Nigerian Music

Nigerian music is heavily influenced by tribal music from each of the different ethnic groups with their own music and instruments. Nigeria is also home to many styles of music unique to the country: apala, yo-pop, juju, and highlife.

Talking drums, called the Gangan or dunduns, originated from the Yoruba people. They are hourglass shapes

pictured on the left hit with a hook shaped drumstick. These are not actually used to make music, primarily they are used to communicate. they did not only 'speak' basic warnings like "RUN" but were used to tell stories, poetry, panegyrics, proverbs, and dirges. They really had a language that other people could understand like a person was talking to them. This is done in part to the way the drums can imitate the pitches of human speeches. here is a link to a master drummer, while you listen to it remember that you are listening to another language, not just music. A little bit after the half way mark he changes drums. It blows my mind that there is a language composed of nothing except music! It actually answers quite a number of questions that I had.

A very popular Nigerian singer is 2face Idibia, a hip hop artist. He brings a combination of hip hop, jamacain, classical, and rap together in his music. I really enjoyed his song dance floor and the upbeat tempo. One of his more recent songs is turning tables which came out in 2012. He is married to a popular Nollywood actress named Annie Macaulay. For more information check out his official website http://2faceonline.com/page/meet-2face or wikipedia

Here is a link to a song by popular Nigerian singer of today, Asa. She sings in both English and Yoruba. She was raised in Lagos, Nigeria and inspired by her fathers collection of music that included traditional African music and musicians like Bob Marley and Marvin Gaye. To hear her sing in Yoruba click here. BBC music said, "This Nigerian singer-songwriter might actually be a twenty-first century Bob Marley." To learn more about Asa please check out her official web sight http://www.asa-official.com/biography/.

Much of my information came from http://www.onlinenigeria.com/music/,  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talking_drum