Dr. Alban Biography
Alban Nwapa, Nigeria. Swedish-based dance music artist who rose to prominence with his curious potpourri of styles, christened "jungle reggae hip-hop" by some commentators. Of all the artists to employ the title "Doctor" in their names, Alban is one of the few to do so legitimately. He originally went to Stockholm, Sweden, to train as a dentist, and after qualifying, he started the Alphabet Club in the city, which eventually spawned a record and clothes shop of the same name. His attempts to "toast" over the records he played at the venue attracted the attention of Swemix Records. The first result of his work with the studio was the 1990 single "Hello Afrika", which immediately launched him in the national and international charts. With the anti-drug "No Coke" and pro-unity "U & Mi", Dr. Alban continued to cut himself a large slice of credibility in the European mainstream dance market. The musical style combined techno with club vocals and African rhythms. Among the most notable traits were the Nigerian percussive effects and dancehall chanting. In September 1992, he enjoyed a huge European hit with "It's My Life", which reached number 2 in the UK pop chart. His unique Afro-Swedish patois earned praise from a variety of quarters, reinforcing the fact that rap had become a universal currency. The man behind the production on the big hits was Denniz Pop, who also produced Ace Of Base's number 1, "All That She Wants". Although he failed to reproduce the crossover success of "It's My Life", Alban continued to enjoy club success throughout the decade. He also started his own Dr. label, whose first release was the "Alrabaiye Take Me Up" single by Amadin.
DISCOGRAPHY: Hello Afrika The Album (Swemix 1990)***, One Love The Album (Swemix 1992)***, It's My Life The Album (Logic/Arista 1993)***, Look Who's Talking! The Album (Logic/Arista 1995)***, Born In Africa (Dr. 1996)**.
COMPILATIONS: The Very Best Of Dr. Alban 1990-1997 (Ariola 1997)***.
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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