On Friday, September 29, 2017, Wizkid made Nigerian music history (yet again).
The petite singer stood as a pop giant at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall
and performed his many border-transcending hits. Two days before the
show, the concert was sold out. Not bad for a man who hails from one of
the grittiest cities in the world, Lagos.
Social media is a double-edged sword. JAY-Z said it best on the Coldplay song 'Lost'. "With the same sword, they knight you they gon' good-night you with" raps Hip-Hop greatest legend.
After
the congratulatory tweets from Wizkid's fans and admirers, a bomb was
thrown into the mix. Some dared equate Wizkid's music achievements to
that of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
Fela
is dear to the hearts of Nigerians and the assumption of Wizkid's
legendary status got shut down. An argument ensued and well...you know
how it goes on Twitter NG.
The word
'legend' is thrown around so easily these days that anyone is given the
status. Some things should not be taken or given so lightly and one of
them is legendary status.
Who is a legend?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a legend as someone "person or thing that inspires." This definition is too fickle for the subject at hand. Some people might find Young Thug inspiring but is he a legend? Nope.
For
this article permit me to use this definition of mine. A music legend
is an individual who has immensely influenced his genre of music with
exceptional bodies of work over a lengthy period of time.
With
regards to 'exceptional bodies of work,' at least a widely regarded
classic album should be in the mix. And as for lengthy period, a decade
more or less is the best fit.
Now with
this definition and explanation is Wizkid a legend? No, but he is on his
way. The pop megastar has three solo albums to his credit and none of
them can be considered classics.
His adorable fans will point at 'Superstar' as his classic but this isn't true. Superstar was moulded from a true classic 'Mushin 2 Mo' Hits'. The content, theme and rhythmic styles of Superstar were based on Wande Coal's first solo effort.
The
chubby pop singer rewrote contemporary music in Nigeria and M2M is
still unmatched in the canon of pop albums. The two albums that come
close are Superstar and Davido's debut and only album 'O.B.O: The
Genesis'.
Both albums are heavily influenced by Wande Coal's LP blueprint. The Don Jazzy
produced album had enough banging beats for years which Wande Coal
destroyed easily. Almost every pop singer after him has fashioned his
album in that manner.
You can literally
connect the dots and see how Wande Coal fashioned a new style of pop
styles with his debut album. 8 years after, #M2M is one of the crown
jewels of Nigerian pop music of our generation.
Superstar was a fantastic album but Wande Coal brought about the new school. It is still influential till today. Everyone from Wizzy to Orezi has used his style over and over again.
This is not to take anything away from Wizkid's first album. It was well put together by Samklef and has most likely sold more than 2 million copies in Alaba.
The
only flaw on the album is that it brought nothing new to the table
which can be said on all of his albums (which have been successful by
the way).
For you to be considered a legend, you must have at least rewritten the rules of your genre at least once. 2face Idibia did it twice with his first two albums. Asa dropped an instant classic and introduced soul genre to the mainstream with her first album. M.I altered the way we rapped in 2008 with 'Talk About It'.
Let's not even talk about Fela.
The man basically invented a genre of music and from the 70s to the 80s
dropped classic tune after classic tune. Legends turn the game upside
down and bring about new ways of doing music.
Let's
get back to Wizkid. This man has a clear shot at attaining legendary
status. At this point, with all he has achieved, Wizkid just has to
produce one genre-defining album that captures the spirit of the age we
live in.
He has to expand his work to go
beyond the surface love/lust tunes and twerking anthems. His music is
glossy but sometimes it lacks soul, the presence of a greater being at
work, a man who captures the hopes and dreams of a generation.
There is a reason why 'Ojuelegba'
is his most famous and greatest work. Wizkid cracked a higher realm on
that song. It narrated his underdog to top dog story with a soulful
instrumental produced by Legendury Beatz. The song
practically made him an international sensation. Ojuelegba blew up for a
reason. It added a much-needed layer to Wizkid's pop narrative.
Ojuelegba
cracked the door. For Wizkid to get into the revered hall of legends,
his music must not only reflect his materialistic leanings but show his
journey as a man and a father.
Wizkid
has made so many legendary achievements over the last two years that it
is easy to call him a legend. And he isn't the only one to fall into
this category.
We are in an era when music stars have ditched the obligatory classic album for legendary moments. Rapper Olamide
is the best example. With no clear-cut classic LP in his lengthy
discography, many have bestowed upon him the legendary status.
We
are in an era where the kids are rewriting the rules. What's a classic
album when you have classic moments? The problem with legendary moments
like filling up Eko Hotel annually or selling out Royal
Albert Hall is that it does not reflect the quality of music nor the
generational impact it has made.
To be a
legend, you must walk the path of legends. Wizkid is on that path. Yes,
many Nigerian acts have been darlings of the American music industry
but how many have scored a number one hit?
Ayotunde
Ibrahim Balogun is in rarefied air right now. All he has to do to sit
among the gods of Nigeria's music Mount Olympus is to open his heart and
let the inner god in him drop that classic that will rewrite
everything.
He
is on his way to greatness and greatness cannot be rushed. At 27 he
still has a lot of time to become a legend. Fela was 33 when he scored
his first hit 'Chop and Quench'.
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