After relocating to Hamburg in 2003, Nneka has been working closely with the hip hop beatmaker DJ Farhot. As a young singer she first gained public attention in 2004 while performing as an opening act for dancehall reggae star Sean Paul at Hamburg Stadtpark. After much acclaim, Nneka released her debut EP The Uncomfortable Truth with the music label Yo Mama's Recording Company after which she performed on her first tour with Patrice, playing shows in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
She finished recording her first album in the autumn of 2005. Entitled Victim of Truth. Garnering rave reviews from the media, the UK's Sunday Times later declared it “the year’s most criminally overlooked album”, comparing it favourably to 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'.
In February 2008, she released her second album, No Longer at Ease. The title of the album is taken from a novel of the same name by Chinua Achebe and reflects the lyrical content of the record. Most of the songs are political, talking about the plight of the Niger Delta and the corruption in Nneka’s homeland. “No Longer at Ease” combines the political and the personal in “a winning mix of soul, hip-hop an reggae”. The lead single from it, "Heartbeat", became her first song to break into the German Top 50.
In November 2009, Nneka staged her first concert tour of the United States where she performed shows in New York City, Vienna (Washington DC), Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Furthermore she was a special guest on The Roots Jam session. Her first US release Concrete Jungle was set for 2 February 2010.
Nneka recorded her last album Soul Is Heavy in Nigeria. She also co-founded a charity foundation called the "ROPE foundation" with Genda, Ahmed Nyei from Sierra Leone. She has worked extensively in charity and arts with the foundation in Sierra Leone. Nneka has also worked with Reebok and her track "Shinning" topped global charts in 2013.
Local Champion
Nneka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because I carry colour follow body borrow pose
Shebi I be villager
Because I get swag wey Lagos woman no get
You talk sey I be illiterate
Because I get waffi attitude for inside my blood
I no go lie I tried to adjust to your oyibo Lagos style
But I failed
I be Naija Reggae
I be Warri Reggae
Dem born me near Okporikoko village
I be Warri Reggae
Dem say I be waffi mugu
But dem see me for your Lagos city poster
Waffi Reggae
I be Naija Reggae
Dem born me near Okporikoko village
I be Warri Reggae
Dem say I be waffi mugu
But dem see me for your Lagos city poster
Make we no lie
Na you talk sey my food resemble mama put own
But you must confess
Na my local way dey sweet you pass
Shebi you dey miss me now
Coz I no wear skirt koi koi shoe and weave on
Because I no like your flashy way
You dump originality dump dump me
I be Naija Reggae
I be Warri Reggae
Dem born me near Okporikoko village
I be Warri Reggae
Dem say I be waffi mugu
But dem see me for your Lagos city poster
Waffi Reggae
I be Naija Reggae
Dem born me near Okporikoko village
I be Warri Reggae
Dem say I be waffi mugu
But dem see me for your Lagos city poster
Naija Reggae
Warri Reggae
Dem born me near Okporikoko village
Warri Reggae
Waffi Reggae
Dem see me for your Lagos city poster
I be Naija Reggae
I be Warri Reggae
Dem born me near Okporikoko village
I be Warri Reggae
Dem say I be waffi mugu
But dem see me for your Lagos city poster
Waffi Reggae
I be Naija Reggae
Dem born me near Okporikoko village
I be Warri Reggae
Dem say I be waffi mugu
But dem see me for your Lagos city poster
In Nneka's song "Local Champion," the lyrics speak to the sense of identity and pride in one's roots, despite the judgment or stereotypes imposed by others. The song addresses the singer's mixed-race background, her village upbringing, and the clash between her local, Warri (Niger Delta), and Lagos cultures.
The first verse highlights the singer's experience of being labeled as illiterate due to her Waffi (Warri) attitude and not conforming to the "oyibo Lagos style" (referring to the Westernized, cosmopolitan culture prevalent in Lagos). She candidly admits her attempt to fit into this style but ultimately failing. The chorus repeats the affirmations of her identity as a Naija (Nigerian) Reggae artist and being born near Okporikoko village in Warri.
The second verse challenges the notion of superiority that was projected onto her, as she mocks the ones who called her a "waffi mugu" (naive person from Warri) but now see her on posters in Lagos city. The singer questions the hypocrisy of those who once belittled her for her local way but now miss her as she no longer subscribes to their flashy, superficial lifestyle.
The song celebrates the strength of her Naija and Warri Reggae roots, rejecting the notion of inferiority associated with her background. It asserts that her authenticity and local flavor are what truly captivate others, ultimately reclaiming her identity as a "Waffi Reggae" artist.
Line by Line Meaning
Shebi I be half caste
You acknowledge that I am of mixed race
Because I carry colour follow body borrow pose
Because I embrace my heritage and proudly display it through my appearance
Shebi I be villager
You consider me a rural dweller
Because I get swag wey Lagos woman no get
Because I possess a unique style that surpasses that of women from Lagos
You talk sey I be illiterate
You claim that I am uneducated
Because I get waffi attitude for inside my blood
Because I possess the distinct attitude and mannerisms of the Waffi region
I no go lie I tried to adjust to your oyibo Lagos style
I must admit, I made an effort to conform to your Western and Lagos-style ways
But I failed
But I was unable to fully adopt that lifestyle
Make we no lie
Let's be honest
Na you talk sey my food resemble mama put own
You claim that my food resembles the traditional dishes from local vendors
But you must confess
But you have to admit
Na my local way dey sweet you pass
My authentic ways bring you more joy and satisfaction
Shebi you dey miss me now
Now you long for my presence
Coz I no wear skirt koi koi shoe and weave on
Because I choose not to wear tight skirts, high heels, and artificial hair extensions
Because I no like your flashy way
Because I dislike your extravagant lifestyle
You dump originality dump dump me
You abandoned me for the sake of conforming to societal expectations
Naija Reggae
I am Nigerian Reggae
Warri Reggae
I am Reggae from Warri
Dem born me near Okporikoko village
I was born close to Okporikoko village
Waffi Reggae
I am Reggae from the Waffi region
Dem say I be waffi mugu
They say I am a foolish person from Waffi
But dem see me for your Lagos city poster
But now they see me on your poster in Lagos
Waffi Reggae
I am Reggae from the Waffi region
I be Naija Reggae
I am Nigerian Reggae
Dem born me near Okporikoko village
I was born close to Okporikoko village
I be Warri Reggae
I am Reggae from Warri
Dem say I be waffi mugu
They say I am a foolish person from Waffi
But dem see me for your Lagos city poster
But now they see me on your poster in Lagos
Naija Reggae
I am Nigerian Reggae
Warri Reggae
I am Reggae from Warri
Dem born me near Okporikoko village
I was born close to Okporikoko village
Warri Reggae
I am Reggae from Warri
Waffi Reggae
I am Reggae from the Waffi region
Dem see me for your Lagos city poster
They see me on your poster in Lagos
I be Naija Reggae
I am Nigerian Reggae
Dem born me near Okporikoko village
I was born close to Okporikoko village
I be Warri Reggae
I am Reggae from Warri
Dem say I be waffi mugu
They say I am a foolish person from Waffi
But dem see me for your Lagos city poster
But now they see me on your poster in Lagos
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BLAISE BATISSE, MOUNIR MAAROUF, NNEKA-LUCIA EGBUNA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind