A 1-Listen Review of Yung L’s ‘Yaadman Kingsize’

Posted on by The Native

Yung L took his time to get into full bloom. Gaining his first bout of attention as one-third of the Jos-hailing collective, Grip Boyz, the singer spent the end of the ‘00s and beginning of the ‘10s as one of the slowly bubbling secrets of Nigerian Pop music. As the synergy between Caribbean Pop and contemporary Afropop started to become more evident, Yung L scored his first huge solo success with 2013’s “S.O.S”, an enduring banger that retains its novel, afro-Caribbean feel till date.

Even with an immediately ubiquitous breakout hit and a few notable follow-up singles, it wasn’t until 2017 that Yung L shared his aptly titled debut album, ‘Better Late Than Never’. A sprawling, 17-track offering, the project made up for the long wait, as the singer tinkered with the Dancehall-inflected Afropop lean of his sound to generally laudable results. In the time since, Mr Marley – as he’s alternately known – has remained quite active, sharing a steady stream of singles, and two EPs, ‘Jollification’ and ‘Juice & Zimm’, in the last two years.

Announced and detailed earlier this year, Yung L has followed up with his newly released sophomore LP, ‘Yaadman Kingsize’. For those who’ve paid attention in the 3-plus years since his debut album, it’s clear that Yung L has taken a few steps as a music maker, doubling down on the Caribbean edge of his sound while tightening his songwriting. Already lauding it as his best project, the new album is an opportunity for a potent showcase of those improved abilities. Let’s see if Yung L’s second full-length takes advantage of those positive strides in craft.

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

“Yaadman (Intro)”

This bass opening makes me want to put a fat joint in my mouth, and I don’t even smoke. I’ve listened to this song every morning since it came out as a single, such a great song to get you hyped for the day. When he enters that double-time flow, my head and shoulders convulse aggressively. This is a great way to start an album. I’m ready!

“Operator”

Chopstix is top ten Nigerian producers of the last decade, don’t @ me abeg. This beat is giving me green-yellow-red vibes, you can visualise a dance floor on a Caribbean island listening to this. “Tonight, I’m eating that vagina,” wow so forthright. The flow of this first verse is great, so plain-stated but it feels apt. The hook could be catchier, but the contrast with the flow of his verses is a great from a structure point of a view. Yung L has gotten better as a Dancehall singer. This is a good cut, might be a keeper after revisiting a few times.

“Womanizer (feat. Tiggs Da Author)”

Choppa tag. I love this already, an anthem for male “ashewos” and prospective ones as well – like myself. A female voice harmonising his slut chant is such a flex. “Girl dem love me and me love dem the same way/they always bring the kitty my way,” haha. I can relate to one half of that sequence, I don’t have the sauce like that (yet). Man, I’m missing the soul I usually associate with Tiggs’ voice; that was more of a serviceable contribution to be honest. Another solid song, keeps things moving pretty seamlessly.

“Puna”

A song titled “Puna” should sound wild, but he’s already referenced female genitalia so it feels normal. This beat is so colourful, Afrobeat within a modern context that doesn’t sound like parody. “Na which kind puna we never see, we never chop…we never fuck?” FFS!!. Add Yung L to the list of Nigerian artists looking to win a Grammy. This song is not even over yet and it’s an instant standout, such a big record in terms of persona. Yung L is showing out with this one, and he got a great beat to do it on. Who produced this record? If it’s not a popular name, I want to hear from her/him for the rest of this year.

“Opp”

Caribbean steelpan drums will always put you in a positive mood, such a lively instrument. “If you no be bro, you be opp,” is a statement. There’s so many intriguing highlights from this first verse, his pen has worked really good on this album so far. “I count my dough and I roll up the loud,” is a sign of good living. The fact this beat doesn’t get unnecessarily complicated is such a great thing, just a delightful percussion pattern and a synth bassline. It makes you focus on every single thing Yung L is saying, which is generally worth hearing.

“Rasta (feat. Seun Kuti)”

This is a nice bounce, Spax always comes with the right sauce for any artist he works with. Another Afrobeat-inspired production done right, a few of your favourite Nigerian artists should be taking notes. Someone needs to do a story on Fela and Afrobeat’s influence on weed culture in Nigeria (don’t steal it, we’ll do it over here). One of my favourite things about Seun Kuti’s horn playing is how rugged it is, but the musical texture always finds a way to sound smooth. This is a really good, short record to have in the middle of your album.

“Bwoy (feat. Shank)”

Been looking forward to this song since Yung L unveiled the tracklist, been too long since we heard from Shank. Okay, I like how he’s playing call-and-response with this vocal sample. Yung L has a deep sense of pride in himself, and you can tell it’s based on feeling secure with his roots and what he’s been able to accomplish. This beat is also delightfully spare, love it. Shank! He doesn’t sound as ferocious as I remember, but there’s that trademark liveliness still in his voice. I like when guests don’t overstay their welcome, because it forces them to leave their mark within quick, allotted space. This is a bit underwhelming, probably because of how much I expected from it. Will have to revisit.

“Eve Bounce (feat. Wizkid) [Remix]”

I wasn’t too enamoured by this song when it came out, but I heard it after ‘Made in Lagos’ came out and I instantly understood why Wizkid jumped on it. The Caribbean Pop meets R&B vibe partly mirrors the sonic tenor of ‘MIL’, very colourful, groovy and somewhat solemn. Wizkid’s voice is such a fascinating tool, and it’s morphed into a monster part of his arsenal – glad Toye expanded on it on WizMag. This is a great showcase for Yung L’s growth as a Pop music songwriter, taking familiar elements and retooling them into a distinct, remarkable song.

“Cool & Ease”

More short albums all 2021, please. “Me affi get that money in a kilogram,” is a mood for this already spinning year. I like how the beats on this album never feel chunky even when they’re composite, it makes this such a leisurely listen. This is one of those wishful, stress-free songs, the type you daydream about lazying around on a beach to. Good record within the context of the album.

“Police & Thief”

Even from the title, you can tell this one will be thematically heavy. These piano keys are so broody, even the percussions are very dirge-like. “And some ah carry broom, some na umbrella” is such a potent lyric. That double bass sneaked up perfectly, great addition to heighten the tension of Yung L’s lyrics. “Police and thief in the streets, but me can’t tell who is who.” Fuck the police, and fucking end SARS and police brutality in Nigeria. Man, this song is so heavy, it’s loaded with so many details. I’m tempted to say this is a perfect piece of socio-political commentary in Nigeria, but I’ll go back before I lay such hefty claims.

“Land of Light (outro) [feat. Abood Khiery, Sammany Hajo & Rashid Omar]”

I don’t know any of the featured artists on this, but whoever is taking this solemn intro is killing. Yung L is quoting a passage from the book of prophet Isaiah, can’t remember the exact chapter and verse – my mum would be so mad if she found out because this is a really popular verse. This is a soothing and reassuring way to close out an album.

Final Thoughts

Yung L was right to hype this album as his best project yet. Even though it’s a take based on only one full listen, ‘Yaadman Kingsize’ lives up to the speculative weight laid upon it by its creator. This is not an indictment of his previous projects, but an assertion of his artistic growth over the years. The singer’s sophomore is a tightly crafted, constantly entertaining, and personable display of his abilities.

Lasting just under the half-hour mark, ‘Yaadman Kingsize’ pulls and wastes no punches, rendering Yung L in his multidimensionality, as a raunchy gentleman, serial peace seeker, and socio-political observer. The album’s length also ensures that every technical tick and trick is heightened; with no unnecessary filler and zero lag due to run time, his melodies glisten from start to finish, the lyrics stand out positively, and the supple production endlessly delights.

Although it would be farfetched to deem it mould-breaking, ‘Yaadman Kingsize’ thrives off Yung L’s willingness to experiment, matching the improved tone of his singing and writing. As the music industry is only just fully shaking off the grogginess of the holiday, it’s impossible to frame this album within the context of the music from this year. What I can say with some level of definiteness is that, Yung L has set an impressive tone for Nigerian Pop albums for 2021.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/yunglmrmarley

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

ICYMI: SILENCING NIGERIAN RAPPERS IS NOT THE ANSWER TO CYBERCRIME

17 Projects The NATIVE team are looking forward to this year

Posted on by The Native

In 2021, Afropop’s sonic landscape has never looked better and that is largely down to the gamut of musical acts that are now reshaping the face of the genre for future generations. Last year historically saw the release of more Afropop projects than we’ve ever received as eager fans on the continent, including the release of projects, such as Wizkid’s magnum opus ‘Made in Lagos’, Burna Boy’s ‘Twice As Tall’, and Amaarae’s stunning debut ‘The Angel You Don’t Know’ which comforted ears at a time where many were in search of aural healing.

Outside of West African Pop, other artists around the continent also began crafting their impenetrable sonic worlds, buoyed by the soulful and rhythmic production that has now come to be expected of African music. South Africa’s Busisiwa and Sho Madjozi, Sauti Sol, Nigerian comedian, Basketmouth, Cassper Nyovest, Kenya’s rising Maya Amolo, Kabza De Small, and many more, released some of their best musical efforts, each instrumental in its own way for broadening African Pop’s sonic palette.

