How afropop has influenced pop culture language

Posted on by The Native

While making one of his exuberant home videos that make a fleeting presence on the Internet via Instagram stories in December 2020, Davido seems angry. Staring into the camera, the singer is shouting a word over and over. “Tule! Tule jare!” No one watching is quite sure what is happening in real-time, but very soon the singer breaks into a full-throated laugh and it is clear that he’s just having some fun with his audience. Less than an hour later, the video had gone viral on Twitter, and a few hours later, Davido announced a challenge to reward the best rendition of “Tule” by any Internet denizen, giving birth to a new slang in Afropop’s rapidly-expanding canon.

As tempting as it is to question the etymology of Tule, there’s no questioning the slang’s reach and efficacy. In fact, this has always been the case with afropop slangs. From Wizkid’s “Wad Up” to Davido’s “E Choke”, the history of popular Nigerian music is very much a panoramic examination of the wonders of language; how slangs pass diverse cultural pipelines, receiving slight tweaks along the way until they become an unavoidable part of the cultural language and become markers of our specific moments in history. 

From Mad Melon owning the Danfo Drivers tag – a slang used to refer to drivers of Lagos’ instantly recognisable yellow and black buses – to Zule Zoo using “kerewa” to disguise the sexual suggestiveness of their smash hit of the same name, and DaGrin subverting the intended meaning of kondo on his song of the same name, Afropop has had a unique relationship with slangs as living archives of our lived experiences, and a provider of terms to viscerally convey previously unexpressed thoughts and ideas in resonant monosyllabic or disyllabic capsules. 

Most of the rise of afropop to global popularity has been explained through its iconic drums and searing rhythmicity that has won it a ton of fans across the world, however, as with most works of art, it’s the culture that provides a wider narrative for what the music sounds like and morphs into. While music is largely cathartic, it’s also a scene-setting, engendering cultural mood board into the popular zeitgeist. On “No Shaking”, off his sophomore album, Grass To Grace, 2Baba weaved a narrative of self-dependency and relentlessness into the four-minute anthem and made the slang, “Nothing Dey Happen”, a thing. Eedris Abdulkareem’s iconic “Mr. Lecturer” also turned the word into an axiom for sexual harassment in Nigeria’s higher institutions.

As the years have passed, the thematic underpinning of these slangs has undergone marked changes from the core socio-economic charges of the early 2000s to mirror the pomp and Instagrammable hedonism of the 2010s, and Afropop has played a role in heralding these changes. While in the 00s, D’Banj’s “Koko” got spawned into various variations of itself, finding a way into the telecommunication, food, and lifestyle industries, it was the arrival of Wizkid and his intuitive ability to conjure hit singles and inspire cultural frenzy that set the ball rolling. “Pakurumo”, one of Wizkid’s earliest singles, was a marker of his potentiality for transcending music-making to impact the body of popular language as the term, Pakurumo, took on a bigger urgency in the day-to-day lives of people across the federation and beyond. 

The 2010s largely gave way to buzzing slangs – preferably with buzzing dance styles – as a form of cultural apotheosis, and nobody quite owned the intersection of popular slangs and pop music like Olamide. Upon leaving the ID Cabasa-led Coded Tunes, the Bariga native’s first album was titled Yahoo Boy  No Laptop (YBNL), a clever play on the fraud allegations that dogged him, and one that attained mass appeal and critical attention. At that time, Olamide began to piece together the beginning of the insane run that made him one of the 2010’s most defining Afropop acts, and throughout the decade, Olamide coloured his often-visceral hooks and bars with inventive slangs and colloquialisms that would have an outsized effect on the culture and language (Sneh, Duro Soke, and Shakiti Bobo). 

The evolving success of Nigerian music and its decamping to areas of relative wealth juxtaposed with the rise of indigenous rhymers like DaGrin, Reminisce, and Olamide as the 2010s thrummed on, which set the pace for a fresh glut of slangs to rise from the places that birthed these artistes. As the epicenter of popular music converged on the island and other tangential locations, it necessitated the existence of an other to accommodate the dreams and aspirations of musicians from other locations in the city, birthing the ‘streets’ terminology that is now one of Afropop’s most enduring totems. With time, the music coming out from that part of town, chronicling the weird, oft-fatalistic realities of young people, took new meaning and sprouted newer cant like the previously derisory “local rapper” quip that was reclaimed powerfully on Reminisce’s “Local Rapper”.

Phyno, a guest on that song, benefitted from the micro-triggers of the streets’ influence, dropping his classic single, “Alobam”, to widespread positive reception; as a mark of how successful “Alobam” became, it became a slang to express affection among loved ones. Just a year after “Alobam,” a song by Festac rapper, YCee, took the word Jagaban into the pop argot, transforming it from its previously political connotation to have mainstream meaning as any person of influence.

A series of middling slangs made 2018 one of Afropop’s more interesting years: Wizkid’s “everything stew”, a holdover from the “Fever” video promo was trifling if not unremarkable, while Duncan Mighty’s comeback link-up with Davido and Peruzzi resulted in the entrenchment of “aza” as a substitute for bank account details. By the late 2010s, music from the streets of Lagos had permeated almost every part of popular Nigerian culture and the Shaku Shaku, a novel mutation of streets music built around the guttural arrangement of Gqom, South Africa’s traditional electronic dance subgenre, was crafting a path to the mainstream. Songs like DJ Sidez’s “Oshozondi”, Mr. Real’s “Legbegbe”, and Idowest’s “Shepeteri” introduced the Nigerian public to their bombastic music as well as the sprightly slangs that made their songs addictive. Oshozondi/Saint Sami Ganja was envisioned to mean a life of the party who spent heavily and Shepeteri referred to the ghetto culture that inspired their music. Another slang, “Ji Masun”, popularized by Idowest became the spur-of-the-moment for much of 2018. 

In the last quarter of 2018, a young rapper named Zlatan took to shouting the ad-lib “Gbe body e” over zesty beats that marked the birth of his signature zanku music, often interchanging it with “Gbe soul e” for maximal effect. Much like Ji Masun, Gbe body e was an invocation to work hard and not give up, and paired with the Zanku culture and Zlatan’s work ethic the ad-libs became slangs that became an inescapable presence after an electrifying showing on Burna Boy’s “Killin Dem”. Zlatan’s success and his dalliance with Naira Marley set off one of the most inspired years in Afropop history, with Marley going on to release a canon of singles that elevated him to stardom despite spending considerable time incarcerated. His collaboration with Young Jonn, “Mafo”, a defiant pop anthem became another successful drop turning the single’s title into an exhortation and ubiquitous slang.

Through this all, the next frontier of Afropop slang is being decided by the up-and-coming generation of street popstars. Taking inspiration from street pop’s ever-changing pulse and Marley’s Opor, MohBad and Rexxie came up with the minimalist hit, “KPK”, an abbreviation of “Ko Po Ke”, a Yoruba phrase expressing delight at bountifulness. Straddling the intersection of mainstream music and street sensibilities, Mayorkun has established himself as a veritable slang machine, birthing the crisp but pure “of Lagos” tag and following it up with “this bread no be Agege”.

As Nigerian pop’s greatest synthesiser, Davido has demonstrated a knack for taking parts of the culture and reconfiguring them in new and exciting ways that increase reach. After a video of the “Jowo” singer working in the studio with Bad Boy Timz captioned “Hit Choke” went viral in January, the latest viral slang, “E Choke”, started to gain momentum, leading to its present position in pop vocabulary. With Nigerian music ascending to global fame, the results of our slangs are more decidedly global as the video of Drake admirably trying to say “e choke” when he linked with Davido in March proved. 

