How Yoruba traditional music fed sakara, apala, waka, juju, fuji, highlife, Afrobeat and contemporary Afrobeats, traced through named musicians and specific musical mechanisms rather than gestures at influence.
The Yorùbá wey dem quote, the proverbs, oríkì, ẹsẹ Ifá, word list headwords, Odù names and citations dey exactly as the corpus record dem, for every language.
Yoruba popular music no be just different different genres wey just happen to dey the same region. Na one single family line where each new music form dey take the instruments and voice style from the one wey come before am, add something wey dem bring from outside, come take over the market from the old one. The traditional foundation dey provide four things all through: the dùndún and how e fit talk like human being, the call-and-response style between lead singer and chorus, oríkì as the main way dem dey take praise people name during performance, and the Yoruba tonal language itself, wey dey control melody because melody wey go against the tones go produce wrong words. Dem four still dey survive from sákárà for the 1920s reach Asake for the 2020s.
Warning about the last section. The line from traditional to juju to fuji dey documented well for peer-reviewed ethnomusicology books, especially inside Christopher Waterman work. The material for modern Afrobeats no dey like that: wetin dey na music review, and this file dey show the difference clearly instead of to mix dem together.
Na the earliest Yoruba popular genre wey dem record, and na two instruments define am. The sákárà drum na single-headed frame drum wey dem make with clay or pot frame, and the gòjé na one-string fiddle wey dem dey play with bow, wey get horsehair string over gourd wey skin cover . The gòjé na the clearest thing wey enter Yoruba popular music from the North and Sahel, and e dey show say sákárà come from Islamic background.
Yusuf Olátúnjí join Abibu Oluwa band for 1927 and e make im first record for 1937 . Other names for the genre include Ojo Olawale, Sanusi Aka, and Saka Layigbade. The dates wey dey here come from encyclopaedia instead of specialist literature, so person suppose check am against Omojola before taking am as final fact .
Àpàlà come out from Muslim Yoruba background, and the instruments na percussion plus lamellophone: agogo bells, àkúbà drums, claves, and the agidigbo [S2]. E no get lead guitar, na wetin make person fit hear the difference between am and jùjú.
Haruna Ishola Bello, 1919 reach 23 July 1983, na im dem dey call father of àpàlà [S2]. Ayinla Omowura, wey dem born as Waidi Ayinla Yusuf Gbogbolowo, 1933 reach 6 May 1980, wey dem born for Itoko inside Abẹ́òkúta, na the other main person; e drag with other musicians including Ishola, wey e later agree say pass am [S2].
The talk wey people dey repeat say àpàlà start from Ramadan wake-keeping, dem never verify am for any scholarly source. Dem document that origin well for wéré and ajísàrí, and e fit be say people just carry am put for àpàlà inside common talk; this file no dey claim say na so e be.
Àpàlà and sákárà follow among the music wey help shape Fela Kuti musical background, and na this one link to wetin dey come next [S3].
Wéré, wey dem also dey call ajísàrí, na Yoruba genre with Islamic influence wey dem dey play to wake Muslims before dawn during Ramadan fasting [S4]. Na functional music wey get specific work, and the pioneer wéré musicians for the 1950s and 1960s include Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Ayinla Kollington, while young wéré groups popular well-well for Lagos throughout the 1960s [S4].
Fújì na wetin wéré turn to when e leave Ramadan enter commercial market. Barrister own story about the name na say e see one poster for airport wey dey advertise Mount Fuji, the highest mountain for Japan [S4]. Two warnings: na him mouth the story come from and nobody don independently verify am, and some sources even talk say e travel go Japan, wey look like story wey dem add later. The airport-poster version na the one wey dem quote directly from am, and na im this file prefer.
How Barrister take describe wetin e combine na very important primary statement: sákárà, àpàlà, jùjú, aró, Afrobeat, gúdúgúdú, and elements of highlife [S4]. That sentence mention the traditional instruments directly, and that one settle the matter of wetin fújì retain without needing outside analyst.
The instruments start with the sákárà drum come expand to dùndún, congas, ṣẹ̀kẹ̀rẹ̀, agogo and bongos, before dem later add keyboards and guitars [S4]. The main thing wey no dey inside am during the classic period na lead guitar, and na that one separate am clearly from jùjú: fújì na voice plus percussion, while jùjú na voice plus guitars plus percussion.
