Celebrating Legends: General Prince Adekunle, Juju Music’s Master Talent-Builder
Born Adeyinka Adekunle in 1942, General Prince Adekunle rose to become one of the biggest names in Nigerian juju music during the 1960s and 70s. As leader of the Western Brothers Band, and later the Supersonic Sounds, he shaped the sound of an era and earned his place among juju’s true greats.
Inspired in part by Fela’s Afrobeat, Adekunle brought fresh energy to juju throughout his career. The 1970s saw him release a string of albums, including the self-titled General Prince Adekunle in the United Kingdom, taking his music beyond Nigeria’s borders. In 1989, he released Survival with the Supersonic Sounds.
Beyond his own hits, General Prince Adekunle was a master talent-builder. Juju stars Sir Shina Peters and Segun Adewale both rose through his band, and Shina was so closely linked to him that fans nicknamed him “Shina Omo Adekunle.” His influence lives on through the generation of artists he helped launch.
General Prince Adekunle passed on in 2017, but the General’s music plays on. Relive the classics of this juju legend by streaming him now on Fuji Fire Vol. 2, available to download.
