Best New Music: Dee Koala taps Blxckie & K. Keed for assured Trap slapper, “Spazz”

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

In front of the mic, Dee Koala’s presence is something like a force of nature. Sure, her naturally squeaky voice gives her diminutive physical figure away, but she imbues her raps with the bright and combustible energy of a Supernova. The emerging South African rap star’s 2019 debut mixtape, ‘4 The Khaltsha’, served as a raw and technically adept statement of self, bruising her way through Trap-indented beats as she documented the rough and rowdy ways of her young life, while repping for her township—Khayelitsha, Cape Town.

In the eighteen months since that tape, DK has been working her way into mainstream rap conversations, winning Best Female Act at the 2020 South Africa Hip-Hop Awards. She’s also grown into a more refined rapper without losing an ounce of the authority that made her captivating in the first place, as shown on last year’s Costa Titch-assisted “We Deserve Bettr”, and in awe-inspiring features on Yanga Chief’s “Uthatako (Remix)” and 031 Choppa’s “User”. Having signed a distribution deal with U.S-based label Services Company, EMPIRE, DK is getting set to fully unveil the growth in her artistry since her debut, evidenced by her new single “Spazz”, one of the catchiest, most assured rap songs you’ll hear this year.

In comparison to the raging essence of her early defining hit, “Whuzet?” and the bulk of her catalogue so far, “Spazz” is by far DK’s least rambunctious attempt at anthemic Trap. The song’s premise is standard rap fare, a middle finger to posers and unflinching self-glorification, but its execution is measured to cut out any embellishments and direct full focus on the swaggering mix of chagrin and infectious overconfidence. Amidst the twinkling piano riff sample that rings throughout, along with skittering hi-hats and cavernous 808 bass drops, “Spazz” opens with a vocal interpolation of the famous “Gerrarehere” meme, seguing perfectly into K. Keed’s delightfully disrespectful hook: “You talking ‘bout bitches, get outta here/you not even dripping, get outta here/you talking ‘bout glocks, get outta here/I’m smelling on opps, get outta here.”

Limiting herself to just the song’s first verse, Dee Koala springs out sixteen bars of casual ferocity, almost exclusively delivered in isiXhosa and local Cape Town slang. Per a friend who understands every word of the verse, “DK is simply saying, ‘I’m special, you should know by now…and don’t cross me.’” Even if you don’t understand her, it’s impossible to not marvel at the size of DK’s personality on “Spazz”, the chip on her shoulder is impossible to ignore and the control she exercises over her flurry of bars is an impressive technical feat.

Fellow SA Trap wunderkind and Fresh Meat alum Blxckie holds forte on the second verse and, in his regular feature-killing element, he pulls off a stunner of a verse that’s arrogant of his growing popularity. “Talk to me nice, I got millions of listeners/I’m really the business, running the game I be looking all fit and shit”, he says at the top of his verse, eventually going on to refer to himself as the G.O.A.T.  Keed returns with the hook for the fourth time, closing out the song with the same deadpan vigour as its opening moments.

“Spazz” capitalises on every involved artist playing their role to inch perfection. As the headlining act, Dee Koala doesn’t succumb to the temptation of wanting to consume the song with more of her presence, a sign that she now has a superior understanding of the dynamics required to turn a simple idea into a great song.

Listen to “Spazz” here.

@dennisadepeter is a staff writer at the NATIVE.

BEST NEW MUSIC: TAY IWAR’S “PEAKING” IS A TALE OF ROMANTIC YEARNING

Here’s how you can donate to help Vict0ny

Posted on by The Native

In the early hours of Monday April 26th, Afropop singer, Victony was involved in a car accident, along with four other passengers present in the car, one of who, named Doyin unfortunately passed away. May his soul rest in peace.

Victony and the two other passengers are in critical condition, in need of urgent medical assistance after undergoing serious injuries from the accident. The singer’s family and friends are now crowdfunding for donations to ensure he gets the surgery and medical attention that is required.

Currently, a GoFundMe has been set up by the singer’s friends which allows fans, listeners, and sympathisers to make donations towards $50,000 medical and surgery bills. Our deepest condolences to the family of Doyin and our prayers for the speedy and successful recovery of Victony and his two friends.

You can found out more about GoFundMe here.

Featured image credits/Instagram

What’s Going On: Nigeria’s increasing insecurity problems, Ghana as the ideal destination for foreign investment & more

What’s Going On: Nigeria’s increasing insecurity problems, Ghana as the ideal destination for foreign investment & more

Posted on by The Native

Our Latest Column, “What’s Going On”, Will Tally Notable News Headlines From Across The Continent — The Good, The Bad, And The Horrible — As A Way Of Ensuring That We All Become A More Sagacious African Generation. With This Column, We’re Hoping To Disseminate The Latest Happenings In Our Socio-Political Climate All Over The Continent, Whilst Starting A Conversation About What’s Important For Us To All Discuss. From Political Affairs To Socio-Economic Issues, ‘What’s Going On’, Will Discuss Just That. 

Ever so often, we have to remind developed parts of the world that Africa is not a country. It’s not just because a significant portion of people in those parts are unenlightened, but also because of the continent-wide similarities when it comes to social, political, and economic issues. For one, Africa is teeming with corrupt and inept leaders—many of them dictators— who have failed to invest in meaningful infrastructure, all while derailing and rejecting systemic change through violent means if necessary. In addition to this, they are fully aided by deeply patriarchal, religion deferring, and ultra-conservative social constructs.

At the same time cross the continent, the current generation of African youth are pushing against these systemic boundaries, in order to continue the arduous work of rewriting the narrative. Even with all of the endeavours, talent and records being witnessed from music to tech, the limitations put in place by the continent’s political landscape still looms large. Every week, disparaging headlines from around Africa make their way to the news, reminding us of the bumps affecting these perceived stripes, and the roadblocks which delay our growth towards more wholesome and enabling societies for all Africans. Below are few news bits of what’s been going in on in the past few days.

Ghana seems to be attracting the bulk of big business looking to set up in West Africa

Earlier this month, Twitter announced the opening of its first African office in Accra, Ghana. Generally speaking, a development of this kind is a positive for Sub-Saharan Africa, in that the social media platform’s presence will ensure better curation of our timelines and more accurate narratives of happenings within the region, especially since Twitter is one of the most popular means to disseminating, and in some cases, verifying news. However, some Nigerians and Nigerian government officials have taken a slight at Accra, Ghana being the choice of destination for a novel Twitter office, feeding into the sometimes sibling rivalry that exists between the two countries.

In 2019, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey was on a mini-tour of West Africa, making highly publicised stops in Nigerian and Ghana. The visits indicated expansion possibilities, and many expected Nigeria, which has a sizable amount of Twitter users within the continent, to be the winning choice. In the statement announcing its Accra office, Twitter shared the main reasons behind its decision, and it included Ghana’s perception as a champion (by African standards especially) for democracy, free speech an open internet, as well as being the hosting secretariat for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a factor that’s primed to benefit startups and other big business looking to set up in the country.

Since Twitter’s announcement, news of companies setting up operations in Ghana have been coming in thick and fast. Several leading German pharmaceutical companies have started cooperation projects with the Ghanaian government in order to figure out the feasibility of making Covid-19 vaccines within the continent, so as to service the African continent that’s still playing catch-up in the race to eradicate the coronavirus pandemic. Bamboo, the investment platform that offers users direct access to the U.S stock market, announced that it is setting up in Ghana. Just last week, automobile giants Hyundai and Kia announced that they were working towards having functional assembly plants in 2022, a move that is expected to generate over 10,000 jobs, according to Ghana’s Minister for Trade & Industry.

Ghana’s increasing popularity over Nigeria as the destination of choice for companies looking to invest in West Africa makes sense to objective observers. Over the years, the ease of doing business in Nigeria has consistently plummeted due to factors like inflation, terrible power supply, insecurity (even at the hands of police), baffling government regulations that are decidedly anti-business, and much more. These negative factors in Nigeria are considerably better in Ghana, and even though Nigerians continue to prove their resourcefulness and dominate pop culture conversations in the region, it simply makes sense that louder, more popular sibling country will continue to curry less investment favour until it fixes up significantly.

Long-term Chad president proclaimed dead, son takes over transitional Military council

Last week, just as provisional election results were forecasting a sixth consecutive term, long-term Chad president Idriss Deby was pronounced dead. “The president of the republic, head of state, supreme chief of the army, Idriss Deby Itno, just drew his last breath while defending the nation’s integrity on the battlefield,” army spokesman Azem Bermandoa Agouna said in a televised statement, insinuating that Deby had passed away after sustaining injuries while leading army troops against the opposition rebel group, Fighters of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT).

Largely comprising army dissidents, the Libya-based FACT rebel group violently crossed into Chad via its northern border earlier this month, in protest against Deby’s continued stay in office. In 1990, Idriss Deby, a former soldier, spearheaded the rebellion that overthrew former authoritarian leader, Hissene Habre. He officially took office in February 1991, winning subsequent elections every five years, and even signing legislation that could’ve seen him remain in power until 2033. According to international experts, even though Idriss Deby’s style of government was barely democratic, he was an ally for the West in the battle against extremist Islamic rebels. Last year, a video of him parading Lake Chad alongside his soldiers, after an attack by Boko Haram, went viral on the internet, a representation of how hands-on he was when faced with rebellion.

After Deby’s passing, his son, four-star General Mahamat Idriss Deby, was quickly announced as the leader of the transitional military government, even though constitutional provision says the Parliament speaker should’ve taken charge. While Chad doesn’t seem to be a Monarchy, it sure looks to be operating like one, and it’s anyone’s guess of the transitional government will eventually give way to a fairer democracy after its (self-)allotted 18-month period. At the moment, former Prime Minister Albert Pahimi Padacke has been appointed as interim PM until elections take place, and the transitional government has made hunting down FACT its primary focus, soliciting help from Niger following rumours that some of the dissident faction had taken to hiding in the neighbouring country.

The rising levels of insecurity in Nigeria

Last week, the six-month anniversary of the Lekki massacre arrived with great heaviness. The day served as a reminder to many young Nigerians that the horrors that our government perpetuates were still very much happening in real-time and we were fighting a battle that had no end in sight.

Since the horrors of that day, and despite countless evidence to suggest foul play, no one has taken responsibility for what happened at the Lekki toll gate and within other environs around Lagos State. What followed has been a gross deprival of justice for the victims and their families, near-constant harassment, and court appearances for the notable figures who were involved at the End SARS protests, and now, increased insecurity at almost every corner of the country from Lagos State to Kaduna, Imo State and more.

i) Increased student abductions across the country

Last Tuesday night, armed gunmen stormed a university campus in the Northern state of Kaduna where one staff member was tragically killed with three others kidnapped alongside several other students. Since the gruesome event, the official number of students abducted remains unclear, however, reports state that there are 20 students currently identified as missing from the Greenfield university grounds. 

“The armed bandits who kidnapped students of Greenfield University, have shot dead three of the abducted students,” said Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner for Kaduna State Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, in a statement posted on Facebook. The remains of three kidnapped students were found on Friday in Kwanan Bature, a village which is near the university. Then again, yesterday, the bodies of two other students were found as announced by the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs. Kidnapping for ransom has escalated in Kaduna and other parts of northern Nigeria, as criminal gangs target schools and universities, the Greenfield incident being the fifth to occur in the country since last December. Nigeria is still reeling from the horror of the latest school abduction which occurred just last month when 300 students were abducted from the Government Girls Science Secondary School in Jangebe, Zamfara State, BBC reports. 

Shortly after this tragic incident, yesterday, a report from the Sahara Reporters stated that some students of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM) in Benue State were taken away from the university grounds at gunpoint on Sunday night. There are no current reports on how many students have been taken this time from Benue State but it is clear that they have been taken so that ransom can be granted to them from the Nigerian government turning it into a money-making enterprise that needs to be addressed by our leaders with haste.

ii) Unrest in Imo State

Over the weekend, the home of the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma was attacked by suspected thugs who infiltrated his home and set off a fire in the premises. According to a news report by Vanguard Newspaper, the attackers threw petrol bombs into the compound sparking a fire incident which led to the razing of vehicles in the governor’s house. The assailants were apprehended by security forces in the area, however, one person is reportedly dead from the clash on Saturday. 

According to another report by the Sahara Reporters, the incident at the Governor’s house is coming a few days after unknown gunmen attacked the police headquarters and the correctional centre in Owerri, Imo State, setting 38 vehicles ablaze and freeing 1,844 inmates. A worrying case that was yet to be resolved before the clash at Uzodimma’s residence. 

Today, the state governor announced that about 40 to 50 persons were arrested in connection with Saturday’s events stating that he had requested from the president an improvement in manpower and logistics for the security agencies in the state. However, unrest persists in the Eastern state as reports have now reached us today that gunmen have shot and attacked passengers on the Imo motorway on Owerri-Okige road by Orji.

iii) Increased unsafety within Lagos.

Lagos residents are advised to be please be careful as they go about their professional and social activities this week. Over the weekend, there were several reports of ongoing traffic robbery in different areas in Lagos State including Apogbon bridge, Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Freedom Way and Falomo bridge. These increased instances of robbery and kidnapping happening within the city is cause for concern particularly as many residents of Lagos State have complained about the lack of security on duty and the damaged street lamps when driving in the nighttime. 

Yesterday reports from Lekki Phase One showed that there was a clash between the okada riders and the police in the area as the two groups were sounding off shots at each other earlier this morning. Many eyewitness reports on scene at the ground reported that the clash in the area had caused a lot of traffic on that axis. Elsewhere, in the Iyana Iba area of Lagos State, okada riders and the NURTW members clashed on the roads in broad daylight with eyewitness videos showing several men attacking and shooting at each other on the streets. One person is reportedly dead from this violent exchange and there is a mounting sense that the streets of Lagos are becoming unsafer by the second.

Violence in Somalia over President’s (unlawful) extension of stay

It is rather appalling the lengths to which African leaders will go to cling on to power while paying meagre attention to the basic needs and safety of its citizens. On Sunday, gunfire erupted in Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital city, after government security forces and armed opposition groups clashed due to the country’s president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, signing a two-year mandate extension into law a few days prior. In February, Mohamed’s tenure expired without a successor, following complications in the electoral process.

Somalia’s lower parliament voted for the two-year extension in a bid to help the country prepare for direct elections (i.e. one man, one vote), a new electoral system different from the region-based system that currently exists. At that, President Mohamed has proven increasingly unpopular in the four years since coming to power, squandering the goodwill that brought him in initially, championing populist policies and brazenly going after opposition, rather than recognise and work within Somalia’s complex political context.

The recent burst of violence in the wake of Mohamed’s term extension threatens to make things even more volatile in a country that had faced decades of civil war since the early ‘90s. Also, it is overshadowing pertinent social issues such as the Coronavirus pandemic, drought, and the terrorist threat of the al-Quaeda-linked al-Shabab. Rather than cement the country’s turn towards democracy and increasing stability, president Mohamed will very likely be remembered for stoking the worst political crisis in recent years.

The Cameroonian LGBTQ+ communtiy is facing persecution

The LGBTQ+ community in Cameroon is suffering a fresh wave of persecution that has occurred over the past month. Mounting concern from the Human Rights Watch indicates that security forces in the country have been accused of threatening, assaulting and arresting queer individuals.

