10 unrivalled pairings in Afropop
the dynamic duos of AfroPop
Many would agree that one of the more interesting aspects of music consumption that keeps it refreshing, is born out of great knowledge of collaborations. More than knowing what works for each creator’s sound, bringing various talents together allows the birth of new sounds and ultimately guarantees great music.
Think Wizkid and Skepta, fostering a bromance that brought on timeless jams like “Energy (Stay Far Away)” or the brewing sisterhood between our resident IT girls, Tyla and Ayra Starr. Even official pairings like Mellow and Sleazy or TxC, taking the melodies of Bacardi and AfroHouse to the world, or The Cavemen, for their innumerable contributions in the resurgence of Eastern-Nigerian Highlife, do not fall short in this conversation. Read on to find out the pairings whose collaborations redefined African music forever.
REMA & LONDON
When you think of iconic artist-producer pairings in music history, most references are pulled from the hip-hop scene. Whether it’s the OG’s like Snoop Dogg & Dr Dre or Snoop Dogg & Pharrell Williams, or this decade’s stars with 21 Savage & Metro Boomin or Tay Keith & Travis Scott. Regardless of the combination, we’re reminded of the duo’s heaven sent collaboration the moment the iconic producer tag lands on the beat. Though the artists may branch out once in a while, the announcement of that all too familiar tag gives listeners a sense of relief that they have another banger in their hands. Speaking of bangers, one of Afropop’s most successful artist-producer duos to date is Rema and London. On most of the rave lord’s biggest hits, the charming chant of ‘another banger’ is usually accompanied by ‘London!’
The earlier days of Rema’s career, soundtracked by “Dumebi” and “Woman,” he mostly worked with Ozedikus Nwanne, another perfect pairing. But Rema’s relationship with London came into full bloom prior to his debut album, ‘Rave & Roses,’ where he snagged ten of sixteen production credits. Remember the lush guitar strums and rhythmic drums on sex-themed “Soundgasm” to the high-tempo shrills and humming bass of “Addicted,” not to mention monster hit, “Calm Down” or the raver’s favourite “Oroma Baby.” The mutual understanding between the pair is undeniable, to the extent that they play within Rema’s soundscape while leaving room for experimentation. They reiterate their harmonious alliance on the debut’s deluxe, ‘Rave & Roses (Ultra)’ and further with the surprise 5-track EP dubbed ‘RAVAGE.’ These two are music’s version of jollof rice and chicken, good alone but even better together.
KABZA DE SMALL & DJ MAPHORISA
Since the pair’s joint release in 2019, this South African dynamic duo have collectively gone by the title of the hit-stacked 12 tracker, ‘Scorpion Kings.’ Their impact is so far reaching, it is hard to track the astronomical growth of Amapiano without mentioning Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa. Originally, the project’s title was the idea of Maphorisa who, being born on November 15th, is a Scorpio. While Kabza’s birthday is twelve days later during Saggitarius season, the pair bonded over their love for ‘piano and sharing the same birth month. Maphorisa, who considered himself a long time admirer and student of Amapiano, took interest in learning from who many call the genre’s king. Their meeting, half a decade ago, has played such a key role in transporting this underground movement from SA’s burbs to the world stage.
It is almost impossible to point out all the ways these DJ-producers have done this, but songs like “Lorch,” or “Vula Vula” do a good job of encapsulating a fraction of it. Not only are those monster hits, but the pair’s dedication has made room for a younger generation of astounding acts like 22 year old Virgo Deep to emerge. When Kabza isn’t expanding the scope with cross-country collaboration from Wizkid and Burna Boy-assisted “Sponono,” Maphorisa is stepping away from the deck to deliver memorable verses on chart toppers like “Izolo.” Apart or together, the pair represent the broad spectrum of what the domineering genre could achieve. Then if you throw in the staggering vocals of Ami Faku, the result is bound to be an unrivalled partnership. Side by side, these three have created some of the biggest and most emotionally resonant tracks of ‘Piano; “Abalele” and “Asibe Happy,” and in the spirit of love, these piercing stories are worth bringing to the top of your playlist.
BOJ & AJEBUTTER22
Music has a stockpile of successful stories of bromance. Not only have they produced tracks that remain relevant across several decades but you can’t call one’s name without the other due to their inseparable bond. The likes of Jay Z and Kanye West or Dave and Central Cee come to mind. Within the Nigerian context, Boj and Ajebutter22 fall close in replicating that admirable synergy between solo artists who in another lifetime would have formed the perfect group. 2014’s “Omo Pastor” launched the world into the pair’s potential individually and collectively, with a pop-rap classic that tells a captivating tale of a forbidden relationship. Together, they joined acts like Black Magic and Show Dem Camp, to usher in the first wave of alternative music in Nigeria, with hits hinged on individuality and a renewed creative perspective of music making.
Boj and Ajebutter22 solidified their peerless union with the ‘Make E No Cause Fight’ trilogy, of which the third and final iteration was released in the final quarter of 2023. The first part housed buttery, slow jams like “24,” a heartfelt declaration of love on “Tungba” and three others in a brief narration of the tumultuous journey of finding love in Lagos. The project’s warm reception set the stage for Falz on the second version, who expanded the project’s reach with stories of infidelity, sex and his non-committal tales of love prominent amongst the younger generation of Nigerians. While “Baninam,” a play on Birmingham, showcases Falz’ whimsical touch as he recaps travelling across the world to visit a woman, “Too Many Woman” shows the trio spoilt for choice with the plethora of women vying for their attention. Boj and Ajebutter close off the 5-track trilogies with “DITR,” part three’s outro translating to ‘diamond in the rough,’ showcasing maturity as they veer away from the player ways. These two’s contributions to the love-themed catalogues from Nigerian artists are invaluable and their unwavering bond is one Afropop will forever be thankful for.
CRUEL SANTINO & ODUNSI(THE ENGINE)
You know those two inseparable friends in class, sharing everything from snacks to textbooks, wreaking havoc at the back and likely getting punished together? That’s Santi and Odunsi. Together, they reconfigured Nigeria’s music space with a penchant for originality and experimentation. Led on by the likes of Black Magic and DRB Lasgidi, they introduced a refreshing perspective to the ways we create and consume music, steering eyes away from the formulas of mainstream music. On one side, we have Santi with cult classics like “Rapid Fire” or “Freaky” which teased the world of the faultless release that is ‘Mandy & The Jungle.’ On the other hand is Odunsi with staple alté numbers like “Alté Cruise” padded by a sprinkle of mainstream touches with Runtown and Davido on “star signs” and “divine” for ‘rare.’
Fast forward to over half a decade later and the pair’s relationship is blossoming brighter than ever as they deliver spotless verses on the other’s track, coupled with a slew of production credits. The ties come through clearly on “NOSTALGIA,” off Odunsi’s ‘SPORT’ and “Panic Island” off Santi’s ‘Cincinnati Pumpin!!’ Together, Santi and Odunsi have, and are still redefining the face of African music of this decade. When you throw repeat collaborator and Ghana’s pop princess, Amaarae, into the mix, you have an unbeatable trio. From Santi’s “BORN AGAIN” and Amaarae’s Kojey Radical-assisted “JUMPING SHIP” or Odunsi’s “body count,” these three are alternative music’s holy trinity.
UNCLE WAFFLES & TONY DUARDO
For a genre that was originally hinged strictly on production without vocal accompaniments, most consider the instrumentals the primary ingredient to a great Amapiano song. As such, a significant number of songs house several production contributors. If you comb through the discography of Amapiano’s princess, Uncle Waffles, there’s a recurring collaborator across over half of her works. The Johannesburg-born producer, Tony Duardo is one of the other brains behind Waffles’ biggest singles, “Tanzania” and “Yahyuppiyah.”
Other than producing some of the biggest ‘piano tunes, this team are the brains behind all 4 tracks on ‘Red Dragon,’ Waffles’ debut as well as two-sided EP, ‘ASYLUM’ & Manana-assisted pre-release, “Echoes” for ‘SOLACE’ One of the pair’s most impressive works can be seen on “Love I Need,” decorated with production so masterful, they can be compared to the veteran hands of DJ Lag or Kabza. The perfectly cinematic intro is distinguished from anything Waffles has made when the signature log drums take a back seat to looming piano chords that set the pace for Kunene’s rich vocals to take over. BoiBizza later arrives with sonorous croons to set a contrast, all the while maintaining the track’s airy atmosphere with the appearance of light shakers and crystal synths. This match made in heaven offers Amapiano’s spectrum of facets, making sure to include their unique inflections that make room for limitless possibilities.
