9ice

9ice (born AboloreЂ Akande on January 17, 1980) is a Nigerian musician.

9ice performed at the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Tribute concert (singing "Gongo Aso") in London on June 27, 2008. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7475962.stm |title=Reporter's log, Mandela concert |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=2008-07-01 |date=2007-06-27]

At the last edition of the acclaimed Hip Hop World Awards held in March 2008, 9ice was voted winner for the Revelation of the Year award and the Best Vocal Performer in the male category. Roughly a month later at the first edition of Soundcity Music Video Awards, 9ice finished as a nominee in the category of Best New Artiste. Beyond formal awards and public endorsements, the young artist did succeed in implanting his name at the heart of lovers of good music across Nigeria, around and outside the African continent. 9ice is definitely a household name in the Nigerian hip hop scene. He has carved a niche for himself as a great writer and hook man who placed creativity and originality at the forefront of his endeavour. His ingenuity broke boundaries within a very short period, left lasting impression on anyone that cared to listen to his strongly worded and lyrically loaded songs. This youngster is currently enjoying the success of his single, entitled "Gongo Aso". The wave making hit is the most popular song on radio today in Nigeria.

LIFE SO FAR

9ice whose real name is Abolore Adegbola Akande was born on 17 January 1980. He is a south-westerner that traced his origin to Ogbomoso in Oyo State but has thus far lived the life of a Lagosian in the densely populated suburb of Bariga, bordering Yaba, Akoka, Ebute Metta and other adjourning areas of Nigeria’s Centre of Excellence. Young 9ice, who attended Agbeleokuta Primary School and CMS Grammar School, dropped out his Law programme at the Lagos State University to concentrate on music. He grew up in a polygamous home of five wives and nine children. For 9ice it was tough growing up and when he had the chance of relaying his inspiration for Gongo Aso, he simply says this: ‘I have spent most of my life fending for myself. Although, my parents are still alive, I was the one taking most of the decisions such as payment of school fees and making the choice of career. It is like a soul, which has been deprived of so many things, which other kids enjoy.’ His parents never knew he sings until about a year after he started around 2000. Before then, 9ice has spent considerable time writing his own songs which he dated back to when he was just 14 years old. It is worth noting that as a big fan of Pasuma Wonder, he kick-started his singing career with Fuji music.

INFLUENCE

Besides being crazy about Wyclef who he would later dedicate a track to in his debut album, 9ice’s style was largely shaped by her 75 year-old grandmother who he claimed taught him all he came to know about the culture, and the use of the language of, Yoruba. In his words, grandmother ‘hardly says anything without using proverbs or anecdotes to drive home her points. So, when I was trying to be creative with my music, I thought of doing something different and that is why I make use of deep Yoruba words in my songs…’ About his role models, 9ice is a respecter of creative and original individuals. He had always been very quick to mention Ebenezer Obey, Haruna Ishola, Yusuf Olatunji, Bob Marley, Lauryn Hill, R. Kelly and, recently, Alicia keys as his major influences.

EARLY CAREER

His story came to be that of a man who craved for success, a determined and a demonstrator of faith in the self. After recording his first demo, 9ice joined a group called Mysterious Boys with whom he did a couple of tracks before going on the form his own, now defunct, group Abinibi. He never made headway with any of the groups and having recorded his first demo titled Risi De Alagbaja in 1996 and his first solo song, Little Money in 2000, this would-be music star had to wait till 2005 before himself and his music started gaining recognition in the Nigerian music market.

The first major break for 9ice then came after a remarkable feat in 2Shotz’s Make Dem Talk. It was not long after then that 9ice officially released the first single, Little Money, off his Certificate album. After signing with Edge Record in 2006, 9ice produced Ganja Man which was dropped in the December of that year. The reggae tone and the playful style of the song made it an instant hit. This particular song was monstrous and it, in no time, became very popular among Naija Youths within the space of few months.

SOLO ALBUM AND SOPHOMORE BREAK

No one envisaged what this artiste would become in the year that followed the release and success of Ganja Man. 9ice proved that he was no push-over or a one hit-tracker that some have labelled him through a ground breaking single release in the last quarter of 2007. That song, entitled Gongo Aso, was to become the title of his sophomore album. That song, according to a reviewer, is with a buzz so enormous; it did not need a video to become a new national anthem. ‘For a month, I haven’t slept in my house,’ says 9ice while explaining how tight his schedule has been since Gongo Aso was released. The story didn’t end there. When the second album was eventually released in March 2008, the noise on radio stations and around the corners of every street became more thunderous. The album has at least a piece for everyone. In that effort, 9ice recorded songs covering success, originality, partying and women, as well as themes on the institution of marriage and gratitude. The shift in the theme of his new album, when compared with the old one, further stamped him as a diverse and epochal talent.