According to the official report, at least 24 Cameroonians have been arrested since February for allegedly engaging in same-sex conduct or gender non-conformity including a 17-year-old boy. Additionally, there are reports of alarming violations being perpetuated upon those arrested including being forced to take HIV tests and subjecting them to anal examinations. These illegal and violent examinations have also been entered as evidence in court when convicting those charged with homosexuality.

The Human Rights Watch shared its findings with the Cameroonian government and the delegate general for national security, Martin Mbarga Nguele, in a March 25 letter, requesting answers to specific questions about their LGBTQ+ citizens. However Cameroonian officials have yet to respond. This week, two Cameroonian transwomen are set to face court with sentences of up to five years in prison if they are persecuted for engaging in homosexual behaviour. The Douala police detained Loic Njeukam, known as Shakiro, and Roland Mouth in February for wearing women’s clothing while eating at a restaurant.

While we await the result of their court case which has been postponed for two months without bail, the Human Rights Watch has made some recommendations for the Cameroonian government which included the immediate release of Shakiro and Roland Mouth, a request for the country’s Parliament to initiate a repeal of article 347 of the Cameroonian Penal code, which punishes consensual same-sex sexual relations and an investigation of all allegations of ill-treatment of detainees on the grounds of real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

Ethnic cleansing continues in Ethiopia

Two years after winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has become symbolic for being a catalyst for the gross human rights violations happening in Tigray, the northern region of the country. Last month, we reported that Ahmed had finally copped to allegations that armed forces from neighbouring Eritrea had come into the country to join persecution efforts on Tigrayans. In the first few months of the crisis, the region was closed off to journalists, leading to very little reporting on what was really going on down there. Now that journalists are able to investigate, the full extent of the crimes that have been committed is being unfurled.

Analysts had warned that the crisis had the indicators of ethnic cleansing, and more reports are confirming just that. In a heart-wrenching report written by Lucy Kassa for Aljazeera, it’s become clear that women are being doubly targeted for tribal reasons. Since PM Ahmed deployed Ethiopian forces, the neighbouring Amhara ethnic group have decided to dominate the Tigray region, forcing Tigrayans out of their homes and violently abusing women sexually. In the accounts reported in the Aljazeera piece, several survivors recounted being raped and having their genitals intruded by foreign objects that have caused serious damages to their reproductive organs. The reason: “A Tigrayan womb should never give birth”.

While acceding to Eritrea’s involvement in the ongoing crisis, Ahmed did acknowledge that sexual abuse crimes had been committed by pro-government forces in Tigray, but his acknowledgment somehow ended up obscuring how horrendous those atrocities really are. In a saner world, at least a handful of the perpetrators would be held accountable for their heinous crimes, but this Africa, where even Nobel Prize-winning leaders are bottom rung when it comes to protecting and championing the human rights of its most vulnerable citizens.

[Featured Image/CNN]

Compiled by @tamimak_ & @dennisadepeter

WHAT’S GOING ON: MILITANT ATTACK IN MOZAMBIQUE, TANZANIA’S COVID-19 VARIANT & MORE

Songs of the Day Special: 10 standout tracks from the last two weeks

Posted on by The Native

As you can already tell from the title, we’re doing things a little differently this week at the NATIVE. After working tirelessly for the majority of the past quarter, crossing our T’s, dotting our I’s, and putting you unto some of the hottest new artists on the continent, our editorial team was left feeling burnt out and unable to deliver you, our ever-loyal community, the content that you signed up for these past few years. To that end, we took a much-needed editorial downtime to do some necessary housekeeping and realign ourselves with our mission of championing the sounds of tomorrow: today.

We know that it can be hard to keep up with all the new releases out there, even in a year when many of us had time to catch up with all the new music at our fingertips. So, in order to keep our content ever-changing and current, we’re rethinking the ways in which we put you onto new music; whether that’s via our radio show which premieres bi-weekly on No Signal or our regularly updated Apple Music and Spotify playlists or a monthly roundup just like this one, we’re committed to keeping you on the pulse with the hottest sounds. Read on for the standout tracks which the NATIVE editors have enjoyed during our short editorial break. You’re Welcome.

Kwesi Arthur – “Walk”

In full flow, Kwesi Arthur raps with the sort of self-possessed invincibility fitting for a superhero. Sure, he’s hedged his artistic narrative on being vocally versatile—case in point, “Baajo” and “Door”, his trade-off collaborations with Joeboy—but there’s a blinding rawness when he’s barring out. With fans impatiently waiting for his next full-length, Kwesi remained visible through loose releases, dropping an excellent 3-pack tape, doling out killer rap features, and recently rapping over the beat for Lil Baby’s “Emotionally Scarred”.

“Walk”, his latest loosie is another pointer that we’re witnessing a rapper at a new prime. In just over two minutes, Kwesi casually barrels his way through a bouncy trap beat, rolling out poignant, self-aggrandising bars, while also putting in a great songwriting shift to make the song an ultra-catchy bop. Straddling the line between an anthemic rap cadence and a vicious melodic flow, Kwesi refers to himself as a “natural resource”, amongst other potent one-liners, effectively communicating his burgeoning greatness and the sort of self-belief that has made him an increasingly magnetising MC.

Dennis

Sarkodie – No Fugazy

Sarkodie has spent the last decade-plus being one of the longstanding alphas of rap music in Africa. Revered as a dead-eyed lyricist and a prolific hit-maker, the Ghanaian rapper represents the best of both worlds, and he’s clearly (and deservedly) accruing his fair share of wealth. “No Fugazy”, the new single ahead of his coming album ‘No Pressure’, is an outsize celebration of his well-earned lavish lifestyle, packed with the sort of brags many will be able to visualise, aspire to, and enjoy listening to without fully relating.

Rexxie’s beat, a maximalist slab of groovy percussion and sunny piano melodies, offers a dance-ready backdrop to which Sark adjusts his breakneck flow, letting his raps flow with the casual precision of a top tier marksman at a gun range. In his “Drip 101” lesson, he boasts of pulling up in Vetements, wearing Air Force ones on regular days, and much more rockstar shit. The song’s premise is not at all inventive, but the execution is awe-inspiring.

Dennis

Ladipoe – “Rap Messiah”

Last year, after entertaining his fans with a slew of hard-hitting bars and viral freestyle challenges, Ladipoe landed a coveted spot on our Best Rappers of 2020 list and a few months later, he bagged a Headies award for the Best Collab with singer, Simi. This year, he’s showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon as the self-proclaimed Leader of the Revival releases his first lead single of the year, “Rap Messiah”, a boastful anthem that finds the rapper spitting rapid-fire verses about his rapping abilities and his lyrical chops.

“Dunno why you rewrite verses soon as I jump on it/Maybe coz every time I spit lines I put my life on it”, he quips disrespectfully over the bass-thumping beat, unafraid to flex his self-confidence in his abilities and show the opps exactly whey they should be tuned into his releases. “Rap Messiah” is littered with biblical imagery and experiences as the Mavin signee likens himself to the saviour placed on earth to revive the rap genre in Nigeria. It’s some big shoes to fill but Ladipoe wears them expertly.

Tami

Yung L – “Rasta/Puna”

Watching his latest video, which combines “Rasta” and “Puna” off his latest album, ‘Yaadman Kingsize’, I came to the realisation that Yung L has been consistently delivering well thought-out, colourful and generally excellent videos since his 2019 EP, ‘Jollification’. The new video strengthens his knack for great visuals, as he and director TG Omori celebrate the more exuberant sides of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the evident inspirations for both minimalist, groovy Afrobeat-indented songs.

Released on 4/20, the first side of the video dedicated to “Rasta”, which features Saxophone billows from Afrobeat scion Seun Kuti, pays homage to Fela as an avid weed smoker with an anti-establishment streak. Yung L sings of the lengths he would go to punish whoever he catches stealing his weed, with shots of him wielding a gun and torturing a suspect. The “Puna” side is decidedly cheekier, referencing Fela’s (significantly troublesome) hedonism and his vibrant stage performances. In this half, Yung L is captured in a dressing room amongst glamorously dressed women in suggestive poses, a clear nod to the Kalakuta Queens, before climbing on stage to mime his lyrics while pulling off energetic dance moves.

Dennis

Blaqbonez – “Bling” ft Amaarae & Buju

We are witnessing Blaqbonez in his second act and it’s most pleasing to witness an artist so young in the game find their winning formula years after their breakout single. After years of delivering a slew of catchy bops, the rapper will be releasing his debut album ‘Sex Over Love’, which will feature Nasty C, Psycho YP, Joeboy, and more. Ahead of the album, he’s shared the project’s latest single, “Bling”, featuring Amaarae and Buju, which was released earlier this month, along with its dazzling video which was just released over the weekend.

The TG-Omori-directed video for “Bling” is a visual feast to behold. It begins with a Freaky Friday-inspired scene where viewers watch Blaqbonez and TG Omori swap their roles on set. The swap is anything but graceful as it becomes clear that a certain swagger and bling is needed to be the star of the video—a role that Blaqbonez wears effortlessly. As he sings about his new stellar lifestyle as a successful rapper, we see clips of the rapper looking effortlessly cool alongside Buju and Ghanaian singer Amaarae, whose appearance in the video is one of its many highlights. If “Bling” is any indication of what’s to come on Blaqbonez debut, then we’d advise that you watch this space closely.

Tami

DJ Maphorisa & Tyler ICU – “Banyana” ft. Kabza De Small, Sir Trill & Daliwonga

The devil works hard, but DJ Maphorisa works harder. The producer/DJ has been one of the most prolific music makers on the continent for the better part of a decade, and following a somewhat low-key second half of 2020, it was expected that he would come out swinging again this year, and he’s doing just that. It’s just the fourth month of the year, and he’s already on his third joint project of the year, following ‘Petle Petle’ (with King Deetoy and Kabza De Small) and ‘Rumble in the Jungle’, with ‘Banyana’, a collaborative EP helmed with mentee Tyler ICU. The title track is emblematic of what makes the short 3-track set tick, spotting Amapiano rhythms with Afro-Tech flourishes that give it an upbeat, Trance-like allure. “Banyana” features production assist from Kabza, and it is elevated by the choral vocal appearances from Daliwonga and Sir Trill.

Dennis

Merry-Lynn – “Runaway”

One of Port Harcourt’s best-kept secrets is the milieu of young talents that it has raised and developed over the years. R&B/Soul singer Merry-Lynn is one of such artists who is putting her city on the map through her sweet-voiced lyrics and her penchant for representing feelings that would be familiar to many in her generation. Her latest single, “Runaway”, is a groovy anthem that finds the singer dissecting trust and the lack thereof in her life.

Over a deep, reggae-inflected beat produced by fellow PH native, Veen, she sings about how she’s “used to this” treatment from people who would get her to open up, only to change at the last moment and unsure about herself and where she stands in others lives. “I’ve always been a loner”, she quips, choosing this time to open up to her listeners on her own terms and telling them the source of her scars and the magnitude that they have had on her life. Her incisive lyricism paints a picture that many young people will surely be able to relate to.

Tami

Sauwcy & Money Badoo – Lil Bih (ft Blxckie)

On their exciting joint EP, ‘MK-Ultra’, emerging South African rappers Sauwcy and Money Badoo bond over their love for throwing out cutthroat bars over-ear busting, off-kilter Trap production. Since the project’s release, the duo has been aggressively promoting the project through the release of riveting visuals, and the latest to receive the video treatment is standout track, “Lil Bih (Remix)”, featuring SA’s latest rap prodigy Blxckie.

Much like the other tracks on the tape, “Lil Bih (Remix)” finds Sauwcy and Money in gloriously catty form, this time around issuing threats to lesser than opps with glee, describing the myriad of ways they will take delight in cutting them down. “Call up your mam, lil bitch/run down your home, lil bitch/shoot up your dome, lil bitch”, Sauwcy growls overblown out 808 bass and skittering hi-hats. Blxckie puts in a typically stunning shit, following the same cruel tone laid down by his hosts. The video for “Lil Bih (Remix)” combines sexiness with a pervading sense of danger, as they rap while hanging out of a moving vintage car with guns, in the midst of ladies wearing lingerie at something that looks like a gang cookout, and at a dingy location dimly lit by a red light. Honestly, it’s all very thrilling to watch and listen to.

Dennis

Donttouchrylie – “Stuck In A Loop”

It’s okay not to be okay, or at least that is what Nigerian singer donttouchrylie wants listeners to know when they come across her new single. The Nigerian singer and songwriter who is fairly new on the scene just released her debut project, ‘Asteria’ , last year and has now shared with her growing listeners her first official single for the year, a pensive and reflective number titled “Stuck In A Loop”.

Over the infectious beat produced by Winzy, the singer addresses the voices and doubts in her head dissecting the ways in which she has become enslaved to her anxious thoughts. “SOS please someone help me/They can’t help me”, she sings deftly, talking about mental health issues by using herself and her experiences as a backdrop to show listeners that they too can make it out of the depressive moments. Each line is jam-packed with critical observations about the mind as donttouchrylie, in simple terms, paints a picture of what it feels like to live each day as a neurodivergent individual. With mental health awareness month just around the corner, we welcome more African artists speaking out about mental health.

Tami

Shontelle – “House Party” ft Dunnie

NFTs are all the rave and it’s only a matter of time before more artists on the continent begin to make use of the latest cryptocurrency trend. Barbadian singer Shontelle has linked up with Nigerian singer, producer, and Fresh Meat alum, Dunnie for a new single, “House Party”, which she is using NFTs to directly connect with her fans and followers. While the song is getting all the rave because one lucky fan (a.k.a the highest bidder) will win a cameo in the video for “House Party” and have their name included in the lyrics of a special version of the song, it’s also a really catchy tune that deserves to be on your radar.

Over the groovy infectious production by Dunnie, Shontelle sings “Boy, come to my house party/You don’t always have to be in the club” as she invites a love interest to come over to her place for a party she’s hosting with her girls. The song’s message is simple but Shontelle and Dunnie expertly make the mundane sound alluring through a frenzy of percussive sounds that complements the artist’s amorous lyrics.

Featured image credits/NATIVE

Words by Tami Makinde and Dennis Ade-Peter

ICYMI: Davido, Zlatan and the thrill of ad-libs in Nigerian music

TurnTable Top 50: Gyakie and Omah Lay’s “Forever” returns to #1 this week

Posted on by The Native

Gyakie’s “Forever (Remix)” featuring Omah Lay is back at No. 1 on the TurnTable Top 50 for a third week atop the chart since its release. It tallied 38.15 million in radio reach (essentially week-over-week) for a third week at No. 1 on the radio chart, posted 9.76 million in TV reach ( up 11.67%) and 413,000 equivalent streams (down 8.63%).

Interestingly, “Forever (Remix)” is the first song to reach No. 1 on the TurnTable Top 50 without getting any streams from Audiomack (which accounts for the largest percentage of the streaming chart). The song has been made unavailable in Nigeria on Audiomack for the last three weeks showing just how many listeners around the country have been tuned into the Fresh Meat alum who is making waves across West Africa.

