In 1984, a young fuji musician released an album that changed the tempo of the genre. It was called Talazo 84, and its style became known as the Talazo system.
The musician was Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, known today as KWAM 1 or K1 De Ultimate. For four decades, he has been one of the biggest names in Nigerian music.
Fuji
Fuji is a Yoruba music style created by Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, drawing on the were songs sung to wake Muslims for the pre-dawn Ramadan meal, along with other traditions. It uses heavy percussion, including talking drums, and a lead singer who praises patrons and comments on life.
Early years
Wasiu Ayinde was born on 3 March 1957. As a young singer, he was associated with Ayinde Barrister and learned from the master of the genre. He began recording as a soloist in 1980.
Talazo
Talazo 84 introduced a faster, harder-driving style that younger audiences loved. The album was his biggest success and established his own brand within fuji.
The rivalry
Fuji has always had rivalries, and Wasiu Ayinde’s rise led to a famous competition with Ayinde Barrister and later with other fuji stars. Fans took sides, and the rivalry kept the genre in the headlines.
Titles and honours
Wasiu Ayinde has collected many traditional titles. In 2001, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Adeyinka Oyekan II, gave him the title Olu Omo. In 2023, he received the titles Olori Omo-Oba and Otunba Afidipotemole of Akile Ijebu from the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona.
Owambe royalty
KWAM 1 is one of the most sought-after performers at elite Nigerian parties. His shows can last for hours, with long, improvised praise songs for guests who spray money on him.
Controversy
His public statements and his involvement in politics have sometimes drawn criticism. Like many fuji stars, he is closely linked with political and business elites.
Still performing
More than four decades after Talazo 84, Wasiu Ayinde still headlines major events in Lagos and abroad. Fuji’s audience has aged with him, and younger fans have joined through remixes and collaborations with Afrobeats artists.
K1
His fans call him K1 De Ultimate. The name is a boast, and in fuji, where rivals watch each other closely, few people have been able to argue with it for long.
