From its origin
in the streets of Lagos, popular music in Nigeria took its root from African
pop, bringing in influences and instruments from many ethnic groups and
traditional music stylings. Despite the destructive attempts of the Atlantic
Slave Trade coupled with foreign
religion and culture of the ‘Potokis’
(Portuguese), Nigerian music established itself and became prevalent in the
life of its people.
Nigerian music
began to wear a new face with the influences of several cultures and music
genres of the twentieth century; from the Waltz to the Tango, Rock ‘n’ Roll to
Jazz, even South America’s Calypso to the Cha Cha. Traditional Nigerian
heritage coupled with the influences of the emerging century birthed motivation
and creation of what we call Nigerian music today.
Nigerian music,
high life, afro beat, afro pop, afro fusion and the like remain highly
entertaining, inspirational and deeply entrenched in culture. A composition of
art imitating life and life imitating art, embraced not only by its natives but
spanning across the continent and now the globe. Welcome to the heart of
African music.
Welcome to the
future!
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