Nneka at Cargo

Nneka at Cargo

31 July, 2009
by: SpecialK

'A master class in performance…I felt like I was the only person in the room,' were some of the things rapper Ty had to say about Nigerian artist Nneka after her show last night at Cargo; the awe struck crowd clearly agreed. A big compliment, coming from a man known for his charisma and stage presence, especially since Nneka has said on the subject 'I do not see myself as a performer but as somebody who shares her heartfelt feelings with others.' 

With a list of musical influences likely to appear in the CD collection of the most earnest and well meaning of cultural studies undergraduates (Bob Marley, Lauryn Hill, Fela Kuti) it is easy enough to offer up comparisons between them and Nneka. However, as a young woman hailing from Delta State, proudly sporting a ‘jollof rice’ t-shirt and singing in a mixture of standard and pidgin English, she clearly has her own statements to make. Under the 'influences’ section on Nneka's MySpace page, which is bursting with ecstatic quotes from the music press and tributes from adoring fans, is a simple statement about the situation in the Niger Delta region and the work of assassinated writer and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa.

Nneka's voice is more powerful and her message more potent live than on her recorded material.  She has a surprising range, which she uses sparingly to highlight her performance rather than show off, and this subtlety and lack of bravado help to support her feelings on corruption, greed and materialism; underlying issues at the core of the problems between the West and the Niger Delta, one of the world's biggest producers of oil and simultaneously one of Nigeria's poorest and most troubled regions.

Taking to the stage after Nneka and with a slightly more pan-African approach to things was Wanlov the Kubolor, introducing himself as "one thousand percent Ghanaian, one thousand percent Romanian and one thousand percent human."  He entertained the crowd with anecdotes about his difficulties getting through passport control in Zurich after singing about struggles all over the globe on his beautiful and award-winning track 'Human Being.'  Jiggling around in his trademark mud cloth, sunglasses and bare feet, there was something reminiscent of George Clinton in his light hearted, eccentric and clearly genuine delivery of serious subjects.  He later invited fellow Ghanaian and Nigerian rappers Mensa and Afrikan Boy to the stage and they freestyled raucously, after a virtuosic pidgin rap exchange between Wanlov and Mensa, Wanlov eventually strutting off stage to delighted applause, leaving the audience to ponder the profound truism: "Life is short, like a Smurf."

With Africa's potential, development and growth being documented more and more in the Western media, it's an exciting time as any for African artists to tour the world and showcase their music.  With any luck the wealth of original and talented musicians hailing from the world's second most populous continent will mean the next set of global concerts attempting to raise funds and awareness will have more to do with them and a lot less to do with Coldplay, Madonna the child catcher and Bob Geldoff.

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SpecialK