My music is putting Benin culture on global radar — Hammerboi

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Afrobeats artiste, Osasike Uwuigbe, popularly known as Hammerboi, has said that his Benin-language songs have attracted more listeners outside his region, saying his music has helped introduce his culture to international audiences.

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The singer said his decision to sing mainly in his native language was influenced by his love for Benin culture and his desire to preserve and promote the language.

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He told Saturday Beats, “I didn’t just wake up one morning and start singing in my dialect. It came naturally to me, and my decision was also influenced by my love for the culture and my desire to preserve and promote the language.”

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Hammerboi, who previously worked as a music producer, said he initially had little interest in becoming commercially successful with his indigenous-language music.

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He said, “At first, I didn’t really care about being commercially successful or becoming very popular. I used to be a full-time music producer, producing for different artistes. One day, I thought, ‘Let me just do something unique for Benin people.”

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The artiste explained that his interest in writing songs in his native language dated back to his childhood, when he wrote and produced songs for his church choir.

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Hammerboi added that the reception to his music showed him that language was not necessarily a barrier to connecting with listeners.

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He explained that people could appreciate music through its emotions, melody and energy even when they did not understand the lyrics.

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“Music is a universal language, and I believe uniqueness and authenticity connect with people more than anything else. People don’t necessarily care about the language; they connect with how the music makes them feel,” he added.

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The singer said this was evident in his own listening habits, noting that he had enjoyed Indian and French music despite not understanding the languages.

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He added that his audience had expanded beyond Edo State, with listeners from other parts of Nigeria and different countries showing interest in his music.

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“The great part is that I actually have more listeners outside my region. When I check my top five audiences, I tend to see cities outside my region before I start seeing cities from my own area,” he said.

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Hammerboi also said some of his foreign listeners had become curious about Edo culture after discovering his music.

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He added, “Many people have told me that even though they don’t understand every word, they can feel the emotions and passion in my music. Some have even become curious about my culture.”

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According to him, he has fans from French-speaking countries who sometimes request translations of his songs and videos.

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Beyond entertainment, Hammerboi said he hoped his music would encourage young people to embrace their indigenous languages rather than hide them.

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“I want people to understand that our languages are treasures and deserve to be celebrated, not hidden. I am encouraging young people to embrace their roots and take pride in where they come from, wherever that may be,” he said.

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Although Edo remains central to his music, the artiste said he was open to experimenting with other languages when required by his creativity.

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“If you listen to my recent album, you will hear a combination of English and other languages. My native language will always remain at the heart of my music,” he said.

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