Nigerian drummer emerges Grammy Award co-winner
By FEMI SALAWU with Agency Reports
Friday, February 13, 2009

Talented Nigerian talking drummer, Sikiru Adepoju lifted the Nigerian flag high in faraway Los Angeles when he emerged as a co-winner at the 51st Grammy’s Award which held Sunday, February 8 at the Staples Center.


Adepoju
Photo: Sun News Publishing

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However, it wasn’t clear if he personally received the plaque during the event.

Adepoju was a collaborator in the production of Global Drum Project album which won Grammy awards for Best Contemporary World Music album alongside Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain and Giovanni Hidalgo.

Adepoju defeated three other contenders including Senegalese-born International musician, Youssou N’Dour (Rokku Mi Rokka (Give and Take)), South African group, Soweto Gospel Choir (Live at the Nelson Mandela Theater), Lila Downs (Shake Away) and Gilberto Gil (Banda Larga Cordel).

Similarly, another Nigerian Lekan Babalola, who is a famous percussionist contributed to about eight out of the 12 tracks in Cassandra Wilson’s album Loverly which notched the Best Jazz Vocal Album.

Adepoju had once played with Chief Ebenezer Obey’s Inter-Reformers Band before moving to America in 1985 to team up with O.J. Ekemode’s Nigerian All-Stars. He once met Babatunde Olatunji and became an integral part of Olatunji’s Drums of Passion. He later met talented drummer Mickey Hart through Olatunji. He has since worked with several American stars such as Stevie Wonder in Jungle Fever (1991) among other greats.

Babalola sneaked into Nigeria in between a world tour with Cassandra Wilson to produce works for some artistes including Fatai Rolling Dollar, guitarist Sina Ayinde Bakare among others. The percussionists also performed recently at The Jazzhole. He remains a master percussionist and has played with Jazz greats like Roy Ayers, Fela Kuti and Ernest Ranglin.

Meanwhile, biggest winners at the 51st Grammy’s Award are pop singer Robert Plant and rapper, Lil’ Wanye who won five and four awards respectively.

Plant in his collabo album with songstress Alison Krauss carted home five plagues including Best Record of the Year for the song Please Read the Letter, Album of the year and Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album (Raising Sand), as well as Best Pop Collaboration (Rich Woman), Best Country Collaboration with Vocals (Killing the Blues)

Lil Wayne who had eight nominations smiled home with four plaques at the end of the event and his awards include Best Rap Album (Tha Carter III – Lil Wayne), Best Rap Song (Lollipop featuring Static Major), Best Rap Solo Performance

(A Milli), Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group (Swagga Like Us – Jay-Z & T.I. featuring Kanye West & Lil Wayne)

Also British pop group, Cold Play won three awards with a hit song Viva La Vida. The awards include Song of the Year, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Best Rock Album.

Artistes who won double awards include Kirk Franklin, Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album (The Fight of My Life), Best Gospel Song (Help Me Believe). AL Green Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance (You’ve Got the Love I Need) and Best R&B Performance by a duo or group with Vocals (Stay with Me (By the Sea) featuring John Legend) Adele Best Pop Vocal Performance (Chasing Pavements) and Best New Artist and Ne Yo Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best RnB Song (Miss Independent).

Single winners include Alicia Keys; Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (Superwoman), Mary J. Blige Best RnB Album (Growing Pains), and The Blind Boys of Alabama Best Traditional Gospel Album (Down in New Orleans). Visually impaired music legend, Stevie Wonder led a huge haul of performers at the event when he teamed up with Jonas Brothers to perfrom two songs; Burnin’ Up and Superstition. Other performaces which featured collaborations from other artistes include Jenifer Hudson (You Pulled Me through), Coldplay which featured rapper, Jay Z (Viva La Vida), U2 (Get on Your Boots), Estelle featuring Kanye West (American Boy) among others.


http://odili.net/news/source/2009/feb/13/506.html

big ups!!!!!!!!
a nigerian has a grammy

nice one

awesome, Congratulations. It's Naija

whats there to celebrate? . . . . .

this grammy sef. . . . . . .too many categories

lalaboi:

whats there to celebrate? . . . . .

go and read the topic again!!!!!!!

Nice!!!!. . . .i see ma peeps doing great things oo. . . .Congrats to us. . . .its Naija for life!!!!!