Rex Lawson and Lady I.B.

The music of Port
Harcourt, the Garden City of Nigeria, a city of Rivers State located to the south of Nigeria, is a thriving state encompassing both native African and foreign influenced genres.  Port Harcourt plays host to numerous radio stations prominent recording studios such as the street Rhymes Studios and other music institutions.
As a state capital, Port Harcourt boasts of some of the liveliest Club scenes in the country as well as music venues, bars and restaurants.  At present time, hip hop, Highlife and reggae are most popular music styles among young people in the city.  However, another genre of music called gyration is also popular among the young and youngest at heart as the artistes struggle to catch up with the existing genre.
Port Harcourt has given birth to many locally and internationally admired musicians including Duncan Mighy, Muma Gee, Timaya, Daniel Wilson, M. Trill, Slim Burna, Lyrikai, Mr 2 Kay, Step-Aga Oba Omega, Peter Stone Cold, Waconzy, Frank D Nero etc.  In high life we have the Legendary Cardinal Rex-Lawson of the Mayor’s band, Jackwest Omodu of the Garden City band fame, King Sunny Brown, fondly called ‘Original Pikin’ and Prince David Bull of the professional Seagulls band etc.
The city is also home to Grafton entertainment one of Africa’s biggest record labels founded in 2004.  Grafton entertainment has contributed extensively towards the growth of Port Harcourt music scene – from discovering and exposing her best talents to organizing some of the city’s ground breaking concerts.
The first signee to the label was the Bayelsa duo “De indispensables”, whose “press on” Pt2 album in the 2000s put Port Harcourt on the global hip hop map.
Music Festivals
More recently, there has been significant increase in the number of festivals held within the city.  CARNIRI V is a major music cultural events in Nigeria, it continues to take place annually since its establishment in 1988.  The state government further recognizes this festival as its biggest tourism export.
Aside Nigeria, the CARNIRIV has featured famous artistes from nighbouring countries and abroad, including the likes of Shaggy, Patra, Beenie man, Buster Rhymes, Joe Brick and Lace as well as Wyclef- Jean and Ras Kimono etc.
Venues:
Most of the major concerts, festivals and other musical events are held in the multipurpose stadiums such as Liberation Stadium Elekahia, opened in 2001. It has the capacity to seat 30,000 people.  Only the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium is known to be bigger than it.  There is also the multipurpose hall of the Rivers State Civic Centre, Moscow Road and the Atlantic Hall of Hotel Presidential Port Harcourt among several others.
Port Harcourt Night Club and public houses are also locations for music activities. Other venues like the artrium and the Aztech Arcum have hosted several shows for local and mainstream artistes.
Early Music
JAZZ: Mand Mayer, female Jazz icon was born in Port Harcourt, she was among the few women who rose to stardom in the 1950s.  Mayer’s voice and ability to expand the genre were the keys to her success throughout her career, Mayer maintained a position as West Africa’s foremost.
In the late 1980s, Jazz music achieved its commercial peak.  A Jazz festival was duely introduced to hold every year.  During the first three editions, the event saw a record number of people along with performances from Oliver Jones, Embroy and Dizzy Gillespie.
Hip-Hop
Beginning in the twenty first century, the impact of Hip-hop music on young Port Harcourtians in terms of life style, fashion, attitudes and values has reached heights previously unseen.  While this transformation remains an intriguing cultural enigma, those involved in the movement consider it profitable.
An early example of Port Harcourt hip hoppers was the “Tuck Tyght  All Stars” formed in 2000, they went ahead to become a significant group paving way for further development of the genre. Protagonist, Henry Diette Spiff found “Tuck Tyght” records to focus on hardcore street oriented hip hop at a time when there was not many supporting or sponsoring it.
The group first release was “Now Official” released in 2003, featured in the album were Frank D’Nero, Andre Blaze, Double K, Mark Gee, Duncan Daniels, Damage Lyrikal, M-Lee, Double V and Billy Dolomite.  This album was instrumental in helping the artists gained experience in all facets of the industry ranging from production, mixing, mastering to distribution.
Lyrikal later left “Tuck Tyght” and came out with his own single “Learn Something”, followed by his second album “Can You Relate” which launched him as a solo artiste.  Duncan Daniels born in Boston USA, moved to the city as a teenager.  He Began producing records eventually signing with “Tuck Tyght” though the record label and the All Stars group working under it later disbanded, their contributions to the hip hop scene cannot be ignored.
