Bella Shmurda Reflects Authentic Realities Through Raw Narratives
CREATINGMUSIC that reflects authentic realities through raw narratives is somewhat the DNA of the very best performers. Reason Afrobeat progenitor, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Grammy award winners, Burna Boy and Wizkid, Davido, 2Face Idibia, Sound Sultan, Jude MI Abaga, attained commercial success by representing the average Nigerians’ struggles in their lyrics.
Therefore, it will not be out of place to say that fast rising music star and songwriter, Akinbiyi Abiola Ahmed, well known as Bella Shmurda, has grown to mainstream stardom with his hard- hitting hits that touch on Nigerian struggles coming from the streets.
The singer dazzled the music scene in 2020 with his High Tension EP, putting his unique spin on the familiar street- hop bounce popularised by artistes like Zlatan. He subsequently released a freestyle track entitled Vision 2020 with Olamide, which highlighted the government inefficiencies and young people’s plight of dreaming big and trying to make it out of a system set up to keep them oppressed.
“Everyday life inspires my music, what people face, what I see, the day- to- day activities that inspire me,” Bella Shmurda said in a recent interview.
His Cashapp, a 2020 release mirrors the effect cyber criminals have on Nigerian pop culture. His hitmaker status catapulted him to features on the albums of afrobeat stars like Davido and Olamide.
The Headies 2020 Next
Rated Award nominee, kick started the year 2021, releasing another hit single titled Rush, which spent several weeks at the top of Nigerian charts.