DAGRIN : NOT HOW LONG BUT HOW WELL

                       This fascinating picture of DaGrin (left) 'dining' with other artistes is courtesy of lindaikeji's blog


If America's Billboard magazine were to be in Nigeria,their statistics for this outgoing week would have been something like this:

      No.1 Album - C.E.O - DaGrin
      No.1 Single - Pon Pon Pon - DaGrin
      Hottest Songs On Radio - Pon Pon Pon, - DaGrin
                                            - My Pain ( Tribute To DaGrin) - Sheyman and All Stars
                                            - Kondo - DaGrin
                                            - Ghetto Dreams - DaGrin

When I wrote in October last year on ipledge2nigeria.com about the impressive quality of DaGrin's CEO album ,I very frankly never imagined that the work was going to be anywhere as commeecially successful as it turned out to be:Reason of course being that rap was still struggling to break into the big money spinning category here.But following on the footsteps of Lord of Ajasa's Lefenuso,DaGrin's Kondo and Pon Pon Pon broke the commercial barriers very quickly to shoot the guy - making only his second album (like 9ice,his debut was quiet) - to the top of the hiphop scene.

His sad demise should be a wake up call to some of the fundamental ills of this society.We have a very stinking self-centerred attitude to most things that we do.Did the person that parked that vehicle on
the highway ever spare a thought about the possible implications of his action ? I have also been quite bemused about how very little has been said,even by Laitan's sympathisers about this aspect of the whole sad event.In Nigeria,we take the little but most important things for granted,of course because most of us would do the same thing if faced with the same situation.Very sad.

It is also a wake up call to our artistes to temper their fast-paced lifestyles with moderation.It should be a blessing that God has opened the doors to immense wealth for many of them.Their response should not be to live like tommorrow will never come.Go to VI's upscale clubs at night and see how these guys gulp hennessy like water.Many artistes have been victims of road accidents in the past.Just a few months ago, Ruggedman survived one only by the grace of God.Sorry I'm not condemning you guys, but always remember that you have a whole life to live - or better still,remember you now have millions of fans who have become your family and who derive joy only in seeing you alive.

DaGrin's father has been exceptionally strong and composed in mourning.He should be cosoled by the immense positive legacy his son has left behind.The only time I remember the Nigerian music scene being enveloped with such unifying emotional atmosphere was when Fela passed on in 1997.It is not how well a man lives that counts,but how many lives he touched positively in his lifetime.May God grant DaGrin's family the fortitude to bear this loss.