ASAKE & OLAMIDE
When you’re a star signee to a Nigerian rap and street pop legend like Asake, you’re bound to earn the title as one of Africa’s biggest breakout stars in decades. From a debut stage performance at Obafemi Awolowo University, Olamide decade-plus knowledge expertly positioned Asake as Nigeria’s next big thing, setting him up to sell out one of the world’s biggest stages, O2 Arena. Asake recalls the moment that started it all in his first cover, reminiscing on his viral reaction after hearing his friend delivered on his promise to get a verse on “Omo Ope” from Baddo, as he fondly calls the YBNL (Yahoo Boy No Laptop) label boss. “There’s up in your life and there’s down, and I was in the part of my life where I didn’t really know what next. So I wasn’t even taking Yemi[Yhemolee] seriously until I heard it,” he shared.
Shortly after the astronomical growth of the single and a later Burna boy-assisted remix for hit single, “Sungba,” the pair were inseparable, smoking, catching a vibe and playing snippets of what will later be Asake’s ‘Mr Money With The Vibe’ — a promising LP summation of his scorching streak thus far. The brewing mentor-mentee relationship quickly blossomed into a friendship and bromance of mutual benefit: Asake’s learning first hand under the tutelage of a Nigerian music icon and Olamide’s status as a legacy builder is further emphasised even taken to a world stage, after earning his first Grammy nomination for his contributions on “Amapiano” off Asake’s sophomore release, ‘Work of Art.’ With years and more tuneful hits like “New Religion” stacked up their sleeves, Olamide and Asake or Baddo and Mr Money, as they are colloquially referenced, remain a perfect example of potential from a collaboration written in the stars.
SHOW DEM CAMP
The duo of Wale Davies (Tec) and Olumide Ayeni (Ghost) have been, for over a decade, a permanent fixture in Nigerian rap, providing a refreshing perspective to the traditional formulas in the country’s Hip-Hop scene. While their gritty reflections on ‘Clone Wars’ launched them into the scene, Juls-produced “Feel Alright” introduced a new outlook on their battle-ready bars with a conscious addition of Highlife. The pair spearheaded the movement of what’s now dubbed Palmwine music, a melting pot of airy productions, groovy progressions and bars exploring love and lived experiences. The new series displayed their incomparable wit and masterful lyricism as they touched on generational topics with an emotionally resonant edge.
Perfectly positioned at the centre of Nigeria’s budding alternative scene, the pair completed the final iteration of the series with ‘Palmwine Music 3,’ two years ago, a nod to their dedication to preaching the palmwine gospel and expanding the genre’s scope. The first version brought on breezy raps accompanied by tuneful hooks, soundtracked by the likes of Boj, Odunsi(The Engine) and Funbi, who would grow to become recurrent collaborators for the two. The second instalment brought on a unique summer warmth, set up by a stack of melodious confessions of love and desperate longing with tracks like Lady Donli-assisted “For A Minute.” Before the finale, the pair closed out 2019 with ‘The Palmwine Express,’ to balance the harsher realities of ‘Clone Wars Vol.IV “These Buhari Times”’ released at the start of the year. It goes without saying that Tec and Ghost’s innumerable contributions to Afropop and Hip-Hop’s rich tapestry, in Nigeria and beyond, will never go unnoticed.
MAJOR LEAGUE DJZ
This twin-producer duo, Bandile and Banele Mbere, takes inimitable pairings to a whole new level. Collectively dubbed Major League DJz, the Sandton-raised duo drew inspiration from their pianist father and uncles, including Hugh Masekela and Caiphus Semenya. They propped up as Hip-Hop but made the switch to Amapiano when the infant scene began gaining traction locally and globally. Speaking on the pair for the NATIVE’s 2021 cover Sounds From This Side: Amapiano, Mohlomi explains, “Starting out producing New Age Kwaito music, which they describe as more Hip-Hop inclined variant of the House sound that prevails in South Africa, Major League are champions of the approach to “hlanganisa” (combine) that The Lowkeys describe as the principal characteristic in the collaborative ethos of Amapiano.”
In the spirit of love, it would be an injustice not to recognise their contribution to the romantic catalogue of the dance-driven genre. “Dinaledi” stands out from their generously delivered 31-track debut LP ‘Pianonation,’ with a stunning rendition delivered by Mpho Sebina and production-assist by Abidoza. The rhythmic log drums are accompanied by lush piano chords and a vibrant, passionate declaration of love in a lifetime commitment, “No matter where you are, I’ll be there beside you/No matter how deep, I’ll be there to guide you.” Nearing half a decade later and that song, alongside most of their contributions, continue to weave permanent imprints in the fabric of Afro-House. Together, they have and continue to take Amapiano to the furthest parts of the world, including a masterful set in Ibiza for one of the largest music broadcasting platforms, Boiler Room.
