Odi
Ikpeazu
is
a
Nigerian
singer,
songwriter,
composer,
attorney,
writer,
and
football
manager—a
true
renaissance
man
whose
artistic
and
intellectual
pursuits
are
as
eclectic
as
his
music.
With
a
deep-rooted
passion
for
cross-cultural,
multi-genre
musical
exploration,
Odi’s
sonic
tapestry
weaves
together
the
influences
of
jazz,
funk,
rock,
Afrobeat,
and
highlife,
creating
a
unique
and
boundary-defying
sound
that
reflects
his
Pan-African
ideology
and
global
sensibilities
Born
the
sixth
of
nine
children
into
an
intellectually
rich
household,
Odi
grew
up
in
the
embrace
of
a
strict
but
accomplished
father,
Chuba
Ikpeazu—a
Cambridge-trained
attorney,
who
later
became
a
Federal
judge—and
a
loving,
doting
mother,
Eunice.
While
a
path
to
the
conservative
Law
profession
was
firmly
laid
out
for
him,
music
found
its
way
into
his
soul
from
an
early
age,
thanks
to
his
father’s
vast
collection
of
big
band
swing,
jazz,
and
African
classics.
As
a
reserved,
introverted
child,
Odi
spent
countless
hours
lost
in
the
sounds
of
Glenn
Miller,
Benny
Goodman,
Count
Basie,
Duke
Ellington,
Louis
Armstrong,
Billie
Holiday,
Ella
Fitzgerald,
Hugh
Masekela,
and
Miriam
Makeba,
among
quite
a
few
others.
The
gramophone
became
his
portal
to
a
world
of
rhythm
and
melody,
even
though
a
career
in
music
seemed
impossible
under
the
weight
of
parental
expectations.
But
rebellion
brewed
beneath
the
surface.
He
picked
up
the
guitar
and
immersed
himself
in
the
defiant,
revolutionary
sounds
of
artists
Jimi
Hendrix,
Bob
Dylan,
Curtis
Mayfield,
James
Brown,
Nigeria’s
own
Afrobeat
pioneer,
Fela
Anikulapo
Kuti
and
others.
These
artists
awakened
in
him
a
desire
to
challenge
the
status
quo—musically,
socially,
and
ideologically.
Brilliant
by
nature
and
academically
gifted,
Odi
excelled
in
his
studies,
earning
two
law
degrees
with
distinction.
Yet,
despite
his
legal
acumen,
the
magnetic
pull
of
music
never
waned.
He
sought
out
kindred
spirits,
notably
teaming
up
with
the
late,
great
Cameroonian
bassist
and
singer
Willie
Nfor,
working
with
his
brilliant
‘Mighty
Flames’
Afro
funk
band
for
a
couple
of
memorable
years.
His
musical
journey
took
him
to
the
United
States
and
then
to
London,
England,
where
he
worked
at
Eddy
Grant’s
Coach
House
Recording
Studio
in
Stamford
Hill,
collaborating
for
a
while
with
London
musicians
including
Alpine,
Grant’s
younger
brother.
These
experiences
among
others,
sharpened
his
artistic
identity,
but
eventually,
Nigeria
called
him
home,
where
he
embarked
on
his
own
musical
odyssey.
Odi
Ikpeazu
has
released
three
albums—United
States
of
Africa
1,
United
States
of
Africa
2
and
Legacy
Part
1—all
of
which
showcase
his
genre-blending,
culture-bending
prowess,
as
well
as
commitment
to
Pan-African
themes.
Though
they
did
not
receive
the
widespread
critical
acclaim
they
richly
deserve,
they
stand
as
testaments
to
his
artistic
integrity
and
reluctance
to
conform
to
purely
commercial
trends.
Undeterred
and
being
a
prolific
songwriter
and
composer,
he
has
presently
set
himself
a
daunting
challenge,
which
few
musicians
can
attempt:
releasing
a
three-song
single
EVERY
six
weeks,
ensuring
a
constant
stream
of
fresh
and
innovative
music
for
listeners
worldwide.
Tracks
such
as
Too
Much
Trouble,
Stop
War,
Good,
Good
Lovin’,
That
Girl
From
Sakponba,
Smile,
Africa
Must
Unite,
Show
Time,
One
Africa,
Remember,
Show
Some
Respect,
Wild
Country,
etc,
highlight
his
ability
to
fuse
soul-stirring
melodies
and
compelling
singing
with
thought-provoking
lyricism.
Beyond
music,
Odi
is
deeply
influenced
by
the
Pan-African
philosophies
of
Marcus
Garvey
and
Kwame
Nkrumah.
He
sees
himself
as
a
disciple
of
their
ideologies,
advocating
for
African
unity,
cultural
pride
and
artistic
revolution,
not
in
any
acrimonious
or
hostile
sense
but
rather
within
a
context
of
international
comity.
He
hopes
to
be
remembered
not
just
as
a
musician
but
as
a
voice
for
change,
a
cultural
bridge-builder,
and
a
pioneer
of
a
musical
era
that
transcends
borders.
With
his
relentless
drive,
ever-expanding
discography,
and
unwavering
commitment
to
musical
excellence,
Odi
Ikpeazu
is
sure
to
take
the
world
by
storm.
His
journey
is
far
from
over—it’s
only
just
beginning.