Tag: 9ice

Alexander Akande, the veteran Nigerian singer, who is popularly known as 9ice, has said he was sounding like Haitian rapper, Wyclef Jean, in the early days of his career.

The ‘Photocopy’ crooner said he wasn’t the only Nigerian artist copying Wyclef’s sound back then but he was better than the rest.

a recent interview with SPS, 9ice explained that he stopped copying Wyclef Jean after he discovered his own sound.

He emphasised that his brand of music is a fusion of his major inspirations like Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Bob Marley, Ayinde Barrister, Kwan1 and Pasuma.

“My inspiration was Wyclef [Jean]. If anybody listened to me at the beginning, there was a time I was sounding like Wyclef 100 per cent. And there were other people that were sounding like him but they felt that I sounded better than them when it comes to sounding like Wyclef,” he said.

“And from sounding like Wyclef, I got to my own original sound. Bob Marley, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Ayinde Barrister, Kwan1, Pasuma and Obesere are the people that I listened to while growing up and they formed my blend in music.”

Alexander Adegbola Akande, the popular Nigerian singer, who is better known as 9ice, has made a new revelation.

He revealed that when he started his music career he was famous but broke.

The ‘Gongo Aso’ crooner disclosed this in the latest episode of Chart with Sims podcast.

He said, “Don’t become popular o, make money. When I started, I was popular but I didn’t have money.”

He added that money finally started coming after he put in works.

9ice said, “The money didn’t just come in, I had to do the right thing. As at then we were depending so much on Alaba International Market. Then we didn’t have Facebook, Instagram and the rest. If you want your song to be popular in Kaduna, you have to go to Kaduna to do a radio interview. You have to be there for people to see you.”

“So, when the money started coming was when we put in the hustle and we marketed the brand by doing print interviews like newspapers, magazines; putting your face out there. I mean, there are sometimes people have good songs and they [fans] don’t even know what you look like.

“I think it is not just about getting popular. But putting your brand out there. Market it, promote it. Let your face be known and the money aspect will come later,” he added.