NATIVE Exclusive: Superboy Cheque Is On A Winning Streak
a new arch in his career
Paying attention to Superboy Cheques’ music reveals his narrative journey fully formed in introspection. One moment he’s singing about protecting his energy on the tune “Zoom”, another moment he’s taking back his power on the tune “History”. But at 26 years, the Nigerian Afro-fusion star is uninterruptedly earning a reputation within the expanding and thriving West African music scene.
Signed to Phynos’ Penthauze Music in 2019, Cheque christened his approach as ‘sing-rapping’. His unique ability to harmoniously combine multiple genres at once while carefully tackling various themes and promoting positivity is what distinguishes him from the mean. Without limits, Cheque further showcases this said ability in 2020’s 5-track extended play dubbed ‘Razor’. The project houses thumping tunes “Loco”, and “Zoom”, his break-out single. “My music is more like rap too, but there’s a lot of singing and melody in it,” he tells me about blurring the line between his ability to sing and rap simultaneously. He continues, “I’m mostly in the middle. I’m not really rapping, and not really singing”.
Fresh off the success of the aforementioned extended play, and the momentum of subsequent releases, Cheque, born Akanbi Bamidele Brett, is debuting a 13-track album ‘Bravo’. It is experimental, euphonious, and ethereal; with a variety of influences. Even the album title is uncanny. “When I made this album, I just knew I was about to embark on a very brave journey in life”, he says.
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NATIVE: Now, Cheque finds himself gearing to take each day as it comes, and continues to greatly enjoy the success of his album. So, where did the name ‘Superboy Cheque’ come from?
I got Superboy when I was watching some DC comics. I heard it the first time and I just loved it. But at that time, it was not attached to anything music. Then for Cheque, I got it when I was trying to freestyle at a show. The beat was playing, and I didn’t know how and when to enter, so I kept on repeating, “mic check…mic check…check…check!”. It just got stuck with me and people just knew me as the mic-check guy. I just got to a point where I decided to merge the two, Superboy and Cheque, and to me it made sense. That was how I got the name.
NATIVE: You were previously known as Kyle B, but now you’re Superboy Cheque. Can you tell me about these distinctive personalities?
When I started music, my friend named me Kyle B. At that time, I wasn’t taking music seriously. I was just watching my friends do it, and then I asked if I could try too. It was a rap battle, but it was done via text on the phone. Before I could join them, my friend said I needed to have a username. I told him I didn’t have a name, I didn’t even know how to choose a name. So he gave me Kyle B. Kyle was from a movie, Kyle XY, and B was my last name. When I came to Lagos, my music was getting a little bit more serious. At that time, Fireboy and I were together. We both decided to rename ourselves on the same day. He was previously DML, then he added the Fireboy, and I was Kyle B before but now Superboy Cheque.
NATIVE: What first got you into music?
Specifically, boredom got me into music. I was bored. I was in the university at that time, and there was an ASUU strike that lasted for over five months. Because I had a lot of free time, I would always go to my friend’s house and just chill. Then he started to do this text-rap battle on his phone. I was intrigued and fascinated because I was always a book guy. I was always reading my books, so I really didn’t know anything about music. But the moment I tasted this new excitement of the text-rap, I just wanted to go on with it. Then I asked my friend what was next, and he told me to go into the studio and just start singing. The whole thing became so much fun for me, and I couldn’t just stop.
NATIVE: How has growing up in Ondo inspired you?
I came to Lagos in 2017, so I’ve lived most of my life in Ondo, and all I can say is growing up there really inspired me. Ondo is definitely not like Lagos. On some days in Ondo, I’ll just wake up, play games at this PS2 game centre, gamble, and do all those things. It was pretty much like living in the ghetto. That is why most of my music is really talking about coming out from a place where people would always look down on you, and still making a name for yourself. Growing up in Ondo has made me sing about my struggles.
NATIVE: Your latest project is dubbed ‘Bravo’. What does this title reveal?
I titled the album ‘Bravo’ because of the balls that I think I have when it comes to pursuing a type of trap music in Nigeria. No matter how much I really do make all genres of music, everybody already sees me as a trap guy. I just realized nobody was trying to do it, especially on a large scale. I’ve taken it upon myself to climb this mountain that nobody else wants to climb. I want to occupy a space nobody else has occupied. That was why I chose that title because I appreciate myself for not giving up on the genre of music that I really fancy.