Now that 2020 is over, we are beginning to see 2021’s music picture more clearly and it’s already looking like a banner year for African music, especially pertaining to incoming albums and EPs already being teased by our favourite artists. Although we’re very much in the early days of the new year, there’s already so much new material to anticipate in the coming months. With the focus of the world now on recorded music (thanks to the panoramic), NATIVE has compiled a list of the year’s most highly-anticipated releases which includes already confirmed projects from VanJess, Mr Eazi Shekhinah, Scorpion Kings x Tresor and more. While other announcements have been less concrete but no less promising such as Diamond Platnumz and Liya’s imminent debuts and ascendant artists like SGaWD and capespring’s debut albums. It’s already looking like a great year for music on the continent, so let’s look forward to the music we expect to see in 2021.

Shatta Wale

Last year, the uncertainty brought on by the pandemic denied us the release of Shatta Wale’s 5th studio album, ‘Gift of God’. Although live concerts are still a no-go while wait for a viable vaccine for the COVID-19 virus, the Ghanaian dancehall heavyweight has promised that he’ll share the album this year. We got the first taste of what’s to come with the release of his new single, “1 Don”, arriving earlier in the month. Though it’s unclear if the song will make the final cut for the album, the self-assured lyrics confirmed that he’s still in high spirits following his profile growth from last year’s feature on Obama’s 2020 summer playlist.

Shatta Wale has already made his presence felt in the international music scene as a dancehall artist, but fans who have been following him know that he can also perform as a rapper. He released a Hip-Hop mixtape, ‘Cloud 9’ in 2017 and last year, he rapped over a drill beat on “Kumerica”, showing he isn’t afraid to experiment with trendy new sounds. In an interview with BBC last year, Shatta Wale expressed that the coming tape will sell very well in the international market because he plans to feature international stars like Vybz Cartel and Beyoncé. His last collaboration with Beyoncé, “Already” was a huge hit and there’s no doubt that another collaboration between the two will be massive. We look forward to hearing that as we edge closer to the album’s release date.

Debola Abimbolu

Odunsi (The Engine)

Odunsi (The Engine) is always on the cusp of further artistic explosion with each new project he undertakes. After exploring love and its complexities on his 2016 debut EP ‘Time of our Lives’, he emerged with 2018’s ‘rare.’, a world with a distinctively retro-inspired aesthetic that harkened back to his mastery of ’80s and ’90s R&B influences. By the time he was releasing his sophomore EP ‘Everything You Heard is True’ two years down the line, Odunsi had morphed again, this time letting listeners into a rare and rounded glimpse of his psychedelic-inducing rockstar world. 

For some, Odunsi (The Engine)’s master shapeshifting abilities are a tad disconcerting but for many day-one fans of the artist, growth and evolution has come to be expected with each project chronicling a different phase in his life. Cue in “Fuji 5000”, the anthemic loose single from the singer released at the tail end of the year to fans’ surprise. The song blends the sounds of indigenous Fuji with Trap eccentricity, a feat largely untapped in modern Afropop. “Welcome 2 da new world,” Odunsi had tweeted on the song’s release day, suggesting he was in album mode and ready to hit back with a new thematic persona. Announcing the title of the forthcoming project as ‘KAKEGURUI‘ back in September, our expectations are sky-high for Odunsi’s latest multiverse – especially as he takes inspiration from one of the most enamoured subcultures: Anime.

Tami Makinde

Kwesi Arthur

Last September, Kwesi Arthur dropped ‘This is Not the Tape, Sorry 4 the Wait II’, the sequel to the similarly titled pack that preceded his 2019 star-making project, ‘Live from Nkrumah Krom, Vol II’. In addition to fanning the hype for his coming album, which will be released sometime this year, ‘Sorry  4 the Wait II’ served as a stunning reminder of Kwesi’s versatile skillset, the type of artist that can spin a searing Drill banger and deliver boisterously sung melodies on a party-ready song. In the time since his last full project, Kwesi Arthur has clearly been consolidating on his abilities as a music maker, and he’s manifested it in the array of loose singles and long list of guest features. All of that growth is set to coalesce on his forthcoming project, and if it’s as exciting and thematically riveting as the preceding 3-song pack, then we’re in for an absolute treat.

Dennis Ade-Peter

capespring.

16 years old, capespring. caught our attention last June, featuring in our Fresh Meat column for that month, following the release of his debut tape, ‘Duality‘. A five-track course, ‘Duality‘ played true to its name, as capespring. placed both his singing and rapping talents side by side, separating his two halves with a soothing interlude. Just over six months since his debut project, capespring. was already “basically done” with his next body of work, he told his modest Instagram following.

It’s common for artists to announce the imminent completion of their newest body of work, and leave listeners in the wind for months to come, but with the release of “indigo”, “off [his] next EP,” capespring.’s start to 2021 indicates that the new project should be dropping some time within the first quarter – if we’re judging by the timeline followed by his previous project ‘Duality”s lead single, “Gang” and the EP’s arrival. Flaunting his linguistic ability, his alluring vocals and his undeniable rapping chops, “indigo” is a pop-rock infused number that leaves us impatient for capesprings. forthcoming EP. As he is a rising star, quick succession of albums will keep him in the view of fans and industry players alike, so not only are we keen to hear more of his casual, conversational raps, we are also anticipating the career hike that a new body of work will bring capespring. Watch this space.

Adewojumi Aderemi

Rema

Other pop stars would kill for the success Rema has had after just two years since he debuted as a Mavin artist. No, the 20-year-old artist hasn’t racked up a Grammy nomination or featured on the Billboards chart – not yet, anyway – but he is still reputed as one of the most internationally recognised artists from the continent thanks his very first hit single, “Dumebi” getting featured on Obama’s summer playlist in 2019 and his performance at last year’s NBA All-Star Weekend show.

Given all he has accomplished, it’s hard to remember that Rema hasn’t actually released a proper album yet. He has released a lot of projects that feel like albums, from the 4-track EPs, ‘Rema’, ‘Rema Freestyle’ and ‘Bad Commando’ to his compilation project, ‘Rema Compilation’, and they have allowed him to keep a near-constant presence in music conversations. His hit singles from last year, “Woman”, “Ginger” and “Peace of Mind” also helped in that regard, however fans expect him to bulk up his discography with a proper album in 2021. He has confirmed as much on Twitter, implying that he’s working on sharing his first full-length project with a simple, “album, yes.” For a versatile artist who can make emo Trap songs and lightweight Afropop bops, it will be interesting to see how he balances all his different sounds to make a cohesive album.

Debola

Shekinah

R&B is some ways away from dominating mainstream attention, but it’s undeniable that the South African music scene is leading the charge. Marking an instant impact with her well-received 2017 debut LP, ‘Rose Gold’, along with its huge, focus single, “Suited”, Shekhinah has become one of the leading lights of modern R&B on the continent. Originally scheduled to drop late last year, the singer’s sophomore LP, ‘Trouble in Paradise’, is finally scheduled for a February 26th release date. Ahead of the album, she’s already shared “Tides” and the Bey T-assisted “Fixate”, both smooth cuts flaunting her honeyed voice and ever-affecting writing. It’s an indicator of a purposeful return, four years after her breakout run.

Dennis

SGaWD

22-year-old SGaWD is one artist you should keep tabs on this year. The Fresh Meat Alum is strutting with palpable confidence into the new year as she sets her sights on the release of her first body of work. First hitting our radar with the exciting snappy comebacks on the Rap release “Are You Dumb” last year, the rapper and singer soon became an unmissable force with her powerful vocals and sex-positive lyrics. 

Although she rounded up the previous year with only one official solo release, there is an abundance of collabs stacked in SGaWD’s arsenal, from the sexy slick-winded rapper style she employs on Somadina’s “Kno Me”, to the coy, soulful singing she adopts on Jess ETA’s “Resistance”. Confident and smooth-talking at the same time, SGaWD has clearly set the bar high for her debut EP, due to be shared with listeners at some point this year. To stay updated with its release, we’d advise you to stay peeled to her Instagram account where she’s endlessly testing new material on her growing fanbase. 

Tami

Mr Eazi 

Mr Eazi’s trajectory from breakout star to global ambassador for Afropop is nothing short of exemplary. The mid-tempo, Banku music style he popularised helped rewrite the sonic DNA of Afropop, and in the years since, he’s grown even more prominent while doing his part to enable a better music ecosystem on the continent, through the incubator/label services company, emPawa Africa. With all of these obligations, he’s remained active with dropping new music but it’s been three years since his last solo project, ‘Life is Eazi, Vol. II: Lagos to London’. That’s about to change, with the imminent arrival of a new EP, ‘Something Else’. Ahead of the February 19 drop, Mr Eazi has just shared “The Don”, a self-eulogising track that hints at the assured direction the project might take. Considering all he’s achieved, no one can say Eazi hasn’t earned the right to toot his own horn.

Dennis

Cina Soul

Fans are quite literally begging for a new Cina Soul project. Releasing her last body of work, ‘Ga Mashi‘ in 2018, Cina Soul’s discography remains distinguished by her 2017 project, ‘Metanoia‘, owing to her sparse single releases. Attentive to her visuals, her branding, and live performances – back when they were any– Cina Soul’s artist profile resembles that of an upcoming artist, so it’s no wonder that fans are constantly yearning for more official drops. Thankfully, as Kla Manye curates her new visuals, we’re given an assurance that a new project will follow shortly. Tweeting, “Project ELEMENT,” alongside stunning promotional images, details surrounding the album (or EP) are still scarce, but if industry insiders are to be believed Cina Soul’s next effort is fully ready, and it’s about to be “another banger!”

