With Nigerian music gaining precedence around the world, King Perryy stands out as one of the country’s most distinctive and ambitious young acts. The creator of what he calls the “Continental Sound,” the former seminary student and would-be Catholic priest fuses the melodies and rhythms of today’s afrobeats with pan-African influences and reggae/dancehall to create deeply resonant songs that transcend cultures and borders. With a run of successful singles (“Man on Duty,” “Work ‘N’ Grind”) to his credit and over 70 million streams on digital platforms, he just released his debut album, Citizen of the World. Born Anthony Offiah, King Perryy grew up in the oil city of Port Harcourt, the same town that has spawned Nigerian music superstars Burna Boy and Omah Lay. As a child, his father introduced him to a wide range of music, from the reggae of Bob Marley and Sean Paul to Nigerian classics from Fela Kuti and Alex Zitto. He always felt he had a higher calling, and when it came time to further his education, he opted to pursue the priesthood in seminary school. Ultimately, after four years, he had a change of heart and shifted course, later completing his degree in Project Management at Nigeria’s Federal University of Technology in Owerri. Despite this, faith continues to be a driving force in his life. the “Continental Boy” — as King Perryy IDs himself on his songs — was born. “The Continental Sound is a fusion of different genres, lifestyles and cultures.