Passion and politics pervade Nneka’s Concrete Jungle

Nigerian native brings activist soul stateside

Nneka is a neo-soul singer and guitarist whose songs call out corrupt politicians and villainous oil companies in her native Nigeria. Probably not the quickest route to international pop stardom, but then again, her biography is probably unlike anyone’s you’ve heard. The daughter of a German woman she never really knew and a polygamous architect (her father has had two “official” wives, she says, though she has no idea how many “unofficial” ones), she lived through years of tribal warfare and moved to Hamburg after being forced to flee Nigeria for reasons she won’t go into.

Along the way she dropped a pair of albums in Europe to great acclaim and some chart success, played shows with Gnarls Barkley and Lenny Kravitz, and has now returned home to live in Lagos. Her first American album, Concrete Jungle, a compilation of songs from her previous discs, drops on Feb. 2, and she plays “Late Show with David Letterman” the next night.

More important to her than fame as a musician is drawing attention to issues like the exploitation of the oil-rich Niger Delta region. “Pipelines run through neighborhoods, run underwater, and in the process of extraction spillage occurs, and farmlands and water are being polluted,” she says in her halting English. “Many in the region are dependent on farming and fishing for their livelihood.” She adds that she recently performed before the governor of one of the Delta regions, and that “he was very touched.”

With a co-sign from Lauryn Hill, Benetton-model looks, and an urgent delivery and radio sensibilities (her hit “Heartbeat” and its video are particularly moving), she seems poised for championing by the NPR-and-hybrids crowd. Though those folks might not be so crazy about her views on polygamy (“I don’t know, a man is a man, and he still has animalistic instincts,” she says), they will certainly admire her dedication to the plight of the Nigerian people. “Since I am personally connected to the problem I am passionate about it,” she says. “I am confident I am getting that message across because I see how much conversation I invoke.”