Grafton Records
The indispensable (composed of  Lenny Band
and Tick Lips) were the most successful duo of the 2000s.  Not only did they sell out their headline gigs and perform at special venue around the globe, but they also broadened the appeal of Port Harcourt hip hop to a larger audience.
Their debut album on the grafton imprint ‘press on’ came out in 2015, it was supported by the singles “Sweet Mama” and “Cinderella”.  There second album”, press on Pt2″ made a greater impact garnering them a Best West African Act Award at the Channel O’Music Video Awards. Guest appearances came from Jamaica’s Star, Junior Rade, Ruggedman, M-Trill along with  UK’s Pyrelli and Phoebe one.
In 2007, Doublek brought out his first Solo album katastrophy’, he was nominated at the 5th Niger Delta Advancement awards in 2008, De indispensables announced their split from Grafton  records after spending four years on the Tonye Ibiama helmed record label.  In that same year, M-Trill’s debute studio album “number one” came out. He won Best African act the Channel O’ Music Video Awards  for ‘Bounce ‘ .  during 2009,  M-Trill released his mixed tape “Ladie and Gentlemen” where he showcased his production skills and trade mark. Lyrically, new generation singers, Duncan Mighty, Timaya and slim Burna are beginning to fuse elements of hip hop with various forms of Reggae.
Highlife
Virtually all highlife greats from Rivers State have started in Port Harcourt.  The 1960s saw the rise to prominence of Cardinal Rex Lawson with his mayor’s Dance Band, being among the first popular bands to achieve wide spread success. His accomplishments helped shape the direction of African musicians and music in the twentieth century, probably the most influential high life musician of that period.
Mayor’s Dance Band and Rex Lawson released numerous hits and in the later years became known as ‘Riversmen’.  The band made their mark on the international arena, while more people were drawn to the band after Rex-Lawson death in the 1970s, ‘Rivers men’ re-established itself as the professional Seagulls Dance  Band, they were led by Prince David who remained a key figure for the time of existed.
Another important performance is late King Sunny Brown fondly called “original pickin”.  He began to sing at a young age in Christ Army School, there he played in the school band with Rex Lawson.  During the Nigerian civil war, Sunny Brown and Rex Lawson played in the 3rd Marine Commando. He performed with musicians like Prince David Bull and Thrilled fan 5 at different venues across the city.
Reggae
Like Hip hop and highlife, reggae has long formed an essential part of the music of Port Harcourt.  The most well known representatives of this genre are Daniel Wilson, Duncan Mighty and Timaya, Muma Gee originally sang reggae songs before  switching over to hip hop.  Other prolific acts include push Kayana, Buk wild Da Ikwerre an, slim and former mayor of Port Harcourt Chimbiko Akarolo.
Duncan Mighty’s first major international collaboration “wine it” was released in 2012 to a mixed reception, but would later go on to attract reception but would later go on to attract some commercial success.  Also worth noting is the critically acclaimed “I’m on Fire” by slim Burna considered as the most successful mixtape from a Port Harcourt based recording artiste.
The fifteen track project had some infusion of dance hall, mixed with pop, dance hall and revolved mostly around the themes of love, sex and city street life.
In 2004, Sean Paul appeared in a remix of ‘Bum-Bum’ by Timaya from his fifth studio album ‘Epiphany’.  The video for the song directed by stutah films earned one nomination at the 33rd International Reggae World Music Awards (IRAWA) .  By June 2015, Bum-Bum remix had already become the fourth most viewed music video Nigeria on You Tube amassing over twenty five million views…
PMAN
The Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) Rivers State branch exists as one of the organizations that promote the music profession and oversee the welfare of musicians in Rivers State, it is affiliate of the national PMAN.
Founded in 1995, Geraldo Pino, a musician from Enugu led the Association Until 2004, he was succeeded by Muma Gee, who became the first elected female chairperson of the association, but was later impeached for alleged misappropriation  of fund and lack of accountability.
In 2010, Lexym succeeded Muma Gee and assumed leadership of the Association. He served until 2013 and was succeeded by Lady IB, the second woman to hold the position.  Those who rued the musicians body since inception include: Giraldo Pino, Muma Gee,  Arthor W. Pepple Jnr, Peter Stone Cold Lekara ‘Lexy’ and the incumbent Lady I.B.