9ice
Encyclopedia
9ice was born on Thursday, January 17, 1980. He is a very popular Nigeria
n Musician
with a classic style of music. 9ice is a south-westerner from Ogbomoso in Oyo State
but he grew up in the district of Bariga in Lagos.
9ice performed at the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Tribute
concert (singing "Gongo Aso") in London
on June 27, 2008.
9ice at the 2009 MOBO Awards
At the March 2008 edition of the Hip Hop World Awards held in Nigeria, 9ice won the Revelation of the Year award and the Best Male Vocal Performer. A month later at the first SoundCity Music Video Awards, 9ice was nominated in the category of Best New Artiste. 9ice's biggest single is titled "Gongo Aso".
Gongo Aso was a song that 9ice described as a moving song that motivated him to ensure success was for all but in time. His motivation was from God Almighty.
, and dropped out from his Law course at the Lagos State University
to concentrate on music. He grew up in a polygamous
home of five wives and nine children. His parents found about his singing career a year after it started around 2000. Before then, 9ice wrote his own songs dating 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
. He derives his inspiration from his environment, and music from the likes of Ebenezer Obey
, King Sunny Ade
, Tatalo Alamu, Late.Alhaji Ayinla Omowura, Late. Alhaji Haruna Ishola.
. In his words, 'she 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.
The first major break for 9ice came from his first single title Little Money and not long after then he did collaborations with different Nigerian artist that immediately prompted the release of another hit single title Ganja Man. Id.Cabasa produced Ganja Man which was released with other songs in march 2006. The reggae
tone and playful style of the song made it an instant hit. He later found his own record company and release all other album under his label ALapomeji Records.
Samuel Oga also helped him produce an album
Mandela's 90th birthday in London (Hyde Park), Lets Go There Tour With Ariya Entertainment in NY, LA, Chicago, Houston, Maryland 2008, Star Mega Jam
2007 - 2010, London Troxy
2008, 2010. All these shows and concerts were sold-out events. He also headlined sold out shows in Holland and Malaysia in October 2010 to mark his country's 50 years independence anniversary. 2010 was also the year which 9ice embarked on a European tour covering some parts of Italy, Spain and Switzerland. 9ice also performed live in Cyprus
at Lions garden where many if not all the Nigerian students where in attendance.
in his music. Non-Yoruba listeners may be excluded from his music. He seeks to keep a balance between keeping a wider fan base and maintaining his originality. 9ice compares himself to Youssou N'Dour
who has won a couple of Grammy with music recorded in his mother tongue, and Yvonne Chaka-Chaka whose music has also embraced her language. He has been quoted as saying 'English Language has been imposed on us but God graciously gave Yoruba language to us.’
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n Musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
with a classic style of music. 9ice is a south-westerner from Ogbomoso in Oyo State
Oyo State
Ọyọ State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria, with its capital at Ibadan. It is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east by Osun State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west partly by Ogun State and partly by the Republic of Benin....
but he grew up in the district of Bariga in Lagos.
9ice performed at the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Tribute
Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Tribute
The Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Tribute was held in Hyde Park, London on 27 June 2008 to commemorate Nelson Mandela's ninetieth birthday...
concert (singing "Gongo Aso") in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on June 27, 2008.
9ice at the 2009 MOBO Awards
At the March 2008 edition of the Hip Hop World Awards held in Nigeria, 9ice won the Revelation of the Year award and the Best Male Vocal Performer. A month later at the first SoundCity Music Video Awards, 9ice was nominated in the category of Best New Artiste. 9ice's biggest single is titled "Gongo Aso".
Gongo Aso was a song that 9ice described as a moving song that motivated him to ensure success was for all but in time. His motivation was from God Almighty.
Growing Up
9ice attended Abule okuta Primary School and CMS Grammar SchoolCMS Grammar School, Lagos
The CMS Grammar School in the Bariga district of Lagos is the oldest secondary school in Nigeria, founded on 6 June 1859 by the Church Missionary Society...
, and dropped out from his Law course at the Lagos State University
Lagos State University
The Lagos State University - also known as LASU - was established in 1983 by the enabling Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, for the advancement of learning and establishment of academic excellence. The university caters for a population of over 61,000, enrolled in full-time and part-time programmes at...
to concentrate on music. He grew up in a polygamous
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
home of five wives and nine children. His parents found about his singing career a year after it started around 2000. Before then, 9ice wrote his own songs dating 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
Fuji music
Fuji is a popular Nigerian musical genre. It arose from the improvisation Ajisari/were music tradition, which is a kind of music performed to wake muslims before dawn during the Ramadan fasting season...
. He derives his inspiration from his environment, and music from the likes of Ebenezer Obey
Ebenezer Obey
Ebenezer Obey , nicknamed the "Chief Commander," is a Nigerian pop musician.- Biography :Obey, whose full name is Ebenezer Remilekun Aremu Olasupo Obey-Fabiyi, was born in Idogo, Ogun State, Nigeria of Egba-Yoruba ethnic background. He is of the Owu subgroup of the Egba. He began his professional...