BURNA BOY & JHUS
With the amount of appearances this pair have made on each other’s projects, it’s surprising that they aren’t an official pair or at least, put out a joint project. This Nigerian and British-Gambian duo have been inseparable for nearly decade, with collaborations going back to Burna Boy’s 2018 album, ‘Outsider’ and J Hus’ ‘Common Sense.’ Dubbed “Sekkle Down” and “Good Time” respectively, these tracks opened a world of possibilities within Afropop’s melodious catalogue and the gritty refined touches of the Hip-Hip outputs from the UK. Burna would later deliver an unrivalled performance on “Play Play,” assisting J Hus’ resounding comeback into the scene after a near three-year hiatus. Even after Hus’ absence from the scene through 2022, he still lent a stellar verse to “Cloak & Dagger” from the Grammy nominated album. As expected, Burna returned the favour on ‘Beautiful And Brutal Yard,’ joined by an impressive feature cast including Jorja Smith, Popcaan, Drake and more.
And this brotherhood runs deeper than a couple verses. Though J Hus didn’t make an appearance on Burna’s recent addition, ‘I Told Them…’ the comically narrated intro at the start of crowd favourite, “City Boys” was picked up from a video of Hus’ shared Instagram a couple years back. As these two continue to achieve outstanding feats in their respective genres, it is clear that this friendship is bound to birth more timeless hits that emphasise the sea of possibilities born of an Afropop-UK rap marriage.
MOHBAD & BELLA SHMURDA
The sudden passing of Mohbad October 2023 brought about a number of distraught fans, friends and music lovers across the world. With a rich discography etched with his life experiences, Imole’s death was particularly bitter news to digest considering the circumstances of his death. In his later years, the ex-Marlian Music signee spoke up about threats and contract tensions he faced after parting with the label, shedding light on the darker side of the country’s music industry. Fellow street-pop crooner and friend, Bella Shmurda, openly voiced his support and upon his passing months later, understandable bore the weight of his loss. He later released “My Brother,” a heartfelt tribute where he reminisces on the bond they shared.
Pre the tragic loss, the pair shared their sonic strengths on track’s like “Pariwo” of Mohbad’s ‘Blessed’ EP. Ready to track a new path, Mohbad enlisted him for a short but passionate rendition where he opens up about the emotions of living. The pair take turns to effortlessly slide across the wave of the beat with sheer vulnerability, etching the track for a clear top spot for contemporary Nigerian pop hits. While these two undoubtedly had a blossoming relationship and slew of potential hits, stunted by a series of regrettable events, their brotherhood and support for each other was still a beautiful one to be modelled after.
[Featured Image Credits/The NATIVE]
ICYMI: THE SHUFFLE: ASA’S “BIBANKE” REPRESENTS AN ERA OF ROMANTIC NIGERIAN MUSIC AT ITS BEST.
NATIVE PREMIERE: Tanika Is Stepping Out On Her Terms With The Kida Kudz-Assisted “FAST FWD”
From working her way out of London’s Myatt’s Field, Tanika is now setting her sights on the bright lights...
Across a career that’s in its second decade, Tanika has proven to be a force in her own right, holding her own on collaborations with Black British stars like Stormzy and Wretch 32, as well as popular record producer Naughty Boy–working with the Grammy-nominated beatmaker on his acclaimed ‘Hotel Cabana’ album.
Following a stint as an actor, she returned to the studio in 2021, releasing a new extended play, ‘333,’ in 2023. The project carried all the hallmarks of Tanika at her tantalising best: lilting cadences, well-paced narratives, a songwriting that reaches for the heart of the matter.
On her latest song, “Fast Fwd,” she’s growing into her own and stepping into a new era. In many ways, “Fast Fwd,” a hypnotic, sultry anthem, is landing just in time for summer revelry. Produced by her longtime collaborator, Naughty Boy, her silky vocals land effortlessly on the mid-tempo instrumental and pulsates with her desire for her love interest.
Joined on the song by her fiancé, Kida Kudz, they make an interesting duo and replicate the synergy they had on “Nobody,” off Kudz’s 2021 ‘Top Memba.’ Distinctively marked by use of neon lights, the video for the song captures the effervescence of romance that Tanika hums about throughout the song.
