There’s something beautiful about not understanding every word in a song and still being moved by it. It explains the magic that music is. Maybe it’s the rhythm. Maybe it’s the tone of voice, or the emotion tucked between each lyric. It is simply impressive how thousands or millions of people who don’t understand a word in a song, but still dance or jump to the sound when it comes on. Therefore, music doesn’t need a shared language to be understood.
Yet, sometimes, Nigerian artists often face criticism for leaning too heavily into their local languages if they wish to go international. Meanwhile, the global music scene has already proven that language is never a barrier when the sound is right. If there were ever any proof that language doesn’t stand in the way of global reach, it’s in how international artists have started adopting Nigerian lingo, especially in collaborations.
From Yoruba ad-libs to full-on Pidgin lines, Nigerian expressions are showing up in songs by some of the world’s biggest stars. While these lyrics might have been written for them, the effort is there. Nigerian sound has travelled, and so has the language.
Here are some of the songs where international artists infuse Nigerian languages in their lines:
Chris Brown in Hmmm, featuring Davido
Throughout this song, Chris Brown made an effort to render his lyrics entirely in Pidgin. The carriage of Davido, who can be dubbed an Amapiano expert, blends Chris Brown’s voice to the song. Chris Brown has an effortless collaboration with Nigerian artists but his Pidgin performance is exceptional. He sings, “When Oluwa CB enter/ Them no go gree you to enter, malo oh/ Ah, ayy/ Shey you want to see mental? I don give them back to sender, why not?”
Skepta in Tony Montana, with Portable
Of course, many might agree that Skepta is Nigerian, but he doesn’t have the profile, music-wise. He started his career and became successful in the UK, despite his Nigerian roots. He raps with a UK voice, which is why to many in Nigeria, he’d be considered as an international artist that he is. So when he’s heard infusing Yoruba in his lyrics in Tony Montana, it can be surprising. He sings, “Yeah, I remember, nígbà tí ẹbi ń pá mí, Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we drink garri. Now they wanna snap pictures, I live flashy.” He might have never experienced what he sang about but that’s the effort.
J Hus, in Gold featuring Asake
Asake has a flair for influencing whoever he features or features him to mention something that points to Nigeria. In Wave, Central Cee raps that he’d rather a girl out to Naija (Nigeria) and in Active, Travis Scott raps that he just “hopped off from the PJ from the H to Ikeja.” But in Gold, J Hus goes all in. He sings “But no be that type person I be” so rush like a native.
Stefflon Don, in Can’t Let You Go
Like Chris Brown in Hmmm, Stefflon Don goes all in, infusing Yoruba and Pigdin in Can’t Let You Go. What makes the rendition special is that it’s a single without support from a Nigerian artist. She sings, “And if I komole le le le, Oya shé mi je je je,” in a verse and in another, “Kilode baby? You say I no be omode baby.” You could link this to her previous relation with a Nigerian artist but the effort is made.
Which of these songs is your favourite, and what other songs might we have missed?
