Naija Pride

Music:

Nas (Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones) is an American rapper, actor, and songwriter. He is also the son of jazz musician "Olu Dara". Nas has released 8 consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums since 1994, 4 of which topped the Billboard charts upon release and has sold over thirteen-million records in the United States alone.

Ne-Yo - baptized as Shaffer Chimere Smith. "Chimere" is a name originating from the Igbo language in Nigeria meaning "God's Deed". He even gave his supposed first child (which later turned out not to be his) the same name.

Wale (Olubowale Victor Akintimehin) is an American rapper from Washington, D.C. In 2008, Wale signed to Interscope Records for $1.3 million, and his debut album Attention Deficit was released in 2009 with the singles "Chillin" with Lady Gaga, "Pretty Girls" with Gucci Mane, and "World Tour". In early 2011 Wale signed on with Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group.

Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the mid-1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century". In the US, in particular, she is best known for recording the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Moonraker (1979). She was the sixth and last child of Eliza Jane Start and Henry Bassey of paternal Nigerian and maternal English descent.

Don Jazzy (Michael Collins Ajereh) was recently rated as the 36th "Most powerful celebrity in Africa" according to Forbes. He also has a production credit in the joint album 'Watch the Throne' by Kanye West & Jay-Z for the song 'Lift Off' which featured Beyoncé. Along with D'Banj, he signed for Kanye West label, G.O.O.D music. British singer 'Estelle' recently remixed D'banj's 'Oliver Twist'

Taio Cruz (Jacob Taio Cruz) is an English singer-songwriter, record producer, occasional rapper, and entrepreneur. Cruz was born in London, to a Nigerian father and a Brazilian mother. In June 2010, Cruz released his second album Rokstarr, which includes the number one singles "Break Your Heart" and "Dynamite". Additionally, Cruz penned and recorded the song "Telling the World" as the lead single from the soundtrack to the 2011 animated film Rio. Cruz narrowly missed out on the chance to record the song "Umbrella" which was eventually recorded by Rihanna and ended up topping charts around the world. Cruz has written songs on albums by Cheryl Cole, JLS, The Saturdays, The Wanted and David Guetta. Jennifer Lopez's 2011 single "I'm Into You", featuring Lil Wayne, is also penned by Cruz.

Seal (Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel) is a British soul and R&B singer-songwriter, of Nigerian and Brazilian background. Seal has won numerous music awards throughout his career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 1992, four Grammy Awards, and an MTV Video Music Award. Seal is known for his numerous international hits; the best known being "Kiss from a Rose", which appeared in the soundtrack to the 1995 film Batman Forever. He has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide. Seal was married to German Supermodel Heidi Klum (aka The Body) and are now divorced.

Sade Adu (Helen Folasade Adu) OBE; better known as 'Sade', is a British singer-songwriter, composer, and record producer. She first achieved success in the 1980s as the frontwoman and lead vocalist of the Brit and Grammy Award winning English group Sade. She is the most successful solo female artist in British history, having sold over 110 million albums worldwide.

Tunde Baiyewu (Babatunde Emanuel Baiyewu) is a British singer of Nigerian descent and is the vocalist of the easy listening duo, Lighthouse Family. Their 1995 debut album Ocean Drive sold more than 1.8 million copies in the UK alone and established them throughout Europe. They are well known for their songs: "Lifted", "Ocean Drive", "Raincloud" and "High", which also reached number one on the Australian Singles Chart.

Chamillionaire (Hakeem Seriki) is a two time Grammy Award nominated and one-time Grammy Award winning rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Chamillitary Entertainment. Chamillionaire is also the founder and an original member of 'The Color Changin' Click' along with Paul Wall etc. His hit singles include "Turn It Up" featuring Lil' Flip and the number-one, Grammy-winning hit "Ridin'" featuring Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. His younger brother Rasaq (Rasaq Dayo Seriki) is also a rapper.

Dr Alban (Alban Uzoma Nwapa) is a Nigerian, Sweden-based musician and producer with his own record label dr-records. He is most famous for his worldwide 1992 hit "It's My Life". "Sing Hallelujah", "Born in Africa", "Hallelujah Day", "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (Carolina)".

Lemar (Lemar Obika) is a British soul and R&B singer. Obika has had a run of chart success in the UK, Europe and Australia. Lemar has had seven top ten UK singles and sold over two million albums. He is seen as one of the most successful artists to come out of a reality TV show. Lemar has won two Brit Awards and three Mobo Awards. Lemar released his first single from the album "Time to Grow". "If There's Any Justice" reached number three on the UK Singles Chart, and has become one of Lemar's most recognised songs. ""Time to Grow"" was released following the single and peaked at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart, to date, the album has been certificated 2x Platuim by the BPI.

Tinie Tempah (Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu) is an English rapper. His first album, Disc-Overy, debuted at number one on 10 October 2010 and was preceded by the number-one singles "Pass Out" and "Written in the Stars" and the UK Top 5 hits "Frisky" and "Miami 2 Ibiza".

Chiddy Bang is an American alternative hip hop band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The group consists of Chidera "Chiddy" Anamege and Noah "Xaphoon Jones" Beresin. During Thursday night’s first-ever MTV O Music Awards, Chidera “Chiddy” Anamege of Chiddy Bang broke the Guinness World Record for Longest Freestyle Rap, as well as the Longest Marathon Rapping Record. Chiddy stole the throne from M-Eighty – who broke the record in 2009 by rapping for nine hours, 15 minutes and 15 seconds – by freestyling for nine hours and 18 minutes. He also beat out D.O. (aka Duane Gibson, Canada) for Longest Marathon Rapping session – D.O. rapped for eight hours and 45 minutes.

'The Outsyders' is a production team from Atlanta, Georgia. The group consists of Nikesha Briscoe and Rafael Akinyemi. Together they produced and co-wrote Britney Spears "Womanizer" which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, setting a new record on the Billboard Hot 100 making a near-maximum 96-1 rise. The team was also nominated for a grammy for the 2009 Grammy Awards in the category of best pop dance song. They also produces Jay-Z song 'Reminder' from the album "The Blueprint 3"

Olu Dara Jones (Charles Jones III) is an American cornetist, guitarist and singer. Rapper Nas (Nasir Jones) is Dara's son. He was given the name "Olu Dara," which literally translated means "God is good," by a Yoruba priest when he returned to America.

Adé Bantu (Adegoke Odukoya) is a Nigerian-German musician, producer and activist. He is best known as the founder of the Afro-German musical collective and NGO Brothers Keepers and as the front man of Bantu & Afrobeat Academy Band.

Afrikan Boy (Olushola Ajose) is a grime MC from Woolwich, London, England, originally from Nigeria. He made a guest appearance on the track "Hussel" from the M.I.A. album Kala, and is one of the initial artists M.I.A. wanted signed to her label in 2007, then titled Zig-Zag.

Nneka (Nneka Lucia Egbuna) is a Nigerian-German hip hop/soul singer and songwriter. She sings in both English and Igbo. Her song 'Heartbeat', became her first song to break into the German Top 50. The song also entered the UK Singles Chart at number twenty. She has supported Nas, Damian Marley, Sean Paul, Lenny Kravitz on tours. Her track 'Kangpe' is also featured as a soundtrack on the EA Sports FIFA 2010 video game. She has appeared in Late Show with David Letterman. In 2009, she was chosen as of one Beyond Race Magazine's "50 Emerging Artists," which also included american act J. Cole on the list.

Young Paperboyz (Mayor Boss and Della Ratta) is a Nigeria Hip/Hop, R&B & Pop group who are based in Ukraine.

Patti Boulaye (Patricia Ngozi Ebigwe) is a British singer, actress and artist who was among the leading black British entertainers in the seventies and eighties. In her native Nigeria, she is best remembered for starring in Lux commercials, and The Patti Boulaye Show.

Mr Bravo (Oluwaseun Omobitan) is a Nigerian-British Singer, Songwriter and Producer. He is a member of the production team "The Dreamers".


Movies:

Hugo Weaving (Hugo Wallace Weaving) was born at the University Teaching Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria, to English parents Anne (née Lennard), a tour guide and former teacher, and Wallace Weaving, a seismologist.. He is best known for his roles as Agent Smith in the Matrix trilogy, Elrond in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, "V" in V for Vendetta and Red Skull in 'Captain America: The First Avenger'. He also voice as Megatron in the Transformers trilogy and Happy Feet.

Colin Firth (Colin Andrew Firth) CBE is an English film, television, and theatre actor. In 2011, Firth received an Academy Award for his portrayal of King George VI in The King's Speech, a performance that also earned him the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor. The previous year, he received his first Academy Award nomination, for his leading role in A Single Man, a performance that won him a BAFTA Award. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011. His father, David Norman Lewis Firth, was an education officer for the Nigerian Government. Firth spent part of his childhood in Nigeria, where his father was teaching. In 2011, Time magazine included Firth in its list of the world's 100 Most Influential People.

Alki David (Alkiviades David) is a digital media entrepreneur whose companies include FilmOn, Battlecam and 9021go.com. David was born in Nigeria. He has also appeared in feature films, including The Bank Job with Jason Statham.

