Hot Takes: Enisa, Davido, December in Lagos, Big Mouth & more
stop trying to make fetch happen
It’s December, the final month of what has been one of the most chaotic years in the past decade and I couldn’t be happier. 2020 has been a rollercoaster and we’re all edging towards that point where the ride’s doing a bit too much with the twists and turns and we just want to get off. But even though it’s starting to feel like the worst may have passed and we’re almost in the clear, it seems as though everyone is stumbling through a tough week to get by. With a looming sense of general exhaustion, it wouldn’t shock me to hear that we’re all just burnt out from the happenings of this crazy year and the effects are beginning to manifest.
This column was initially created to offer a bit of catharsis from the tumultuous new cycle and the happenings of this year but when the protests hit states around the country back in October, we took a much-needed pause to focus on championing and highlighting the plight of young Nigerians during the End SARS protests. There hasn’t been much to offer our hot takes about in the past few weeks seeing as we’re all trying to make it to the end of the year unscathed and in one piece. Come the existence of the COVID-19 vaccine or not, life is still happening all around us and even more so now that the popular ‘Detty December’ season is upon us. But this December seems to leave little to be desired unlike the others, and now, it just might be one of the cleanest we’ve had in a while. Around this time, we’re usually gearing up for festivities, but with limited IRL communication and large crowds still a hotbed for the virus to spread, we’ve got more time to kill on our hands. That’s why this week, we’re back to bringing you our hottest takes of the week.
This week, I’ve hit pause on many things but I still found time to binge-watch Netflix’s Big Mouth, listen to some Lo Village on repeat and tune into some trending topics on Twitter such as the imminent collaboration from Enisa and Davido which sparked off a conversation about tap dancing for the white man, YBNL Princess’ rant online and JT’s old tweets. Here are my hot takes for the week along with a bit of Mean Girls humour for you.
What I’m watching on Youtube: How Far? with Mr Eazi and Temi Otedola
I haven’t been going down YouTube rabbit holes like I used to, and that’s not because there isn’t an overflow of content but that my attention span is way too thin at the moment to handle any more information. However, over the weekend, I decided to have a look at Mr Eazi and Temi Otedola’s latest podcast called ‘How Far? with Mr Eazi and Temi Otedola’ where they talk about everything and anything pertaining to life, their careers and relationships. I really enjoyed the couple’s debut episode where they both spoke about paying for dates, flying people out and who gets to pay for what. It was cute seeing how close they were in their relationship and the comfort levels in their friendship. I love Love.
What I’m watching on Netflix: Big Mouth
Big Mouth season 4 is out! And I spent my entire weekend binge-watching the entire season because I have no self-control (just kidding) but it did make for a very convincing reason as to why I had to stay in bed all Saturday. Now, I know Big Mouth is a weird-ass show but I like mindless tv that doesn’t make me think too much and I can just watch it to forget what’s happening IRL. This season, the kids of Big Mouth are still going through changes and learning what it is to be hitting puberty, it’s cute seeing things we went through back then but from a more exaggerated and comical angle.
This season, however, I was most grateful for Missy’s character, the only black girl in the lead roles on Netflix’s Big Mouth who in recent seasons had no plot that extended beyond the men in her life. This time around, we get to learn more about Missy and how she interacts with her blackness for the first time. This also comes at a time where behind-the-scenes, the actor Jenny Slate who formerly voiced Missy’s character stepped down from the role so that a Black actor could provide the voice of a young woman finally owning her Blackness. In the penultimate episode, the comedian, writer, and actress Ayo Edebiri takes over, coinciding with a time of real awareness and growth in Missy’s character arc. It was done so well and was probably my best bit of the show. Also, this season also health with topics of anxiety and depression, and as someone that also struggles with similar experiences, I felt seen (to an extent).
What I’m listening to: “Out the Window” – Lo Village
Earlier this year, I came across a cool DMV-based band called Lo Village on a Spotify playlist. Their cool raps punctuated by the r&b vocals of the lead vocalist Ama drew me to dig deeper into their music and I learnt two of the band members were actually Ghanaian. Safe to say since then, I’ve been keeping up to date with the group’s releases and was pleased to find that they have their third studio album on the way later this month.
Last week, they released the project’s second promotional single, an upbeat socio-political number called “Out the Window” where they explore Blackness in America from their personal lenses. They address the racial uprisings that took over this summer, following the brutal death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many other Black people at the hands of the police. Here, both personal and political converge as they sing “I’m a soldier, I remain ten toes” reminding listeners everywhere that the battle isn’t over until we get justice. If you’re a fan of deeply introspective rap and killer hooks, then I’d definitely recommend this one. Can’t wait to see how their album comes along.
