Sikiru Adepoju, the renowned Nigerian percussionist, holds a distinction in the country’s music history with two Grammy Awards.
Born into a musical family from Eruwa in Oyo State, Nigeria, Adepoju and his brothers, Saminu and Lasisi, were introduced to drumming at a young age by their father, Chief Ayanleke Adepoju.
As a descendant of the Yoruba Ayan lineage, which is traditionally associated with master drummers, Sikiru honed his craft early on.
As a teenager, he toured and recorded with the Inter-Reformers Band, the group led by Nigerian Juju music legend, Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey.
His talents eventually brought him international recognition, leading to collaborations with some of the world’s finest musicians.
Adepoju’s major breakthrough came when he joined Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum, a group that blends percussion styles from different cultures.
Their self-titled album, Planet Drum, won the inaugural Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album in 1991, making Sikiru Adepoju the first and only Nigerian to win a Grammy at the time.
His success did not stop there. In 2009, he was part of Mickey Hart’s Global Drum Project, whose title album won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
Adepoju’s journey to global recognition began in 1985 when he moved to the United States to perform with O.J. Ekemode’s Nigerian All-Stars. Shortly after, he met Babatunde Olatunji, a legendary Nigerian percussionist, and joined his group, Drums of Passion.
Through Olatunji, he was introduced to Mickey Hart, the drummer of the iconic rock band, Grateful Dead, which marked the beginning of a longstanding collaboration.
Credit: Vanguard
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