The music of Nigeria includes many kinds of folk and popular music. Little of the country's music history prior to European contact has been preserved,although bronze carvings dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries have been found depicting musicians and their instruments. The country's most internationally renowned genres are Indigenous,Apala,Aurrebbe music,Rara music,Were music,Ogene,Fuji,Jùjú,Afrobeat,Afrobeats,Igbo highlife,Afro-juju,Waka,Igbo rap,Gospel,Nigerian pop and Yo-pop. Styles of folk music are related to the over 250 ethnic groups in the country,each with their own techniques,instruments,and songs. The largest ethnic groups are the Igbo,Hausa and Yoruba. Traditional music from Nigeria and throughout Africa is often functional;in other words,it is performed to mark a ritual such as the wedding or funeral and not to achieve artistic goals. Although some Nigerians,especially children and the elderly,play instruments for their own amusement,solo performance is otherwise rare. Music is closely linked to agriculture,and there are restrictions on,for example,which instruments can be played during different parts of the planting season.
Fújì is a genre of Yoruba popular music that emerged in,Nigeria in the 1960s. It evolved from the improvisional wérémusic also known as ajísari (meaning "waking up for sari",performed to awaken Muslims before dawn during the fasting season of Ramadan. Fuji music was named after the Japanese stratovolcano-mountain,Mount Fuji by Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister. It features energetic beats,diverse Yoruba rhythms,and call-and-response vocals. Fuji's influence extends into contemporary music,with its hooks and rhythms frequently appearing in Nigerian hip hop.
Pop rap is a genre of music fusing the rhythm-based lyricism of hip-hop music with pop music's preference for melodious vocals and catchy tunes emphasizing on pop like productions and structure. The lyrics are often positive,with choruses similar to those heard in pop music. This genre gained mainstream popularity during the 1990s,though the influences and roots of pop rap can trace back to late-1980s hip-hop artists such as Run-DMC,LL Cool J,and Beastie Boys.
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu,who is known professionally as Burna Boy,is a Nigerian singer,songwriter and record producer. He rose to stardom in 2012 after releasing "Like to Party",the lead single from his debut studio album L.I.F.E (2013). In 2017,Burna Boy signed with Atlantic Records in the United States to release his third studio album,Outside (2018).
Empire Distribution,Records and Publishing Inc. is an independent American record label,distribution and publishing company founded in 2010 by Ghazi Shami. Based in San Francisco,EMPIRE has offices in New York,London,Lagos,and Johannesburg in addition to recording studios in San Francisco and New York.
Bantu is a 13-piece band based in Lagos,Nigeria. Their music is a fusion of Afrofunk,Afrobeat,highlife and Yoruba music. The group features multi-instrumentalists and singers who perform as a collective.
The Headies 2016 was the 11th edition of The Headies. It was held on December 22,2016 at the Eko Convention Centre in Victoria Island,Lagos. Themed "Think,Create,Recreate." The event was hosted by Adesua Etomi and Falz. The nominees were announced by the award's organizers in November 2016. Tekno was nominated for the Next Rated award,but ended up being disqualified due to his refusal to honour the category and support the campaign. Jazzman Olofin and Adewale Ayuba jointly performed the song "Raise the Roof". Aramide performed her song "Funmi Lowo" with assistance from Ras Kimono. The ceremony also featured additional performances from Falz,2Baba,Seyi Shay and Flavour. Olamide received eight nominations and won a total of four,including Best Rap Single for his single "Eyan Mayweather". Mr Eazi won the Next Rated category and was awarded a SUV at a later date. Mayorkun toppled Dice Ailes and Koker for the Rookie of the Year award. Laolu Akins was honored with the Hall of Fame award,while Flavour received the Special Recognition award.
Divine Ikubor,known mononymously as Rema,is a Nigerian singer,rapper,and songwriter. After gaining recognition after posting a viral freestyle on Instagram in 2018 to D'Prince's song "Gucci Gang",Rema began his professional music career in 2019 with the release of his debut single,"Dumebi". He followed up with the extended plays Rema (2019) and Rema Freestyle (2019).
Afrobeats,not to be confused with Afrobeat or Afroswing,is an umbrella term to describe popular music from West Africa and the diaspora that initially developed in Nigeria,Ghana,and the UK in the 2000s and 2010s. Afrobeats is less of a style per se,and more of a descriptor for the fusion of sounds flowing majorly out of Nigeria. Genres such as hiplife,jùjúmusic,highlife,azonto music,and naija beats,among others,were amalgamated under the "Afrobeats" umbrella.
