ABSTRACT
While Nigerian scholars have examined code-switching in conversation and in literary language (Akere, 1980; Amuda, 1986, 1994; Goke-Pariola, 1983; O’Mole, 1987; Lamidi, 2004; Ayeomoni, 2006) this study presents a critical examination of code-switching in contemporary Nigerian hip-hop music. In spite of the fact that most Nigerian hip-hop singers use English, they still try to identify with their roots by mixing English with their indigenous languages. We present code-switching inf.–, the lyrics of five Nigerian hip-hop musicians: Sunny Nneji, Weird MC, D’Banj, P Square and Styl Plus. The objectives are to examine the nature of the phenomenon of code-switching, to examine the reasons for code-switching, to discuss the stylistic effects of this trend, and to examine the implications of this practice for communication through music. Our findings reveal that while most code-switching is done in three languages – English, Nigerian Pidgin and Yoruba – Yoruba plays a prominent role. This makes the language the vehicle for the elaboration of themes within the songs. We also observe two major kinds of code-switching; ones in which chunks of ideas in different languages feature in turns, (inter-sentential code switching) thereby producing switches at discourse boundaries; and ones in which expressions from other languages are sandwiched between those of a dominant language (inter-sentential code switching). The study concludes that the unique identities created by code-switching in Nigerian hip-hop have positive local and global influences for music and artists, and reflect the ethno linguistic diversity of the Nigerian nation.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Any keen observer of the Nigerian Music screen will readily agree that much innovation has been introduced by the new hip-hop groups whose brand of music is very popular with Nigerian Youths and Adults alike. These young Nigerians entertainers demonstrate creative ingenuity in the way they have blended Nigerian Language or another with English or its Pidgin variety. In some of theses pieces almost half of the music is composed and sung in a Nigerian Language, and the other half in Standard English or Pidgin variety. This phenomenon in language use has been described in socio-linguistics as code-switching and code-mixing.
Although this socio-linguistics concept has been widely studied, its investigation has largely been restricted to speech or conversational situations and most within formal settings Nigeria (if any) have been carried out on its use in other domains of language use, including music. Although music can be regarded as a kind of speech performance, it is a genre clearly different from any informal conversational exchanges.