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Hip-hop in Nigeria: The evolution and how diss records became a part of it
To truly appreciate Hip-hop not just as a genre but a culture, one may have to go back in time to 46 years ago, 1973 to be precise when the likes of DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa pioneered an art form that will go on to become a global phenomenon.
Today, mention names like Jay Z, Nas, Drake, Cardi B and you can tell that the genre has earned its stripes and now sits as the number one music genre in America.
There has always been a misconception as to what Hip-hop really is and what it is not, debates as to those keeping it real and those selling out, old versus new school, and how beef plays a role in promoting violence or encouraging superior rap skills.
These debates will forever linger on but for clarity, Hip-hop has never been just about rapping or emceeing, it is a culture that covers other elements like deejaying, beatboxing, break-dancing, and graffiti art.
The Evolution of rap in Nigeria
Just like in America, Hip-hop in Nigeria has passed through several phases over the years, with different actors and iconic moments.
The genre is believed to have gained its first footing on the motherland in the 80s with names like DJ Ron ‘Ronnie’ Ekundayo credited with recording the first rap album in the country, ‘‘The Way I Feel.’’ Then came groups like Emphasis and Sound on Sound which had singer, Mr. Kool as a member, but what they did wasn’t exactly rap, it was more of disco/Afro-funk sprinkled with a few rhyme impressions from some of their favorite acts.
For the majority of us, Rap arrived on our shores when Junior [of blessed memory] and Pretty came onto the scene in the early 90s, with their witty bars and comical pidgin flows. With hit singles like ‘Bolanle’ and ‘Monica,’ the duo served rap in a way like never done before, infusing local languages while passing a message.
The success of their songs opened the doors to a lot of non-hip-hop artists who…
