NATIVE Exclusive: The Cavemen Are Starting A Renaissance In Pan-African Music
The Cavemen are rekindling a renaissance of highlife music, taking us back to a time when highlife portended hope
Through a cult following and electric live performances across Nigeria, The Cavemen channel nostalgia and experimentation in their sudden resurgence of highlife music. In an exclusive interview with The NATIVE, Ifeoluwa James Falola reveals how the two-man band came to be the contemporary custodians of one the most influential genres in the African soundscape.
It is a mild Sunday evening in November on Moloney street in Lagos Island. While the street down below is filled with a familiar lull peculiar to Sundays in Lagos, the rooftop of the H-factor building is buzzing with teeming expectation. A devout crowd mill around, expectantly waiting for the brother duo of Kingsley Okorie & Benjamin James, otherwise known as The Cavemen, to thrill them to the tune of highlife records of hope, joy, and love. When The Cavemen start the show almost an hour after the set time, the intimate audience does not mind the tardiness, some are even grateful for it, the delay allowed free-flowing circulation of alcoholic beverages served by one of the event sponsors. Soon enough, the five-man band kicks into full swing playing live music from The Cavemen’s sixteen-track debut album, ‘ROOTS‘, also teasing unreleased music. The energy is riveting, the performance is exhilarating, and an overtly elated audience mindlessly sings along, with eccentric voices seamlessly blending into the clammy Lagos Island air. As the show progresses and the energy heightens, a dark stout man veers the attention away from the band briefly, by proposing to his significant other. The audience grows mushy for a short while and not long after, The Cavemen wind-up the show to an encore of their song, “Me You I”, on which they sing “You don’t have to cry / Baby, you should know it’s alright / Don’t let this love / Don’t let this love fade away / Let your love be magical.” As previously heralded by social media, a concert by The Cavemen is an experience to remember.
Three days later, just a little after midday, I am ushered into The Cavemen’s studio – aptly nicknamed The Cave, by their sister – on Lagos’ Mainland. Their accompanying band members are gathering their instruments just as I walk in. “We just finished rehearsals,” Kingsley, the older of the brothers, tells me, as I kick myself wishing I had arrived just minutes earlier in order to have witnessed their rehearsals. In response to me expressing my regret, Kingsley replies, “don’t worry, we would treat you to some cavy music.” While I settle on a couch, Benjamin waltzes in looking for a pair of shoes with his dreadlocks dishevelled, leading with the all important questions: “is this an interview?” “No, it is just a conversation,” I reassure him.
“Thank God, if it was an interview, I would freak out.”
Highlife music is arguably the most influential genre in Africa’s music ecosystem. Through a fusion of highlife, and other genres, the Fela-pioneered Afrobeat was derived as well as other contemporary forms of African music such as Makossa, Hip-life and the now globally-renowned Afrobeats. Initially originating from Ghana, Highlife made its first entry into the Nigerian soundscape through South Eastern Nigeria with the genre gaining mainstream recognition in the 1950s, serving hope during the Nigerian civil war, becoming a source of rehabilitation afterwards and shaping the soundscape for generations to come.
With their heritage tying them to that same region, Benjamin fondly recounts, “we have been listening to highlife since we were children. It was the only thing we could listen to. We only heard secular music while we were in school. Our father played us Chief Osita Osadebe, our driver was always playing Oliver De Coque. We didn’t like it at the time.”
Kingsley and Benjamin have always been affiliated with music. The pair used to play gigs at their church as kids, for measly compensation that often ended up in their parents’ coffers. Although the brothers had served as instrumentalists in a six-person band called The Movement, well over six years ago, it was not until Kingsley had an epiphany far away at law school in Bagauda, Kano – while Benjamin toiled at the Peter Kings College of Music in Badagry – that the idea of coming together as The Cavemen formed.