NATIVE: Let’s talk about the project’s opener “Rockstar”. On it, you spoke up about overcoming a lot of things to get to this point in your career. Can you share some of the experiences you’ve had to overcome?
“Rockstar” is a Nigerian story. It’s every Nigerian man’s story, in my head. It has nothing to do with me. I feel like everybody in Nigeria is dealing with something, people are struggling. When you drive through Lagos, you see people hustling every day. “Rockstar” is everybody’s struggle because it was projected to have that.
NATIVE: Tell me about your collaborators for this project.
Honestly, I was never really a feature person. I finished this whole album myself, even before the selection process. One month to the album, still I wasn’t sure I wanted to feature because all the tracks were completed. There was “History” already. Then I called Fireboy, and he pulled up in the studio and we created something. Then I decided I wanted a female on the Album. I started listening to all the songs, then I got to ‘Dangerous’, and I was like, “who is the baddest female artist that can embody that dangerous personality?” I just knew in my head that it was Ayra Starr. Then I sent ‘No One Else’ to my crew, telling them I wanted somebody I could feature. I initially played it to Burna Boy, and he said he loved it. I was really hoping to get him on the tune, but I never initiated it. Then Jackboy called me and told me he was interested in it. I sent him the song, and in under 24hrs, he sent me back the verse. And then Olamide too, I sent the song to him. Making a song with him just seemed cool to me and I enjoyed it.
NATIVE: What was the creative process like putting together this album?
After the ‘Razor’ EP, I was not sure I’ll be putting out an album next. But after “Zoom” was getting the success it was having, then I started thinking I needed a project next. I’ve never really recorded for a particular project before because I always just recorded randomly. It is just like a day-to-day life for me. When it got to the point where my label thought it was time to put out an album, it was pretty much easy because I already had a lot of songs. The only problem was the selection process; it was a bit tedious because there were a lot of songs. I don’t write my songs, so I just go into the studio with my subconscious. My major target when I make music is the melody.
NATIVE: Since you put out your first body of work in 2015, to this point, how has your sound evolved?
In 2015, I was not conscious. I was Kyle B at that time. I didn’t really know anything about blowing up. When I released my debut project in 2015, I never really thought I’d get to a point where I’ll get attention. I released that project because I just loved doing music. But when I came to Lagos and started to see people getting success from music, I was asking myself how I was going to get people to listen to my music. Then I decided to continue making trap music. Nobody was doing it at that time. Even those that were doing it were not spicing it up, everybody was strictly doing afro-music or uninteresting trap music. This is why I tend to listen to American trap, the Yankee trap. I might be a little bit influenced by the Yankee trap, but the whole thing I say in my music is purely Nigerian. I just got to evolve with time because I realized it was more than just music.
NATIVE: As an artist, you’re not only a musician but a role model to a lot of people. Does this ever make you feel pressured?
I feel like the major role model that I am now is to make people know that when they lose who they are, they lose everything. If my mindset is about saying stuff in my music like “Rockstar”, and I don’t continue to do it, then I’ve lost myself. I’m really trying to encourage people that no matter what they’re doing, they should stick to it, improve it, and be themselves. This doesn’t make me feel pressured.
NATIVE: What’s next for you?
It’s just been a week since I dropped the album, so I’m currently promoting. But I’m hoping to do a lot more collaborations next. Considering the success of this album, I know that another album is definitely not going to be too far.
Featured image credits/Instagram: superboycheque
Skyla Tylaa Is Taking Off
For the next phase of her career, Skyla Tylaa is actively working on creating music while entertaining with...
As a child growing up in South-east London, Skyla Tylaa had a natural affinity for the arts. Whether it was music or stage performances, she found herself exploring these interests intently from a young age. That devotion manifested in multiple ways – her attending the BRIT School and Sylvia Young Theatre School where she performed in a West End production of Annie or her fiddling with several musical instruments while she figured out her creative identity. Through it all, music was a constant, the backdrop to her home life where she grew up between Jamaican and English influences. She remembers being exposed to Drum & Bass, Funky House, and Garage. “I think that’s had a big influence in my DJ career,” Skyla Tylaa admits.
