William Onyeabor, the elusive Nigerian musician who pioneered a stuttering style of electronic funk in the ’70s and ’80s before retreating from the spotlight to focus on his faith and business ventures, has died.
His record label, Luaka Bop, says Onyeabor died in his sleep Monday at his home in Enugu, Nigeria, following a short illness. He was 70.
Beginning in 1977, Onyeabor self-released nine albums featuring slinky synth lines that owed as much to African pop as it did to American R&B and disco.
He never performed live and by the mid-1980s, had left music to become a born-again Christian and run a flour mill.
His influence was revealed decades later with the release of a compilation album, a documentary and live tributes from artists like David Byrne.