How I discovered my original sound - 9ice

9ice

By Taiwo Okanlawon

Veteran Nigerian singer Abolore Adigun, better known as 9ice has said he was sounding like Haitian rapper, Wyclef Jean, in the early days of his career.

The ‘Photocopy’ crooner said he wasn’t the only Nigerian artist copying Wyclef’s sound back then but he was better than the rest.

In a recent interview with SPS, 9ice explained that he stopped copying Wyclef Jean after he discovered his own sound.

He emphasised that his brand of music is a fusion of his major inspirations like Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Bob Marley, Ayinde Barrister, Kwan1 and Pasuma.

“My inspiration was Wyclef [Jean]. If anybody listened to me at the beginning, there was a time I was sounding like Wyclef 100 per cent. And there were other people that were sounding like him but they felt that I sounded better than them when it comes to sounding like Wyclef,” he said.

Related News

“And from sounding like Wyclef, I got to my own original sound. Bob Marley, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Ayinde Barrister, Kwan1, Pasuma and Obesere are the people that I listened to while growing up and they formed my blend in music.”

Last year, 9ice was honoured with a chieftaincy title in Ogun State. His chieftaincy title is “Amuludun of Ijofin Kingdom” which means the “Chief Entertainer of Ijofin Kingdom”.

The music star is renowned for his powerful use of the Yoruba language, proverbial lyrics, and unique delivery style.

He has received several awards, including MOBO, MTV Africa Music Award, and Nigeria Entertainment Award. Some of his most popular songs include “Little Money,” “Make Dem Talk,” and “Gongo Aso.”

He is the founder of the Alapomeji Ancestral Record label.

Rather than staying in the entertainment industry alone, 9ice explored the realm of politics when he ran for the office of House of Representatives and took a political appointment as a Special Adviser to the then-governor of Oyo State, Late Abiola Ajimobi, in 2015.

Load more