MOLDING SHOWS

Following the banger track, 9ice’s endorsement sporadically took a flight. It immediately shot him to super stardom. Between late 2007 and now, 9ice has featured prominently on the train across Nigerian campuses in the Soundcity/MTN Campus Blast escapade. The lyrical champ has now lost count of the number of concerts he had performed. He has played in many Nigerian Universities since his rise to stardom. When Idia Hall dragged 9ice to town, he was already a member of the millionaire club in the Nigerian music industry. Gongo Aso cost Afrobest, a Lagos-based marketing establishment, a whopping sum of five million naira to secure a marketing right.

HIS STYLE

9ice is known for his versatility, the major strength being the infusion of indigenous language into his music. For an artiste that does not sing a full sentence in pidgin English without throwing in a Yoruba proverb, non-Yoruba listeners may be excluded form his music. Compromising between keeping a wider fan base and maintaining his originality becomes an issue. But 9ice never consider his choice of language a barrier. In fact, he calls that ‘doing it right.’ He thinks that the Nigerian hip hop artiste must do it right if they are to compete favourably outside the borders of Africa. ‘The key,’ continues 9ice, ‘is being unique because you can’t sell rice to a rice farmer. Yosouf N’dou has won a couple of Grammy with music recorded in his mother tongue. Also other artistes like Yvonne Chaka-Chaka embraced her language. English Language has been imposed on us but God graciously gave Yoruba language to us.’

THE 3 Ds

The Ws of weed, women and wine is notorious for hazards which rising male artistes would have to contend with in showbiz. In the line of duty, some popular heavyweight champions in the industry have fathered up to three children from different women. Weed and drink are considered energizers and confident boosters. In spite of this, the dangers of the two are, yet still, and nonetheless, present. ‘There is no way you will be famous without drawing the attention of women,’ expounded 9ice. He claimed to be too busy for possible distraction by women. Moreso, 9ice brought doubts of the fellas, particularly of himself, in the growing Nigerian Music industry to a halt when he married his heartthrob, Toni ‘Oluwaseun’ Payne at a secret location in the last half of 2008. [http://www.ayenithegreat.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/9ice-wedding-pics-16.jpg] Payne is California State University graduate of Computer Graphics Design and the owner of a US-based Cosmetics and Apparel Company [www.tonipayneonline.com/information.php?info_id=11] , for some time now. On weed and wine he was very emphatic: ‘I don’t smoke. Neither do I drink.’

There is a new kid on the block. His claim to Street Credibility is not yet in doubt. His song writing ability, coupled with the beat wizardry of his Coded Tunes cohort ID Cabasa, holds the promise of keeping 9ice around for along time to come. Funny enough, the ‘9’ in his name is for the reputation he holds for not wanting to go 9 days without working on a new song, or completing sketched ones. The 28 year-old singer is presently being hailed as the next D’banj, which he often takes as compliment. From all indication, 9ice seems to have reasons to be confident in his future musically. The support for his brand of Afro-Hip Hop is growing stronger by the day. It is, then, no gainsaying that the year has been for 9ice, a 9ice year. ‘Be who you wanna be, copy nobody and respect your family’ has been the philosophy that earned him a lot. So much for a man who goes to radio stations with a CD without a sleeve and writes his song title on the CD with a marker But for how many more years would 9ice continue to stick around nicely? Only time will tell.

References

9ice is an artist that is self explanatory. From his style and blend of music to his adoption of the local yoruba language in expressing his musical talent. 9ice is an artist that has been able to show that originality can sell therefore setting the pace for other Nigerian Hip hop Artistes. From his hit song Gongo aso that has been enjoying club and radio play internationally to street credibilty, a song affirming his roots as a street person. His background probably has contirbuted to the Artiste he is today, and he is not denying that fact.

External links

* [http://www.naijapals.com/?L=music.index&id=1100&search=9ice%20Street%20credibility%20ft%20tuface%20idibia Listen to the preview of street credibility by 9ice]
* [http://www.museke.com/node/1446 9ice lyrics, audio, video, information]
* [http://www.9iceonline.com The 9ice official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/9ice 9ice on Myspace]
* [http://www.mynaijanews.com/content/view/1175/86/ The Rise and Rise of 9ice]
* [http://allafrica.com/stories/200803240380.html 9ice joins the millionaires club]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvrTOpYpINo 9ice is introduced by June Sarpong at his performance at the Nelson Mandela tribute]

INFLUENCE

Besides being crazy about Wyclef who he would later dedicate a track to in his debut album, 9ice’s style was largely shaped by her 75 year-old grandmother who he claimed taught him all he came to know about the culture, and the use of the language of, Yoruba. In his words, grandmother ‘hardly says anything without using proverbs or anecdotes to drive home her points. So, when I was trying to be creative with my music, I thought of doing something different and that is why I make use of deep Yoruba words in my songs…’ About his role models, 9ice is a respecter of creative and original individuals. He had always been very quick to mention Ebenezer Obey, Haruna Ishola, Yusuf Olatunji, Bob Marley, Lauryn Hill, R. Kelly and, recently, Alicia keys as his major influences.