Peruzzi’s “Somebody Baby” featuring Davido moves to No. 2 on the Top 50 and is the singer’s first top 3 entry on the chart as a lead artist and his second as a songwriter having being credited on Davido’s former No. 1 with Nicki Minaj, “Holy Ground”. The song is followed by Wizkid’s “Essence” featuring Tems which rockets to No. 3 and becomes the fourth top 5 song off the singer’s magnum opus, ‘Made in Lagos’. This is also Tems’ highest-charting single in TurnTable Top 50 history, surpassing the No. 6 peak of “Damages”. Following this is Dj Kaywise & Phyno’s “High Way” and former seven-week No. 1, Teni’s “FOR YOU” featuring Davido rounds up the top five this week at No. 4 and No. 5 respectively. 

Also in the Top 10 this week is Dangbana Republik & Bella Shmurda’s “World” which is at No.6 and is closely followed by Ice Prince’s “KOLO” featuring Oxlade which hits a new peak at No.7. Next is Chike’s “Running (To You)” with Simi which falls at No.8 this week on the chart, followed by Ajebo Hustlers’ “Pronto” featuring Omah Lay returns to the top ten at No. 9. Rema’s “Bounce” moves from its No.4 spot from the previous week to No.10 this week and rounds up the TurnTable Top 10 songs.

Elsewhere in the charts, we have CKay’s “Felony” which falls at No.14 this week, and Fireboy DML and Cheque’s new single “History” which follows closely behind at No.16. Naira Marley’s “Coming” has also moved down a few spots this week, going from its No.4 peak last week to No.19 this week. Blaqbonez who is set to release his debut album ‘Sex Over Love’ this weekend also has an entry on the Top 50 this week as his project’s lead single “Bling” features at No.26 following the release of its recently released TG-Omori-directed video.

You can check the full rundown of this week’s chart here.

Featured image credits/Cable.Ng

ICYMI: How much of a game changer is Scorpion King & Tresor’s ‘Rumble In The Jungle’

NATIVE Premiere: Watch Lola Rae in the video for “Come and See”

Posted on by The Native

Since celebrating her return to the music scene last September with the release of her sweet-sounding single “Shower Me”, Nigerian singer and songwriter Lola Rae has adopted a less-is-more philosophy. After a long hiatus from releasing any solo work, the singer has been meticulously rolling out her new music and visuals without any rush, allowing listeners to stay up-to-date with each release from her camp with rapt attention.

Her latest single, the P2J-produced “Come And See Me” is an uptempo romantic affair that finds the singer promising her undying devotion and affection to a love interest while ensuring that their flame and physical intimacy never dwindles.

 

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Over groovy percussive rhythms and a catchy drum patterns, she sings “When you rock my body, I go teach you something/Shey you want this body, make you warm this engine” on the song’s first verse, as she places herself on the menu and seductively lists out all the ways she wants to be physically entangled with the man of her dreams. Audaciously owning her body and her sexuality, she doesn’t shy away from her salacious desires.

Throughout the track, Lola Rae sings about the normality of these sexual feelings and implores listeners to also unabashedly honour their intimate desires. The accompanying video for “Come And See” is a lush visual feast with vibrant colours, sexy outfits, and even complete with a romantic beau for the singer. We see clips of Lola Rae performing her verse while dancing in a lush green garden and by the seaside while showing off her killer dance moves and soaking in the warmth of her love interest. It’s everything we’d expect from the singer and dancer whose self-confidence is growing at an exponential rate since the release of last year’s “Shower Me”.

Alongside the video release today, we had a sit down with Lola Rae to talk about her new music, what she’s learnt so far as an artist, a mother, and a woman and what’s next for her this year. Our chat, which follows below, has been lightly edited for clarity

NATIVE:  It’s been a few months since you made your big comeback to the scene with “Shower Me”, how has it all been since then?

LOLA RAE: It has definitely been a few months since “Shower Me”. It’s been going great and I am filled with gratitude about everything. The UK has been in lockdown but I’ve still been able to be productive and be in the studio with P2J, Tay Iwar and so many other talented people. I have basically completed my upcoming project and it sounds absolutely unbelievable. I think it is going to shock a lot of people because of how diverse the sound is on there.

NATIVE: Your latest two releases have a distinct sound – even though you’ve worked with two different producers – which marks a point of evolution for your sound. How would you say you have evolved as a person and an artist since your entry into the industry? 

LOLA RAE: There has definitely been a change in my sound. When I first started doing music, the first few records that I released in that era were my first ever time in a studio and we just put them out just to see what would happen. I never expected anything to come of it, but God was so amazing, and now, it’s been such a long time and I’ve developed. I know what music I like and what sounds I like and more about music. Naturally, there has been an evolution because as a person, I have changed, I have experienced and I have learnt.

NATIVE: You seem to be leaning towards more dance-ready beats with recent releases, has this been a deliberate shift?

LOLA RAE: I love to dance and I danced before I ever made music. I used to be a dancer so naturally, I gravitate to music that makes me move. Even back in the day, growing up, when my dad would play his funk records, those were the records I was drawn to more than the slow ballads. Plus, I’m a performer so I’m always going to make music that makes me dance. I think it’s going to be very shocking for fans to discover that on my project, we secured some major dance bangers. I’ve been through some things so I have a lot to say and we’ve put it into different genres and sounds of music.

NATIVE: In the lyrics of your recent songs and also from your striking visuals as well, you seem to have really come into your own as a woman, what would you say is the driving force behind that? 

LOLA RAE: I have definitely come into my own as a woman. I think naturally as times goes on, you know yourself more and you are confident in your skin. I had a beautiful daughter which definitely taught me a lot about womanhood and being a mother. I just know myself more and that oozes into my lyrics. Whereas before I was so shy, I’m now unapologetic in all my dealings. Now, I don’t really care anymore.

NATIVE: What’s the inspiration behind your latest release “Come And See”, and how did the song come about? 

LOLA RAE: My latest single “Come And See” is such a special song. I think that the feeling it emotes is just crazy. I did that song with P2J, who has actually recorded most of the songs on my upcoming project. However, when we did this song, it was my very first time in the studio with him and so everything about this song is special. I just knew that I wanted to show who I had become; now, I own my sexuality and I own myself and I know myself and I want to make other women feel sexy and embrace the skin they are in. I think in Africa, we are told to be modest and coy and women don’t get to feel as sexy, I just really wanted to show that they deserve to feel good.

NATIVE: On Instagram, you described your new video as ‘a sweet watch’, what were you aiming to communicate with the video of “Come And See”? 

LOLA RAE: I think all my videos are a sweet watch because I am a performer and I am going to perform my ass off and make sure I keep my audience entertained. That is always the essence of a Lola Rae video or a performance. I always want to entertain and I want people to see something different while pushing the boundaries. I am a natural performer, this has always been my thing.

NATIVE: The styling is also quite strong and we can spot a few statement pieces already, how much input do you have to how you look in the videos? 

LOLA RAE: Koko the Don is the stylist for this video and she is incredible. All the pieces you see were shipped in from another country and everything got lost in the post at a point and we found out all this the night before the video. She ended up pulling things from her wardrobe and she was literally creating on me, cutting off dresses and making them two pieces that fit me. She’s simply amazing. I also have major involvement in my style because I know what I want to communicate. For so long, I didn’t but now I know how I want to be received so I am majorly involved in that.

Featured image credits/LolaRae

ICYMI: How much of a game-changer is Scorpion Kings & Tresor’s ‘Rumble In The Jungle’

Audiomack partners with MTN Nigeria for special access bundles

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

Without a doubt, Audiomack is currently one of the most prominent streaming platforms in Nigeria, offering freemium services in a country still growing as a music streaming market. Now, reciprocating the increasing popularity, and looking to further its position as a leading name in the Nigerian (and African) streaming space, Audiomack has clearly committed to investing in the Afropop ecosystem, especially with last year’s opening of its first Africa-based office in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub and entertainment capital.

Having established its physical presence, it’s not unexpected that streaming services’ next move would be to further optimising its services in a bid to improve its listener experience and widen its user base. In a significant move, the streaming platform has now partnered with MTN Nigeria to unveil the Audiomack+MTN Data bundle, which offers MTN subscribers dedicated data bundles for unlimited access to Audiomack. This joint venture comes with two options for MTN subscribers, a weekly plan that offers 1.2GB + Free Audiomack at N270, and a monthly plan of 2.5GB + Free Audiomack at N550.

 

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In the statement announcing the partnership, CEO and Audiomack Co-Founder Dave Macli said: “At Audiomack, we recognise the importance of access to quality music, and this coupled with Nigeria’s vibrant music industry has influenced this partnership. This relationship not only allows us to create shared value for MTN subscribers by delivering the best musical experiences but also enables us to further connect with the Nigerian music fans.”

According to recent data, MTN is in pole position in Nigerian mobile subscription market share, with its 37% share edging out other competitors within the country. Considering how much of a hump (expensive) data prices are to the growth of streaming in Nigeria, Audiomack’s partnership with the most popular mobile network service company improves the streaming platform’s chances at a fast user growth rate. “High data costs are one of the barriers to music streaming and we are glad to be partnering with Africa’s leading telecommunications company to provide Audiomack+ Data bundle”, Charlotte Bwana, manager of business development and media partnership for Audiomack Africa, said in the announcement statement.

Audiomack+MTN data bundle isn’t a novel implementation—Tidal announced a similar partnership with MTN Nigeria last September—but it’s a loud reinforcement of the streaming company’s commitment to, beyond growing its business, meaningfully contribute to the local structure of Nigerian music.

Dennis is a writer at the NATIVE. Let me know your favourite the Cavemen songs @dennisadepeter

THE POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF AUDIOMACK’S PRESENCE IN NIGERIA

How much of a game changer is Scorpion Kings & Tresor’s ‘Rumble in the Jungle’

Posted on by The Native

In the summer of 2019, Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa profoundly affected South African music with the release of ‘Scorpion Kings’, the debut project named after the moniker they perform under as a duo. The project further skyrocketed Amapiano into unreserved popularity, serving as a definitive mainstream moment for the House subgenre that’s now become the toast of South African music, and is currently influencing every corner of the African continent.

The critical and commercial acclaim of ‘Scorpion Kings’ wasn’t a one-off, as Kabza and Maphorisa have remained driving forces in the upward momentum of Amapiano, releasing four subsequent albums within ten months, and assisting on a long list of huge songs. The pair took a break from its prolific schedule after dropping ‘Once Upon A Time in Lockdown’ in the early days of the Coronavirus pandemic, allowing for the release of Kabza’s epoch-making debut LP, ‘I Am the King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust’.

During that time away, they crafted ‘Rumble in the Jungle’, the recently released collaborative album with Congolese-South African singer Tresor. Breaking away from the multi-artist format of their previous albums, ‘RITJ’ was primarily curated with the multiple time SAMA award winner as its main vocal attraction. Also unlike their previous projects, ‘RITJ’ was preceded by a protracted rollout comprising singles with music videos, several release date pushbacks, and a phenomenal cover art that features a 3-headed, golden sculpture of Memmon, the mythical Ethiopian king also believed to have been based on an Egyptian Pharaoh. (Maphorisa has stated on multiple occasions that the name Scorpion Kings was picked because it reminded them of the deserts in Egypt.)

Three weeks after its release, Wale Oloworekende and I (Dennis) are taking a loose and somewhat critical look at ‘Rumble in the Jungle’, the elements that make it tick and the context surrounding it. (You can also read Wale’s 1-listen review here.)

It’s been nearly two weeks since ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ dropped. How many times have you listened front-to-back, and what’s your impression of the album’s general quality?

Wale: I’ve listened front-to-back just twice, but I’ve been playing some songs from it over the night, just on a repetitive loop. For days, just the same song, because I’m just enamoured by certain pockets of sound on there. For quality, I think it’s damn near illegal how the Scorpion Kings are able to create these stunning bodies of works in a regular five-to-six month period, some crazy stuff. ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ feels like an attempt to control the narrative of Amapiano by making it more cross-continental, good on them.

Dennis: I had this album in my email a while before it dropped officially, and I can say for a fact that I rinsed it proper with that SoundCloud link. Part of it was because it was pushed back several times – I’m guessing because of the pandemic – so each time it got close to a new release date, I’d play the album like two to three times before finding out it wasn’t coming out on that schedule, then the cycle would play out again. Like you’ve probably guessed from me listening so many times, I rate ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ highly, so much so that it might be my favourite project from the Scorpion Kings. (‘Nostalgia’ remains my pick for Tresor’s best album yet.) Like you said, it’s crazy how Kabza and Phori turn out amazing projects at a crazy, prolific clip. To me, this Scorpion Kings run is 2014-15 Future-level epic.

Prior to this, the Scorpion Kings have dropped five projects. How does this album fit into the duo’s narrative as Amapiano pioneers?

Wale: No one is really making Amapiano music as prolifically as Kabza and Maphorisa right now, and like you said about it being comparable to Future’s insane run earlier from ‘Monster’ to ‘Evol’, I think they have gotten better with each body of work; maybe not always with their sonic choices but just how they seem to sequence the music and how they dovetail with each other. This album is, for me, just the next logical destination because 2020 was truly the year of Amapiano and, with the way Nigerians are getting on the wave, they needed a body of work that just borrowed elements from different places and I heard shades of that on songs like “Folasade” and “Mali Mali,” it’s a deft way to experiment with the form while still planting that flag that, yeah, we did pioneer Amapiano. It’s such a long way from ‘Scorpion Kings’.

Dennis: Yeah, this album is way, way different from their eponymous debut, but there’s precedent for how refined and experimental it is. Their second album, ‘Piano Hub’, zoned in more into the soulful side of Amapiano, and Kabza’s own phenomenal debut album takes several sonic risks to great results. I think both these examples laid the groundwork for this album, because it positioned both producers/DJs as auteurs willing to dig and explore beyond the party-dominant ethos of Amapiano. Usually, they’d collaborate with dozens of artists on a single project, but working with a single vocalist clearly challenged them to keep things refreshing, through subtle but palpable experimentation with sounds from across the continent. I think this album proves that they’re not overly relying on being pioneers, they’re evolving in real time, which is essential to staying relevant in a genre that turns out new stars by the minute.

What did you make of Tresor as the main vocal collaborator on ‘Rumble in the Jungle’?

Dennis: Absolutely stunning! Tresor has one of the most distinct voices in the world, it’s not wildly rangy but the range of emotions he can evoke with it is amazing. For me, the hallmark of a great singer is not necessarily how great your voice is, but what you do with it. Since I found out about Tresor with his sophomore album, ‘My Beautiful Madness’, I’ve been intrigued by his voice, because it’s kinda folksy on the surface, but it’s also a swiss army knife that can convey ecstasy, mournfulness, longing, pensiveness and many more emotions with near equal effectiveness. ‘RITJ’ benefits from this ability to switch moods, which I rate highly because I’m a big fan of Scorpion Kings albums being stuffed to the ear with a variety of different voices. Like the internet would say, Tresor understood the assignment as the main vocalist on this album.

Wale: I think, for me, going into this, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d be lying if I said I was familiar with Tresor’s catalogue, but I thought it interesting that the Scorpion Kings were willing to trust one vocalist over the stretch of one album; I’m more used to the different voices on their albums. But Tresor should just add “The Magnificent” to his stage name because that was such a breathtaking performance. As you said, it’s not the range of his voice, it’s the depth that he has that makes him a standout. There’s a stretch in the middle of “Soro” where the beat just gets straight out jaunty and Tresor’s voice just goes full-on ethereal, it’s so thin. I think I understood why he was trusted to carry so much weight. 

