{"id":41874,"date":"2019-03-27T13:20:33","date_gmt":"2019-03-27T12:20:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/exploring-sauti-sols-relationship-with-nigerian-music\/"},"modified":"2020-09-29T14:32:21","modified_gmt":"2020-09-29T12:32:21","slug":"sauti-sol-afrikan-sauce-nigeria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/sauti-sol-afrikan-sauce-nigeria\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring Sauti Sol&#8217;s relationship with Nigerian music"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<h4 class=\"pam-featured-content\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22921 pam-featured-content\" src=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Sauti-Sol-Afrikan-Sauce-Nigeria.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"714\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Sauti-Sol-Afrikan-Sauce-Nigeria.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Sauti-Sol-Afrikan-Sauce-Nigeria-759x542.jpg 759w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Sauti-Sol-Afrikan-Sauce-Nigeria-661x472.jpg 661w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Sauti-Sol-Afrikan-Sauce-Nigeria-465x332.jpg 465w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Sauti-Sol-Afrikan-Sauce-Nigeria-375x268.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1010px) 759px,100vw\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/h4>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #27ae60;\">Sauti Sol were like tourists but with&nbsp;<em>Afrikan Sauce<\/em>, they became honorary Nigerians.<\/span><i><\/i><\/h4>\n<p>In Eastern Africa, the word &#8220;Uhuru&#8221; is more of a philosophical inquiry than a verb. Freedom, often pined over, really&nbsp;<i>is<\/i>&nbsp;unattainable. Because man is a social construct inspired&nbsp; by his environment and the generational ideals in which time he exists. You can believe in the knowledge of self but there is no total freedom from a world in which you inhabit.<\/p>\n<p>The modern music of East Africa has its headquarters situated in Kenya. With their robust talent in almost every genre, they\u2019ve risen to be Pan African in nature, selling massively, their distinctive music which brims with so much noir and brilliance. Toye Sokunbi of Native M<span style=\"color: #333333;\">ag&nbsp;<a style=\"color: #333333;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenativemag.com\/music\/s-sauti-sol-afrikan-sauce-album-finally\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">considers<\/a>&nbsp;a majo<\/span>r player in Kenyan music Sauti Sol\u2019s&nbsp;<em>Afrikan Sauce<\/em>&nbsp;LP as a collective of \u201clushly produced tracks fusing African music\u2019s tendency towards electronic music with acoustics\u201d.<br \/>\n<br style=\"clear: both;\"><br style=\"clear: both;\"><\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ewaDxKjmO2Y\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><br style=\"clear: both;\">The aforementioned group, a band of four, was formed in 2005 by the vocalists Bien \u2013 Aim\u00e9 Baraza, Willis Chimano and Savara Mudigi. A guitarist, Polycarp Otieno, later joined what was previously a three man a cappella band. From the onset, it is clear that these men are artistes of a certain vision, whose egos or personal interests couldn\u2019t get in the way of the best possible interpretation of that vision. From the beginning, Sauti Sol had been a collaborative effort.<\/p>\n<p>In 2018, they toured Africa extensively, meeting artistes and recording songs. Everywhere they went, they seemed to be on the lookout for an artiste and a studio. Their debut album&nbsp;<i>Mwanzo<\/i>&nbsp;had been released in 2008 and a decade later, there still were seekers of other cultures.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this year, on the last day of January, they put out the&nbsp;<em>Afrikan Sauce<\/em>&nbsp;LP, made up of mostly songs they\u2019ve released earlier as singles.<\/p>\n<p>In Nigeria, the release of this album \u2013 although it failed to make enough of a buzz \u2013 would mark the long overdue arrival of an African brother. Sauti Sol was like a tourist but with&nbsp;<em>Afrikan Sauce<\/em>, they became honorary Nigerians.<br \/>\n<br style=\"clear: both;\"><br style=\"clear: both;\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22928\" src=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Sauti-Sol.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"572\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Sauti-Sol.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Sauti-Sol-759x434.jpg 759w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Sauti-Sol-661x378.jpg 661w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Sauti-Sol-465x266.jpg 465w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Sauti-Sol-375x215.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1010px) 759px,100vw\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<p><br style=\"clear: both;\">The past five years have seen African stars in other nations gravitate towards the Nigerian audience with a set of releases or features aimed at meeting the average Nigerian music lover\u2019s taste. As far back as seven years ago, the Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie had already begun to make a musical connection with Nigerian artistes of which most notably was Davido who provided the hook and chorus for Sarkodie\u2019s hit song &#8220;Gunshot&#8221;. Over the years, what started as a trademark ferociously fast flow has slowed to the Nigerian beat, with Sarkodie now even employing Nigerian quips \u2013&nbsp;<i>\u201cI no go look Uche face\u201d<\/i>&nbsp;\u2013 in his verses. It makes a very good case even to say Sarkodie\u2019s musicality soared on the wing of his collaborations with other African artistes, particularly Nigerians.