From working her way out of London’s Myatt’s Field to becoming a star with millions of streams, Tanika is now setting her sights on the bright lights of superstardom. Ahead of the official release of the single, we had a brief chat with Tanika about her career, the influences for “Fast Fwd,” and working with KIda Kudz on it.
Her answers, which follow below, have been lightly edited for clarity.
How would you describe where you are in your career right now?
I’m just enjoying the journey.
What does the release of “Fast Fwd” signify for you?
It signifies love.
Why is Kida Kudz a fit for the song? (
To be honest, we didn’t plan to do another song together. I have worked on two records with him before (“Nobody” and “Tasty Time” ) but we never thought to shoot a video for it.. “Fast Fwd” felt like a real testimony of our present moment in the relationship.
You’ve worked extensively with Naughty Boy and he’s helped with “Fast Fwd,” what’s your relationship like and why does it work?
Naughty Boy knows me very well. We’ve known one another for over 10 years, so he knows what fits me musically. We gel. I think him knowing me and being a fan of Kida’s music made it all work. Naughty Boy does his listening before he makes a beat for you. A lot of producers don’t really understand the importance of knowing the artist musically but he does.
What were you aiming for with the video?
To be honest, I’m aiming for nothing. I’m just enjoying the journey. It’s been a very long road and I know I still have a long way to go.
Catch an exclusive view of “Fast Fwd” below.
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Vlisco’s “The Garden Of Sisterhood” Campaign Comes To Life in New “MAYANGA” Video
A celebration of creativity and cultural
Dutch textile brand Vlisco recently unveiled its latest campaign ‘The Garden Of Sisterhood,’ as part of its women’s month celebration. The campaign, which looks to extend Vlisco’s rich legacy in African fashion and its ongoing celebration of creativity and cultural storytelling, takes inspiration from Congolese musical icon Fally Ipupa’s latest single, “Mayanga.” The song’s accompanying music video was shot in the Ivory Coast, and seamlessly balances Ipupa’s signature soulful Rumba music with intricate floral motifs and soft, elegant colour palettes that celebrate the strength and individuality that blossoms through community.
In addition to Fally Ipupa, Vlisco also tapped up Ivorian fashion designer Loza Maléombho and Nigerian director Daniel Obasi to contribute to ‘The Garden Of Sisterhood’ campaign. Maléombho’s unique designs and Obasi’s striking storytelling helped contribute to actualising Vlisco’s distinct aesthetic and vision of merging heritage, creativity and fashion.
In a statement discussing the collaboration with Vlisco, the Congolese superstar described it as a beautiful experience. “They understood my vision of working with talented artists and honouring the beautiful women who wear Vlisco fabrics. By creating exclusive designs for me and the remarkable women in the cast, Vlisco really brought our artistic vision to life, harmoniously fusing music and fashion,” he said.
Similarly, Marlou van Engelen, the creative director of Vlisco, expressed that it was an honour working with Fally Ipupa. “His song ‘MAYANGA’ perfectly reflects our admiration for the women who shaped us, inspire us, and mean so much to us. For us, it’s not just about fashion; it’s about the stories told through our beautiful prints. And I believe the best stories are always told together,” she said in a statement.
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The Freewheeling Vision of TG Omori
Having worked across every area in Nigeria’s sprawling music scene, T.G Omori’s lore has taken on an...
There are two types of producers in the industry: those who approach the art with a keen sense of business—they know how to sniff out opportunities, and are generally aware of industry-wide trends and currents—and those who set the tone, who set the standards. The latter group is the animating force of the industry, TG Omori says in a 2022 interview with Korty EO. During the interview, he’s slouched in his seat, framed against the backdrop of a grand piano, wearing a bandana, dark shades, and a silk Hawaiian shirt—the first few buttons undone to reveal a glistening silver chain. In the intervening moments—fractions of a second—before Korty responds to the loaded assertion he just trotted out, the air is thick with balmy anticipation and nervous excitement “Which group do you belong to?” She asks, lancing the tense air that had inflated sharply like a balloon. “Me? Which group do you think I belong to?” He fires back, his mouth drawn into a smile.
