Nigerian twin sisters who fused Afro-beat, reggae, and pop into a sound decades ahead of its time.
MOODS · soulful · groovy · warm · retro · harmonious · danceable · reflective · vibrant · earthy · rhythmic
BIOGRAPHY
Taiwo and Kehinde Lijadu, twins born in Jos, Nigeria in 1948 and second cousins of Fela Kuti, began singing together in childhood before working as session vocalists and releasing their first single, Iya Mi Jowo, in 1968. With producer Biddy Wright, they recorded four albums for Decca's Afrodisia imprint between 1976 and 1979: Danger, Mother Africa, Sunshine, and Horizon Unlimited, blending Afro-beat, reggae, pop, and soul into a distinctive style that made them major stars in Nigeria and drew international notice.
The pair toured and appeared on British television through the 1980s before settling permanently in Brooklyn in 1988. A serious injury to Kehinde in 1996 halted their creative output for years. After decades away from the stage, they reconnected with reissue labels in the 2010s, and Kehinde died in 2019 following a stroke.
WHY THEY'RE COOL
The Lijadu Sisters were rare figures in 1970s African music: a self-contained twin duo who wrote and performed original songs blending Afro-beat, reggae, and soul at a time when the genre was dominated by men. Critics like the New York Times' Jon Pareles compared them to a West African Pointer Sisters, and AllMusic praised their close harmonies and sharp backing band. Their influence has surfaced in unexpected places, from rapper MIKE to Hayley Williams, even as their work was repeatedly sampled and infringed without credit. Ongoing reissues from Knitting Factory Records and The Numero Group, including 2024's Horizon Unlimited and 2025's Danger, are finally restoring their place in music history.
GEORGE'S PLAYS
First time on the station.
PLAYED ON WOKE1
