General Pype history
General Pype real/full name is Ibrahim Majekodunmi was raised in
Lagos, hail from Abeokuta in Ogun State, Nigeria is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and
songstylist. his unique style of music can be defined as reggae fusion which willingly incorporates
elements of hip-hop, rock-pop and R&B into
the rhythm of reggae
and dancehall. He calls his a “tube-sound” carried by striking vocals
that capture a forest of emotions and textures—This is Pype.
He was introduced to singing in church, he
joined an acapella group at St Gregory’s Secondary School, Obalende in
1998. The formation grew into a 30-man classical/opera choir, The
Triumphant Chorale Voices, which became one of the top three classical
groups in Nigeria under the aegis of Mike Ohiri.
Pype, who was then
known as Majek, still draws from a classical tradition that forced him
to train his voice with the rigor of an opera singer, pushing his vocal
capacities to a breaking point, translating emotion into the language of
notes without the luxury of gimmicks.
The group performed at the Eagle
Square Abuja to usher in the new Millennium. Pype delivered solo
performances as the choir’s bass singer accompanied by The Grand Chamber
Orchestral which accomplished the rare feat of rendering all three
parts of George F. Handel’s Messiah.
He wanted to convey a righteous anger and a positive
message that he could not express with the classical vocabulary.
In
2005, he espoused dancehall and reggae music as the genres that would
resonate best with his voice and message which championed positivist,
love and peace—so much so that the singer underwent a complete make-over
working with his mentor and manager, Ayo Rotimi, whom he fondly calls
“Pupa”. The chemistry between the two of them has profoundly influenced
the direction his musical journey has taken.
It was Pupa who gave him
the moniker PYPE, an acronym standing for Prolific Youth Positive
Entertainer. His manager identified his versatility, and was inspired by
his velvety voice which is like a pipe that sucks in inspiration and
tosses out art of the purest kind.
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Pype cemented his reputation
as an internationally acclaimed artist when his first single “Keep It
Cool” (2007) featured in Season 6 of the popular American television
drama series, The Shield and back home, his voice became one of the
most aired on radio.
He is successfully mainstreaming dancehall
and reggae music in Nigeria through potent collaborations while keeping
the uncompromising originality of a dynamic artist.
His unique stamp has
pumped a dose of adrenaline into the sounds of highlife pioneer Sunny
Neji (“Crush”), hip-hop Diva Sasha (“Strong thin”), Niyola (“Mo
Ranyan”), MI (“teaser”) and Sheyman (“Showa remix”).
It is this Midas
touch that earned him the ‘songstylist’ title and music lovers have
continued to be Pypnotised by his infectious energy with over 120
collaborations between 2008 and 2009 alone where he mostly free-styled.
His desire: “To make music that inspires and uplifts, make people think
and dance there is nothing wrong with following your dreams. Music and
timeless lyrics are my passion— I breathe for this.” says Pype.
Among
his biggest influences are Beethoven, Frank Sinatra, Fela Anikulapo
Kuti, Bob Marley, U-Roy, fierce Dancehall pioneers Supercat, Shabba
Ranks, Spragga Benz, Sizzla and Beenie Man.
As a performer, he has
shared the stage with Nigerian and international artists including Sean
Paul, Akon, and the duo of Brick& Lace to name a few. At the 2009
edition of MTVBase Music Awards hosted by Wyclef Jean in Kenya, Pype
stunned the audience with his power-packed performance of “Teaser” with
MI and South Africa’s Lira. Also, his then newest single, “Champion”, a
brass-driven dancehall tune that could easily serve as a world anthem
has been getting rave reviews.
Pype debut album was release onder the
record labels Podium Vybez and Storm 360. With his
About his single, “Champion” (2009)
The
Punch Newspapers couldn’t have been more on point when they named Pype
as one of the artists to look out for in 2009 since that was the year he
teamed up through his Management, with emerging producer, Patrick
“Password” Mathias, to create “Champion”.
From Pype’s
perspective, if “Champion” were a person, it would be you, with black
stripes under your eyes, wearing a camouflage uniform and heavy-duty
boots, standing with confidence in front your life’s biggest obstacle.
Champion is the 20th century world anthem.
“Champion is a gift from
my soul to everyone across the globe. Don’t look at the limitations.
Pursue your goals.” The music video was directed by Bobby Boulders and
shot in Obalende-Lagos where Pype was raised. “The world needs to see
where I’m from. They (The people of Obalende) are champions that gave
birth to a champion.”
Pype on Facebook: www.facebook.com/generalpype
Pype on Myspace:www.myspace.com/generalpype
Pype on twitter: www.twitter.com/generalpype
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