Evolution of Ice Prince
How Nigerian's Hip Hop King Earned His International Throne
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Ice Prince Baby - When it comes to innovators in Afrobeat and hip-hop there is only one artist who ranks as true royalty: Ice Prince. The singer, songwriter and rapper earned the 2012 BET Best International Act Africa Award. The Nigerian hip-hop king is now looking to repeat that win with his 2013 nomination. Here’s a look at what makes Ice Prince such a trailblazer. (Photo: Alexandra Wyman/Getty Images For BET)
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A Prince Is Born - Born Panshak Henry Zamani in Minna State, Niger State Nigeria, Ice Prince first began writing music in 1998. He perfected his performance game by showcasing his skills at parties, clubs and formals. By 2001 he began his recording career.(Photo: Chocolate City Records)
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Group Phase Days - The Nigerian hip-hop king soon collaborated with likeminded artists. In 2002, he formed the Ecomog Squad with a group of friends. After meeting the Abaga Brothers, plus artists Ruby, Lindsey, eve and Taz, Ice Prince formed the collective Loopy.(Photo: Chocolate City Group)
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Hit Single Heaven - By 2004, Ice Prince’s debut single “Extraordinary” was released. Another one of his singles “Rewind” became a radio station chart favorite in both Abuja and Lagos. (Photo: Chocolate City Records)
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Award Winning Prince - The sounds of his infectious dance beats and slow dance ballads helped to make Ice Prince an International Award Winning artist. Ice Prince became the 2009 Hennessy Artistry winner and in 2011, he earned both Nigerian radio’s Young Artiste of the Year and City People Awards. (Photo: Chocolate City Records)
Photo By Photo: Chocolate City Records
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Sizzling Singles Continue - Ice Prince is best known for his songs like “Badman,” which helped him win the Hennessy Artistry competition and 2010’s “Oleku,” the most downloaded single of that year.(Photo: Chocolate City Group)
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Guest Starring Prince - The Nigerian hip hop king is so popular he's appeared as a featured artist on the recordings of several other acts including Bank W, VQ, el Dee and Naesto C, A'West, Dekunle Fuji, Kel, Gino, Terry Tha Bapman, Sauce Kid, Rollins Avns and more. (Photo: Chocolate City Records)
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Not Another Rapper - Ice Prince is dedicated to being as diverse of a performer as possible. In an interview with Naija Entertainment he said, “I don’t want to be seen as just a rapper; in fact, I love singing more than rapper.”(Photo: Chocolate City Records)
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A Mother’s Influence - When Ice Prince received an outpouring of love and support from fans following the death of his mother, he vowed to give them a masterpiece album in return. The performer wanted to create a work that would not disappoint his audience. (Photo: Chocolate City Records)
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The Album Name Game - In an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, Ice Prince talked what inspired his debut album’s title. “At first I wanted to name the album after the street I used to live on,” he says. “But when I lost my mother, ‘the mad love’ I got from everybody around the world made me change it to Everybody Loves Ice Prince.” (Photo: Chocolate City Records)
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Everybody Loves Ice Prince - The album Everybody Loves Ice Prince was the most anticipated Nigerian release of 2011. The release mixed elements of hip hop, R&B, dancehall, reggae, highlife and soul. It featured the number one single, “Superstar.” (Photo: Chocolate City Records)