Here's why US rapper is 'owning' Nigerian music?

Wale is really in bed with Nigerian music right now, and everyone is screaming in appreciation. But why is he rolling with us now?

Have we ever stopped to consider why Wale’s affiliation with Nigeria is currently ongoing, even going as far as putting three Nigerian stars on his album “Shine”?

We Nigerians are a very simple bunch. We celebrate the barest minimum, and appreciate the most little things as a luxury. That’s why we are still obsessed and stuck with the survival mentality as a people where the barest minimum is celebrated;

Think back to just a few years ago. Back to 2013, when popular Nigerian DJ, DJ Humility came back with tales of how Wale snubbed him in a US night club, even after introducing himself as a Nigerian.

“WALE IS A BASTARD!!! He insulted me in a nite club in D.c Just because I went to him, say hii and introduced my self as a Nigerian Dj‘, DJ Humilty tweeted.

In 2011, Chocolate City rapper M.I returned to Nigeria from the BET Awards (where he had been nominated) with tales of Wale snubbing him. Humility also tweeted about this: ‘I wonder why our peeps takes Nig Based Stars for granted, Dis same Wale did the same thing to M.I Abaga just 2yrs ago at the BET’.

Sources also revealed Wale allegedly did the same thing to US based Nigerian rapper Chiddy Bang.

But all of that is in the past. Wale has moved on from such behaviour, and began work with Nigerian artists. But most of the work that was done on the projects of Nigerian artists. He never released an official single with Nigerian artists on. But he kept his association with Nigeria heavy.

At some point, he tried to get Jay Z’s Roc Nation to sign Wizkid. But that was unsuccessful.

In 2015, Wale released a documentary detailing his travel to Nigeria to meet with his extended family members and soak up the culture. And that same year, he teased fans with a move back to Nigeria. Although, that never happened.

Why does Wale continue to associate with Nigeria? Because it’s his home. Wale is from Nigeria. His family house is in Ondo state, and according to him, he ‘still pays’ for his father’s house there. Also, African-American artists in the US who can trace back their African roots and connect with it, have a more interesting angle to their celebrity, and can drum up support from their home country for campaigns.

But now Wale is chasing the music more. He has gone from being a guest on Nigerian records, to putting Nigerians on American records.

When US rapper Wale announced his forthcoming album – “Shine” - and released the artwork and tracklist, Nigeria celebrated.

Two and a half local artists were featured on the project; Olamide and Davido are Nigerians who ply their trade within the shores of the country. While Wizkid has one leg in and the other is chasing Drake and the rest of America. Good luck.

Olamide and Davido are featured guests on the record ‘Fine Girl’, a typical Nigerian title which sits right in place with the numerous song designed and concocted in the studios that litter Lagos. What makes it more interesting is that they were the only featured artists on the record and so you know, it’s going to be a Naija-centric affair.

All of the other times Nigerian artists have had guest spots on albums, we usually hear and see them shoe-horned into a song that is neither Nigerian or was designed to carry their fans along. But ‘Fine girl’ appeared to be our own local material getting international exposure.

Wale is doing this because it is cool to do it now. The past two years have seen the world awaken to the presence and power of Nigerian music. The sound is different from anything they have got, the artists add a fresh and exotic dimension to what is in the West, and so everyone is making a content dash for the continent.

Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music have all entered the market as foreign players, and they have began to mop up content. Ycee, Wizkid, Davido, Ayo Jay, Tekno and a few others have had deals designed to advance their cause on the continent at different levels.

Couple that with the phenomenal success that Drake has enjoyed collaborating with Wizkid, and we have an artist who would want that for himself.

Wale, being the man with the connections, the roadmap and a foot in Lagos would have been kicking himself about not having Wizkid do a record with him. That’s why he has three artists on his project.

On ‘Fine Girl’, you almost get a feeling that ‘One Dance’ is subtly being cloned. Three artists, a universal Caribbean beat, and plenty of exotic vibes from Africa. Olamide even pitched in with some Yoruba post-hook.

Wale is rolling deep with Nigerian artists because he has seen the value that they can bring to a record. And as the summer approaches swiftly, there’s a real rush by US artists to come up with a leading anthem. Wale wants to be that guy. He wants to jump on the Nigerian wave and ensure that he gets that summer anthem, with the reggaeton flow on ‘Fine Girl’, and the Tropical fusion on ‘My love’.

It’s no different from all the other Americans who tap into our sound. Only that this time, it’s a prestigious son of the soil, who has earned enough credibility, and repaid the favour.