Making great rap music & chasing money are not mutually exclusive
The pursuit of money should never dampen the need to making excellent, and vice versa
One of JAY-Z’s most quoted passages comes from “Moment of Clarity” on ‘The Black Album’, where he raps: “I dumb down for audience to double my dollars/they criticise me for it yet they all yell HOLA!/If skills sold truth to be told, I’d probably be lyrically Talib Kweli/truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common sense, but I did five mill, I ain’t been rhyming like Common since.” At the time of these raps, Hov had been running the rap game for six straight summers and was already established as the G.O.A.T, yet here he was, explaining the motivation behind the commercial tilt of his music.
As an art-from which focuses a lot on how its practitioners use words (especially among its fair share of purists) rappers who consider themselves to be the best are usually held to high standards when it comes to content and technical writing. Prior to today’s more diverse and boundless hip-hop terrain, the perception that a rapper was compromising lyrical depth and complexity for crossover appeal was frowned upon by these purists.
In his memoir, “Decoded”, JAY explained that he started out in the late ‘80s wanting to be the best technical wordsmith possible, but upon realising hip-hop’s bright future and seeing rap as a potent medium to deliver stories and life lessons, he began to tailor his music to entertain and connect with more people than it impressed upon. This strategy clearly paid off for him, and JAY-Z is widely regarded as the greatest these days, carving his name into music history books—quite literally—through skill and clarity. The rap mogul is walking proof that making great rap music and cashing huge cheques are not mutually exclusive.
In Nigeria’s needlessly segregated hip-hop scene, there’s the currently held belief that being overtly ‘lyrical/hardcore’ is a recipe for constantly fighting obscurity, while rappers who are commercially successful by peddling different varieties of pop-rap aren’t to be looked at through a lens of critical (rap) acclaim. The effect of this dichotomy is that, the English rap is seen as struggling, while indigenous rap music is sometimes dismissed as an artless form of hip-hop. While this contrasting narrative has been pushed to fans, what’s precarious is that it’s being internalised and publicly projected by the rappers themselves.
On “STFU”, the intro track of his newly released sophomore project, ‘Codename, Vol. II’, Dremo issues a stern declaration of where his intentions lie. Rapping with ferocity, the DMW rapper requests for his name to be left out of conversations about who the best rappers are, since being regarded as the best doesn’t expressly secure him a bag or put food on his table. Ironically, on the day of the project release, there was a whole debate on Twitter about whether or not Dremo was indeed one of—if not—the best rapper in Africa.
The debate, which featured a stinging, yet, ultimately friendly back-and-forth between Ycee and DMW label boss Davido, was more or less an indicator that wanting to be regarded as (one of) the best is an intrinsic and almost inescapable part of rap music, depending on the degree to which each rapper cares. While Dremo claims that he’s only focused on making his money, he can’t control discussions on whether he’s the best—or even a good rapper to begin with—especially in this era of stan culture.
Regardless of where they place their sights, fans will always be selfish enough to believe that their favourite rap artists are the whole package, and casual listeners and didactic enthusiasts will always want to add their two cents. In Dremo’s case, more people went ahead to listen to his new project so that they could chime in on the debate with their opinions—which turned out to be very mixed. Without a doubt, ‘Codename, Vol. II’ is a clear upgrade from its 2018 predecessor; it has the sense of urgency ‘Vol. I’ lacked, the production is diverse and worth its weight, and Dremo sounds more confident than ever while rapping and in his several singing forays.
All these positives, however, don’t quite make up for the project’s negatives, with the most glaring one being that Dremo very often conflates his forward momentum with quality. Regardless, he’s still very prominent in our music scene today, and the reason all of this sticks out is that if there’s a Nigerian rapper who should unanimously be regarded as the whole package, it’s Dremo.
As far as artistic sensibilities go, he’s the middle-of-the-road rapper, who can work within a wide range of rap sub genres as well as afropop. It also helps that he delivers his lyrics in a mix of English and Yoruba, so his sound is quite malleable. In the last eighteen months alone, he’s been on songs with Reekado Banks, Psycho YP, Zlatan, Zilla Oaks and more, without ever sounding out of place. In all this, I don’t think Dremo has ever been put under the pressure to become something of a Nigerian rap messiah, but it’s interesting, however, it’s still quite interesting (and a little disappointing) that he’s not exactly bothered by the expectation that he should be making great rap songs and expressly good projects.
In declaring that making money is his priority, Dremo is decidedly playing into pre-existing tropes, hedging himself closer to the indigenous and pop-rap sect that has a the mainstream in chokehold currently, but is sometimes not awarded its due songwriting credit. In actuality, though, indigenous rappers are not only making some of the most popular rap songs, they’ve been putting out some of the best rap songs in a long time.
Just this week, we commemorated the 10-year anniversary of DaGrin’s passing, an artist who effectively changed the rap game in Nigeria by staying true to his roots, and is widely regarded as one of the best to ever come out of the country. In comparison to DaGrin, whose music still adhered to the more traditional style of rapping, the newer crop of rappers he paved the way for mirror the amorphous and radical nature of rap, globally, but don’t always get their deserved props. For example, Naira Marley’s phenomenal 2019 run was powered by hit songs that made full use of his ability as a quips, as well as his sly yet infectious delivery. Somehow, though, debates still hover around Naira’s validity as a rapper.
It might as well be the aftereffect of “Local Rappers”, the levelling and defining collaboration between Reminisce, Olamide and Phyno that also resulted from elitist concerns. Beyond the cycle of cause and effect, what is most important is, between Olamide’s “Voice of the Streets” and Phyno’s “Alobam”, indigenous rap artists have delivered defining songs while being bankable. Even the supposedly struggling English rap scene has produced independent and talented cult acts like Show Dem Camp and A-Q, who are adjusting the notion of what it means to be successful rappers through the lenses of their own successes.
The narrative that a rappers have to choose between making great rap music or aiming for popularity needs to be challenged and eradicated. As long as the music slaps when we hear it, it’s completely fine for a rapper to switch up their style to improve their chances at wider prominence, however, shouldn’t be an acceptable excuse to deliver shoddy rap. With this in mind all the time, younger rappers will understand that they can aspire to have it all. The pursuit of money, while noble, shouldn’t dampen the pursuit of making excellent rap music, and vice versa.
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
AFROPOP ON THE RISE: WE’RE WITNESSING A DOMINANT NEW LINE IN THE AFROPOP VANGUARD
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.
Keep reading...
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.
Keep reading...
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:
Keep reading...
