Nneka’s Concrete Jungle urges you to “wake up and stop sleeping”

The Nigerian-born singer releases her first U.S. debut to big buzz

By Nicole Sheikh
Published: February 10th, 2010 | 11:00pm

It would be easy to write off Nneka based on looks alone. She is small in stature with strong, chiseled facial features that are framed by curly tufts of hair so elegantly piling atop her head. One could even easily make the comparison to a young Lauryn Hill or Erykah Badu. It would be simple to accuse her of being just another foreign artist riding in on the new wave of pop globalization made ever so popular by artists like M.I.A. But Nneka Egbuna should not be underestimated.

“They are great artists. I look up to them. People always have to have their reference to understand what type of music you are doing or where you are coming from,” she explains of the associations that many journalists and music critics are already citing. “But, I have my own style and my own way.”

There is much to distinguish the Nigerian-born singer/songwriter from the rest of the pack. When she was 18, Nneka moved to Hamburg, Germany to pursue a singing career while simultaneously studying for a degree in anthropology. Since then, her two European releases, 2005’s Victim of Truth (Yo Mama) and 2008’s No Longer at Ease,gained her recognition and popularity among Western European audiences. Only three months after a small, six-city tour in November 2009 — her first in the U.S. — Nneka’s American debut Concrete Jungle (Epic) is gaining a lot of attention if not for the simple fact that once Nneka has your attention, she refuses to go unheard.

“I believe that my music is a way to approach the hearts of people. If you are connected to your message passionately and you believe in making a change and are part of it, then change will definitely come,” the 28-year-old says confidently.

While Nneka admits that her music is certainly influenced by hip-hop, listeners will have a hard time strictly categorizing it as such. Nneka’s music is, to some extent, timeless — a manifestation of various influences including soul, reggae, and afropop (mirroring that of fellow Nigerian Fela Kuti) to create a distinct style. The main ingredient: a strong but very serious message of love and awareness, delivered by smooth, sweet-as-honey vocals. Indeed, most of the songs on Concrete Jungle speak to the problems happening back in Africa, in Nneka’s hometown of Warri — a major oil city in the Niger Delta.

“I feel the world has to know what is going on within Africa. Some people think it is all about poverty and corruption. That is part of it, but there is a lot more than that,” she explains. “I think it is important that I am a spokesman for my people so that also Nigerians around the world can know what is going on back home and how they can help raise awareness.” On “Africans,” one of Nneka’s more strongly-worded songs, she urges her fellow Africans, “Now it’s up to us to gain some recognition / If we stop blaming we could get a better condition.”

If Nneka plays her cards right, she could have a very prosperous and notable career. But what makes her especially intriguing is that she doesn’t seem to be aware of the power she potentially holds. “I still haven’t made up my mind [about singing],” she confesses humbly. “But I love what I am doing, so I continue.”

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Nneka official site

Nneka MySpace page

Epic Records