Popular Nigerian masked musician, Lagbaja, kicked off his U.S tour on April 18, 2015 with a performance in Houston and end on May 17, 2015 at Washington DC.
Originally born Bisade Ologunde, the Nigerian musician with a strong international following, announced the one month tour of the United States of America on his Facebook page and listed cities and venues where he would be performing with his crew and member.
According to the information, Lagbaja and his Motherland band would be performing at 15 different cities over a period of 1 month during the tour.
On his Facebook page he wrote
Naija… to… Yankee!
My people… come and experience the Motherlan’ in the USA
Enjoy a nostalgic taste of home
All the way from Lagos City
Lágbájá brings the Motherlan’ groove across the Atlantic to the USA
With his band… No “miming”… Real musicians… Real venues
The way he has always done it
Lagbaja became a force to reckon with in the 90s with his blend of Afrobeats and popular Yoruba music.
He explained the concept behind his music and mask on his website: “Lágbájá is a Yoruba word that means somebody, nobody, anybody or everybody. It perfectly depicts the anonymity of the so called “common man”. The mask and the name symbolize the faceless, the voiceless in the society, particularly in Africa. Once you see Lágbájá’s mask you are reminded of your own facelessness.”
“Though the concept was developed much earlier, his first album was released to National acclaim in 1993. Over the years and more albums later, his music has continued to fascinate with its interplay of traditional African drums and Western instruments which create a unique and enchanting soundscape. His music is a product of various influences ranging from traditional Yoruba music to Jazz. Often, it is purely instrumental but when there are lyrics, they are primarily sung in Yoruba, English or a blend of the two as is colloquially spoken in Nigeria. Lágbájá has christened his music Africano, alluding mostly to the central role of African drums and rhythms in his groovy fusion.”
While many of his songs simply entertain, most are about serious social issues. He passes impactful serious messages in humorous ways and continues to use his music as a catalyst for the emergence of a better society.