She doesn’t even go here
Over the weekend, I noticed that the name Enisa was trending and upon further investigation, I found that this was because the Albanian-American singer had sent out a call on social media for the remix of her latest single “Love Cycle”. Although many of her fans threw different responses her way, the response that generated the most buzz actually came from American rapper ABoogiewitDaHoodie who suggested that Davido appear on the remix. Trust Nigerians to flood her comments and stir up quite the buzz on social media, causing Davido to agree to this remix because the singer had used her platform to promote the End SARS protests that swept through the country back in October.
Let’s do it https://t.co/7F2miurmbT
— Davido (@davido) December 5, 2020
Not long after this, Nigerians continued to engage the singer by photoshopping her face until the bodies of women clad in vibrant coloured native attire and run up her streaming numbers that it her single entered the Top 100 on Apple Music. And it seems like since then, new achievements have been flying in for the singer who has now gained a ton of new social media followers as she thanked Nigerians on Twitter for all their love and support. Though it was alright at first, I did think she was overdoing it a bit with the tweets about Nigeria (I’ve just gone on there today and there’s a tweet from 7 hours ago about Nigerian jollof). And it’s not only her that’s done the most in this case, as Nigerians seem to have fully embraced her and invited her to the cookout when they’ve known her all of two seconds. I might just be hating, but think about it LOL.
Leave women alone
We all know that being a woman in Nigeria is hard but everyday I’m reminded further why this place is set up against us from the jump. In the past week, I have seen women insulted and debased online simply for living their lives and going through human experiences just as we are. Two days ago, the artist Temmie Ovwasa also known as YBNL Princess went on social media to talk about her ex-label YBNL and the label boss, Olamide, who she claimed allegedly stifled her chances of growth as an artist by withholding all the music and content she created for nearly five years.
Nigerians were not forthcoming with her sharing her experience and came after the artist for trying to drag Olamide, one of the most influential players in the Nigerian music scene today. It also didn’t strengthen her case that other new signees to the label such as Fireboy DML who’s music has endlessly come up in conversations surrounding afropop’s new vanguard. The comparison wasn’t fire judging that we don’t know the contracts between these artists and the label or what happened beyond the experiences that were shared by Temmi Ovwusa herself. It was made worse when I noticed Nigerians insulting Temmie as the cause of her failures pointing to her mental health struggles, her tattoos and coloured hair as the reason for her shortcomings. Profiling of this kind is exactly what we have been speaking so fiercely against this year, particularly during the End SARS movement. We’re no different from the older generation if we continually fail to approach situations and people with nuance and empathy.
Besides this, just today a viral video of three women dancing and smoking to Rexxie and MohBad’s latest single “KPK” was circulating on social media. These women, clearly close girlfriends were in their room, in lingerie dancing and smoking to the hit song but Nigerians online didn’t seem to agree with their actions. They were slutshammed and insulted, called all kinds of names because they were donned in tattoos and coloured hair and they dared to be women dancing and enjoying each other’s company, and worse of all, dressed the way they did without maintaining ‘decency’. I think its high time that we allowed women to make choices about their bodies without scrutinising them endlessly all in the name of decency. Men are never held to these higher standards of decency and they are never at the receiving end of being stripped by soldiers on the road, as has become increasingly popular these days. If this offends you then you need to stay out of women’s business. Period.
– Singer – YBNL princess drags her Ex record label boss – Olamide. pic.twitter.com/SRPkE3CCLR
— Postsubman (@Postsubman) December 7, 2020
JT is just as mean as her raps
The City Girls have always been the mean girls of rap and I don’t think people realised the gravity of such a title until recently when JT came under heat for her problematic old tweets from past years. At this point, it’s customary for celebrities to get their old problematic tweets plastered on the timeline as a means to reconcile whether the artist has done any growing or if they still hold the same harmful views. Public apologies have become increasingly popular and the notes app has been put to work this year but nothing prepared us for JT’s old tweets which saw the rapper coming for every and anybody on the planet if she didn’t like your face.
After being trolled online for her old tweets, the rapper eventually deleted her verified account and made a new account where she’s been freely tweeting up quite the storm. JT is the definition of the Unfriendly Black Hottie and her new account bio is all the proof you need, it reads ‘if you here to hate, leave now dirty bitch!’ It seems that the rapper is not apologetic about her past and she’s ready for all the smoke from trolls, critics, and fans online.
Hi.
