The 1920s saw the birth of the juju music genre in Nigeria. It is distinguished by the use of classic Yoruba instruments like the talking drum, the shekere, and the agogo, and is frequently performed at social events like weddings, birthday parties, and other festivals.
Over the years, juju music has had a significant influence on other African genres, both in Nigeria and beyond. Here are a few examples:
Afrobeat
The late Fela Kuti was a pioneer of the afrobeat music genre, which appeared in Nigeria in the 1960s and 1970s. It is distinguished by a mix of jazz, funk, and highlife music with indigenous African rhythms. The use of percussion instruments, the call-and-response singing style, and the emphasis on improvisation are all influenced by juju music.
Highlife
Another well-liked musical style in West Africa is highlife, which originated in Ghana. It is distinguished by the employment of both conventional African rhythms and Western instruments like the guitar, trumpet, and saxophone. Due to the call-and-response vocals and traditional Yoruba instrumentation used in juju music, highlife has been influenced by it.
Jit
Jit is a genre of music from Zimbabwe that emerged in the 1980s. It is characterized by a fusion of traditional Shona music with Western influences such as rock and roll and reggae. The influence of juju music can be heard in the use of percussion instruments, and the focus on improvisation and call-and-response vocals.
Soukous
Soukous is a genre of music that originated in Congo in the 1930s. It is characterized by a fusion of traditional African rhythms with Cuban and other Latin American influences. The influence of juju music can be heard in the use of percussion instruments, and the focus on improvisation and call-and-response vocals.
Overall, both in Nigeria and beyound, juju music has had a profound impact on African music. Its distinctive fusion of traditional Yoruba instruments and rhythms, as well as a focus on improvisation and call-and-response singing, has been embraced by performers in other genres and contributed to the development of the continent’s diversified musical landscape.
