Six things you (probably) didn’t know about P-Square

P-Square is a Nigerian R&B duo composed of identical twin brothers, Peter Okoye and Paul Okoye. 

The duo has won numerous awards, including the Kora Awards, BET Awards, and MTV Africa Music Awards. They have collaborated with international artists like Rick Ross, Dave Scott, and T.I.

Here are six facts you probably didn’t know about him:

Early Life

Peter and Paul Okoye were raised in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. They developed an interest in music at a young age and began singing in their church choir. They were born on 18 November 1981, in Anambra State, Nigeria.

Raised in a Catholic Home

 Peter and Paul, together with their siblings: Jude, Mary, Tony, Lilian and Ifeanyi Okoye, were raised Catholics, with Christian values.

They became interested in performing arts while attending St. Murumba College, a Catholic School in Jos. They were involved in the school music and drama club and began singing and dancing, while drawing inspiration from artists like Bobby Brown, Michael Jackson, and MC Hammer. Also while in school, they formed an Acappella quartet that eventually morphed into a more pop-orientated dance crew in which they developed choreographed routines. Their artistic talent and precise dance routine soon made them household names in the city of Jos, where they performed at school functions and other occasions

Allegedly sold over 40 million records in 2011

In 2011, they signed a record deal with Akon’s Konvict Music. P-Square has allegedly sold more than 40 million album records as of 2011. The duo was nominated for BET Awards, Soul Train Awards, MTV Europe Music Award, and MOBO Awards, and they have won KORA Awards, MTV Africa Music Awards, and Channel O Music Video Awards. They were also the first Nigerians to peak at the top 5 on SNEP – French official chart and the top 10 on Ultratop – Belgium official chart in 2012 with the French version of “E no easy” featuring Matt Houston. The song was the first Afrobeats summer hit in France.

Accredited Best African Group by Forbes Africa    

They have been referred to as the “Best African Group” by Forbes Africa consecutively. They have appeared on the Forbes list of the 40 most powerful celebrities in Africa. In 2021, the duo reunited after their disbandment in 2017. They returned with the single ‘Jaiye’ and have announced their reunion tour and their forthcoming album.

Energetic performance and catchy hooks

P-Square is known for their energetic live performances, catchy hooks, and blend of R&B, pop, and afrobeat styles. They remain one of the most influential and beloved music duos in Africa.

Noted for their artistic reinvention, musical versatility, and visual presentation, they are widely regarded as one of the most influential African acts of all time and one of the most successful music groups from Africa. They were integral to the evolution of African popular music in the 2000s and 2010s.

The duo was launched into mainstream recognition following the release of the song “Senorita” in 2003, and later gained recognition after releasing their sophomore album Get Squared in 2005. 

The success of the album earned them a nomination at the MTV Europe Music Award for Best African Act in 2006. A prominent figure in the African popular culture of the 21st century, P-Square was awarded Artists of the Decade at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2015.

Disbandment

After the disbandment of the dancing and singing group they formed in the late 1990s, Peter and Paul subsequently founded ‘P-Square’. In 2001, they won a talent show and signed a record deal with Timbuk2 Label, where they released their debut album in 2003.

They later founded their own label and released the following albums: Get Squared, Gameover, Danger, Invasion and Double Trouble. “Gameover,” which explored multiple societal themes such as love, regret, Assurance and political criticism, reportedly sold over 8 million copies worldwide. It is the only 2000s project from Nigeria to have surpassed 30 million streams on Spotify, and has been considered a timeless body of work by music critics. Some of P-Square’s songs include “Personally,” “Chop My Money,” “Beautiful Onyinye,” “Alingo,” “E no Easy,“ “Shekini,” “Do Me,” “Temptation,” “Bring It On,” “Testimony,” “Bizzy Body,” and “Gimme Dat.”

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