From Nigeria To The World

“IT’S ALWAYS ABOUT, ‘HOW DO I BRING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH?’ IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT ONE’S SELF”

Let’s face it, wherever we are, Nigerian music always gets us vibing to its beats. It’s no lie that Afro-beats and African pop are taking the world by storm. 

Just take a look back at artists like Messrs Fela Kuti, Tony Allen and King Sunny Adé - some of the groundbreaking musicians of the 1970s and 1980s. 

At the start of the 21st century, much of Nigeria’s cultural output was still being relegated by British and North American mainstream media and consumers to the culture-flattening “world music” label.

Over the past five years, however, things have changed in a big way. From the rise of genres such as Afro Swing in the UK to the global takeover of artists such as Tems, Wizkid and Ms Tiwa Savage, lithe Afro-beats sounds are finally getting their due. When Burna Boy performed at Glastonbury last month, a huge crowd in the English countryside sang back to him in Yoruba and pidgin. The vibrant and varied music inspired by Nigerian culture has been hitting the world with no signs of slowing down.

Today, the list of African nominees in award shows is growing steadily and it’s truly heartwarming to see this recognition build in the African pop community. 

Recently, three well-known Nigerian heritage artists spoke Mr. Porter’s digital magazine, The Journal. Read the full interview here

For the MR PORTER shoot, Mr Bolaji Odojukan (BOJ), Ms Funmi Ohiosumah (Flohio) and Mr Teni Zaccheaus Jr (TeeZee) were photographed by Mr Lee Wei Swee and styled by Ms Otter Jezamin Hatchett in apparel from Acne Studios, ERL, Givenchy, Gucci and more.

All items can be purchased from MR PORTER via The Journal.