Veteran Nigerian artist Alexander Akande, also known as 9ice, revealed that he initially emulated Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean during the early stages of his career.
According to the ‘Photocopy’ singer, he wasn’t alone in adopting Wyclef’s style at that time, but he believes he excelled beyond his peers.
In a recent interview with SPS, 9ice shared that he eventually moved away from mimicking Wyclef Jean once he developed his own unique sound.
He emphasized that his music blends influences from key figures like Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Bob Marley, Ayinde Barrister, Kwan1, and Pasuma.
“My initial inspiration was Wyclef Jean. In the early days, my sound closely mirrored Wyclef’s, and while others were also emulating him, people felt I was the most successful at capturing his style,” he explained.
“Eventually, I transitioned from imitating Wyclef to discovering my unique sound. The artists I grew up listening to, including Bob Marley, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Ayinde Barrister, Kwan1, Pasuma, and Obesere, significantly shaped my musical identity.”