— JT. (@ThegirlJT) December 8, 2020
The other half of the fierce Miami crew, Yung Miami made sure that JT was not the only City Girl catching the heat and posted a disturbing tweet about pregnancy and motherhood that many fans online did not think was funny or factual, and actually irresponsible for an artist with such a big platform. Neither of the City Girls seemed to care as they went on to promote their new song and capitalise on the viral moment. That’s true friendship to me and I love it when women don’t take shit from anyone, this may not be the perfect example of this by a long shot but I, for one, will still be listening to “City on Lock” and shouting all the quotables from the meanest rap girls in the game.
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.@tamimak_ is just trying to make it to the end of the year
ICYMI: Protecting women means more than a hashtag
NATIVE PREMIERE: Rigo Kamp Runs Ahead Of The Pack With The Visuals For “Marathon”
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:
Listen to the Rigo Kamp EP:
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Togo YEYE & VLISCO’s new collaboration is a celebration of Lomé’s thriving creative scene
Togo YEYE is a community we are building for us by
Togo YEYE, a creative duo formed by Lomé-based creative director Malaika Nabillatou and London-based photographer Delali Ayivi, is a conceptual publication that was created to empower and champion Togo’s young fashion creatives. Since its inception in 2021, Togo YEYE has released several personal projects and has also partnered with a number of brands to further its hugely imaginative aesthetic mandate. For their latest collaboration, Togo YEYE teamed up with textile printing company VLISCO to present Blossoming Beauty. Tagged as a love letter to Togo’s creative community, the campaign captures Lomé’s scenic beauty alongside VLISCO’s vibrant prints with the aim of connecting the feminine grace of nature with identity and artistry.
What does Togo YEYE mean?
Malaika Nabilatou: My name is Malaika Nabilatou, I’m the creative director of Togo YEYE. I’m Togolese and I was born and grew up in Lomé. I see myself as a West African creative director and I’m working to be the best in a few years. Togo YEYE means new Togo in Ewe, one of the most popular languages spoken in the South of Togo.
What inspired you to create Togo YEYE?
Malaika Nabilatou: We started this project, my friend Delali and I, 5 years ago. We just wanted to show that Togolese youth are also creative. Togo YEYE is a community we are building for us by us. It wasn’t just a project for Delali and I. It’s become something for the creative scene of Lomé. Lomé is like our studio.
What role does Togolese culture play in your creative process?
Maryline Bolognima: For me, Togolese culture comes first. For example, in the South, there are the people of Anero. If you come, you can go to Anero. In the North, there are the Evals, so if you come to Togo, you’ll learn a lot.
What’s the most exciting part of working as a team on projects like this?
Malaika Nabilatou: I need to tell the truth, we dreamt about this campaign before [it happened]. When VLISCO contacted us, we were like wow. I can’t really explain how thankful we are to VLISCO for trusting us. Because it’s a risk that they took by trusting us, making that campaign here with our team and honestly we are going to keep it in our hearts for the rest of our lives.
Claudia Sodogbe: For me, it is the first big contract of my life that I had with Togo YEYE. I still remember, on the last day of the shoot, I was feeling nostalgic about separating from the teams and the others. It went well in any case, and I’m very grateful to have been on this project.
What has been your proudest moment as part of Togo YEYE?
Malaika Nabilatou: I think the proudest moment I had with this campaign was when I saw the result first on the website. When I saw the story, I was like “wow, we finally made it.”
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Inside The Parties Breathing New Life Into Lagos’ Nightlife Scene
No matter who you, these parties provide a safe space to let loose without fear of objectification or...
The crowd marches along on the dancefloor, vibrating to a pulse that is both familiar and electrifying. It takes a second to identify Grammy nominee, Rema’s “Ozeba,” pouring out of the speakers and whipping the crowd into a frenzy as it takes on new life as a turbulent EDM track. The crowd growls and screams in approval of the DJ’s remix, yet another banger in a night filled with back-to-back hits. Hands in the air, sweat dripping from glistening bodies, smoke floating around the dancefloor and young people gyrating with reckless abandon, Element House provides the people with the release they deserve and they reward it with an undying loyalty to its rhythm and raves as they keep coming back.
