top 10 hits of 2012

These songs undoubtedly kept Nigerians dancing in 2012; they are arguably Nigeria’s top ten hit songs.

1. Kukere (Iyanya) – Undisputedly, the biggest hit so far for the premier winner of the MTN Project music reality show. After the competition, Iyanya released his debut album, Love Song, an all but forgotten project that showed off his RnB leanings and great voice. After a two-year hiatus and a careful study of the Nigerian music scene, Iyanya hit us with Kukere and we were finally blown away. The dance hall and sukus-influenced single included the nonsense lyrics that Nigerians have come to embrace as a music staple. Within a couple of months, the accompanying video reached one million views on Youtube. The hard beat and etighi dance steps in the video went further to establish this song as the number 1 hit of 2012.

2. Gaga Crazy (Chuddy K)- For the greater part of the second quarter of the year, we were all going Gaga Crazy and screeching along to Chuddy K’s falsetto – ha ha ha ha ha, oh yeah!!! The video for this song is also one of the best of the year, with a great concept and storyline. The infective beat which goes with the Azonto dance always gets us dancing no matter where we are. You start with your shoulders and next you know, you are on your feet! The song also had lots of catchy lyrics to chant along to “O to’jo meta”, “Sugar cane no be bamboo,” “Dance like Sunita” and especially “Forget about your Mary-Kay!”

3. Chop My Money ft Akon and May D (P Square): This remix brought back one of the top singles of 2011. The video didn’t hurt the song either. Everyone eagerly waits for the part in the song where May D goes “Ha! Girl, the love wey I get for you na Jackie Chan! Wu Cha!” And then karate chop the air! A veritable club banger this one was!

4. Shake your Bumbum (Timaya): This dancehall song with his raunchy lyrics was a departure from Timaya’s usual self-aggrandizing songs. The video is totally NSFW!

5. Ihe Neme (Tuface): Off Tuface’s fourth album, Away and Beyond, this song slowly crept up on us. After the album release, its official single, Steady Steady was soon dethroned by Ihe Neme. The beat, reminiscent of 80’s Nigerian pop songs, always had the club literally hopping. Unlike most songs on this list, this song actually has meaningful lyrics that you can sing without feeling like you are chanting along to some dibia’s mumbo-jumbo incantation.

6. Kedike (Chidinma Ekile): Chidinma Ekile’s soaring voice saw her crowned as the first female winner of Project Face and the third since the show’s inception. Kedike, her second single is a love song that has you feeling good in all the right places.

7. Your waist (Iyanya): The second hit for Iyanya was filled with more mumbo-jumbo than the first but as usual it was the beat we were more concerned about.

8. My dear (Dammy Krane): Tuface’s protégé managed to dish out a song that predicts big things for him in 2013. However, the best place to enjoy this song is to watch Dammy Krane perform it live, you would be more than entertained- you would be entranced!

9. Bottom belle, Omawumi feat. Flavour – The highlife inspired song was one of the first singles from any artiste in 2012. To pull off this number, Omawumi recruited the highlife king himself, Flavour. The song, a modern impression of a classic song had us reminiscing ad dancing at the same time

10. Oyato, D'Banj – The pop star’s follow up to his 2011 hit song “Oliver Twist” was initially met with mixed review. Fans and critics of the erstwhile Mo’Hits front man considered it a huge deviation from his usual sound. However, overtime Oyato managed to find its place as one of the most played songs on radio. It’s juju leanings and D’banj’s harmonica rift further establishes as a classic for the ages.