Lagbaja: Anonymity as High Art While artists around the world use masks for mystery, afro-jazz legend Bisade Ologunde took it to a lifelong structural extreme. He created the persona Lagbaja and wore a fabric mask in public, during concerts, in music videos, and at award shows for decades. He went so far as never to […]
While artists around the world use masks for mystery, afro-jazz legend Bisade Ologunde took it to a lifelong structural extreme. He created the persona Lagbaja and wore a fabric mask in public, during concerts, in music videos, and at award shows for decades. He went so far as never to reveal his face in public interviews, making his entire identity a symbol for the “faceless, voice-of-the-common-man.”
Charles Oputa, better known as Charly Boy (the son of a former Supreme Court Justice), built his brand on pure non-conformity. Long before modern shock value on social media, Charly Boy rode powerful motorbikes, wore extreme body piercings, and famously arrived at events and occasionally slept in a custom-built coffin. His house became a commune for Lagos street youths, cementing his persona as “Area Fada” (Father of the Neighbourhood).
Terry G: The Bell-Ringing
“Free Madness” At the height of his career in the late 2000s, producer and singer Terry G (the “Akpako Master”) brought absolute chaos to mainstream music. Beyond his wildly energetic performances, Terry G routinely carried a physical brass handbell into recording studios and onto live stages. He would randomly ring it in the middle of verses while shouting unscripted gibberish, a style he openly called “Free Madness” that would go on to define an entire era of Nigerian street-pop beats.
Skiibii: Faking His Own Passing for a Rebrand
In August 2015, rising singer Skiibii sent the entire Nigerian entertainment ecosystem into a frenzy when news leaked that he had collapsed and passed away, accompanied by photos of him lying motionless on the floor. Within 24 hours, after national mourning broke out, it was revealed that he was alive and well, and that the entire episode was a botched PR stunt designed to generate buzz for his upcoming single. The move backfired massively in terms of public outrage, but it remains one of the most extreme rollout stunts in Afrobeats history.
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