Nneka:Concrete Jungle
Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, and Stephan Marley’s love child? A female K’naan? Those were my first thoughts after listening to her spit on “God of Mercy” and sing on political reggae anthem “Africans.”
Before writing this article I have to say that I wasn’t very familiar with singer/rapper Nneka’s music at all. After my dig I soon found out that the Nigerian-born songstress had been making major waves in cities around the world since 2004. After listening to her music I was actually a little mad at myself. I felt like I’d been missing out on something I was looking for, something that I needed. In my search to uncover a gem, I came across a diamond. If you don’t know her by now, get to know NNEKA….
Nneka Egbuna (pronounced NAY-ka EG-boo-na) was born and bred in Warri, Nigeria to a Nigerian father and German mother. At age 18 she left home for Hamburg, Germany to pursue a music career and a degree in Anthropology. While there she linked up with producer DJ Farhot in 2003. By 2004, she was opening up for reggae artist Sean Paul, and by 2005 she released her debut EP, The Uncomfortable Truth. Soon after, she performed in her first tour, traveling from Germany to Austria to Switzerland. Later that year she released her critically acclaimed first album entitled Victim of Truth that debuted in Nigeria, Germany, England, France, Japan and the Netherlands. It was constructively compared to Lauryn Hill’s Miseducation of Lauryn Hill because of Nneka’s ability to sing like a bird and spit like a lyricist. UK’s Sunday Times even considered it “the year’s most criminally overlooked album.” The success of ‘Victim’ led to tours and dozens of performances in festivals, giving Nneka the opportunity to further spread her message of freedom, love, consciousness, and self realization. In 2008, she dropped the very political No Longer at Ease. Most of its subject matter is based around her upbringing in West Africa’s Delta region, focusing on government takeover and industrialization, all the while uplifting your spirit with gospel stitched lyrics over alternative hip hop and reggae fused tracks. Her single “Heartbeat” landed her on Germany’s Top 50 chart in 2008 and UK’s Singles Chart in February 2009. In April 2009 she opened for Lenny Kravitz on his French tour. She’s also worked with artists like Gnarls Barkley, Bilal, Femi Kuti, and The Roots. She began touring the U.S. for the first time in late 2009.
Her American debut, Concrete Jungle (2010), is actually a compilation of previously released tracks from her prior albums. Her sound reminds me of all of the music that I love. It’s a blend of soul, hip hop, reggae, gospel, afro beat, folk, rock, etc. It’s poetic, courageous, melodic, enriching, versatile, comparative and absolute. Her instrumentals consist of horns, guitars, African drums, hip hop beats and reggae rhythms. Her voice rings with a raspy high pitch tone and her lyrics are spiritual, political and powerfully heartfelt. She makes biblical references and quotes scriptures, protests war and poverty, and pleads with mankind to take a long hard look in the mirror. Much like the title track from her first EP, The Uncomfortable Truth, she delves in deep into the harshness of reality. But as she brings you down she lifts you up. On “Africans” she pleads, “wake up world, wake up and stop sleeping…wake up Africa, wake up and stop blaming…open your eyes, stand up and arise.” Some of my other favorites include “Suffri,” “Mind vs. Heart” and “Heartbeat.”
I am now ADDIKTED to Nneka’s Concrete Jungle. I advise you to get like me….
ADDIKT TESTED…ADDIKT APPROVED!!
TRACKLIST:
1. SHOWIN’ LOVE
2. THE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH
3. MIND VS. HEART
4. HEARTBEAT
5. COME WITH ME
6. KANGPE (feat. Wesley Williams)
7. AFRICANS
8. SUFFRI
9. FROM AFRICA 2 U (she sings the entire song in her native Igbo language)
10. FOCUS
11. GOD OF MERCY
Check Nneka out at her official website and on Myspace … Also follow Nneka on Twitter.
Nneka “Heartbeat”
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*SoulBird is a contributing guest writer covering events in the New Orleans area.*