Dennis: There’s more where that vocal magic came from. Consider this as me putting you (and any other interested readers) on, Tresor’s albums are loaded with great vocal performances.

Wale: I’ve actually been checking out some of his stuff. He has a new album coming out soon, so that should be great. 

There seemed to be a calculated attempt at positioning this album as a momentous release for Amapiano, with the protracted rollout, and international distribution (PLATOON). Do you think its legacy will match this intent?

Wale: It’s hard to forecast legacy, seeing as we are physically removed from the project’s primary market. But just based on the strength of the music, I suppose so. There’s none of those standout party anthems but it’s so cohesive, so I think it will get everywhere people want to have a great time. I’ve already seen it get looks at different places, it would be interesting to see how much further it goes.  

Dennis: Yeah, I agree with the album not really having a standout party anthem, which really isn’t an Achilles heel because it’s such a strong statement as a body of work. As much as I know about Amapiano, being a genre for and by South African townships, there’s an emphasis on percussive knock when it comes to songs that become really huge. ‘RITJ’ has great percussion use and the songs will make it unto club sets, but I don’t really hear anything with the potential smash effect of, say, Focalistic’s “Ke Star”, JazziQ & Busta 929’s “VSOP”, or even “Lorch” and “eMcibini” by the Scorpion Kings. From a global crossover standpoint, I can hear songs like “Folasade” and “Angelina” doing well in Dance festival settings, hopefully Ibiza comes calling soon. From a pan-African perspective, the album could probably have also benefited from a few features, kind of like how Kabza brought in Wizkid, Burna Boy and Cassper Nyovest for “Sponono” (which I believe could’ve been bigger if the promo was a bit more aggressive). I get the pan-African ethos but I think those calibre of features would have driven it further home, especially for casual listeners across the continent who are already hearing adaptations of the sound from their local artists.

What’s your personal favourites on the album?

Dennis: My favourite part of this project is the three song run that includes “La Vie Est Belle”, “Folasade” and “Soro”. I think this part epitomises how ‘RITJ’ is well-rooted in Amapiano, and also adventurous in the way that shows how truly collaborative the album is. Across all three tracks, Tresor is in different vocal elements but it’s all sublime; “La Vie Est Belle” is vividly introspective, “Folasade” captures the scary excitement of falling for someone and laying all your cards on the table, while “Soro”, like you’ve already mentioned, is just loaded with ethereal beauty. Also, this part features some of the most lustrous piano chords in the Scorpion Kings cannon, and the breakdowns encapsulate why Amapiano is an apex Dance subgenre – it’s impossible to not be viscerally affected by them.

Wale: I keep hearing different songs off the album and my preferences keep changing. I love “Starry Night” because it has this echoey feeling that makes Tresor’s voice achingly beautiful. It’s also one of the songs where the shakers are literally at par with the rest of the instrumentation –  another mark of how experimental this album is — but the shakers just give me good vibes. Tresor doesn’t have to shout or contort his voice, it just spurts out and that’s what I love about the sub-genre: that sense of ease. Then the last song, “Love like a Weapon.” It’s just so potent. I love the percussion here, it has that knock-on effect you talked about. It’s so jolting in fact because I don’t understand how it’s an album closer. The urgency will literally have you shaking your head, the message is still not for me sha, say no to toxicity.

Listen to ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ here.

@walenchi Is A Lagos-Based Writer Interested In The Intersection Of Popular Culture, Music, And Youth Lifestyle.

@dennisadepeter is a staff writer at the NATIVE

ICYMI: WHY NIGERIA CAN’T & SHOULDN’T BE AIMING TO ‘OWN’ AMAPIANO

Cloud X announces 2021 festival date; to be co-curated by NATIVE Sound System

Posted on by The Native

This time last year, the world had fully retreated into lockdowns to curb the spread of the first wave of the pandemic. In the coming months, the pandemic would affect all areas of life as we knew it leading to an uneventful summer marked by social distancing measures. Since then, thanks to the tireless work of scientists, several effective vaccines have now been created and are being distributed to immunise the bulk of the global population against Covid-19. Basically, it’s about time to go outside!

If you’re in the UK (or anywhere in the world even) and are still planning your summer itinerary, make sure to tick off August 8th on your calendar in anticipation of this year’s Cloud X Festival. Initially starting off as a gathering for a group of friends to grill food and listen to music in a South-East London parking lot, Cloud X festival has evolved over the years as a thriving, day-long event in London’s Studio 338. Similar to other large-scale, outdoor events, Cloud X festival was physically shuttered last year but its return is set to epitomise a summer where we should be able to dap each other freely, congregate for bacchanal reasons, and graze bodies with strangers without any fears.

 

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For this year’s edition, the organisers have partnered with NATIVE Sound System to curate another line-up of pioneering talent and special guests, a noteworthy collaboration that will embolden the festival’s commitment to celebrating community, creativity, and inclusion. Artists on the line-up will be announced at a later date, however, carrying over its reputation from the iconic Cookout series that featured Dave, AJ Tracey, Lancey Foux, Idris Elba, Miraa May, and more, this year’s Cloud X Festival will no doubt be a culturally progressive avenue to celebrate artists across the UK’s constantly innovative Hip-Hop/R&B scene.

In addition to the music, the festival will also feature hand-picked food vendors, including independently owned businesses serving mouth-watering cuisines from Guadeloupe, Ghana, and the Caribbean. From the great tunes to fried foods and great cocktails to keep things lit all day long, everything will be carefully curated to evoke nostalgic feelings of squad linkups. Whether you’re a festival veteran, a foodie or a first-timer who just loves London’s creative scene, Cloud X Festival will make you feel like you’re at the outdoor house party of your dreams! Don’t forget to save the date: August 8th.

You can get your tickets here.

BRUK IT DOWN: HOW TEMS MADE ‘FOR BROKEN EARS’ STANDOUT, “ICE T”

Davido, Zlatan & the thrill of adlibs in Nigerian music

Posted on by The Native

Were you really into Nigerian music in the late ‘00s if “Yes, Boss!” wasn’t a part of your lexicon? With the opening words of his smash single, “Kini Big Deal”, Naeto C instantly entered himself into pop culture lingo, through a phrase that served as an initial identifier of his presence and quickly morphed into everyday slang. Over subsequent years, Naeto constantly invoked the same phrase across his songs and on feature appearances, a small but important ritual during the supreme era his rap superstardom.

Without any exaggeration, “Yes, Boss!” is one of the most iconic adlibs to have graced Nigerian music, a tag Naeto used with liberty and to great effect—both as a familiar intro and as embellishments to his flossy raps (see: “Ako Mi Ti Poju”). Broadly speaking, an adlib is a catchphrase worked into a song based on the artist’s discretion. Usually, the songwriting process involves primary concerns like lyric writing and melody composition, however, layers of spontaneous vocals are stacked around the main body of the song while recording. It’s during this secondary stage that artists throw in corresponding harmonies, backing chants, adlibs and other elements deemed fit in making the song fuller and ready for public listening.

These days, adlibs have become a permanent fixture in global pop music, especially as hip-hop has become the epicentre of pop culture over the last three decades. It’s not that hip-hop pioneered the use of adlibs, but it is undeniably responsible in popularising its usage. In fact, adlibs can be traced all the way back to the spirit-filled hollering that accompanied the singing of worship songs in Black churches. For secular purposes, though, vocal scats in jazz music can be pointed to as a jump-off point, a lineage that can be traced to the visceral yelps of James Brown and several other artists in the heyday of Funk in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

With jazz and funk as important early threads in its sonic fabric, it makes sense that hip-hop not only adopted adlibs, but also evolved the range of its usage in music. While emphasis remains its priority, rap music has effectively expanded the way adlibs can be used in song, affording artists a myriad of imaginative ways to employ them. In the ‘90s, adlibs were mostly limited to “yeah”, “uhh” and other simple monosyllabic word and sounds. Over two decades later, coinciding with the American South taking control of Hip-Hop’s steering wheel, adlibs have become delightfully complex and constantly innovative. This phenomenon was bound to impact Nigerian music, considering its extensive relationship with American Rap music.

No external cultural phenomenon has had – and continues to have – a more profound effect on modern-day Nigerian pop music than hip-hop. In the mid to late ‘90s, considered as the foundation days of the latest, ongoing renaissance in Nigerian music, a significant portion of the music created within the country’s shores were vivid cosplays of rap hits, and those that weren’t, made no attempts to hide their fascination with, and the direct inspiration of, hip-hop’s musical and cultural ethos.

Over the next two decades, Nigerian pop music would consistently morph into an amorphous, boundless and multi-coloured organism, through constant sonic experimentation that places it in greater touch with older parochial musical styles such as highlife, fuji, varying styles of traditional folk and more, while sourcing out influences from around the continent and across the world. Notwithstanding, the bond with hip-hop has never been downplayed, as a cultural ally in the continued push for increased global visibility, and as a consistent stylistic influence. With this context in mind, it was only a matter of when, not if, Nigerian music would go on to co-opt Hip-Hop’s innovative adlib ethos.

The main narrative concerning the classic status Naeto C’s “Kini Big Deal” is the suave, refreshing edge it immediately brought into Nigerian music—both rap and in general. While that’s an irrefutable fact, the song’s instant impact didn’t happen in a vacuum. Around its 2007 release was the ringtone era, where Swag rap held the hip-hop terrain in a chokehold. With T.I, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Jeezy and Soulja Boy—all important to the evolution of adlibs—amongst the most popular rap artists alive at the time, that period in rap was significantly defined by bold, chanted hooks and catchphrases, sometimes wordless, meant to stick in the listener’s head after a few listens. “Kini Big Deal” is not the definitive first example of adlib use in Nigerian music but, alongside Naeto’s long list of bangers, it coins on those elements it’s a memorable one to point at.

In the same way it grew into itself after initially importing hip-hop’s mannerisms, Nigerian music has evolved its own distinct sense of adlib usage, ensuring that it isn’t entirely beholden to its external inspiration. A big part of that comes from adlib use being increasingly rooted in present-day, parochial slang amongst Nigerians. Closing out 2017 as one of the hottest songs around, Mr Real’s smash hit, “Legbegbe”, was infamously based on an attempted theft incident involving actor Seun Egbegbe, who tried to pull off a heist of twelve iPhones in Lagos’ bustling Computer Village. The song itself is built on a simple call-and-response hook, where the repeated chants of “Legbegbe” could also qualify as adlibs.

As with everything in contemporary Nigerian pop music, it’s undeniable that street-bred music has been at the cutting edge of adlib usage, especially in the last few years. Before then, though, adlibs were very well in use, from Davido’s “Shekpe” (which he still uses till today), to the time when Wizkid used to yell “Yaga” at every given opportunity. However, what’s made adlibs in Nigerian music more pronounced and especially thrilling in the wake of Street Hop’s now-permanent mainstream presence, is its unrelenting inventiveness and the sprawling scope of its usage.

Last year, DJ Kaywise brought together Mayorkun, Naira Marley and Zlatan for “What Type Of Dance”, a street banger that would have been a bigger smash if not for the pandemic. The song found Mayorkun in his usual feature-killer bag, delivering snappy melodies and catchy lyrics, while Naira Marley turns in a typically intoxicating, raunchy verse, but there’s an argument for Zlatan’s boisterous involvement as the song’s wildcard element. All through “WTOD”, Zlatan’s penchant for throwing around adlibs with reckless abandon takes some precedent, as he growls, yells, moans, and repeats lyrics even in parts where he isn’t the primary vocalist. It’s the type of noise in a song that should be annoying, but once you hear it, it’s impossible to hear the song without the uncontrolled madness.

Generally speaking, it is impossible to discuss the recent innovativeness of adlibs in Nigerian music without mentioning Zlatan. In the years since breaking out with “Zanku (Legwork)” and the show-stealing verse on Chinko Ekun’s “Able God”, the rapper has been one of the best connoisseurs of both spontaneous and signature tags, including “Kapaichumarichupaco”, “Astalavi, give dem!” and “Ayiiii”. Besides the intensely introspective moment in his catalogue, Zlatan’s commitment to adlibs is clear and unwavering, often filling the spaces between his energetic rap delivery with as many personal tags and infectious sounds as possible.

Even with Beyoncé hitting the Zanku last summer, and the consistent roll of smash street hop songs that continues to dominate Nigerian music, there are still sceptics still sticking with the idea of a downwind in the fortune of the current wave of Street-bred music. The argument is that musical styles attached to dances can’t be anything more than fads, which has some merit from a historical standpoint. The current reality, though, is that street hop is constantly evolving while also sticking to its roots, by seeking out new musical sources to refresh the sound and letting street lingo influence its lyricism and adlib usage. Rexxie and Mohbad’s “KPK”, for example, is an Amapiano-inspired banger packed with slang already recognised by its primary audience: the Streets.

The same way it has drastically affected the sound of mainstream, Street Hop has directly contributed to the role of adlibs in Nigerian pop music. One of the catchiest and most recognisable adlibs in Nigerian music at the moment is Mayorkun’s playful intonation of “ge-ge”, an invocation of “This bread no be Agege”, a widely known slang popularised by the popstar. In a prosperous 2020, which saw him evolve into a more magnetic superstar via a few singles and show-stealing features, Mayorkun displayed a supreme grasp of the use of adlibs, whether it was in the embellishing low growls of the ultra-groovy, Grime-inspired “Geng”, or on the Amapiano cut “Of Lagos”, which primarily consisted of the self-aggrandising adlib, “of lay lay”.

On the Davido-headlining “The Best”, Mayorkun got Wande Coal to throw in a high-pitched adlib that instantly added flavour to an already impeccable verse. Like he declared on that song, he learnt from the best, Davido, and as singular as his adlib usage is, the DMW boss seems like a worthy inspiration. Over the very nearly decade-long run of his superstardom, Davido has made it a habit to fill every space in his songs, sometimes even throwing in onomatopoeias where lyrics are conventionally meant to be, as in his smash song “Dami Duro”.

Without a doubt, “Shekpe” is his most recognisable signature adlib till date, a tag he’s invoked even when he seems less boisterous than usual. These days, he’s experimenting with newer adlibs, like he recently did on his standout appearance on Focalistic’s “Ke Star (Remix)”. Opening the song, he chants “ko wole” (“it didn’t enter”), punctuating it with dismissive declarations of “nibo”, which translates into “where”. He then goes on to casually yell “Tule jare”, a phrase he popularised last December after rumours of a physical altercation with Burna Boy, in Ghana, surfaced online. Personally, the video of him yelling “Tule” into the camera seemed absurd—“why the noise”, I thought—but hearing it on “Ke Star (Remix)” was delightful, and I wouldn’t mind hearing it more often on wax, alongside recently popularised slangs like “E choke” and “who dey breathe”.

The truth is, adlibs make songs catchier and more memorable. While the potential widespread likeability of a song depends on several other factors, like the sonic makeup, the thematic writing, and melodic execution, but adlibs make songs fuller and can even end up being the song’s main draw. It’s impossible to think of Rema’s “Lady” without remembering “Achukuleke”, or imagine “Woman” without the energetic sections of seeming gibberish that the Mavin wunderkind explained as “Bini lamba”. No one can really know what every adlib is, but they’re provocative when done right, almost daring you to not break into dance or at least sing along, because forgetting them is simply not an option.

