Popular Music, Deviance and Moral Panics in Nigeria: The Music of Naira Marley

Abstract This paper interrogates the issue of deviance and moral panics associated with popular music production in Nigeria. Relying on qualitative and netnographic data, the paper explores contested perspectives on the music of Naira Marley, which is generally laden with censured themes of vulgarity, substance abuse, and loose sexuality. Naira Marley’s music has generated much moral controversy in Nigeria owing mainly to media criticisms, which follow from the bizarre subcultural lifestyles of his fans (i.e., the deviant Marlians) that imitate and idolise him. Although a few texts on Naira Marley exist, none focus on deviance and moral panics. Following debates on and around social reactions to popular music’s subcultural morality, we discuss the politics of nonconformity and anti-establishmentarian music production in Nigeria and contend that while the moral judgement of Marley’s music content is relative, its deviant mannerism is structurally functional. In other words, the music creates moral panics and advocates social change because its seemingly deviant themes resonate with economically disadvantaged Nigerians who patronise it as a form of escapism.