Adewojumi

Falz

Falz’s last album, ‘Moral Instruction’ took on a prophetic slant during last year’s EndSARS protests as it spoke on the issue of police brutality at the heart of the movement. Though Falz is no stranger to exploring politically conscious messages, the album was a bold switch from the usual lighthearted persona we heard on previous projects, ‘Wasup Guy’, ‘Stories That Touch’, ‘Chemistry’ and ‘27’ – he even borrowed notable samples from Fela for extra measure. Falz’s active involvement in the EndSARS movement earned him the support of more Nigerians who saw him walking the talk and it certainly boosted the anticipation for a follow-up to ‘Moral Instruction’.

It’s still unclear when Falz plans to drop his coming album, but after going all of last year without dropping any project, fans are expecting to get a new one this year. His acting career has kept him busy as he continues to show off his versatility with different award-winning roles. However, his time on set hasn’t kept Falz from delivering hit singles like “Bop Daddy” and “Squander” featuring Niniola. Over the course of his career, Falz has shown that he can deliver the hits as well as the knowledge. His next project could add to the political message of the last or it could be something for the club. Either way, you can bet that fans will tune in and support the bop daddy.

Debola

Lady Donli    

To round up 2020, Abuja-based singer/songwriter Lady Donli released dual singles, “Rockstar” and “Parole”, the final offerings from her ‘Enjoy Your Life’ era. Announcing that she would be evolving beyond the project’s titular person Cash Mummy, a new alter-ego emerged ready to take listeners into the next phase of Donli’s sonic evolution. While there are no firm details of a forthcoming release, Donli has shared with fans that the album is in its final stages as she finetunes it for delivery later this year. 

When we last heard from the singer, she shared that the new project was an entirely new vibe: “Every time I create a new project, it’s a new sonic, I take on a new identity,” and her upcoming sophomore album is no different. With a prospective darker alter-ego named Space Whore, we won’t be surprised if we get to see a more sexier, twisted side to the singer. In any case, we’re waiting with bated breath. RIP Cash Mummy.

Tami

Liya

When it comes to artist activation, Mavin know how to make a statement, launching their artists into popular consciousness with EPs straight off the bat. Their unusual tactics have definitely spoiled listeners on the continent. Signing to eponymous label Davido Music Worldwide last year, Liya’s only official release since has been the commendable “Melo”, the opulent video for which starred her alongside her label boss, Davido. Of course, this drought has been a little disappointing, but just a couple of days ago, Davido himself gave us a hint that the wait will be worth it soon, announcing that the 30BG ‘First Lady’’s EP is “under construction.”

Though it wasn’t made explicit that Liya would be dropping this year, it isn’t a stretch to imagine that January construction will lead to a fully formed project by the end of 2021. With dynamic women across the country already breaking glass ceilings in a range of industries, more and more women are being given the opportunities they deserve to shine and we would love to see that happen frequently within the music industry as well. in the mainstream and compete alongside the top pop artists. It would be awesome to see Liya amongst these conversations this year, and what better way to command attention than a debut EP?

Adewojumi

DJ Maphorisa, Tresor & Kazba De Small

South African sound maestros, Dj Maphorisa and Kabza De Small are longtime collaborators who spin every track they touch into musical gold. With a track record for creating danceable hits capable of placing Amapiano on the global map, the producer duo have gone on to craft four joint albums so far under their moniker Scorpion King, with ‘Once Upon A Time in Lockdown’ being their most recent offering. Now that it’s 2021, the pair are wasting no time in delivering yet another body of work that will enlist the sonic efforts of South African singer Tresor. Judging by the project’s promotional single, “Funu”, an anthemic number with a disco sheen, it’s clear that we are soon in for a real treat. Coupled with Tresor’s honest songwriting and soulful vocal stylings, ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ – arriving February 26 – is certainly set to make a splash in the music scene this year.

Tami

Diamond Platnumz

It’s quite interesting that, in all his years of dominating as East Africa’s foremost superstar, Diamond Platnumz has only dropped one full project. In early 2018, he released ‘A Boy From Tandale’, a star-studded effort with high profile features from Rick Ross, Ne-Yo, Omarion, Tiwa Savage and much more. Nearly three years later, he’s only gotten much bigger. Similar to Nigeria’s Davido, the Tanzanian singer has built his rep off crafting hits, making full use of the singles-focused terrain in these parts – and to full effect.

For a significant portion of 2020, there were rumours that Diamond would be dropping his sophomore album, but that notion took the backseat after his label, WCB Wasafi, focused on pushing the eponymous debut project of its latest signee, Zuchu. Although it’s not been confirmed by the singer, there’s already speculation that Diamond Platnumz’s long-awaited LP is in the works and should be in our ears sooner than we expect. Considering the magnitude of his debut, Diamond’s full-length follow-up should be a show-stopper.

Dennis

 

VanJess

Their campaign started last year September with “Come Over” a funk production that mixes their nostalgic sensibilities with the contemporary R&B sounds with which they have grown most famous. Since “Come Over” VanJess have released “High & Dry”, “Slow Down” and “Curious” (featuring Jimi Tents and Garren) off the forthcoming EP, and also “Groove Thang”, which didn’t make the project cut. Employing the same retro imagery for all the pre-album singles, VanJess weld the soundscape of their childhood – down to a tell-tale “Rump Shaker” sample – with the tastes of today.

With features from KAYTRANADA, Phony Ppl and Devin Morrison, as well as the “Curious” collaborators, VanJess’ ‘Homegrown’ looks to be an authentic expression of their artistry; the stunning album art alone and tracklist promising a full nine tracks dipped in gold. The EP is set for release in May, and is already available for pre-order.

Adewojumi

Cruel Santino

Santi is one of the few African artists known for putting extra effort to make legacy projects with genre-defining conceptual directions and immersive narratives with visuals to match. As a result, we’ve watched his career blossom with each new tape he shares. His latest project and debut album, ‘Mandy and the Jungle’ was released in partnership with Interscope-affiliated American label, LVRN, and he was able to score features with international artists, DRAM and GoldLink as well as other notable artists from around Africa. Unfortunately, in the wake of his ‘Mandy and the Jungle’ tours, Santi invited a hiatus at the start of last year,  and one of the long lists of reasons why 2020 was so awful was because we only got to hear one single from Santi, “End of the Wicked”.

The fanfare for ‘Mandy and the Jungle’ and sparse single release ensures that all eyes will continue to be on Santi to deliver another classic project in 2021. He recently came out on Twitter to speak about how he’s feeling the pressure from fans demanding a new tape saying, “you people don’t care about me, you only care about the album.” However, his most recent tweet explained that he’s taking his time with the project so he can give his fans the “best possible experience (he) can give in a time where everything is unsure.” I suppose we can wait a little longer for the next Santi album. We don’t have a date yet, but his tweet emphasises Santi’s perfectionist work ethic and we can’t wait to hear what he has cooking for us in the studio.

Debola

Intaba Yase Dubai

2021 is set to be the year Intaba Yase Dubai becomes a bonafide star. After years toiling in the underground and earning his rep as an ascendant Folk-Pop prospect in the KwaZulu-Natal area of South Africa, the singer has garnered major looks in the last few months. His indelible hook on Big Zulu’s smash hit, “Imali Eningi”, slung him into a higher realm of ubiquity, and his new recording deal with S.A. powerhouse label, Ambitiouz Entertainment, will only push him further. With a sonic make-up of Maskandi, Afro-Soul and Folk, Dubai’s debut project, set for sometime this year, will make his distinct even more profound on mainstream Afropop.

Dennis

Ictooicy

Ictooicy always has a project up her sleeve. A rising artist with more than enough music to keep her fans satiated, it is clear that making and releasing music is Ictooicy’s passion, and she is going to continue fulfilling her wants for a long time coming. As always, Icy’s Twitter has brought us along the journey of the forthcoming, ‘$HYGURL‘ – which could have been another project of hers called ‘Chaos‘. It’s said to feature SirBastien, ‘Sorry I Don’t Like Phone Calls‘ feature, Cozy Kiyo, Ghanaian polymath Oshunda (who created the album art), and likely 234Jaydaa and SOMADINA with whom she’s created, “something amazing.” As Ictooicy grows stronger, and her network is cast wider, the stakes on her career continue to rise, and we’re hoping that this album will be a definitive one from the Fresh Meat alum.

Adewojumi

Featured Image Credits: The NATIVE

12 NIGERIAN MUSIC INSIDERS TO FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA

In Conversation with The Jide Taiwo, a storyteller intent on immortalising Nigerian music

Posted on by The Native

Like many adolescents and young teenagers, Jide Taiwo had an idea of the career path he wanted to trudge. Unlike many, though, he’s currently seeing it through. When young people are asked to project their future careers, especially young Nigerians, the common answers are lawyers, engineers and doctors. With a strong inclination towards the arts at an early age, nurtured by a mother who always encouraged him to write, and a bone-deep love for Hip-Hop and Nigerian music – which coincided with his exposure to reportage and storytelling – Jide Taiwo looked towards music journalism, a largely unconventional path by every definition in Nigeria’s conservative society.

