got to offer, ask yourself whoever you have told about nigerian music did they reject or embrace it… Una know how many oyinbo do hin own Oliver Twist videos lol Naija is so there …. Thats "Movement with growth " Which is what Nigerian Music does… We the Nigerians ourselves have never bn bored, rather yearly we have bn thrilled entertained so much with different styles. Which is simply what the american market wants for entertainment, to be thrilled entertained with something new giving the masses "EntertainmentSatisfaction" No matter the language you speak, Music is creating a melodious sound, and or feeling that either makes the listener sit think , or to get fired up and dancing, This is what Nigerian music is about. "American Main Stream " Is an understatement. Worldwide Stream dt one self dey lol.. We are so there. You should go to Asia (Japan,HongKong, Malaysia, Singapore,China self) , Europe (Germany, Spain, Portugal, England, even France France ) They are all screaming Nigeria please infect us with your music, ask our musicians which country them never go to perform askkk na try and see lol. Which is what the so called american wants something thrilling new get them going crazy musicologically (MyOwnMade Oyinbo) lol. Bet not showing the cypha and all that, they know what they are doing. They tell you do this, they going showcase it yet they don't. What you do gotta do as a person , people, and or company? Get upset? ish! or sit do something better make em feel wrong for not showcasing then tomorrow they help propel your progress with how you did not give up with the discouragements and now you are here .. Una know say Oyinbo like drama story u know trips lol. If you believe Nigerian Music will go as far as when a Nigeria will be Hosting VMA's and BET's awards Like this and or follow to listen to my jonizing dancehall on my twitter page… Nigerian Music Is SO there… Abeg make una follow me oooo… I hail. Enuf Respec tu all.
y'all should stfu!!
Now dat's what i'm talking about!!
you are right but what we need is promotion.for example d'banj collabo with snoop i xpected it to have gone far but i only saw the collabo as oppression within their colleague here at home.look for instance when this foreign act came to naija for a concert i xpected the organizers to at least make them do one or two collabo with our own artiste and make sure they will promote it they can just come and eat our money and go even they have this type agreement within then there if i make u a star what will be my gain.so the organizers concert should take note.
All the Naija rappers on that cypher were wack, that is why it didnt get on. If people want to pretend that they afe nice in Nigeria then thats alright, but i know that ALL Naija rappers can't compete internationally with lyrics maybe SDC but no one else comes close
I'm sorry for you… Describe a good rapper (Solja boy abi?)…
Thank you for making this point… Unlike some people that don't understand what's going on… We need to create our own empire (African) then they will come searching…
ur kinda over reacting….if u wanted to share ur opinion you didnt have to be all belligerent about it …it kinda makes u come off unsenseable
u are so right on that inference .. what the ignorant people up here dont know is that it is increadibly difficult to make it in america ….. even miliions and millions of people are trying to make it here and they cant ..and those poeple are even america …yes it can be that they are the sameole sameole but coming form someone that lives in the states know how icredibly hard it is to make it out here…yes i know that nigerian music is effin hot…i can go 3 months w/o lisening to american music but i dnt think i can go a full day w/o lisenig to my countrys music …but that is because i am yoruba and i know what the artists are saying when they talk….and i have been in america long egnough to understand how closed minded and ignorant some african americans and caucasains can be. this doesnt meann that 9ja music will never make it but it is not gonna be overnight. but i just cant believe why some poeple up here even the one in america or london are being so rude an ignorant…"just showing them selves up here…smh"
i dnt see y because naija dosent have there own cypher that proves ur point i dnt see kpop musicians or jpop or indie pop musicians win mobo or mtv awards nigeria all the right to go mainstream and it will go mainstream coz we dnt just sing from begining to end in our dilect most of it is in english and wasnt it naija who mad afro-pop which is now known worldwide so dnt say that naija will never go mainstreamit is actually possible coz were known mostly everywhere so dnt say never keep on saying dat mainstream is coming our way buh another gd topic to bring up in the nigerian music industry
see mainstream media is controlled by the mainstream machines if we want to get into the american main stream we need to join to propagate their message.
Highly pessimistic vantage point..
Quick questions..
– What is really mainstream?
– Why did American music become so trendy ( Leaders of the free world ?)?
– Why is the american culture globally accepted ?
– Origin of hip hop and acceptance?