@dennisadepeter is a staff writer at the NATIVE

ICYMI: WHY NIGERIAN POP MUSIC LEFT THE STREETS

Fela’s iconic impact on stoner culture in Nigeria

Posted on by Damilola Animashaun

All over the world, the attitude towards stoner culture has slowly become more positive, following the increasing decriminalisation of marijuana, in addition to extensive scientific research showing medicinal benefits. This has seen the global market for medical marijuana grow exponentially with current estimates at $150 billion and could reach a further $272 billion in America alone by 2028, according to Barclays Bank.

Last year, Malawi joined other African countries such as Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe to legalise the growing, selling and exporting of marijuana. Though this happened without much public uproar — to be fair, there were bigger concerns on everyone’s minds with the pandemic affecting every aspect of our lives — Malawi’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew from $25.16 billion in 2019 to $26.72 at the end of 2020.

Nigeria, on the other hand, has continued to treat cannabis as an illicit substance while treating those who partake like pariahs. Our general societal beliefs refuse to acknowledge the positive side of marijuana, including its role in influencing creativity in the music industry, which has served as one of our most lucrative exports over the past few years. In fact, one of our most celebrated  artists and perhaps our biggest musical export till date, Fela was often seen with a zoot in hand, and even though he was often censored for it, that hasn’t stopped him from impacting the world for decades after his tragic death.

 

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To be fair, smoking marijuana is only one of the many things that makes Fela a controversial figure, as he was known to notoriously marry 26 wives in one day and was arrested multiple times for openly criticising Nigeria’s bad leadership through his music. He was seen as a rebellious figure who had a lot of influence on the youth, and even though many people agreed with the revolutionary politics of his music, people who grew up in conservative and religious households as I did were discouraged from listening to this music so as not to be influenced into his habits.

While I can’t speak for others, I didn’t need to idolise Fela before I eventually discovered that smoking marijuana is a healthy coping mechanism to deal with my anxiety. The biggest challenge, as it turned out, is finding a place where it’s safe to procure some as the prejudice around it and the ‘illicit’ tag often means you have to endure shifty business transactions with people at risk of getting arrested by the police before getting your hands on cannabis. Since you can’t even report to the police if you get cheated, the only thing protecting your safety is the vibes.

However, The New Afrika Shrine built in Ikeja, Lagos in honour of Fela’s legacy has proven to be a safe heaven where smokers are welcome with open arms as everyone seems to follow a more kindred code motivated by a common love for Fela and what he represents.

As soon as you get out of your vehicle at the parking spot, you’re greeted by the smell of different strains of marijuana while sellers quickly introduce themselves with promises that they have the best strain one can think of.

“I get Loud, I get SK, I get Arizona, I get Marley kush, I get OG kush. Which one you want?”, asks Timi (not real name), one of the sellers I met at The New Afrika Shrine during my visit earlier this week. Although I had come specifically to figure out how much of an impact Fela has on the cannabis smoking culture in Nigeria, I picked the date to coincide with the when Femi Kuti and his band practise so I could experience the live show. Unfortunately, I was told that they have stopped the Thursday practises because of the pandemic. Regardless, there were a handful of people present after being cleared by the security with hand sanitisers and a reminder to keep their masks on.

Though the stage was sadly empty, the shrine was alive with people from different works of life, bonding while watching the game of football showing on a big TV screen or playing pool. Femi Kuti and his band were absent, but his music was playing from the speakers for everyone to hear. Nearly every corner has a stand that sells Fela’s merch while certain stores offer specific goods and services like the tattoo parlour, vape shop, bar, and barbecue stalls. Among the signboards of brands who sponsor the Felabration concert which happens annually (unless there’s a pandemic) is a sign that reads “Drugs Are Not Allowed In The Shrine”.

“Weed is not drug na. Weed is just like pure water here”, Kunle, a 30-year-old car dealer told me when I asked him about the sign while he puffed away at his joint. He took another puff before passing it to his female partner who was sitting next to him. “Myself and my babe (who doesn’t want to be named) come here at least once a week”, he continued. “I can come here every day if I have the chance because here, nobody will disturb you that you’re smoking and the music is very sweet.” The couple believes that their shared interest in Fela’s music and love for marijuana is one of the factors that has kept them together for nearly a year as they told me their favourite Fela song is “Water No Get Enemy”. “Fela just gets it.  His music always gives me the courage to be myself no matter what people say about me”, the unnamed lover told me. No doubt, courage is an essential quality needed if you’re going to be smoking marijuana in Nigeria while it’s still illegal.

Although there’s are several police stations in Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State, Tony (not real name), one of the marijuana sellers at Shrine says it’s not a problem. “What can they (the police) do? When they come here, we settle them. Some of them even buy from us. I think because we stay on our own, the police also leave us alone. Nobody gives us any problem here.” Fela’s legacy as a radical musician and unrepentant smoker appears to have given the dealers at The New Afrikan Shrine some sort of immunity from drug raids by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), but while he was alive, he wasn’t exactly on friendly terms with the law enforcement as he was often arrested and beaten while they claimed that he disrupts the peace. “This is what is feeding me and my family. What other job is there for us?” Toni asks.

He becomes immediately animated when I shift the conversation from how he earns his living to Fela’s music. “Listening to Fela makes me happy. My favourite songs are “Lady” and “Palava”. People who know Fela’s music know that he was a good man and it makes them know that it is not everyone that smokes that is bad or stupid.” A staff at the Shrine who was also reluctant to give her name told me that though she doesn’t smoke she doesn’t judge those who do. “Before I did not like people who smoke but now I don’t even notice who smokes and who doesn’t smoke.”

Ife and his friend, Mattew meet at the Shrine to play pool every evening. “It’s a very cool spot and you can meet all types of people here”, Ife told me. Though he doesn’t smoke, he enjoys the community. “I always look forward to meeting new people here. I heard Wizkid came here one day that I was supposed to be around but I missed it and I was very sad. All of us that you see laughing together met here and started as strangers. We didn’t have any judgement or assumptions about each other so it was easy to bond.”

Later into the night, the DJ started playing more mainstream music, especially from Naira Marley who is also known for glamorising smoking as Fela did. Just like his hero, he too has become known for his controversial takes and he famously altered lyrics from Fela’s 1978 hit song, “Shuffering and Shmiling” to fit into his polarising 2019 single, “Am I A Yahoo Boy”.

Fela fearlessly defied the Nigerian military government with his music while still managing to sound alluring with his unique Afrobeat sound. It’s no wonder that he is an inspiration to others who are currently rebelling against unfavourable government policies that criminalise marijuana despite its many positive uses. Though he died in 1997, his impact is sustained through his music and the ideals that now governs The New Afrika Shrine where weed smokers in Lagos Nigeria meet regularly.

Featured Image Credits: web/last.fm
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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: NATIVE does a deep dive into Nigeria’s online gaming communities

Review: Teni The Entertainer’s ‘Wondaland’

Teni Makanaki lives in technicolour. Since registering on mainstream consciousness with songwriting credits on Davido’s 2017 coda, “Like Dat”, the singer has taken residence in a singular exploratory universe, merging colour and sounds to push the boundary of popular Nigerian music in a joyous, no-frills direction that she, more than anyone in the current climate, seems equipped to tap into effortlessly.

In the four years since “Like Dat”, Teni has morphed from supremely talented upstart to unavoidable pop fixture – as her astonishing run in 2018 proved – by making the sonic equivalent of resplendent hues that brighten gloomy, overcast days. Due to this, her songs live long in your memory. She is non-formulaic, and her personality is bubbly enough to lend further impetus to the pop offerings that endeared her to us. While these characteristics have no doubt strengthened her allure, the clincher has always been the fact that, at the core of her artistic essence, Teni remains a griot. A troubadour in the fashion of, say, famed style-bender, Beautiful Nubia or a 21st century scion of Fuji praise-singers like K1 De Ultimate and Wasiu Alabi Pasuma. A viral video of her singing a folk song on the day of her university graduation in 2018 became “Uyo Meyo”, a denouement on her breakout year, and a stunning back-and-forth with Zlatan on Rexxie’s 2019 single, “Foti Foyin”, further proved her free-form genius.

For all of her talent, left to her devices, Teni’s intuitive approach to music can hamper the overall  strength of her music, as proven by 2019’s debut EP, ‘Billionaire’, where she seemed fixated on conjuring the nostalgia of old gems like “Askamaya” and  “Case” at times, and at other points seeing her creative risks fall through. 2020’s ‘The Quarantine Playlist’, a slick collection of evocative and enchanting R&B-influenced cuts made in collaboration with DJ Neptune, showed an artist in evolution, who is willing to temper the bombast of her first act with more textured singing and writing. On “Lockdown”, over warm guitar riffs, Teni slows the pace of the song considerably to draw out her words and emotions in a way she has not revealed in previous showings. As she bounced between sets like this and deft showings on songs with other collaborators like LADIPOE, Bad Boy Timz, and K1 De Ultimate, it was always going to be interesting to watch the sonic advancement of the next stage of her career. 

The answer to that question presents itself on ‘WONDALAND’, Teni’s 17-track album that displays all the effortless talent and vocal flourishes that made her a star in the first place, as well as the experimentation and vision that will ensure she remains at the top of her game for a while yet. At differing points in the album, Teni examines affection, prayer, and lust, displaying a knack for imaginative constructions and innuendos that compensates for the album’s largely formulaic subject matters; when she does go beyond the scope of usual Afropop fodder, she delivers memorable pieces of music. Album opener, “MAJA”, is a reaffirmation of the determined streak that allowed her transition from being a university student in America to being one of Afropop’s brightest stars in less than 12 months. To staple this, it eventually segues into a prayer session featuring her aunt in their native Ondo dialect, a feature that is now par for the course on Nigerian pop albums but no less significant for Teni’s career trajectory.

Teni mostly carries ‘WONDALAND’ on her own, only joined on the album’s lead single, “FOR YOU” by Davido. The duo scoring another chart-topping pop anthem that seems to be the only currency that the DMW boss deals in these days. While most of her peers write strait-jacketed songs about love that assume its divine preordination, Teni has thrived in writing songs that examine the complexity of affection, sleuthing through its murkier waters for inspiration. On “FBI” , her knack for witty writing matches the emotional subject matter of having to win over a love interest. “Na me dey in charge, na me be the new commodore,” she squarely proclaims on the song for all to hear. Curiously, the song that directly follows “FBI” contradicts her message from there. After declaring that she has won her love interest’s heart, Teni wants to convince us that she’s only interested in a friend with benefits arrangement on “TOXIC”. In the song, she considers her emotional detachment quite honestly: “I get problem with commitment,” and reinforces it repeatedly for all to hear. Despite the thematic dissonance, it’s a fun, light-hearted ditty that represents the best of Teni’s insouciant approach to making music.

The non-linear pattern of her thoughts aside, Teni fleshes out the middle of ‘WONDALAND’ with humorous bops about sexuality that don’t excessively theorize or conform to typical power dynamics. Put in close proximity to each other on “INJURE ME”, the lines, “You just want to injure me with that thing/ Omo yi wa jegba,” show Teni’s comfort with discussing sex even if its nuances are slightly subverted. A slight change in her inflection gives “ON” a wonderful sheen that flips a song about attraction into a would-be emo-trap anthem that’s buoyed by its magnificent echoed sections. 

‘WONDALAND’ benefits from its revolving cast of producers as evinced by its mostly eclectic beat selection. The production is serviceable and encourages Teni to tunnel into different aspects of her personality but the connection between Teni and Pheelz provides some of the album’s strongest songs. “WERE”, is cut from the same cloth as “MAJA,” but instead of channelling her strong headedness for inner resolve, Teni crafts an outward-looking inspirational song inspired by elements of folk and gospel culture – while Pheelz’s featherlight percussion transfixes the scene into something nearly akin to a solo choir performance that gently coaxes Teni’s blithe voice to the surface.  On “WONDA WHY”, Pheelz is in inspired form, balancing Teni’s almost operatic delivery style with a muzzy bassline that embraces Teni’s pathos, showing a vision of transforming her off-the-cuff instincts into well-honed songs.

As much as the album contains spurts of enjoyable melodies and precise lyricism, at times, Teni lapses into old ways, maxing out her vocals on thematic dead-ends and casual freestyles that could have been better fine-tuned further before their release. “100 Meter” starts out with Tempoe and P.Priime’s hazed instrumentation and some assiduous rhythmicity from Teni but peters out near the middle of the number, while “Okocha” is a bouncy pseudo-tribute to one of Nigerian football’s most iconic figure that sees Teni fall-back on the tired, whimsical writing that beclouded segments of ‘Billionaire’.

Some of the biggest criticism that has dogged afropop albums is the casual detach between the creators’ life and the body of works they birth, presenting projects that are divorced from their realities and situated in a fantastical parallel universe that many can’t tap into. For much of her career, Teni has often found a way to navigate the existing reality that Nigeria remains bleak, by constructing her crowd-sized anthems with the people who are going through it in mind, using lurid lyricism that reminds one of places, emotions, and people they experience. Even with the bright lights of ‘WONDALAND’, she finds newer ways to strip the superstar veneer and remind us that, deep at heart, she is still just a person. One song, “HUSTLE”, a guitar-led slow burner, sees the singer give a gaze into the tunnel vision that is powering her career. “So if you see me outside and I no greet you, no vex, baba my head full o,” she sulkingly apologises, or rather explains as a function of a larger apology. Her grasp of these complex emotions sees her make a tribute to her slain father, General Simeon Apata, near the albums end on “DAD’S SONG” where she weaves a connective thread between his death in 1995 and her flourishing career more than 25 years later; fittingly, she is at her most assured here, emoting over Pheelz and Priime’s polyphonous production. 

Part of what has made Teni such an interesting personality is how she glides over the news cycle when it comes to her life, responding with humour or opacity when the narrative focuses on her. In 2018, when there was conversation about her weight and its role in her perception as a female popstar, she simply went about her business, continuing to make skits that created a plain of acceptance for her by herself and ignoring offensive comments. The stage of her debut album presented her with the opportunity to address the weight comments and instead of differing to full-on comedy, she approaches it with clarity on “XXXL”, opening the song with a faux-mocking line that name drops Tiwa Savage. Importantly, she moves on from that opening to make the song an oasis for her thought and comfort in her skin. “Plus sized and loving it/Ain’t nothing wrong with it,” she says, fully embracing herself. You can hear the emotion with which she belts about this, with the conviction of someone with lived experience and the strength of character to genuinely not be weighed down by it.

Clocking in at 49 minutes, ‘WONDALAND’ manages to map out a clear picture of Teni’s conviction and motifs with stunning clarity, as she luxuriates and quips over some of the most smartly engineered beats out of Nigeria this year. It is an album of moments: there are songs that remind of the dynamo that Teni remains, moments when she taps into her undoubtable potential to conjure instances of pure elation; there are also moments when we are confronted with the humanity of Teni, the human behind the artist.

On the cover of ‘WONDALAND’, Teni is seen in a colourful park that is presumably themed after the Disney Park in Orlando. It is supposed to set the pace for what should be fun-packed album, instead what we get is a project teeming with truths about Teni’s life and her artistry. She is fun, yes, but she is so many other things, often at the same time. 

Listen to ‘WONDALAND’ here.