“I remember running into Hip-Hop World Magazine, I must have been in JSS2 at the time – you know how it happened for Paul on the road to Damascus – it was a visceral moment for me,” he recalls to me over the phone. Intrigued by the stories and lifestyles of prominent artists, and enamoured by the idea of documentation, he decided to take a shot at music journalism in his adult life. Some years after leaving Uni, he landed his first main gig on this chosen path, working with Bubbles Magazine, a now defunct, physically distributed publication covering the happenings in Nigerian music at the time. Years later, Taiwo joined online publication theNET NG, going on to head the company’s media operations for around three years.

These days, he’s a “streaming storytelling exec.,” working as the Head of Content at popular streaming platform, Boomplay. With just over a decade working actively in Nigeria’s still growing music journalism terrain, Jide Taiwo’s dedication to telling the stories of Nigerian music remains unwavering. For proof, read his recently released, debut book, History Made: The Most Important Nigerian Songs Since 1999. In twenty-one chapters, the newly-minted author flips through the years in contemporary Nigerian Pop music, highlighting the most important song of each year, and justifying his picks by detailing the circumstances surrounding them.

With “importance” as the central emphasis and a heavy focus on context, History Made is a treasure trove of stories, with an aim to provide clarity on essential songs of the last two decades, both for the previously naïve and those partly familiar. Largely self-curated, the picks were gathered from Jide Taiwo’s keen observation of Nigerian music over the period, with the criteria being the symbolic weight of songs to the artist’s trajectory and the development of Nigerian music.

For example, he deems Chidinma’s “Kedike” to be the most important song of 2011, over Wizkid’s “Pakurumo”, a decision that might baffle many. However, the way he explains it in the book, “Kedike” instantly turned Chidinma from ex-talent show winner to superstar and advanced the pan-African blueprint several Nigerian artists have run with since then – is quite eye-opening. “With History Made, part of it was to push the conversation and for people to also bring their perspective in as well,” he explains, placing the book as more of a two-way conversation with Nigerian music lovers, rather that an outright, authoritative take.

According to him, it’s also an avenue to further the agenda of wholesomely documenting Nigerian music, a facet of our growing music ecosystem that has often lagged over time. In its own way, it’s a reminder that the past, present and future aren’t too far apart, the link between them are the stories detailing the events happening at each point in time, lest everything is totally forgotten.

Our conversation with Jide Taiwo, lightly edited for clarity, follows below:

 

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The NATIVE: When did you decide to start working on History Made: The Most Important Nigerian Songs Since 1999?

Jide Taiwo: It’s something that I’ve been wanting to do, not specifically because I think I’m the know-it-all, but once I discovered how we treat stories in this side of the world. Imagine how Burna Boy has been moving in the last few years, and then, say, ten years down the line, some guy from France will come and tell us, “this is what happened,” and we start to argue about the facts. But at the time, we that were living in that moment could have documented it properly. I don’t know whether that’s because of our peculiar societal issues, and it’s not just recently. Even ab initio, think of the great dynasties in Nigeria – there’s no written record. It’s something that I felt so strongly about that it didn’t matter if I was going to write for long or whatever, it just had to be done. With History Made, part of it was to push the conversation and for people to also bring their perspective in as well.

When exactly did you put pen to paper?

So, in 2019 I was working on another book for my previous employers but that bottomed out. I had been thinking about History Made for a while in my head, I just didn’t transition into putting pen to paper, but in December 2019, I decided that I was getting it done in 2020. I gave myself that deadline, and it was deliberate because it probably wouldn’t have happened yet if I had left it open-ended. I sent out a tweet sometime around then, announcing that the book would be out second quarter, because in my head it’s not that hard to write. These are stories that I knew and I was certain of the format I wanted to use already, so I started writing in January 2020. Then the pandemic set in, and I thought I would be very productive in that time, but I just couldn’t write. Everyone was worried about where the world was going, so I took a break, got back to in July and by December it was out. Again, it helped that I had a print background, so I knew what printing was going to take it.

Speaking of format, why did you go the context-heavy route instead of discussing, say, the quality of the song?

I think, firstly, because I didn’t want to shit on anybody’s work. I’ve been a critic at some point, and I think critics are actually very good for the culture, but on something as massive to me as doing my first book, I didn’t want to say a song is bad. Also, some of the stories are so rich and interesting that I felt it would be a disservice not to talk about them, and just decide to highlight why a song is good or bad. Like the first chapter on [Tony Tetuila’s] “Omode Meta”, I saw it all happen and I remember how I felt hearing 2Face’s voice for the first time, so I wanted to put everything into context so people who were not around at that time, or didn’t know the story, can trace the premise of how it came up.

What year was the hardest to decide?

What I did was, there were shortlists for songs in each year, and I went through each one to determine what I’d consider to be most important. The one that I argued with myself over the most was the chapter about [Chidinma’s] “Kedike”, I even tweeted about it, because it’s impossible to ignore Wizkid’s beginnings. However, there was also Chidinma back then, and that song was massive for her. Wizkid’s trajectory was kinda gradual, he had “Holla at your Boy” and a few others, “Pakurumo” took off after the album came out, but “Kedike” changed Chidinma’s life damn near overnight. I had to remind myself of how Chidinma’s journey went, it was clear that she, as an artist, was created to target the pan-African audience, and it worked immediately for her, until she later decided that it wasn’t what she wanted to do anymore. That year gave me a tough time with those options.

You mentioned taking that decision to twitter, did you have any other contributors that helped?

No, not so much. That was something I avoided because I know myself, I’m easily distracted and if I was listening to people it would change the direction and context of what I wanted to do. It wasn’t a secret that I was working on something, but I didn’t want to open it up to a lot of contributions, I wanted to retain the originality – warts and all. If anyone’s going to find issues with it, let it be that I’m going to be the one responding, not multiple people at once. There’s the saying about too many cooks. So it was something I held close to myself – I limited the number of people in my ear about it.

As much as the book focuses on the context of the most important songs, there’s an implied nod to the sonic evolution of Nigerian music over the period. Is that something you’d want to expand on in a project sometime soon?

Oh yeah. I felt like this book wouldn’t be enough to properly chart the musical evolution of Nigerian music, there’s just so much to cover, so much research, so many people to talk to, all of which matters to do that as well as it should be done. Also, I’m aware that Ayo Shonaiya is doing a documentary on the backstory of Afrobeats – that should be out sometime this year – and I was privy to some of the conversations that happened, and in my head I’m like, “wow, there’s just so much to tell that won’t fit into 180pages.” Having said that, there are plans to do a more comprehensive analysis sometime down the line, I will make the announcement at the right time.

You still speak about Nigerian music with a burning passion, which is not something you’d always find amongst long-serving music journalists. How much longer do you plan on telling these stories?

Well, one of the reasons I also wrote this book was, I found out that I was losing passion for Nigerian music, I’m not going to lie. Current Nigerian music didn’t appeal to me as much, maybe because I’m a father now and I have to buy milk on the way home, but I wanted to remind myself of why I got in, in the first place. So I had to listen to a lot of music – admittedly I still prefer a lot of the older stuff, not to be the grumpy old man in the room. But I’ve seen the evolution of things around here, and I’ve also seen how music and culture journalists have evolved in more established terrains as they grow older. Someone I’d point out is Elliott Wilson, he turned 50 the other day and you can see how he’s navigated the ever-changing media landscape.

I’ve also studied companies like Netflix and Disney, and you see how people evolve themselves. I started out with Bubbles Magazine, which was print, then I moved over to theNET NG, which is online, and I headed their media operations for just under three years, at a time when they were transitioning formats. Now I’m at Boomplay as Head of Content, which is great because we’re only starting to scratch the surface of streaming in Nigeria. At various times in my career, I’ve been lucky to always be on the cutting edge of new possibilities, and I’ve done stuff that’s not necessarily creative-related –I’ve done the hard and ugly job of numbers, keeping my eyes on the business side of it. So, as for remaining here, the medium would change – I might be writing today, tomorrow it’s a documentary series – but I’d like to be in service of entertainment for a long time, because it’s possible.

What does history mean to you, and how do you think we can contextualise it better since it’s happening right in front to us?

History to me is a factor of human life, and it would be a disgrace if we’re not recording it. There’s a popular saying about the victors always writing the stories of the vanquished. Nigerian music is on the up and it would be disgraceful if those of us witnessing it first-hand aren’t documenting it properly. There are some things that need time to evaluate, but there’s others that are too obvious to not highlight properly, like Burna’s recent album run. While I’m not entirely sure of what history should be, I know a 100% that it shouldn’t be nothing. My greatest peeve is foreign publications sending in journalists for paltry stories and that becomes definitive, because it won’t be as encompassing as what we’d do if we’re doing it properly. It’s not just for us now, it’s for people coming after us; because the future is not just some distant phenomenon – the future is now.

[History Made: The Most Important Nigerian Songs Since 1999 is available for purchase here.]

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/Jide Taiwo

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

ICYMI: 12 NIGERIAN MUSIC INSIDERS TO FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Rap Song of the Week: Anti World Gangstars refresh street-rap tropes on “Men Soji”

Posted on by The Native

Anti World Gangstars are as much of a collective as they are a motley crew. Comprising five Rap artists and Cross, the team’s producer/engineer, the Abuja-based squad is bonded by a communal sense of irreverence, devoted to making music that’s in conversation with popular trends, rather than being dictated by it. On their impressive 2019 debut album, ‘Gang Business’, the rebellious ethos of Anti World Gangstars takes centre stage, guided by a bruising soundscape ranging from gleeful Trap to sinister Drill, and a commitment to friendly one-upmanship.

