Lagos State is a small city by the sores of the Atlantic Ocean at the very edge of Nigeria. As small as this city is, it is the life blood of Africa’s commercial life and has a big heart to accommodate everyone; giving equal opportunity to all. Driving through the major streets and bus-stops of Lagos, one will find people who have given up on life and themselves because they are physically challenged. In the streets of Lagos, you will find someone who has a broken hand and writes his or her self off reducing their selves to begging in the street. They never gather up the courage to work something up or dream big in their life. However once in a blue moon, an individual like Cobhams Asuquo breaks this jinx and makes it to the wall of fame.
Stevland Hardaway Morris also known as Steve wonder; a man visually impaired but with talent blew up the world in the 20th century with his voice and skills in production. He made music with the greatest of musicians in his era and had smashing hits upon hit. He had one of the biggest problem that anybody who would want to venture into music won’t have but he overcame and made himself a legend. Just like Steve, Cobhams Asuquo a Nigerian Musician and music producer, beats the odds and made his brand and music global. Cobhams has become a household name with his nice lyrics, potent beats and superb rise as a force in Nigerian Music industry.
Just like Steve Wonder he has worked his way to stardom and accolades both locally and internationally with a very nice imprint when it comes to his music and production style which has close threats to the every famous Legend Steveland Hardaway as seen below.
LYRICAL STRENGTH
Cobhams came onto the radar of cillacritic with his song “ordinary people”. This song can be ranked in terms of quality with songs made with legendary John Legend. A song which has all the element of what a hit song should have and can blow anyone’s heart. Just like Steve, he uses his lyrics to address the issues affecting the world around him. In the case of Steve, he sang about discrimination and the lack of love between people in his society. For Cobhams who is living in a time were discrimination between the different people in the world is reduced, he sings about the complexes that divides humans living in a community. Steve is also known for making some very sweet love music and Cobhams just don’t make sweet love songs but makes nice musical videos of them too.
In terms of detailed writing of lyrics as done by Steve and his wife, Cohbams has some of the best lyrical strength in Nigeria. In Nigeria were lots of thought is not given to the content of the songs made, he stands out in terms of lyrical prowess with Nigerian stars like Asa, Timidakolo, Dejinee, Dare’ Art Alade and 2baba. He makes classics because of the original spoken words in his lyrics.
PRODUCTION
Nigerian music is a sound that is affected richly by Afrobeats and Cobhams has a unique way of tweaking it to his will. Steve was a man who was a Soul and RnB major, in terms of music produced and that is what Cobhams makes. He mixes the soul, Rnb, folk and country music flavor in a way that it marries to the percussion instruments of Afrobeats. He makes these sound tweaks effortlessly because just like Steve Wonder, he is a natural musician.
MULTI-TALENTED INSTRUMENTALIST
Steve is a multi-talented instrumentalist who knew how to play all the instruments any basic music band should play and has an above average skill in these instruments. That can also be said of Cobhams because he does not only play the basic instruments but knows how to handle the digitalized music equipment of this age. He plays the drums with dominant strength in keyboards and piano just like legendary Steve Wonder.
WORKING WITH GREAT MUSIC MAKERS
Steve Wonder is a musician who has worked with the best musicians in the world with even the king of pop on his list. Cobhams as a Nigerian has worked with some of Nigeria’s greatest Act either as a producer or as a featured star or writer. Asa which is one of Nigeria’s biggest export in terms of music attributed the success of her album to Cobhams for helping her in the production of the hit songs in the album. Asuquo, a man just like Steve Wonder is a blind man who refused self-pity and sympathy from others and took the world by the horn. He is a replica image of the Young Steve Wonder who got blind shortly after he was born but became of one of the most celebrated stars of the 20th century with many accolades to show for it. Cobhams Asuquo has not failed in accolades but has improved by being great, married and enjoying every good thing life has to offer with the music in him growing. We can call Cobhams an upgraded, 21st century version of Steve Wonder (Steve 2.0) or simply as Cobhams the man who beat the odds.