, King Sunny Ade
King Sunny Adé
King Sunny Adé is a popular performer of Yoruba Nigerian Jùjú music and a pioneer of modern world music. He has been classed as one of the most influential musicians of all time.-Background:...
, Tatalo Alamu, Late.Alhaji Ayinla Omowura, Late. Alhaji Haruna Ishola.
Influence
9ice’s style was largely shaped by his 75 year-old grand mother who he claimed taught him all he came to know about the culture, and the use of the language of YorubaYoruba language
Yorùbá is a Niger–Congo language spoken in West Africa by approximately 20 million speakers. The native tongue of the Yoruba people, it is spoken, among other languages, in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo and in communities in other parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas...
. In his words, 'she 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.
Early career
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. Having recorded his first demo titled Risi De Alagbaja in 1996 and his first solo song, Little Money in 2000, 9ice had to wait till 2005 before himself and his music started gaining recognition in the Nigerian music market.The first major break for 9ice came from his first single title Little Money and not long after then he did collaborations with different Nigerian artist that immediately prompted the release of another hit single title Ganja Man. Id.Cabasa produced Ganja Man which was released with other songs in march 2006. The reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
tone and playful style of the song made it an instant hit. He later found his own record company and release all other album under his label ALapomeji Records.
Samuel Oga also helped him produce an album
Solo album and sophomore break
9ice followed 'Ganja Man' with the single 'Gongo Aso' which became the title of his second album. In that effort, 9ice recorded songs covering success, originality, partying and women, as well as themes on the institution of marriage and gratitude.Live shows
Since late 2007 9ice has featured prominently across Nigerian campuses in the Soundcity/MTN Campus Blast tours,Mandela's 90th birthday in London (Hyde Park), Lets Go There Tour With Ariya Entertainment in NY, LA, Chicago, Houston, Maryland 2008, Star Mega Jam
Star Mega Jam
The Star Mega Jam is an annual musical concert organized by Star lager beer which is manufactured by Nigerian Breweries Plc. The show features international artistes who perform alongside the best of Nigerian artistes....
2007 - 2010, London Troxy
Troxy
The Troxy is an art deco theatre and concert venue at 490 Commercial Road in Stepney, in the East End borough of Tower Hamlets, London, UK.-History:...
2008, 2010. All these shows and concerts were sold-out events. He also headlined sold out shows in Holland and Malaysia in October 2010 to mark his country's 50 years independence anniversary. 2010 was also the year which 9ice embarked on a European tour covering some parts of Italy, Spain and Switzerland. 9ice also performed live in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
at Lions garden where many if not all the Nigerian students where in attendance.
His style
9ice is known for his use of Yoruba languageYoruba language
Yorùbá is a Niger–Congo language spoken in West Africa by approximately 20 million speakers. The native tongue of the Yoruba people, it is spoken, among other languages, in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo and in communities in other parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas...
in his music. Non-Yoruba listeners may be excluded from his music. He seeks to keep a balance between keeping a wider fan base and maintaining his originality. 9ice compares himself to Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer, percussionist and occasional actor. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, in Senegal and much of Africa, "perhaps the most famous singer alive." He helped develop a style of popular music in Senegal, known in the Serer language as mbalax, a type of music...
who has won a couple of Grammy with music recorded in his mother tongue, and Yvonne Chaka-Chaka whose music has also embraced her language. He has been quoted as saying 'English Language has been imposed on us but God graciously gave Yoruba language to us.’
Discography
- Certificate (2007)
- Gongo Aso (2008)
- Tradition (2009)
- Versus (2010)(about to drop)
- Bashorun Gaa (2010)(about to drop)
Awards
- DYNAMIX AWARDS MOST PROMISING ACT 2007
- NIGERIAN ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS MOST INDIGENOUS ACT 2007
- MOBO BEST AFRICAN ACT 2008
- MTV BASE BEST HIPHOP ACT 2008
- DYNAMIX AWARDS BEST SONG OF THE YEAR 2008
- HIPHOP WORLD AWARDS BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE MALE 2008
- HIPHOP WORLD AWARDS REVELATION OF THE YEAR 2008
- GBEDU AWARDS 2008
- NIGERIAN ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS BEST ACT 2008
- NIGERIAN INDEPENDENCE AWARDS BEST ACT OF THE YEAR 2008
- HIPHOP WORLD AWARDS BEST ALBUM 2009
- HIPHOP WORLD AWARDS BEST ACT 2009
- HIPHOP WORLD AWARDS BEST SONG 2009
- CITY PEOPLE'S AWARD 2009
- FUTURE AWARDS
- LTV/EKO FM AWARDS
- NIGERIAN MUSIC AWARDS