On their fairly new single, “Men Soji”, featuring Alpha Ojini alongside squad members, Fatboy E (fka Ekizzy J), Reeplay and Odomodublvck, the camaraderie is cranked up a notch, as all participating parties combine for a street-rap banger that fits squarely within the current scope of dance-ready Rap music in Nigeria. As familiar as it sounds, though, what’s riveting about the song is its lyrical content, as each rapper injects their own personal perspectives to refresh the tropes typically associated with this style of Rap music. In place of straightforward boasts, the quartet hone in on years of knowledge accrued from moving and manoeuvring, each bragging about the individual make-up of his sharp street OT (read as orientation), and altogether flaunting their knack for keeping their eyes constantly peeled.

The defining element of Anti World Gangstars lies in how well a common ground is found without the need for individual personas to be tamped down. In fact, with very little interplay on songs, the emphasis is on these personas to snowball into something overwhelming. “Men Soji” is a great collective song for this particular reason, because there’s Fatboy E’s playful self-seriousness, Reeplay’s effervescence, Odomodu’s ever-present self-mythologising, and Alpha Ojini’s canny hand for vivid storytelling. All of this is underlined by a collective dedication to writing instantly memorable bars:

“Yo, Fatboy E, pass the chicken sauce/you can take it all, I’m not eating much/I’m observing table manners, I’m not talking much/unless na money you dey talk, then I’m talking (kmt!)” – Fatboy E

“Don tey wey I don enter streets/dem go chop your eye like meat, if you no come legit” – Reeplay

“My luger no dey pump/e dey shoot, e dey cough” – Odomodublvck

“SARS pull up like six for the bus/soji men, them no fit police us/gbege dey but we still position” – Alpha Ojini

These raps are delivered in agile, loose flows, with each rapper bouncing off Cross’ ultra-groovy and slightly lush beat in varying degrees of approach. With a stunning, irresistible hook – referencing the infamous pastor/street preacher from last year who immortalised “600 years” and “I go comot your teeth just now” into Nigerian pop culture – “Men Soji” is a remarkable feat of popular music craft. It’s a reiteration that Anti World Gangstars aren’t just versatile enough to try out a wide range of sounds; at their best, they have the wherewithal to transform what’s modish into a striking reflection of their unique mentality.

Listen to “Men Soji” here.

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

ICYMI: SHAKEZ SEETHES WITH RIGHTEOUS ANGER ON “BLOOD ON THE FLAG”

No Signal’s 10v10 returns for a fourth season

Posted on by The Native

Back in lockdown season one, No Signal, an extension of the party-starting RECESS ecosystem, grew into prominence, as their radio channel hosted artist v artist clashes to keep diaspora audiences entertained during our adjustment period to  the dull reality of being trapped indoors indefinitely. One of the highlights of our early lockdown experience was the infamous NS10v10 battles, which are now back again for their fourth season, much to the delight of UK residents, who have been suffering under stricter lockdown measures since before the Christmas holidays.

Unfortunately, with the coronavirus still claiming the lives of millions of people across the world, the stay at home mandate continues to be as important a practice as ever, if we are serious about curbing the spread of the infection. Whilst this news is incredibly dreary and depressing, No Signal Radio – able to expand over the year, thanks in part to their success in securing the Metallic Inc. Platinum fund – are here to keep us company and keep us sane, and, as proudly black owned business, they’re bringing us the content that genuinely speaks to our culture and interests.

Their 2021 NS10v10 debut is clear proof of that. Pitting Wande Coal’s greatest hits against Davido’s best, music enthusiasts Eman and Tammy will be uniting Afropop fans worldwide in a competitive clash of two of Nigeria’s most successful Pop stars. Whilst Wande Coal has given us defining hits that have remained timeless, Davido is arguably Nigeria’s surest bet when it comes to the making of a Pop song – the competition between these two is fierce, so things are bound to get heated during our customary communal tweet-along as we tune into No Signal radio. Hosted by DJ and presenter, Henrie, this episode is a very strong start to the season for No Signal, projected to draw in listeners and voters worldwide; you do not want to miss out.

The battle starts at 9:15pm in the UK, which is 10:15pm in Nigeria. You can (and absolutely must) tune into the show here, on No Signal Radio.

 

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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NO SIGNAL’S INDEPENDENCE DAY CLASH FOR BRITISH NIGERIANS

Fresh Meat: Best New Artists (January, 2021)

Posted on by The Native

When we left things off in 2020, the crop of fresh young talent on the continent was growing at an exponential rate. Despite the effects that a pandemic had on the music industry, artist discovery was rife throughout last year, with many newcomers – from SGaWD to Bella Shmurda – earning their stripes in no time. The lack of in-person collective experiences meant that audiences were only able to connect directly online to their favourite artists, which made building connections with new artists tasking but not beyond impossible.

Omah Lay, a Nigerian artist who had released his debut EP ‘Get Layd’ back in May quickly amassed quite the following, earning a record 1.8 million monthly listeners on Audiomack in less than a year. He wasn’t the only one making career-defining strides, Tems’ debut EP ‘For Broken Ears’ topped charts both at home and in the diaspora, as did Ghana’s Skillz 8figure, and South Africa’s Filah Lah Lah, who earned a prominent spot on Apple Music’s African Artist Spotlight. While these artists enjoyed new levels of accolades and increased visibility, they have set a fine pace already being emulated by a milieu of young underdogs boldly experimenting with the genre.

With the promise of the new year, all eyes are on the next generation of hitmakers ready to make music that is equal parts genreless, imaginative, and true to their personhood. From Mavin’s latest signee Ayra Starr to South Africa’s ethereal Roho, below are some of the artists you have to pay close attention to. 

Ayra Starr

Activated last week Friday, Ayra Starr is Mavin Records’ latest signing, and just like the rap sensation who preceded her, Ayra is coming out the gate hot. On Friday, Ayra Starr released her five-track debut EP that shot her straight to the top of the streaming charts, the lead single, “Away” earning over 200 thousand views in her debut weekend.

Just 18-years-old, Ayra Starr was discovered on Instagram by Mavin head huncho, Don Jazzy who was attracted by her dynamic and compelling covers. An avid music fan from an early age, Ayra’s sprawling musical taste is reflected in her dexterity as an artist. In the only thirteen minutes fans have been able to hear so far, Ayra is as much ballad R&B singer, as she is an adept Pop harmoniser. She is, at the same time, seeking freedom from a toxic lover on “Away”, as she is singing about attracting a potential partneron “Ija”, who turns into her fairy-talk match on “Sare”.

Inspired by Beyoncé, Rihanna, Shakira, Sia, and on the Afropop scene, 2Face, Ayra is a unique pop star in her own right, with the spiritual vocal flair of Tope Alabi, and the indigenous language capabilities of Andjelique Kidjo – two more of her sonic inspirations over the years. But as much as Ayra Starr takes cues from legends who earned their name almost at the start of her life, she is also a voice for her generation, co-writing with her younger brother to produce lyrics that connect with Gen Z listeners across continents, across cultures. Particularly the coming of age record, “Ditr” narrates how the harshness of the world hits like a truck as we make the rough transition from adolescence to adulthood and has thus pushed many towards vices, that might start innocent at first but end as a slippery slope. Ayra is very aware of the complexities that come with the years ahead of her, but she’s got the confidence and self-assuredness that we’re sure will serve her well, and through her self-affirming music, wishes to help young girls find that in themselves also.

Meji

The first and undoubtedly most important thing Meji needs you to know about him is that, he’s “The One.” It’s a belief he swears by, a belief every potential fan has to buy into without reservation. In Rap music, messiah figures are a constant part of the genre, rappers who believe that they’re primed to resuscitate the genre on their way to widespread prominence. Fancying himself an adrenaline shot to Nigeria’s commercially flailing English rap scene, Meji tends to carry himself with the same delusional gait of the archetypal messiah, but he sounds confident (as does his music) enough to make you believe, or interested at least.

Playing in a field where controversy brings attention, Meji broke out in the most likely way possible: beef. One of the rappers to get ticked off at Blaqbonez calling himself the best rapper in Africa, Meji issued his own diss tracks, “Blaq Out” and “100 Clowns”, the latter of which went viral after its caustic and funny music video came out. Since then, though, he’s been proving himself less of a rabble-rouser and more of a purposeful noisemaker. In late September, Meji shared his debut EP, ‘The One’, an impressive showcase of his considerable qualities as a Rap artist and songwriter, as well as a strong statement of personal intent. Across its six tracks, replete with moody, glistening keys and knocking low end bass, he lets listeners in on his ambitions, oozing the sort of unyielding tenacity that’s analogous to, say, a Meek Mill.

With a strong tilt towards punchlines and a naturally boisterous cadence, Meji’s assurance in himself is as intoxicating as it is outlandish, a true representation of his rap dreams. “I am the one that was chosen to break every chain/like Jesus, turn water into wine, I’m transforming the game,” he raps on the title track of the EP, while deeming his predecessors to be John the Baptist. For all his ambitious boasts and undeniable desire, what will keep Meji on his upward trajectory, alongside his willingness to keep growing as a music maker, is that he still has personal stories share. “95”, the closing track on his EP, is a riveting, affecting piece of storytelling that charts the complications of his birth to partly weaving the story of growth into a young adult. There’s clearly more where that came from; Meji’s story is just getting started, pay attention now.

