Styl Plus: Oblivion Beckons?
Since the late 1990s, starting with the monstrously successful ex-Remedies group, comprising of Tony Tetuila, Eedris Abdulkareem and Eddy Montana, there have been no consistent shortage of critically acclaimed ground-breaking groups, doing hip hop on the music scene.
From the once celebrated three-man Plantashun Boiz to the savvy Trybesmen down to the sensational Kush (all defunct groups), we indeed have an enthralling parade of A-Grade groups that have proven itself by churning out enthralling rhythms and lyrics that can kept music lovers gasping for more.
These groups possess vast fan base and enjoyed juicy patronage from events managers on the mainstream while their alliance lasted.
Music buffs thought they had heard and danced it all, until Abuja based trio, Style- Plus hit the scene 3years ago, upsetting the charts, setting new standards and established itself as the new face of hip hop genre in Nigeria .
Consistently creative and constantly alluded to as Nigeria’s Boy II Men, the three-man group, which comprise Shifi Emoefe, Tunde Akinsanmi and Zeal Onyecheme, has remained the toast of music, lovers, and choice of FM stations, as well as electronic media across the country.
Launched into limelight by the success of its two tracks, Olufunmi (voted MTN Yello Radio show song of the year 2004 by listeners nationwide) and Runaway, the Abuja based group has been notched up as the choice of event managers for world-class concerts stage across the country in the recent.
The group further reinforced its hold on lover of hip-hop music in the country via its recent album, Expressions. The 11-track album, which topped the charts and dominated the airwaves since its release, is indeed a huge success. Expressions featured tracks that include the monstrously hit, Imagine That, Always on my mind and Hadiza, among other tracks, which further earned the boys a special place in the hearts of lovers of good music.
From gospel to hip hop
Formed in 1997, as a gospel quartet by Shifi Emoefe, Tunde Akinsanmi, Yemi Akinwunmi, and Lanre Fadeyi, Styl Plus has today metamorphosed from crooning God’s holy lyrics into the most sought after hip hop crew in the country today. Initially, the group goes by the name Styl, a combination of the first letters of the first names of the founding members, Shifi, Tunde, Yemi and Lanre.
However in 1999, Lanre passed away and Zeal Onyecheme joined the group. To reflect the new addition to the group, the group re-christened itself Styl-Plus (the Plus is used to indicate the new addition to the group).
The year 2001 marked the group’s turn around from a gospel crew into inspirational and love song crooner. A year after its metamorphosis, Yemi left the group and bade a career in music farewell. After Yemi departed the group, it teamed up with Anthony 'T-Jazz' Ukpong and Joseph 'Joey' Ukpong to form their own record label, Styl-Plus Music and things happened fast thereafter.
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| Platanshun Boiz, successful hip hop group split up |
From obscurity to limelight.
When the group released two radio singles in October 2003, under the auspices of their record label, it received unprecedented airplay from radio DJs across the country and that led to the subsequent massive sales of the tracks namely, Olufunmi and Runaway, respectively.
In part, the tremendous success recorded by the group has been attributed to its strong inspirational vocals and the successful blend of English and indigenous languages (especially the choice of Yoruba lyrics in the chorus), in their unique genre of hip hop that enjoys critical mass appeal, even among non-Nigerians.
For instance, the track Olufunmi, which was voted MTN Yello Radio show song of the year 2004 by listeners nationwide, and the most requested song of the year 2003 by Cool FM Abuja, is best loved for its rhythmic Yoruba lyrics. However, that does not make Styl Plus a Yoruba music group. The group also incorporates Efik, Hausa and Igbo cultural elements into its music to reach out to music lovers with preference for such idiom.
Keeping the Styl Plus dream alive
Though they sound like trained singers, the Styl Plus crew has no formal training in music. The best they could boast of in terms of formal training was the study of music in Junior High School.
What they have been able to achieve so far as a group has been attributed to personal effort. They read up articles from the Internet, listen to good music and read texts on song writing, composing, voice control and all of that, to keep the Styl Plus dream alive.
Interestingly, the group adheres to the same Do-it- yourself approach in every other aspect of their short but successful career in music. For instance, Styl Plus launched its own music company, Styl Plus Music through which the group made a success of its career in music just by leveraging on its raw talent, without the backing of any record label or promoter.
It is pertinent to know that, unlike other successful groups namely P-Square and KC Presh, who enjoyed plum deals and support, Styl Plus had to record, promote and distribute its music itself, through its upstart Styl Plus Music managed by Jazz' Ukpong and Joseph 'Joey' Ukpong.
Recounting the experience, Shifi Emeofe said, "we graduated from the university and we were confronted with the realities of the world. We realized that for us to do something, for us to achieve what we were trying to do now is not easy. That is, record our music, promote it ourselves, market it ourselves and distribute it by ourselves.
“We realized that we have to sacrifice the funds we would have enjoyed if we were under a record label. I think that is the point at which one needs the benefit of other abilities and investment. Now, we usually plough back all the funds we make into our music and at the same time, we use funds that we raise from other investments to actually fund our music".
Education gives mileage
Members of the three man group are all graduates of various disciplines and they say that adds value to their lyrical expression, depth and understanding of what music lovers want. According to Tunde who holds a degree in Agricultural Economics, "education is very important because it determined what our music looked like. We sing about what we know. For instance, you cannot sing about what you do not comprehend. If you cannot comprehend the basic things of life, which education gives, then you cannot express life and tell it to people. In fact, university education is crucial to achieving that."
