Next up, Urban Dubz PR presents to you a real special song from a genre with a rich heritage spanning decades, but one that some of you may never have heard of. I’m talking about the REAL authentic Nigerian Afrobeat music made famous by artists such as the legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Afrobeat arose explosively in the 70s from popular West African Highlife Music infused with jazz influences and socially conscious lyrics.

Chief Udoh Essiet is a veteran artist, singer, songwriter, virtuoso percussionist and master of rhythm who has been in the business since the 60s, and who has personally worked alongside the biggest artists from Nigeria in the 70s and 80s, including Fela Kuti at the height of his fame – and yes, It’s true, I’ve seen the photos!

We’re delighted to inform you that he has a great new album dropping this year called ‘Afrobeat Highlife Crossing’. The title signifies Chief Udoh’s unique ability to combine Nigerian traditional rhythms with Highlife Music and with Afrobeat – he “crosses” them together. All the elements of these Old School styles are there.

The single called ‘Big Mistake’, dropping in advance of the album launch, is a succulent taste of what’s to come, and I have to say, I absolutely love it! The percussion is out of this world, the bass is melodic, the horn arrangement is next level, the BVs are perfect and the ‘Pidgin’ language Chief Udoh uses gives that flavour of Nigeria to top it all off like a dash of Hot Pepper on Stew! It’s just a brilliant track!

Lyrically, the song is about the 2003 Iraq war and the dubious reasoning behind it – the fact the west didn’t find the chemical weapons they said were there and the terrible plight that Iraq now finds itself lumbered with in the aftermath of the execution of Saddam Hussein. The poverty, the homelessness, the rise of IS, Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo and the other European Massacres that have spawned since then, and the general bleak outlook for the foreseeable future. Chief Udoh Essiet speaks the cold-blooded truth and tells us to look inside ourselves and fight against corrupt Governments getting us into corporate-sponsored wars and leaving innocent civilians to live with the consequences.

This is the 3rd release on the UWEM Music label. Its motto is “Now is the best time to play the record” and I couldn’t agree more – so… go and check it out now! You won’t be disappointed.

Social links here:
Website: http://www.chiefudoh.com/
Chief Udoh Facebook Artist Page: https://www.facebook.com/chiefudoh
Uwem Music Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/uwemmusic/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chiefudoh/
– Chief Udoh is not on Twitter –
Chief Udoh YouTube https://www.instagram.com/chiefudoh/
Uwem Music YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNEMbO5-Wa50vC_2oe6wIOA
Chief Udoh Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Hy8h3s1aisJliWdPse62O
Bandcamp https://chiefudoh.bandcamp.com/