Nigerian pop songs have a tendency to be repetitive and un-experimental but there’s no denying that they give us some of the best feel good music. There’s little or nothing to learn about or explore or probe; you just play them because you know they’ll have a specific emotional effect and they’ll change your mood for the better. Koker has grown to be one of the more prominent names in Nigerian Afropop and his latest single, “Okay” typifies why he’s so lovable among Nigerians.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZD7BsoFpH6/?hl=en&taken-by=iam_koker

Over the mid-tempo salad of synth piano harmonies and drum riffs Minz produces, Koker sings on the frustration, dreams and hopes of the average Nigerian. He describes the society, “Money No Circulate/ People Dey Para” and explains that he just wants himself and friends to be “Okay”. The uplifting melodies encourage listeners that things will get better—a staple state of mind for a Nigerian’s survival.

While “Okay” addresses the societal realities in Nigeria, the approach is easy to lose sight of. Tekno tried this same approach last year with “Rara”, “Cooking Pot”, Orezi’s biggest single of the year, also intertwines social problems with a song that passes for your regular dj club spin. The machinations of pop is determined for this lone purpose, sadly it also means it won’t take long for “Okay” to become another song that merely passes through the same turn table. Still, this is single from an artist who mastered the use of nostalgia on his tribute to Shina Peter’s and debut single “Do Something”, and it’s hard to imaging “Okay” randomly shuffling into playlists on cloudy days that need to get sunnier.

Listen to Koker’s “Okay” below.

https://soundcloud.com/purple_tunes1/koker-okay-prod-by-minz

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/iam_koker

You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: Nigerian pop music is shallow and that’s how you like it