Delve into more granular details, your eureka might be lurking.
lol exactly their point mugu. naijas dont act like that…u sounding very akata-ish lol quoting rick ross n shit lol
Highly pessimistic vantage point..
Quick questions….
– What is mainstream?
– Why is American music globally accepted ( Leaders of the free world?) ?
– Why is American culture generally accepted? (Even when they have a lower dollar rating )
– What is the origin of hip hop and how did it get accepted ?
Delve into more granular details, you might have that optimistic eureka
MAGANA: ICE PRINCE IS A SMALL BOY, 2FACE IS THE ONLY ARTISTE IN AFRICA, 9JA ARTISTE STOP WANTING TO GO TO AMERICA, SING YUR SONG IN AFRICA, MAKE YUR MONEY, AMERICA WILL FIND YU ONE DAY.
I still maintain that this is complete BULLSHIT. If Gyptian can go mainstream what stops Psquare or wande cole.
P.S: I still think Dbanj will NOT represent at G.O.O.D Music. Wande cole should have been the person signed
Biased writing, we cant deny you of your right to an opinion. Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one ; but not all matter.Cheers
It's a FOOL'S DREAM
But then nothing wrong with dreaming…
As long as you remember to WAKE UP!
i didnt even boda to read further cos apparently u knw lil abt d influence of culture in music….. rubbish
The Person That Owns This Post is just BEING ignorant Since We are Nigerians Why Shouldn't we sing in our own language ??? Eg Fally Ipupa sang in his own language and he was accepted in Nigeria and America he even did a song wif eve of G-unit …same as cabo snoop!…i see no reason why Nigerian song must be streamed in America !!!And If You Don't Know They Are Playing Nigerian Songs On The Radio and TV In America and sure you got this your post from some discussion group and you felt the next thing to do is make your self feel like someone who knows the industry well! Get Busy Nigerian Music Is World Wide!
Whoever wrote this article will not live to see Naija music go mainstream!
I av seen naija music grow from nothing to something, we now rule in africa. The african market alone is a huge achievement. . .
Shit is a gradual process. . .
I like the way u foolishly played down the Asa, Nneka, D'banj scenario with ur big and meaningless grammer just to suit ur myopic line of thought. . .
AND PLS LET IT STICK IN UR HEAD THAT EVERY COUNTRY HAS ITS MARKET. . AMERICA JUST HAPPENS TO BE FAR AHEAD, DSNT MAKE THEM MAINSTREAM!
How many american artiste will sellout at African shows like 2face and Psquare?
im leaving this comment after just reading reason #1 first of all Jamaican music is main stream in america so y cant African music do the same.. however the reason it will not go mainstream is cause of the production. we need to let go of the sticks and drums/high life sound and start singing on a beat a lady gaga would sing on or Brittany spears but in our language.. "Sean Paul" and Shaggy is not real Jamaican music, they are Mainstream Jamaican music.. we need our own "Main Stream African Music" right now all we have is real Nigerian music
Americans export music, they barely import music which is the sad fact. Shove it up your ass naija mofos!
errrr. Sir, I think Lift Off sounded Ibo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can't say it doesn't have a 9ja feel. Everyone i know thinks it does
my broda the reason kpop or jpop dnt win MOBO awards is because MOBO stands for (M)usic (Of) (B)lack (O)rigin so its no suprise if african artiste win 1,same as BET, Black Ent. Television.
We dnt need collaboration to go mainstream.The likes of bob marley,damian marleyand fela did not do any collabo to go mainstream so i dnt see any reason why collaboration should be an option
Look when BET asks for a Cypher, they want to see what ur continent is made of, but noooooooooo they had to pack fake – ass copy copy rappers there, ofcos BET wasn't gonna show any African ish in the first place, learn from the Ghanians and please AjCiti should go and listen to Brymo's Ara and keep his mouth shut. maga!
wayray the guy wanted to fuck u hahahahahahaha
GOD bless u for this comment.i have listened to nas and damian marleys album called "distant relatives" and all the songs on that album were sampled 4rm african artistes and thats nt even all,jay z remixed his roc boys song with fela's beat.these american have nothing else to offer so the resort to sampling african beats.So whoever that tinks african music or naija music wont go mainstream is on a JONZING WORLD
this article is biased and based of your opinion. nija music is still in its infant stage give it time. if sean paul can do it why cant the likes of mi and dbanji do it?
the caribbean artist have from long time ago established a place in american mainstream
Why are we so concerned with being accepted in mainstream america?? As me for me..I no care wetin america thinks They don't own the art & gift of music….Beside it's only money that motivates a lot of this mainstream in america.