For the conceivable future, slangs will be a fixture of our music because the heterogeneity of Nigeria does not make it feasible that we have a central language. What that means is that, through the creolization of our languages into a hybrid communication system, we will find ways to convey our most urgent desires and feelings in wide-ranging slangs that the Internet will help proliferate. And because the work of pop music often comes down to reflecting the times it exists in, musicians will seek out the words that move the masses or attempt to come up with the words that will define our daily lives.

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

ICYMI: THE BIGGEST AFROPOP TRENDS COME FROM THE STREETS, BUT WHO PROFITS?

Best new music: Sarz & Lojay fuse Afropop and R&B for deceptively addictive “Tonongo”

Posted on by The Native

A little over two years ago, a trove of mood-shifting electro-tinged instrumentals appeared on streaming apps credited to Sarz. Within the expanse of the suitably-named ‘Sarz Is Not Your Mate’, the producer sauntered between the cheery carefreeness of “Good Morning Riddim” and the whizzing hums of “Celetronic Riddim”, displaying the knack for crafting euphonious sounds and sense of pacing that made him perhaps the most important Nigerian producer of the 2010s. With the barest minimum vocals, the beat merchant made a body of work that could soundtrack – and ease – the endemic traffic congestions that crowd out the roads of Lagos, day on day, while the inviting pulse of “Legwork Riddim” tapped into the dominant trend ruling the 2019 zeitgeist. At the end of that year, he followed up with ‘I Love Girls With Trobul’, a joint project with WurlD that paired the electro thrumming of ‘SINYM’ with WurlD’s poignant lyricism. 

In the two years since then, Sarz has taken a backseat from music drops to focus on tweaking his formula to reflect the ever-expanding multiplicity of sonics in the ecosystem. On “Tonongo”, a new collaboration between Sarz and newcomer Lojay, we are served notice of a new era in the producer’s career and a sign of a brewing partnership with another artist. While WurlD’s music reflected the American influence that shaped his art, Lojay’s voice reflects the Nigerian experience in immersive fashion with 2017’s ‘Midnight Vibes’ boasting jolting production and caulking writing on songs like “Atarodo” and “10k Splaw”.

Four years after, and collaborating with Sarz, the pace of Lojay’s music is less languorous and the sound is cleaner, the staggered flows on “Tonongo” are deceptively addictive, complementing Sarz’s pivot to an Afropop-soul fusion sound. Stretching out his vocals over a sensual instrumental, Lojay makes a lascivious tribute to a dancer that he’s not sure he likes or he’s just lusting after. His writing wonderfully swerves between the grungy staple of Afropop and a more ambitious style of rhyming that makes the gloomy, dark soundscape he was aiming at visible. One memorable line, “You win the ass cheek Ballon D’Or”, lands on the right side of the beat drop, providing an almost visceral imagery to his emotive chitter. 

One of Sarz’s greatest gift has always been his intuitive ability to match the sonic leanings of his creative partners and present their music in new and exciting ways; here, he strips the dour reverbs that have characterised some of Lojay’s recent works (“Ogogoro” and “Ariel”), allowing his music retain the anxiety of his messaging without distractions. The first single off a proposed joint project between the producer and artist, “Tonongo” represents a superb effort in imagining the turmoil and uncertainties of romance over forward thinking beats, as tension-soaked, angst-filled neo-soul music attempts to position itself at the center of Nigerian pop. It also teases the wonderful possibilities ahead of the duo’s joint EP, setting an enviable opening standard for the project’s eventual full release in coming weeks.

Listen to “Tonongo” here.

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

BEST NEW MUSIC: HEAR “SWEAT”, THE STEAMIEST AND MOST DEFINITIVE TRACK OFF SARZ AND WURLD’S ‘I LOVE GIRLS WITH TROBUL’

Songs of the Day: New Music from Tekno x Mafikizolo, Yaw Tog, Blxckie & more

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

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 frequent round-ups like this one, we’re committed to keeping you on the pulse with the hottest sounds. Last weekend’s curation included new drops from Burna Boy, M.anifest, Ajebutter22, KDDO and Davido, Le Mav and Tay Iwar, and more. Today, we’re bringing you recent releases from Tekno, Yaw Tog, Blxckie, RnB Princess, and more. Dig in, enjoy and you’re welcome.

Tekno & Mafikizolo – “Enjoy (Remix)”

Late last year, Afropop superstar finally released his overdue debut album, ‘Old Romance’. The LP was preceded by its bubbly lead single, “Enjoy”, where the singer makes it clear that he’s only interested in living a pleasure-filled life over dance-ready neo-Highlife instrumentation. The singer has now shared the remix to the single, collaborating with iconic South African Pop duo Mafikizolo. The major part of Tekno’s catchy hook and the beat remains unchanged, with the only new additions being sung verses by the guests. “Enjoy (Remix)” also comes with a Clarence Peters-directed accompanying video, packed with bright colours and flamboyantly styled wears.

Yaw Tog – “Y33gye”

Nascent Ghanaian Drill superstar Yaw Tog released his debut EP, ‘TIME’, an exhilarating showcase of his abilities as a potential powerhouse. Following its blockbuster lead single, “Sore” featuring Stormzy and Kwesi Arthur, the teenage rap artist is continuing promotion efforts for the project with the release of a new video for the standout song, “Y33gye”, a bruising anthem touting his street cred. The video plays into the gritty aesthetic often employed in Kumerica music videos, showing Yaw Tog in the midst of his posse as they rap and singing with a delightfully menacing edge.

Kwaku DMC – “Most High”

Last month, Ghanaian rapper Kwaku DMC released his latest mixtape, ‘Road to Traphouse 3’, a reiteration of his hood rich lifestyle and street-bred ideals. Off the tape, he’s shared “Most High” as the new promotional single along with a new music video. Over a sombre Trap beat, he raps of his lavish ways and immortalises his fallen brothers from the past. The video takes a very DIY bent, as is typical of Kwaku, showing him rapping his set with a relaxed candour in the kitchen area of his house.

YoungstaCPT – “Kleurling”

YoungstaCPT’s debut album, ‘3T’, explored what it means to be deemed as coloured in South Africa, exploring the origins of that identity and taking unbridled pride in it despite past racist connotations. Over two years later, the Cape Town-based rapper is still garnering attention with a steady trickle of music video for select single, the latest being an accompanying set of visuals for standout song, “Kleurling”. Portraying the specifics of the song’s socially conscious incline, the video contains frames from the historic District Six museum, which contains artefacts and images pertaining to the Coloured experience. It also sees Youngsta rapping amidst people in two different hoods across Johannesburg and Cape Town, closing out with a montage of the variety of faces that make up these places.

Dwin, the Stoic – “Ifunayam”

As a solo artist and member of the alternative folk band Ignis Brothers, Dwin, the Stoic makes deeply affecting songs about the human experience. “Ifunayam”, his first single of the year and solo outing in a while, leans into the Nigerian singer’s increasing mastery of spinning emotionally stirring Folk ballads. Sung in the first-person perspective, and backed by a majestic combination of placid piano, gentle guitar plucks and sweeping strings, Dwin lays his cards down in front of a returning love interest, whose affection seemed to have wavered in the past and left him heartbroken. “There were nights when I thought the darkness would win/but you’ve come my way and I hope you stay”, he sings in the second verse, rejoicing at the return of his prodigal lover.

Eno Barony – “God is a Woman” (feat. Efya)

At the recent 3Music Awards, dedicated to celebrating creative achievements in Ghanaian music, Eno Barony picked up the award for Rapper of the Year, making her the first woman to win in that category. On the back of that significant win, she’s just shared the video for “God is a Woman”, the intro song on her latest album, ‘Ladies First’. On the song, she’s joined by singer Efya who sings the choral hook, as they declare women’s supreme worth and chuck the middle finger at those who would like to disagree. The music video employs religious symbolism and regal styling to get their point further across, as Eno and Efya perform their set in various bright backgrounds with a boisterous, joyous attitude.

