Nothing kind of prepares you for a great trap bop. The best ones always creep up on you, starting with an unassuming piano melody, the simpler the better. A basic riff, on which the bass heavy percussions can ride, on which the rap. As a genre, Trap is only starting to gain mainstream attention in Nigeria, partly because of our continuing obsession with American hip-hop and its various iterations, splicing it with our own traditional genres to create sonic hybrids and sub genres. Terry Apala is the most visible progenitor of Nigeria’s Afrotrap movement but rapper and producer King Jamal, and his faithful to the original approach to the genre.

King Jamal has worked extensively as a producer, dropping the criminally underrated Lost In The Beat III  instrumental album last year, and his debut single as a performing artist “The Fall” earlier this year. He returns to his Roland TR-808 Drum Machine and classic sound for his second single “No Love”. Self produced, Jamal is all hype, delivering impassioned lines in a style that reminds you of the new kings of trap-hop. Sampling, sound effects for emphasis and layering vocal work for emphasis and switching between sung rap and straight up fire, Jamal reminds us that loyalty in supreme in an industry where the groupies are transient and the hype men are flaky. Your craft and your swagger is all you have when the lights go off and the fans disperse.

Sound advice if you ask us.

Listen to “No Love” here.

Watch Video for J Hus’ “Common Sense”