As someone who grew up in the eras of roots-reggae and Afrobeat, Freddy Green blends the genres every chance he gets. The Nigerian singer salutes those influences on Top Of The Pop, his latest song.
Produced by Fitzroy Francis for Mightyful13 Records, it is from Songs Of Euphony, Geeen’s upcoming album.
While Top Of The Pop has a distinctive Afrobeat sound and hears him giving a shout-out to reggae, Green says he has never made music for a specific market.
“In terms of marketing and followers, I believe good music with quality has the ability to spread across the globe, it may not necessarily be limited to Africa or Europe,” he noted. “I want my music to spread to North America, South America, Antarctica, Australia, and every continent or planets that are yet to be discovered.”
Green is from Kabong, located in north-eastern Nigeria. He discovered Afrobeat as a teenager in his homeland where the jazzy, percussive sound originated through shamanic musician and activist, Fela Kuti.
He was also drawn to the music of Bob Marley and Culture, as well as South African reggae singer Lucky Dube.
Fela’s son Femi, is credited in some quarters as the creator of Afrobeats, the current musical craze in Nigeria and West Africa that has produced stars like BurnaBoy and Wizkid.
The 47 year-old Green also hears and feels similarities with reggae and Afrobeats which he considers “renaissance music”. “It makes people always want to get up and skank. It is a creative combination of African instruments to produce harmonious sounds and melodies. It can be fused with Western instruments to create sensational rhythms,” he said.
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