Gyakie 

Ghanaian singer, songwriter, and performer, Gyakie comes from a legendary musical family lineage in Ghana. Born Jackline Acheampong, the singer is the daughter of Ghanaian Highlife legend Ernest ‘Owoahene’ Nana Acheampong, popularly known as Nana Acheampong, one-half of the famous Lumba Brothers. Although “music lives within her” as she declares on her debut EP ‘Seed’, Gyakie is careful to forge her own name and path in the music industry outside her famed father. In a recent interview with Okay Africa, the budding singer shared, “my dad is legendary, he did his and I’m here to do mine as well,” a confident statement that immediately becomes clear on further perusal of her vibrant and soulful music catalogue.

Gyakie started releasing music in 2019, realising, on her journey to begin a professional career in international business, that she could no longer avoid her calling to the musical arts. Her first single on her Apple Music page, “Love is Pretty” is an Afro-R&B and Reggae affair, where Gyakie ponders emotional matters. Intermingling English and Twi into her lyrics, Gyakie shows the range of her voice, singing with high-pitched pained vocals about a romantic partner that needs convincing of her love. The best kind of music is music that makes you feel, and Gyakie’s alluring vocals certainly conjure fraught memories of my own relationship trysts. By her second release, “Never Like This”, Gyakie was already trying a different stylistic range, this time relying on the vibrant allure of Afropop to deliver another romantic number that showed off the singer’s impeccable pen game. It’s why her debut EP ‘Seed’ is the perfect addition to her catalogue, showing more of Gyakie’s mastery of genres like never before. Though short, running just under 15 minutes, the 5-track EP is a euphoric listening affair, much of its sound rests on delicate pianos, xylophones, and gentle wind instruments, matching the gorgeousness and tenor of Gyakie’s lyrics. “Forever” is a love anthem that finds the singer celebrating her love interest, and wishing to enjoy their connection for the rest of her life. It bleeds into one of the EP’s promotional singles, “Whine” which is a catchy and upbeat Afro-Reggae number that will certainly have you whining your waist in your bedroom. Just as a fruit seed is planted into the ground to blossom into rich and tasty fruit, so also does Gyakie’s debut musical effort plant the necessary seeds for her evolution. By its end, the project’s title becomes a testament of growth; Gyakie is blossoming and we’re all bearing witness to her journey, one track at a time.

Roho

After garnering their first wave of major recognition, nascent artists are often expected to follow-up with new material at a fairly quick rate, in order to keep that attention and double the amount of ears tuned to them. In his case, South African singer Roho travelled the opposite direction, opting to remain relatively quiet after his 2019 single, “Goin’”, began to gain traction. Apart from sparse feature appearances, Roho moved rather furtively until the build-up to his debut EP, ‘Ephemeral’, which he shared in October 2020.

For those who encountered “Goin’”, an immersive slice of alt-R&B, it was quite obvious that the singer’s potential had no ceiling, so the subsequent period of silence was a bit frustrating to enamoured listeners. However, as ‘Ephemeral’ now proves, good things come to those who wait, and sometimes great music takes time. Breaking down its process in a podcast episode for Next Gen Greats, Roho explained that the creation of the EP began after a period of creative drought, and it’s evident that the fertile run after translated into a complete body of work. Relying on water as its central, symbolic element, the 7-song project is an engrossing introduction to Roho, as an intensely expressive writer and an adult with a sense of purpose.

Extremely cohesive without being remotely uniform, ‘Ephemeral’ is built around atmosphere and emotional honesty. The production is cut from innovative corners of alt-R&B and Neo-Soul, a lush and aqueous sonic soundscape that’s easy to fall into but slightly jagged enough to keep listeners on their toes. Across the set, Roho sings of finding self, pushing himself to be better, reminiscing on previous romantic situations, and painting intimacy as something equally carnal and sacred. Created as “an ode to a transformative period in [his] life” – summer of 2018 – it becomes increasingly glaring with each repeat, front-to-back listen that, Roho’s ability to memorialise the past while moving forward is his biggest strength as a writer.

At the moment, he’s working on turning the EP into a short film while also trying to “[get] better at this music thing”, indicators that he’s here for the long haul. Ultimately, Roho is working to level up, even if he’ll take breaks to ensure whatever he’s putting out represents his best, at every single point in time.

Filah Lah Lah 

Afropop, Hip-Hop, House, Gqom and more recently Amapiano, may be dominating South Africa’s music scene these days but R&B and Soul is becoming increasingly popular in the country. Cue in talented new singer Filah Lah Lah whose successful two-year run is a testament to this fact. Although Filah Lah Lah is relatively new in the scene, she earned the title of Apple Music’s New Artist Spotlight for October following the release of her debut EP ‘Filahsofy’ two months earlier. The title has been held by rising African acts such as Rema, Amaarae, Nasty C and more, who have continuously redefined the sound of music coming from the continent. 

Filah Lah Lah’s debut is a stunning 5-track offering that deals with intimate matters of the heart from a youthful fresh perspective. Over Neo-Soul melodies and 808 Trap beats, Filah Lah Lah candidly reflects on past situationships and ponders about new romantic interests, having conversations with herself on the atmospheric beats that sound like falling into a daydream on a summer day as you watch the clouds go by. Released during the coronavirus-induced lockdowns, Filah Lah Lah saw an opportunity to show her growing fanbase her emotions in their purest forms. You can hear her growing pains on records such as “Defiant” where she admits to nursing sad thoughts about her reality and indeed that of many young people. She sings “Isolation’s the name, overthinking’s the game/senses are heightened but Lord knows I’m trying,” showing listeners that she’s gone through the relatable motions that being cooped at home could bring and the realities that come with living with so much uncertainty about the future.

There are moments where the project seems diaristic as Filah Lah Lah covers intimate topics, such as pining for a lover on “This Is” and “Just In Case”; at times she’s happy, other times she’s liberated, hurt, jealous, and even anxious. Lah Lah leaves no stage of the relationship process out, soundtracking everything from the longing, to the getting under someone else, the getting over, and even to the personal promise to stop texting him. Filah Lah Lah is constantly cascading through vocals that make the succinct project at times seem longer than it really is. Listening to ‘Filasofy’, one is reminded of SZA’s ‘Ctrl’ with its similar lyrics tracking how we fall in, out, and back in to love but Lah Lah’s personhood is peppered into the tapestry of each song on the project, showing an unmistakable sense of self and confidence. That self-assurance earned her new levels of recognition at the time of the project’s release, marking her as one of the ones to watch for the new year. With a handful of singles and a debut EP under her belt, Filah Lah Lah is carving her own corner in the music industry and we can’t wait to see what she cooks up next.

MohBad 

Raised in Lagos, the artist born Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba had the privilege of being exposed to indigenous Yoruba music that described the harsh reality he could relate to. Seeing how music change the lives of others from poor backgrounds, Aloba was also encouraged to start making music, adopting the moniker, MohBad as a characterising nod to his bad boy status. His knack for combining street-savvy storytelling with melodic fuji-inspired singing made him the perfect fit for Naira Marley’s Marlian label and, since he signed joined last year, MohBad has grown to be a real contender for the next Street-Hop crossover artist.

Last November, MohBad shared his debut tape under the label, ‘Light’ showcasing his introspective pen game as he narrated stories from personal experience over the 8-track duration of the EP. The EP positioned him as the number one “bad boy” of the Marlian label and with the 2nd track, “Marlians Anthem”, we also saw just how much faith the head of the label has in the 24-year old artist. Naira Marley also made a guest appearance on “Ponmo”,  alongside Lil Kesh, while Davido was featured on “Once Dede” to give the album its mainstream spotlight. ‘Light‘ merits that kind of attention; while the big features put the tape on a lot more people’s radar, it’s his catchy melodies and compelling lyrics that holds their attention.

Closing 2020 with his contributed vocals on Rexxie’s latest hit single, “KPK”, MohBad earned the enviable status of a trendsetter as the song grew to become the soundtrack to music lovers’ flashy posts on social media. The song’s viral success saw MohBad’s profile really take off and he now has his own dedicated community of fans who give his songs massive streaming numbers and are eagerly waiting for his next release. MohBad’s acclaim should only continue to expand, especially now that he has more hit songs to feature on playlists and even perform for shows whenever concerts finally return.

 Saint Bond

Boasting internationally renowned dances and collaborations with global pop stars like Beyoncé and J Balvin, pop music of Nigerian origin is now one of the most popular genres in the world. The spotlight has allowed the new generation of emerging artists to quickly grow their audiences as they now have the potential to break out in new, prosperous ways.

Saint Bond emerged as one of the promising music talents 2020 had to offer as his artistic range and clear-eyed vision set him apart. His skill was first proven as the creative director behind DJ Cuppy’s acclaimed debut album, ‘Original Cuppy’ which saw her expand her sonic pallet to explore trap, soul, R&B and Afropop sounds. Bond is now showcasing himself as a singer and producer with his latest release, “Free”, crafting a gleaming and joyous resistance anthem against police brutality.

Producing the euphoric beat for “Free”, Saint Bond hybridises highlife guitar riffs and EDM synth harmonies to make the catchy baseline. Singing “Police go stop us/ they wan control us/ The tryna’ hold us down/ together we’re stronger,” with tender elation, “Free” is the kind of motivational song we don’t hear enough of these days, as Saint Bond encourages listeners to unite in the fight against oppressive police systems. The breezy groove of the song and its progressive message struck a code with Pharrell who hand-picked it as one of the 10 tracks for his latest project, ‘i am OTHER, Vol. 2’, a joint compilation tape between his iamOTHER collective and SoundCloud.

