It was an era when Benin musicians shined through and made bangers that left all of us dancing and happy. The 2000s was an era where local TV stations like ITV and EBS and NTA Benin primarily decided what kinds of content we consumed.
It is a long-lost era but in the spirit of nostalgia – we’ve just turned 1 and are looking back – let’s look back at some of our favorite Benin musicians of that time.
Maleke
A musician, director, actor, and writer from Edo State, Maleke, whose full name is Maleke Moye Idowu, is a graduate of Auchi Polytechnic. He shot into the limelight in 2010 with the hit song Mini Mini Wana Wana from 911.
In that hit album – 911, we also got fan favorites Low Waist and Tinini Tanana. Maleke’s comedic prowess and fun-oriented lyrics helped in shaping the beautiful lighthearted club-friendly songs we got from that album. Maleke still makes music today and in the spirit of nostalgia, I’d recommend you check out his work.
Oligbese 4 Sales
If you lived in Benin during the 2005 – 2015 era when ITV reigned supreme, and cable was a thing only the wealthy and upper-middle class could afford, there’s no way you would not have heard of Oligbese 4 Sale. The person we know as Oligbese is actually named Raphael Ehis Oboh. He was born and raised in Ewohimi in Esan South-East local government area of Edo State.
To talk about the hits that Oligbese made, it is really important to share that he followed a style of Afropop that identified with the masses. He had amazingly good songs like Do Something Kpamurege and Nobody Wan Die. The brilliance and relatability of his songs made them so popular amongst the common people.
Read also: What To Do When You Are Stuck In Benin Traffic
Black IQ
An Edo rapper and singer, Black IQ is a well-loved musician and for good reason. The talented rapper was born Osamede Mavis Egbebusi and became famous when he won the Benson and Hedges Rhythm Council’s Nationals in 2008. Black IQ’s Puratata featuring Spice Vision and Sandaz Black became a massive hit with many Edo people rocking to the very danceable song.
Lady Erosion
In an era where men dominated the music industry, we had Lady Erosion. Lady Erosion is a Benin musician famous for her iconic Afro and that fantastic song we all dance to. The song I’m talking about is Giodo Giodo (of course) and its fine mix of the Edo language and danceable instrumentals really helped get her into the limelight.
Slizzy E
Another fantastic 2000s Benin musician, Slizzy E was one of those artistes who made that era enjoyable for all Benin people. His fantastic 2009 hit song, Edo Boy, featuring Terri G had the ginger and gyration we all loved from that era.
Which other 2000s Benin musician did we not mention, let us know in the comments.
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