GRAY417C’S ‘BREATHINMYWORDS’ is a love letter to critical race theory
The film aims to shine light on the systems that encroach on the basic human rights whilst actively stifling and stagnating development
Words by Elisha Tawe
“Adhesive with my thoughts so my people come first,
converse with your people so they know who came first,
ain’t really into lectures so I spit it in a verse”
– STILLBLUE
Multidisciplinary creative duo GRAY417C’s latest short film ‘BREATHINMYWORDS’ came to fruition in 2020, a year shrouded in political, social and ecological turmoil. From the global pandemic which hit in its first quarter to the various protests that followed, 2020 was nothing short of an Orwellian nightmare. ‘BREATHINMYWORDS’ was initially inspired by the uptick in the Black Lives Matter movement following the death of George Floyd – which shone a new light on the grave racial injustices occurring in the West, but encouraged little discourse around the carnage left behind by colonialism, neocolonialism and ongoing imperialism in Africa. While the BLM protests have reignited the will to fight in Black people globally, there is still a lot to be done.
Movements such as EndSARS in Nigeria, Congo Is Bleeding, Am I Next in South Africa, Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon and Shut It All Down in Namibia, late last year, began to take centre stage and rally a greater global convergence and exchange of views and purpose. However, it is important that individuals approach the issues being raised by the respective movements with nuance and knowledge of the histories and stories of the nations and peoples on and off the continent.
The ‘BREATHINMYWORDS’ film and accompanying song of the same name – by artist Stillblue from his debut project Systematic Sentiment – aims to shine light on these systems, that encroach on the basic human rights of individuals across the continent while actively stifling and stagnating development. ‘BREATHINMYWORDS’ was created as a tool to encourage individuals to delve into the histories of their countries, as African nations are rich fountains of traditions and ideologies that can be harnessed in order to push them forward.
BREATHINMYWORDS is broken up into 3 parts. Each new segment is introduced through the consumption of a pill by the protagonist. The pills transport the protagonist into other states of being as showcased through the use of different visual styles. The first state represents the dormant individual who does not see or understand the white supremacist capitalist patriarchy for what it really is but is attempting to break through. After popping a pill, the protagonist is transported to a state of revelation in which he is able to bear witness to the atrocities that have occurred in Africa over the past centuries. This second state is communicated through an amalgamation of found footage that highlights great African leaders who are all too often forgotten; juxtaposing them against atrocities which have bedevilled Africa. We are then transported to the protagonist in a cage – a symbolic representation of our educational system and mainstream media – where the final pill is consumed, and the protagonist enters a stage of enlightenment.
Coincidentally, the title ‘breath in my words’ highlights the power of our voices in the same manner as the ‘Soro Soke’ (speak up) chant that became the slogan for a generation refusing to be silent on social injustices, in solidarity with the EndSARS protesters. Hopefully through this work, individuals are able to educate themselves, become politically active and speak up so that their aspirations may shape the future.
Credits:
Music by STILLBLuE & ramo
Produced by GRAY417C
Creative direction by STILLBLuE, Rahim Mussa & Elisha Tawe
Photography by Rahim Mussa
Edited by Elisha Tawe & Mohamed Mussa
Elisha Tawe (Instagram: @vicious_roy) is an audiovisual artist and style editor at A2.O Mag. His work focuses on the historical impacts of art and fashion on subcultures and social movements. Elisha is currently based in the UK and holds an MA in Media and Communications.
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Maya Amolo Is Committed To Giving You The Sweetest Time
There’s undoubtedly more to come from the talented singer as she looks to solidify herself as one of the...
“Sweetest Time,” Maya Amolo’s latest single, is a soothing, lovesick confessional that mixes intimate, heartfelt lyricism with wistful production courtesy of Ugandan musician and producer SOULCHYD aka MAUIMØON. Alongside fellow Kenyan singer Ywaya Tajiri, the self-acclaimed sweetest girl delivers a lustrous duet that sees her soft vocals, which perfectly complement Tajiri’s more robust voice, skip and flit across moody synths, intensifying the spotlight on her wholehearted delivery. “I can feel you rushing through my system / Every single day it’s my religion,” she sings passionately halfway into the record. The whole thing sounds like the aural equivalent of a warm blanket; a truly affectionate record that immerses and envelopes its listeners in its warmth. This is the brand of vulnerable, understated R&B music that has been helping Amolo gain significant attention since she debuted in the pandemic year.
Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Amolo always had an affinity for music. The singer and producer, who took on piano and guitar lessons as a child, has previously credited acts like Brandy, Erykah Badu, Prince, and Kenyan musical icon Eric Wainaina as her early influences – and it’s easy to see how Amolo’s style draws from this strong lineage of musicians whose music is equally expansive, soothing and vulnerable. After years experimenting with different styles, recording covers to beats she ripped from YouTube and posting them on her Soundcloud page, Amolo released her debut project ‘Leave Me At The Pregame’ in 2020.
The EP, which quickly soared up the charts in Kenya, served as a brief but emphatic introduction to Amolo’s minimalistic take on R&B. Standouts like the emotive opener “Puddles,” “Lush Green”, and “Jokes” showcase her clever and poignant lyricism that reflects on themes of love, depression, and self-healing. Along with sparse, melancholic production and the icy sensuality of her voice, Amolo delivered a remarkable debut that made her one of the most promising figures in Nairobi’s alternative music scene. Two years after ‘Leave Me At The Pregame,’ the Kenyan rising star released her debut album, ‘Asali.’