@walenchi Is A Lagos-Based Writer Interested In The Intersection Of Popular Culture, Music, And Youth Lifestyle.

ICYMI: READ TENI’S 2019 NATIVE COVER STORY

BEST NEW MUSIC SPECIAL: TENI DOCUMENTS HER UNBENDING CONFIDENCE ON DEBUT LP, ‘WONDALAND’

Best New Music: BOJ turns messy feelings into a catchy bop on “Emotions”

Posted on by The Native

BOJ’s longevity is a consequence of the variety of ways the baritone-voiced singer has continued to impact Afropop. “Paper”, a 2014 song by BOJ, was the first time the word “altê” contextually defined the scope of what would become one of the most significant cultural movements in recent memory. Over the last decade, BOJ has refined his style, becoming one of Nigeria’s premier hook specialists, whether it’s on headlining bangers like “Awolowo”, or featuring on seminal hits on like Show Dem Camp’s “Feel Alright”, or collaborating with Ajebutter22 on a long list of classic jams, including the ‘Make E No Cause Fight’ series.

Last year saw the release of ‘Pioneers’, the belated debut album by DRB, the influential trio BOJ is part of alongside TeeZee and Fresh L. Keeping up with his relentless work ethic, the singer put out a catchy single, “Abracadabra”, in the third quarter of 2020, inviting Davido and Mr. Eazi into the warm groove of his soundscape. “Emotions”, BOJ’s latest single is a deviation from the tone and texture of “Abracadabra”, forgoing the groovy feel of the latter for an ethereal sheen. One of the biggest strengths of BOJ has always been how he avoids stringent genre categorizations and even though he borrows elements of R&B for “Emotions”, the clarity of his thoughts and his signature baritone voice allow the song – an exploration of the toxic aspects of romantic attraction – sound incisive. 

“You’re fucking with my emotions”, BOJ sings in a repeated loop at the beginning of the song, cutting to the heart of the issue with urgency as Krizbeatz’s languid drum pattern sets the perfect tone for the singer to analyse the cause of his dissatisfaction on this track. For all the reflectiveness that this song contemplates, BOJ’s greatest weapon has always been his unique ability to craft euphonic pre-hooks and hooks that live on in the subconscious for hours after the song has played, and he does it with a layered flow here that substitutes “messing” and “fucking” with his emotion on the hook here. 

Crucially, Krizbeatz leaves sufficient half-spaces for BOJ to emote without a drum base, allowing the pull of his voice to function as a musical accessory. When he reels out a list of shortcomings on the part of his lover, it’s, however, hard to tell if he is taking any lessons or soul-searching to correct his faults. The rise of confessional, self-critiquing alt-pop over the last decade has given rise to a trove of unapologetic and self-absorbing songs and while BOJ doesn’t get as far as that here, it is a delicate balance between that devilish streak and the calming cadence of BOJ’s delivery. 

BOJ remains a true one-off in the Nigerian music ecosystem, capable of subsuming messy feelings and happy days into slickly engineered three-minute bits that have you singing along, and “Emotions” benefits from that unflappability. The whispered words that sputter out at the end of the track – “ when you leave, e go cause calamity” – would typically get a vocal flourish from another singer, but BOJ just goes in on it without any false airs, making it a reassuring close to his first single of 2021.

Watch the video for “Emotions” here.

@walenchi Is A Lagos-Based Writer Interested In The Intersection Of Popular Culture, Music, And Youth Lifestyle.

BEST NEW MUSIC: TAY IWAR’S “PEAKING” IS A TALE OF ROMANTIC YEARNING 

TurnTable Top 50: Teni’s “For You” returns to No. 1

Posted on by The Native

After a brief break from its five-week streak at the No.1 spot on the weekly TurnTable Top 50 chart, Teni’s “For You” makes a comeback this week while bumping off Gyakie and Omah Lay’s “Forever (Remix)” for its sixth week at the top. This week, the song tallied 31.11 million radio airplay audience impressions (down 7.3%), 8.03 million TV airplay audience impressions (up 6.78%), and 1.04 million equivalent streams (down 11.11%). 

As a result, Teni’s “For You” with Davido becomes the first song to spend more than one stint at No. 1 on the chart – having spent 5 consecutive weeks between February 22 and March 22 at the summit of TurnTable Top 50 before making it six this week. Coming in at No. 2 is the undisputed “High Way” by DJ Kaywise & Phyno which has now spent nine consecutive weeks at this peak and also now holds the same record as Olamide’s “Infinity” featuring Omah Lay for longest weeks at No. 2 on the chart. 

Gyakie’s “Forever (Remix)” featuring Omah Lay is down to No. 3 on this week’s chart, having led the charge for two weeks straight. At No.4 is Dangbana Republik & Bella Shmurda’s “World” which tallied about 1.75 million equivalent streams and 15.64 million radio airplay audience impressions since its release. “World” is now Bella Shmurda’s fourth top 10 entry and his highest debut yet on the chart since its inception. Justin Bieber’s “Peaches” featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon moves to No. 5 on the charts after spending the last week in the top 20. 

Justin Bieber is the first international artiste (non-Nigerian) to have two songs reach the top ten of the TurnTable Top 50 – “Loved By You” with Burna Boy peaked at No. 4. Also in the top ten, this week is Joeboy’s “Focus” at No.6, Ajebo Hustlers “Pronto” featuring Omah Lay at No. 7, Ice Prince’s “Kolo” featuring Oxlade at No.8 and Naira Marley and Busisiwa’s “Coming” at No.9. Rounding off the top 10 is Jae 5’s “Dimension” which features Skepta and Rema. Omah Lay’s “Godly” also drops out of the top ten for the first time since its debut at No. 3 on the chart dated November 30, 2020.

You can check the full rundown of this week’s chart here.

Featured image credits/michaelsopejohnson

ICYMI: A 1-Listen Review of Scorpion Kings & Tresor’s ‘Rumble in the Jungle’

A 1-listen Review of Scorpion Kings & Tresor’s ‘Rumble in the Jungle’

Posted on by The Native

In October 1974, American boxers, George Foreman and Muhammad Ali, stepped into a ring in Kinshasa, Zaire, now Congo, for a fight that was billed “The Rumble In The Jungle”. Both pugilists came into the fight with different circumstances and narratives swirling around them, but what was a foregone certainty, was that their match-up was going to be one of the finest sporting displays of the year and indeed, even the decade. More than matching expectations, The Rumble In The Jungle was a boxing masterclass, pitting Foreman’s exceptional power against Ali’s flamboyance and technical capability for a match that’s widely regarded as one of the finest sporting displays of the 20th century.

By fate or happenstance, 47 years after the original Rumble In The Jungle, two heavyweights have now come together for another Rumble In The Jungle birthed on the African continent, and has all the making of a true star turn and the potentiality for an era-defining showcase. Only this time, they are not boxing, Kabza Da Small and DJ Maphorisa are re-uniting one of Africa’s most prolific music duo for another run in the sun, ably accompanied by vocalist, Tresor.

As Amapiano took the continent by storm in 2020, the innovators have kept pace with the genre. Kabza’s 2020 sonic tour de force, the sweltering ‘I Am The King of Amapiano: Sweet and Dust’, established him as one of the sound’s biggest purveyors, and just six months prior, Kabza and DJ Maphorisa, collectively known as The Scorpion Kings, had dropped their fifth project, ‘Once Upon a Time In Lockdown’, tweaking the percussion and groove of the project to match the ambiance of lockdown.

One year later, they’ve returned with another project, ‘Rumble In The Jungle’, setting their focus on advancing the template they started building on two summers ago with the eponymous mainstream breakout project, ‘Scorpion Kings’. Two songs had previously dropped on ‘Rumble In The Jungle’ with Trssor’s vocals thrillingly seeking a chance to make a love-gone-wrong right on “Funu”, while the percussion-heavy “Folasade” sees Amapiano morph into a silky dance number. Now that the album has arrived in full, we’re digging into it to give it the one-listen review treatment. 

In usual 1-listen review fashion, all reactions are in real time while the music plays. No pauses, rewinds, fast-forwards or skips.

“Stimela”

There is no better way, for me, to open an album of significance than with whispered echoes. The way the song opens to Tresor’s voice after the brief percussive interlude speaks of the intention behind this album; and the tempo keeps rising. With many of the Nigerian offshoots of Amapiano music, there are wild beat flips and less emphasis on the piano chords that truly make the genre special but it’s delighting to see the beat for “Stimela” keep it simple and original and Tresor’s voice just has just the requisite amount of earthiness to make this a delightful opener. 

“Funu”

Something about pre-released songs often makes them sound better on the album, maybe it’s the familiarity. But “Funu” sounds loads better, Tresor’s croons are giving me life, there’s something about how he lets his voice become an extra instrument when he breaks into those tiny sing-alongs within the song. The drums are more prominent here and we might be looking at a natural evolution of the Scorpion King’s technique. ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ was billed as a pan-African effort and it’s so easy to see they drew influence from the folk music tradition of francophone west Africa, props to the team for making this work. This is nostalgia speaking, but this one is an instant standout.

“La Vie Est Belle”

The muted drumming that opens this just sends chills down my spine, there is a language barrier but you can feel the weight of emotions in Tresor’s voice, there’s so much soul on this record. The drumming is barely ascending or increasing in pace, but the track’s acuity is pointedly visible. This is definitely an elegy of some sort. One thing I love about the Scorpion King’s unconventional approach to music is how they allow the music to build, it rises and wells up, and you are in touch with every aspect of what is being done, that’s what “La Vie Est Belle” gives me. Will revisit. 

“Folasade”

Let there be no cap, this is a jam and a half. Everything just works here, the ponderous feel of the percussion, how it’s coated with glossy piano chords and the way Tresor’s accent makes his pronunciation of “Folasade” so prosaic. This is not so much a rumble in the jungle as it is a declaration of love in all its manifestation –  life, loss, death, and grief –  so far, but maybe that’s the point. The shakers make a cameo near the ending and that’s the perfect way to end a song that feels so ethereal. 

“Soro”

Once I heard those Bacardi grooves that opened this one, I knew it was deep house. Then there are the glittering pianos. It’s about to be a lituation. Oh man, Tresor is going elegiac again, it’s that damn choral voice again, he’s slowed down the pace and flipped the song on its head. 

WE ARE BACK UP. The beat switched again and we’re on the dancefloor. Amapiano is so limitless, the range is undefeated, but something about how Tresor keeps slipping between soundscapes feels like he’s one of only a few people in the universe who can go from a whispering room to being a bacchanal charmer. I’m still conflicted about this one. 

“Dust In The Wind” (feat. Boatenberg)

Another house number. I can hear the four on the floor pattern which is amazing considering this is a love song.  There’s just a tingling feeling that this one gives even when the dance feels becomes more pronounced. The way the beat switches up towards the end just confirms that this is the most experimental Scorpion Kings album yet. I’m not totally sold on it but I get the impulse to try and break new ground. 

“Angelina”

Now, they’re just showing off with the instrumentation that opens this track, it pulls you into different directions. There’s a bit of salsa here and some refined island melodies. There’s a slight pedantic ring that’s elevating “Angelina” as Tresor purrs his lyrics. No doubting this, a standout!

“Cherie” (feat. Tyler ICU)

One of the most noticeable things about this album is how delicately it mixes Amapiano’s carefreeness and the emotional weight of each song’s subject matter. “Cherie” is one of those moments when the balance feels tenuous in certain instances. Tresor’s clarity, however, grounds the track in the moment, and his work just deserves all the acclaim going to come to it off this album. 

“Mali Mali” (feat. Mas Musiq)

While the opening is a beat dragged, it gets better. There is a grand drumming section that just translates me to secondary school and the show-offy drumming by a couple of kids. This one is a tribute to beauty and the way the beat is clouded and billowy is so gorgeous. A deep album cut, but one that I’d be sure to revisit in my spare time. 

“Neriya”

What are those bounces? That’s a defiant way to open a song nine tracks into an album, so much confidence, so much élan. The kick is staying so it’s definitely a feel-good one, there’s so much flux on this album but the vocals are always a compass if you don’t get seduced by the beats. There’s a stretch within the song where there’s no singing and the Scorpion Kings are just flexing. What an interlude man. I respect this. Then there’s some techno just to top things off; yeah, I’m singing. Definitely revisiting. 

“Limbisa Nga”

This is one of the shortest songs on the album and I just want it to last longer. I connect with this because there’s something resembling acceptance in the air. It’s deep without being overbearing and that’s just such a great thing. 

“Malaika”

Afrobeats influence here. I can hear some of those loops that instantly take me to Nigeria –  in fact, there’s almost a parallel to how this beat and the one of “Sponono” sputter out. Tresor is mellow though and the drums are built around his singing. I like how this sounds so familiar and new all at the same time. Great track!

“Starry Night”

Some disco here and the lyrics are just irreverent. After all the emotional tour of the preceding tracks, this is a light-hearted penultimate track that seems like it’s teeming with electricity. The beat reflects that energy, it’s jaunty and carefree in a good way. I, too, want to play under a starry night. 

“Love Like A Weapon”

I like the title of this song but am definitely not a fan of what it proposes: toxicity. The music is great though, the lyrics are sharp and well-constructed. This feels like an experiment too because the drums just dominate what is happening on this song. I like how Tresor makes it seem like an evolutionary undoing, very thematic. That said, toxic love is still a big no, y’all enjoy though.

Final thoughts

I really wished there were more people brought along for the ride. For what was supposed to be a pan-African effort, there’s just a little originality and lived experiences from those regions on this project even if their influences reverb through the songs. What ‘Rumble In The Jungle’ did get right is the juxtaposition of the emotional with the carefree. There are stints within songs where Tresor is going on about life’s uncertainties and the beat literally guides him back to some fun.  The production is watertight and represents another feather in the cap for the Scorpion Kings.

Listen to ‘Rumble In The Jungle’ here.

@walenchi Is A Lagos-Based Writer Interested In The Intersection Of Popular Culture, Music, And Youth Lifestyle.

AMAPIANO: THE GLOBAL SOUND OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN HOOD

Songs Of The Day: New music from Kida Kudz, Victony, Olayinka Ehi and more

Posted on by The Native

Music has served as the life force connecting people and communities around the world in these unprecedented times. Though the pandemic has denied us live shows and concerts, where the magical bond between artists and fans unfolds in real-time; artists have remained committed to sharing music with fans, so we continue to honour their art and create space and visibility for them.  Last year, The NATIVE created our ‘Songs Of The Day’ column as an avenue to curate some of the best and biggest songs from around the continent.

In the time since its creation, the column has served as a means to discover music from niche, rising acts, while also spotlighting releases from the biggest artists on the continent. As artists continue to share their music with us this year, it’s only right that we continue pointing you towards as much great music as we possibly can. After a week-long break, we’re back to putting you into new releases, with today’s curation including recent drops from Blaqbonez, Amaarae, Buju, Cheque, Fireboy DML, Kida Kudz, Victony, Tomi Thomas, Sute Iwar, Olayinka Ehi and more. Dig in and enjoy.

Kida Kudz – “Animalistic”

Kida Kudz is on a mission to shine a light on the atrocious ways that his people are treated within the prison system. His latest single “Animalistic” finds him exploring mass incarceration, its societal implications, and the harmful effects it has on prisoners and their families. “Can’t solve the pain wey we don face/Animalistic, I’m a beast from within” he quips in the songs opening moments, using his words as solace for all the lives that have been drastically changed by the prison system both home and away. The song’s accompanying video directed by iO Filmworks finds Kida performing in front of a burning yellow bus as he delivers his verse, with visible anger and irritation.

