There is no doubt that over the years the Nigerian entertainment industry has witnessed the coming and going of many celebrities, most in particular musicians. In this weekend magazine feature, Daily Trust Saturday reminisces the music duos that rocked the 90s and early 2000s.
Styl Plus
Shifi Omoefe, Tunde Akinsanmi, Yemi Akinwonmi, and Lanre Faneyi co-founded the R’n’B band STYL back in 1997. The group gained widespread acclaim in Nigeria for their romantic sounds such as ‘Olufunmi’, ‘Runaway’, ‘Iya Basira’, and ‘Imagine That’, which pushed them into the spotlight and dominated the airwaves.
However, tragedy struck in 1998 with the loss of Lanre Faneyi, causing the introduction of Zeal Onyecheme and the rebranding of the group as Styl-Plus.
Over the years, the group underwent changes following Yemi Akinwonmi departure in 2002. In 2018, it was revealed that Tunde had parted ways with Shifi and Zeal back in 2012 to embark on a solo career.
Plantashun Boiz
This R&B ensemble, which emerged in the late 1990s to early 2000s, comprised Innocent Idibia, formerly known as 2face and now as 2Baba, Chibuzor Oji, known as Faze, and Ahmedu Augustine Obiano. These individuals crossed paths at the Institute of Management and Technology in Enugu before founding the musical group ‘Plantashun Boiz’.
The group produced three albums and is renowned for hits such as ‘Say You Believe Me’, ‘You and I’, and the upbeat track ‘Plantashun Boiz’. Following 2Face’s departure to pursue a solo career, the remaining members embarked on their own solo careers. However, in 2007, the group reunited and released the album ‘Plan B’.
The Remedies
The Remedies emerged as one of the pioneering music groups in the Nigerian music scene, consisting of Tony Tetuila, Eedris Abdulkareem, and Eddy Montana. They played a major role in popularizing Hip-Hop during the mid to late 90s, establishing themselves as a dominant force. Their tracks became anthems both on the streets and in clubs.
In 1999, they debuted with “Peace Nigeria,” featuring hit singles like “Sade,” “Jealousy,” and “Belinda.” Notably, “Jealousy” marked the first collaboration between a Hip-Hop group and a Fuji artist, Pasuma Wonder. Following their split, Tony Tetuila and Eedris Abdulkareem went on to enjoy thriving solo careers.
Trybesmen
Trybesmen is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most prominent musical groups, having been instrumental in the development of modern rap in the nation. They created their own distinct style of Hip-Hop, combining strong raps with contagious lyrics and drawing inspiration from both American Hip-Hop and indigenous languages, as seen by their popular single “Shake Bodi.”
Trybesmen, which included eLDee, Freestyle, and Kaboom, dominated the Nigerian music market with their debut album, L.A.G. Style Vol. 1, released in 1999. After the trio disbanded in 2004, eLDee and Freestyle had successful solo careers.
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Mo’hits
Mo’ Hits was founded in 2004 and is jointly owned by Micheal Ajereh Collins (popularly known as Don Jazzy) and Dapo Oyebanjo (D’Banj). It began as a famous collaboration and quickly evolved into a record label. It was praised for developing talents like as Wande Coal, D’Prince, Dr Sid, and K-Switch. Hits like “Close to You,” “PERE,” “Why Me,” and “Ololufe” proved their popularity in the music industry. Tragically, the label collapsed in 2012 owing to irreconcilable conflicts among its founders. They have since pursued solo musical careers, and both now run thriving record labels.
Junior and Pretty
Junior and Pretty were influential figures in the 1990s music era, with hits like “Bolanle,” released in 1994 as part of the album ‘Tribute to Okechukwu’. Their repertoire also includes tracks such as “Bloody Civilian,” “Aiye,” “New Yam Festival,” and “Theresa,” among others.
Tragically, Junior passed away on February 2, 2005, following injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. On the other hand, Pretty has gone on to take the role of President of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN).
KC Presh
This group rose to prominence after winning the TV show Star Quest in 2005. The duo, known as Kingsley and Precious, released chart-topping songs such as “Shokori Bobo” and “National Cake.” With two joint albums under their belt, they left a legacy of outstanding singles, with “Shokori Bobo” serving as their masterpiece.
Although Kcee is still a successful musician and has been releasing singles, like “Okpekete” and “Ojapiano,” Presh has been out of the music business for a while.
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