The rivalry. Kollington drop im first album for 1973 or 1974 and na him be Barrister main rival from the mid-1970s, with their fight specifically on top who start fújì [S4]. The matter big reach say linguistics research paper write about the verbal attack between dem [S5]. Dem later settle the matter, as Kollington talk for record say rivalry na im cause the wahala and say na Barrister create fújì; na Wasiu Ayinde, K1, dem credit say help arrange the reconciliation after Barrister mama die [S4].
The later generation pass through Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, K1 De Ultimate, with Talazo fújì wey popular from the late 1980s, Adewale Ayuba with Bonsue fújì, and Wasiu Alabi Pasuma and Saheed Osupa wey dominate the 2000s [S4].
Wàkà na the women genre for this family, wey get Islamic touch and na voice dey lead am. The standard story name Batile Alake as the person wey carry am from private performance enter stage and record, and Salawa Abeni as the dominant star wey come later.
Dem no fit verify this material against scholarly sources for this file. The claims about Batile Alake role and about Salawa Abeni wey dem crown as Waka Queen by the Aláàfin for 1992 dey everywhere for Nigerian press, but nobody don confirm dem. Bode Omojola Yorùbá Music in the Twentieth Century treat Yoruba women vocal genres well-well, and na the right source to check . This file just record the gap instead of to fill am.
Origins. Jùjú develop from palm-wine guitar music for Olowogbowo area of Lagos for the 1920s, wey dem link to Abdulrafiu Babatunde King, Tunde King, wey dem born on 24 August 1910, wey people generally agree say na im start am . King make the first jùjú recording for 1936 .
Di name get argument and make person give di two story. One story talk say jùjú come from when dem double di Yoruba verb jù, wey mean to throw, from one tori say band member throw im tambourine for air when dem dey play music. Di second story talk say na from di sound of one small Brazilian drum wey resemble tambourine wey dem use for King ensemble . Nobody don conclude on top any of di two. Di English way wey dem dey take link "juju" with witchcraft na mistake and e no get anything to do with di name of di music genre.
Electrification. People confirm say Ayinde Bakare na pioneer for jùjú alongside King and Akanbi Wright, and na him people give credit say e put electric guitar for di music around late 1940s; dem never verify di date independently .
Di time wey talking drum enter jùjú, na something wey get serious argument. Three different talk dey waka around. Say na Akanbi Wright put dùndún inside for 1948, wey give jùjú di main style wey people take know am. Say Christopher Waterman talk say na late 1950s and 1960s di Yoruba talking drum and di style of plenty guitars enter. And say plenty story give Ebenezer Obey credit say na him bring di dùndún come front for jùjú .
Person fit join all these talk together if we take di first one as di first time e enter, di second one as when e become normal standard, and di third one as when e spread well well, but to join am like that na just wetin person reason by himself, no be from original source claim. Na Waterman be di authority for this area and im own date suppose carry di biggest weight .
This matter pass ordinary argument about date. Di exact time wey dùndún enter jùjú na di time wey di traditional instrument wey dey talk language enter commercial popular band, and everything wey come after, including fújì percussion section and Afrobeat rhythm section, borrow from am.
I. K. Dairo, 1930, dem born am for Offa inside Kwara State, e die on 7 February 1996. E start Morning Star Orchestra for 1957, and change di name to Blue Spots for early 1960s . Na him be di first big musician wey play accordion inside jùjú, e dey use accordion wey get amplifier as im signature sound, and im big hit na Salome for Decca for 1962 . Di way e take mix things get clear structure: e combine Ìjẹ̀bú-Ìjẹ̀ṣà choral multi-part singing with tune and words from Christian sources, e sing for different Nigerian languages, and use dance rhythm wey get Latin influence . Di multi-part choral sound na di main thing wey remain, and na direct carry-over from Yoruba communal singing enter commercial band style. Dem give am MBE title; dem no verify di year for this file.
Ebenezer Obey. E start professional music from mid-1950s for Lagos, e form International Brothers for 1964 and change di name to Inter-Reformers for early 1970s, e record mostly for West African Decca . Di way record show say e do am na say e join Yoruba percussion style and expand im band as e add drum set, guitars, and talking drums . Im "miliki sound" start to show for album title from 1973 go front; no source wey dem check explain wetin miliki system mean for musical term, and dem no explain am here.
King Sunny Adé. Juju Music, wey carry name of King Sunny Adé and His African Beats, come out under Island Records for 1982, and Martin Meissonnier produce am, na him bring synthesizers and Linn drums come inside and na him introduce Adé to Chris Blackwell . Di business reason get clear background: Island dey find new global artist after Bob Marley die for 1981, and Fela just sign under Arista that time . People give Adé credit say na him bring pedal steel guitar enter Nigerian popular music, along with synthesizers, clavinet, and vibraphone .
Di pedal steel na special case. Na American country music instrument, and Adé use am like melody voice wey dey bend and slide between different pitch. For music wey come from tone language where talking drum main power na to slide between different tone levels, instrument wey dey slide without break no be just random thing wey dem bring come. Adé African Beats still carry big percussion section wey include dùndún, so di pedal steel dey inside band wey dem arrange based on Yoruba principles.
Highlife start as palm-wine guitar music, wey get di name from palm wine wey dem dey serve for performance, and e later expand enter big orchestra wey add trumpet, trombone, tuba, reeds, trap drums and cymbals, accordion, xylophone, and keyboard, with brass and reeds instruments wey dey carry di harmony tones as trumpet dey lead dem [S3].
Di origin of di name, according to Graeme Ewens wey quote wetin Yebuah Mensah, E. T. Mensah brother, tell John Collins, na say na people wey gather outside dance clubs for Accra like Rodger Club give am di name, as dem dey look husband and wife or lovers wey pay high gate fee like seven shillings and sixpence and wear complete evening dress; di people for outside call am highlife because dem no reach di level of di people wey dey enter inside [S3]. Di name na observation about class difference wey people for street make.
Fela play inside Victor Olaiya band, and Olaiya na one of di main highlife leaders for Nigeria from di 1950s [S3].
Dem no verify di claim for this file say na Roy Chicago bring talking drum enter highlife. Instead, Olorunyomi give credit to Rex Lawson kind of highlife, wey put eye well well on top how traditional Nigerian drum rhythms hard reach as e mix three-membrane drum, two- and one-membrane conga drums, and Western trap set with cymbals, as di direct thing wey cause Afrobeat [S3]. Na sourced alternative credit be that, and na im dem prefer here.
Formation. Fela study music for Trinity College, London for early 1960s. Olorunyomi put am inside one cohort: older generation wey include Adams Fiberesima, Akin Euba, Sam Akpabot and Laz Ekwueme wey study classical music and return as academics and broadcast music directors, and younger group wey include Wole Bucknor, Briddy Wright and Fela himself wey study dance and popular music [S3]. Di remote influence for their work na Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Charles Mingus, and wetin dem all believe together, as Tam Fiofori talk am, na say di new style must to dey rhythm-driven with strong percussive section [S3].
Di highlife period. Koola Lobitos, the Highlife Jazz Band, run from 1958 to 1969, with track dem like Onifere, Yeshe leshe, Lagos Baby, Ajo, Alagbara, Keep Nigeria One and Se E Tun De [S3]. Influence for this stage na soul, blues, Geraldo Pino (wey include how dem and James Brown influence each other), and highlife musicians like E. T. Mensah, Victor Olaiya and Rex Lawson [S3].
Di 1969 United States trip. Sandra Smith, wey be African-American girlfriend to Fela, borrow am di biography of Malcolm X wey Alex Haley write, wey Olorunyomi call di exact time wey im ideological initiation as Pan-Africanist start [S3]. Di context of dat period na Black Panther era, Bay of Pigs and di assassination of Patrice Lumumba [S3].
Wetin Fela himself talk about how e take find the beat make sense to quote because e mention one source wey people dey usually leave out [S3]:
I tell myself, "How Africans dey take sing song? Na chants dem dey take sing. Make I chant enter this song now: la-la-la-laa..." As I dey find di right beat, I remember this very old man wey I meet for London, Ambrose Campbell. E dey play African Music with one special beat. I use dat beat write my own tune, man... I no know how di crowd go take receive di sound... Whole club start to dey jump and everybody start to dance. I come know say I don find di thing, man. To me, na di first African tune wey I don write reach dat time.
Two things dey inside this one. Di first move na to chant, dat is, to go for Yoruba vocal mode instead of to go for rhythm. Di second one na Ambrose Campbell, Nigerian bandleader wey dey work for London, wey Fela borrow im beat. Afrobeat origin pass through West African musician wey dey based for London, no be through James Brown only.
E change di band name to Fela Ransome-Kuti and the Nigeria 70 and record My Lady's Frustration for di 1969 Los Angeles sessions [S3]. Di main shift come with Jeun K'oku and even pass dat one with Why Blackman Dey Suffer, where di first one carry bold assertive vocal style for upbeat fast tempo wey remind person of James Brown "Say it loud, I'm black and proud" [S3]
Africa 70 percussion section: trap set wey get bass drum, snare and cymbals, two tom-toms, and three-membrane drum [S3]. For Egypt '80 e add di gbẹ̀du, one Bzoule-type Attoumgblan, interlocking two-a-piece membrane drums and second bass section, along with amplified rhythm machine, two keyboards, rattles, metal gong, sticks and bass and tenor guitars, with horn section wey get trumpet, alto, two tenor and two baritone saxophones [S3].