Blaqbonez – “Bling” featuring Amaarae and Buju

Blaqbonez is gearing up for the release of his latest project titled ‘Sex over Love’. After sharing the promotional sex-positive single “BBC” earlier this year, he’s quickly followed it up with a new release “Bling” which features Ghanaian pop princess Amaarae and Buju. “Bling” is a slinky uptempo number that finds the rapper flexing his singing chops, going into great detail about his exuberant living which has all the women swooning. “Everyday they telling me Bonjour/because the money sweet like Banku” he quips, clearly amused by how much money has changed his life. He’s also joined by Amaarae and Buju who make the song a pleasurable listening moment by adding their ethereal touch to the number.

Victony – “Broken”

After making the change from skilled wordsmith to heartthrob Afropop singer earlier this year, Victony has been showcasing more of his knack for vocal delivery and his stellar penmanship. His latest single “Broken” is a heartfelt number that finds the singer directly addressing a lover who has hurt him beyond measure. Over the soulful mid-tempo number, Victony sings “Girl I am so frozen and my lungs been frozen/I can barely breathe right now” using the imagery of ice and cold to represent just how much he’s been heartbroken by his crush. This is definitely one for the sad songs playlist.

Cheque & Fireboy DML – “History”

For their latest single, Cheque and Fireboy DML have linked up for a groovy uptempo number titled “History” which finds them taking a walk around memory lane. Decades after coming up together, the pair share the lessons and advice that they have picked up along the way. “Only thinking about victory, can’t fuck with anything that’s contradictory” Cheque sings over the song’s hook, telling listeners that it’s possible to make it in the world despite where they are coming from. As two artists at the forefront of the new vanguard of Afropop hitmakers, this collaboration is important for a number of reasons; we get to see two young artists at the brink of their breaking point collaborate with each other after years of coming up together in the industry.

BOJ – “Emotions”

BOJ’s latest single “Emotions” will certainly have you thinking about your significant other this weekend. Over the uptempo production by Spax, the singer showcases his strongest songwriting yet as he explores the complicated and sometimes toxic emotions felt during the course of a relationship. “Tell me baby why your heart is so insecure/You are messing with my emotions” he sings over the song’s hook, addressing a lover directly and informing her about the innumerable ways their relationship has disintegrated. In the song’s accompanying video, we see shots of BOJ and a love interest in a heated lover’s spat which inevitably ends in her setting his car aflame and ending his life.

Tomi Thomas – “Again”

For his first official single of the year, Tomi Thomas has just released the groovy-sounding romantic number titled “Again” which finds him singing about a muse who has him coming over again and again. Over the mid-tempo number which vibrates from percussive rhythms, he sings “Here we go right back once again/swear I love you like I love my best” on the song’s hook declaring his commitment for this woman who he’s aware is bad for him. At the song’s end, he promises that they can be frenemies and explore an intimate relationship once again.

Rexxie & Bella Shmurda – “Back2Back”

Rexxie and Bella Shmurda are a producer-artist pairing made in heaven and they know this all too well. For their latest single “Back2Back”, the pair celebrate their formidable workmanship which continues to spin hits for listeners to enjoy. “On a roll, giving it back2back” sings Bella Shmurda over the song’s hook, with lyrics tracking how he has risen from underdog status to Afropop hitmaker capable of buying all the bottles in the club and getting all the girls. It’s a hit by every metric and one that will surely get you dancing this weekend.

Jay10 – “SAFARI” featuring Zilla Oaks

Ibadan-based rapper, Jay10 has just released a new three-pack single titled ‘Dm2’, a succinct collection of singles which is a  follow up to the mini-EP ‘Deleted Memories’ he released last year. On the tape, the Zilla Oaks-assisted single “Safari” is an instant standout for its clever wordplay, quippy lines, and symbiotic braggadocio. “Welcome to the new jungle, we’ve got serpents in abundance/I run the game and still walk it/My mother told me be cautious” Jay10 raps over the song’s first verse, taking disses at the snakes and opps in his city who endlessly doubt him. Rather than let this deter him, he links up with Jay10 to trade verses about getting shit popping and ruminating on the source of their scars.

Olayinka Ehi – “Shake Remix” featuring Khadijat, Six & Sudxn

For her latest musical offering, Olayinka Ehi has updated her bouncy, uptempo single “Shake” with a befitting remix featuring an all-female cast including Khadijat, Six, and Sudxn. Over the song’s exuberant production, each artist performs their verse while talking their shit and packing on an onslaught of wordplay as they make the song instantly memorable from the jump. “Dedicated to the rhythm who no fit waste time/Girl you hot hot hot” sings Olayinka Ehi on the song as she’s joined by the other women who deliver rap verses which elevate the listening experience of the song. This is the bad bitch anthem we deserve!

Featured image credits/Instagram

ICYMI: The innovative significance of Nigerian producer tags

The innovative significance of Nigerian producer tags

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

The first time I listened to Rema’s “Bounce”, produced by Don Jazzy, I scrunched my face a bit at the opening adlib: “Na who do the beat? Jazzy!” I remember that moment because I still have the same reaction even after dozens of listens. Thinking about it now, my reaction wasn’t really a sign of disapproval, it was one born out of a sentimentality for nostalgia’s sake.

As an early to mid ‘90s kid, the bulk of my adolescence and early teen years was marked by the dominance of Mo’ Hits, the Don Jazzy-led crew that held Afropop in a chokehold at will every year. During that run, there was an ever-present adlib that will forever be immortal in Nigerian pop music: “It’s Don Jazzy again!”. Rema’s adlib at the beginning of “Bounce” isn’t entirely alien—Wande Coal used it on “Taboo”—but, to my old self, it didn’t feel emphatic enough to announce a towering, era-defining super-producer, albeit one who’d recalibrated his role in recent years, from helming hits to commissioning them as one of the most successful record label executives around.

From Jake Sollo to Laolu Akins, Nigerian music had witnessed a handful of popular, prolific and in-demand producers in previous decades, but it’s undeniable that Don Jazzy effectively transformed the idea of a super-producer by aptly blowing it up. Similar to another era-defining peer, OJB Jezreel (R.I.P), ‘00s Don Jazzy was a Svengali with an unrelenting repertoire of hit songs. At the same time, though, he was an intriguing personality, something like ‘90s Puff Daddy with an arcane charisma, which shot him up to a level of fame and reverence typically not associated with music producers.

 

By virtue of being far more conspicuous, artists are the most recognizable cog in the music-making wheel. On the opposite side, producers are largely incognito, and that anonymity tends to rob them of public admiration. Considering how heavily artists invest in being visually identifiable by the audience, the disparity in popularity is par for the course. At the same time, though, the attention imbalance doesn’t fully represent how indispensable producers are in the process of creating music these days.

Where Highlife, Juju, Afrobeat and other older genres of music that dominated Nigerian music in previous decades relied on live instrumentation, technological advancements in music production has significantly altered and expanded the role of a producer. With those older, aforementioned genres, artists often doubled as composers and they worked with live bands to execute their music, while producers generally oversaw the process and filed the rough edges. In the last two-plus decades, with the widespread adoption and use of Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) programs in Nigeria, producers function as composers of the music and, in the many cases where there are no live session players, the equivalent of a one-man band during music recording.

In his Issue 003 NATIVE cover story, Cruel Santino referred to producers as “guardian of the sound”. It’s not an exaggeration, seeing as producers have been heavily instrumental in ensuring that modern Nigerian Pop music has remained inventive, integral to inducing several sonic shifts and a musical landscape that’s become incredibly diverse. While playing a key role in the creation of music, only to play the B-role in terms of popularity is a tacit part of the job description, music producers have increasingly taken to the use of audio tags as a means of cornering some well-earned recognition for themselves.

In the late ‘90s and around the turn of the millennium, producer tags weren’t rampant, mainly because production credits were imprinted on the album/single jackets of physical CDs and cassette tapes. As music consumption has become primarily digital, though, it’s become slightly more complicated to find out producer information if it’s not plastered directly on the song’s artwork and/or within the song itself.

Earlier this year I was in a car with a few friends, and whoever had the aux cord spun Naira Marley’s “Koleyewon”, an undeniably slapper that’s inevitably become a big single. As it played, two people in the car started hailing Rexxie for the infectious bass-heavy beat, unknowingly giving credit to the wrong producer, even though Niphkeys—the actual producer—had his tag announced in the song’s opening seconds. In a way, tags are the aural equivalent of the bat signal, an attempt at forcing listeners to acknowledge the producer’s presence in an era defined by playlist shuffles, oversaturation in music releases, dwindling attention spans, and (still rampant in Nigeria) online music piracy.

All these factors have contributed in making producer tags a necessity of sorts, especially in a music space that keeps on expanding but is still figuring out how to properly appreciate those working behind the scenes. It’s difficult to specify the very first use of tags in modern Nigerian Pop music, but Don Jazzy’s signature line is iconic enough to deem as the jumping point for the popularity of producer tags. Where tags have evolved to become a way for producers to watermark their work, “IDJA” functioned more like a trademark statement, an organic inclusion worked in on a song-to-song basis by his collaboration. It was a sign of reverence, buoyed by the stick-wielding, Mafioso-inspired image of Mo’ Hits-era Don Jazzy, and in hindsight, an explicit form of quality assurance that a Don Jazzy-helmed single at the height of his prolific powers was destined for smash success.

Around the same time and shortly after, A-list producers of the time like K-Solo and ID Cabasa were increasingly incorporate tags into their work, helping to set the precedent for a practice that has become commonplace today. With a commitment to being identifiable through their work, especially as means to standout and remain relevant within a space teeming with established and rising producer, it doesn’t take much to figure out the central conceit behind the use of producer tags: Branding. By leaving a trail of credits that audiences and future collaborators can track, producers improve on their reputation and leverage previously released work into an increase in demand for their services.

It’s a common fact of the music industry that, no matter how talented a person is, visibility plays an important role in determining long term relevance. With the exception of the few producers that are instantly recognisable, a significant portion of Nigerian producers are physically incognito, which really isn’t the problem. The actual problem is being entirely anonymous, which is largely solvable with the use of tags. In the last few years, many producers have been able to imprint their names on listeners’ minds, employing unique tags as a form of representation. Without any set rules, a remarkable amount of tags have graced Nigerian music in the last decade-and-a-half, showcasing the variety and increasing innovation attached to the mundane act of producers owning their work.

A very common practice, is the pronunciation of the producer’s moniker somewhere on the song, often at the beginning or at the end of the song. An example that comes to mind is Spellz, one of the longest-serving producers around who has worked with everyone from Wizkid to Tiwa Savage. Although his single tag has been scattered around the some of the biggest and best Afropop songs this decade, Burna Boy’s elastic enunciation of his name—“spellzzz”—has yet to lose its lustre; it isn’t necessarily the most thrilling tag around but it is effective.

There’s a roll call of producers who follow this pattern of spelling out their name on record, albeit with some sauce. A couple of examples include: The sensual pronunciation of “Juls Baby”; Shizzi and Higo using a haunted, ethereal call out of their respective names; the half-sonorous, half-robotic ring of “Ikon”; the imposing, nominal shout Major Bangz graces his slew of hefty beats with; and the pronunciation of “Ozedikuz Nwanne” in a vocal tone distinctive to the Eastern part of Nigeria.

Switching it up a bit, other producers accompany the use of their name with a phrase that is unique to them. This approach, when it sticks, not only helps the producer’s reputation, it also gives them and their work some amount of personality. Young John designated himself “the wicked producer”, Sess owned the word “problem”, and Kel P attached his production work to party-starting vibes. In the case of a few other producers, their phrases also serve the additional purpose of being cinematic. It’s a shortlist that includes: Leriq’s iconic “It’s Leriq, call the paramedic”; Syn X’s “Syn X, do the math”; GMK’s “GMK ‘bout to make that dough”; and Genio’s “Genio, where you at, my nigga?”

While the inclusion of names is dominant, some producers totally eschew it, choosing instead to use single words, phrases and even onomatopoeias in representing themselves. Bonafide super-producer Sarz ditched his ubiquitous “Beats by Sarz” tag a while back, opting for a bulbous pronunciation of “riddim” to announce his presence in recent years. In a branding masterclass, every song on his incredible debut beat tape from 2019, ‘Sarz Is Not Your Mate‘, contains the word “Riddim”. In a similar vein, prominent producer, Killertunes emblazoned his 2018 banner year run of hit singles with an instantly recognizable tag, the boisterous shout of “Shabalistica”.

After the release of Burna Boy’s ‘Twice As Tall’, Telz emerged as a breakout producer, after his “Funkula” tag signalled his multiple song credits on the Grammy-winning album. Shortly after ‘TAT’ came out, Twitter was buzzing with jokes on how Telz’s tag bore similarities with “porn killer”, a playful fiasco that has inevitably made his tag one of the more recognisable ones in Nigerian music at the moment. This nameless branding route, however, isn’t limited to highly popular producers alone. Spax, frequent Show Dem Camp collaborator who’s also produced for Falz, Tekno, Yung L and more, watermarks his beats with a calm pronunciation of “Classic”, while veteran producer Kid Konnect is familiar amongst Nigerian hip-hop listeners for the snappy intonation of “Amazing”.

Aesthetically, not every tag will be wholly appealing to listeners—e.g. my reaction to Rema’s “Bounce”—and there are some people who still decry their use for cluttering songs. However, the primary priority of a tag is to give producers the ability to document their specific involvements, providing them with the agency to own their work from the shadows. This way, the guardians of the sound can get around the music industry’s knack for boxing out non-vocal artists from getting adequate credits for playing their parts in dictating what we listen to on our phones, hear on the radio, and dance to at parties.

Dennis is a staff writer at the NATIVE. Let me know your favourite the Cavemen songs @dennisadepeter

ICYMI: WE SHOULD BE GIVING MORE PROPS TO SOUND ENGINEERS IN AFROPOP

TikTok signs multi-territory licensing deal with South African publishing rights organisations

Posted on by The Native

TikTok and music typically go hand in hand. In the past year, especially in the past year thanks to social isolation, the video platform has become an avenue for inducing hits through trends, music discovery, and revitalisation of older songs from the past. Over the last year, TikTok has signed global licensing deals with the Big 3 record labels—Universal, Warner and Sony—enabling users legal access to songs from these labels’ vast catalogues, while artists and label earn money from song usage and views.

Looking to expand this service to Africa, TikTok has now announced a multi-year licensing agreement with the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) and Composers, Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO). This deal will ensure talented songwriters, composers and music publishers represented by these organisations will receive royalty payments when their music is used on TikTok. Through CAPASSO’s existing partnerships, the agreement will cover 58 territories across the African continent, covering repertoire belonging to 21 separate collective management organisations.

“TikTok is delighted to enter into this agreement with SAMRO and CAPASSO, ensuring that songwriters, composers and publishers across Africa can benefit when their music is used on TikTok,” Head of Music Publishing, Licensing & Partnerships at TikTok, Jordan Lowy, said in the press statement. “This is an exciting region for us with a huge pool of incredible talent, and we look forward to connecting them with our global audience.”