<\/p>\n<p>Tanzania\u2019s Diamond Platnumz was already a household name in his country, but it wasn\u2019t until that Davido feature on &#8220;Number One&#8221; that he became a genuine contender among premier African artistes of his generation. Right now, his compatriot Harmonize is being eased into the Nigerian \u201cBig Brother\u201d industry, with Afro Pop superstars like Seyi Shay and Skales already making music with him. The bubble of intracontinental collaboration never stops and soon, many corporations will be flocking to the fore in a scramble, hoping to connect African countries and its audiences through music.<\/p>\n<p>The Coke Studio has made a significant contribution to this ideology of collaboration. It is on the back of her collaborations with other African artistes that the language Swahili enchanted Yemi Alade. More enchanting was the people of the language, their culture. Today, Yemi has successfully made her way into many East African music markets like no other Nigerian artiste has been able to. Her image is based partly on a \u2018Mama Africa\u2019 personality which fuels her philanthropic activities, her musical choices, her fashion and many more. Understandably, she made a song with Sauti Sol who then, were trying to break into the Nigerian market. Their 2016 effort,&nbsp;<i>Africa<\/i>, was good stuff but it wasn\u2019t the big break they needed.<br \/>\n<br style=\"clear: both;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6FeG9jP_omw\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><br style=\"clear: both;\">Then&nbsp;<i>Oya Come Make We Go<\/i>&nbsp;happened. Getting a cosign from 2Baba, one of the continent\u2019s most respected musicians was major. Ever since, they\u2019ve become frequent visitors welcomed with open arms into Nigerian studios and artiste\u2019s circles. In some way, they relay thanks by kicking off the LP with three songs which all feature Nigerians. Even, in one, a Nigerian, Maleek Berry, gets production credits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen a good girl gone bad, what you gonna do? \/ run go meet her dad\u201d are the first lines on&nbsp;<i>Afrikan Sauce,<\/i>&nbsp;with Patoranking\u2019s vocals thrilling the continent when&nbsp;<i>Melanin<\/i>&nbsp;was released as a single. More thrilling, was the synergy displayed just after the quoted lines above were sung by the Nigerian reggae superstar. An a capella of&nbsp;<i>la la la,<\/i>&nbsp;a seeming hand on the shoulder. It was a&nbsp;<i>we got you.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>What has made Sauti Sol\u2019s features stand a very good chance of shining on a song is their engagement level. The music is made with utmost regard to its brilliance, not for a massage of the ego of some country\u2019s superstar act or theirs. Till date, the duo of Tiwa Savage and <span style=\"color: #333333;\"><a style=\"color: #333333;\" href=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/tag\/burna-boy\/\">Burna Boy<\/a><\/span> has had probably their best feature on a Sauti Sol song. The latter act displays his 2012 \u2013 2014 form, taking like a duck to water on the guitar dominated beat of&nbsp;<i>Afrikan Star<\/i>. Unlike his recent tendencies to gravitate towards music with a sugary Pop quality, Burna Boy was granted &#8216;Uhuru&#8217; on the Sauti Sol song in which he features, the last of Nigeria\u2019s input on the LP.<\/p>\n<p>Those three songs which open the project does set the scene for the rest of the songs; the collaborative template is adopted in a majority of the rest.<\/p>\n<p>It was satisfying to see Sauti Sol pay tribute to Nigeria and we do hope they come back for more. The flight never stops.&nbsp;<i>Uhuru.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>Listen to Sauti Sol&#8217;s Afrikan Sauce&nbsp;<span style=\"color: #333333;\"><a style=\"color: #333333;\" href=\"http:\/\/africori.to\/afrikansauce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<h5><span style=\"color: #27ae60;\">Read next:&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><a style=\"color: #333333;\" href=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/an-ode-to-lifelines-ladipoes-fascinating-rap-style\/\"><span style=\"color: #27ae60;\">An ode to lifelines, Ladipoe\u2019s fascinating rap style<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22922\" src=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Afrikan-Sauce-Sauti-Sol.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Afrikan-Sauce-Sauti-Sol.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Afrikan-Sauce-Sauti-Sol-759x759.jpg 759w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Afrikan-Sauce-Sauti-Sol-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Afrikan-Sauce-Sauti-Sol-661x661.jpg 661w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Afrikan-Sauce-Sauti-Sol-465x465.jpg 465w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Afrikan-Sauce-Sauti-Sol-375x375.jpg 375w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Afrikan-Sauce-Sauti-Sol-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Afrikan-Sauce-Sauti-Sol-85x85.jpg 85w, https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Afrikan-Sauce-Sauti-Sol-73x73.jpg 73w\" sizes=\"(min-width:1010px) 759px,100vw\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sauti Sol were like tourists but with&nbsp;Afrikan Sauce, they became honorary Nigerians. In Eastern Africa, the word &#8220;Uhuru&#8221; is more of a philosophical inquiry than a verb. Freedom, often pined over, really&nbsp;is&nbsp;unattainable. Because man is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":22921,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11036,9373],"tags":[4568,23547,5744,24068],"location":[8092,8172],"yst_prominent_words":[23563,23558,23553,23556,23551,23564,23555,8414,8435,23559,23554,21701,23561,8399,23560,8543,8449,23557,23552,23562],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41874"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41874"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41874\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41874"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=41874"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=41874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}