Igbo highlife is a contemporary musical genre which combines

highlife Highlife is a music genre that started in present-day Ghana in the 19th century, during its history as a colony of the British Empire and through its trade routes in coastal areas. It describes multiple local fusions of African metre and wester ...

and Igbo traditional music. It first started off in the southeast region of Nigeria, during the 1920s in Lagos. The genre is primarily guitar-based music, with rare characteristic blend of horns and vocal rhythms. Igbo highlife lyrics are sung mostly in Igbo with occasional infusion of

Pidgin English Pidgin English is a non-specific name used to refer to any of the many pidgin languages derived from English. Pidgins that are spoken as first languages become creoles. English-based pidgins that became stable contact languages, and which have ...

. One of the most influential composers and performers of the music is

Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe (March 17, 1936 – May 11, 2007), often referred to as just Osita Osadebe, was a Nigerian highlife musician from Atani. During his career spanning over four decades, he became one of the best known musicians of I ...

whose career spanned over 40 years. Osadebe's discography comprises numerous popular songs including the 1984 hit "Osondi Owendi" which launched him on the world stage as a pioneer of the Igbo highlife genre. Singer guitarist Oliver De Coque is considered "one of the prime exemplars of and chief innovators in contemporary Igbo popular music." Coque was responsible for the increasing popularity of Igbo highlife with a style influenced by Congolese guitar flavor. Among his best known hits are "Biri Ka Mbiri", "Ana Enwe Obodo Enwe", "Nnukwu Mmanwu" and "Identity", all of which were largely successful throughout the 1980s. Other early performers in the genre who have made significant contributions to its development are, Ali Chukwuma,

Bright Chimezie Bright Chimezie (born 1 October 1960) is a musician from Abia State, Nigeria and is married to Chinyere Chimezie. His music style became known as Zigima Sound. It is a genre which became popular in the Eastern part of Nigeria Nigeria ( ) ...

Sir Warrior Christogonus Ezebuiro Obinna (1947 – 2 June 1999), alias Dr. Sir Warrior, was a Nigerian Igbo highlife Igbo highlife is a contemporary musical genre which combines highlife and Igbo traditional music. It first started off in the southeast r ...

Celestine Ukwu Celestine Ukwu (1940 – 7 May 1977) was a Nigerian Igbo highlife musician during the 1960s and 1970s, best known for his hit songs "Ije Enu", "Igede" and "Money Palava". Described as a "prolific and outstanding composer" by music critic Benson ...

Nico Mbarga Nico Mbarga (1 January 1950 – 23 June 1997), better known as Prince Nico Mbarga, was a Cameroonian-Nigerian highlife musician, born to a Nigerian mother and a Cameroonian father in Abakaliki, Nigeria.Oriental Brothers, Isaac Rogana Ottah, Ikem Mazeli.

Igbo highlife in the 21st Century

From 2004 onwards, singers like

Flavour N'abania Chinedu Okoli (born 23 November 1983), better known by his stage name Flavour N'abania or simply Flavour, is a Nigerian singer. He began his musical career as a drummer for a local church. Flavour is popularly known across Africa and the world ...

, J. Martins,

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and Wizboyy saw even more success and acclaim for their renascent diverse styles which unlike the original highlife incorporated a wide range of neoteric influences outside of the West African music scene. One typical example was N'abania's ''

Uplifted ''Uplifted'' is the second studio album by Nigerian singer Flavour N'abania. It was released on July 20, 2010, by Obaino Music and 2nite Entertainment. The album features guest appearances from Jay Dey, Oloye, Stormrex, Waga Gee, Asemstone, M-Jay, ...

'' album released through Obaino Music/2nite Entertainment in 2010. The album marked a change in musical direction compared to his debut effort as it exhibited a more urban feel encompassing a mixture of hip hop, R&B,

techno Techno is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally music production, produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central Drum beat, rhythm is typ ...

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The R ...

, and calypso. ''Uplifted'' attained commercial success worldwide. In Africa, N'abania remained in high demand at concerts and on other social events. With the genre's rise in mainstream appeal, many emerging MCs particularly from around the South East and other neighbouring areas began integrating local highlife sounds. Acts such as Mr Raw (formerly Dat N.I.G.G.A. Raw), Slow Dogg, MC Loph and

2Shotz William Orioha (born 3 March 1979), known professionally as 2Shotz, is a former Nigerian rapper and songwriter who is now a US-based photographer and filmmaker. He won the award for Best Collaboration at The Headies 2006. His debut studio albu ...

helped establish a much stronger link between indigenous rap, and the new highlife by providing verses to several hit songs and would often hire Igbo vocalists to sing the choruses of their own songs. During 2011, J Martins made headlines around the continent and beyond when he collaborated with Cabo Snoop from

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and

Fally Ipupa Fally Ipupa N'simba (born December 14, 1977), known by his stage name Fally Ipupa, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, dancer, philanthropist, guitarist and producer. From 1999 until 2006, he was a member of Quartier Latin International, the musi ...

from the

Democratic Republic of Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

. The songs titled "Good Tym" and "Kele Papa" drew plenty of attention that year, and would later go on to become fan favorites. By 2012, J Martins had evolved into one of the most recognized West African, internationally known music stars. His

soukous Soukous (from French '' secousse'', "shock, jolt, jerk") is a genre of dance music from Congo-Kinshasa and Congo-Brazzaville. It derived from Congolese rumba in the 1960s, becoming known for its fast dance rhythms and intricate guitar impro ...

-tinged approach to

record production A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...

further gained him additional fan following and respect. In March 2014,

Phyno Chibuzor Nelson Azubuike (born 9 October 1986), populary known as Phyno Fino, is a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He started his music career as a producer in 2003, and is renowned for rapping in the Igbo language. His ...

's introductory album '' No Guts No Glory'' was released. Featuring two high-profile appearances by N'abania contributing vocals to tracks "Multiply" and "Authe (Authentic)". The album has received generally positive reviews since its release. It earned Phyno a City People Entertainment Award nomination for Best Rap Album.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Igbo highlife Highlife genres African popular music 20th-century music genres Nigerian styles of music 21st-century music genres

Igbo highlife in the 21st Century

See also

References