Later in the early 2010s, Wizkid had been one of the few acts who had further revitalised these elements first with his breakout hit single, Holla At Your Boy. An offshoot of the compelling and jivey sounds of the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, it had evolved further into a form that was a fast-paced mix of more modern and global sounds with homegrown ones and was in the year 2000s, spearheaded by the likes of D’banj, 2Baba (formerly known as Tuface ), Wande Coal, P-Square and more. Wizkid breaking out as a leading voice in the new age of afrobeatsįor many, the origin and classification of African pop as ‘Afrobeats,’ is an issue of contention but it had, either way, come to be accepted as the term for Nigerian pop music characterised by heavy use of percussion beats, vocables, or sweet-sounding rhythmic chants with lyrics done up in a blend of indigenous and English language. Here are 5 ways Wizkid has helped push African music forward:ġ. To celebrate Wizkid becoming a year older, we examine through this list the essence of his sound by spotlighting his influence on Afrobeats. Popularly known as Starboy among other authority-denoting names, yesterday the 16th of July 2021, marked a day and three decades since Wizkid was born and roughly a decade since his musical talent opened up a pathway for him in the Nigerian music industry and in turn, lent to Afrobeats quest for global denomination. His birth would also bear great import to the urban culture of his hometown, Ojuelegba and in 21 years, spill over to the Nigerian federation before eventually capturing the global gaze and ears, pining for more of his Afrobeats-borne manifestations of music. Born Ayodeji Balogun on the 16th of July, 1990, his birth had not only been of significance to his family who had in typical African fashion, been earnestly looking out for a boy child, after 12 daughters. The ‘afrobeats to the world’ movement is one that has progressed from being a trek, to a trot and now presently, a swift race, with baton tightly clenched by several star players whose sounds have sliced through the airwaves to reach international heights and by so doing, level the once seemingly unsurmountable playing field. To celebrate Wizkid becoming a year older, we examine through this list, the essence of his sound by spotlighting his influence on Afrobeats.
Article The Essence of Wizkid's Sound: 5 Ways He's Pushed Afrobeats Forward