Tosin Clegg
Electrifying and energy driven performer, Hess King is an artiste who readily comes to mind when one needs to relish the dynamic and exhilarating fusions of all kinds of music genres serving it as beautifully and commanding as possible. The artiste, whose real name is Akanji Abiodun Samuel is undeniably a musical genius whose origin of Fuji back in the 80s when his father played helped shape his musical journey into becoming a master at his craft singing and performing all genres of music as well as his main core which is Afrofusion.
Reminiscing on how it all started, he said, “My father was a Fuji musician back in the 80s and I grew up to meet him doing shows. He was contemporaries with the likes of musical powerhouses such as Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, Barrister among others who were the rave of musicians back then.
“I got to discover myself later while I was living with a friend when I thought of what to call myself which would sound catchy and appealing. So I prayed and I caught a scripture in the book of Galatians.
“Curling out the message that I would be Honoured, Enthroned as a son and be a soldier of a king. So I put the words together in acronyms and coined it together as Hess King. I can practically say I have been a musician all my life and started discovering and improving my music at an early stage.”
His style of music promptly strikes a chord with any listener who hears him as he predominantly centers his music around percussions such as the talking drums, the horns and lastly his voice which he regards as his last instrument. With a musical journey so blessed he is set to embark on a much anticipated United States tour in 2024 with his Major 7th Band.
“The tour has been put together by the creative genius of Sammek Moments Arts and Cultural Entertainment and it would see the award winning artiste perform in several cities in the United States. Maryland, New York, New Jersey among other cities have been slated for this one of a kind performance where he would thrill his fans and music lovers.
With his talent and achievements in the industry, Hess King has proved his mettle as an internationally recognised musician. His huge fan base scattered all over the world is a testimony to that which also explains why his US fans are eager to see him perform live. As fans expect him next year to deliver as always he noted, “What makes good music is not in the complexity of music but in the simplicity and straight to point aspect of music. A song that connects to a story, that springs the soul and whose arrangements are properly aligned. And I want my fans to expect this and more when I perform live.”