“I was on my way to civil litigation class in law school. It was not my usual territory, it was not Lagos or Abuja, it was Kano. I was thinking of it that day that I think I am in a cave because I was really out of what I was used to. So, yeah, I was a caveman. I came home and told my brother” Kingsley reminisces. Initially going by Knote & The Cavemen, in March 2018, The Cavemen was officially formed when the brothers reunited after being estranged by music school and law school. Benjamin handled the drums, whilst Kingsley played the guitar. Their singing stride, however, was borne out of necessity and not opportunity; the duo could not afford to pay vocalists so instead, they attempted singing.
The first song the burgeoning Lagos-based band made together was the point-blank “Oge”, but in the lead up to their first release of music, The Cavemen stumbled on a roadblock, discovering that they share a name with a United Kingdom rock band. “We had an issue when we first started out. We had to put a full stop in front of our name on digital streaming platforms. We do not make the same music with them so it does not really bother us,” Kingsley confessed. A year after coming together as a duo, the pair released their break-out single, “Osondu”.
““Osondu” had been there but we were scared of making it because we wanted it to sound ideal and we did not know if we were capable of that at the time. “Osondu” came in 2017 and we recorded “Osondu” in January 2019 – we were already performing the song for two years before we put it out. We had someone who was to record us. We recorded “Osondu” and “Akaraka” but the person didn’t give us the files. He ran away with our money,” Kingsley explained how they ditched their reliance on others and bootstrapped their music journey. “We did it by ourselves. The entire album was recorded in our room, in our mother’s house. The first time we performed Osondu was at the Tamari Festival in Abuja, that was where we met Lady Donli,” Benjamin asserted.
Since meeting Lady Donli at the Tamari Festival in Abuja, the two-man band have garnered production credits on Lady Donli’s debut-album ‘Enjoy Your Life‘, performed alongside the likes of Onyeka Owenu, Asa, Bez and have served as opening acts at Big Brother Nigeria – Nigeria’s biggest reality show. In August 2020, the band released their critically-acclaimed highlife-themed debut album ‘ROOTS‘. At a time when Afrobeats was deepening its roots into the global music machinery, its artist earning well-deserved, competitive acclaim overseas, Benjamin and Kingsley stuck their neck out into the past, breathing new life into the Highlife sound that reigned in decades past.
“Highlife is a combination of brains and beauty. You can dance to highlife, you can meditate to highlife. That is all we have always wanted. To us, we think things are too deep around us, let us create an avenue where people can do whatever they want to do,” Kingsley remarked, noting that their version of highlife comes from years of studying Ghanaian highlife and fusing the sound with other genres.
Immediately after the release of ‘ROOTS‘ – a predominantly highlife-based album fuelled by its blend of English, Igbo and Pidgin – The Cavemen started performing select intimate gigs across Lagos. Bands playing gigs in small venues across the city is not a novel feat, but it is atypical in the Nigerian music scene. “We have been performing our songs before the album came out. That was how everybody knew us, it was by word of mouth. The reception was not big like now, sometimes it could be just two people. There was a time we performed to ourselves, there was nobody at the venue,” Benjamin recalled before silently demonstrating the fervour with which he performed to the empty audience on the said date.
“Currently, we are the busiest band in the country, we always play shows. Performance is our strongest point.”
“Who has released an album and toured the album this year within the country? It is not bragging, it is just facts,” Kingsley added, before divulging plans to embark on a country-wide tour when COVID-19 restrictions are officially lifted.
While 24-year old Kingsley is quite outspoken and extremely philosophical, the 23-year old Benjamin is reserved, loathes interviews and listens to a wide range of music including electronic music. I ask Kingsley if they feel like The Cavemen are pioneering a renaissance of highlife music “I think we are. What we are doing is new. It is like a risk, being a pioneer comes with taking risks. The guts to put out a live record, and a live album eventually, is quite a risk.”
With the solid reception to their debut album – which took over two years to make – the recent socially-charged single, “Who No Know Go Know”, a sophomore album due any time soon, and several collaborations with fast-rising and established acts, The Cavemen are not only rekindling a renaissance of highlife music, they are taking us back to a time when highlife music not only portended hope but was also a source of rehabilitation – for a country in need of mending, and for generations yet to come. In this way, The Cavemen are what we need.
