We talk the Jamaican-American Electronic Dance Music (EDM) band undoubtedly embracing Africa in its music while we dish out both old and new songs by this band featuring some Nigerian acts today on the show. It’s gonna be a whole vibe; life of the party kinda thing you know what I mean having Nigerian hiphop acts together with foreign acts! This EDM trio goes beyond being DJs or entertainers; they are a complete package. They got a “keen ear for a wide range of quality music. The trio has got very dominant trait from their sound which cut across cultures: Caribbean, Africa, down to the US, UK and Europe. Major lazer has been a huge vibe on the international music scene. Major Lazer has embraced Africa including the Nigerian sound and we have embraced them right back.
Yup! Last year September, international electronic DJ Group – Major Lazer was live in Nigeria for their SoundSystem Concert Hard Rock Cafe in Victoria Island. It was organised by U-Live Africa and sponsored by the US Consulate General in Lagos. The group keeps “discovering, picking and fusing sounds”. They are unique in genres mixing from Hip-hop to Dancehall, EDM reggae, house, etc and tt’s interesting the way Major Lazer has huge passion for Afrobeat sounds.
That’s right! The Jamaican-American electronic dance music trio which comprises American DJ, songwriter, and record producer Diplo (41 – born November 10th 1978), whose real name Thomas Wesley Pentz, and DJ Walshy Fire whose real name is Leighton Paul Walsh (43- – born on May 3rd 1976) DJ Ape Drums – whose real name Eric Alberto-Lopez (29 – born on 28 June 1990) was primarily formed in 2008 by Diplo and Switch. Switch exited the band in 2011- three years after it was formed. This ushered in Jillionaire and Walshy Fire. In June of this year (2019) Jillionaire also left the group and was replaced by Ape drums. So technically, Major Lazer boy band is left with Diplo, Walshy Fire and Ape Drums.
Major Lazer boast of a large portfolio of African acts collaboration; particularly Nigerian artistes and we take so much pride of that. Their major collaboration with Nigerian acts is becoming listless: from collabs with Davido, Wizkid, Tekno Mr. Eazi in the past. Let’s push play for # 4 right now!
No 4: Skelewu Remix – Davido ft Major Lazer & Wiwek (2014 song)
This is a memory hard to forget bringing back this electronic shot in the arm remix to keep the momentum going from Major Lazer along with Davido and Wiwek. Major Lazer has produced best of EDM sounds.
Major Lazer has spawned4 Studio albums: Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers Do (2009), Free the Universe (2013), Peace Is the Mission (2015), In 2018, compilation album -”Afrobeats Mix’, Lazerism (2019). We bring back another couple of hits making the list of best Major Lazer collaborations with Nigerian acts!
No 3: Let Me live – Major Lazer & Rudimental ft Mr Eazi & Anne-marie (2018 song)
N0 2: Particula – Major Lazer ft Ice Prince, Jidena, Nasty C & Patoranking
They have done some great collaboration, both as a group and as individuals with Nigerian artists over the years
Runtown and Walshy Fire had the hit record ‘Bend down pause’ together , “Jidenna and Ice Prince were instrumental in the smash hit, ‘Particula’, Wizkid has Diplo on ‘Naughty Ride’, while Mr Eazi signed a deal with Diplo’s record label, Mad Decent, and continues to work extensively with him across numerous projects (guardian.ng).
No 1: ‘All my life’- Major lazer ft Burna Boy
(off their 2018 Afrobeats Mix” which also features Mr Eazi, Kizz Daniels, Babes Wodumo, Sautisol among others from South Africa). It’s also an
Major Lazer kinda have so much regards for Nigerian artists. In an interview in 2018, Diplo while talking about the acts the compilation album has featured said “From Babes Wodumo the Queen of Gqom to our brother Mr. Eazi, who is taking over the globe with each release, to new voices Kizz Daniel and legends like Burna Boy, two of our favorite songwriters coming out of Nigeria.
For the song ‘Let Me Live’ With Mr Eazi on the same album, Major Lazer had called on Mr Eazi for the remix to this song -a record co-owned with English band, Rudimental. which features Anne-Marie also.
AWARD AND NOMINATION
Major Lazer EDM trio group has been nominated at the following awards over the years
Best International Group at the 2016 Brit Awards
Favorite DJ/EDM Artist at the Kids’ Choice Awards, USA 2017
MTV Europe Music AwardsBest Electronic in 2017
MTV Video Music Awards (VMA)
2017 Best Dance Video Major Lazer Feat. Justin Bieber & MØ: Cold Water
2016 Song of Summer Major Lazer Feat. Justin Bieber & MØ: Cold Water
2015 Song of Summer Major Lazer & DJ Snake Feat. MØ: Lean On
2009 Breakthrough Video Major Lazer: Hold the Line
They were nomated at the in the category 2018 Latin Grammy Awards: Best Urban Fusion/Performance for the song “Sua Cara” and Best Foreign