Progressing into adulthood, those musical influences persisted even if she didn’t always engage with them professionally. Things changed when she started DJ-ing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Possessed by a visceral desire to experience the euphoria of interacting with people through music, she burrowed deeper into DJ-ing. “I couldn’t be in my room and just have people commenting,” she recalls. “I need to see people’s energy, and feel everything in the moment.”
Since then, she’s enjoyed a meteoric rise that has taken the world by storm. Mentored by DJ Tunez, she performed multiple times on the American leg of Wizkid’s ‘Made In Lagos’ tour and came out of the experience raring to go. “Opening for Wizkid on his tour was a transformative experience,” she says. “It taught me a lot about resilience and adaptability in my craft. I was still pretty much a start-up DJ when I went on tour and it made me really realise how important it is to connect with the audience. Touring from city to city with different crowds, it helped me to learn how to read the room and keep the vibe going.”
Almost as importantly for Skyla Tylaa, Rihanna was present at one of those tour stops and was impressed by her set, stopping by after the show to congratulate her. “After that I felt like I could conquer the world,” she says. Since then, she’s been selected by Rihanna to DJ at a Fenty X Puma Creeper launch event in London in 2024, marking a full-circle moment between the women.
Like Rihanna, Skyla Tylaa is inspired by music from the breadth of the Black diaspora, playing sets that take as much influence from the fervid restlessness of Hip-hop as they do the wavy melodies of House music, and the dancefloor summons of Afrobeats “I love partying! I genuinely love it,” she explains. “When preparing my sets, I’m always thinking of people having a good time. Whatever I can do to connect with them, I’m down to do it!”
In the last few years, few genres have shown the propensity for inspiring a great time with the regularity that Amapiano does. From Johannesburg to Windhoek, to Lagos, London, and New York, the log drums and mutating basslines of the genre have proven integral to a new Pop framework that is as amorphous as it is exhilarating. Since first hearing the genre while on a visit to Ghana years ago, Skyla Tylaa has been hooked. “It was the log drum, the sound, just the vibes that came with it,” she says. “I was like ‘wait – what is this?’ When you hear Amapiano, it’s one of those sounds that no matter what, you’re gonna dance.”
Diving into the genre, she’s picked up valuable lessons from important figures like Maphorisa, Uncle Vinny and Major League DJz while putting her youthful spin on the sound. It’s all coming together for the DJ who’s working with her sister, music heavyweight Jada Pollock, to figure it all out one step at a time. “When I found my passion for DJing, Jada was right there, urging me to dive into the ‘Made in Lagos’ tour,” she says. “I wasn’t sure I was ready, but she believed in me and knew I could handle it. My love for music has been with me since school; it just took some time for me to realize that this was the direction I wanted to pursue. Once I found my calling, her support became endless–she attended my early gigs and pushed me to perform at major festivals like Afro Nation.”
She’s since performed at leading festivals such as Wireless, Piano People and Australia’s Promiseland as well as selling out headline shows across London, London, and Ghana. For the next phase of her career, she’s actively working on creating music. This month, she released her debut single, “Bombshell,” a searing Amapiano banger that has all the hallmarks of a potential summer hit. “Bombshell” features Tanzanian Bongo Flava act, Diamond Platnumz, as well as South African acts, Tyler ICU, Khalil Harrison, and DJ Exit. It’s a blockbuster showing that sits well in the tradition of the genre. “The idea was initially played to me by Tyler ICU in March 2024,” Skyla Tylaa says. “He and I had a session while he was in London, and this was one of the ideas we worked on. Khalil was already on it, at the time, and I loved what I heard!”
After seeding it into her live sets last summer and starting live teasers with a dance challenge, Diamond Platnumz reached out about potentially working on the song and it was arranged. “I started teasing the new version of the song in my sets and then a whole new viral dance challenge came about online in December,” she says. “From that point, I knew the track had all the elements (features included) to be a big release in 2025 !” For DJ Exit, a chance to be part of a transformative song like “Bombshell” was an opportunity he didn’t want to pass up. “What drew me to this single was the chance to be part of something boundary-breaking,” he explains. “Gqom and Amapiano are both powerful in their own right, but fusing the raw, percussive energy of Gqom with the soulful, hypnotic swing of Amapiano creates a sound the world hasn’t fully experienced yet. This isn’t just another collaboration–it’s a cultural statement.”