One of their managers, T-Jazz' Ukpong reinforced that view point saying, "I think in every profession, education gives you an edge. Whether it is just pure formal academic education or the informal type, education widens your horizon. It increases your chances and there is a multiplier effect. It might not turn you from nobody to a star but it will distinguish you."
Styl Plus is here to stay?
From music lovers, the fear is that the hip hop crew they have come to love, Styl Plus may soon go the way of its predecessors namely, Remedies, Plantashun Boiz, Kush, Emete and more recently, the Trybesmen that all broke up for reasons that has to do with money, handling stardom and minor skirmishes.
When the group released two radio singles in October 2003, under the auspices of their record label, it received unprecedented airplay from radio DJs across the country and that led to the subsequent massive sales of the tracks namely, Olufunmi and Runaway, respectively.
In part, the tremendous success recorded by the group has been attributed to its strong inspirational vocals and the successful blend of English and indigenous languages (especially the choice of Yoruba lyrics in the chorus), in their unique genre of hip hop that enjoys critical mass appeal, even among non-Nigerians.
For instance, the track Olufunmi, which was voted MTN Yello Radio show song of the year 2004 by listeners nationwide, and the most requested song of the year 2003 by Cool FM Abuja, is best loved for its rhythmic Yoruba lyrics. However, that does not make Styl Plus a Yoruba music group. The group also incorporates Efik, Hausa and Igbo cultural elements into its music to reach out to music lovers with preference for such idiom.
Keeping the Styl Plus dream alive
Though they sound like trained singers, the Styl Plus crew has no formal training in music. The best they could boast of in terms of formal training was the study of music in Junior High School.
What they have been able to achieve so far as a group has been attributed to personal effort. They read up articles from the Internet, listen to good music and read texts on song writing, composing, voice control and all of that, to keep the Styl Plus dream alive.
Interestingly, the group adheres to the same Do-it- yourself approach in every other aspect of their short but successful career in music. For instance, Styl Plus launched its own music company, Styl Plus Music through which the group made a success of its career in music just by leveraging on its raw talent, without the backing of any record label or promoter.
It is pertinent to know that, unlike other successful groups namely P-Square and KC Presh, who enjoyed plum deals and support, Styl Plus had to record, promote and distribute its music itself, through its upstart Styl Plus Music managed by Jazz' Ukpong and Joseph 'Joey' Ukpong.
Recounting the experience, Shifi Emeofe said, "we graduated from the university and we were confronted with the realities of the world. We realized that for us to do something, for us to achieve what we were trying to do now is not easy. That is, record our music, promote it ourselves, market it ourselves and distribute it by ourselves.
“We realized that we have to sacrifice the funds we would have enjoyed if we were under a record label. I think that is the point at which one needs the benefit of other abilities and investment. Now, we usually plough back all the funds we make into our music and at the same time, we use funds that we raise from other investments to actually fund our music".
Education gives mileage
Members of the three man group are all graduates of various disciplines and they say that adds value to their lyrical expression, depth and understanding of what music lovers want. According to Tunde who holds a degree in Agricultural Economics, "education is very important because it determined what our music looked like. We sing about what we know. For instance, you cannot sing about what you do not comprehend. If you cannot comprehend the basic things of life, which education gives, then you cannot express life and tell it to people. In fact, university education is crucial to achieving that."
One of their managers, T-Jazz' Ukpong reinforced that view point saying, "I think in every profession, education gives you an edge. Whether it is just pure formal academic education or the informal type, education widens your horizon. It increases your chances and there is a multiplier effect. It might not turn you from nobody to a star but it will distinguish you."
Styl Plus is here to stay?
From music lovers, the fear is that the hip hop crew they have come to love, Styl Plus may soon go the way of its predecessors namely, Remedies, Plantashun Boiz, Kush, Emete and more recently, the Trybesmen that all broke up for reasons that has to do with money, handling stardom and minor skirmishes.
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| Styl Plus |
Presently, the group has had it all, fame, money and prestigious awards, and other perks that come with a successful career in showbiz, yet they say they will remain united through friendship. While industry watchers dismiss their said commitment to remain as a group, pointing at the recent break up of the Maintain two-man group (made of two cousins), over irreconcilable differences when they became too successful.
Joey Joseph Ukpong however shares a contrary view. One of the managers of Styl Plus said the group will remain intact. “Some of us have known each other way back 1992. Shifi has been my friend since 1992. We have always known Styl-Plus”.
He believes that if a group such as the Rolling Stones can be together for up to 30 years or thereabout, why not Styl-Plus. “There may be other groups that do not stay too long and they break up, but having a common goal is the most important thing. When you have a common goal, no matter how much you argue, you will always stick together. It is when you don’t have a common goal that you have a problem. So we hope that, because we are essentially friends and have stuck to each other all these years, the relationship will last long. You cannot foresee the future, but we hope for the best".
Joey Joseph Ukpong however shares a contrary view. One of the managers of Styl Plus said the group will remain intact. “Some of us have known each other way back 1992. Shifi has been my friend since 1992. We have always known Styl-Plus”.
He believes that if a group such as the Rolling Stones can be together for up to 30 years or thereabout, why not Styl-Plus. “There may be other groups that do not stay too long and they break up, but having a common goal is the most important thing. When you have a common goal, no matter how much you argue, you will always stick together. It is when you don’t have a common goal that you have a problem. So we hope that, because we are essentially friends and have stuck to each other all these years, the relationship will last long. You cannot foresee the future, but we hope for the best".
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