The African Elvis That Shook The World
Watch full documentary here — The AFRICAN ELVIS who shook the WORLD! (youtube.com)
In the late 80s, a new sound was taking Nigeria and the Nigerian diaspora by storm. It was incredibly powerful while still managing to maintain a wistful level of Enya-infused calm. It was funky while still retaining a level of rock that would make Chuck Berry proud and it was also African while still being in vogue with the electronic synth-laced music of the time. The sound I’m referring to was and is still known as Juju. No, not juju as in devil worship but juju as in shake your tailfeather like it’s your last night on earth music, and believe you me, that’s exactly what it was. The sweet reverb sun-drenched sound, at times almost reminiscent of the Beach Boys magnum opus ‘Pet Sounds’, had a way of tingling your spine and gently caressing those long-forgotten dormant pleasure centers in your brain. Indeed, this may sound like hyperbolic claptrap to you, but if you really sat down and listened to a Juju song, you’d understand what I’m talking about. It dominated the African charts, dominated the conversation amongst young Africans and undoubtedly led to a lot of baby making, but no Juju artist left an impact like the likes of the great Shina Peters.
Born in 1958 in Ogun State, Nigeria, Oluwashina Akanbi Peters spent most of his time playing music with his friends, forming a group called Olushina and His Twelve Fantastic Brothers. While playing with his group he taught himself how to play the piano and later joined Ebenezer Obey another notable icon within the world of Juju music. After joining a few other bands, Shina eventually formed his own band “Sir Shina Peters & His International Stars”. This was a turning point in his career and is undoubtedly what propelled him to superstardom.
Shina Peters dropped Ace in 1989 and it took the world by storm, including my childhood home in North Peckham, South east London, where it was played in heavy rotation alongside the likes of Fela Kuti on my father’s Akai record player. While I was only a baby at the time, it had a profound effect on me as the years went by.
The spirited percussion coupled with the gentle ethereal voice of Shina Peters and his singers was and still is, beautiful to listen too. The reverb drenched vocals hit you like a gentle wave. While Shina’s sense of style could be described as ostentatious, his music was wonderfully airy in a half-forgotten dream kind of way. Think Miguel’s Adorn or even Jai Paul’s Zion Wolf, admittedly crazy comparisons but for me at least, they evoke a similar feeling of wonder.
The way Shina’s records were mixed was probably due to technological limitations at the time but yet somehow, Ace succeeds in drawing you into a world full of low-fi calm and relaxation. This juxtaposition of drums, clothing and ethereal reverb is undoubtedly what set Shina apart from so many that came before and after him. His style, which he called “Afro-juju” was quietly addictive but it didn’t hit you like a punch, instead it was more of a caress. Take Fela Kuti for example. His voice was powerful, his lyrics were political and the melodies and rhythms he concocted are memorable and undeniably pleasurable to the ear. In fact, many hip hop producers have sampled Fela including Pete Rock on the iconic classic “Grown Man Sport”. Shina, on the other hand, had a more care-free attitude. Take “Dancing Time (Part 1)” for example. The song was released in 1991 and gently coaxes the listener to hit the dance floor. Fela was a commander, while Shina was more of a bard.
Shina’s music defined a generation of Africans adjusting to a new home. His genre, Afro-juju, also set a precedent for what was to come in the world of Afrobeats and undoubtedly inspired countless artists including the likes of Wizkid and Burna Boy. Shina gave Africans permission to have a good time. His music was chill before “chill” was even a thing. I’ve tried many times to sample and flip his tracks but the reality is, Shina can’t be outdone. He is one of a kind and a major credit to the world of African music and pop culture.