‘i am OTHER, Vol. 2’, focuses on empowerment, unity and speaking up about racial injustice. And with the EndSARS protests still fresh in our memory, Saint Bond was able to channel sentiments from the police brutality to deliver a bop that speaks on his real-time experience as he highlighted the traumatic effects of being harassed by people who are supposed to protect us; “The story dey lead me to depression/ The matter dey fear me to ask question”. “Free” has now garnered nearly 10k streams on SoundCloud and it’s currently one of the most streamed songs from the tape on Apple Music. The song’s success emphasises not only Afropop’s dominance in the global music scene, but also clues us in to Saint Bond’s promising ability to make hits, as “Free” is ganing more attention than the tape’s lead single, “Greatness” by WooDaRealesr and Killer Mike.

Image credits: NATIVE

Words by Debola Abimbolu, Dennis Ade-Peter, Tami Makinde, and Adewojumi Aderemi

BEST OF 2020: THE BEST NEW ARTISTS FROM LAST YEAR

Songs of the Day: new music from Mr Eazi, CKay, Tomilola and more

Posted on by The Native

Music has been the driving force keeping us connected for the past ten months where we have been cut off from live experiences. As a result, last year, The NATIVE created our ‘Songs of the Day’ column as an avenue to curate some of the best and biggest songs from around the continent. In the time since its creation, the column has served as an avenue to discover music from niche, rising acts, while also spotlighting releases from the biggest artists. As music industries around the continent have begun kicking into gear, it’s only right that we return to pointing you towards as much great music as we can.

For last week’s Songs of the Day, we brought you new singles from Bella Shmurda, Tomi Thomas, Le Diouck and DJ Bamao Yendé, Fresh Meat alum, capespring and Sustain. To kickstart the weekend, we’re bringing you new tunes from Dice Ailes, Ykb ft. Zlatan, Jackmillz, Dj Xquisite, Tomilola, Andy S, Veen, CKay who just announced his sophomore album ‘Boyfriend’, and Mr Eazi who is set to release his second EP ‘Something Else’ later this year. Dig in.

Mr Eazi – “The Don”

Since his sophomore album ‘Life is Eazi, Vol. 2’, Mr Eazi has spent time creating and building his artist incubator platform emPawa Africa which has successfully funded and powered the next generation of African musical talent. On his forthcoming EP ‘Something Else’, the follow-up to last year’s ‘One Day You Will Understand’, he appears to now be reaping the rewards of his entrepreneurial seeds sown over these past few years. The project’s promotional single “The Don” finds the singer experimenting with Trap sensibilities couched in his blend of Banku music and Dancehall as he declares himself “The don and I paid my price, I’m living like I’m in paradise.” He clearly brags different.

Dice Ailes – “Money Dance”

After rounding up 2020 with the danceable hit “Pim Pim” featuring Olamide and “No One”, a special tribute song to the lives lost during the EndSARS movement, Dice Ailes is ready to kick off the new year with new music. “Money Dance” his latest single is a catchy danceable hit that is sure to get you moving this weekend. Over a skirty bassline and Afropo drums, he sings “I really no like two-faced niggas, me I no dey give them chance/I do the money dance,” casting his focus on making the bag and being successful rather than paying focus to what the naysayers are discussing.

CKay – “Kiss Me Like You Miss Me”

By the end of 2020, CKay had set himself out as one of the ones to watch with his string of collaborations from Davido’s “LaLa” to Amaarae’s “FANTASY” but this year, he’s casting his focus on more solo releases with his sophomore album ‘Boyfriend’ slated for release February 12. The project’s promotional single “Kiss Me Like You Miss Me” is a heart-wrenching confessional which sees the singer pining for physical intimacy with a love interest. Over delectable strings and soft drum patterns, he makes his romantic intentions known, making it official with the best way Gen Zers know how to: the honorary dp update.

YKB – “Dey Your Dey” featuring Zlatan

Yusuf Kan Bai, now simply going as YKB, has just released a new single addressed to the opps titled “Dey Your Dey”, a catchy bop that instructs them to stay out of his business. Singing over the rhythmic beat produced by Gizzle Beats, “Don’t let them take you for a fool/dey your dey,” he encourages fans to cautiously watch out for the opps posing as friends to exploit you. Zlatan joins him for a memorable verse on the song, rapping, “Judas dey him dey/he for no be wey he dey,” aptly using this biblical reference to hone in the message about staying clear of wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Tomilola – “Mo Yato”

After introducing herself with her debut single, “Let Go” featuring The Cavemen, last year, singer/songwriter Tomilola is back with a new track to start the year titled “Mo Yato”. The upbeat soulful single finds her showing off more of her powerful vocals as she confronts the desires she has for herself, encouraging listeners to always remain self-assured and listen to their heart rather than follow the crowd. Over the groovy percussive beat, she sings, “I don’t want to do follow follow/Time is now, I’m not afraid to be myself,” a self-confident message that soundtracks a young woman’s journey to finding power within herself. With “Mo Yato”, Tomilola clearly shows that she’s here to stay, and we can’t wait to see how she develops into herself this year.

Jackmillz – “Temptation” featuring Aziz

Fresh Meat Alum JackMillz is back with his first official single of the year titled “Temptation” which features Aziz. The midtempo single is an exploration into young love as the Lagos-based singer confronts his inescapable feelings for a romantic interest. “I don’t want to waste your time/We been falling too deep, I’m tempted to give you everything,” he sings softly over the slow piano-led beat, admitting that he’s fallen for a crush for whom he’s ready to risk it all.

DJ Xquisite – “Once Again Dey Don Dey Vex Me” ft Blaqbonez and Psycho YP

Dj Xquisite pairs up two of the promising young rappers in the scene, Psycho YP and Blaqbonez for braggadocious new single “Once Again Dey Don Dey Vex”. Over the upbeat catchy production by BMH, both rappers trade bars about getting shit popping and ruling their own turf successfully to the annoyance of their haters. Blaqbonez takes the songs first verse and the hook, explaining why he has to keep delivering songs to keep the fans content and the enemies angry. He’s joined by Psycho YP who raps on the second verse, “Usually I’m popping on streets, usually I charge 100 for a feature/I be coming like a dealer”, as his bars grow more ruthless and cocky.

Andy S & Veen – “PTC”

Port Harcourt based rapper and producer, Veen has just linked up with Côte d’Ivoire rapper Andy S for a joint 3-pack EP titled ‘RDBQ Vol. 1’. On the standout second track “PTC” both artists trade bars over a lilting piano-led beat procured by Veen himself. Andy S takes the song’s first verse, rapping in French for the lot of it, before she’s joined by Veen on the song’s second verse. “Yeah I’m shining, niggas hating/on the way to be the greatest,” he raps confidently, letting his clever wordplay and steller penmanship take centre stage. It’s inspiring to see both artists from different backgrounds come together for such a boisterous offering.

Featured image credits/Instagram

ICYMI: Silencing Nigerian rappers is not the answer to cybercrime

Dice Ailes opens 2021 with new single, “Money Dance”

Posted on by The Native

Dice Ailes has mastered the art of making feel-good Afropop music that can bring any dancefloor to life. Last year, he shared his collaboration with Olamide, “Pim Pim” which felt fated to be the lead single to usher in his debut project. But while the speculations about the project are yet to be clarified, he has resumed the new year by giving fans yet another anthem for the dancefloor, “Money Dance”.

“I roll with plenty bullion vans/ Your girl want me, I no give am chance,” he sings softly over the laidback Afropop instrumentals produced with a mellow rhythm. The song finds Dice Ailes twirling around hedonistic reflections on his success as he channels a rap-like swagger that allows his deadpan, detached melodies to sound cool as he mocks his opposition; “You can never do the money dance.” “Money Dance” is a strategic attempt to harness the power TikTok holds in flipping songs into internet sensations, more than fitting for Dice Ailes, who certainly has the charisma to make the dance challenge a viral success.

Released via TMM Entertainment/Sony Music Entertainment West Africa, “Money Dance” is Dice Ailes’ debut drop since he announced that he’s joining acts like DJ Khaled, J Hus and Young T & Bugsey under Black Butter Records’ management. This partnership is likely to be a lucrative one for Dice Ailes, and hopefully will result in more consistent music – and maybe even that debut album at last.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/dice_ailes
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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: The Shuffle revisits how Dice Ailes’ smash hit, “Otedola” impacted Nigerian pop culture

Online gaming communities are a growing trend in Nigeria

Posted on by The Native

Before the COVID-19 pandemic even reached us in Nigeria and forced the isolation of lockdown upon us, Nigerians were already playing video games to escape boredom. Gaming has always been a top leisure activity for me since as far back as I can remember. I was cutting classes and spending all my break money so I could play with my friends at the game mall, located suspiciously close to my secondary school in Ibadan. Sometimes, I’d even lose track of time and end up getting caught when I can’t make up an excuse for not returning home in time.

