Nigerian singer, Alexander Akande, popularly known as 9ice has revealed an important detail in the early days of his musical career.
9ice, known for his hit song, “Gongo Aso”, disclosed that during his early days in music, he copied Haitian rapper, Wyclef Jean.
According to Independent Newspaper, the singer made this known during an interview with SPS.
He said he was not the only Nigerian musician who was influenced by Wyclef’s style during that time, however he believed his imitation was superior to others.
The “Photocopy” crooner explained that after finding his unique musical identity, he ceased copying Wyclef’s sound.
9ice attributed his current musical style to a blend of influences from legends like Bob Marley, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Pasuma, Ayinde Barrister, and K1.
He said, “Wyclef Jean was my inspiration. In the beginning, I sounded exactly like him. Many others tried to mimic Wyclef, but people thought I did it best. Over time, I developed my original sound, influenced by artists like Bob Marley, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Ayinde Barrister, K1, Pasuma, and Obesere, whom I listened to while growing up.”
