Multitalented musician, Steve Black, is one of the veterans of the music industry who made waves in the ‘80s, having been around since 1968, has slammed the present day musicians, calling them ‘copycats’ following what he felt was poor quality of music compared to their time.
In a chat with Showtime, Steve Black, who recently staged his comeback performance at the Freedom Park, in Lagos, said the music of today is very watering and lacks identity.
Steve’s outburst is coming as the world is currently celebrating Nigerian music. What an irony.
“Our music nowadays is very watering. The young musicians are waiting for one producer to sample one beat, everybody will jump at it. Nowadays musicians are copycats, the talent is not strong again as it used to be back in the days.
“ Back then, every musician had an identity. When you compose a song, you also compose the drumbeat as well as a dance step to go with the song. Fela had an identity. He was part of our era. Sunny Okosun, Victor Uwaifo among others had their own identities But today that’s not happening,” Steve Black lamented.
He narrated how he was almost frustrated out of playing music due to the non-acceptance of his kind of music in the country.
According to Steve, who started his music career in 1968, while his Afro funk music was rejected back home, it was, however, accepted in Europe, and some parts of America. He also revealed that the rejection of his music in Nigeria informed his decision to stop releasing albums back home.
“What that did to me was that I should forget about recording or releasing my albums in Nigeria since my Afro funk music was not accepted locally. But my music is kind of accepted in Europe and some parts of America.
“ Though I haven’t been in these countries to perform, the money I have made and still making comes from overseas. That made me decide that I should forget about recording in Nigeria and it also inspired me to set up my own recording studio so that I can record more songs and concentrate on the market where my music is being accepted,” Steve Black narrated.
The Afro funk, also recalled how some of the local music promoters turned him down when he approached them.
“In Nigeria, they were telling me that my music wouldn’t fly. They look down on people like us. If not because I am a strong man, they wanted to frustrate me out of music. And they have done that to many of my contemporaries who have no strong will like myself,” Steve added.
Describing Nigeria as a “one track nation”, Steve said “we are not ready to experiment or explore new ideas. Once a Davido comes out, everybody expects to sing and play like Davido as well as all these young musicians.”
Steve Black started playing music in 1968. He was behind the music of the likes Onyeka Onwenu, Christy Essien-Igbokwe, and Chris Okotie. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Steve took a break from music, but he’s back now and better than ever.
