What’s in a name? Plenty, if you’re a Nigerian hip-hop artist and songwriter who goes by the moniker Nonee – an acronym derived from: I’m (n)ot (O)rdinary & i (n)ever (E)xpect the (E)xpected. A fitting case indeed considering he’s nothing short of ordinary… 

NONEE is set to win the hearts and minds of music lovers everywhere and take the music world by storm when his inaugural album launches in early 2013. Titled “Hello, Goodbye…”, the album symbolises the yin and yang of life itself; representing a hello to new beginnings and a fond farewell to the past. It also marks Nonee’s official entry into the music and entertainment industry.

Nonee’s first solo effort will see him exploring a wide spectrum of musical styles ranging from hiplife, reggae to R&B, Afrobeats and hip-hop. Several guest artists will lend their voices to the album. To test the waters, the Nigerian hip-hop artist and songwriter released a single off the debut album on August 24, 2012. “Alikoto” is a catchy and upbeat track produced by Killbeatz from Ghana that features Ghanaian artist Stay Jay. Done in the music style known as hiplife (a fusion of highlife and hip-hop), the dance tune is highly infectious, lively and energetic and provides the perfect launchpad for Nonee’s introduction into the music world. 

Born in 1984, Nonee has his dad to thank for introducing him to music at an early age. A doctor by profession, Nonee’s dad was a serious music lover and kept a vast collection of music. Every day after work, he would play jazz, R&B and hip-hop around the house to a young and impressionable Nonee; he also encouraged him to take up piano lessons and sing in the church choir. 

Those early years spent listening to his father’s music collection and singing in the choir were pivotal – Nonee’s interest in music slowly began to flourish and songwriting soon followed suit. He began writing in high school, during school holidays and whenever time permitted. To hone his craft, Nonee would listen to songs, write down its lyrics and decipher the meaning behind each song he listened to. From there, his songwriting skills developed and Nonee was soon writing his own songs. Inspiration came from everywhere; from movies, to songs to his own life experiences and of those around him. 

Confident of his new songwriting abilities, the now teenage Nonee partnered with a friend and took part in a local singing competition. But his first brush with fame proved elusive: Stage fright and creative differences prevented the duo from making it to the stage. 

Unfazed and chalking it all up to experience, Nonee made another attempt at a much later age and was more successful. But circumstances and timing did not agree with the budding artist and his dream had to be relegated to the back burner for a little while longer. 

In 2009, a year after relocating to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he is now based, Nonee rediscovered his love for music. After a long hiatus, the pull of the recording studio proved too strong to bear and Nonee found himself in the studio once more. Living abroad, says Nonee, had allowed him to gain new experiences, enriching his songwriting abilities and in turn, broadening his thinking and creativity.

That period of creativity proved rewarding: In 2010, he won the African Entertainment Award (Malaysia) for Best Pop Artist. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Nonee counts Fela Kuti, Majek Fashek, Bob Marley, Tupac, Notorious BIG, Slick Rick, Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean as among his childhood idols. A fan of a wide range of musical genres (Afro beat, Hip-Hop, Soul, Pop, R&B, House, Dubstep, Drum n Bass, Electro and Techno), Nonee also lists Jay-Z, Common, Damian Marley and Sizzla as among his living idols. 

The artist is also keen on working with producers Cobhams, Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Don Jazzy, Jay Sleek, Kanye West and No I.D, and would love to collaborate with international artists such as Chris Brown, Adele, Damian Marley and Sizzla. In addition to Killbeatz, Nonee has also worked with producers Dmite and Chordratic Beats. In 2011, Nonee released “Only Tonight” online, which featured Nigerian reggae/dancehall artist General Pype.

Calling his music lyrical, realistic, Afro-hippie, fun and different, Nonee describes his lyrics as being on point. Using a mix of pidgin English and English, his lyrics (and songs) centre around the facts of life and about how to live, and speak to the common man in Africa who is trying to make a living.

With his over 36,000 fans and still counting on Facebook, Nonee is ready to make music that will stand and endure the test of time most importantly; the type that will be appreciated and accepted globally.

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