A popular musician and recording artiste, Akintunde Brown says Nigerian musicians can not win Grammy award because “we sing in our local dialect and the sounds are poor.”
Brown disclosed this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday.
“We have sounds from different parts of Africa, the mixture will make it a world class sound but we are not complying with that,” he said.
Brown said Nigeria’s hip hop and other genre do not conform to world music standards.
“We also do not use the right nomenclatures which consists dynamic and partly subjective set of songs, which can be identified by having been performed or recorded by variety of musical acts, often with different arrangements.
“At the Grammys, you have a best R&B album category, but someone who calls his music Afro-Soul, or fuji Blues and some other names in Nigeria, cannot win in that category,’’ he said.
He said Sikiru Adepoju who in 2009 won the “Best World Contemporary World Music Album’’ was because he was part of Mickey Harts group Planet Drum US-1991.
“Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as “Wizkid’’ got a nomination for his contribution in One Dance by Drake in the album of the year category.
“That song as been streamed over a billion times, that is what data, brings to the table.They create category, when they feel like honouring an artiste and their people must be involved,’’ he said.
Brown noted that the genre of music we create in Nigeria can not blend with what obtains in the international music.
“David Adeleke aka Davido and Olamide Adedeji, and their likes do not even stand a single chance to win anything because the beats and sounds are nothing to that of.
“Lets say a Drake or Jay Z to rap album of the year with fuji poly-rhythms of Wouter Keller, Fluist and Composer, best New Age Album in 2015, roots in classical music hence his techniques in mixing classical and contemporary tunes effortlessly.
“Kellerman is a Grammy Award-winning South African flautist, producer and composer who has won 7 South African Music Awards (SAMA).
“His Love Language- 2015 received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album and won a SAMA for Best Instrumental and/or Classical Album. It debuted at no one on the World Music Billboard charts in July 2015,” he said.
Brown added:”The album also featured at no. one on the ZMR Top 100 International Radio Airplay Chart in August 2015, and spent 11 weeks in the CMJ New World Top 40 Chart, peaking at no 12.
“He used his classical training as a foundation and focused his attention on World Roots music, exploring the versatility of the instrument and fusing classical and contemporary sounds.
He received a Grammy Award at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards for his 2014 album “Winds of Samsara’’, a collaboration with Indian composer and producer Ricky Kej.
“Winds of Samsara’’ reached No. 1 on the US New Age Album Billboard Charts and also peaked at No. 1 on the Zone Music Reporter (ZMR). Top 100 Radio Airplay Chart in the month of July 2014.’’
The musician said that the economic value of many musicians abroad did not equal that of Nigerian musicians, he gave examples of Bruno Mars’ average nightly gross swelled from 130,000 dollars to 202,000 dollars.
“Esperanza Spalding went from 20,000 dollars to 32,000 dollars and Taylor Swift jumped from 125,000 dollars to 600,000 dollars.
“They’re all paying tax in the US, the home of Academy. Their economy does not have anything to gain if an African wins,’’ he said.
He noted that lack of data and lack of good music has been the problem in Nigeria.
“Besides Fela, who else has commanded the kind of respect he had,” he said.
He said that Asa could have, had it been she was more intentional with her sound but that she risks authenticity with her core fans and that is the French and Europeans.
“They enjoy the flavour in her sound without having them leave their comfort zone which is classical music,’’ he said.
He claimed that even at home some awards like Headies, Soundcity and MtV Base awards, the number one issue comes from the ever changing nature of genres here.
“You can imagine Olamide getting angry because Nasty C won best rap song of the year. They have to be steady in what they do,’’ he said.
He said that the Grammy organizers don’t have that time.
“I know we will get there, our industry still in its infancy but we have to infuse our own sounds in Nigeria with other African countries.
“We need to have that distinct sound, compose them well, infuse them well to make a good meaning, that will stand us out.But there must be improvement on our music structure, established genre and not limited to time signature as stated above, and majorly label backing,’’ he said.
From Daily Post
“We have sounds from different parts of Africa, the mixture will make it a world class sound but we are not complying with that,” he said.
Brown said Nigeria’s hip hop and other genre do not conform to world music standards.
“We also do not use the right nomenclatures which consists dynamic and partly subjective set of songs, which can be identified by having been performed or recorded by variety of musical acts, often with different arrangements.
“At the Grammys, you have a best R&B album category, but someone who calls his music Afro-Soul, or fuji Blues and some other names in Nigeria, cannot win in that category,’’ he said.
He said Sikiru Adepoju who in 2009 won the “Best World Contemporary World Music Album’’ was because he was part of Mickey Harts group Planet Drum US-1991.
“Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as “Wizkid’’ got a nomination for his contribution in One Dance by Drake in the album of the year category.
“That song as been streamed over a billion times, that is what data, brings to the table.They create category, when they feel like honouring an artiste and their people must be involved,’’ he said.
Brown noted that the genre of music we create in Nigeria can not blend with what obtains in the international music.
“David Adeleke aka Davido and Olamide Adedeji, and their likes do not even stand a single chance to win anything because the beats and sounds are nothing to that of.
“Lets say a Drake or Jay Z to rap album of the year with fuji poly-rhythms of Wouter Keller, Fluist and Composer, best New Age Album in 2015, roots in classical music hence his techniques in mixing classical and contemporary tunes effortlessly.
“Kellerman is a Grammy Award-winning South African flautist, producer and composer who has won 7 South African Music Awards (SAMA).
“His Love Language- 2015 received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album and won a SAMA for Best Instrumental and/or Classical Album. It debuted at no one on the World Music Billboard charts in July 2015,” he said.
Brown added:”The album also featured at no. one on the ZMR Top 100 International Radio Airplay Chart in August 2015, and spent 11 weeks in the CMJ New World Top 40 Chart, peaking at no 12.
“He used his classical training as a foundation and focused his attention on World Roots music, exploring the versatility of the instrument and fusing classical and contemporary sounds.
He received a Grammy Award at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards for his 2014 album “Winds of Samsara’’, a collaboration with Indian composer and producer Ricky Kej.
“Winds of Samsara’’ reached No. 1 on the US New Age Album Billboard Charts and also peaked at No. 1 on the Zone Music Reporter (ZMR). Top 100 Radio Airplay Chart in the month of July 2014.’’
The musician said that the economic value of many musicians abroad did not equal that of Nigerian musicians, he gave examples of Bruno Mars’ average nightly gross swelled from 130,000 dollars to 202,000 dollars.
“Esperanza Spalding went from 20,000 dollars to 32,000 dollars and Taylor Swift jumped from 125,000 dollars to 600,000 dollars.
“They’re all paying tax in the US, the home of Academy. Their economy does not have anything to gain if an African wins,’’ he said.
He noted that lack of data and lack of good music has been the problem in Nigeria.
“Besides Fela, who else has commanded the kind of respect he had,” he said.
He said that Asa could have, had it been she was more intentional with her sound but that she risks authenticity with her core fans and that is the French and Europeans.
“They enjoy the flavour in her sound without having them leave their comfort zone which is classical music,’’ he said.
He claimed that even at home some awards like Headies, Soundcity and MtV Base awards, the number one issue comes from the ever changing nature of genres here.
“You can imagine Olamide getting angry because Nasty C won best rap song of the year. They have to be steady in what they do,’’ he said.
He said that the Grammy organizers don’t have that time.
“I know we will get there, our industry still in its infancy but we have to infuse our own sounds in Nigeria with other African countries.
“We need to have that distinct sound, compose them well, infuse them well to make a good meaning, that will stand us out.But there must be improvement on our music structure, established genre and not limited to time signature as stated above, and majorly label backing,’’ he said.
From Daily Post
U try small jare....
ReplyDeleteMc pinky
He no try.. Make drake come win hip-hop award too na.
DeleteAlright
ReplyDeleteHuh? With that nonsense songs I heard @ Grammy? Cardi B for instance? What did she sing? Every country has it's own unique sounds. We are okay with African awards. Tankiu! And do you think, Americans will give any Africans a bit of chance to outshine them? In your dreams! On a serious note though, some Nigerian lyrics are wack! 🤣
ReplyDeleteWell said!
DeleteAngelique kidjo and Youssou Ndour that have won don’t mix English and non English sounds
DeleteIf they are good enough they will win
All these Nigerian musicians are thrash. Outside the shores of Nigeria who cares about that loud lewd noise they call music?
ReplyDeleteI'm usually sad when we compare ourselves to the west. Granted, they got better technological advancement which is very important for the modern world,but that's about it. When we obtain these advancements e.g cars, computers, phones, tv etc we pay for them , they are not free!
ReplyDeleteWhy do we want to win grammys? Does the European or American musician want to win headies? This one is saying our music is not up to par, really?! Everyone has their tastes and to that person his fav musician is lit. We don't need a mix of sounds like the west. I don't like Fuji, does that mean Fuji is sub par to the average "Owambe" party goer? My friend find ya zone, if you prefer Fela, Femi, R&B and country music to Kizz or Davido music, it simply means that is what you prefer not that their music is sub par especially with millions of fans they have all over Africa and the rest of the world who find them to be spectacular.
End point, I feel we are a defeated race psychologically that's why we feel everything western is better. We must win their awards, we must be like them, once you defeat a man in his head, the rest is easy. I'm not advocating for complacency with status quo, we can acquire the knowledge and skills we need to be better without loosing our identity or place in the world.
Must Nigerians win grammy..?cant we devise our own standards of rating? Of course not the rubbish that is thrown out today o...but a genre. Of its African soul. We know what we are saying...not this bum bum..pussy nonsense songs..even if it's in our native language..let the world want to be part of our awards instead..
ReplyDeleteColonial mentality has th aken the best of our so called talents