Featured Image Credits: The Cavemen.
Ifeoluwa James Falola lives in a melting pot of purposeful nothingness called Lagos, Nigeria. Telling the stories of Africans powering a generation through music, Ifeoluwa invites you to join him on this adventure @jimdfirst.
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Luwa.Mp4 Releases Riotous Debut Album, ‘punKstA*’
Across the album’s 12 tracks, Luwa.Mp4 continues his fiery exploration and fusion of genres like Punk Rock,...
Rising singer and rapper Luwa.Mp4 has released his debut album titled ‘punKstA*.’ The underground star who has been on a release spree all year long, announced the imminent arrival of his debut only a couple of days ago with a cryptic trailer video and an Instagram caption that simply read ‘PUNKSTA* MONDAY.’
Before the arrival of ‘punKstA*,’ the rising fusion star had been showcasing his diligence and talent with a consistent output that has seen him put out over a dozen songs since the start of the year. A string of singles led to a 6-pack titled ‘lore skooL,’ while a deluxe version that housed 5 new songs came just a month later.
His debut album’s lead single, “pUNK FANTASY,” arrived in late July, setting the stage for what could prove to be a pivotal moment in the underground star’s burgeoning career.
Across the album’s 12 tracks, the eclectic singer continues his fiery exploration and fusion of genres like Punk Rock, Afropop, Hyperpop, and Rap into something uniquely different. Tracks like “Pure Water,” which was previously teased on Cruel Santino’s Subaru Live Stream, the abrasive, Tecno-influenced “pROMISED NEVERLAND,” and the more laidback “pEEp MY RIDE” put on display the sort of varied, autotune-soaked approach that has set him apart and helped carve a growing niche.
While Luwa decided to go solo on his debut, credited as the only recording artist, the album was brought to life by a cast of talented producers like frequent collaborator TOPSY, Emyboi, JTRN, 3CB, FVKK.ANDI and Jeremy Cartier.
Listen to ‘punKstA*,’ here.
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Shekhinah Returns With Surprise Album, ‘Less Trouble’
The South African R&B star is at her most assertive on her first album in four years.
South African R&B and Pop singer Shekhinah has released a new surprise album titled ‘Less Trouble.’ The Durban star, who had been quiet for most of the year, took to social media shortly before midnight to share the new album’s cover, synopsis, and tracklist, simply stating, ‘If you’re seeing this my album LESS TROUBLE is out now at Midnight,’ in an Instagram caption.
The soulful singer first began teasing ‘Less Trouble,’ her first album in over four years, about a year ago when she released its lead single “Risk,” a bouncy Afropop-inspired collab with Ghanaian star MOLIY. A few months after the release of “Risk,” she put out “Steady,” a dreamy pop number that suggested that something bigger was on the horizon. But then it was largely radio silence about a project until its surprise arrival at midnight.
If 2021’s ‘Trouble In Paradise’ represented a coming-of-age for Shekhinah, subsisting some of the dreamy, youthful exuberance of her debut album for more measured musings on themes like heartbreak and grief, ‘Less Trouble’ finds her at her most assertive, writing and singing with the acuity of someone who is grown, decisive and discerning. The delicate opener “Break Up Season” sets the tone for the rest of the album as she shows little tolerance for shady behaviour and toxic patterns.
Other standout cuts on the album like “Bare Minimum,” a sombre collab with fellow South African award-winning singer lordkez, the ethereal, in-your-face interlude “New Casanova,” and the percussive “What Are We,” where Shekhinah contemplates the nature of a relationship but ultimately demands all or nothing, all drive home a part of the album’s synopsis, which reads ‘A BOOK ON MORE HEARTBREAK BUT LESS HEARTACHE.’
Shekhinah invites a couple of new collaborators on ‘Less Trouble,’ featuring the aforementioned MOLIY and lordkez as well as multi-instrumentalist Mars Baby and Young Stunna across the album’s 11 tracks. Mpilo Shabangu handled the majority of the album’s production, while other producers like Michael Morare, her longtime collaborator, Mthintheki Mzizi, and Vuyo also contributed to the album.
