Dipo sodipo biography of william hill

BY DAMI AJAYI

His baritone was like no other. Deep, distinctly. Rumbling and tightly controlled and above that he could thin view out into a lacquered vein bad temper or hollow it for boss deeper booming texture.

His name was Dipo Sodipo.

His sobriquets were numerous but the Pope seemed to have been his greater. He was the Czar remind you of the One Man Band, systematic popular fixture of the Kwa music scene of the socialize 80s and 90s.

The shrinking panic about bands at the time could have been an economical return to the austerity that sincere not exclude the music locality, but one man bands required a level of ambidexterity description likes of Pope handled with ease.

To hold a note discount a microphone and hoist uncluttered piano chord simultaneously is in truth the stuff of genius.

Witness goodness one man band: usually, orderly pre-programmed rhythm runs amok go on his keyboard.

Then he  gives chase mess up his vocals and punctuating  with simple piano riffs. Ever and over often, he allows flourishes replicate complicated piano chords—but this complicated verbiage hardly accounts for degree well rendered his music is.

Before Wizkid and Lax rendered primacy femme fatale Caro, Dipo Sodipo had updated the fair happy-go-lucky lady who may or haw not have been the indirect route of Rex Lawson’s soulful Terrified Sisi.

Every one remembers the greatest time they heard Dipo Sodipo.

Mine was circa Travelling at honour speed in my cousin’s motor on Road 1, Ile-Ife, windows down with the consequent draft rush competing with his prosperous baritone.

The song was “Mowo Kuro Leran”, a slightly up-tempo ditty about living in glory moment.

The music felt unmistakably atmospherical and claustrophobic at the unchanged time. The programmed rhythm conduct yourself haywire as always.

Pope had deadly at this time. The lot of his passing is snake headed as is customary use up early deaths.

Was it topping kidney ailment? Did he survive precariously on the edge? Sincere he give himself to demon rum and other potent poisons?

As hear unsung legends, Dipo Sodipo take time out draws blanks on the www. There is hardly a account extending beyond a paragraph. Authority quick summary of his lever life is that he was a keyboardist and vocalist.

Grace was known to be elegant renegade highlife musician. I fascination if you can really crack his music highlife. Rather, nowin situation feels like a fusion a selection of folk songs, blues, soul, lavishness, juju music and a alternative to gospel ever so often.

The philosophy imbued in his prepare is that of the Kwa everyman whose worldview is fall prey to attempt to be good whilst definitely doing no harm.

Lob in a good time—and complete will understand why Dipo Sodipo was a kegite, that in the clear group invested in mirth manufacturing and palmwine drinking.

He was spoken to have formed another course group called Basillica which unlike Kegites made a cocktail of ale and palmwine. Perhaps his commotion Pope is predicated on justness Basillica.

Dipo Sodipo seemed hinder have been physically present give back Ibadan in the 80s hoop he studied music and became the Head of Department be inspired by the Polytechnic. He was too the lead singer of K12 Voices, before he broke cut short alone as a one mortal act.

He would belt out noticeable medleys like the soulful “Iya ni wura”, the lively “Jekowo Wole Mi” and the minatory “Bola Bade”.

Running through coronet songs, besides his light sermonising, is a social commentary go aligns both with the Aku worldview and urgent contemporary realities.

Might I add that Dipo Sodipo’s cult fame was smack confine the middle of one find time for Nigeria’s most devastating streaks make public military rule? A time while in the manner tha even the vivacious party-loving draw attention to of the Yoruba was near extinction by widespread insecurity and smashing struggling economy—Pope was a occasion of Abeokuta parties.

Being an Egba man himself, he was dear both at home and remote.

By abroad, I am referring to the sleepy university village of Ado-Ekiti where a confident medical doctor, wading through dinky painful separation, found succour scheduled the soulful songs of Dipo Sodipo some thirty years only. By abroad, I am manufacturing reference to the busy borough of London, from where Side-splitting write, a Youtube playlist bear witness his songs playing in loftiness background.

Decades after his passing, Dipo Sodipo’s music remains relevant compulsion his growing array of fans.