Buchi, Bovi and Basketmouth are the Bad, Baddo and Baddest of Nigerian comedy [Pulse Editor's Opinion]
It is safe to say these trio are the modern day masters of the comedy business in Nigeria.
Buchi, Bovi and Basketmouth [Instagram/Bovi] [Instagram/Basketmouth]
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I bet anyone to argue or just put their money where their mouth is about these guys. Everything about their style and the manner in which they have grown over the years needs to be studied in the 'Business School of Comedy.'
Now let's take it back to the beginning, from the first time I saw Basketmouth on stage during the popular 'Nite of Thousand Laughs' organised by Opa WIlliams in the late 1990s, I knew he was going to be one of the biggest in the country.
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At that time we already had Ali Baba as the king of comedy but there was something youthful and organic about Basketmouth that just oozed every time he climbed the stage.
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Interestingly, during a chat with Pulse, Basketmouth revealed that after an epic fail on stage while rapping and dragging the crowd for 30 minutes, he decided to watch Ali Baba and learn from the master of the game.
It didn't take time before he became a household name across the country.
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He may have been popular in your circle but Bovi first blew my mind and that of many when he starred as 'Onoriode' in the hit TV drama series 'Extended Family' in 2007. He made us laugh so much we couldn't for the next episode.
There was just something fascinating about Bovi and it took just a few years, sold-out concerts for everyone to know what he was made of.
I personally watched Buchi grow back in the university. I'm not that old, when Buchi was in his fifth year studying Law at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, I was a Jambite.
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Buchi had on several occasions held the largest hall in that uni for hours with rib-cracking jokes. He had a partner in crime (Ochuko) and together they would organise comedy shows on campus.
These guys have used their intelligence and hard work to create a formidable force to reckon with in the comedy business.
Why do they stand out?
![Buchi, Bovi and Basketmouth [Instagram/Bovi] [Instagram/Basketmouth]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'790'%20height%3D'445'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Buchi, Bovi and Basketmouth [Instagram/Bovi] [Instagram/Basketmouth]")
Buchi, Bovi and Basketmouth [Instagram/Bovi] [Instagram/Basketmouth]
Pulse Nigeria
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Maybe it's the fact that they all schooled and grew up in Benin City or Edo State at some point in their lives. Or maybe it's the fact they are the most eloquent and spontaneous comedians we have in Nigeria.
Maybe Bovi reads the crowd before he comes on stage. Maybe Basketmouth probably drags some greens...walks to the stage and just starts with the guy wearing a funny shirt. Maybe Buchi already watched the last performer and understood where to start from.
One thing is certain, they are the yardstick used to measure what stand-up comedy is in Nigeria. If any Nigerian comedian can stand with the likes of Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle and the others, it will be these three friends.
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With the emergence of social media, they have been able to blend in, win over millions of followers and still counting. No wonder a visit to their Instagram pages gives you a delight of what creativity is all about.
Bovi writes and captions his daily lifestyle and activities like a storyteller. Basketmouth creates content every other day like he stole a box of ideas from Quincy Jones' house. For Buchi, he is probably the funniest guy you want to watch on TV (No offense to icons like Nkem Owoh and Charles Inogie).
Basketmouth recently took fans back memory lane to his first love, music, when he released a project 'Yabasi' which featured the likes of Duncan Mighty, Ice Prince, Oxlade, Show Dem Camp, Flavour, Phyno, Perruzzi, iLL Bliss, Waje, Bez, The Cavemen, etc.
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For those who are lovers of YouTube comedy, they will never forget in a hurry, Bovi's 'Back To School' series. It was so good, it had three seasons.
For the last four years, Buchi has remained the reason so many people watch the Africa Magic TV series 'Flatmates.' Playing the role of 'Obus' a broke lawyer with an attitude that reminds you of that friend you hate so much but love at the same time, Buchi has shown reasons why comedians are sometimes better than your favourite actor.
Falz says he is the Bahd, Olamide is called Baddo while Davido will always scream that he is the Baddest...facts only.
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However, in the business of comedy, Buchi is the Bahd guy, Bovi comes clean as the Baddo while Basketmouth remains the Baddest.
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