General Prince Adekunle (1942-2017) was a Nigerian Jùjú musician. Born 22 October 1942, Adekunle was of Egba origin, from Abeokuta in Ogun State. Adekunle was a major innovator and force in the jùjú music scene, with his distinctive driving Afrobeat style. Famous musicians such as Sir Shina Peters and Segun Adewale started their careers playing with his band, the Western Brothers.[1] Although he toured in England in the early 1970s, he did not become well known outside Nigeria.[2]
Jùjú music, first developed by Tunde King in the 1930s, formed the basis of Prince Adekunle's music. Highlife musicians like Bobby Benson and Tunde Nightingale introduced jazz concepts and new instruments. Ebenezer Obey and Sunny Adé brought in amplified guitars and synthesizers. All these formed the basis for Adekunle's innovative and forceful new style of juju music.[3] Afrobeat, pioneered in the late 1960s by Fela Kuti and others, was another major influence on Prince Adekunle and his band the Western State Brothers, later the Supersonic Sounds.With a cool but driving, sophisticated style, Prince Adekunle is considered one of the great artistes of Jùjú music.[4]
Afrobeat also influenced Adekunle's protégé Sir Shina Peters who created a unique high-speed "Afro juju" sound.[5] Sir Shina Peters recalls that when he was young, he was befriended by Prince Adekunle. An agent said he should be called Prince Adekunle's son as a publicity stunt, and that was how he became known as Shina Omo Adekunle. Although the adoption was not real, people accepted it and in a way it became real.[6] Shina Peters and Segun Adewale, who became two of the biggest stars of the 1980s, both started their careers performing in the mid-1970s with Prince Adekunle.[7]
Jùjú music star and Soko dance exponent, Dayo Kujore, was another musician who owed much to Prince Adekunle, playing lead guitar on some of his classics such as "Aditu ede" and "Eda n reti eleya".[8]
In May 2004, Adenkunle was among other musicians who met to discuss ways to reverse the current decline of jùjú music, while opposing the proposal by King Sunny Adé to form a jùjú musician's union.[9]
Prince General Adekunle died on Saturday 2 September 2017.[10]
A partial list of LPs:[1]
| Date | Group | Album | Label | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ? | Prince Adekunle & his Western State Brothers | Orin Erin Tani Yio Fi We | Label unknown AALPS 002 | ||
| 1970 | Prince Adekunle & his Western State Brothers | Awa Lomo Nigeria | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOLPS 1 | ||
| 1970s | Prince Adekunle & his Western State Brothers | Eniyan Laso Mi | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOLPS 3 | ||
| 1970s? | Prince Adekunle & his Western State Brothers | Se Rere Fun Mi / Fese Fun Wa Baba (7" 45) | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOK. 5 | ||
| 1970s | Prince Adekunle & his Western State Brothers | Aiye Le | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOLPS 4 | ||
| 1970s | General Prince Adekunle & his Western State Brothers | General Prince Adekunle in the United Kingdom | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOLPS 6 | ||
| 1970s | General Prince Adekunle & his Western Brothers | Kaiye Ma Se Wa | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOLPS 10 | ||
| 1970s | General Prince Adekunle & his Western Brothers | Asalamu Aleikun | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOLPS 25 | ||
| 1975 | General Prince Adekunle & his Supersonic Sounds | You Tell Me That You Love Me Baby | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOLPS 30 | ||
| 1975 | General Prince Adekunle & his Supersonic Sounds | Sunny Adé (EP) | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOEP25 | ||
| 1975 | General Prince Adekunle & his Supersonic Sounds | Awodi Nfo Ferere | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOLPS 32 | ||
| 1979 | General Prince Adekunle and His Supersonic Sounds | Vol. 3 Hypertension | Shanu Olu SOS 052 | ||
| ? | General Prince Adekunle & his Western Brothers | Good Old Music of Prince Adekunle | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOLPS 72 | ||
| 1980 | General Prince Adekunle | Vol. 6 | Shanu Olu SOS 112 | ||
| 1989 | Prince Adekunle (The General) & his Supersonic Sounds | Survival | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOLPS 116 | ||
| 1990 | General Prince Adekunle & his Supersonic Sounds | People! | Ibukun Orisun Iye MOLPS 118 |