10 Musicians that Were Bigger than Wizkid and Davido

Before Wizkid and Davido, we had bigger artists who colonized the music industry in the early and mid-2000s; these artists were releasing bangers back to back.

Gen-Zs are currently arguing on Twitter that Wizkid and Davido have always been big, right from the 2000’s. They are not to blame because they were not invoked back in the day.

Now, it’s time to be schooled on the biggest artists we had back in the day, those artists that we grew up with their songs.

I can vividly remember during social nights in secondary school, I used to dance to May D’s banger. Where was Wizkid and Davido then?

Those were the days! Let’s dive back into the past and give a shoutout to the true pioneers who paved the way for today’s Wizkid and Davido.

2Face

2Face started his music career performing with Blackface Naija, his secondary school classmate, and Faze. Together, they formed the trio band, Plantashun Boiz.

The band released two albums under Dove Records—Body and Soul in 2000 and Sold Out in 2003—before going their separate ways in 2004. 2Baba then focused on his solo career.

His debut solo album, Face 2 Face, was released in 2004 and received critical acclaim, being hailed as “the greatest Nigerian debut album of the 21st Century by a solo artist”.

He followed this success with his second album, Grass 2 Grace, in 2006. After leaving Kennis Music, he established his own label, Hypertek Digital.

In 2009, 2Baba released an experimental album called The Unstoppable, with an international edition following in 2010. The international edition earned two awards at the 2010 SoundCity Music Video Awards.

Psquare

P-Square is widely regarded as one of the most influential African acts of all time and one of the most successful music groups from Africa.

They played a crucial role in the development of African popular music during the 2000s and 2010s.

The duo gained mainstream recognition with their 2003 hit “Senorita,” and their popularity soared following the release of their second album, Get Squared, in 2005.

This album’s success led to a nomination for Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Award in 2006. As a major influence in African pop culture of the 21st century, P-Square was honored with the Artistes of the Decade award at the MTV Africa Music Awards in 2015.

May D

He rose to stardom in 2011, the same year he signed with Square Records. On August 21, 2012, Premium Times news reported that May D was no longer with the label.

May D released his first single “Soundtrack” under Square Records on May 13, 2011. The music video, directed by Clarence Peters, came out on January 12, 2012.

Originally, the video garnered over 10 million views on YouTube before it was deleted by the label. On September 25, 2012, May D established his own independent record label, Confam Entertainment.

Later, on July 18, 2020, he announced via his Twitter that he had signed with Davido Music Worldwide.

Timaya

Timaya launched his solo career in 2005 with the release of “Dem Mama,” a single that highlighted the Odi massacre. The following year, he released his debut album, True Story.

This was succeeded by his second album, Gift and Grace, in 2008. His third studio album, De Rebirth, was released in collaboration with Black Body Entertainment and featured the popular single “Plantain Boy”.

He also worked with Dem Mama Soldiers on the album LLNP (Long Life N Prosperity). In 2012, Timaya released another album, Upgrade.

Over the years, his contributions to the music industry have been recognized with several awards and nominations, including four Headies Awards, two AFRIMMA Awards, one Nigeria Music Award, and one NEA Award.

Brackets

Bracket is a Nigerian afropop and R&B duo consisting of Obumneme Ali, also known as “Smash,” and Nwachukwu Ozioko, known as “Vast.”

Originally a trio, they became a duo after a member named Bistop left. The duo is signed to Bracket Records and is famous for hit singles such as “Happy Day,” “Me & U,” “Yori-Yori,” “Ada Owerri,” “Mama Africa,” and “Panya.”

J. Martins

Martins Okey Justice E., born on September 29, 1979, and widely known by his stage name J. Martins, is a Nigerian musician, singer, songwriter, and producer.

He gained fame with hits like “Oyoyo,” “Jupa,” and “Good Or Bad.” J. Martins is also recognized for his collaboration with P-Square on the song “E No Easy,” and has worked with other artists including Phyno, YCEE, Fally Ipupa, DJ Arafat, Koffi Olomide, and Timaya.

Styl-Plus

STYL was formed in 1997 in Akure, Nigeria, starting with four members. After some changes, including new members joining and one leaving, the group changed its name to Styl-Plus in 2001.

Known for their smooth songs that mix English and Yoruba, they are often called “Africa’s Boyz II Men.”

Their popular songs include “Olufunmi” and “Imagine That,” as well as others like “Run Away” and “Call My Name.”

Styl-Plus also released singles like “On the Dance Floor” with Jesse Jagz and “Jekeserelo” with Chics Bad Boy Slim. Their music has made a lasting impact in the world of African music.

Nigga Raw

Raw released his debut studio album, “Right & Wrong,” on August 7, 2005. His second album, “Everything Remains Raw,” came out in 2007.

His third studio album, “End of Discussion,” was released in October 2010. This album featured the hit song “O! Chukwu,” and its music video was awarded Best Afro-Hip-Hop Video at the NMVA Awards that same year.

9ice

In 1996, 9ice recorded his first demo titled “Risi de Alagbaja,” but it wasn’t until 2000 that he released his first official solo song, “Little Money.”

His career took a significant turn in 2008 with the release of the single “Gongo Aso,” which gained massive popularity and led to him performing at Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday Tribute concert in London in June 2008.

That same year, 9ice won the Best Hip Hop Artist of the Year at the MTV Africa Music Awards.

The success of “Gongo Aso” continued into 2009, where it earned him four awards at the Hip Hop World Awards in Abuja, including Album of the Year, Artiste of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Rap in Pop Album.

Dagrin

Dagrin was a pioneering Nigerian rapper from Ogun State. His life inspired the 2011 film Ghetto Dreamz.

Famous for pioneering indigenous rap in Nigeria using Yoruba and Pidgin, Dagrin is considered one of the country’s greatest rappers.

He released his first album Still On The Matter in 2006-07 and gained significant acclaim with his 2009 album C.E.O. (Chief Executive Omoita).

This album brought him several nominations and won the Best Rap Album at the 2010 Hip hop World Awards.

Dagrin’s style has influenced many Nigerian artists, including Olamide and Reminisce, cementing his legacy in the music industry.