‘Asali,’ which translates to “honey” in her native Kiswahili, showcased Amolo’s progression as both an artist and a human being, as she swapped out the sad-girl tunes that filled her debut EP for more vibrant and intricate records – thanks in part to Sir Bastien and Kenyan producer and rapper Lukorito – that explore themes of growth and the complexities and rich luster of love. The album’s lead singles, “Foundry” and the self-produced “Can’t Get Enough,” found relative success on streaming platforms, placing Amolo as one of the continent’s most exciting new R&B voices. About a year after the release of ‘Asali,’ Amolo updated the album with 8 new songs on a deluxe version that featured Kenyan stars like Bensoul, Xenia Manasseh and Zowie Kengocha.
In August 2024, a few months after she delivered a splendid Colors performance, Amolo released a new project titled ‘What a Feeling.’ The 5-track EP, which essentially serves as an ode to Amolo’s home city, Nairobi, sees her experimenting with an array of dance sub-genres without straying too far from her R&B roots. While the project still retains much of the melancholy and elegance that defined her earlier work, there’s a hypnotic and pulsating energy that courses through ‘What A Feeling,’ that highlights a shift in the singer’s sensibilities. Amolo’s honeyed vocals gently seep through subtle Dancehall, Electronic, R&B and House-inspired production and the accompanying visualizer, a mashup of camcorder footage of her and her friends in Nairobi, also adequately captures the charming and nocturnal vibe of the tape.
The project produced standout tracks like the sensual “Let It Flow,” the title track and “Take It,” which later got remixed by Ugandan singer Soundlykbb and rapper SGawD. With Amolo’s latest release, “Sweetest Girl,” the Kenyan rising star continues her intricate exploration of R&B music, merging it with varying styles to produce her own distinct and refreshing variant. There’s no telling what Amolo might do next, but with only a handful of releases to her name so far, there’s undoubtedly more to come from the talented singer as she looks to solidify herself as one of the genre’s most prominent faces across the continent.
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T.I Blaze Updates ‘Shakur’ EP With Deluxe Version
Following the success of “Trenches Luv,” the street-pop star is back with seven new songs on the deluxe...
Over the last few years, street-pop, a guttural version of afropop, has surged to mainstream popularity, birthing stars like Asake, Seyi Vibez, and Shallipopi. On the homefront, a generation of younger stars also put unique spins on the sound. Singer, T.I Blaze, has been a notable star in the sub-genre since his 2021 single, “Sometimes,” and a subsequent remix with icon, Olamide, launched him into a different stratosphere.
Since “Sometimes,” Blaze has established his profile as a reliable source for songs that reflect the pulse of the streets while archiving his come-up story across a debut album (‘El Major’) and three extended plays like ‘The Fresh Prince Of Lagos’ and ‘Dangerous Wavy Baby.’ His 2024 EP, ‘Shakur,’ further underscored his evolution as an artist, featuring slippery numbers about escapism, his thoughts on life in the fast lane, and brotherhood with features from rising stars like Tml Vibez and BhadBoi Oml.
In 2025, the singer has picked up where he left off last year, releasing “Trenches Luv,” a balmy February release that examines the dynamics of romance from his point of view as a young adult moulded by the hard realities of life on the street. The success of “Trenches Luv” has led to a deluxe version of ‘Shakur’ with the singer adding seven new songs to the original version of the project. Impressively, on the new version of the project, TI Blaze taps up Ayo Maff and Ghanaian star Arathejay on “My Brother” and “Mario Remix,” respectively.
Led by a galala-inflected opener, “Track 1,” ‘Shakur (Deluxe)’ is both raw and complex with the singer sounding refreshed on songs like “My Brother,” “Dodge,” and “Introduction.” In many ways, this project is an invitation for listeners to explore the many facets of T.I Blaze’s artistry as well as a portent to celebrate his roots and offer a glimpse at his evolution.
Listen to ‘Shakur (Deluxe)’ here.
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Rigo Kamp’s Marathon video is an intimate Afro-juju revival that pays homage to Sir Shina Peters and stamps...
Last Friday, Rigo Kamp, a NATIVE uNder alum and one of the architects of an equal parts nostalgic and refreshing sound released his self-titled debut EP, delivering a propulsive fusion of Alte, R&B, Funk, and Soul-infused rhythms.
Featuring previously released singles “Morning Sun” and “Summer”, the six-track eponymous EP executively produced by Odunsi The Engine sees Rigo lean heavily into his element as a sonic alchemist, jumping from silky falsettos to gritty grooves without losing an ounce of cohesion, and ultimately stamping the Abuja-born, Lagos-based singer-songwriter as a mad scientist of sound.
Just last November, Apple Music named Rigo Kamp as its Up Next artist, an acknowledgment that underscored his potential and confirmed what the tastemakers and underground scene already knew. Weeks later, he delivered an exhilarating live set for Spotify Fresh Finds in Lagos, proving he’s just as compelling live as he is in the studio.
On “Marathon”, the refreshing opener to the Rigo Kamp EP, Rigo borrows the bounce and swagger of Afro-Juju legend, Sir Shina Peters’ golden-era, fusing nostalgia with re-imagination to birth a vintage performance that feels like a private party for two, where it’s just Rigo, and you.
Get an exclusive first look at the video for Marathon here:
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