Orlando Julius, a Nigerian music icon, played a crucial role in shaping Afrobeat, a genre that blends traditional African rhythms with jazz, funk, and highlife. While Fela Kuti is often credited as the face of Afrobeat, Julius was a foundational figure who helped lay the groundwork for the genre.
His fusion of indigenous Yoruba sounds with Western influences paved the way for the global rise of Afrobeat, making him one of Nigeria’s most influential yet underappreciated musicians.
Born Orlando Julius Aremu Olusanya Ekemode on September 22, 1943, in Ikole-Ekiti, southwestern Nigeria, he grew up immersed in music, serving as a drummer while his mother danced. His early exposure to traditional Yoruba drumming and storytelling played a crucial role in shaping his sound.
As a teenager, he was influenced by American jazz and R&B artists such as Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles and James Brown, whose styles he later incorporated into his music.
Julius started his career in Ibadan, Nigeria, where he played with various highlife bands in the 1960s. He later formed his own group, the Modern Aces, and began crafting a unique sound that blended highlife with jazz and soul. This innovation set the stage for what would later become Afrobeat.
The Birth of Afrobeat
Afrobeat emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a musical style that combined traditional African rhythms with jazz, funk, and soul. While Fela Kuti is credited with popularizing the genre, Orlando Julius was one of its architects.
Julius’ 1966 album, Super Afro Soul, was groundbreaking. It introduced a fusion of African percussion, American jazz, and soul, influencing not only Nigerian music but also inspiring Western artists. The album’s tracks, such as Ijo Soul and E Se Rere, featured a deep groove, heavy brass sections and socially conscious lyrics—hallmarks of Afrobeat.
Before Fela Kuti developed his signature Afrobeat style, he was influenced by Julius. In the 1960s, both musicians played together and exchanged ideas, with Julius introducing Fela to some of the jazz and funk elements that would later define his sound.
Julius was also one of the first Nigerian artists to incorporate call-and-response singing with socially relevant themes, a key feature of Afrobeat.
His music heavily relied on Yoruba drumming traditions, particularly the talking drum, congas, and bongos. The rhythm was complex and polyrhythmic, giving his songs a hypnotic groove that later became central to Afrobeat
Julius’ impact extended beyond Nigeria. In the late 1960s, he traveled to the United States, where he collaborated with several prominent American musicians. He worked with South-African trumpeter Hugh Masekela and recorded with the Grammy-winning group, The Crusaders.
His music influenced funk and soul musicians, particularly in the U.S., where his Afro-soul sound resonated with the growing Black consciousness movement. In fact, Julius would teach one of Michael Jackson’s older brothers to play African drums, having formed a cordial relationship with their parents
Julius’ work also caught the attention of James Brown, whose funk style was strikingly similar to Julius’ early Afro-soul experiments. Some music historians argue that Julius’ Afro-soul and highlife fusion helped shape the global funk movement, demonstrating how African rhythms influenced Western music.
Despite his contributions, Julius does not receive as much recognition as Fela Kuti today. While Fela became the face of Afrobeat, Julius remained somewhat in the background, continuing to make music but without the same level of international fame.
Some attribute this to his more laid-back personality and focus on collaboration rather than self-promotion.
However, in the 2000s, there was a renewed interest in Julius’ work. His music was rediscovered by new generations of musicians and Afrobeat enthusiasts.
In 2014, he released Jaiyede Afro, an album recorded with the UK-based band The Heliocentrics, which introduced his sound to a global audience. The album was well-received, reaffirming his influence on Afrobeat and contemporary African music.
Final Years
Orlando Julius continued performing until his passing on April 15, 2022. His legacy is now more widely acknowledged, with many recognizing his role in the creation of Afrobeat. His ability to blend traditional African music with Western styles helped shape not only Afrobeat but also other genres such as Afro-funk and Afro-jazz.
Today, Afrobeat is a global phenomenon, with artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Seun Kuti carrying the torch. While Fela Kuti remains the most celebrated figure of the genre, Orlando Julius’ pioneering work deserves equal recognition. His music laid the foundation for one of Africa’s most influential sounds, cementing his place in history as a true Afrobeat pioneer.
Orlando Julius was a pivotal figure in the development of Afrobeat, a genre that combines traditional African rhythms with jazz, funk, and highlife. Born in 1943 in Ikole-Ekiti, Nigeria, Julius grew up surrounded by music and began his career as a drummer. Influenced by American jazz and R&B, he fused indigenous Yoruba sounds with Western influences, creating a unique Afro-soul sound. His 1966 album "Super Afro Soul" was groundbreaking, integrating African percussion with American jazz and soul, inspiring not only Nigerian artists but also Western musicians.
Although Fela Kuti is often credited with popularizing Afrobeat, Julius played a critical role in its formation. In the 1960s, he collaborated with Kuti, introducing him to jazz and funk elements that later defined Afrobeat. Julius' music featured call-and-response singing and socially conscious lyrics, hallmarks of the genre. His influence extended globally, impacting American funk and soul musicians and contributing to the Black consciousness movement.
Despite his significant contributions, Julius did not achieve the same recognition as Fela Kuti, possibly due to his modest personality and focus on collaboration. Renewed interest in his work emerged in the 2000s, leading to the successful release of the album "Jaiyede Afro" in 2014. Julius continued to perform until his death in 2022, and his legacy as a pioneer of Afrobeat is now acknowledged, with his music laying the foundation for contemporary artists like Burna Boy and Wizkid.
