Ordior has signed Abass Akande Obesere for a worldwide exclusive publishing and administration agreement! The Ordior team has been successful in recovering unclaimed YouTube and performance royalties, and payments are already flowing to Obesere, to his great delight. This is a brilliant opportunity, and will lead to a new golden era for Ordior and Obesere- the chance to spread some of the greatest music on the planet even further to the audiences that deserve to hear it!

Abass Akande, otherwise known as Obesere, is a Fuji musician who became sensational and highly controversial for challenging all the stereotypes around Fuji music. As Obesere, he created a public persona that playfully embraced androgyny, often appearing unclad or in skimpy, revealing clothing. It is important to note that, unlike other artists who embrace androgyny, Obesere does not ‘pass’, he neither has sexually ambiguous features or a face that can pass as feminine. So his androgyny stood out in stark contrast to the more socially acceptable versions out there.

Nigeria is a conservative society. This makes it difficult for people in the limelight to lead lifestyles that don’t conform to societal expectations without being criticized. Take 2Face for example, who cancelled his protest after critics attacked his personal life, or Denrele Edun, whose sexuality has been the subject of many articles, because he refuses to conform to traditional gender roles. Yet not Obesere- he has become an African icon. Yet, despite this, he deserves more recognition for works of his quality. If you’re not familiar, have this album so you can number among these satisfied fans!

An easy classic for anyone’s library, the amazing rhythm, beats, and fantastic hype vibe are sure to make anyone smile. This skill in music is shown in how far Obesere has come. To influence pop culture is no easy feat and the retained relevance of sub-cultural leaders like Mick Jagger, whose biographer described as “the story of a generation” is largely borne from his expressive and eccentric life. Rock stars by definition, negotiate the world on their own terms and eventually force acceptance from the rest of the world. Boy George, who made a show of blurring gender lines by dressing in androgynous clothing and applying vibrant makeup is another testament to the lasting imprint non-conformists have on popular culture. Names like Alice Cooper, Freddie Mercury, and David Bowie all helped change how we perceive fame and its trappings. The rock star life is a flamboyant one and these men took pride in going against convention in every way.

There aren’t many people who are destined to forge their own paths in such a public way. Fela Kuti, for example, has had his life documented in film, print, and audio because like the aforementioned names, he was also an oddball. Abass “Obesere” Akande, has lived a celebrated life, but for a man who got famous off a daring brand that tested the limits of censorship in his youth, you’d have expected a lot more respect for his cult-like legacy. One thing is for certain: we at Ordior and Nedjon of Nedjon Media recognize this and are excited to be working with Obesere! Just look at these memorable shots!

After all, why would we not be excited to be handling the rights management for such an artist? Just look at the quality of his Spotify!

Truly a skillful collection of music. In a way, Obesere understood the trappings of pop in a conservative society, yet he exploited it for fame by seemingly living his truth. He created wild music and got wild reactions. Obesere was once quoted to have said he chose his style and brand because God told him every other thing had been done, and for him to truly become Obesere, he had to become the undone.

Obesere ushered in a wave of more artists who use their voices authentically, saying whatever they feel and doing whatever they want. We have artists who remain in the proverbial closet when it comes to living alternatively –those who do are ridiculed for changing their ways and keeping to mainstream life. Everything becomes blurred and everyone sounds the same.

We need more Obeseres, more artists who are unafraid and unashamed to make bold statements and live however they want. We need the deviants, the children of Chaos, and the ne’er-do-wells who shake us up and make us uncomfortable. Why? Because they are us, the real and true parts of us. They are the reflections of our inner violence and fantasies. They are what we cannot hide. We hope that this a good step towards that! Welcome to Ordior, Obesere.

OBESERE OFFICIAL LINKS:
www.thenativemag.com/communities/the-androgyny-of-obesere
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesere
www.twitter.com/obeseremusic