Fela Kuti was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick.
Fela was born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti on 15 October 1938 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria into a middle-class family. His mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, was a feminist activist in the anti-colonial movement; his father, Reverend Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, a Protestant minister and school principal, was the first president of the Nigeria Union of Teachers. His brothers, Beko Ransome-Kuti and Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, both medical doctors, are well known in Nigeria. Fela was a first cousin to the Nigerian writer and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, the first African to win a Nobel Prize for Literature.Fela was sent to London in 1958 to study medicine but decided to study music instead at the Trinity College of Music. While there, he formed the band Koola Lobitos, playing a fusion of jazz and highlife. In 1960, Fela married his first wife, Remilekun (Remi) Taylor, with whom he would have three children (Femi, Yeni, and Sola). In 1963, Fela moved back to Nigeria, re-formed Koola Lobitos and trained as a radio producer for the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. He played for some time with Victor Olaiya and his All Stars.

In 1967, he went to Ghana to think up a new musical direction. So lets also remember him not only the living but his legend is still living in the world.

wat abt d lighthouse family guy?

Nobody knows 2face, D'banj and even P Square. Forget the hype they all get over here. Wale and many others you listed are not claiming to be Nigerians so they don't qualify to be on that list. As for Asa and Nneka, I agree @least for the quality songs they are both known for.

WHERE IS NEYO CHIMEZE ON DA LIST? OR IS NEYO NT POPULAR?

shymexx: How did you number it? Is it in terms of popularity or who you feel is popular?

Sade is definitely the most popular and Wale should be next.

Tinie Tempah is only popular in the UK and Europe.

I don't know what Cham is doing on the list, he's irrelevant outside Houston.

And nobody knows Tuface!

Are u 4 real?? Nobody knows 2face? Its not a must to comment bro. I think a visit to youtube will educate u bout 2faces' popularity.

Who is Tinie Tempah? Who is Taio Cruz? I have honestly never heard of either of them.

There's no way Tinie Tempah and Taio Cruz are more popular than Sade, Seal, Wale, or Chamillionaire! Here's an anecdote on popularity: P Square is very popular among francophone Africans for some reason! They are very popular among Canadian Africans.

Also, most people do not know TuFace by name but when you say "You’re My African Queen," most blacks will know which song you're talking about.

Lastly, where's Fela and Femi Kuti? I've heard Fela's instrumental being used over here in the States. I’ve even heard it a few times on National Public Radio (NPR) being used as a sound track to a News story outro. Also, check the link below to see artists that have sampled Fela's songs:

http://www.whosampled.com/Fela-Kuti/sampled/?sp=1


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLF39513uwM

spade:

Tuface you mean?

yes jare

King sunny ade

Is NAS is not a Nigerian?

Davido nko?

OP u dey eff-up ooo. U 4got 2 add Ne-yo of all people who shud even be at d top of this list!

Let me re-arrange the Ranking according to Popularity.Popularity nt in terms of nw only but all time and Global recognition as well as Worldwide Hits.

1.Seal
2.Sade Adu
3.Wale
4.Taio Cruz
5.Tinnie Tempah
6.Chamillionaire
7.D'banj
8.2face
9.Psquare
10.Nneka
11.Asa

Though I feel likes of Fela Kuti,Femi kuti,Tunde Bayiewu and Lemar Obika should have been included and Note that I didn't select based on Ethnic sentiments.

Wallie: Who is Tinie Tempah? Who is Taio Cruz? I have honestly never heard of either of them.

There's no way Tinie Tempah and Taio Cruz are more popular than Sade, Seal, Wale, or Chamillionaire! Here's an anecdote on popularity: P Square is very popular among francophone Africans for some reason! They are very popular among Canadian Africans.

Also, most people do not know TuFace by name but when you say "You’re My African Queen," most blacks will know which song you're talking about.

Lastly, where's Fela and Femi Kuti? I've heard Fela's instrumental being used over here in the States. I’ve even heard it a few times on National Public Radio (NPR) being used as a sound track to a News story outro. Also, check the link below to see artists that have sampled Fela's songs:

http://www.whosampled.com/Fela-Kuti/sampled/?sp=1


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLF39513uwM

My Nigg*a, are u living in Mali?

Tribalism everywhere.
Na wa o.

bakynes: Sway is also Nigerian though only Popular in London.

Sway is Ghanaian mate.