RnB Princess – “Be Gone” (feat. Fuga the Pirate)

The signs that it’s time to end a romantic relationship are often evident, it’s just about reading them and making the terminating move. RnB Princess’s new single, “Be Gone”, portrays the resolve it takes to exit a situation once things start to get irredeemably sour. “You’re looking back at me, I wonder who’s within/I see your insecurities escape from where they hide”, she poetically expresses over Noiz’s aqueous keys and gently thumping bass synths, laying out her justification for opting to dip. She’s joined by Fuga the Pirate, who seemingly plays the provocative, nonchalant love interest in his rap verse, forming a narrative counterpoint that makes “Be Gone” feel even more lived-in and compelling.

Blxckie – “David”

South African Rap breakout star Blxckie is getting set to release his debut LP, ‘B4NOW’. Ahead of its scheduled May 15th release date, the Fresh Meat alum has been stoking hype by dropping a visual album trailer and the pre-release single, “David”. The new song captures the irreverent, assertive charisma that has characterised Blxckie’s ascent into notoriety, as he dismisses his doubters and projects his growing greatness. Over spacey and booming Trap instrumentation, the rapper references the biblical story of David killing Goliath with stones, threatening opps and going on to remind us that money is his favourite conversation.

BIWOM – “Company”

Cross River-born singer, songwriter and producer BIWOM has just released her debut EP ‘Confessions of A Rebel’, a succinct 6-track tape that finds her singing about life and love with help from collaborators such as Skales and P Classic. Standout opening track “Company” is an anti-love anthem which showcases the upcoming singer’s melodious vocals and her knack for writing relatable lyrics.

Over a brassy anthemic beat, she sings “Close to me, you think that’s where you’re supposed to be/I be moving antisocially/I don’t really want you in my company”, admonishing a love interest who has clearly hurt her in some way. For anyone who’s had several flings fizzle out right at their start, her words ring true as she says: “You’re perfect but you too dey lie/try no dey talk too much”. It’s a powerful introduction to the singer who clearly has a lot more to say.

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

BEST NEW MUSIC: SARZ & LOJAY’S DECEPTIVELY ADDICTIVE “TONONGO”

TurnTable Top 50: Gyakie’s “Forever Remix” spends its fourth week at No. 1

Posted on by Tami Makinde

This week, Gyakie’s “Forever Remix” featuring Omah Lay spends its fourth week atop the charts. The single becomes the third-longest to debut at No. 1 since the inception of the TurnTable Top 50, joining the ranks of the 11-week reign of Omah Lay’s “Godly” and the seven-week rule of Teni’s “FOR YOU”. This week, it had 38.13 million impressions in radio reach, and tallied 10.12 million in TV reach (up 3.68%) and 323,000 equivalent streams (down 21.79%).

There are no changes in the top 3 this week as Peruzzi’s “Somebody Baby” featuring Davido stays at its No. 2 peak for a second week while Wizkid’s “Essence” featuring Tems holds at its position at No.3. This week, Cheque & Fireboy DML’s “History” jumps to No. 4 on the Top 50 following the premiere of its official video. “History” tallied 23.02 million in radio reach (up 33.14%), debuted with 7.76 million in TV reach and posted 908,000 equivalent streams (up 10.1%). It is also the highest-charting song on the TurnTable Top 50 for both artists.

At No. 5 is DJ Kaywise and Phyno’s “Highway” which is closely followed by Jae5’s “Dimension” featuring Skepta and Rema at No.6 and Dangbana Republik & Bella Shmurda’s “World” at No.7. Teni’s “For You” which topped the charts at the time of its release has now fallen to No.8 on the charts this week. To round up the Top 10 is Chike’s “Running (To You)” featuring Simi at No. 9 and Ajebo Hustlers’ “Pronto” featuring Omah Lay at No.10. Outside the top 10, some notable entries on the chart this week are Zlatan’s latest single “Cho Cho” featuring Mayorkun and Davido at No.12, Blaqbonez’ “Bling” featuring Amaarae and Buju at No.15 and Joeboy’s “Door” featuring Kwesi Arthur at No. 17. 

You can check out the full charts here.

Featured image credits/CommonJuls

ICYMI: A 1-Listen Review of Blaqbonez ‘Sex > Love’

A 1-listen review of Laycon’s ‘…Shall We Begin…’

Posted on by The Native

As the world continuously spirals into an unending digital economy, the wall of divide that previously separated real life and fantastical mediums like TV, radio, the Internet is being worn down. The cloak of mystery that shielded –  and feted –  aughties icons like P Square, Don Jazzy, and 2Face started to show holes with the rise of a new cluster of talent at the dawn of the 2010s. That period’s focus on teenage superstardom and hypervisibility entrenched the Wizkid brand in ways we are still coming to terms with 10 years after. The music TV shows of the mid-2010s birthed seismic voices like Iyanya and Niniola. Social media’s proliferation in Nigeria from the mid-to-late 2010s minted social media sensations-turned pop stars like Mayorkun and Zinoleesky; and the rise of Big Brother Naija as a cultural force is threatening to reconfigure how we experience music –  showing earnest signs of providing Nigeria’s first reality TV super popstar.

In a way, Laycon is a pioneer — or more accurately, a popularizer — following the path of ex-BBN housemates like Efe, K Brule, and Debbie Rise, in using the clout of the widely-watched show to extend his music reach. Something about 2020 and our impulsive turn to TV and other forms of distraction during the pandemic made Laycon’s rise more lived-in, allowing some of his music to grow on people as he patrolled our TV sets endlessly. His 2020 project, ‘Who Is Laycon?’, a booming hip-hop affair, was strategically released to maximise his new-found visibility. Fusing therapeutic snippets with an ever-changing production palette, the rapper moved from Fuji-fueled glee on “Hiphop” to the passive aggressiveness of “Fierce”, as assisted by Reminisce and Chinko Ekun.

On “The Question,”  the song that opens  ‘Who Is Laycon?’, Laycon admits to facing a contradiction: “I’m just trying to figure out what part of me they want,” he sullenly says. “Should I be myself or should I be the Laycon that they can understand?” It’s a telling peek at the hard choice between sustainability by way of pop attempts or cult standing by way of brilliant, if inaccessible, bodies of rap projects. So far, it would seem the rapper has chosen the path of sustainability, making a series of catchy bops since his tenure in the Big Brother House ended. The most exciting work from him comes from his promising partnership with Lagos-based singer, YKB.

To set the stage for the next stage of his career, Laycon is putting out a new album, ‘…Shall We Begin…,’ to showcase the evolution he has undergone and push into the core mainstream.

In Usual 1-Listen Review Fashion, All Reactions Are In Real-Time While The Music Plays. No Pauses, Rewinds, Fast-Forwards Or Skip.

“…And So She Spoke…”

I am forever stuck between rolling my eyes and just going through the motions when I hear the now-standard family prayers on a Nigerian album opener. I don’t know where it started from but we need to divest from the family prayer industrial complex. That said, it is hard to criticise Laycon for looping in his mum on what is essentially a lap of honour for him. And I’m even enjoying the rhythmicity in her voice when she switches to praying in Arabic, the beat just compliments the cadence she’s half-singing in and it’s all round beautiful.

“God Body”

Laycon’s shadow-boxing here and it’s almost like he’s floating. The repetitive bouncy loop that he’s rapping against just gives a cinematic feel to the music. What a difference a year can make in the life of a man. While he has always sounded confident, “God Body” just sounds like he’s very aware of his own elevation.

“Verified” (feat. Mayorkun)

It’s always time to go off when you hear “of Lagos,” but I don’t like how Laycon came into this song and he’s dragging Mayor’s pace but The Mayor Of Lagos just remains undefeated. Or not. His voice here just sounds off-kilter. The message seems right, the beat sounds solid as well but the execution just seems to be off and the chemistry is pretty much non-existent. Will definitely not be revisiting, shouts to Mayor for the ad-libs, joyous as always.

