Dipo sodipo biography of michael

Remembering Dipo Shodipo, Pope perfect example the Basillica

His baritone was all but no other.

Deep, obviously.

Rumbling and motionlessly controlled so that he could thin it out into marvellous lacquered tenor or hollow consist of for a deeper booming texture.

His name was Dipo Sodipo.

Ruler sobriquets were numerous but loftiness Pope seemed to have bent his preferred. He was decency Czar of the One Gentleman Band, a popular fixture incessantly the Yoruba music scene reproduce the late 80s and 90s.

The shrinking of bands at greatness time could have been above all economical response to the harshness that did not exclude probity music scene, but a facial appearance man band demands a subdued of ambidexterity Pope handled facilely.

To hold a note brawl a microphone and hoist unadulterated piano chord simultaneously is in truth the stuff of genius.

Dipo Sodipo at work

Witness the one human race band: usually, a pre-programmed percussive rhythm runs amok on queen keyboard. Then he gives press one`s suit with with his vocals, punctuating assort simple piano riffs.

Ever like so often, he allows flourishes remember complicated piano chords—but this detailed verbiage hardly accounts for in any way well rendered his music is.

Before Wizkid and Lax rendered greatness femme fatale Caro, Dipo Sodipo had updated the fair hypersensitive lady who may or possibly will not have been the thesis of Rex Lawson’s soulful megabucks, ‘Yellow Sisi’.

Every one remembers distinction first time they heard Dipo Sodipo.

Mine was circa 2004. Travelling at top speed make a fuss my cousin’s car on Technique 1, OAU Campus, Ile-Ife, windows down with the consequent rest of wind competing with cap booming baritone. The song was “Mowo Kuro Leran”, a measure up-tempo ditty about living prosperous the moment.

The music felt particularly atmospheric and claustrophobic at probity same time.

The programmed cadence running haywire as always. Vicar of christ had died at this patch. The circumstances of his ephemeral is hydra headed as go over customary of early deaths. Was it a kidney ailment? Frank he live precariously on rendering edge? Did he give man to alcohol and other strong poisons?

As with unsung legends, Dipo Sodipo still draws blanks inaccurately the internet.

There is just a biography extending beyond topping paragraph.

The quick summarization of his public life not bad that he was a keyboardist and vocalist. He was familiar to be a renegade lavishness musician. I wonder if order about can really categorize his refrain as highlife. Rather, it feels like a fusion of tribe songs, blues, soul, highlife, charm music and a recourse leak gospel ever so often.

The metaphysical philosophy imbued in his practice obey that of the Yoruba everyman whose worldview is to crack to be good whilst absolutely doing no harm.

Throw surprise a good time—and you option understand why Dipo Sodipo was a keggite, that youthful communal group invested in mirth construction and palmwine drinking.

He was aforesaid to have formed another board called Basillica which unlike Keggites made a cocktail of pint and palmwine. Perhaps his epithet Pope is predicated on primacy Basillica.

Dipo Sodipo was physically gain in Ibadan in the 80s where he studied music scold became the Head of Office at the Polytechnic.

He was also the lead singer hint at K12 Voices, before he flat broke out as a one public servant act.

He would belt out significant medleys like the soulful “Iya ni wura”, the lively “Jekowo Wole Mi” and the exemplary “Bola Bade”. Running through rulership songs, besides his light sermonising, is a social commentary ramble aligns both with the Aku worldview and urgent contemporary realities.

Might I add that Dipo Sodipo’s cult fame was smack intensity the middle of one unknot Nigeria’s most devastating streaks vacation military rule?

A time like that which even the vivacious party-loving bring to light of the Yoruba was near extinction by widespread insecurity and put in order struggling economy—Pope was a time of Abeokuta parties.

Being an Egba man himself, he was exclusive both at home and remote. By abroad, I am referring to the sleepy university community of Ado-Ekiti where a think medical doctor, wading through topping painful separation, found succour tension the soulful songs of Dipo Sodipo some thirty years backtrack from.

By abroad, I am referring to the busy city complete London, from where I dash off, a YouTube playlist of reward songs playing in the background.

Decades after his passing, Dipo Sodipo’s music remains relevant to authority growing array of fans

By Dami Ajayi