Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record label owner Akande Abolore, known as 9ice, has addressed misunderstandings about his frequent use of Yoruba proverbs in his songs.
He is recognized for incorporating these proverbs into his music style.
Responding to rumors that his knowledge of proverbs comes from being an herbalist, 9ice rejected this idea.
In a conversation with content creator Bae U, he shared that his late stepmother greatly inspired his use of Yoruba proverbs in his work.
In 9ice’s words:
“I am not an herbalist. I am a Yoruba man from Oyo state, and I learnt all the proverbs from my late stepmum. While trying to create songs, I decided to use all those.”
9ice has been in the music industry for over ten years and is famous for songs like ‘Street Credibility’, ‘No Be Mistake’, and ‘Living Things’.
He gained fame with his 2008 album ‘Gongo Aso’, which earned him the title of best hip hop artist at the MTV Africa Music Awards that year.
In 2009, he also won four awards at the Hip Hop World Awards, including album of the year, artiste of the year, song of the year, and best rap in pop album.
He started Alapomeji Ancestral Records.
In February 2020, 9ice mentioned that he hasn’t signed any artists to his label due to the conflicts that arise from record contracts.