Veteran Afrobeats singer, Akande Abolore, popularly known as 9ice, has issued a fiery warning to aspiring Nigerian artists, reflecting on the darker realities of the music industry and his personal spiritual journey.
Speaking on his journey in the music industry, 9ice lamented; “I used to talk about winning a Grammy. I kept pushing, but I didn’t get it. Burna got it. We never get am.”
“Music is powerful. It carries messages. That’s why you must watch the words you sing because the devil controls music. He is the choirmaster.”
“I vomited blood for six months straight right in my own house. No hospital. No treatment. Just me. This was back in 2009, 2010.”
“I’m not a Christian. I’m not a Muslim. I’m a Babalawo. That’s my truth. I practise African tradition. People hear that and run. But that’s who I am.”
“Fela used to go to Ogun, and people mocked him. They didn’t understand. But now, I get it. He was on a deeper path.”
“God said He would never come to you in a language different from your people. I understand now the Black continent is for Black people, and we have our own prophets. Our own messengers. Our own path.”