FELA/NNEKA/ASA, they're mainstream to a certain extent. Their sound is alternative…not commercial music.
you probably won't hear their songs in the clubs. Why do you ppl want to be accepted by USA so much?? they are just humans like you & I…abeg if yankee people no like Naija music, na by force??
Ghana-ppl no dey complain, Congo-ppl no dey complain..Let us love our music.
**BREAKING NEWS** Did anyone see Naija cypher on the BET Hip Hop Award tonight?
YESSS we all did. Not one but two cyphers (Males and Females)…
Mayb u shud be more patient next time, Black Belle
Hey! don"t call me such. 2. this guy is not a gay get ur fact right next time… his blessed with 4 lovely kids and ncase u dont know his a racist when with comes to homosexual!
Basically the writer of this article is an asshole…probs working 9am-5pm in foreign country….majority of them fink like a fool
Dude who wrote this article (Y). wth do we need the American market in the 1st place. Hw mny bloody americans knw don jazzy and d banj sef. Yu pple shld sthu and stop being stupidly and overly optimistic about smtn impossible
I dey read and laff…!
Since when did Shaggy do raggaeton?
My points exactly and I doubt there's any way I could have said it better.
dude to say this blog was crap wud be a euphemism…for real…plus yea we all saw the cypher on the bet hip hop awards, abi they took light in ur area?? or u no get dstv??….dont bag on ma nigerian homeboys mehn…sayin we cant go mainstream in the u.s…thats popeycock mehn….berra go and write on rabbit fertility or road traffic,.stop makin noise abeg….mtschewwwwwwww
They only showed it on the BET that was shown in Nigeria. The one that was shown here did not include the naija cypher…..i.e Americans didn't get to see any of all that.
hate it or love dis article said it all i think we shud stay true to our own culture and not emulating americans since americans dont give a eish bout our music
I refused to say anything all this while because i wanted to be sure about this AJCiti Girl that was just approved into this NJO Blog from no where. I noticed her Comments on all NJO Post & i guess she was famzing to get a job on here but yeahs he got it. I learnt that she's a Nigerian Canadian, o i will not blame her much for thi Article. Let jut say she dont know anything about Nigeria Music because Fela on Broadway Nowww should have told her alot that this her Article is Meaningless. But thank God Uduak of same NJO wrote on her own Blog 13 Reasons Why Naija Music will go Mainstream in America. http://africamusiclaw.com/2011/10/13-reasons-why-… …I will not say much but Please AJCiti i want u to read this then take your Pad & Pen again to Rewrite another Article… No Disrespect But u didnt follow Naija Music from Day1. i guess u just started. God bless u
Don't just come up here and tell up celine dion learnt her english 2days before leaving for US…She was born and bred in Canada…Dumbass they only speak ENG over there… The article is right but i want yall to know we re trying our best and write it down…Sooner or later the americans will come appreciate our music like they appreciated Bob Marley's song… Proud to be 9ja
The author of this story is just a pessimist.
Why are Nigerian music loved in other african countries?Do they really understand our culture?
why was 9ce gongo aso so popular even to non yoruba speaking people all around the world?
Does Dbanj signing to GOOD music make him an American Artist?
This article was not articulated very well. I appreciate the fact that you went for a shocking and controversial topic, but your evidence was not substantial enough defend the gravity of your initial claim. Asa may be signed to a european label but if you ask somebody in England who asa is you may just get a response in contrast, ask somebody in Nigeria who asa is, they will give you a biography! the place of her birth is irrelevant, she is nigerian. I have lived in England all my life and i dare anybody to tell me whether or not im nigerian, I am indeed a songwriter and producer and if i want to make an afrobeat and yan the razzest pidgin i can think of, i will do so, if i get international credits on the back of that, i do so as a nigerian. People in the poorest most distant villages in naija listen to american hip hop, what happend to the language barrier??? none of these artists say "what it do?" to greet their parents. If they dont understand, we'll make 'em understand. I understand some of your points, but your argument only carries enough weight to explain why naija music cant be mainstream NOW. I personally wouldn't like to bet against us. be careful sha
OMG the breaking news was so funny … the article is awesome mehn… 9ja music will never appeal 2 dem .. PERIOD!