The Xhosa word, ‘basazomangala,’ meaning ‘to be shocked,’ is uttered several times on “Bombshell,” and it reflects the message that Harrison was trying to pass on the track. ““Bombshell” is really about letting people know that there’s still so much more to come from me,” he says. “It’s a celebration of the present moment, but also a reminder that this is just the beginning. We’re all dancing to what’s happening now, but there’s an energy in the air that says the best is yet to come.”
In light of Amapiano’s rise to global prominence and the international acclaim it enjoys, Harrison is right about more things being on the horizon, and Skyla Tylaa agrees with him: “When I was introduced to Amapiano, I fell in love instantly and that time it was just on the verge of global appeal. It’s global now and still growing and that makes me appreciate it even more! I love it, and the world loves it! The feeling is mutual ! We can all enjoy it together!”
For Tyler ICU, having DJs from the diaspora like Skyla Tylaa engage with Amapiano and its culture is a win for the genre. “This shows the power of the genre–it’s not just a sound, it’s a movement,” he says. “When someone like Skyla, who appreciates the culture and brings her own flavour, plays Amapiano in places like London, New York or Toronto, she’s not just playing music, she’s building bridges. That’s how we grow–by letting the world feel it in their own way, but staying true to where it started. It’s important that the roots are respected, but the branches can reach far.”
Just a couple of weeks since its release, “Bombshell” has crossed over 650,000 thousand views on YouTube and continues to be a sensation on TikTok. Like everything Skyla Tylaa has done up till now in her career, it’s shaping up perfectly and has shown that she has a knack for the right collaborations. She intends to keep making music. “This year, my focus is all about music,” she says. “I recently signed with Robots and Humans (Sony) in the UK and Epic in the US, which has given me a different level of drive to really want to create good music. I’m also looking forward to exploring the Afro-house genre and collaborating with other talented artists.”
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What OdumoduBlvck’s Greatest School Tour Could Mean For Touring In Nigeria
The rapper’s decision to embark on a local university tour of this nature could go on to become a...
There’s no denying that OdumoduBlvck’s 2023 mixtape ‘Eziokwu’ established his musical genius. While the half dozen projects that preceded ‘Eziokwu’ almost served as target practice, largely showcasing the early iterations of Okporoko music – his unique melodious rap fusion – it was his major label debut that truly grounded the rapper in Nigeria’s rich Hip-Hop lineage. The album’s far-reaching success culminated in a historic joint tour with fellow 2023 breakout star Shallipopi, which saw the two share the stage across 9 cities in the United States. Similarly, riding the high of his latest mixtape, ‘The Machine Is Coming,’ the Anti-World Gangstar head huncho recently announced a new tour. This time, however, instead of taking his new collection of infectious bangers to stages abroad, the rapper decided to visit different universities across the country for what he calls the ‘Greatest School Tour Ever.’
Touring in Nigeria is a subject that has become somewhat controversial over the last few years, splitting opinions amongst many fans, industry experts, and artists themselves. Back in the mid-2000s to early 2010s, local touring was very much the norm. Platforms like Star Music’s ‘The Trek,’ as well as a few prominent local promoters, enabled some of the biggest names like 2face, Olamide, and M.I to hold annual nationwide tours. These tours included stops in cities like Warri, Makurdi, Owerri and many other places that artists are less likely to visit today. University tours were also popular as they presented an avenue for these artists to connect with their younger audience, who mostly served as the bedrock of their fan base.
The rise of digital streaming platforms, which has partly informed the industry’s rapid evolution over the past decade, coupled with other economic and infrastructural issues, has, however, forced a sharp decline in local touring, making it an almost altruistic endeavour in today’s Nigeria. Afropop gaining global exposure meant that the international market immediately became more viable and lucrative to our biggest stars, and this reshaped their priorities. The extensive, multi-city shows became reserved for diaspora fans, while the local audience, in most cases, are treated to a solitary annual show.
OdumoduBlvck looks to buck this trend with the ‘Greatest School Tour Ever,’ prioritizing his primary audience before tending to those abroad. In truth, the Lagos-born rapper is not the only one who has embarked on this type of tour in recent times. A couple of years ago, UK-based rapper Kida Kudz and Ckay also went on similar campus tours, with the latter making stops at 10 different universities across the country. Llona, one of the breakout stars from last year, is also currently on a nationwide tour coming off the success of his impressive debut album ‘Homeless.’ The ‘Greatest School Tour Ever,’ is however, peculiar and momentous because of its timing and OdumoduBlvck’s standing as one of the biggest names around.