Music video production, is at its heart, an art form that is significantly beholden to the vision and whims of the music artist and label executives. Music video directors—rightly—have to walk the tightrope between sufficiently distilling the essence of a song into a video and managing the desires and whims of an artist and their representatives. The problem, however, is that in between all of this, there’s often little wiggle room for the director to execute his ideas significantly. The result is often a situation where the music video director becomes diminished from an artist to a little more than an artisan. TG Omori, however, has in his long career railed against this. There’s no doubt that like his peers he has to straddle the demands of the song and the vision of his clients, but he does this without effacing his distinctive creative language. He has a fluency in packing his work with heady joy, a joy that pervades and steadies Nigerian society despite the many challenges it’s faced with.
TG Omori stumbled into music video direction by chance. He had been struggling as an actor, begging directors for roles as an extra—his skits and sketches from this period are still available on the internet—when it dawned on him that achieving success as a performing act was incredibly difficult. He noticed that a lot of upcoming actors were struggling to get by and often had to abase themselves in the process of currying favors with directors. The role of film director slowly started to worm its way into his heart, driving a wedge between him and his acting aspirations. Finally won over, he made the pivot to filmmaking, eventually settling on music video direction on account of its relative ease.
His early works lack his distinctive style, instead taking inspiration from directors before him. Consider YCee’s “My Side” which he directed in 2018. The video opens with YCee perched atop a high-rise building. The colors are muted, contrasting his current works which generously deploy bright hues and saturated lighting. There’s a gorgeous scene where YCee is framed against a wall with slits. Shafts of light stream in from behind him, creating a transcendent portrayal of an animated silhouette enveloped in light. The entire video evokes the elevated minimalism of Moe Musa. Think of the opening scene where YCee saunters atop a high-rise building, it’s a motif that has been deployed countless times by Nigerian directors, but something about that scene—the minimalism of the setting juxtaposed with dynamic camera movements—brings to mind Moe Musa’s video for Olamide’s “Bobo.”
While his early works lack his signature–the distinctive exuberance we’ve come to know him for–they hold kernels of what would come to be. Even in the muted ambiance of “My Side,” we see an early iteration of the pristinely dynamic camera movements that sweep through his oeuvre. In the video of Olamide, Wizkid & ID Cabasa’s “Totori,” released in 2019, his directional language starts to take form. He was contracted at the last minute to film the video—he had less than a day to come up with a concept, marshal his crew and steward the logistical aspect of the shoot, and yet in this pressure cannon, a gem was formed.
The video contains just one main scene—one of the few vestiges of the shoot’s hurried nature. We see Wizkid and Olamide encircled by an energetic crowd. A circle of dark bodies sways to the beat, handkerchiefs flailing in the air. We also see the flamboyant lighting that has come to define TG Omori’s work. There are light sources outside the frame but the scene itself is illuminated by a clever array of light sources. Moving headlights cut through clouds of smoke, LED lights and tungsten bulbs of varying colors suffuse the atmosphere with warm iridescence. The effect is the feeling of being transported to a rave. What’s perhaps most striking about this video is that, having been hastily formulated, it contains a single scene, and yet not one minute of it feels boring or repetitive.
Having worked across virtually every area in Nigeria’s sprawling music scene T.G Omori’s lore has taken on an almost mythic quality over the years. However, nowhere is his impact more pronounced than in the Nigerian Street-Pop scene. Today, Street-Pop has largely ridden itself of its underground status. Artists like Seyi Vibez, Shallipopi, and Asake imperiously lord over charts in the country, each boldly raising the banner of their respective cities and hoods. But this wasn’t always the case. In Afropop’s early days, Street-Pop was relegated to the margins, sneered at by industry gatekeepers for its brash flourishes, even though the mainstream routinely tapped it for inspiration. By the early 2010s a new generation of Street-Pop acts—Olamide, Phyno, and Reminisce amongst others—would elevate Street-Pop’s profile to historic heights. But it still maintained an insidiously tense relationship with the mainstream.
The first signs of an industry-wide shift–the shift that has blossomed into Street-Pop’s hegemony today–arrived in 2019 at the height of the Zanku movement. The addition of “movement” underscores just how significant Zanku was. On one front, it’s the title of Zlatan’s titular 2018 hit and an acronym for the phrase “Zlatan Abeg No Kill Us.” But it’s also used to denote a distinct flavor of Street-Pop characterized by skittering drums, cascading percussion, and a laissez-faire style of delivery—heralded in late 2018 by Street-Pop folk heroes like Zlatan, Chinko Ekun, and Naira Marley.
