Paper short abstract:

I engage Nigerian hip-hop as a cultural product wielded for the contestation of (post)colonial subjugation and authorities. I use an eclectic mix of representative data to explore de-colonisation through lyrics and visuality, digital fandom and cultural colonization, and spatial de-colonisation.

Paper long abstract:

Contemporarily, the drive for de-colonisation following the virulence of the colonial experience on postcolonial societies has gained currency. This has been in the face of pervasive Eurocentric hegemonic structures which have de-centred non-Western epistemologies through what Akoleowo (2021: 436) refers to as ‘colonial epistemic violence’. In this proposal, I engage Nigerian hip-hop (subsequently NHH) as a cultural product which consciously or unconsciously has been wielded for the contestation of (post)colonial subjugation and authorities. Some recurring questions are: can Nigerian hip-hop artistes be remarked as de-colonisation activists? To what extent do their creative energies contribute to the discourses on de-colonisation? To provide answers, I interrogate the diverse ways through which NHH has successfully navigated its dispersal and resultant commercialisation, subliminally aiding the de-colonisation advocacies. I use an eclectic mix of representative data, ranging from music lyrics, videos, interviews, and news reports. Some of the facets I explore are de-colonisation through lyrics and visuality, NHH’s digital fandom and cultural colonization, and spatial de-colonisation wherein the West is depicted as epicurean, a space for luxury after wealth has been acquired. I further assert that despite the manifestations of de-colonisation in NHH, relics of colonial tropes still remain – manifesting for instance in the need for validation and external acceptance through international awards. Critical takeaways are that cultural productions are not immune from the influences of politics; and that de-colonisation does not imply the erasure of hitherto existing hegemonies, rather cultural ecologies become enriched when previously suppressed products and epistemologies are enabled to thrive.