“All over Me”

Some singing from Laycon here, The production is the gospel. The blend of hard hammer percussion with the liquid drums makes up for Laycon’s delivery that’s flat at times. The concept is truly alright, the performance just lacks the drive to push it to truly great levels. Decent try by Laycon.

“Wagwan”

This one is so comical that it fits right into what all need to be listening to in this current moment. We all need the money man. I can hear shades of Reminisce here, just the way Laycon flows in the middle section of the song. Awesome low-stake song that sees him mix afrobeats and hip-hop. Will be revisiting.

“Kele”

There’s an ethereal feel to Telz’s production that puts at ease. Now, this is afrobeats. Love how smoothly Joeboy glides across the beat here, it’s all effortless. Laycon’s verse is mostly complementary because Joeboy already finished work. The pace, too, is just right, vintage Joeboy here.

“Jeje” (feat. Terri)

Terri is one of afrobeats’ great enigmas. He’s clearly talented and has all the right buttons but he can just inexplicably fall off the news cycle. On this song, he’s a breath of fresh air, advancing the no stress gospel that his mentor, Wizkid, has popularized in the last three years. Laycon’s verses here are not working for me, no need for boasty lines, just give a lo-fi verse because Terri already gave you a pedestal to work on. For much of this album, Laycon and his guests have not seemed to be on the same page, that’s worrying because the attempts are really great, but something intangible keeps letting the songs down. 

“Bam Bam”

Pop Laycon is out to play, and “Bam Bam,” is as raunchy as I’ve ever heard him. The sheer shock value of this song is great, I didn’t see it coming, and he seems to be carrying it well. Maybe this is a sign of what sort of pop songs he should be making, just slowing the pace enough to make his verses straddle that melted point between rapping and singing. I loved this one and will be returning. 

“Want You Back” (feat. Teni)

This is very much not my type of song. It all feels too ponderous between Teni and Laycon. When Teni stops belting and starts talking, there’s some hope but I’m still not getting into it. The idea behind this song is humorous as hell but, again, the execution just falters.

“Fall for Me” (feat. YKB)

YKB is such a musical savant. The way he makes the whimsical bits enjoyable is so interesting and some of Laycon’s best collaborations have come working with YKB. Here, they combine for another fire jam that features some cooing from YKB and even the yelps from Laycon just come through nicely. More of this please. 

“My Lane”

I truly like this alone version of Laycon. It’s honest. It’s slightly raw but there’s just a heartfelt touch to what he says when he goes into these pockets. Working with Major Bangz, he reflects on his life in the moment and chooses non-confrontation as he steps into a new part of his life. The light flutes that accessorize sections of the song also help, going to listen to this on one of my late night musing sessions.

“…And So They Spoke…”

This is so damn beautiful. I admit to being a sucker for ballads but this is quite a song. I like the back and forth between English, Yoruba, and Pidgin. It’s too short though, a lovely way to end a rollercoaster of an album nonetheless.

Final thoughts

‘…Shall We Begin…’ definitely shows that Laycon has improved as a musician. His singing voice is more guided and he can work, at differing levels, with pop stars. There’s a willingness to step outside of his comfort zone and ‘…Shall We Begin…’ sounds more like the beginning of  a journey than a mark of actualization; he is still in the process of mastering his artistry and deciding what route to go towards. 

At the same time, there are moments when it feels like time was not taken to flesh out ideas and make this project a connected body of work like ‘Who is Laycon?’ was. Perhaps, that’s the price of making a pop play but it weakens the overall strength of the  album at times and with the spotlight this bright, it leaves questions of where he goes from here. There’s love, chest-thumping, and candor aplenty across the 12 tracks of ‘…Shall We Begin…’ and, within certain tracks like “Kele” and “Fall for Me,”promise for more assured showings in the future. 

Listen to ‘…Shall We Begin…’ here.

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

ICYMI: BIG BROTHER NAIJA IS REACHING INTO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

Songs Of The Day: New music from Burna Boy, Blaqbonez, M.anifest more

Posted on by Tami Makinde

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. Monday’s special selection had Ladipoe, Sakordie, Merry-Lynn, Kwesi Arthur, and many more. This weekend’s selection has Burna Boy, M.anifest, Blaqbonez, Ajebutter, KDDO and Davido, Le Mav and Tay Iwar, Lojay and Sarz, Tòcame and many more. You’re Welcome.

Burna Boy – “Kilometre”

Burna Boy is on a blistering run. Since bagging the Grammy’s for the Best Global Music Album earlier this year, he’s teamed up for a number of collaborations with artists such as Justin Beiber and Becky G. For his first solo single of the year, “Kilometre”, the PH-born singer is now reflecting on how far he’s come in his career while calling out all the opps who don’t believe in his undeniable star power. Over the Chopstix-produced beat, he sings “Odogwu ni me sha, I don waka many kilometres/I don tey for the game”, clearly in a celebratory mood as he rightfully brags about the challenges he’s had to face to get to this point. Each word carries a profound significance, this is the result of consistent hard work and determination for years in the making. Screw being humble.

Blaqbonez – “Heartbreaker” (feat. Nasty C)

After months of teasing his major label debut album, ‘Sex Over Love’, with promotional singles, “Bling” featuring Amaarae and Buju and “BBC Remix” featuring Tiwa Savage, the wait is finally over. On the project’s second song, “Heartbreaker”, the rapper teams up with South African rapper Nasty C for an anti-love anthem that fits into the project’s overarching theme of physical intimacy over forming any romantic connections. Singing, “This hoe tell me that she like me, hope this dick is enough for ya/I’m a heartbreaker” over the song’s drum-led production, Blaqbonez states his intention to keep the relationship strictly sexual to his muse reinforcing the jaded detachment of rappers who are known for their numerous sexual partners. Nasty C is equally disrespectful on the number stating that his hood status is the reason he can’t commit beyond the physical.

M.anifest – “Confusion”

Ghanaian singer and rapper, M.anifest has just released a new single titled “Confusion”, the follow-up “No Fear” featuring Vic Mensa and fellow Ghanaian singer, Moliy. Over the song’s groovy production by Juls, M.anifest paints a picture that visualises his experiences as an African man who faces obstacles set up against us from a choking capitalist system and years of bad governance. “No money dey but they all pray hard/The whole system on hold up, even adults no be grown up” he sings, singing about experiences that will resonate with an African audience, no matter which country on the continent they are from. Confusion is rife in Africa and M.anifest is the people’s voice.

Ajebutter22 – “King Of Parole”

This is not a drill. Butter szn is back just in time for the weekend. On his first solo single of the year, “King of Parole”, the singer and songwriter asserts his position as the minister of vibes and entertainment over his city, Lagos. Over the song’s exuberant production which borrows from the popular Amapiano sound that is taking over soundwaves across the African continent, Ajebutter sings “Whatever you want is what you get, baby don’t fret Butter is here” littering the song with potent bars about his ability to deliver all the promising and soulful vibes that we’ve come to associate with the singer. It’s clear that he’s back in full swing with this playlist and DJ set-friendly single.

KDDO – “Beamer Body” (feat. Davido)

KDDO and Davido have linked up for a new uptempo romantic single titled “Beamer Body”. The new single continues KDDO’s increased role as a singer, an ability he’s less renowned for in comparison with his production work. On “Beamer Body”, KDDO and Davido sing about the glorious female form; celebrating African women for all their assets and declaring their love for them. “Girl there’s something about you/your body is a killer” sings KDDO over an array of percussive instruments and delectable Afropop drums. The accompanying music video finds both artists looking at home in their kingdom as a gamut of thick and skinny women dancing alongside them. 

