Kolando Baby Zulu known musically as Kzee Bigname has made a good name for himself by promoting his own country cultural music genre known as Gbema. In fact he has been likened to legendary Liberian great artist, Morris Dorley. He was active in the 1970s and 1980s, known for his unique sound which combined merengue, highlife, and palm wine music. He died in the early 1990s in a displaced persons camp during the Liberian Civil War.
Kolando Baby Zulu a.k.a Kzee Bigname refused to mimic or Africanise western music, instead he modernized Gbema’s sound to make it modern-day acceptable with the introduction of soul-touching melody.
But very few people have heard of the music called Gbema, because it appears to be entirely local and popular in Liberia. And Kzee Bigname explains why the genre has failed to cross the borders of the great country.
“I think the unpopularity of Liberian music is the lack of investment into the industry, which is due to the civil war and lack of peace in my country. Most things I now prioritize. We have got no institutions, poverty is high, the talent is there but nothing to uplift that talent. We got big names in countries closer to Liberia but nothing is happening. The Liberia music industry needs help,” says the artist who once lived in Ghana as a refugee.
Speaking about Gbema music, he says, “I think Gbema music has a big seat in the Liberian music industry because, is our traditional and cultural arts music from our ancestor and it belongs to a particular tribe in Liberia called Bassa. And it also relates to every age, and more of storytelling through the expression of Liberian art, culture and dancing. Gbema is Liberia’s own, the reason I say so is because we Liberians express ourselves through dancing.”
Kzee Bigname signed his name into the Liberian hall of fame with his very debut single titled “Kakaleka”, With Kakaleka he redefined and increased the popularity of Gbema music in post-war Liberia music setting and also inspired a new generation of artists to avoid Africanizing western genres.
In 2010, after the success of Kakalaka, Kzee released another banger, titled “Kountry Chicken”, which rocked the country for more than three months. Again in 2012, Kzee returned with another hit single “Chicken Saloma” featuring David Mell, and two years later, with another banger “Da Who Say” featuring JB of Soul Fresh.
These songs like Kakalaka became instant hits because of its potent lyrics, which are soulful to the ear and still relevant today.
“He didn’t only increase Gbema popularity, he redefined its sounds to meet the taste and desire of today’s music lovers,” said DJ Blue, a Liberian media mogul, and owner of Bluelink record, one of the country’s top record labels.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents
In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…
Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train
The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…
and then