Afrobeats and the rising influence of Port Harcourt’s first sons
‘From Port Harcourt City to America’ (Duncan Mighty — Hustler’s Anthem)
For a growing number of Nigerians, the state has become a byword for a place where nothing works.
So for those who dare to desire life at its best, geography — infrastructure, population, and access to resources — get to play a central role in how easy or not your course might be, hence the influx of people into megacities like Lagos. And this is no different in the music industry.
Having lived a major part of my life in Lagos, the nation’s epicenter of pop culture, I have always been curious about music hubs across Nigeria, their roots, and the stories that define them.
The Lagos State of Mind
Festac Town was one of those places that early followers of the new Nigerian sound experienced prior to the emergence of artists like the Plantashun Boiz, Def O Clan, Sound Sultan, and Baba Dee.
In January 1977, Festac hosted the Second World African Festival of Arts and Culture, a cultural Olympics celebrating African art. This was a major tourist event that attracted a crowd so great that the Lagos State Government constructed a new housing estate for festival participants.
