This, the first-ever overground UK shows of Naija Beat (contemporary Nigerian popular music), brought to you by well-known promoter and manager Kayode Samuel and DJ John Armstrong as part of their long-running AFRIKLUB concert series, sets out to correct the imbalance with a panorama of contemporary Nigerian stars whose joint talent is matched only by the amazing diversity of their musical roots. A couple of these artists have previously made low-key appearances in the UK before, but this is the first time that all have appeared on the same bill- and in two top London venues, at that.

Hip-hop/ Naija-pop artist Tony Tetuila is recognised as one of the top Nigerian stars of this generation. Albums like My Car, He Go Better and his 2006 smash First Soldier and MTV hit video Two Women (with Ghanas hip-life crew VIP) are inescapable on the Lagos airwaves.

Dr Saheed Osupa aka Vadisco The Genius Fuji Wizard takes traditional Fuji talking-drum beats places theyve never been before on tunes such as Gbedu Hip Hop the dancefloor pick from his 2008 album Endorsement, which garnered a million copies in pre-sales alone when released in January this year an unheard-of feat for a Fuji album.

Still on the immensely popular Fuji tip but from a different angle comes Remi Aluko, who performed to a couple of rammed expat shows in the UK last year (including Afriklub in November 2007). Remis current tunes Omo London and Ibadan Rumour are favourites for those who prefer their Fuji uncut, hard, rough and political.

Back to the blossoming fields of Naija hip-hop: were proud to present, for the first time in the UK, the sensation of the Nigerian Hip-Hop World Annual Awards 2008: 9ice. 9ice, aka Da Nigerian Hook Man, aka Abolore Akande, won Vocal Performance of the Year and Revelation of the Year for his massive hit Gongo Aso. Expect a unique blend of hip-hop, Afrobeat and RnB.

But every Nigerian show of this kind pays homage to what has gone before, and what is rich enough still to be with us in this case, the mighty, legendary King of Palmwine blues, Nigerian mambo and adgidibo the one and only Fatai Rolling Dollar. Fatai was playing Lagos club gigs 7 nights a week when the Stones and Beatles were in short pants, and he is still doing it now, at 82 years of age.

DJ John Armstrong

will be supporting with an exclusive set of current recent and unreleased Naija tunes.

Saturday, 26 April, 10pm till very late