Lately, old Nigerian music has garnered a pervading influence on contemporary Nigerian sonics. This trend has shone bright in the year 2024.
Perhaps as a nod to cultural preservation or creative inclinations driven towards a refreshing sound that yets birth nostalgia, a subtle trend has been formed in which younger Nigerian music acts interpolate, re-imagine, remix, or sample some of the best works that once ruled the Nigerian music airplay.
This beautiful trend has resulted in a rather conscious or unconscious but welcoming disposition by music consumers towards some of the old songs that once formed a huge part of their lives- which without this recent re-imaginations and samples might have remained hidden, or worse, forgotten.
1. Love Me Jeje – Tems
Spotify users can’t get enough of Tems’ ‘Love Me Jeje’ (only Spotify users will understand). The song written and sung by Nigerian Global star, Temilade Openiyi better known as Tems derives its title from a 1997 ( two years after Tems was born) classic hit of the same name.
The ‘Found’ singer’s brilliant interpolation of the Seyi Sodimu evergreen emotive record has consequentially favored both parties. Tems, enjoying another hit song, poised to be a best-streamer. And Seyi, garnering well-deserved flowers in the form of re-emerged reverence from music listeners, and perhaps music royalties from the Tems record.
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2. Left Right – Keys the Prince
Uk-based Nigerian rapper, pianist, and producer, Keys the Prince both sampled and interpolated for his hit single, ‘Left, Right’ the work of legendary Nigerian Gospel singer, Yinka Ayefele.
‘Left Right’ was extracted from one of Yinka’s popular medlies ‘Beru Ba Monuro’ and has since its release made rounds amongst music listeners, bringing the fond memoried tune into a re-awakened state.
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3. Olufunmi Re-Imagined – ID Cabasa
Classified as a re-imagined work is ID Cabasa’s sonic tribute to one of the most impactful music groups that Nigeria has ever had ‘Styl Plus‘.
For the re-imagination of the legendary boy band’s 2004 hit single ‘Olufunmi’, the ace music producer enlisted the help of Fireboy Dml, Odumodublvck, Boj on the Microphone, and Joe Boy.
‘Olufunmi’ remains one of the best love songs ever, heavily requested on airplay during its period of relevance. With the ID Cabasa re-imagined offering, the original lingers once more.
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4. Palava – Johnny Drille
Multi-talented Musician, Johnny Drille is a music genius in his own right. He proves this much is true via his latest single, ‘Palava’ which features a second verse interpolation of Stereoman’s 2005 smash hit single ‘Sample Ekwe’.
Recently, both Johnny Drille and Stereoman even got together for a short creative video that saw both singers giddily display the similarities between the two songs, leaving for a moment, a feeling of priceless nostalgia.
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5. Rodo – Adekunle Gold
Popular singer and songwriter, Adekunle Gold delighted music fans with his latest neo-apala-inspired number, ‘Rodo’. The song took lines from the late legendary Apala singer, Musuliu Haruna Ishola.
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