I live in the U. S. this article is true, here you can't proud to say you're nigerian or you from africa they'll take as a bush person. Even the black americans curse africans and called them all sorts of names, and they denounce that they originated from africa. A lot of people have asked me how I learned english, if we have cars, do we live on or in trees, do wild animals walk around with us. Just to mention a few. Don't think that because Nigeria is so popular in Africa means it is also popular in america. During business transactions, if you aver mention you're nigerian, they won't do business with you.
I live in the US. The USA version of BET Cypher did not air the Nigerian Cypher.
How many countries do we have in Africa?,,,Large enuff to make a star rich,,,,we should concentrate on the african market and to hell with the americans and their songs,,,,european songs to me are of heritage and culture,,,,if you trace most musician that are very good,not all these new generation noise makers that brand themselves as rappers,,,,,you would see all of them came in other countries,,,,its just a winning team thing in america,plenty of their rappers n music no pass their hood,but i know people in south africa ,morrocoo,armsterdam,,know MI,least to talk about TU-baba,,,,Abeg!,Abeg!!,Abeg!!!
you're so ignorant. celine dion is from quebec. and they only speak french there.
please the naija cypher did not air in the US. and no one outside africa knows what dstv is. lol. someone tells you the truth you don't like to hear and you insult them
i'm sorry but selling out a concert hall is nowhere near the same as getting air time. you pay the venue for the use of their facilities, but you don't pay a broadcaster to air your music. which means that if dbanj could sell out the O2 arena (not the indigo, that's a joke, even a dot sold out a similar sized venue), or madison square garden, it wouldn't make him mainstream. it just means that there are enough nigerians to buy tickets. artists from all over the world sell out arenas and play to 30000 people and you never hear about it because the countries they came from are represented here. and if the venue gets their money, it's all good. and as long as that is the case no self respecting broadcaster in the western hemisphere is going to put Nyce on BBCR1. Indian movies sell out at theaters in Chicago and New York, but you'll never hear a squeak about them on mainstream tv. go see a bollywood movie in london or in chicago. the place is packed. full. full of indians and "culturally sensitive" white people. doesn't mean bollywood movies are mainstream in the US or the UK. they're not. stop dreaming.
You simply explains it all. And no one with his
Right sences wil will argue it, as a record labe
We are working towards making that musical
Change in NIgeria.
You simply explains it all. And no one with his
Right sences wil will argue it, as a record labe
We are working towards making that musical
Change in NIgeria.
wel i as time goes on Americans and Europeans will begin to fel our artists very because artist like PSQUARE are working hard towards that.
I agree with this article you might as well just stay in your country and make music to the ppl that will appreciate it better
I agree with this article you might as well just stay in your country and make music to the ppl that will appreciate it better
I BEG!!!
Now I see una don craze for dis your yeye talk. Make I tell you, for your nonsense wey u dey scatter for dis area, u no dey get position to com talk about the whole music industry. naija music is for african people, anyone else wey dey listen na their own WAHALA!
Where you see CANTs and WONTS others see CANs and WILLs…..there is nothing wrong with trying to break new ground. I will always support Naija artistes trying to go worldwide.
Saying it is NOT possible without putting in the required effort is the sure way to NOT SUCCEED
This article is right.believe it or not.have you ever thought about why Akon as never been nominated for Grammy awards?he claims to be African…they will never appreciate African music and even if they do, not Nigerian music for sure .cry or believe it.not that we are whack but they just don't like us.my brother who lives in USA once told me his colleague daughter always refuse to hug him,then my brother asked her why…then she boldly says if she hugs my brother her cloth will be stained.imagine they even value cloth more than us.wake up Naija
I disagree because I love the music not just there but from all over we as people meaning Black have to see each others as true brothers and sisters no matter which side of the world we are from, music makes my day go great when I am down, even my friends listen to a lot of your artist and if I don't know the words I will ask my naija sister it is always playing in my car Joe-El is one of my favorite and a host of others I have had the pleasure of being in naija with friends and what I saw was not poor people but people with heart and with more riches than they think or anyone else in the world think I was raised to love and treat all people with respect and that's how I live my life and some of your artist are doing great in the USA (so I say big up to the ones that believe and have the faith.