EARLY CAREER

His story came to be that of a man who craved for success, a determined and a demonstrator of faith in the self. After recording his first demo, 9ice joined a group called Mysterious Boys with whom he did a couple of tracks before going on the form his own, now defunct, group Abinibi. He never made headway with any of the groups and having recorded his first demo titled Risi De Alagbaja in 1996 and his first solo song, Little Money in 2000, this would-be music star had to wait till 2005 before himself and his music started gaining recognition in the Nigerian music market.

The first major break for 9ice then came after a remarkable feat in 2Shotz’s Make Dem Talk. It was not long after then that 9ice officially released the first single, Little Money, off his Certificate album. After signing with Edge Record in 2006, 9ice produced Ganja Man which was dropped in the December of that year. The reggae tone and the playful style of the song made it an instant hit. This particular song was monstrous and it, in no time, became very popular among Naija Youths within the space of few months.

SOLO ALBUM AND SOPHOMORE BREAK

No one envisaged what this artiste would become in the year that followed the release and success of Ganja Man. 9ice proved that he was no push-over or a one hit-tracker that some have labelled him through a ground breaking single release in the last quarter of 2007. That song, entitled Gongo Aso, was to become the title of his sophomore album. That song, according to a reviewer, is with a buzz so enormous; it did not need a video to become a new national anthem. ‘For a month, I haven’t slept in my house,’ says 9ice while explaining how tight his schedule has been since Gongo Aso was released. The story didn’t end there. When the second album was eventually released in March 2008, the noise on radio stations and around the corners of every street became more thunderous. The album has at least a piece for everyone. In that effort, 9ice recorded songs covering success, originality, partying and women, as well as themes on the institution of marriage and gratitude. The shift in the theme of his new album, when compared with the old one, further stamped him as a diverse and epochal talent.

MOLDING SHOWS

Following the banger track, 9ice’s endorsement sporadically took a flight. It immediately shot him to super stardom. Between late 2007 and now, 9ice has featured prominently on the train across Nigerian campuses in the Soundcity/MTN Campus Blast escapade. The lyrical champ has now lost count of the number of concerts he had performed. He has played in many Nigerian Universities since his rise to stardom. When Idia Hall dragged 9ice to town, he was already a member of the millionaire club in the Nigerian music industry. Gongo Aso cost Afrobest, a Lagos-based marketing establishment, a whopping sum of five million naira to secure a marketing right.

TYLE

9ice is known for his versatility, the major strength being the infusion of indigenous language into his music. For an artiste that does not sing a full sentence in pidgin English without throwing in a Yoruba proverb, non-Yoruba listeners may be excluded form his music. Compromising between keeping a wider fan base and maintaining his originality becomes an issue. But 9ice never consider his choice of language a barrier. In fact, he calls that ‘doing it right.’ He thinks that the Nigerian hip hop artiste must do it right if they are to compete favourably outside the borders of Africa. ‘The key,’ continues 9ice, ‘is being unique because you can’t sell rice to a rice farmer. Yosouf N’dou has won a couple of Grammy with music recorded in his mother tongue. Also other artistes like Yvonne Chaka-Chaka embraced her language. English Language has been imposed on us but God graciously gave Yoruba language to us.’

THE 3 Ds

The Ws of weed, women and wine is notorious for hazards which rising male artistes would have to contend with in showbiz. In the line of duty, some popular heavyweight champions in the industry have fathered up to three children from different women. Weed and drink are considered energizers and confident boosters. In spite of this, the dangers of the two are, yet still, and nonetheless, present. ‘There is no way you will be famous without drawing the attention of women,’ expounded 9ice. He claimed to be too busy for possible distraction by women. Moreso, 9ice brought doubts of the fellas, particularly of himself, in the growing Nigerian Music industry to a halt when he married his heartthrob, Toni ‘Oluwaseun’ Payne at a secret location in the last half of 2008. [http://www.ayenithegreat.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/9ice-wedding-pics-16.jpg] Payne is California State University graduate of Computer Graphics Design and the owner of a US-based Cosmetics and Apparel Company [www.tonipayneonline.com/information.php?info_id=11] , for some time now. On weed and wine he was very emphatic: ‘I don’t smoke. Neither do I drink.’

References

External links

* [http://www.naijapals.com/?L=music.index&id=1100&search=9ice%20Street%20credibility%20ft%20tuface%20idibia Listen to the preview of street credibility by 9ice]
* [http://www.museke.com/node/1446 9ice lyrics, audio, video, information]
* [http://www.9iceonline.com The 9ice official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/9ice 9ice on Myspace]
* [http://www.mynaijanews.com/content/view/1175/86/ The Rise and Rise of 9ice]
* [http://allafrica.com/stories/200803240380.html 9ice joins the millionaires club]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvrTOpYpINo 9ice is introduced by June Sarpong at his performance at the Nelson Mandela tribute]