Listen to ‘Less Trouble’ here.
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The NATIVE’s First Impressions Of Amaarae’s ‘Black Star’
‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for Amaarae, and The NATIVE team offer our thoughts after a...
Change has always been a constant theme in any discussion about the career of Ghanaian-American star, Amaarae. Since she emerged as a singular voice in the late 2010s, she has evolved from a sirenic Afropop-adjacent singer into a Punk-Pop firestarter with minimal fuss. ‘Fountain Baby,’ her 2023 sophomore album, was a sweeping departure from the lilting melodies and shapeshifing cadences of the hypnotic ‘The Angel You Don’t Know,’ emphasizing her commitment to charting new courses with her music.
In the lead-up to her new album, ‘Black Star,’ she has wholly embraced a Pop aesthetic and sheen that was reflected on the album’s promotional singles, “S.M.O.” and “Girlie-Pop!.” Now that the album has arrived, the singer has advised listeners not to go in expecting a continuation of the soundscape on ‘Fountain Baby.’ As keen followers of Amaarae’s career from its start, we are sure that ‘Black Star’ marks another evolutionary arc for her, and we offer our thoughts after a few listens.
WHAT WERE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF AMAARAE GOING INTO THIS ALBUM?
Kemnachi: I had zero doubts that she would impress me again. Amaarae always comes correct. She is audacious with her choices, taking creative risks most artists would not dare to imagine, and somehow rendering them seamless, deliberate, and effortless. Her music has a way of enveloping me: it’s fluid, slightly dangerous, and yet irresistibly sensual. Every project feels like an immersive world she has curated down to the finest detail. With ‘Black Star,’ I knew it was not going to be a mere collection of songs but another meticulously constructed realm.
Bamise: I expected something fun, genre-bending, and sonically diverse in the fashion that Amaarae’s music typically is. I may have taken the album title a bit too literally, though, because listening made me realise I had an eye out for some Pan-African statements or something to spark discourse on African identity, but I didn’t quite catch any of that.
Boluwatife: Amaarae has largely delivered throughout her career, so I knew she was going to come correct again. She’s one of those forward-thinking artists who take the kind of risks most others wouldn’t, but she always manages to make it work. She’s proven to be a musical omnivore who constantly meshes her wide-ranging influences into something new, fluid, icy, and more often than not, sensual. I knew ‘Black Star’ wasn’t going to be any different.
WHAT SONGS STOOD OUT ON THE FIRST LISTEN?
Wale: I liked “Girlie-Pop!.” I feel like it captures Amaarae’s vision of pushing Afropop into the future. She’s also really grown comfortable with music and lyricism and will not dumb down her message for anybody. The instrumental for “Girlie-Pop!” is also a wonder; it’s so dense, but there are pockets for Amaarae to be emotive about her feelings. Top song!
Daniel Akins: I need to hear “B2B” at the next rave I’m at. Amaarae is in her Dance era, and I’m here for it. Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” with PinkPantheress is the collaboration I knew I needed, and I’m glad they finally linked up. It’s a clear standout on the project; their ethereal style complements each other.
Shina: “B2B” was the one that did it for me. That is my favourite track on the project. The number of times I ran it back was unhealthy for a first listen. It was also really fun to catch the Don Toliver “Best You Had” sample. I need to hear this outside!
HOW WELL YOU THINK THE GUEST APPEARANCES ENHANCED THE LISTENING EXPERIENCE?
Israel: The guest features on Black Star aren’t mere flexes. They’re strategic, theatrical, and sometimes emotionally resonant. They enhance, yes, but they do so on Amaarae’s terms. A standout for me was PinkPantheress on “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” The tradeoff is that a few songs feel like dazzling cameos rather than an integrated conversation, yet overall they enhance the album’s drama, texture, and bravado with precision.
