William Onyeabor (1945-2017) was a Nigerian funk and electronic musician who self-released hypnotic, synthesizer-driven records on his own Wilfilms label from the late 1970s into the 1980s. The Luaka Bop compilation Who Is William Onyeabor? (2013) is the perfect way in. Shop William Onyeabor vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
William Onyeabor (1945-2017) was a Nigerian musician and businessman who self-released a series of remarkable synthesizer-based funk albums on his own Wilfilms label from the late 1970s through the 1980s. He remained an enigmatic figure, granting few interviews and revealing little about his life, before largely withdrawing from music. His work was rediscovered and reissued internationally by Luaka Bop, sparking widespread acclaim and a new global audience in the 2010s.
Onyeabor's music is a distinctive blend of funk, Afrobeat, and early electronic and synth-pop, built on hypnotic grooves, layered synthesizers, drum machines, and call-and-response vocals, often carrying social and political messages. His pioneering, idiosyncratic use of electronics in a West African funk context makes his catalog singular and influential.
Original Nigerian pressings of Onyeabor's self-released albums are extremely rare and highly prized, and the Luaka Bop reissues and Who Is William Onyeabor? compilation are sought-after, making his work a focal point for collectors of African funk and electronic music.
Listeners new to William Onyeabor often start with the compilation Who Is William Onyeabor? (2013). For related listening, see and .
