Nigerians And Their Love For Lyrically Poor Music

Source: Nathan Nathaniel Ekpo/Nigeriafilms.com

The Nigerian music industry and its celebs have witnessed a boom beyond expectations in recent times. It's refreshing to see so many people using their talents and getting the recognition, respect and remuneration that most of their predecessors never had.

The problem I have with it though is the lack of diversity and originality in the game these days. Everyone wants to make that huge hit, to the extent that their unique creativity is often sacrificed. Worse still, I don't know if it's just me, but the songs are getting sillier by the day.

With the current trend in the Nigerian music industry, where rhythm rather than lyrical content sells songs, music producers with knack for quality beats have become the power house for most singers.

Determined not to be left out of the glamour and fame that greet singers, some of these gifted hands on the music console have taken their trade higher by combining their production skill with lyrical wit.

Some school of thought has it that it is because Nigerian musicians are always trying to be like American musicians instead of being themselves. Some say majority of Nigerian artistes are not versed and knowledgable enough about the rudiments of music. Like some rightly mentioned, good musics with good lyrics are not appreciated in Nigeria and therefore are less popular and less commercially viable when compared to the "ghetto kind" of music we see/hear on air on daily basis.

Some others believe that the problem is a worldwide phenomenon and it's because a lot of young folks who patronise these artistes do not have the ears and patience to listen to good lyrics instead they prefer songs they can dance 'alanta' to. As long as the beat is good, people will buy the CD even if all the artiste is saying is dem mama, kolomental, swagga and other babble. The bottom line, they enjoy mediocrity.

Like you might want to agree, the industry is more about entertainment and money making than the quality of your material. Which is why most of the hottest artistes now will fade away in a couple of years because their music has no deep meaning. But artistes like Dare, Tuface, Sasha, Asa and a few others will be respected, not just because they're are top selling, but because the quality of their music is very good.