Daniel Banjoko: Everyone showed up and delivered, no weak links here. Instead of just guest spots, they felt like vital pieces of a bigger puzzle. Charlie Wilson on “Dream Scenario” nailed his part especially, making the track sound exactly like its name promises.
Moore: The guest appearances on ‘Black Star’ feel very intentional; each one enhances the album’s world without overshadowing Amaarae’s vision. PinkPantheress’s signature airy delivery meshes with Amaarae’s experimental pop sound. Naomi Campbell’s commanding voice on “ms60” is an unexpected but powerful addition, adding drama to the track. Each feature feels carefully chosen.
WHAT SONG IS THE BIGGEST SKIP?
Bamise: Not to be a party pooper, but I don’t get the PinkPantheress collab, “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.” It feels like a PinkPantheress song with less pop in it, and just borrows the title of the iconic Soulja Boy song but has no other similarities. It’s between that and “ms60.” For me, the chorus of that sounds like something I’ve heard from Amaarae before, and I doubt its absence would have diminished the album.
Shina: I feel like biggest skip is a strong word for a solid project, but if I have to pick a song to skip, it’ll be “ms60.” I think it’s easily forgettable.
Wale: It’s hard to single out a song that stuck out to me, but hearing Naomi Campbell on “ms60” threw me off. It’s just too contrived to bear for me.
WHAT SONG HAS THE BIGGEST HIT POTENTIAL?
Boluwatife: My gut answer would probably be “She Is My Drug,” just because of how she beautifully reworks the melodies from Cher’s “Believe.” DJ remixes of this song could go crazy. But if I were to think a bit more logically, TikTok would probably lap up “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2.”
Daniel Banjoko: “Kiss Me Thru the Phone pt 2” goes crazy. Amaarae and PinkPantheress are the perfect match. This collab feels like it was destined to happen, and it delivers in full. Honestly, I can’t believe it took this long, and now I just need more tracks from these two, ASAP.
Moore: “Kiss Me Thru The Phone pt 2” has the biggest hit potential on the album. The song has a nostalgic, sad party girl vibe that makes it appealing, and it’s also catchy and well-produced. PinkPantheress consistently performs well on platforms like TikTok, and her fanbase overlaps in a really interesting way with Amaarae’s. The collaboration feels organic and exciting, and will likely create a lot of buzz.
OVERALL FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Wale: There is a very visceral quality to how Amaarae expresses desire that I don’t hear very often in a lot of music. It’s abstracted and warped in futuristic textures, but it’s very profoundly human, and it’s always great to hear that even as she advances the sonics of her delivery. I do, however, have an issue with the thematic scope of ‘Black Star.’ I thought there would be overt references to her experiences of navigating her Ghanaian identity, but those references are limited to samples and interpolations. It’s still an incisive listen and a triumph for finding ways to advance music from Africa.
Bamise: It’s Amaarae; she can never go wrong. But for me, this is the album that excites me the least from her catalogue. Other than how bass-heavy some songs on the album are, like “S.M.O.” and “She Is My Drug” among others, it feels similar to other projects I’ve heard from her in a way that’s not exactly refreshing or mind-bending. I may have gotten spoiled by how diverse and eclectic Amaarae’s music tends to be, but I wanted more from her. I expected more gangster, Hip-Hop Amaarae. Thematically, I didn’t get anything that gives the Black Star of Ghana, or black stars are ruling the world. Will I listen again and enjoy every bit of it still, though? Yes, I will.
Shina: So first off, this is a solid body of work. I love the fact that Amaarae stuck with the Dance, Electro-Pop route she was going with throughout the album. The features also played their part, adding their unique touches to each record. I would say, though, a feature I would’ve loved to hear on this project is 070Shake. I think she would have been perfect on “100DRUM,” but we don’t always get what we want, do we? Thematically, I think Amaarae could’ve leaned heavily on her Ghanaian heritage, seeing as the title and cover of the album are a nod to that. Maybe Amaarae just wants us to dance, and that’s what I’m just gonna do, and you should too.
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