Growing up in Nigeria and making decidedly un-Nigerian music, you become exceedingly familiar with a particular phrase that is constantly echoed to every aspiring artist whose passion doesn’t lie within afrobeats: “You won’t blow up in Nigeria making that.” Usually followed by a well-intentioned, ultimately discouraging, tirade full of reasons why your dream is pointless and examples of others who have tried and failed before you (a favorite example of those i grew up around was DMW artist Dremo), this claim was the bane of many an aspiring Nigerian rapper/singer/producer’s existence. It wasn’t without merit, of course– Nigeria’s zeitgeist largely remains committed to the versatile and catchy sounds of the standard afrobeats. But the phrase’s truth has grown weaker and weaker as time has gone on. With the rise of Cruel Santino and his Altè cohort, a sense of hope for those with musical tastes outside the norm in Nigeria was born, and today we are seeing a good number of young Nigerian artists who are beginning to make waves with music that is, decidedly, un-Nigerian. 

While surfing the web, scrolling past one viral tweet after the next, my eye was caught by a post from YT (@tolafolaa) quoting a Nigerian rapper by the name of Zaylevelten. Opening the video, I was surprised to hear a style that was clearly inspired by the likes of Yeat and Playboy Carti, but with a certain flavor that made it unmistakably Nigerian. After all, I did not know any American rappers who were talking about how they’re “bombing steady” or they “no dey fuga fake”. This was my introduction to an underground scene that I had somehow never noticed bubbling up in my home country, one full of artists who managed to incorporate their own sound into the sound of a place from the other side of the world. 

I was instantly hooked. Deena, Egertton, xavnotwav, Luwa.mp4, Wave$tar, Kam K and the aforementioned Zaylevelten were bringing a freshness to this style of music that had been sorely missed in my experience (although there are still a number of innovators and geniuses within the niche on this side of the pond). songs like “Plan”, “ma fi me serE”, and “Watching Me” had all the energy and catchiness of the American cloud rap scene with all the originality and swagger that is unique to Nigeria, but that’s not where the joy stopped. The best part of this discovery was seeing the numbers that these artists were doing. Thousands upon thousands of listeners, all likely from Nigeria as well, seemed to be resonating heavily with this new guard of the Nigerian underground music scene. Suddenly, it was looking like one could very well blow making that. 

It brings a smile to my face, and I am sure it brings a smile to the faces of many others who have faced the discouragement that comes with making music with a different sound. Most of all, it brings hope. Hope that you can pursue the music that moves you and find success in your motherland, whatever that may mean to you. 

The age of globalization surely has much to do with this shift, as do the efforts of the alternative trailblazers of a few years ago. But i don’t say this to take away credit from these amazing, unique and talented artists. Regardless of where this niche came from, or where it’s going, I hope this continues in the long-term.

Written By IDKYoungJ: x.com/kodokuname