Olamide, Naira Marley & the legitimacy of indigenous rappers
On the need to accept that street-bred artists who rap deserve their props as true lyricists
In January 2015, Reminisce, Olamide and Phyno altered the landscape of Nigerian rap music, and by extension, all of Afropop. The three rappers came together for “Local Rappers”, the scorching, classic single which pronounced the beginning of a new regime. “Streets ti takeover, punchline o ja’wo mo (Streets have taken over, punchlines don’t cut it anymore)”, they aggressively chanted over Tyrone’s ominous and gloriously thumping beat.
At the time of this collaboration, all three rappers were already prominent figures in pop culture: Reminisce was gearing up to release his third studio album, ‘Baba Hafusa’, Olamide was four albums deep with numerous hits, and Phyno had become the new face of indigenous rap from the East. With all these successes, though, critical praise was being hoarded in some quarters, especially amongst those who didn’t consider rappers who rap in their native tongues true lyricists. To that effect, “Local Rappers” wasn’t just six middle fingers thrown up at naysayers, it was the sounding horn for a siege that has only become stronger over time.
These days, street-bred music is more integral to the lifeblood of Afropop than it has ever been. A significant portion of the artists that operate in this space use rapping as their preferred vocal medium, but they still face the same stigma of not being regarded as rappers in their own right. In the past year, debates on whether Naira Marley should be considered a rapper or not have popped up frequently, with the detracting side claiming he and other similarly styled artists don’t make ‘real hip-hop’. Without mincing words, this stance is—and has always been—antiquated.
On “360 Poetry”, a standout cut off his 2006 mixtape, ‘Pentium IX’, respected Nigerian lyricist Modenine rapped, “afro hip-hop needs to go to the barber”, an unsubtle dig at rappers who were beginning to infuse elements of their local language into their music. For Modenine, making rap music meant “keeping it real” and adhering to the musical blueprints of pioneering hip-hop acts from the late ‘70s and the ‘80s. What this idealistic point of view doesn’t consider is that, you can’t expect someone who was born and raised in Ojuelegba to rap in the same way as another person who lives in Brooklyn.
Currently, rap music is the biggest genre in the world, and while its global listenership is important for this prestigious standing, its global adoption is also a defining factor. As hip-hop culture traversed the world, inspired and talented artists in each country adopted its musical attribute, with many making sure to localise their own music by infusing elements that are distinct to their environment. In fact, this is the foundation of contemporary afropop.
Pioneering afropop acts of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, such as the Trybesmen, Maintain and Plantashun Boiz, were known for dousing their hip-hop/R&B-influenced leanings with distinctly Nigerian qualities, like the stories they told and their liberal use of pidgin. In doing this, they weren’t diluting the essence of hip-hop, rather they were creatively evolving those influences to assimilate their peculiarities. While they amplify this ideal much more, indigenous rappers of these days are only working within the same context. These artists are reflecting their societal and linguistic conditions, while also tapping into a myriad of musical influences and setting trends in the process. That’s ingenious, if you ask me.
On the other side of this madcap creativity, is the widespread acceptance of these locally-indented and street-bred from of music. Over the last decade, no rapper has held Nigerian pop culture in a chokehold like Olamide; Phyno and Reminisce are still two of the most bankable rappers in Nigeria; with his slew of anthems, Naira Marley dominated music conversations last year; and Illbliss may not be in his phase of consistent hits, but he’s made an enduring career off rapping in a mix of English, pidgin and Igbo.
All of these successes isn’t really unprecedented, though. In his classic 2007 single, “Ruggedy Baba”, Ruggedman points that “the fusion of grammar, your slang and your mother tongue” is a sure way of connecting to listeners in and from your homeland, and it also roots your music as it travels all over the world. Even though he spits most of his lyrics in clear English, the Yoruba folk production and 9ice’s phenomenal hook in Yoruba were markers that Ruggedman was somewhat prescient and on-the-money. He wasn’t detracting from or predicting doom on English-speaking rappers, but letting his colleagues understand the legitimacy of those who choose not to rap in English or adhere to old rules.
Following the stunning run and nationwide success of the late great Dagrin, you’d expect for there to be a permanent change. Instead, indigenous rappers still have to contend with the same thumbed nose treatment from a self-appointed cognoscenti. The amusing part about this view, is that you can find older precedents for even the most eccentric personalities in this sect: Mr Real is more or less mid ‘00s Soulja Boy, who grew up in Agege, and you can trace the rambunctious yelps of Slimcase all the way back to Public Enemy’s Flava Flav.
In more ways than one, the growth of street-bred rap mirrors the growth of hip-hop in general. As it’s become more global, rap music has evolved into a multiplex of styles, and the genre has only grown bigger from accepting the legitimacy of these formerly unorthodox and more melodic deliveries. In the U.S, trap music and its variety of adjacent stylings have pushed past the backlash of boom-bap purists to become pop music norm, the Chicago-popularised drill music now has strong footholds in the U.K and amongst a sect of Latinx rappers, while Latin Trap and French rap music are making global superstars of their foremost purveyors.
Can’t wait until the day that people realize the biggest artist in the world being a rapper is a huge win for the culture.
—
(@Dr_Sweets23) April 6, 2020
Drake once rapped, “I’ve got the billboard melodies, rap is just something I do on the side”, a conceited smirk at the criticisms he’s drawn from those who don’t fully regard him as a rapper, when he embodies the boundless scope of what it means to be a rapper in the 21st century. In the same vein, you can mention inventive and influential iconoclasts like Future, Young Thug and Playboi Carti, all of whom have constantly flouted the idea of what old hip-hop heads deem to be rap music.
In the Nigerian context, Olamide, Naira Marley and their colleagues who adopt the same ideal are not only making boundless rap music, they’re also setting the blueprint for tomorrow. From this perspective, it’s easy to realise that not giving indigenous rappers their due has its drawbacks for Nigerian hip-hop as a whole.
These days, there’s a certain narrative making the rounds about how rap music in Nigeria struggles, however, if you look at Nigerian hip-hop and sum up its parts, you’ll realise that rap music in general is thriving. The same rap scene that is often condescending to its increasingly successful, indigenous counterparts could do with some integration to catalyse its growth.
The result of this is interactive co-existence, where both sects respect, mingle, support and collaborate in formal and informal settings. In addition, rappers will be mindful of their own artistic sensibilities, the same way mainstream afropop and street-hop artists are, such that there’s an avenue to tap into each other’s fan base and build real value, rather than pointlessly debating who or what is real rap.
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
ICYMI: REVISIT REMINISCE’S SARZ-PRODUCED BANGER, “KAKO BI CHICKEN”
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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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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