Adekunle Gold –“It Is What It Is”

Last year, Adekunle Gold delivered ‘Afropop, Vol. 1’, an interesting collection of songs that showcased his undeniable growth and steady incline over the years. This year, he’s been relatively lowkey but not anymore as the singer/songwriter has released a brand new single titled “It Is What It Is” the first track from his highly anticipated fourth studio album which will be released later this year. On “It Is What It Is”, Adekunle Gold sets the record straight. If it’s going to cost him his peace of mind then he won’t be involved any further. Singing, “No energy for nobody wey no happy for me”, over the song’s drum-led beat, the singer embodies the song’s title and talks his shit. 

Speaking on the single, Adekunle Gold said: “The truth about freedom is it is only found in clarity of self.  I believe this song is about letting yourself be free from every other voice but the one guiding you internally.” With “It Is What It Is” Adekunle Gold continues to show his ability to meet the demand for music that is consistently showcasing a unique mixture of versatility and style. 

Odunsi The Engine – “Fuji 5000”

Odunsi The Engine has a charm for releasing some of the best visuals in these parts. This time around, he’s linked up with his friends and family for a vibrant feast shot and directed in his home city Lagos. The video for his latest single, “Fuji 5000”, is set in a world entirely of the singer’s making, complete with the baddest girls, Cruel Santino, and a fire intermission all shot through a trippy rotating format. It’s exactly the type of video you want to add to your watchlist this week.

Le Mav – “Supersonic” (feat. Tay Iwar)

Last year, 80’s sounds producer Le Mav teamed up with Abuja-based singer, Tay Iwar for a joint EP titled ‘GOLD’, a transcendent pairing that felt like it might have been divinely ordained. For his first official single this year, the duo are back together again for the sweet-sounding “Supersonic”. 

Over glittering keys and subtle drum patterns laid down by Le Mav, Tay Iwar sings “You changed my life from the first time I met you/Girl I’ve been knocking on your door” expressing just how much a muse has placed him under a spell. The intoxicating experience seems to take the singer by surprise as he declares “Girl, you got me”. Tay’s soft vocal inflection on the track stands in contrast with the urgency of the song’s production but he never breaks a sweat, gliding smoothly over the array of melodies that sound tailor-made for post-midnight intimate dancing. 

Lojay & Sarz – “Tonongo”

Afropop singer Lojay has just released a new single titled “Tonongo”, a brassy anthemic number that features the skilled production of one of Nigeria’s prolific beatsmiths, Sarz. Singing “Put all your soul into it, you make the thing go tonongo” over the song’s mid-tempo production, Lojay quips about his experience falling in love with a dancer with the most enthralling dance steps.

Sarz’s slick production which blends contemporary Afrobeats with Hip-Hop and sensual R&B sounds provides the perfect backdrop for Lojay’s sweet-sounding vocals as he declares his affection for his muse. Speaking about the new single, the singer shared “’Tonongo” is about expressing the depth of emotion that lies beyond the surface. The single was inspired by the atmosphere of a strip club – moody and dark – a fitting ode to the dancer the song was written about. It’s so spiritual. I’m just a vessel. I hope people relate to it and find beauty in it.” The single is the precursor to their joint EP set for release in coming weeks.

Zarion Uti – Proud (feat. Minz)

For his latest single, “Proud”, singer Zarion Uti is speaking candidly about his experiences—he’s proud of how far he’s come. Alongside Minz and over the groovy mid-tempo production by Telz, he sings, “Who God don bless, no man can curse/Dey must feel the gbedu, omo na by force”, declaring that he’s destined for greatness and can’t be deterred by adversaries on his way to the top. At the end of the song, the lyrics, “Hungry man no fit get holiday”, ring true, these are two artists who are working their way to the top of the chain against all odds 

Spirit Disco – “Tòcame”

Nigerian-born and Barcelona-based musician Spirit Disco has become popular in recent years for his eclectic Spanish Afropop and Alternative fusion sound. His latest single, “Tòcame”, is an uptempo number that translates to ‘touch me’ and it’s a Spanish Afropop track that is inspired by young intimacy in the multicultural city of Barcelona. In the video, which was directed by the singer himself we see friends and family enjoying each others company in vibrant sentimental settings that will surely resonate with listeners.

Featured image credits/Instagram

ICYMI: Songs Of The Day Special: 10 standout tracks from the last two weeks

A 1-listen review of Blaqbonez’s “Sex > Love”

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

In 2017, Blaqbonez dropped his seventh mixtape, ‘Last Time Under’, arguably the most pivotal creative turning point in his career. In the years prior, Blaq had set himself as a battle-tested rapper with a staunch inclination towards crafting bar-heavy rap music. On that mixtape, he broke from and started his journey towards the more malleable artist he is these days, delivering a vibe-centric project that leaned heavily on a spacey Trap soundscape. It was also a prophetic moment foreshadowing his entrance into mainstream (rap) music conversations in Nigeria.

Since signing to major label Chocolate City, initially via the 100 Crowns imprint, he’s released ‘Bad Boy Blaq’ and its re-up, both Trap-fusion tapes, and ‘Mr Boombastic’, an EP with heavy Dancehall dalliances. These days, Blaq is considered one of the more popular rap/sung hybrids around, owing to the evolution from his willingness to experiment and smart, aggressive self-promotion moves across social media. “I feel like my movement is a wrecking ball,” he told The NATIVE in a 2019 interview. At the moment, it still feels like a bit of an overstatement, but it’s impossible to deny the impact he’s been able to generate for himself, and the increased level of prominence he’s accrued with each new release.

Today, Blaq’s long-teased “debut” album, ‘Sex > Love’, is finally out. He’s already stated that the project will feature all versions of Blaqbonez listeners have come to know, a sign that he’s more comfortable and confident in being a multi-faceted artist. The pre-released singles so far, “Haba” and “Bling”, can be best described as pop-rap hybrids, best suited for dancefloor shenanigans. If he’s bringing all sides of his artistry to bear, there’s way to more to explore on ‘Sex > Love’. Time to strap in and get into the gospel of Blaqbonez.

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

“Novacane”

Bird chips, a glassy guitar and Blaqbonez moaning. Interesting start. We already getting the hedonist talk, nice flow by the way. That drop was a bit underwhelming but the bounce is infectious, heads will bob and shoulders will shimmy to this. “My nigga, this is push to start”, get your brags off, but that following line about weed was corny. Frank Ocean already set the bar for any song named “Novacane”, and this one isn’t anywhere near it. Haha, this is funny, someone remind of the YouTuber who does this hilarious battle rap thing. Serviceable start, never really considered Blaq as a strong intro guy.

“Heartbreaker” (feat. Nasty C)

BeatsbyJayy tag, I’m expecting a lot and I’m already impressed. This bounce is a proper upper body mover, and the pocket Blaqbonez picked is very solid. “Hope this dick is enough for ya, I’m a lover not a heartbreaker”, haha interesting. Nasty C is here, he has such a Teflon flow. A slightly different pocket but the groove is just as entrancing as Blaq’s. Ooof! That helium-voiced switch hit my soul different. These in-song flow switches is one of the reasons Nasty C is ahead of most of his peers. Sounds like a keeper, will revisit.

“Bling” (feat. Amaarae & Buju)

Ah, the single I didn’t really like. The beat is a gentle marvel, though. The slinky Dembow groove, the shimmering keys and soft horn blasts. “She be screaming, I be screaming” is a good picture of great sex, not that I know because I’m a virgin. (My mum reads a lot of the things I write, apparently.) Afropop Amaarae hits different, she makes it sound alluring, but this feature doesn’t sound as effortless as it should be. Buju is a better fit here, I like that his voice keeps things ever so slightly rustic, very distinct tone. Type A brought a good beat, just not sure I’ll ever willingly press play on this.