Top 4 in no order would be

Shirley Bassey
Sade Adu
Fela
Seal

These names would certainly ring a bell with most

The list is on-point but pardon my sentiment: dead as he is that list isn't complete without a honorary mention of Fela, the Afrobeat king and father of all Afro genres (infusion of pidgin and indigenous African languages with English in music).

for y'all who think tuface is not worth being in d top-ten,i tink evrybody shud watch these videos


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7Jns0do9AE&gl=NG&client=mv-google&guid=&hl=en


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2Sys8Kthx8&client=mv-google&hl=en&gl=NG&guid=

BlackBaron:

Sway is Ghanaian mate.

Top 4 in no order would be

Shirley Bassey
Sade Adu
Fela
Seal

These names would certainly ring a bell with most

Just Checked Sorry abt that thought he was Nigerian. I shd have known better considering the fact I lived in London for many yrs.

Red_Card: Nobody knows 2face, D'banj and even P Square. Forget the hype they all get over here. Wale and many others you listed are not claiming to be Nigerians so they don't qualify to be on that list. As for Asa and Nneka, I agree @least for the quality songs they are both known for.

Wale reps naija well! He isn't lost on who he is.

I just clocked that scorcher is nigerian

Shu.tup dude!! you know nothing

odua boy: Mr man stop posting false information neyo is not nigerian

Ne-Yo was born in Camden, Arkansas. His mother is of African Americanand Chinese descent, and his father is African American.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ne-Yo?seg=1
And dont think because he bears"chimere"that automatically makes him nigeria

The meaning of the name Chimere is Dream
The origin of the name Chimere isFrenchhttp://www.babynames.com/user/ login.php

stillwater:



About time you dropped Seal, taio Cruz (these ones don't even recognize their roots, even Sade that is mixed recognizes hers than these guys lol).

Seal & Taio Cruz both lived in Naija. Sade Adu was born in Nigeria as well.

Do they have to wrap themselves in the Nigerian flag before they rep their roots?

@ OP

Perhaps you are referring to living artistes because none of them got nothing on Baba 70.

Nneka Egbuna can't be higher than DBanj.

don.pope:
Shu.tup dude!! you know nothing

Fools resort to insult when they have nothing reasonable to say:/:/:/

Nas and Ne-Yo are not Nigerians people!!!

Psquare and D-banj are rated lowly on this list.

Tinie Tempah is not bigger than Wale in any way ....

Sade and Seal should be higher on this list....
Sade is best-selling Brit act of all time...
Seal might be a one-hit wonder but that hit is timeless and has done a lot for his career ...

Cheers...

Wale actually rep nigeria than,check most of his tweets,I know some of his cousins in ondo.

Red_Card: Nobody knows 2face, D'banj and even P Square. Forget the hype they all get over here. Wale and many others you listed are not claiming to be Nigerians so they don't qualify to be on that list. As for Asa and Nneka, I agree @least for the quality songs they are both known for.

Wale actually rep nigeria than,check most of his tweets,I know some of his cousins in ondo.

ajasa4link: is this list just for hiphop and r & b artists?..I think sunny ade was also well known globally during his world tours where he always had sold out shows ...I still have some of the clips where white men jiggle to the rhythm of his juju music...

You just beat me to it, at least going by the title of this thread the likes of King Sunny Ade, Majek Fashek,Fela, Femi Kuti should be mentioned on that list they were worshipped by the 'Whites' during their shows!

airmark:

Jordan musa? Mumu Aboki feelin funky.

Musa *moses* Aboki *friend* stop bn 2 personal airmark

mooregan:
Are u 4 real?? Nobody knows 2face? Its not a must to comment bro. I think a visit to youtube will educate u bout 2faces' popularity.

Nobody knows Tuface. African Queen - yes. The artist - NO!!

Wizkid is more popular than that man!

Wallie: Who is Tinie Tempah? Who is Taio Cruz? I have honestly never heard of either of them.

There's no way Tinie Tempah and Taio Cruz are more popular than Sade, Seal, Wale, or Chamillionaire! Here's an anecdote on popularity: P Square is very popular among francophone Africans for some reason! They are very popular among Canadian Africans.

Also, most people do not know TuFace by name but when you say "You’re My African Queen," most blacks will know which song you're talking about.

Lastly, where's Fela and Femi Kuti? I've heard Fela's instrumental being used over here in the States. I’ve even heard it a few times on National Public Radio (NPR) being used as a sound track to a News story outro. Also, check the link below to see artists that have sampled Fela's songs:

I think the list is for those who are alive.

Fela is definitely on a different level.

lepasharon: I just clocked that scorcher is nigerian

Scorcher is not Nigerian, he just has a Yoruba first name like a lot of Jamaican especially the rasta.

His name is Tayo.

But Dizzie Rascal is half-Nigerian. His Dad was Nigerian and his mum is Ghanaian.