The old generation of Highlife musicians are 90% gone giving
rise to the new generation of highlife artistes who have successfully funkified
the music genre, which is very popular in West Africa.
Funky Highlife is a computer-generated music with a combination
of danceable beats, scintillating guitar riffs and keyboard melody. The lyrics is based on contemporary
issues, love and current affairs.
Singers like Flavour N'abania, J Martins, Bracket and Wizboy
have popularised funky highlife with their recording successes and acclaim for
their renascent diverse styles which unlike the original highlife incorporated
a wide range of neoteric influences outside of the West African music scene.
These artistes exhibited more urban feel encompassing a mixture of hip hop,
R&B, techno, reggae, dancehall, and calypso, making their music commercial
success worldwide. In Nigeria and most Anglophone African countries, these
artistes, especially Flavour N'abania has remained in high demand at concerts
and on other social events.
With the genre's rise in mainstream appeal, many emerging MCs
particularly from around the Southern Nigeria and other neighbouring areas
began integrating local highlife sounds. Artistes like Mr. Raw (formerly Dat
N.I.G.G.A. Raw), Slow Dogg, MC Loph and 2Shotz helped establish a much stronger
link between indigenous rap, and the new funkified highlife by providing verses
to several hit songs and would often hire Igbo vocalists to sing the choruses
of their own songs.
J Martins made headlines around the continent and beyond when he collaborated with Cabo Snoop from Angola and Fally Ipupa from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The songs titled "Good Tym" and "Kele Papa" drew plenty of attention that year, and would later go on to become fan favourites.
J Martins made headlines around the continent and beyond when he collaborated with Cabo Snoop from Angola and Fally Ipupa from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The songs titled "Good Tym" and "Kele Papa" drew plenty of attention that year, and would later go on to become fan favourites.
By 2012, J Martins had evolved into one of the most
recognized West African, internationally known music stars. His soukous-tinged
approach to record production further gained him additional fan following and
respect.
In 2014, Phyno's introductory album No Guts No Glory was
released. Featuring two high-profile appearances by Flavour N'abania contributing
vocals to tracks "Multiply" and "Authe (Authentic)". The
album has received generally positive reviews since its release. It earned
Phyno a City People Entertainment Award nomination for Best Rap Album. Phyno's song "Fada Fada" was a smash hit!