“Never Been in Love”

Eish, what are these lyrics to start? I thought we agreed to leave the whole “eating pussy like groceries” thing in 2014 where it belonged. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for cunnilingus but this description is disturbing abeg. Anyway, this beat is heat, similar in weight to “Bling”. I like the occasional impassioned yelps in Blaq’s voice, adds a nice dimension to the song. Ehh, I’ll check up on this again but it’s not doing too much for me.

“Don’t Touch”

I love this guitar, need the producer credit. You know what? Afropop Blaqbonez has a great ear for beats, this is really solid. Rappers wanting that crossover hit should get Blaq to do some A&R work for them. This is Mr. Boombastic Blaq with a bit more elasticity in tone, very playful with a quite catchy melodic flow. That “20 man” line makes me miss old Wiz—‘MIL’ still a classic, though. I need more in this songwriting to reel me in, a memorable line somewhere in there I can quote. Beat switch, sounds very ‘80s new wave but with a Hip-Hop flip to it. Lovestruck Blaqbonez, interesting. I can understand becoming a player if you get heartbroken after all the confessions. Will revisit.

“TGF Pussy”

Jayy tag, very oceanic in a way that reminds me of 40. “I will not release before the chose hour”, LOL. Blaq has such a casually animated flow, something like a toddler energetically flailing its arm. That’s the sort of imagery that crosses your mind when you’re around kids all the time. LMFAO, what the fuck is this? “Thank you for that pussy that you gave to me” is wild! I’m actually dying of laughter. There’s actually stuff to unpack here, but I’m tempted to call this a keeper.

“Okwaraji”

This album has moved rather briskly. Jayy gave Blaqbonez the heat pack, as he should because 100 Crowns affiliations. Did he just say something about bitches? This is a 180 switch from the last few songs. “Why I go dey chase person, when any day she fit dey with another person?” Okay, I want to do an interview with this guy where he breaks down his past relationship, there’s so real drama in here and we deserve the backstory. “If you don’t want dick, please get the fuck out of my space.” This boy is running mad, or maybe he’s trying to warn guys to fear women. Okay, this is just toxic but the sort you can enjoy.  Will come back.

“Fendi” (feat. Joeboy)

Afropop Blaq with the ear for beats again, I can see this going off at house parties. Blaq know how to find a catchy melodic flow but the songwriting needs work, this hook could’ve been much catchier. Joeboy sounds at home on this, solid contribution. Okay, I take back what I said about the hook earlier. This is pretty solid, not in the way that it will burrow into your head on first listen but I can see it growing on many people with time. Oh, there’s the Emeka the Stallion reference I’ve been looking for. This is a slapper, potential single.

“BBC [Remix]” (feat. Tiwa Savage)

Very few people have Spax’s range amongst Nigerian producers, this sounds different from a lot of his work. I liked this when it came out, both the original and the remix. This hook is golden, but the D-O influence is so loud it can be presence. Tiwa Savage came in with the swagger of Athena, goddess presence. A lot of this album is very fitting for a house party, familiar bodies squishing against each other in a cramped place.

“Faaji” (feat. 1da Banton & Bad Boy Timz)

Shit, someone remind of this intro sample being played on guitar. Fuck. Man, Tuzi is a beast with groovy guitar chords. Did Blaqbonez just say something about spitting lava during Covid? I want to roll my eyes but this jam is slapping, this beat is so good. 1da Banton! Always in the mood to spin out those ear-grabbing melodies, more people should be listening to this man. Heh, this hook isn’t doing too much for me. Timz is always so ebullient. I want to beat that Ice Prince line with slugger bat, but this is a pretty solid. Omo, this hook is sneaking up on me. Is this is a pattern? Find out on the next episode of Dragonball Z.

“Zombie” (feat. Psycho YP & Laycon)

Laycon! He also has an album out today. Oooh, this is groovy Trap, the bounce will compel shoulders to vibrate. I like Blaq’s flow, not so much the lyrics. Okay, I like this hook on first listen. YP! Such a trademark flow that never gets rote, and the confidence is just so intoxicating. He’s water whipping in this pocket, rapping like he caught the Holy Ghost. Why is Laycon’s voice hoarse? LOL. “I don’t laugh with my money, I don’t take no jokes”, but I’m kinda laughing at the flow on this verse. Apt that A-Q follows immediately. Man, I’m so grateful at how much Q’s flow and enunciation has grown over the years, the definition of a rapper getting better with time. I rolled my eyes at that “Face value” line. Yeah, this is like “Lowkey” from ‘Bad Boy Blaq”.

“Best Friend” (feat. Cheque)

I need to confess this now: Trap Cheque does not really appeal to me. Okay now that that’s out of the way, I don’t mind this hook. Wanting the best for someone is how you know you’re in love, which in the context of this album means you’re fucked because Blaq said they’ll walk all over you if they know you have feelings for them. 808s with reverbs on them can never be defeated, it’s like the Chris Paul mid-range jumper of drum packs, extremely reliable even if it’s familiar. I like this Cheque verse a lot more than I did Blaq’s. This might just be a keeper.

“Cynic Route”

Nocturnal keys, sounds fitting for a midnight drive. Blaqbonez is mirroring Yoruba demon behaviour even though he’s Igbo, that’s what happens when you stay in Southwest Nigeria all your life. By the way, Yoruba men don’t cheat, it’s just bad PR. I can see the thematic use of this song in the context of this album, but I can’t promise to not skip it or listen absent-mindedly if it comes on.

“Haba”

Tempoe threw some crack on these intro horn, so addictive. I remember the several videos Blaqbonez made in support of this song, some of the funniest and most wholesome content on the internet in scary times. That first lockdown seems like a lifetime ago, but Corona is still outside o. The noisy promotion of “Haba” is emblematic of both Blaq’s tireless ethic in pushing his music, and a period where everyone was aggressively engaging content in the name of escapism. Unfortunate it had to share space with the “Don’t Rush” challenge, ain’t nobody choosing the “StreamHaba” challenge over binge watching beautiful women aggressively shoving their beauty in our collective faces. Still a slapper, this one.

Final Thoughts

Blaqbonez’s debut album, ‘Sex> Love’, is several things: pleasure seeking, fun, self-involved, excellently produced, pop-oriented, and more. This is a set by a twenty-something year old trying to convince us—and himself—of his chosen ideals on romantic situationship, a complex topic that often defies easy logic. To do this, he leans on a sonically varied palette that pulls in from slinky, mid-tempo Afropop and blown-out Trap beat, an apt choice that accentuate his vivacious rap flow, restless melodies and sneakily hooky songwriting.

Clearly crafted to catch the attention of a wide range of listeners, ‘Sex > Love’ hedges its bet on the sort of colourful exuberance that dominates dancefloors and local streaming charts. What the album packs in commercial ambition, though, it lacks in an entirely compelling narrative. Instead of proving the theory of his album with some tact and nuance, Blaqbonez regurgitates tropes of jilted men becoming toxic, sex-crazed players. It makes for an album with identifiable thematic points, and the pop sheen positions several songs as potential big singles, but as a whole on first listen, ‘Sex > Love’ is more of a serviceable consolidation than it is a needle-moving project for Blaqbonez as an artist and public persona.

Listen to ‘Sex> Love’ here.

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

Songs of the Day Special: 10 Standout Songs in the last Two Weeks

Fresh Meat: Best New Artists (April 2021)

Posted on by The Native

Staying True To Our Mission Reshape The Face Of African Popular Culture, The NATIVE Team Curates A Monthly List To Spotlight The Best And Most Exciting New Artists On The Continent. Some Of These Artists Have Dropped Songs To Some Regional Acclaim, While Others Are Brand New On The Block, Working Towards Their First Big Break. Tune In To What’s Next. Click Here For March’s Fresh Meat.