Party culture has taken on new dimensions in Nigeria over the last two decades as a reaction to economic, social and cultural progressions. This evolution of the way we party is significant considering that Nigeria is a society that lays heavy emphasis on certain accepted standards of moral behavior, rooted in culture and tradition. But that has never once stopped a good time from happening. Millennials and older gen-z will remember the street parties and carnivals of old, usually held at the end of summer holidays or in December, where music by TuFace, Mo’Hits, Akon, Shakira, Lady Gaga and 50 Cent were the staple, among others. There were certain songs automatically expected from any DJ worth his salt otherwise it was not too far-fetched to see a DJ, with his equipment on his head, fleeing for his safety while being chased by an irate mob of partygoers.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. These carnivals and street parties might have been phased out but the idea remains the same while the power and influence of communities powering party culture in Lagos and Nigeria at large has only gotten stronger, especially with the advent of social media. The Block Party series–started in Lagos, Nigeria as the Mainland Block Party–has become the go-to event to celebrate youth culture and foster connections that cut across multiple African cities and walks of life. Today, with curated events in Ibadan, Abuja, Lagos, Accra and others, a community of partygoers is assured maximum enjoyment whenever the Block Party organisers announce an event in their city of the month. The people will always return to where their tastes are catered to, bringing along friends, family and newbies eager to bask in the atmosphere of loud music and togetherness.
In 2012, Warner Bros. Pictures released Project X–a film that follows three friends and high-school students who attempt to gain popularity by throwing a party which ends up escalating out of their control and reaching epic proportions. This idea propagated by Hollywood would go on to influence several house parties thrown in Lagos during the mid to late 2010s. The idea that with the right DJ/music playing at the right venue and with just the right crowd, then immortality was possible–a party so grand that it would be spoken about in glowing terms for years to come until it became lore. Today, house parties are more intimate and controlled, the degrees of separation between attendees reduced by a mutual friend or WhatsApp group they all have in common. From game nights to karaoke sessions to kinky sex parties, whether it’s at Balloons & Cups, a Vogue Boys pool party, or a get-together by the ‘Lagos on a Budget’ IG Community, the role house parties play in the ever evolving party culture is not insignificant, creating a pipeline that feeds into the much larger raves which weekends in Lagos are becoming synonymous with.
Whether it’s Element House today, Mainland House tomorrow, Group Therapy next weekend, WIRED or a host of other house and EDM inspired movements, partygoers are spoiled for choice when it comes to where to indulge their fundamental music tastes in a secure and controlled environment. Nothing is off the menu and a good time is the only badge of honor worth collecting. The increasing popularity of the rave movement in recent years is testament to the fact that it works for both organizers and attendees. The Covid-19 lockdowns changed the way Nigerians party; after months of being isolated from their communities and having to socialize in more intimate and private spaces, it’s no surprise that raves, with their underground nature, became the outlet of choice for several young people as soon as the world opened back up. According to Tonia, a medical doctor and frequent raver living in Lagos, her first few times at parties following the end of the lockdowns were not fun. “I was partying with caution, wearing face masks constantly and carrying hand sanitizer around. It became a much better experience subsequently when everything relaxed and soon enough, I was back enjoying the time of my life at Lagos parties.”
Unburdened from the heavy spending, bottle-popping culture that characterizes Lagos nightlife and cloaked in the embrace of judgment-free anonymity and numbers, raves have become a safe haven for a community of partygoers determined to turn up in the midst of the sheer craziness of living in this day and age. For Michael-Peace, a brand & creative assistant and frequent raver, the appeal goes beyond a need to unwind and the feelings of peace he experiences at raves. “Whether I’m listening to the DJ or just watching the crowd move to the music, it’s a very mindful experience for me,” he says.“I’m grateful to just be there and appreciative of how we can all be one community or family for that period of time.”
The appeal of the rave scene is its inclusivity and it’s a common theme for the new wave of parties exploding in Lagos and environs. No matter who you are or what you stand for, these parties provide a safe space to let loose without fear of objectification or discrimination resulting from socio-economic and political differences, misogyny and other less elegant occurrences which are part of mainstream Nigerian nightlife. This is important to Tonia who, on multiple occasions, has been prevented by bouncers from entering clubs without a male companion. “I’ll always prefer raves, they are much freer and nobody is performing here. There’s no need to show off the number of bottles you bought like there is in a club. Everyone just wants to turn the fuck up and have the time of their lives.”
For five or six hours, the disco lights, turbulent music and fellow ravers provide solace from the outside world. “Dancing the night away” is not merely a suggestion but a divine mandate from the gods of the rave. It is almost impossible to emerge after such an experience and not want to do it again. The music beckons all and sundry to come out, purge yourself of all inhibitions on the dancefloor, then return home and spread the gospel of the electronic music scene to all who might listen. In Michael-Peace’s own words: “There are people I’ve put onto raves and who loved the experience and constantly thank me for introducing them to it. Once you get hooked on it, you’ll never want to let go.”
Party culture in Nigeria continues to evolve as the new wave of parties mark their time and place in history. But the street parties and carnivals of yesteryears are not to be forgotten. The power of community continues to connect the old wave with the new wave, ensuring that actual people remain the focal point of these events, and party goers can enjoy nightlife experiences uniquely tailored to their ever changing wants and needs.
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