Nigerian highlife icon Bright Chimezie has breathed new life into his 1984 classic Because of English with a stripped-back acoustic performance video, released on 27 June 2025. Filmed live at Coloz Studio, the reimagined version trades the song’s original upbeat bounce for raw guitar strings and a softer, more intimate delivery – and fans can’t get enough.
Within weeks, the video racked up over 338,000 YouTube views, nearly 12,000 likes, and more than 1,300 comments, with social media buzzing about its “evergreen” feel. Entertainment lawyer Chukwudi Chimezie called it “the same classic vibe, but softer and more heartfelt” – a sentiment echoed across X (formerly Twitter), where posts praising its smooth, soulful energy went viral.
This fresh take comes hot on the heels of Afrobeats star Davido sampling the track in his 2025 hit With You (featuring Omah Lay), and Chimezie signing a landmark publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing to take his Zigima Sound global.
Born in Abia State in 1960, Chimezie made his name in the ’80s with his witty blend of Igbo rhythms, chanted vocals, and social commentary – a style he dubbed Zigima. Because of English pokes fun at colonial-era language snobbery, a theme that still resonates today.
The acoustic session, directed by Big Sam and produced by Panda Impressio, features top session musicians including Godwyn (acoustic guitar, arrangement, mix/master), Rickylace (lead guitar), Moebasswalker (bass), Osagie (drums), and horn players Shegsbotti, Temmy, and Yhemiolutosin.
By swapping big-band highlife for warm, bare-bones strings, Chimezie has managed to make a 40-year-old hit feel brand new – while keeping its cultural bite intact. And if the buzz is anything to go by, this won’t be the last time the veteran uses modern platforms to reintroduce his classics to a whole new generation.
