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Chike’s New Project Proves He is Leading the Contemporary Music Scene in Africa

The Nigerian singer talks to BET about the inspiration behind ‘Son of Chike,’ how the Mohbad collab came about, acting, and more.

Chike has established himself as a leading voice in contemporary African music. Rising to prominence on music talent TV reality shows “Project Fame West Africa” and “The Voice Nigeria,” the Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actor has captivated audiences with his soulful voice.

In 2020, he released his debut album, Boo of the Booless, and earned four nominations at the 2021 Headies Awards, including Album of the Year. The album, which gained over 200 million streams, revealed Chike as a powerhouse in African music.

Last month, Chike returned triumphantly with the release of his new album, Son of Chike, two years after his sophomore album, The Brother’s Keeper

Inspired by his family heritage and artistic evolution since the last album, the project showcases Chike’s cultural roots and symbolizes his identity as his father’s son. Son of Chike explores identity, self-discovery, love, joy, heartbreak, resilience, family heritage, and the beauty of life, among many complex themes. 

Chike finds himself doing things that his father used to do back in the day, so he finds himself in a space where he acknowledges who he is more. “Am I a lover boy? You know, like people call me that sometimes and I’m like, ‘Why are you saying that?’ I could be a hard guy, too, you know? Am I a storyteller? Yes. Am I a singer? Yes. Am I from the southeast of Nigeria? Yes,” he says. “I'm saying yes to everything that I know that I am in this album.” 

Son of Chike was led by its celebratory chart-topping single, “Egwu,” featuring the late Mohbad. It garnered over 250 million streams globally. “Man, that one, right? He had a project coming up and he had come to me because he wanted me on a song,” Chike explains how the collaboration came about. “We were done with his record and he was about to leave. But, my audio engineer who had come to record me, who was also a producer, insisted on playing a beat when we were literally walking out of the studio. Like, we were done. And he played a beat because we were not even in his session, but he insisted and played the beat...So, I recorded the chorus and he put a verse immediately on it.”

Chike later insisted that they finish the song another time because it was late and he needed to get some sleep. Mohbad refused and decided to stay back and finish the song. “That was the last session we ever had, you know. So when I look back at it now, I just feel like it was meant to be. The song was meant to be,” he tells BET.

Chike speaks about the popularity of Afrobeats now, revealing his excitement about making music at a time when the genre is seeing a surge. “One thing I always believe is that when it's time for something, it happens,” he says. “In my own opinion, Afrobeats has always been there. It’s always been what it is and it’s good to get recognition for the genre. We're seeing this interest in the kind of music we make. I hope it lasts forever.”

He adds that he wishes to collaborate with a few international artists, including Passenger, Tracy Chapman, and Chris Brown. “It's just like a kid's dream,” he says as he lists the singers. 

Besides his musical career, Chike has shown his creative ingenuity in film and TV, playing the cult character Mayowa Badmus in the popular Africa Magic telenovela series “Battleground.” He also starred in “Gangs of Lagos,” Africa's first Amazon Original Movie, released in 2023. “You know with movies, they always put it on their own time frames. I’m in a few movies, they just haven’t been out yet,” Chike reveals.

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