This month, the NATIVE editorial team has been looking into the different ways that we can keep artist discovery fresh and current to stay in line with our commitment to highlighting the sounds of tomorrow: today. While we’ve found ways of keeping you up-to-date through a myriad of new audio and written techniques, there’s no denying that there’s been a seismic shift. Without limited ways to experience music thanks to the panoramic, it’s become increasingly difficult to discover, whilst at the same time, has never been easier.

This is why we created Fresh Meat one year ago, when COVID-19 had just reared it’s ugly head. Each month Fresh Meat has kept us updated with all the new artists who we believe are at tipping point, and will disrupt the afropop landscape as we know it.  In our first ever Fresh Meat, we said that to put it in perspective, if we were to make this list same list 10 years ago, artists like Wizkid & Davido would have been fresh in the game, probably gearing up to their debut on the scene to introduce the world to their sound. In our first list, the likes of Omah Lay, Bella Shmurda, FOREVATIRED and more were just making their mark and have all grown exponentially since.

New acts keep landing on the scene and growing at similar rates, from Ghana’s Skillz8Figure to South Africa’s Ricky Tyler joining the ranks of the new vanguard of hitmakers who are championing Africa’s sounds on the global stage. So for April’s edition. our editors have very carefully compiled a list of new, upcoming, and familiar acts, who we believe you should keep close tabs on. From Mombasa’s newest star, Tg.blk, to Ibadan’s fiercest lyricist, Jay10, and more, below are some of the artists you have to pay close attention to. Find out more here about donating to the medical needs of Fresh Meat alum, Victony who was in a car crash this week.

Chimzy

Abuja-born singer, Chimzy has been making noise in the DMV and across the diaspora for a minute now, but if you’re only just catching on now, you’re in for a real treat. The singer and songwriter has been building momentum for a few years now with regular single releases featuring a host of talented collaborators including fellow Abuja rapper Psycho YP and Ghana’s Joey B, alongside two EP’s released in the last four years that accurately showcase the wealth of talent that the artist possesses. 

Chimzy’s confidence in his abilities is unmissable. His music is conveyed through airtight and relatable lyrics about love, sex, success, and life, which are delivered while expertly maintaining a level of bounce and playfulness that’s refreshing and welcome in today’s musical landscape. This confidence in his abilities is due to years of hard work and dedication in the making. The singer began writing songs from as young as the fourth grade, a talent he cultivated for several more years until 2015 when his family relocated to the States. By 2016, Chimzy had put out his first couple of singles on his Soundcloud beginning with the infectious Afro-dance number titled “Dance With Me”. Revisiting it now, the song clearly borrows its sonic influence from the Afropop hitmakers of that time including Wizkid, Maleek Berry, Wande Coal and more relying on the percussive-led sonics of Afropop. Chimzy soon found his beat delivering timeless music that showed his knack for melodies, cadence and flow. His first official single on Apple Music is the groovy number “Too Bad” which was released that same year. The mid-tempo romantic number that found him waxing poetic about a muse and confirmed Chimzy’s glaring potential. What followed next was a continued commitment to delivering some of the most beautiful, incredibly produced, and emotionally layered sounds coming out of the African diaspora culminating in the release of his debut EP ‘True Self’ in 2018.

Two years later, he released his sophomore project ‘Chimzy Vol.1’, a 5-tracker that saw the singer delivering a mix of aspirational bops and romantic cuts which heavily relied on bass-thumping and percussive beats that would certainly have any listener dancing its rhythm. On the EP, he comes across as the romantic lover on “By My Side”, the laser-focused artist on “Not Today” and even as the underdog on the rise on “13 Days”, endlessly spinning compelling tracks that reveal the subtleties of his personality. Chimzy’s melodies stick after the first listen. Whether it’s the Psycho YP-assisted “Ijoya” ,which plays on the nostalgia of many millennials and Gen Zs who grew up on Weird MC, or the Jabani-produced “Nobody Send”, Chimzy is improving upon his sound with each new release while showing that he’s up to par for any task at hand. As he makes a play to widen the potency of his arsenal this year, it’s high time you get to know the DMV-based artist.

Jay10

Jay10, born Jay Adebisi, raps with the casual sprezzatura of a maestro, honestly reflecting the tensions and joy of his life over differing production patterns: a stripped piano instrumentals here and another vivacious cut in another place. The British-Nigerian also gets around, putting up a steady stream of music out over the last four years that has seen him try his hand at a number of styles, swerving between the linear flow pattern of “Welcome To The Show” and the candor of  “Open Letter”, where he anguishingly mused about the fact that he seemed to have lost the ability to pray and his loosening grasp on his identity. 

Stuck between Jay10’s exciting command of enunciation and cadence are echoes of scene-shifting vision that allows him paint sly horrorcore vignettes on last year’s ‘Nights In The Rain’ where he solemnly confirmed his evolution as an artist and human. On the project’s titular song, he raps dourly, “My friends keep asking where is the old Jay, but I put him in a casket”. It’s a soberingly honest reflection of where he was in his journey. One month after ‘Nights In The Rain,’ Jay returned with the project’s second part, gliding smoothly off SomaDina’s velvety vocals on “4 A.M In Neverland”, while “Climax”, a collaboration with RUDEBOI, sees him attempt to rap in pidgin, pushing outside his comfort zone. 

The clearest image of where Jay is headed in visible on the ‘Deleted Memories’ series, where he raps over rhapsodic beats that accentuate his candid bars, like when he ends a story about friends discounting his music as worthless with the almost jarring line, “And I still hear their voices in my head”. On “How I Feel”, he chronicles the aches that caused multiple relationships to fail, recounting the aching details lucidly. His latest body of work, ‘Deleted Memories 2’, sees him move from angst being a thematic accompaniment to a well-detailed cynicism that is expressed on songs like “DM2” and “MR. DREAMER”. By the time “SAFARI” with Zilla Oaks comes on, his mood has shifted to empire-building, showing the fluidity that makes him so exciting.

Jeriq

“I’m scared of dying young, I’m scared of dying broke”, Jeriq admits in the opening seconds of “No Cap”, the intro song of his 2020 debut EP, ‘Hood Boy Dreams’. That line is a worthy summation of the driving force of the emerging rapper’s sizable catalogue. Rapping in Igbo and intermittent (pidgin) English, Jeriq conveys personal authenticity and a sense of urgency in his music, ensuring that every line is doused in the street-bred ideals that guide him, as well as grand ambitions for a brighter, wealthier future. This is music effected by years of feet pounding the pavement in order to sate hunger pangs, and the results can be sometimes rough-sounding but it’s consistently riveting.

Hailing from the 042, Nigeria’s Southeast city of Enugu, Jeriq plays into several archetypes of current-day indigenous rap. His music reflects his financially frugal upbringing, lessons learnt from roaming his ensuing association with the streets, and it projects aspirations for largesse. At the same time, he’s a bit of antithesis to the trends of street-bred music, opting to spill out his bars on contemporary Rap beats rather than over groovy, dance-ready production. ‘Hood Boy Dreams’ is replete with spacey, sombre Trap instrumentals, the type of musical bedding for Jeriq to cut through with his mix of introspective and street-wise raps. On the soulful “Remember”, which got the coveted Phyno remix, he ponders street life, wishes for “Western Union every Monday”, and preaches the importance of focusing on self-sufficiency.

A significant portion of Jeriq’s music caters to shoring up his narrative as a young man on his grind, and his clear-eyed, resonant lyricism and loosely commanding rap cadences are wonderful tools in sketching out that portrait. At the moment, he’s working his way to become a more magnetic and malleable presence behind the mic. On ‘Ea$t N We$t’, the new joint EP with DMW rapper Dremo, Jeriq focuses a bit more on his rising acclaim while still touting that paper chase mentality and street-wise essence. On the tape, he experiments with Drill and Amapiano, retooling his flow, showcasing his sharpened skill as a songwriter, and commanding the spotlight alongside his more established colleague.

