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Bisade Ologunde is an Afro-beat musician from Nigeria. Lagbaja is a Yoruba word that means somebody, nobody, anybody or everybody.
He is mostly identified by his mask. The mask and the name (common man) symbolize the faceless, the voiceless in the society, particularly in Africa. Lagbaja's mask reminds you of your own facelessness. Other artistes have followed this mask concept and symbolism
Bisade sings a lot about social issues, primarily in Yoruba and English. His debut album (Lagbaja) was in 1993. His music involves the use of African drums (Africano) and is influenced by traditional Yoruba music, Afro-beat and jazz. He does a lot of instrumental music, with traditional Yoruba percussions, drums, chants, saxophone, etc. The use of traditional drums is ever-present with ensembles using those from the dundun/gangan family, etc.
His first album was released in 1993. He formed a club and music hot spot in Ikeja (Lagos) in 1997. It has a traditional feel adequate for events like story telling, sport, dance and music. It has also housed comedians and spoken word artists.
He has hit songs like Skentele skontolo, Feyin E, Konko below, Surulere, Nothing for you, Vernacular, etc
Lagbaja's website
Lagbaja on Facebook
Song lyrics
Ikira (1993)
Naija must sweet again
Sweet mouth
Campus
We before me (2001)
Konko below
Feyin E
Africano, mother of groove (2005)
Never far away
Skentele skontolo
I just want to thank you for what you do. We need more, on a mass scale. I deeply appreciate your work. I'm here to look for lyrics, tryin to learn YORUBA. desperately. Can you post links to Yoruba lyrics of other artists if there are?
Thanks and Ese Gon. Plenty Love
Hello Ruka, thanks for posting.
There is a beautiful Yoruba song by Styl-Plus whose lyrics and audio you can access here at this link.
I just added the lyrics and audio for Konko below, a Lagbaja classic. More coming.
Good luck on learning Yoruba, I plan to start learning it in the next few years. :-)
hi
lagbaja how far plz ur music are no more again sweet
whyy????????????????????????
want to say thanks for listing lagbaja's lyrics, i intended seaching for them at youtube.com, but just couldnt seem to remember konko below my favorite. again, thanks alot.
one more thing, am igbo, but by god i think lagbaja is the best. wow. proud nigerian here.
Beautiful music from the start but he seems to be more and more technical. Unbelievably entertaining before but that seems swamped now.
Please go back to entertainment, not European Jazz. You're starting to move towards the classical jazz of Bach (the symphonies etc)
intersting thoughts about Lagbaja. They shall be relayed to him. thanks for the comments.
I think Lagbaja is just trying to grow his music, maybe following Angelique Kidjo's footsteps of embracing various music styles while giving it an authentic African flavour.
I strongly feel too that Lagbaja is going down on entertainment/melody. I can't compare what he sings now with Coolu Temper, Side By Side. Till date, my favourite tracks remain those two plus Toun T'erin. He's cool but he should try and return to those early days of his original flavour.
Hmm, some new (old) Lagbaja tracks to look into.
Thanks for the tip Femi.
I have never really been a fan of Lagbaja even though I think some of his songs are excellent and his use of drums and traditional instruments is fresh and unique.
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