Nigerian singer Terry G announced his retirement from the music industry on Instagram, ending an energetic career that redefined dancehall pop in the country.
“It’s been a journey,” Terry G, whose real name is Gabriel Oche Amanyi, told fans as he thanked them for years of support.
Known for a flamboyant style and frenetic tracks like “Akpako Master,” he carved out a singular niche in Nigerian music after rising to prominence in the late 2000s.
Blending traditional sounds with dancehall and stemming from a gospel music background, Terry G’s music melded disparate influences for a contrasting final product. His retirement caps off 15 years of recording hits including “Free Madness” and “Gbemisoke.”
The announcement follows the artist’s recent call-out of younger Nigerian musicians who he said failed to acknowledge his past assistance on their songs. Terry G asserted he helped up-and-coming talents score various hits during the peak of his musical success.
While the flamboyant entertainer bids farewell to recording new material, his legacy remains cemented through consistent pioneering of the “street pop” genre. Terry G concludes his career with gratitude toward loyal fans, even as he passes the baton to Nigeria’s next generation of boundary-pushing artists.