10 successful Nigerian artists without critically acclaimed albums

Nothing compares to a great album. Nothing can replace or compete with the feeling of bumping to a great record and

feeling it not just entertain, but shape the culture and improve the game.

Think of Wizkid ’s “Superstar ” LP, or Wande Coal ’s “Mushin 2 Mo’Hits” and the greatest of them all, “ Entertainer ” by D’banj.

When we name the current Nigerian artists who are the biggest names in the game, we see the most impactful names in pop music who are currently calling the shots.

These people have successfully created an emotional connection with listeners by dropping countless hit singles
and collaborations, which have resulted in their massive acceptance and elevation to the top of the game.

And while the general debate about these artists have been focused on their singles, their albums, which have been released also play a huge role in their standing, and their judgement as artists.

When scored based on the quality and impact of the full length projects released by some of our biggest stars, many of
Nigeria’s finest do not stack up as really great creators of full length projects.

Many of these albums are lightweight
material, with nothing in them for fans. Save for one or good songs.

Pulse names 10 of these acts, who have dropped a minimum of three albums, without any cultural impact and acclaim.
And the defaulters are:

Flavour

Flavour is one of the greatest Highlife artists the country has ever known. With a career span that has crossed over a decade, the singer has used Igbo dialectical music, sounds and culture to create timeless music. But when it comes to creating full length projects none of his four LPs have had a
holistic impact as a body of work. “N’abania” (2005), “Uplifted ” (2010), “Blessed ” (2012), and “Thankful ” (2015) have provided impressive singles. But none have been a classic.

J Martins

Name one J. Martins album that you can hold dear to your chest and call out. The producer, singer, and songwriter has
over a decade in the music industry, working with some of the biggest acts in the business across the continent. But
somehow, he has come up short with his projects. "Get Serious" (2008), "Elevated" (2009), "Selah " (2012), "Authenthic" (2016) all are solid works, but do not hold up
critically.

Ice Prince

It’s hard to put Ice Prince in this list. But yes, he makes it. The former Chocolate City have had siome of the highest moments of this industry, with some of the most enduring hits which have made him relevant up to this point. But when the
albums drop, they lack a lot. “Everybody Loves Ice Prince” (2011) marked time as the project that contained his come-up, but it is not wholesome. “Fire Of Zamani” (2013) is
straight up weak, and “Jos To The World” (2016) is too disjointed to represent a unified front.

Terry G

Mr Ginjah was responsible for skewing Nigerian pop, and taking the industry creativity down a path, where high tempos
and speedy drumming became a constant. These days, his influence on the soundscape has waned, but while it raged on,
he failed to capitalize on it with a fire album. All of his albums have come with an anchor single, but such commercial
aptitude does not reflect in the full body of work.

Konga

Once upon a time, Konga was king of the streets, with singles which stretched from Lagos to Port Harcourt and beyond. He
was a commercial man, who whipped the streets into a frenzy. But he isn’t that force these days, after failing to adapt.
He was prolific, dropping a minimum of 4 projects. But noe of them can be remembered today. None. And it is due to their inability to pack a punch.

Vector

You either adore or respect the force and talent of Vector. And for those who don’t rate him in Hip-hop, they can’t deny
the fact that he packs a punch in singles and features. But the albums are critically lukewarm, adding to the rap conversation, but rarely ever leading it. “State of
Surprise” (2010), “The Second Coming” (2012), and “Lafiaji” (2016) are equally loved and hated. But never truly
respected by all.

Kcee

Five Star Music general makes the cut due to his work with KC Presh, where they dropped over three albums as a unit. None
of the major ones – “Ose Baba,” “Sio Nkpo,” and “No Time” – made any major impact, and neither has his solo 2013 project
“Takeover”, which was bloated, but lacked overall quality.

Baba Dee

One of Nigeria’s pioneer artistes, Baba Dee’s music career dates over 2 decades. He was launched into limelight in 1995 when he won Nigeria’s biggest talent hunt show, Lekki Sun Splash and went on to drop a number of projects, including “Most Wanted,” “Unfinished Business,” “Sodi e,” “Governor’s Daughter,” “Versatile” and “Veteran.” But none hold up today as
an impactful critically acclaimed project.

Oritse Femi

Oritsefemi’s work in protest music from Ajegunle has made him some sort of street icon, whose name is recorded in the history of Nigerian music. But with 5 albums in his
discography, he is yet to have any project that holds up. He is a poor album artist, and fails to properly create an LP that can
be as strong as his singles.

Ikechukwu

For all of Ikechukwu’s cultural moments in the game, not once has his album matched his ego. The rapper who has pivoted to modelling and acting in recent years, has solid projects under his name. But they have failed to make an impact in the game. Neither did they drive conversations
about Hip hop in Nigeria.


----Pulse