Denzel Armani: Redifining Afrobeat

Denzel Armani: Redifining Afrobeat

Music did not just happen to Ifenna Denzel Armani Ezeofor. He did not stumble on music out of idleness.

The star-studded lawyer-turned-musician veered into music in obedience to a childhood passion that settled with him in adulthood.

A talented songwriter and composer with Denzel Armani as a stage name, music comes naturally to him. Armed with a Law degree from the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus,  UNEC,  Denzel Armani is on top of his game as an Afrobeat musician.

Listening to the soulful rhythms and lyrics of Denzel Armani's brand of Afrobeat one cannot but agree that he is one of the few Nigerian Afrobeat musicians who has redefined the unique,  timeless music genre originated by the irrepressible late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. 

On stage, Armani is a delight to watch. He is imbued with an electrifying fierce sound and stage presence which is undoubtedly unique, embodying a fusion of afrojuju, rock, jazz, R&B, neo-soul, and hip hop. 

Armani has always loved music. His romance with music started as far back as his childhood when he was around six years old as he was always so fascinated with sound, delivery, and the awesome stage presence of Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson’s death was however a very devasting experience for him. He also had at his beck and call and rich musical library growing up as his parents were music lovers. He had the opportunity to listen to the greats of times like Marvin Gaye, Boney M, Abba, Barry White, Bob Marley, Fela, Labaja, and so on.

Armani formally started his music career in 2020 and so far has several music tracks to his credit including the hits, Comot Der and Jonza.

His new single, "NEME",  a new sound of profound musical masterpiece,  was released on Saturday, 24th February 2024.

On March 9th,  2024, a collaborative musical effort with two other young artists- Von Blake and Silver Omah dubbed "Epiphany" under the Zeof Record label was also launched.

The EP, a potential chartbuster, is a selection and a rich blend of free-flowing music genres rooted in Afrobeat, Afro-ragga, and Afro-Gospel.

Denzel Armani is focused and forward-looking.  He believes the Nigerian and global music scene is his to conquer.

Ban Immoral Songs and Music Videos on TV in Nigeria

I am a well known person in the creative industry, especially in Nollywood and I am also into music production with my first single produced in Hollywood when I was 21 and a copy is in the Library of Congress in Washington DC  My second single was produced in Lagos, Nigeria and gave me an hour interview on the BBC Radio in 2003. But I never released the singles.

I am working on three singles that I will release on my music label.

My father played violin and my elder sister danced for the enigmatic Fela Kuti and his band in the 1970s.  And I wanted to be a rock musician, but my father discouraged me.

I love music and I am a good singer and dancer. But I don't like pornographic songs and music videos which majority of Nigerian Afrobeats and Hip Hop singers are addicted to and they are corrupting our impressionable and vulnerable innocent young children who have been caught indulging in sexual activities. 

They are doing the immoral things in the immoral music videos of Burna Boy, Asake, Wizkid, Davido and Uncle Don Jazzy who use girls and young women as sex objects showing them half naked in simulations of sex orgies. 

Only stupid girls will allow themselves to be used as sex objects.

It is idiotic for women to be half naked and dancing for men who are wearing clothes.

It is even baffling that Uncle Don Jazzy who is the owner of Mavin Records and should promote good behavior is using his music platform to promote artistes singing psychedelic songs in pornographic music videos.

There are widespread cases of rape and sexscapades by teenage boys and girls in secondary schools and many are posting and sharing sex tapes on the internet.

Millions of them are now on hard drugs for sex orgies with thousands of cases of unwanted pregnancies.

If we fail to stop these immoral songs and music videos, they will completely destroy the moral values of our society.

They should be banned, because they promote self-destructive behavior among the majority of the youths.

WHAT WOULD FELA DO?

 WHAT WOULD FELA DO?

Since the greatest Nigerian musician of all time, Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti passed on in 1997, the majority of Nigerians have become ass lickers and lap dogs of the  political ruling class and no single Nigerian musician or human rights activist has the balls and guts to dare them and call a spade a spade as Fela dared and faced the consequences without apologies and without regrets.

Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti was a revolutionary musician, both an awesome sociocultural and sociopolitical phenomenon.
No other musician in Nigeria and the rest of Africa and the world has been as awesome as Fela. And it is funny how young singers of the present generation who cannot read and write music are claiming to be great.Great in what sense?

Great in winning American and European music awards that Fela never bothered to compete for?

They cannot even have a small band compared to the Afrobeat music enssemle of Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti.
See

117 Ensemble Organization of the Band of Fela Anikulapo- by A Oikelome · 2017 · 

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
aka "Orikinla Osinachi".