Although the use of TikTok as an amplification platform for music is still relatively low across Africa, in comparison to the U.S., Europe and Asia, several songs have gone on to become trends and effectively increase their popularity amongst users. Master KG’s smash hit, “Jerusalema”, became a global TikTok hit following a choreographed dance routine Angolan dance group, Fenomenos do Semba, which then inspired thousands of challenge videos that have cumulatively garnered over a billion views. South African upstart Tyla used the short form video platform in promoting her glossy Amapiano breakout single, “Getting Late”.

“We are happy to have reached an agreement with TikTok in order to ensure that pan African songwriters are taken care of on the platform.”, Wiseman Ngubo, CAPASSO Chief Operations Officer stated. “TikTok allows fans to co-create, contextualise and re-interpret their favourite songs alongside their favourite artists and drives engagement and a deeper appreciation of songs in an era when music consumption is increasingly divorced from context. With the increasing spotlight on African music, more African songwriters are poised to reach global superstar status and TikTok will play a major role in showcasing their talents to the world.”

NATIVE EXCLUSIVE: GET TO KNOW TYLA, SOUTH AFRICA’S LATEST STARLET

7 Takeaways from Don Jazzy’s revealing interview on Bounce Radio’s Black Box Interview series

Posted on by The Native

 In the pantheon of Afropop production, few –  if any –  producers come close to Don Jazzy. Certainly, no one person boasts the mix of longevity, allure, critical acclaim, overall creative influence, and the well-stacked catalogue full of culture-defining moments that Micheal Ajereh possesses. Since stepping back on Nigerian soil in 2004, the music polymath has ploughed hard at creating an enabling environment for popular Nigerian music to thrive while simultaneously co-creating the music that soundtracked the upbringing of at least one generation of Nigerian kids. 

Strangely, despite being attuned to the pulse of his music and the familiarity of his production, not many of his audience can claim to know Don Jazzy in the proprietorial fashion fans claim to know music superstars. For the longest time, it was near impossible to get a read on the man whose fingerprints are all over some of the body of works –  Curriculum Vitae, The Entertainer & Mushin 2 Mo’ Hits – that have shaped contemporary Nigerian music, and global pop by extension.

In the early days, that mysterious air was engendered by the telekinetic nature of his relationship with erstwhile creative and business partner, D’Banj, as well as his curated public persona and the impressive composure he displayed when he did wander into the public’s eye. The rise in popularity of social media and a loosening of that guardedness has, over the years, opened up Don Jazzy to the generation that grew up adoring his music. Still, it has not been hard to clock that for all the access social media gave, fans could only see Don Jazzy through a smoky mirror and that the Don was happy to recede to the shadows when it suited him. 

On April 1, online radio, Bounce, premiered the first part of an extensive conversation with Don Jazzy, as part of its Black Box Interview series hosted by Ebuka Obi-Uchendu. That opening part touched on Jazzy’s upbringing, his origin story, and the circumstances that set him on the road to becoming one of the most successful Nigerian music entrepreneurs of the 21st century. Days later, the second, concluding part was also released, and together those conversations represent some of the most insightful and contextual information on Don Jazzy. After listening, we have selected a couple of points from the interview that we find exciting.

Classmate with OC Ukeje

Despite the popular conception that Don Jazzy grew up in Ajegunle, some of the most lucid moments of his life were spent in Egbeda and the Don attended the Federal Government College at Ijanikin where he was a classmate with Nollywood actor, OC Ukeje. The duo were also best friends and part of a musical group called the Ministration Voices before Don Jazzy broke off to form another musical alliance with stronger and more popular school colleagues. At a point, around SSS 2, Don Jazzy started failing in school work on purpose and that led to him not making the requisite grades to apply for university admission after secondary school. After leaving secondary school, he went to Lagos City Computer College and moved to Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma to study Business Administration. 

Moving to London

When academics at Ambrose Alli University wasn’t working, Don Jazzy moved to London on the invitation of his uncle to seek alternate academic options and while there he worked as an office clerk, security guard, and music instrumentalist. He typically charged between £150 and £200 pounds per service to play at churches around London.

He met Soji Solek while playing for another musician,  Jide Chord, and they formed a band called Solek crew with one other person called Micheal. Solek taught Don Jazzy how to program beats on keyboards and they played at restaurants and events like weddings. The band performed a medley of juju, R&B, and hip-hop songs and were making constant money, getting up to £500 at minimum per person from each show at the peak of their music venture. Over time, Soji wanted to form his own band and the Solek crew came to an end because Don Jazzy didn’t take the news well. That led to him meeting with JJC.

JJC

While he was in the Solek crew, Kas (of “Fimile” and “Wine 4 Me” fame) found Don Jazzy and was impressed with his skill level. He wanted Don Jazzy to produce for him and that was the first time Don Jazzy intently heard about the technicalities of production, as he only made his beats on computers. The first beat he made for Kas was made on a keyboard and Kas took the keyboard to a studio to strip the beat and record over it.

That continued for a while until they met with JJC. The first time JJC heard a Don Jazzy beat was at a Nigerian wedding where Kas was DJ-ing at. At the time, JJC was looking for a producer and told Kas to come to his studio with Jazzy. That meeting was the first time Don Jazzy made a beat with a computer, but it wasn’t a great beat and he left JJC’s. Two weeks later, he returned and kept practicing and within two days he had gotten the hang of it. At that time, he contributed to a soundtrack for a Scooby Doo movie. For close to a year, he worked extensively with JJC but when a contract was presented to codify their relationship, it didn’t reflect what Don Jazzy thought was a partnership and that led to him leaving the JJC and 419 squad group.

Mo’Hits

After picking a name for Mo’Hits and returning to Nigeria, what followed was an intense period of Don Jazzy’s life where he had to balance creating music with worrying about the financial implication of pursuing music. At a point in the early years, Mo’Hits was almost sold to Storm Records for about N1 million but the deal never happened. Shortly after, D’Banj got his first endorsement deal for about N20 million from Power Fist.

One of the most intriguing details about Don Jazzy in the earliest years was his mysticism and he said that came about from a conversation with DJ Tee and a conscious decision to allow D’banj be the face of the label.  As the label expanded, they signed more artists like K Switch and D’Prince who had been with them since the beginning, Dr Sid was a close friend of D’Banj’s, so it was a natural evolution to him being on the label.

Mo’Hits fallout

The relationship between Don Jazzy and D’banj started to falter before the G.O.O.D. Music deal happened because of a build-up of some unresolved issues that Don Jazzy didn’t touch on. They went ahead with the  G.O.O.D. Music deal because they felt it was a great opportunity and that their relationship would survive the fallout of the deal. In Don Jazzy’s words, the deal elongated the inevitable.

During the interview, he clarified comments D’Banj made about him being scared of the G.O.O.D. Music deal and said he was calculative and saw that the market was not ready for Nigerian music at the time. Don Jazzy had created an initial beat for “Lift Off”, a song on Jay-Z and Kanye West’s joint album, Watch The Throne, which was stripped off and refurbished, so he figured the market wasn’t ready and he couldn’t abandon the business and artists he had in Nigeria like Wande Coal and Dr. Sid. 

Don Jazzy was signed to G.O.O.D Music as a producer for a deal that was supposed to last five years and after he saw the climate, he returned to Nigeria and ghosted them till the five years ran up. 

Mavin/ Post-Mo’Hits

After Mo’Hits broke up, Don Jazzy avoided making music for a while because he was scared that the music he’d make would not live up to the standard of the Mo’Hits era. He was rushed into making the Mavin announcement because there was an imminent media leak about the label and he wanted to get in front of that. The label’s debut compilation project, Solar Plexus, was recorded and ready to go with the news of Mavin’s formation.

A few years after the label was announced, Wande Coal left and it’s a move Don Jazzy blamed on Wande having people in his ears and telling him things. The nadir of their relationship came when Don Jazzy called out Wande for re-recording a song they had originally made together and it is something he says he regrets doing. After they broke up, Don Jazzy kept reaching out and told him there was a place for him at Mavin.

Regrets

While Don Jazzy does not necessarily have regrets, he wished he had signed a number of artists, one of whom was Falz. There was an opportunity to sign Falz, but he already had an existent label structure that would not have fit in with the overall superstructure of Mavin Records, so that deal never happened. With Simi, Don Jazzy did a Twitter competition, Journey of a Thousand Miles, for a D’Prince and Wande Coal record. Simi participated in the competition, she didn’t win but she was high up there and he wished he’d signed her. The last person he really wished he signed was Teni, she was a student in Atlanta at the time and he didn’t have the option to work closely with her and get her signed.  Don Jazzy never really wanted to sign Davido but he knew he was going to be huge. 

One thing he does wholly regret is the Olamide incident at The Headies because he understands the passion of where Olamide was coming from, but he was upset at the thought that people felt he paid for awards. Don Jazzy explained that had his award not been called right after the Olamide outburst he’d have been able to control his reaction. They did meet up the next day and buried the hatchet.

@walenchi Is A Lagos-Based Writer Interested In The Intersection Of Popular Culture, Music, And Youth Lifestyle.

ICYMI: DIPLO RECALLS AWKWARD ENCOUNTER WITH DON JAZZY AT A RECORDING SESSION WITH KANYE WEST

TurnTable Top 50: Gyakie & Omah Lay’s “Forever (Remix)” continues at No. 1

Posted on by The Native

For the second week in a row, and as expected, Gyakie and Omah Lay’s “Forever (Remix)” sits atop the TurnTable Top 50 charts. A subsequent week at the pole position was a sure bet, following the release of its bright music video. While its 1.62million equivalent streams was an 11% dip in streams from the previous week, the Ghanaian singer’s smash hit increased radio airplay impression (3.5%) and TV airplay impression (45.4%).

With three total entries in the top ten this week, Omah Lay continues to dominate the Top 50, even acting as a stimulus pack for other artists. He currently holds the records for most weeks at the top two spots, “Godly” famously spent eleven weeks at No. 1, while the Olamide-headlined “Infinity” spent nine non-consecutive weeks at No. 2. This week, “Godly” enters the chart at No. 9, over three months after hitting the top spot, while his other entry this week is via his feature on Ajebo Hustler’s “Pronto”, which is at No. 5 for the second straight week after previously peaking at No.3.

Naira Marley’s “Coming”, the uber-erotic new single in collaboration with South African singer Busiswa, is this week’s new entry into the top ten, ascending seventeen spots to its new No. 4 peak position, matching the same peak spot as Naira’s previous top ten entry, “Koleyewon”. Rexxie and Mohbad’s “Ko Por Ke (KPK)” bounces back to the top ten (No. 10), weeks after initially bowing out of the chart. The rest of the top ten remains intact, albeit with position changes. DJ Kaywise and Phyno’s “High Way” moves back to its peak No. 2 position for the eighth non-consecutive week, Teni and Davido’s “For You” slides one spot to No. 3, Justin Bieber and Burna Boy’s “Loved By You” retreats three places to No. 7 but remains the No. 1 song on radio, while Joeboy’s “Focus” enters this week at a new No. 6 peak position, and Bella Shmurda’s “Rush” is at No. 8.

Outside the top ten, Chike and Simi’s “Running (To You)” reaches a new high at No. 11, Jae5’s “Dimension”, with Rema and Skepta, is at No. 14, Vector and M.I Abaga’s feud-squashing “Crown of Clay”, featuring Pheelz, becomes the first top twenty entry for all three artists involved, coming in at No. 19. You can check the full rundown of this week’s chart here.

BEST NEW MUSIC: KARUN & HIGO’S “HERE WITH ME” IS A GLOSSY POP-SOUL EXHIBITION

Best New Music: Tay Iwar’s “Peaking” is a tale of romantic yearning

Posted on by Tami Makinde

Since his debut on the scene back in 2014, Abuja’s Tay Iwar has operated as one of Afropop’s most enigmatic characters. Save for the raw emotion that drives his releases and gives listeners a rounder view into his world, the reclusive artist is largely out of the public eye, choosing only to release music on his own terms and fading back into his solitude when that is over.

The best part about a long period of silence from the singer is the reassurance that he’s going to emerge delivering songs that will linger long after they are released, thanks to his irresistible vocal abilities. Although Tay Iwar’s vocals was one of the momentous inclusions of Wizkid’s magnum opus, ‘Made in Lagos’, the last official solo release from the singer was back in 2019 when he shared his debut album ‘Gemini’, a collection of love songs that hones the singer’s sonic reach and his collaborative project titled ‘Gold’ with producer Le Mav.

Two years since then, the singer now shares his latest single titled “Peaking”, the first promotional single from his forthcoming sophomore EP ‘Love and Isolation’ which is said to feature Nigerian singer, Asa.

 

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Over the past few years, Tay Iwar has spent his time forging a sound he calls “Afro-fusion”, an intoxicating blend of catchy and romantic Afrobeats and R&B, skillfully crafted with meaningful lyrics that find him recounting familiar memories for anyone ever been entangled with unrequited lovers. His latest release “Peaking” is no different in this regard, the song’s piano-led beat creates the perfect backdrop for the singer to showcase the depth of his vocal abilities while sounding off familiar lyrics about a romantic interest that he can’t quit yearning for during his periods of isolation.

“I just wanna see ya/I’ve been sipping, overthinking/Stuck inside my house and I just wanna see ya” he sings in the opening moments, declaring his unshakeable feelings for this muse who he can’t seem to get off his mind as she has him up late at night, mulling over their next fated encounter. Tay Iwar delivers a lived-in approach to portraying romantic relationships, banking on the reliability aspect in his songwriting to endear the song further to listeners who may also be contemplating the course of their own sour romantic encounters while inebriated late into the quarantine nights. It’s the universality of his lyrics and the conviction in which they are delivered that turns muddled emotions into the stuff of singalong choruses.

“Peaking” pulls together delectable piano strings and Tay’s distinct otherworldly voice which blend seamlessly as the song continues to build. When he declares “Baby I’m a fool for ya, I don’t wanna be without you”, it’s hard not to draw parallels with the romantic muse on “Monica”, a standout from 2019’s ‘Gemini’ that found the singer recounting his experience with a toxic lover gunning for his demise. Tay never shies away from grand emotions or grand displays of his affection, his music shows a willingness to learn from as many lovers as he possibly could, enjoying their company for the moment and drifting away when it no longer aligns with him.

But with this particular muse, he finds himself yearning every step of the way. Tay Iwar doesn’t conclude whether it’s the liquor that’s got him longing for her love or it’s the long nights in isolation that he lay awake thinking of her, or whether it’s a combination of both factors that surmise his present feelings. Whatever the case may be, the destination seems to remain the same–with Tay completely enamoured by his lover.

Listeners move as lyrics are repeated to build towards a deeper narrative and though he claims at a point that “You see me, Imma act brand new”, the song ends with a final look in the rearview as Tay melodiously quips “I followed my heart and it led right next to you”. It’s clear that no matter how much he wishes to pull apart or drown his feelings in liquor, he seems to operate with the idea that he will remain steadfast in his affection for his lover. “Peaking” is a first glimpse into the sonic world surrounding the singer’s upcoming project release, one that seems intent on continuing in his line of romantic love tropes.

Stream “Peaking” below.

Featured image credits/AlmassBadat

ICYMI: The best 5 songs from Tay Iwar’s debut album ‘Gemini’