When culture critics reminisce on the Zanku era, the focus is usually on the artists who spearheaded it, but T.G Omori’s contributions to that period of Street-Pop’s ascendancy are impossible to ignore. While the artists shaped the sounds and dance steps that defined its grassroots appeal, it was T.G Omori who gave it its distinctive aesthetic. His early collaborations with Zlatan—most notably on “Shotan” and “Bolanle” offered a template for how the videos of the era could be presented on screen: hyper-stylized yet rooted in the whimsical chaos of street culture. His use of slow motion, jump cuts, and dynamic tracking shots turned what would otherwise be yet another ephemeral trend in Afropop’s dynamic history into a cinematic experience that embodied the feeling of the era.
His video of Naira Marley’s “Soapy” is especially telling. Arriving in the wake of Naira Marley’s arrest by Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commision (E.F.C.C.), the video very cleverly satirizes the experience, framing him, as well as others who were arrested alongside him—Zlatan and Rahman Jago, amongst others—as heroes as opposed to criminals. It’s important to grasp the significance of this. Street-Pop acts had always been treated with suspicion. There almost seemed to be a tacit consensus that regardless of their success or status, they mirrored an unsavory part of society, and so they deserved the asterisk that seemed to loom over their every move. The arrest of Naira Marley and his posse only served to further strengthen this narrative. TG Omori’s video, however, spun an alternative narrative, a hagiography perhaps, from this fraught situation. The video opens with annotated mugshots of the group, their names tacked onto each mugshot. Through TG Omori’s lens, prison becomes transformed from a place of despondency to a sanctuary where friends happily muck around, regaling themselves with games and bubbly dancing.
TG Omori’s influence in shaping emerging sonic movements extends beyond the Zanku era. It’s impossible to recount Asake’s rise without considering the video director’s input. 2022 marked Asake’s singular and meteoric rise to fame. His music blurred the boundaries of genres, creating an amorphous sound spread across the continent with intensity. His ascendancy also broke the boundaries between Street-Pop and mainstream Afropop, marking the dawn of a new era. TG Omori played a pivotal part in Asake’s early days, crafting a freewheeling visual aesthetic to match Asake’s disposition for subversion. In the video of Asake’s “Peace Be Unto You,” we see his freewheeling ethos at its peak. The song’s themes span faith, hustle, success, and street credibility. In the hands of a lesser director, the video would have followed the familiar script of a grass-to-grace narrative. TG Omori, however, rejected that cliché in favor of a more abstract approach.
Each of the themes explored in the song is distilled to a representative scene, the scenes are then cleverly stitched into a brilliant whole. The opening sequence sees Asake on a motorcycle, a formation of riders trailing behind him. As he rips through the freeway, doting fans wave and scream in adulation. Watching this scene, one is tangibly enveloped in the feeling of street credibility, the sense of ascendancy, that Asake explores in the song. It’s poignant and symbolic, conveying the essence of the song in a manner that would be difficult to achieve with a literal narrative. Similarly, the video of Seyi Vibez’s “Shaolin,” TG Omori’s inaugural work following a health-induced break, defies any discernible narrative logic in favor of a freewheeling approach. The video’s boisterous energy almost seems like a bold assertion of his continued reign; as if to say “I’m back like I never left.”
In August of 2024, through a series of heart-wrenching videos, as well as tweets, TG Omori let the public in on his health challenges. In a tweet, he revealed that his only brother gave him a kidney, so he could live again. He revealed that the transplant failed and, later, brought on thoughts of mortality. In one harrowing photo he posted on his Instagram stories, he’s hooked to a life support machine, the words “I don’t want to die” superimposed on the image. In the intervening moments, prayers and well-wishes poured in from all corners of social media. In recent months, however, he appears to be in better health and has fully thrust himself back into work, with “Shaolin” being the first of many projects he has lined up.
Eight years after his directorial debut, he remains not just relevant, but the frontman in an industry that’s as cut-throat as it gets. It’s uncommon in Nigeria’s music scene—for a video director to maintain this level of dominance for nearly a decade into the game. It’s his fidelity to subversion and his unique perspective on the art of videography that has earned him his position as Nigeria’s foremost video director. To watch a TG Omori video is to be transported into a world of his creation: where the sun pulses with exuberance, foliage throbs with palpable life, streams of light vibrate with saturated colors, and the streets are perpetually packed with graceful black bodies. It is a world where, regardless of the tyranny of fate, joy manages to always streak through.
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