R.E. Okonkwo was an intern at Right Time Records when he first started working as a DJ.
As part of his job to sell music from artists like Rex Lawson, Eddy Okonta and Celestine Ukwu, he spun records for social functions at local Onitsha schools, playing highlife music alongside James Brown, the Everly Brothers, and American country artists like Skeeter Davis and Jim Reeves.
“Let me not be seen as boasting,” Okonkwo said in an interview with Fred Iwenjora.
“I have heard so much sound and music in my lifetime. All kinds. I know sound. And I think that it is because I know sound that I was able to break through by the Grace of God.”
Named after the manufacturer of his DJ audio equipment, Rogers International, Okonkwo would go on to start a record company of his own: Rogers All Stars.
It became one of the most successful homegrown labels in African history.
The label’s first smash hit and defining achievement was "Sweet Mother” by Prince Nico Mbarga and Rocafil Jazz. Originally rejected by executives at EMI, who described the song as "childish," it would go on to sell an estimated 13 million copies for Rogers All Stars, more than The Beatles’ best-selling single, “I Want To Hold Your Hand.”
Despite their Congolese-sounding name, Super Negro Bantous were a renowned Igbo band led by Elah Elvis, recording at least seven albums for Rogers All Stars while combining highlife, soukous and folk music.
Like Mbarga's Sweet Mother, the four songs on this self-titled album are sung in Pidgin English.
In addition to Elvis, the group included Ngando Paul (vocals), Ebague Robert (vocals), and Epome Daniel (guitar).
TRACKLIST
00:00 Professional Super Bantous
10:23 Life Responsibility
19:21 Take Time
29:01 Judgment
ABOUT THIS CHANNEL
Rare African Vinyl is a project dedicated to honoring African artists who recorded music in the 1970s and 80s, and adding to the body of knowledge of this music online. If you are the artist who created any of the music on this channel, a family member or descendant of an artist, or have a personal connection to any of this music, we would love to speak with you. Please comment on the relevant video or email rareafricanvinyl@gmail.com. Requests to remove any content from TH-cam by the original artist will be honored.
ALBUM DESCRIPTION AND CREDITS (FROM RECORD SLEEVE)
Side One
Professional Super Bantous
Life Responsibility
Side Two
Take Time
Judgment
All arrangements by Super Negro Bantous
Language: Pidgin English
Rogers All Stars
14 Bright Street
Onitsha, Nigeria
Sleeve printed in England by Robert Stace
SOURCES FOR VIDEO DESCRIPTION
ejigbocitydiary.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-full-story-of-rogers-all-stars.html
africanmusiclibrary.org/band/Super%20Negro%20Bantous
www.discogs.com/artist/1165009-Super-Negro-Bantous
www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2017/26/music-extra
www.researchgate.net/profile/Edmund-Collins/publication/365565028_WEST_AFRICAN_POPULAR_MUSIC_TEXBOOK_BY_JOHN_COLLINS_ROUGH_2015_VERSION_Nov'22/links/6378acc22f4bca7fd0730b5a/WEST-AFRICAN-POPULAR-MUSIC-TEXBOOK-BY-JOHN-COLLINS-ROUGH-2015-VERSION-Nov22.pdf