Chiwetel Ejiofor (Chiwetelu Umeadi Ejiofor) OBE; He has received numerous acting awards and award nominations, including the 2006 BAFTA Awards Rising Star, three Golden Globe Awards' nominations, and the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in Othello. Ejiofor was the lead alongside John Cusack in the 2009 film '2012'. The film went on to gross over $700 million, and is among the list of highest-grossing films of all time and placing 5th of top films of 2009. He also starred alongside Angelina Jolie in 'Salt'.

Forest Whitaker said that a genetic test indicated he was of Igbo descent through his patrilineal line, and of Akan descent through his matrilineal line. Whitaker won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 film The Last King of Scotland.


Sophie Okonedo OBE is a British actress, who has starred both in successful British and American productions. She has received an Academy Award nomination for her critically acclaimed role in Hotel Rwanda, a Golden Globe nomination for Tsunami: The Aftermath, and BAFTA nominations for Criminal Justice and Mrs. Mandela. Her other film roles included Aeon Flux, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Dirty Pretty Things, After Earth and Skin.

Megalyn Echikunwoke is the daughter of a Nigerian-Igbo father and a German/Scots-Irish American mother. She has appeared in films/series like "A good day to die hard", 24, Supernatural, House of Lies and many more.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is a British actor, and former fashion model best known for his roles as Mr. Eko on Lost, Simon Adebisi on Oz and Nykwana Wombosi in The Bourne Identity. His other credits are Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, The Mummy Returns, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

Carmen Ejogo (Carmen Elizabeth Ejogo) is a British actress. Her father is a Nigerian entrepreneur. She starred in 'What's the Worst That Could Happen?' a 2001 American comedy film starring Martin Lawrence and Danny DeVito, playing Martin's love interest.

Robert Adetuyi is a Canadian screenwriter and film director. His screenwriting credits include "Stomp the Yard, Code Name: The Cleaner and Turn It Up". He also directed Turn it Up.

Remi Adefarasin was the director of photography for the movie Little Fockers (starring Ben Stiller, Robert De-niro and Jessica Alba) that made over $300m

Gbenga Akinnagbe is an American actor, best known for his role as Chris Partlow on the HBO original series The Wire. He also appeared in the 'Fringe' series. He appeared in the remake of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 with Denzel Washington & John Travolta. He is the cousin of Rapper 'Wale'.

"The Secret Laughter of Women" is a movie set in Nigeria. It stars Academy Award winning actor "Colin Firth" who spent a few of his childhood years in Nigeria and actress "Nia Long". It also features some Nigerian acts like Joke Silva, Rakie Ayola (Rakie Olufunmilayo Ayoola) is a Welsh actress. She has appeared in Hollywood films "The i Inside" and "Sahara" alongside Matthew MCconaughey & Penelope Cruz. She has also appeared in British TV series like Holby City, Doctor Who, EastEnders etc.

Oris Erhuero is a British actor, producer, writer, and former fashion model. He is highly acclaimed for being the most photographed and publicized, international fashion runway and print model of his time era. He transitioned into television and film, with roles in The Adventures of Sinbad, The Bill, Highlander: Endgame, Black Mask 2, Sometimes in April, and Chicago Pulaski Jones.

Caroline Chikezie is a British actress, born of Nigerian heritage. She also starred as Nasuada in the movie Eragon, and as Tamara, a fellow demon hunter, in the 3rd season premiere of Supernatural. Her other film role includes Aeon Flux.


Others:

Helen Grant is the current Member of Parliament for Maidstone and The Weald in Kent. Grant was the first black female to be selected to defend a Tory seat and her election made her the Conservatives' first female Black British MP.

Brian Belo (Olawale Mohammed Belo) is an entertainer who first came to the public's attention by winning the eighth series of the British version of Big Brother. Since the programme, he has become an internet columnist for Heat magazine, a TV segment entertainer for Harry Hill's TV Burp and Big Brother's Big Mouth. In the programme's twelve series in the UK, Belo is notable for being the only series winner not to have entered the House on the series' launch night; all eleven other winners entered the contest on Day 1 of their respective series.

Sport:

Matt Murray was the 1st choice Goalkeeper for the Premiership side 'Wolves' until injury forced him to retirement at age 29. The five year contract he was given, aged 17, is the longest in the club's history for an academy graduate. Murray may also be eligible to play for Nigeria, through his biological father. He has been tagged by many as the best keeper never to play for England. He has won the PFA Championship Player of the Month, named in the Championship Team of the Year at the 2006–07 and also voted the PFA Fans' Player of the Year for the division. He was also voted Wolves' Player of the Season as they reached the play-offs.

Nnamdi Asomugha is a former American football cornerback. For many years he was frequently mentioned as one of the best shutdown corners in the NFL. He also acted in films like Fire with Fire alongside Bruce Willis and Rosario Dawson, The Game & Leverage. He is married to multiple award winning American actress Kerry Washington.