I'm impressed, I must say. Rarely do I come across a blog that's both equally educative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the head.
The problem is something which not enough men and women are speaking intelligently
about. I am very happy that I found this in my hunt for something regarding this.
I strongly disagree! I am American, and wondered myself why more of the Naija music is not here. I would like to say first and foremost that African Americans (at least not any that I know) do not hate Africans, or would rather accept their slave roots rather than associate with Africa. I almost hit the roof when I saw that. The one thing that people have that we African Americans will never have is the simple fact that you do kow where you come from. We do not. To date, have no real way of finding out. Sure they can get close, but I will never know exactly wherwe it is I originated. So for that, be proud! As far as the artists over here being better, I disagree. Let me tell you how I first discovered Naija music. I was watching a video on You Tube. Her name was Peakmill, and there are others, but they always play music in the background of their tutorials. I heard this song, and I was like, damn, what is that. So , I strted investigating, because hse always puts the names of the artists, and the name of the song in her videos. It was Don Jazzy and Wande Coal, "The Kick". I was like, I must have that song, that opened my eyes to alot od music that I didnot know even existed. People it is simpley that Naija music is not getting the exposure. Make more You Tube videos, and include the names of the artists and the names of the songs. I have been listening to a lot of your music in the last few weeks, and fill as thought I have missed out on alot of music. I love it, as I know alot of others will too. You all just need to get exposed to the people in the USA. As far as the Pidgin talk, that would only play a small factor. Who does not want to learn new words? So if the Nigerian artists would always make videos, and include the meanings of the Pidgin words in Parenthesis, then that would be great, before you know it, it will all be understood, and you would have a huge fan base, begging for more of this music to be played over here in the states. It is stupid to continue to compare Nigerian music to music and artists from the USA. Variety is better. Have something different to offer, and not the same old thing that we listen to over hear everyday. We need something new! Make it your point to be that something new. But do not believe for one second that we do not want to bong with our Nigerian, Ghana brothers and sisters. We do!
Love your point nd yes to hell wit Americans nd dia songs
Dats d point, I strongly believe in ur own point view nd I blv all Nigeria should
I'm right there with you. My family and I just watch hidden colors vol. 1 &2 recently and as a 32 year old African American successful female living in Charleston SC I had to make it my business to educate myself about myself and train myself to be a Queen in a country that see you as a peasant or bottom dweller, which changed my whole outlook on everything because I view things from the throne now not from the crowd. In saying all of that I have taught my children the same and teaching them to circulate the dollar with our own. In doing that they started to want to wear their hair out and those Disney Channels have turned into you tube videos about Mansa Musa and The Moors and I love it. #doingmyparttobringbackroyalty
Very interesting article. This is true but I will like to say never say never because the world is getting smaller by the day. What we need to understand is that the American music industry is well structured that it's been controlled by a cartel. If a Nigerian artist gets a nod from this cartel, a break into the mainstream is possible. I've worked with a few producers in America who see the potential in Africa art. We also discussed setting up a record label to cater for African artists in Atlanta.
What I believe we need to do is to be more creative with our music and expand our horizon. Nigerian music is thinning out into one genre called "Naija pop" this will not help our industry.
I've heard A&Rs over there talk about pure Afro beat, juju and highlife music. America continue to embrace all forms of their musical art while we depend on one form.
We need to all come together and have a summit on how to move this industry forward. It has the potential to sustain itself even without international success. Nigerian music industry needs a strong structure that will give all stakeholders a sense of belonging. I'm talking about songwriters, musicians, producers, tour agents etc.
If we don't build our industry and make it attractive to the world, all the singular attempts to break the jinx will be almost impossible.
There is no way you can sing in yoruba, igbo or hausa and expect to run the music industry in the US. That's a proven fact. Shakira, Celine dion and Enrique had to sing in English to get heard in spite of the US french and Spanish speaking populace.
But again NEVER SAY NEVER!
As an African American I listen to Naija music more than Raggae! Its so much better and the beats are far more diverse in my opinion. Nigeria has a house music feel and thats where Naija needs to gain their American audience from. Not Rap and R&B because its a hurting genre in America.
I was wondering if you ever thought of changing the page layout of your blog? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having one or two images. Maybe you could space it out better?
Nice article by the way MissAJ.