TV host and Blogger Emma Ugolee gave reasons why Wizkid, Davido and Olamide are the best music acts in Nigeria of today, following the footsteps of their predecessors King sunny Ade, Pasuma Obesere and lots of other relevant legendary acts that mainly from southwest.
According to Emma, He said the Trios outstanding performances in the Music Industry is mainly because of the support they get from southwest region, which is rubbing off bit by bit on other regions in Nigeria.
However, the success of these act is undeniably due to their consistency, hard work and structure on which they glide on.
Music business Network Ng replied Mr Emma's post:...
- musicbusinessnetworkng@emmaugolee Nice perspective. Although the idea that the Southwest support their artistes is only one side of the truth behind the phenomenon you have described.
By nature, the language of expression will automatically determine the audience or consumer community. So it's natural also that a language community will embrace musical content in their primary/mother language first. Coincidentally, Lagos State is a Yoruba state and at the same time the nerve centre of the culture/entertainment industries in Nigeria; it therefore seems that Yoruba language especially in the music industry has become the unofficial language of transaction/legitimization as far as the commodification of music is concerned.
In terms of the language of expression and community connection, look at the renaissance going on with the use of indigenous language among Afro hip-hop artistes, Phyno and Flavour now have huge market and followership from East just as much as Olamide does in the Southwest.
The other side is a much deeper one with roots that are steep in cultural consumption and appreciation for music as an integral aspect of socialisation among the Yoruba speaking people. This means that beyond the normal model of music consumption that is established in the "music industry" i.e. CD sales, download, streaming, live, publishing etc; there is a submodel of social music consumption popularly known as "owambe" that is well pronounced among the Yorubas and historically enculturated in their societal/traditional fabric.
This particular aspect influenced the musical careers of artistes like Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Wasiu Ayinde and loads of others to mention a few. It is this culture that the new generation artistes of southwest origin are also benefitting from.
I believe this cultural trait and other factors are responsible for this perception not just about the Southwest "supporting" their own for the sake of supporting, or artiste from one region working harder than others. I always enjoy your thoughts...
- See Emma's I.G post: below. .
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