Di compositional formula, for Olorunyomi structural analysis: signature rhythm go open, dey introduce rhythm messages from keyboards, di two guitars in unison or counterpoint, di trap drum or di two membrane drums; normally na double regular-interval beat on top bass drum wey snare interlude go dey answer like call-and-response; after dat, rattle, gong and rhythm guitars go enter, dey clear ground for piano, then horns, then chorus and cantor [S3].
Di Yoruba retentions, specifically.
Steve Rhodes identify say di bass drum rhythm na Egbaesque, with roots inside di rhythms of Orò cult [S3]. Na dat one be di most concrete claim of direct traditional retention inside Fela music and e mention specific institution.
Ẹ̀gbá chants wey include tere kúte and joro jára joro, built on pentatonic harmonies [S3].
Structure wey dey bend towards traditional modal scale instead of European harmonic structure, wey be wetin distinguish Afrobeat from highlife, since highlife retain functional harmony [S3].
West African ensemble techniques of stratification, modalism and hocketing, wey John Collins and Michael Veal also note [S3].
And di most important one for this corpus: as e dey reflect di tonal character of African speech pattern inside di instrumental section, Fela give im complete ensemble di power of speech surrogate, dey produce di inner voices wey dey show inside im music [S3]. Na dat one be di dùndún principle wey dem carry put on top horn and guitar band. Di instrumental lines follow speech tone, so di horns dey do wetin talking drum dey do.
Di cantor role place Fela inside di mould of traditional griot and chief priest [S3], wey also make im songs dey praise and abuse specific people well well: dat one na oríkì structure wey dey work inside nightclub.
About di name. Later on, Fela come condemn Afrobeat as meaningless commercial nonsense wey record labels use exploit di artist; di name remain because audiences insist [S3]. Im political organisations na Young African Pioneers, wey start for 1976, and Movement of the People, wey dem refuse to register for di 1979 election [S3].
Tony Allen. People everywhere agree say Allen drumming na major foundation of Afrobeat, and people dey often claim say e get strong connection with Yoruba percussion patterns. Dem no verify dat particular analysis for this file; Michael Veal Fela: The Life and Times of an African Musical Icon na di source to check .
Di honest truth na say di question about retention for contemporary Afrobeats na wetin critics dey just claim without solid analytical proof, and this file talk am as e be instead of to create fake continuity.
Na Asake be the clearest example. Mr. Money with the Vibe, 2022, twelve tracks, na Magicsticks produce everything from start to finish . People wey dey review music dey always describe am say na mix of amapiano, fújì and Afro-pop, with natural instruments wey include strings, choir and hand percussion; particular tracks like "Peace Be Unto You" and "Organize" build on top log drum bass .
E dey important make person separate the different parts. The amapiano log drum come from South Africa and no be Yoruba own, and to talk am so no mean say person dey bring am down. The Yoruba things inside Asake music divide into three: the way e dey arrange vocal phrasing wey come from fújì, na from there the melismatic, plenty-syllable, and prayer-like delivery style take come; stacked choral harmony for Yoruba language, wey be the same multi-part community singing wey I. K. Dairo carry enter jùjú; and call-and-response chant pattern between lead voice and crowd choir, wey be the oldest structural style for this whole lineage. The log drum just dey underneath like foundation wey dem import.
Where the evidence stop. Person no see any peer-reviewed musicological research on how Yoruba elements take remain inside Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Olamide or street-pop line. Na music critics dey claim say link dey between fújì and Asake, dem never really prove am through transcription or deep analysis . Plenty people dey notice am and e make sense on the surface, but dem never establish am with proper analysis. Anything wey pass this, like to dey claim say particular vocal style or particular fújì rhythm still dey inside street-pop, go just be fiction.
Another point dey wey reader suppose hold. "Afrobeats" wey get 's' na marketing name wey dem form for London around the 2010s to cover Nigerian and Ghanaian pop in general, and e no be Fela Afrobeat, wey be specific style of composing music. To mix the two together dey common and e dey create false lineage. The real connection to Fela dey go meet musicians wey dey use im structural techniques, no be every Nigerian musician wey enter music chart.
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