#TheDecadeList
20. TIMI DAKOLO:
The powerful vocalist has always made music on his own terms. Although he has just two albums (the second was released in late 2019) to his name, his oeuvre is full of classics, such as ‘Wish Me Well’ and ‘Iyawo Mi’.
19. ASA:
The dreadlocks-sporting star has carved a niche for herself. Her reputation is founded solely on her music, which is intensely personal and introspective. Her music, which flits from Soul to R & B, has found love all around the world, as she’s performed in esteemed venues. This decade, she’s released three albums, most recent of which is Lucid.
18. IYANYA:
The Kukere singer heralded a form of Afro Pop which was heavily reliant on African rhythms and dance steps. In his dominant years, he was the go-to man for the sexually-inciting. ‘Desire,’ his second album, was supported by his plethora of singles and that year (2013), he won the “Artiste of the Year” award at the Headies.
17. TOPE ALABI:
Tope Alabi (fondly called ‘Agbo Jesu’) has been at the fore of gospel music’s renaissance, making commercial and critical success with her many albums released since 2010.
16. DON JAZZY:
The Don Dorobucci has moved the culture by being founder of Mo’Hits and Mavin Records. In the last decade, these labels have been home to stars such as Tiwa Savage, Dr. Sid, Wande Coal, and D’Banj. Recently, Don Jazzy commissioned the opening of two Mavin offices in Lagos – talk about wins.
15. SINACH:
Born Osinachi Joseph, she is a gospel music singer, songwriter, and senior worship leader at Loveworld. She is known globally for several gospel hits songs, notable among them, “Way Maker,” and “I Know Who I Am”. In 2017, she was inducted into the Bethlehem Hall of Fame, joining Dwayne Johnson, Pope Benedict XVI and a host of other internationally-recognized celebrities on the listed. In March 2019, Sinach became the first Gospel singer from Nigeria to garner over 100 million views for a single video on YouTube, and the third Nigerian to achieve that feat, next to Davido and Yemi Alade, who achieved the same feat in December, 2018. She achieved this with ‘Way Maker’.
14. BANKY W:
Empire Mates Empire boss, Banky, is perhaps the greatest R & B artiste of the decade. He has released critically acclaimed projects (most notably 2013’s R&BW), his quality shining through on them. Sometime ago, Mr. W. succumbed to fan pressure, saying that maybe he still had an album in him. However, his major contribution to the industry comes by way of his ‘discovery’ and signing of teenage wonder Wizkid, who would go on to become one of his greatest investments.
13. BURNA BOY:
The self-proclaimed African Giant peaked late (commercially, that is) into the decade, but his achievements are generation-defining still. Burna Boy leads the Afrobeats movement (“African Giant”) and at the same time, is bringing back diasporan sounds (“Outside”) to the motherland. In 2019, he got a Grammys nomination for African Giant, released some months prior to the announcement.
12. M.I Abaga:
The Short Black Boy’s success is recorded in the fact that he made rap music which appealed to Nigerian sensibilities, while being as technically dope as any rapper anywhere could be. MI’s projects in the last decade are very good offerings, with “Yung Denzl,” the self-analytical album released in 2018, being the icing on the cake. Also, by his extensive role at Chocolate City (he was made president in 2015, but not in the role anymore) M.I has seen to the growth of musical talents like Koker, Dice Ailes, and more recently, Blaqbonez.
11. WANDE COAL:
The Black Diamond is a legend, no doubt. His vocal-heavy brand of Afro R & B has influenced the likes of Wizkid, Davido, Fireboy DML, and Oxlade. His commercial reach is also massive, as his albums consistently record good sales.