At the recent 17th Headies Awards, the rapper became the latest recipient of the Next Rated award, a highly coveted plaque that’s historically reserved for standout acts whose music defines the zeitgeist at a given period. He received the award just two days after he gave an electrifying performance at Afe Babalola University. His latest mixtape, ‘The Machine Is Coming,’ a precursor to his highly anticipated forthcoming debut, currently sits at the No. 2 spot on the Turntable Top 50 Album charts. It is unheard of in recent times: that the Headies Next Rated act, who has one of the top projects in the country, is on a local university tour. The Abuja-native has, however, shown on numerous occasions that he has never really been one to abide by existing standards. The famous opening lines from his breakout single “Declan Rice” (I can do without their Policy I Know), did not only serve as a message to gatekeepers and naysayers but also as a manifesto that declared his mode of operation going forward.
At the time of this writing, the rapper has only made two stops on his ongoing tour, but his decision to embark on a local tour of this nature already looks to be paying dividends. The first two shows have produced viral clips that capture his star power, the hysteria of his headline shows and his rapidly growing influence, especially amongst younger listeners. The viral clips have already created an increased demand for shows, with many young fans harassing the rapper to add more dates to the tour. With the release of ‘The Machine Is Coming’ and his recent crowning moment at the Headies, it’s safe to assume there’s more attention on him now than ever. While it is, of course, still early days, the rapper’s decision to embark on a local university tour, especially given that he’s currently experiencing a career high, could go on to become a significant moment, one that potentially inspires a shift in the touring landscape in Nigeria.
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NATIVE PREMIERE: Tanika Is Stepping Out On Her Terms With The Kida Kudz-Assisted “FAST FWD”
From working her way out of London’s Myatt’s Field, Tanika is now setting her sights on the bright lights...
Across a career that’s in its second decade, Tanika has proven to be a force in her own right, holding her own on collaborations with Black British stars like Stormzy and Wretch 32, as well as popular record producer Naughty Boy–working with the Grammy-nominated beatmaker on his acclaimed ‘Hotel Cabana’ album.
Following a stint as an actor, she returned to the studio in 2021, releasing a new extended play, ‘333,’ in 2023. The project carried all the hallmarks of Tanika at her tantalising best: lilting cadences, well-paced narratives, a songwriting that reaches for the heart of the matter.
On her latest song, “Fast Fwd,” she’s growing into her own and stepping into a new era. In many ways, “Fast Fwd,” a hypnotic, sultry anthem, is landing just in time for summer revelry. Produced by her longtime collaborator, Naughty Boy, her silky vocals land effortlessly on the mid-tempo instrumental and pulsates with her desire for her love interest.
Joined on the song by her fiancé, Kida Kudz, they make an interesting duo and replicate the synergy they had on “Nobody,” off Kudz’s 2021 ‘Top Memba.’ Distinctively marked by use of neon lights, the video for the song captures the effervescence of romance that Tanika hums about throughout the song.
From working her way out of London’s Myatt’s Field to becoming a star with millions of streams, Tanika is now setting her sights on the bright lights of superstardom. Ahead of the official release of the single, we had a brief chat with Tanika about her career, the influences for “Fast Fwd,” and working with KIda Kudz on it.
Her answers, which follow below, have been lightly edited for clarity.
How would you describe where you are in your career right now?
I’m just enjoying the journey.
What does the release of “Fast Fwd” signify for you?
It signifies love.
Why is Kida Kudz a fit for the song? (
To be honest, we didn’t plan to do another song together. I have worked on two records with him before (“Nobody” and “Tasty Time” ) but we never thought to shoot a video for it.. “Fast Fwd” felt like a real testimony of our present moment in the relationship.
You’ve worked extensively with Naughty Boy and he’s helped with “Fast Fwd,” what’s your relationship like and why does it work?
Naughty Boy knows me very well. We’ve known one another for over 10 years, so he knows what fits me musically. We gel. I think him knowing me and being a fan of Kida’s music made it all work. Naughty Boy does his listening before he makes a beat for you. A lot of producers don’t really understand the importance of knowing the artist musically but he does.
What were you aiming for with the video?
To be honest, I’m aiming for nothing. I’m just enjoying the journey. It’s been a very long road and I know I still have a long way to go.
Catch an exclusive view of “Fast Fwd” below.
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