Pulse names 10 artists, who have dropped a minimum of three albums, without any cultural impact and acclaim.
Nothing compares to a
great album. Nothing can replace or compete with the feeling of bumping
to a great record and feeling it not just entertain, but shape the
culture and improve the game.
Think of Wizkid’s “Superstar” LP, or Wande Coal’s “Mushin 2 Mo’Hits” and the greatest of them all, “Entertainer” by D’banj.
When
we name the current Nigerian artists who are the biggest names in the
game, we see the most impactful names in pop music who are currently
calling the shots.
These people have
successfully created an emotional connection with listeners by dropping
countless hit singles and collaborations, which have resulted in their
massive acceptance and elevation to the top of the game.
And
while the general debate about these artists have been focused on their
singles, their albums, which have been released also play a huge role
in their standing, and their judgement as artists.
When
scored based on the quality and impact of the full length projects
released by some of our biggest stars, many of Nigeria’s finest do not
stack up as really great creators of full length projects. Many of these
albums are lightweight material, with nothing in them for fans. Save
for one or good songs.
Pulse names 10 of these acts, who have dropped a minimum of three albums, without any cultural impact and acclaim.
And the defaulters are:
Flavour
Flavour
Flavour
is one of the greatest Highlife artists the country has ever known.
With a career span that has crossed over a decade, the singer has used
Igbo dialectical music, sounds and culture to create timeless music. But
when it comes to creating full length projects none of his four LPs
have had a holistic impact as a body of work. “N’abania” (2005), “Uplifted” (2010), “Blessed” (2012), and “Thankful” (2015) have provided impressive singles. But none have been a classic.
J Martins
J. Martins
Name
one J. Martins album that you can hold dear to your chest and call out.
The producer, singer, and songwriter has over a decade in the music
industry, working with some of the biggest acts in the business across
the continent. But somehow, he has come up short with his projects. "Get Serious" (2008), "Elevated" (2009), "Selah" (2012), "Authenthic" (2016) all are solid works, but do not hold up critically.
Ice Prince
It’s
hard to put Ice Prince in this list. But yes, he makes it. The former
Chocolate City have had siome of the highest moments of this industry,
with some of the most enduring hits which have made him relevant up to
this point. But when the albums drop, they lack a lot. “Everybody Loves
Ice Prince” (2011) marked time as the project that contained his
come-up, but it is not wholesome. “Fire Of Zamani” (2013) is straight up
weak, and “Jos To The World” (2016) is too disjointed to represent a
unified front.
Terry G
Terry G
Mr
Ginjah was responsible for skewing Nigerian pop, and taking the
industry creativity down a path, where high tempos and speedy drumming
became a constant. These days, his influence on the soundscape has
waned, but while it raged on, he failed to capitalize on it with a fire
album. All of his albums have come with an anchor single, but such
commercial aptitude does not reflect in the full body of work.
Konga
Time out with Tee A
Once
upon a time, Konga was king of the streets, with singles which
stretched from Lagos to Port Harcourt and beyond. He was a commercial
man, who whipped the streets into a frenzy. But he isn’t that force
these days, after failing to adapt. He was prolific, dropping a minimum
of 4 projects. But noe of them can be remembered today. None. And it is
due to their inability to pack a punch.
Vector
Vector
You
either adore or respect the force and talent of Vector. And for those
who don’t rate him in Hip-hop, they can’t deny the fact that he packs a
punch in singles and features. But the albums are critically lukewarm,
adding to the rap conversation, but rarely ever leading it. “State of
Surprise” (2010), “The Second Coming” (2012), and “Lafiaji” (2016) are
equally loved and hated. But never truly respected by all.
Kcee
Kcee, Sauti Sol shoot new music video
Five
Star Music general makes the cut due to his work with KC Presh, where
they dropped over three albums as a unit. None of the major ones – “Ose
Baba,” “Sio Nkpo,” and “No Time” – made any major impact, and neither
has his solo 2013 project “Takeover”, which was bloated, but lacked
overall quality.
Baba Dee
Baba Dee
One
of Nigeria’s pioneer artistes, Baba Dee’s music career dates over 2
decades. He was launched into limelight in 1995 when he won Nigeria’s
biggest talent hunt show, Lekki Sun Splash and went on to drop a number
of projects, including “Most Wanted,” “Unfinished Business,” “Sodi e,” “Governor’s Daughter,” “Versatile” and “Veteran.” But none hold up today as an impactful critically acclaimed project.
Oritse Femi
Oritsefemi
Oritsefemi’s
work in protest music from Ajegunle has made him some sort of street
icon, whose name is recorded in the history of Nigerian music. But with 5
albums in his discography, he is yet to have any project that holds up.
He is a poor album artist, and fails to properly create an LP that can
be as strong as his singles.
Ikechukwu
Ikechukwu
For
all of Ikechukwu’s cultural moments in the game, not once has his album
matched his ego. The rapper who has pivoted to modelling and acting in
recent years, has solid projects under his name. But they have failed to
make an impact in the game. Neither did they drive conversations about
Hip hop in Nigeria.
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