Nigerian born American Genius, Laolu Senbanjo is ‘King’ of Visual Art in New York… Strikes Gold in Beyonce’s Music titled ‘Lemonade’
* Takes Ingenious Creation from Lagos to Brooklyn
*Famous for his Out-of-the-box Artistic Display
*Paints from Jacket to Shoes to Human Body
*Doubles as a Music performer with Afromysterics LIVE Band
*PLUS HOW he DUMPS Human Rights Attorney career in Lagos for Visual Arts
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/FOREIGN BUREAU CHIEF/UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
HE IS VERY HARDWORKING, humble, focused and passionate about his belief. Laolu Senbanjo, a Nigerian born American entertainer, art-philosopher and music performer is glowing in New York, even his immediate neighbours in Brooklyn attest to his fame. He has brought huge honor to Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation at a time few Nigerians abroad are soiling the reputation and integrity of the country.
In the entire New York, Senbanjo stands out from the crowd for his ingenuity, artistic creativity and wonder of talents that he has consistently showcased, which immediately attracted him to Beyonce, a multiple Grammy award American music winner.
Immediately Beyonce heard about the out-of-the-world creativity of this Nigerian, she took time out to understudy and peruse all his artistic works and when she finally saw him face-to-face, she confessed to Senbanjo how obsessed she was with his evergreen arts.
More like a dream to Senbanjo, he had to pinch himself to re-confirm he was speaking directly with Beyonce. That singular opportunity marked a milestone and turning point in his entire visual arts life, as Beyonce did not waste anytime to sign him on as Artistic director for her chart-bursting album titled ‘Lemonade.’
In spite of that fame and breakthrough, Senbanjo ensured that all his works are reflection of his belief in using arts to tell stories of honor, human rights, hardwork, resilience, vision and great ideology.
Senbanjo knew he had got more endowed as he discovered his music craft and ability to sing country music, hip hop tunes and funky highlife. He joined few of his American music oriented friends to form ‘Afromysterics LIVE’ Band, which today is one of the most popular live bands in New York.
His life has no single scandal. He is always happy, meeting people, giving helping hands when necessary to people he meets, drops lasting smile on anyone he meets, and never lose focus on whatever he sets his eyes upon.
Since December 2015, his glory had been shining on the world stage. Beyoncé cannot forget in a hurry her biggest project in years with Senbanjo, which brought to bear his Yoruba-influenced on his work.
In five years since Senbanjo, 34, left his life as a human rights attorney in Lagos to become a full-time struggling artist, he has never regret his timely decision relocate to Brooklyn, where Senbanjo’s taken his Afromysterics artwork from the canvas to virtually everywhere: from shoes to jackets and even the human body.
Beyoncé’s mysterious new project, Lemonade, an hour long conceptual video that debuted on HBO and features music from the artist’s surprise-released sixth studio album, also called Lemonade was the icing on the cake that celebrate the iconistic identity of Senbanjo as ‘King of Visual Arts in New York.’
His works on Instagram was an instant hit, as internet and entertainment bodies across the world screamed at his creativity. Many are of the opinion he is a Magic-man in arts, others believe he is one of the greatest and most talented visual artist in modern history.
Senbanjo’s contributions to the visual album of Beyonce stand out with their deeply stirring spiritual undertone. The grand appearance of his Sacred Art of the Ori marks a shift in Beyoncé’s emotions from “Anger” to “Apathy” (chapter 4 of the video) as dancers, adorned in Senbanjo’s signature Yoruba body paint, sway about in formation alongside Queen B herself. The screen turns black-and-white while Beyoncé recites the haunting words of Somali-British poet Warsan Shire and transitions into the fourth track on Lemonade, “Sorry.”
The world hails Nigeria’s born American King of Visual Arts in New York, a man who cherishes South African restaurant called ‘Madiba’ in Broooklyn.
