HIP-HOP MISUNDERSTOOD: 'Nigerian Hip-Hop'

I grew up in a time where Hip-Hop was one of the many genres of music I saw on TV and heard on the radio. Performers of this kind of music graced covers of magazines and were highly spoken of in the media even up to this day. I watched the growth of Hip-Hop from just being a growing genre of music in Nigeria to becoming one of the strongest influences in my generation. I remembered I always scribbled down rhymes on pieces of paper and on the back pages of my school notes. Surprisingly, I wasn't the only one who had a thing for Hip-Hop, lots of young folks like me also did. Overtime, I watched as the influence of Hip-Hop got stronger mostly among young people like a drug a fiend was on. The influence was more pronounced in their dressing as it depicts that of rap artistes they had seen in the media. That wasn't the only aspect of it, the emulation cut across their dressing, language and even the way of life of these artistes. Hip-Hop in Nigeria isn't limited to only rap music but it's a general name for diverse style of music popularly known as the "Nigerian Hip-Hop". The Nigeria music industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. The most notable Hip-Hop artistes that have sprung from this blooming industry are; Modenine, MI, Naeto C, Ice Prince, P-Square, D'Banj, 2face, Wizkid, the late DaGrin and many more. Believe it or not, these artistes have been seen as role models both positive and negative to the young folks. They have an incredible fan base stretching beyond the boundaries of Nigeria to other African countries and even to some other parts of the world thanks to MTV. The main motive for this write up is to address the negative influence Hip-Hop has on the average Nigerian youth, and to tackle the over glamorization of its negativity in the media. I begin with the visual images portrayed in music videos today which I find appalling and crazy. The media has carelessly defined a 'SUPERSTAR' as "someone who lives an extravagant life, dresses flashy in expensive outfits, having the latest and costly rides and also one who gets the ladies". This is the meaning of a superstar in the eyes of our youths today. Sadly, a lot of these so called superstars are fake because they are living a lie; posing on TV cameras showing who they're not. Some totally go crazy when the fame comes because it's way beyond what they can handle. In April 2010, I was saddened by the news I heard about the demise of The Late Great Da Grin who plunged to his death involving a fatal car accident with his new car. Various sources had something to say about his death. Some said he was on his way home from a party where he celebrated his success and was drunk while driving. Others said he had a ceremonial 'washing' of the car he had just bought with a couple of friends and was a bit tipsy while he took to the wheels and that led to his death, he was just 22years. The sad thing about it was that his career just took off on eagle wings. The Nigerian Hip-Hop music scene will always miss him, RIP Da Grin. Now, let me bring you back to the story at hand. When I watch most Nigerian music videos today, I must confess I like the quality and clarity of it, much props to the video directors. Although most of the contents are explicit and the lyrics of the songs might be straight up garbage. Most rap videos depict women as sexual objects, giving off the disgusting impression that they are commodities that comes with fame and wealth, but this shouldn't be so. I also noticed that songs with positive messages have a far lower percentage of ever being aired compare to those with meaningless and negative messages. Now that's sad and it's something that should cease from happening. Secondly, this brings me to the issue of lyrical content. I must be honest with you at this point and tell you that I rarely buy musical CD's not because of their price tags, because that's one of the cheapest things in the market right now, but because I can't purchase an album of about 15 to 20 tracks and only be able to listen to about 2 or 3 tracks due to the fact that the whole album might just be “wack” with very poor lyrical contents. This is where a lot of Nigeria Hip-hop artistes fall short. Atimes, I wander if they totally forgot while in the studio that music is supposed to be about the lyrics. Today's contemporary Hip-Hop music is being flooded with the glorification of misogyny, clubbing, sex, materialism, swag and violence. So then, buying one Nigerian artiste CD, you may have just saved yourself from the trouble of hearing 95percent of the other artiste CD's who limits their messages majorly to these disturbing topics. Only just a few has dared to be different. It's amazing you know, judging from where we are as a nation. Nobody is making music about the problems we face daily in our country, nobody is talking about the corruption that has eaten so deep into the system, and nothing is being said about the injustice we see on daily basis. No! Instead over 95percent of our artistes are busy making music about party and club life. All in the name of profit, a lot of our artistes has sold their souls; going against their beliefs and what they stood for to promulgate a false reality all just to attract profit. However, I believe that addressing troubling issues of a people and propagating positive messages through your music can also be bought, respected and widely accepted by people. I will at this moment, tip my hat for Asa, Modenine, M.I, Nneka and of course the legendary FELA. These are people that have always dared to be different and refused to embark on a musical journey on the same path as the majority. Their music can be described as a social commentary about everyday life experiences. The song by M.I titled 'Wild Wild West' explores the issue of the persistent violence in the Jos crisis that has plagued the city for a while now, not glorifying but disapproving of the violence and bloodshed, with deep regret he sheds light on this shameful acts. How strong would our communities be if the lyrical content of our current mainstream Hip-Hop spoke of social injustice, inequality, violence, dis-unity and addresses the issue of poverty in a country like ours? Hip-Hop is a powerful tool in this day and age; it has caught a lot of hearts and attention. Today, everyone is listening to music on their mobile phones especially the young folks. So, school them with the truth and positive message that will drive and motivate them to achieve and stand for something. Hip-Hop is a powerful tool; don't abuse its essence because everyone is listening. DON’T MISUSE IT........xoxo ome!