Temilade Openiyi,known professionally as Tems,is a Nigerian singer,songwriter,and record producer. She rose to prominence after being featured on Wizkid's 2020 single "Essence",which peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart following the release of the remix version with Justin Bieber. The song earned her a Grammy Award nomination. That same year,she was featured on the song "Fountains" by Canadian rapper Drake.
Samuel Onwubiko,known by his stage name Limoblaze is a Nigerian gospel singer-songwriter and rapper. He is well known for the hit song "Jireh " with Lecrae and Happi,a reworking of "Jireh" by Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music;the song made it to the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs of 2022,Official Charts No. 15,and won several other nominations including The Headies and The Stellar Awards.
"Watawi" is a song by Nigerian singer and songwriter CKay,featuring fellow Nigerian singer Davido,alongside a South African rapper Focalistic,and record producer Abidoza. It was released on 17 June 2022,by Warner Music Africa. "Watawi" was written by CKay,Davido,Focalistic,and Abidoza,who also produced the song. It accompanied by a music video directed by Dalia Dias. It debuted at number 13 on the TurnTable Top 50,number 21 on the US Billboard Afrobeats Songs chart,and number 6 on the UK Afrobeats Singles Chart.
Ahmed Ololade,known professionally as Asake,is a Nigerian singer,rapper and songwriter. He is signed to YBNL Nation and Empire Distribution. His stage name "Asake" is his mother's name.
Israel Ehinomen Okosun known by the stage name Ehis D’Greatest is a Nigerian Afrobeats singer and songwriter. He gained popularity with the song “This Year (Blessings)”released in January 2023. The song topped the Billboard Charts and went on to appear as No. 1 on the Official Charts in the United Kingdom.
"Lonely at the Top" is a song by Nigerian artist Asake from his second studio album Work of Art (2023). The song was released on 16 June 2023,through YBNL Nation and Empire Distribution. It was the first song to hit 100 million streams on Audiomack. As of September 2023,the song was the longest-running number-one song on Nigerian Radio Chart. It was also number one on the TurnTable Official Top 100,an aggregate chart that combines TV,radio and streaming platforms. It spent 12 weeks at number one. It was also one of the most streamed songs on Spotify in Nigeria.
"Amapiano" is a song by Nigerian musician Asake and Nigerian rapper Olamide. The song is a single from Asake's second studio album,Work of Art,and was produced by Nigerian producer Magicsticks. The music video,shot by Jyde Ajala,was released on 24 May 2023. The song was a surprise release and gained over 100,000 streams within less than 24 hours of its release and debuted at number one of the Spotify Top Songs Nigeria Daily Chart. The song was nominated for Best African Music Performance at the 66th Grammy awards. It was one of the most streamed songs of 2023 on Audiomack,garnering 87.7 million streams on the platform. Former US president Barack Obama listed the song among his favorite music of 2023.
"Wave" is a song by Nigerian singer Asake and the UK drill rapper Central Cee,released on 21 June 2024 through YBNL Nation and Empire Distribution. The song is from Asake's upcoming album Lungu Boy and was released ahead of his Lungu Boy World Tour.
Lungu Boy is the third studio album by Nigerian singer Asake. A follow-up to his previous album,Work of Art (2023),the album was released on 9 August 2024 through YBNL Nation and Empire Distribution. The album also contains guest appearances from Wizkid,Travis Scott,Stormzy,Central Cee and Ludmilla,alongside production from P.Priime,Magicsticks,Mike Dean,Sarz and Sak Pase.
Top Boy is the sixth studio album by Nigerian disc jockey and record producer Spinall. It was released on 17 February 2023 through TheCap Music. The album features guest appearances from Stefflon Don,Fireboy DML,Tamera,Phyno,Summer Walker,Amaka,6lack,Azanti,Olamide,Kemuel,Niniola,Asake,TSB,Äyanna,Amaarae,Blxckie,Reekado Banks,DJ Snake,Zaiam,Minz,Bnxn,Ladipoe,Tay Iwar,Ntosh Gazi and Adekunle Gold. Production was primarily handled by Spinall,along with additional production from Magicsticks,Caltonic SA,D3an,TSB,DJ Snake,The Eggman,Kel-P,NKVY,Ozedikus,Smeez and Unknown Nick.