With the relatable narrative to his music and a clear commitment to technical progression over his catalogue, Jeriq is undoubtedly one of the most exciting young artists in Nigerian rap music. Just as there’s no limit to what sound he will be able to take to in front of the mic, there are no ceilings to the level of popularity he’ll climb to very soon. Make sure to tune in to him now.

tg.blk

For the 22-year-old newcomer, tg.blk, the world is her playground. The rapper/singer born and raised in Mombasa, Kenya makes music that embodies the realness and authenticity of her sonic and personal world. With only four official releases to her name, she’s spent most of the past year carving out her own unique lane in the scene with her slew of intricate coming-of-age hip-hop.

She seemed to appear out of nowhere this year, arriving on the scene with back-to-back releases at the beginning of the year which included the light-hearted number “Blk.berry”, the succinct charmer “Extra Lazy” and the impressive “Cap Chronicles” but the Mombasa-native has actually been patiently honing her craft and improving on her skills for the past four years. Her Soundcloud page dates all the way back to 2017 with her earliest single titled “I Don’t But I Do”, a piano-led romantic loosie that finds her seamlessly switching between rapid-fire verses and melodramatic choruses. “Caught up in the deep end/I sound like a broken record” she quips, mulling over conditions of the heart with scalpel-like precision.

These days, nothing much has changed tg.blk still uses her music to explore love and all its complexities on nearly every release. As a young woman growing up in Kenya, she tells me that her romantic options have always been limited and due to this, she spent many years chasing unrequited lovers. “I constantly found myself in relationships where I was either being used as a stepping stone, a past time or a hidden away secret,” she admits, unafraid to speak openly about how she’s been burned in the past by old flames. Her latest single “Love Being Used” is her most honest and vulnerable offering yet as tg.blk sings about her romantic trysts with a resentful tone. Over the haunting beat produced by baileydaniel, she sings “Love being used, I don’t know nothing else/Imma smoke weed, won’t change myself”, resolving to focus on herself and her stash of weed to help her get by her heartbroken days.

Speaking about the new release, the rapper shares that “Love Being Used” is me being honest about the toxicity and pain I put myself through just to feel loved while being painfully aware of the situation I put myself in. This song is my ode to painful young queer love”. Her strained tone conveys the depth of her emotions; this type of pain feels familiar and lived-in almost becoming instantly recognisable to anyone who’s worn their heart on their sleeves and suffered for it. It’s still early days for the Maryland-based artist but we’re certain that if she keeps making songs like “Love Being Used”, her moment would come soon.

JakeDoe

The voice that welcomes you to Jake Doe’s ‘Terms and Conditions 1’ is a distorted lilt offering flowers to a love interest. It’s a curious choice to open your debut body of work with a projection of your voice, but if you look beyond  the abstractions and obfuscation that litter Jake’s work, you can hear the solemn exterior giving way to the tenderness that sits squarely at the core of his art. The Lagos-based singer who grew up on a cocktail of sounds from the continent and beyond is a post-genre artist, making music that cuts across hip-hop, R&B, and afro-fusion while enlivening his content with a mix of blitzkrieg rap bars and  soulfully-sung ballad crafted with rigour. Across ‘Terms and Conditions 1’, his thematic fixation with investigating love from the perspective of man and woman provided exciting juxtapositions like “F.B.W.A.H.O.G” and folkloric cuts like “Beautiful (Interlude).” The E.P. ends with “Kismet,” a six minute rap-sung collaboration with regular creative partner, Givens.

A brief detour between projects resulted in 2020’s ‘To A Bedroom Devoid Of Love’, a stunning six-track body of work memorializing the moments when love goes to ashes. Meshing soul and hypnotic R&B, Jake situates his music in a hollow room that matches the sunkenness of lost love. From the opening snares of “Mourning Skies,” he paints a picture of the stages of grief, subverting the typical interpretation of denial for a halfway sort of hope that still recognises the implausibility of his request. “Squad Games” sees his bubble get expanded before flowing into “Books,” the emotional centerpiece of the project. On “Books” ,there is melted want masquerading as bargaining a favourable position, it is all bolstered by the acuity of Jake’s voice. For the rest of the project, he bounces between acceptance and stepping back, working on adding a cinematic flair to his work.

Jake’s latest project, ‘Terms and Conditions 2’, sees him add another favourable sheen to his work, mixing his grunge-style lyricism with outward-facing rhythmicity. The deepening reverb that opens up “SPACES” is a throwback to the retro-pop of ‘80s music. He’s also not a love-lorn chirper anymore, interjecting his verses with a bouncy carefreeness. The tempered expectations of “A2D” transitions into “ROTTEN,” a joyful collaboration between Jake and musical enigma, Deji Abdul, that sees him give in to unencumbered attachment to a love interest. In spirit, ‘Terms and Conditions 2,’ is a perfect blend of Jake Doe’s precise – almost surgical – songwriting and his knack for universe-building.

Sawcy & Money Badoo

Sauwcy and Money Badoo connected the way many young people connect these days: Social media. After a month of following each other on Instagram, the pair realised they lived a floor apart in the same building, resulting in an extremely close friendship in the 5-plus years since their budding rap careers. The pair bonded over their love for writing raps a year into becoming friends and, while they both record as solo artists, the bulk of their official releases so far have been together as a duo, an arrangement that capitalises on the glaring, near-flawless chemistry between the two.

In late October the duo released their debut joint EP, ‘MK-Ultra’, a Trap-indented set that finds a wonderful balance between introducing Sauwcy and Badoo as distinct artists, and displaying the ways they both complement each other. Although they both have a preference for writing in direct one-liners, the diverging point lays in the tone of their voices and the variety of ways they express themselves. Sauwcy carries the gruffer voice of the two, with a propensity for snappy cadences and somewhat robotic, auto-tuned singing, while Badoo has tuned her feather-light voice towards airy rap flows and floating, but positively dizzying, melodies.

At various times in the music, Sauwcy and Badoo are like a synchronised swimming pair, or a wrestling tag team, or every sort of relevant two-person combo in between. ‘MK-Ultra’ is a clear representation of their real-life bond, an EP where they dovetail around each other while rapping and singing about hedonistic joys (“WTA”), high ambitions (“Do or Die”), and feeling “A.L.I.V.E”. Where most rap duos rely on a sense of one-upmanship, Sauwcy and Badoo hedge their joint music on companionship, a detail that might sound corny on paper but is really endearing and electrifying on wax.

Sauwcy and Badoo’s preference for Trap music as their go-to sound also plays an integral role in the replay worthy allure of their music, lacing each variant of the eclectic rap subgenre—ratchety, whimsical, ear-bursting—they grace with inventive flows and catchy songwriting, an approach rounded out by crafting and dropping excellent music videos. In South Africa, Trap music is witnessing a creative renaissance amongst young artists and, as with almost everything Rap, this new vanguard is mostly male-dominated. Sauwcy and Badoo aren’t fazed, though. In an interview with ZkiphaniTV, both artists believe they are here to take up space and ensure that women are duly respected in South Africa’s “New Wave” Hip-Hop movement. It’s a noble aim, made more feasible by their sky-high potential as more people discover both artists and they continue to grow on both solo and duo terms.

Featured image credits/NATIVE

Written by Tami Makinde, Wale Oloworekende and Dennis Ade-Peter

FRESH MEAT: BEST NEW ARTISTS (MARCH 2021)

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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A post shared by Lola Rae (@lolaraemusic)

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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A post shared by Audiomack Africa (@audiomackafrica)

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.

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