William Onyeabor 1946 – 2017
By Andy Kahn Jan 18, 2017 • 11:48 am PST

Innovative Nigerian dance music pioneer William Onyeabor has died at the age of 70. He passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Enugu, Nigeria, the record label Luaka Bop confirmed.
Rediscovered and celebrated in recent years by David Byrne and Luaka Bop, the label released a retrospective compilation LP Atomic Bomb! Who Is William Onyeabor? and extensive box set featuring his works from the late-1970s and early-1980s. The label detailed his enigmatic career, explaining:
According to various rumors, he left home following the Biafran War and went to study cinematography in the Soviet Union, returning in the mid-70s to start his own film company and record label, Wilfilms. He then self-released eight remarkable records from 1978-1985. He wrote and produced everything on his own, and possibly played every instrument himself. Then, at some point of his life, he became born again and denounced his earlier music, deciding it is something he would never speak about.
Onyeabor appeared on BBC radio in 2014 and that year Byrne assembled a group dubbed the Atomic Bomb! Band that featured Sinkane, Money Mark, Pat Mahoney and others. Read the statement from Luaka Bop below:
For more on the enigmatic and ground breaking William Onyeabor, watch this documentary produced by Noisey: