Nigerian musical artistes have made immeasurable contributions to the music industry, making Nigeria Africa’s biggest depot of talented, creative, and successful musical artistes. These artistes have taken the art of singing beyond the shores of West Africa and Africa as a whole, having their career blazing high above the skies.
However, there are some Nigerian artistes who once took the centre stage but nothing much is heard of them again. Their light appears to have dimmed. Below are 8 of such artistes.
Eedris AbdulKareem
Ex-Remedies star, Eedris AbdulKareem was one of the founding fathers of hip hop music in Nigeria. He is a famous, creative and talented rapper, popularly known as Mr Remedy.
Born into a polygamous family in Kano, to a father from Ilesha, Osun State, and mother, from Ogun State, he began his professional music career in 1996 and was signed to Kennis Music alongside 2face Idibia.
Eedris AbdulKareem was famous for criticizing the Nigerian government and its institutions, for this reason, many of his hit songs were banned from being played on Radio but could be aired in clubs.
He was once regarded as the foremost rapper in the Nigerian music industry with some unforgettable songs such as Oko Omoge, Mr Lecturer, Jaga Jaga, Clean Up Naija, Oko Ashewo, among others. He released ‘Trouble Dey Sleep’ featuring Konga in 2016. But now nothing is heard of him again.
Black Face
Augustine Ahmedu, aka Blackface, was a founding member of the Nigerian band Plantashun Boyz in 2000 with Tuface (also known as 2face Idibia) and Chibuzor Oji (better known as Faze).
During the days of the plantation boys, Blackface was one of the big things in the Nigerian music industry but he lost all after the group broke up with each deciding to go solo.
Blackface, however, made a comeback with a hit song titled “Erimma” which was his first and last hit song since he became a solo act.
Blackface later accused his then musical partner, 2face of stealing one of his best songs, ‘African Queen,’ one of the biggest evergreen songs in Africa. No one took him seriously since he couldn’t provide enough evidence to back up his claims. He went further to release his own version of the song.
Ever since this incidence of theft, blackface has been struggling with his career, though he has released a couple of songs.
Lord of Ajasa
Another one of the Nigerian artistes that have sadly faded into oblivion is Lord of Ajasa. He was a legendary Nigerian Afro hip hop artiste.
He is widely referred to the pioneer of Yoruba rap, setting the pace for rappers like late Da Grin, Olamide, Reminisce, Baseone, Jhybo, Oladips, Seriki, Zlatan and many more.
Born Segun Osaniyi, he was given the stage name ‘Lord of Ajasa’ (Lord of Flavor) in his polytechnic days in Ondo State, where he majored in Quantity Survey. As a potent lyricist, he made hip to rap trendy in Yoruba dialect, inspiring many upcoming acts to follow in his footsteps. Ajasa hit limelight with the track, “Ma yi lo” in 2000.
Lord of Ajasa then came through with hit singles, Otiya, Esa lo bade, Ara Awe, Otiya and Le fe nuso, featuring Nigerian singer, 9ice, before Dagrin came with ‘Pon Pon Pon’ and took the game to an entirely different level.
He was the most sought after artiste both by promoters and fellow artistes alike headlining and featuring in various prime events in Nigeria. He was recently in the news when he was critically ill and needed funds to undergo an urgent peptic ulcer operation.
Kenny Saint Brown
Popularly known as KSB, Kenny Saint Brown is a multiple award-winning artiste before she went on to become an entrepreneur, author, life coach, and a politician.
Born in Ago Iwoye, Ijebu to the family of Late Chief Felix and Otunba Leticia Ogungbe, she jettisoned a career in oil and gas industry for music.
The talented singer was waxing stronger even when some other gospel stars were disappearing from the landscape.
Her unforgettable songs include ‘Turn Around’ featuring Da Grin, ‘Baba Ara,’ ‘Moti Goke’ featuring Terry G; ‘Alaye’ featuring Ice Prince, among others.
Sunny Neji
For music lovers who are beginning to appreciate good music, Sunny Neji is probably part of the old generation you should consider checking because of his “Traditional highlife” style.
Sunny Neji was born in Lagos, to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Neji; Sunny, the youngest of five kids. He began to sing at an early stage. As a young boy, he participated in cultural performances while in school and by 1987 he ventured into recording earning a reputation in the jingle-production scene in no time.
His debut album, ‘Captain’ on EMI was released in 1991, before he went on to join Colors Band with which he performed as the lead singer for five years. In 1997 with the release of his sophomore set ‘Mr. Fantastik,’ the album sold hugely and won numerous awards for the artiste.
He went on to drop other amazing works, such as Tribute Album To The Legendary Sir, Victor Uwaifo with his reinterpretation of the classic ‘Joromi,’ ‘Wake up!’ in 2003 to challenge Nigeria to vote right in the general election. These special projects helped to set the tune for his fourth full-length album unchained, with Oruka and Face Me.
Sunny Neji was described as Nigeria’s Luther Vandross, whose beautiful love songs are enjoyed by everyone, old and young. His hit single “Oruka”; still remains a dream song for every couple walking down the aisle in Nigeria.
Paul Play Dairo
Even if the younger generation does not listen to him, Paul Play Dairo is still a living Afro music legend. Known for his soft-spoken vocals, the son of Nigerian artiste bandleader, I. K. Dairo who was the father of juju music for his role in establishing that musical style, eventually displaced West African high life as Nigeria’s national sound.
Like his father, Paul’s music genre revolves around high life, but he added Gospel, R&B, and Soul to the mix as well. He knows how to serenade his listeners’ right, and expresses it with the simplest of lyrics to convey his message of affection.
His song titled, ‘Angel of my life’ was one of all-time popular classics, where he expressed all the emotions and feelings he has for the woman in his life, and how he would be without her. But he has faded from the scene.
Tony Tetuila
Anthony Olanrewaju Awotoye, popularly known as ‘Tony Tetuila’ is another successful Afro hip hop artiste, formerly a member of The Remedies (along with Eedris Abdulkareem and Eddy Montana), he split with the group and went on to established himself as a successful solo musician.
He hails from Kwara State and is best known for his song, ‘My Car’, where he shaded his former labelmate Eedris Abdulkareem, and pay homage to Bola Tinubu, the Lagos state governor at the time. He went on to drop other hit songs such as ‘Only You,’ ‘Iseju Kan,’ ‘My Heart Go jigi jigi,’ ‘Omode Meta.’
Nothing was heard from him again musically. In 2014, Tony Tetuila ran for political office for the House of Assembly of Kwara State as a candidate of the All Progressives Congress, but lost.
Terry G
Terry G, an eccentric singer, and producer can be credited for taking the hip hop music to the street with his ‘madness style’. He has been described as “one of the world’s weirdest singers and craziest musicians in Nigeria,” by Nigerian media.
The singer, whose name is Gabriel Oche Amanyi was born in Benue State and began his professional music in 2006. He brought a new kind of flavour to the music scene, carving a niche for himself, as a talented singer with a hyper-energetic style of music delivery.
Freestyling on a beat he had produced for other Nigerian artistes, his infectious beat and melody of most of his songs could not be overlooked.
Terry G grunted his way to stardom with a worrisome trend that the likes of Naira Marley, Zlatan, Qdot and others have carried on with.
Some of his ‘crazy’ songs from the ‘Ginjah Master’s that shut down Nigerian airwaves at its prime, includes ‘Free madness,’ ‘Run Mad,’ ‘Akpako Master,’ ‘See groove,’ and ‘Sangalo pt 2.’ He has also faded from the scene.
