In years past, it perhaps would have been unlikely for an indigenous artiste to be one of the gravitational centres of igbo cultural music. Ejyk Nwamba is amazingly doing so, becoming the vanguard of this deluge of creative expression. His ‘Ogene Cultural Praise’, a medley of popular gospel songs has become a viral hit record amongst Nigerians both home and in the diaspora.
Ejyk’s brand of music which deploys igbo music instruments like the slit-drum, ogene, ichaka and others is fasting gaining mainstream acceptance. The Enugu State University graduate of Mass Communications said getting people to accept his brand of music is some of the challenges he experienced when he started out.
“The challenges I faced at the beginning of my music career was getting people to accept my genre of music. When I started out, my genre wasn’t widely recognized and accepted. Artistes before me were always seen as local and not given their due respect .I thank God that has changed. Finance was also a problem for me because I wasn’t born into wealth. I had to build from the scratch without support or backing. I thank God for how far he has brought me”.
Going down memory lane, the ‘Ubor’ crooner said: “Music began for me at a young age. I have always had passion for music and cultural beats. I learnt to play many cultural instruments myself. I also learnt from watching other people play. It’s been an amazing experience so far”.
From the opening moments in ‘Ubor’, a song he teamed up with Zoro on, it is evident that Ejyk is an innovative artiste, combining his vocals and Zoro’s punch lines to create such a groovy tune.
Shedding light on the importance of showcasing culture through music, he said: “It is important for artistes to showcase their culture through their music .I do that because I don’t forget my source. My culture is my root and it should not be forgotten. Music is very important in African culture. It can be used to tell a story or convey meaning and messages”.