Nigerian Highlife legend Bright Chimezie’s ‘Because of English’ has an acoustic version for the first time since its release seven years ago.
The song has enjoyed a recent commercial resurgence after being sampled by multi-award-winning superstar Davido on his smash hit single ‘With You’, which features Omah Lay.
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It was released as one of the songs on Davido’s fifth studio album, 5ive, which has enjoyed commercial success.
The single adds to the growing trend of Afrobeats stars sampling and reimagining classic Nigerian songs.
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In this stripped-back version of ‘Because of English’, Chimezie revisits one of his most resonant narratives: the painful yet often overlooked shame tied to colonial-era language policing.
Crafted originally as a witty yet societal addressing commentary, the new version swaps highlife’s familiar bounce for raw, acoustic update strings, intensifying the emotional depth behind the lyrics.
Chimezie’s new release is heartwarming. He is the only Nigerian veteran singer to leverage the sampling of their songs to create a reimagination of the original.
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This also encourages other veteran stars to dip into their catalogue and reimagine their old works.
About Bright Chimezie
Chimezie stands out as the perfect Nigerian.
Born on 1 October 1960, he hails from Abia State, Nigeria. Chimezie rose to fame in the early 1980s with his unique blend of traditional Nigerian music, Igbo highlife, and chanted vocals.
His music also addresses societal issues such as colonialism, economic exploitation, and cultural identity with a touch of humour in his lyrics.
In 1984, Bright Chimezie, also known as Okoro Junior, introduced his Zigima Movement to the music scene with his debut album, Respect Africa.
The album featured songs such as the titular track Respect Africa, Lekwe Uwa M, Liza, and You Can Never Hurry The Sunrise. His next album, Life of Yesterday, was released early in 1987 and included songs like No True Love (alternatively titled Where Is Love?), Nne m Oma (a tribute to his mother), and Message Boy.
The name Ziggima derives from the Igbo expression “o zi gi ma,” meaning “the message that you already know”
In total, Chimezie has released eight studio albums in his musical career.
In June 2025, Bright Chimezie signed a landmark deal with Sony Music Publishing to expand the global reach of his music catalogue, which blends traditional Igbo highlife with contemporary influences.
The agreement aims to promote African musical heritage on an international scale.
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