Igbo highlife is a contemporary musical genre which combines highlife and Igbo traditional music. It first started off in the southeast region of Nigeria, during the 1920s. The genre is primarily guitar-based music, with a rare characteristic blend of horns and vocal rhythms.[1][2] Igbo highlife lyrics are sung mostly in Igbo with occasional infusion of Pidgin English.[3] One of the most influential composers and performers of the music is Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe whose career spanned over 40 years. Osadebe's discography comprises numerous popular songs including the 1984 hit "Osondi Owendi" which launched him on the world stage as a pioneer of the Igbo highlife genre.[4]
Another prominent musician, Singer and guitarist Oliver De Coque is considered "one of the prime exemplars of and chief innovators in contemporary Igbo popular music." Coque was responsible for the increasing popularity of Igbo highlife with a deeper perspective of Igbo sounds being translated on the guitar.[5] Among his best known hits are "Biri Ka Mbiri", "Ana Enwe Obodo Enwe", "Nnukwu Mmanwu" and "Identity", all of which were largely successful throughout the early 1980s to mid 1990s.[6] Other early performers in the genre who have made significant contributions to its development are, Ali Chukwuma, Bright Chimezie, Sir Warrior,[7] Celestine Ukwu,[8] Nico Mbarga, Oriental Brothers,[7] Isaac Rogana Ottah, Ikem Mazeli.[1]
^ ab"Ikem Mazeli". africaResource. 27 September 2008. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
^"Video Abaraka Guitar Band of Nigeria (Nigeria) – Egwu Ndidi (80′s Evergreen Igbo Highlife!)". Peganabenga.com.br. 14 March 2014. Archived from the original on 28 June 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
^"Igbo Highlife". Global Groove. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
^"Nigeria's Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe dead". United Press International. 19 May 2007. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
^Patterson, Karin. Expressions of Africa in Los Angeles Public Performance, 1781—1994. pp. 315–316. ISBN 0549407057.
^Harris, Craig. "King (Dr.) Chief Oliver de Coque". Allmusic. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
^ ab"Dr. Sir Warrior + Oriental Brothers Band Vintage Hits Vol 1 (Nigeria) @ [256k]". globedia.com. 24 April 2011. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
^"Discography of Celestine Ukwu (Celestine Obiakor)". African Music. 10 January 2008. Archived from the original on 6 August 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
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mixed and perfected it to form Igbohighlife which became the country's most popular music genre in the 1960s. Highlife has remained a part of popular...
very popular Igbo musical styles are Igbohighlife, Ogene, Igbo gospel. When examining the impact that music has on the culture of the Igbo people, one...
the Igbo is highlife. A widely popular musical genre in West Africa, highlife is a fusion of jazz and traditional music. The modern Igbohighlife is seen...
form among Igbo people is highlife, which is a fusion of jazz and traditional music and widely popular in West Africa. The modern Igbohighlife is seen in...
music, Were music, Ogene, Fuji, Jùjú, Afrobeat, Afrobeats, Igbohighlife, Afro-juju, Waka, Igbo rap, Gospel, and Yo-pop. Styles of folk music are related...
Warrior was a Nigerian Igbohighlife musician, guitarist and bandleader. A musical prodigy, he was one of the pioneers of highlife music in Nigeria and...
main influences from Igbo traditional music and African American music. Aside other derived styles, it can be combined with highlife, R&B and afro-soul...
Nigerian highlife musician from Atani. During his career spanning over four decades, he became one of the best known musicians of Igbohighlife. His best-known...
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Igbo Americans, or Americans of Igbo ancestry, or Igbo Black Americans (Igbo: Ṇ́dị́ Ígbò n'Emerịkà) are residents of the United States who identify as...
Nigerian highlife musicians arranged in alphabetical order. There are several other genres of music in Nigeria these include Ikorodo, Igbo gospel, Owerri...
Igbo Jews are members of the Igbo people of Nigeria who practice Judaism. Jews have been documented in parts of Nigeria since the precolonial period,...
Celestine Ukwu (1940 – 7 May 1977) was a Nigerian Igbohighlife musician during the 1960s and 1970s, best known for his hit songs "Ije Enu", "Igede" and...
artist and record producer D'Prince – Afro-pop singer Dr Sir Warrior – Igbohighlife musician and performer Dr. Alban – Nigerian-Swedish recording artist...
1997), better known as Prince Nico Mbarga, was a Cameroonian-Nigerian highlife musician, born to a Nigerian mother and a Cameroonian father in Abakaliki...
Traditional music in Anambra includes a number of genres such as IgboHighlife, Ogene, Igbo Gospel, Ekpili, etc. Some notable traditional musicians from Anambra...
Also known as Oriental Brothers Origin Eastern Region, Nigeria Genres Igbohighlife Instrument(s) Guitar, Orchestra Years active 1970s-2000s Labels Afrodisia...
sounds flowing majorly out of Nigeria. Genres such as hiplife, jùjú music, highlife and naija beats, among others, were amalgamated under the "Afrobeats" umbrella...
In the 1950s and 1960s, Highlife music became a popular staple in the country with regional genres such as the IgboHighlife. A notable exponent of the...
have incorporated external musical influences: Afrobeat Afro-juju IgboHighlifeIgbo rap Waka Yo-pop Music of Nigeria African popular music "'Nigerians...
Igbo people in Jamaica were trafficked by Europeans onto the island between the 18th and 19th centuries as enslaved labour on plantations. Igbo people...
platforms in the late 2010s. His music is a mixture of Ogene music, Igbohighlife and mainstream Nigerian music fused with traditional tunes and chants...
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The list of Igbo people includes notable individuals who have full or significant ancestry traced back to the Igbo people of South-East and South-South...
1992), Nigerian professional footballer Celestine Ukwu (1940-1977), Igbohighlife musician Celestine Babayaro (born 1978), Nigerian former footballer...
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