Gaming was truly my first obsession, so I wasn’t under any illusions about the risks involved with my decisions to get back into it when the lockdown started in March. Like so many other slightly uncomfortable things in my life, the decision started as a joke. ‘Wouldn’t it be funny,’ I thought to myself, ‘if I could become famous and successful for doing the one thing my parents swore was a waste of time?’ I had seen people like Ninja and Pewdiepie make millions of dollars from uploading their gameplays on YouTube, and I felt up to the challenge. But asides from the lucrative prospects, I figured it was a small, deserved protest against the stress of adulthood.

My friends and family greeted the decision with tolerant concern for the distracting effect it could have on my already busy life. However, the unruly child in me was already dreaming about leaving all that behind for the sense of control video games offer. Who could resist, given the uncertainty of our current reality? Sadly, the cost for the new PlayStation was over my budget so I settled for a PC controller that allowed me to turn my workstation into a game-station. For others, the cost was less of a challenge; between the 16th to the 22nd of March last year a total of 4.3 million new games were sold worldwide, as reported by the Statista Research Department.

Statistic: Increase in video game sales during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic worldwide as of March 2020 | Statista

Initially, I limited myself to a few hours of FIFA or GTA every week, and it seemed like a habit that could easily be checked. However, once I got over the nostalgia of driving through the chaotic streets of Los Santos, I decided to explore the latest gaming trend for playing online. It didn’t take long to realise that I was getting addicted to it as the data subscription that usually lasts me the whole month finished within just over a week of playing PlayersUnknown Battleground (PUBG), an online battle royale game that puts different online players on the same battlefield. I noticed myself go from part-time gamer to hardened enthusiast with each round I won alongside my team of strangers-turned-comrades.

While the pandemic made the physical spaces that facilitate social interactions off-limits, online gaming now gave me a way to not only virtually connect with friends but also seek community and forge new friendships amid the prolonged isolation. I got more excited whenever I found myself in the same lobbies or tournaments as other Nigerians or Africans. The intensity of these online battles put me on the edge of my seat. It wasn’t long before I got into online gaming on my mobile device, after a friend I made during one of my Battle Royale tournaments advised me to download the mobile version so that I could play on the go. Plus it’s also well suited for Nigeria where electricity can be a problem with playing on a console.

Online multiplayer gaming took the goal-oriented single-player gaming experience I was used to to a new level, with the knowledge that I’m now competing against my peers and winning with real-life teammates. The allure is undeniable and nowadays most games have an online component that often supersedes the importance of the game’s offline objectives. In fact, most people would rather play online campaigns than finish the missions.

“I’ve never gotten to the end of any COD game but I’m already on the second-highest rank, Master”

25-year-old visual artist, Tobi tells me as he explained that he’s motivated by his friends and teammates to play every day. “The game is fun but it’s also tough and they help me to keep pushing myself ’cause you need to play every day to move to the next rank.”

The virtual connection that’s made possible by the internet allows players to link up digitally while abiding by social distancing rules. Online forums, such as Discord, offer free voice and chats for gaming communities and because it’s compatible with multiple operating systems (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, web browsers), it accommodates all online gaming communities, enabling gamers to communicate in real-time while playing. The likes of Discord make it easy to play with friends in other cities or time zones and still feel like you’re in the same place.

The gaming communities built on these platforms also correct the impression that gamers are all loners, as many of us have formed lasting relationships with people we’d never have even met if it weren’t for the pandemic forcing us to get into online gaming. “The pandemic made me play more than I used to. Online gaming became the easiest way to connect with my buds and meet new people,” Rock, a student of the University of Ibadan told me. “I probably played like 18 hours a day.”

For SirBastien, he got into online gaming after his brother asking him to download COD Mobile. After posting screenshots of his games on social media, he became popular in school and attained more friends – simply through gaming. “I started speaking with people in school that I never spoke to before,” he said. “With that, I started hanging with them and we became really close friends. Even when you’re fighting and shooting in the game, you’re also casually gisting. So it’s a fun way to keep up with your friends while playing.” Online gaming has also helped SirBastien maintain his long distance relationships. He says,

“My brother, he lives in Belgium so I can’t play with him physically so every evening we play FIFA online together and play together against others. It’s a really good bonding exercise.”

Alao Dolapo, an engineer based in Abeokuta was also able to forge digital friendships from online gaming. In fact, he speaks of the online gaming community as though it saved his life. “Online video gaming was my coping mechanism when my dad got sick with cancer. I used to just ghost chats and all my friends had issues with me till a friend, Rock introduced me to Modern Combat Versus. There was a group of four of us (we called ourselves Ambu, short for ambush) and we beat pro-teams from all over the world together.”

“I remember those days of playing COD as good bonding moments for us. We’d talk during the games and bant and confide in each other, make fun of each other. It helped me come out of my shell in terms of being sociable. It was very depressing for me to see my dad on what would eventually be his death bed, but being online, playing games was my escape.” Dolapo divulges. As a team, are Ambu a not only gaming specialists, but a fruitful support system, that have opened up their gaming safe space to virtual friends all across the world, Dolapo describes. “We eventually started to grow more international and had to form a WhatsApp group. There were guys from Netherlands, UK and South Africa. Cassa from South Africa would confide in me and tell me about how his stepdad was cheating on his mom. We all just really bonded from gaming and could share about stuff that was bordering us and we were there for each other.”

With the issues of unstable power supply in Nigerian, it’s lucky that we have smartphone technology to allow us to play games, such as the online multiplayer games like COD and PUBG, without getting interrupted by NEPA. Mobile gaming has drastically widened the demography for gaming and allows more people to participate in online multiplayer games. According to SirBastein, “most of the time, you tend to play against people that aren’t Nigerian. But I’ve noticed there are lots of online gaming communities for mobile in Nigeria. They tend to have online console competitions too, but if you compare the numbers, you’d see that there aren’t as many. I had a tournament recently and I had to register in the Discord link and the mobile Discord had about 400 people registered to play while the War Zone for the console was just 33 people.”

Even those who don’t exactly play video games aren’t excluded from the growing community of online gaming thanks to blogging platforms like YouTube, Reddit and the recent stock listed Gamespot. I, not too long ago, had the chance to speak with Johnny Drille, who explained that he’s a big fan of watching gaming streams on YouTube. “That’s my biggest addiction right now,” he said. “My favourite streamers are Jackfrags and theRadBrad. It’s just fun to watch people play games. It’s very hard for me to just see my food and just eat it. It’s boring. I only enjoy meals when I’m watching something, so I watch gamers playing and talking about the games.” These platforms come in different shapes and sizes, all exploring their varying niches of gaming. While some are focused on reviewing games, others give news or guides. Many have different facets and discussion threads for every gaming topic you could want and they are often filled with other gamers who also want to connect and dive in while playing at home.

However, not everyone is pleased about the growing online community of Nigerian gamers. “Well I’m more of a lone-wolf,” Rock explained to me. “I have my own gaming squad but the times that I joined bigger communities, they seemed like a bunch of ‘tryhards’ to me. They were trying to compete in tournaments with Europeans when their network is way better than ours. They sucked the fun out of the games with their schedules and routines but that’s just one or two out of many gaming communities I’ve encountered. I’d rather just play with my squad.” Rock’s reservation from exploring other online communities emphasises how the success of online gaming communities is hinged on members sharing interests, goals, and norms that unite them. This is further proof that the community of online gamERS in Nigeria is growing, because, even when we do share a similar love for gaming online, it would be ridiculous to imagine that all Nigerians would be like-minded.

Featured Image Credits: Web/gamesindustry.biz

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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

DISNEY PLUS IS SET TO LAUNCH SCI-FI SERIES SET IN LAGOS, IWAJU

Jess ETA emerges as the winner of Audiomack’s Rising Star challenge

Posted on by The Native

Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer Jess ETA has just emerged as the winner of the second edition of Audiomack’s Rising Star challenge. The challenge, which is held in collaboration with Afrochella, was designed to increase the visibility of artists across Africa by providing a platform for up-and-coming artists to submit their music portfolio, for a chance to be discovered by millions of users on the streaming services platform.

For the 2021 edition, over 300 artists from around the continent entered into the competition which was then narrowed down to 25 entries – shortlisted here in the Audiomack Top 25 playlist. After careful consideration of the shortlist, Jess ETA earned the first position in the competition, winning hearts with his mastery of Afro-infused R&B, Soul, Pop, and Rock. In second place was Nigerian Afropop singer, Headiess and Cameroonian singer, Iguocho in third place.

 

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A post shared by Audiomack Africa (@audiomackafrica)

As the winner of Audiomack’s challenge, Jess ETA also earns a cash prize of $1,000 and a studio session at BBNZ live – one of Ghana’s leading entertainment and artist management agencies. Speaking to the NATIVE about his recent, Jess ETA shares:

“I feel really excited and elated. I entered into the contest and I had this intuitive feeling from the beginning that I could win.”

Of then earning the win, Jess ETA goes on to say, “I’m just happy my entry won Audiomack’s Rising Star Challenge. I am at a place where I am experimenting and showing that everything sounds better with an Afro bend; Pop, R&B, Drill and even EDM. I’m generally excited to see what the future holds. Both for myself and afro influenced music in general.”

With this win under his belt, Jess ETA is already primed for an amazing 2021! Alongside a sophomore EP – the follow-up to last year’s ‘Balance’ – in the works, Jess ETA also plans to issue a wider release for his Audiomack entry in the early part of the year. We can’t wait to see what he’s got coming up.

Featured image credits: Instagram Jess ETA

ICYMI: Dice Ailes impacted NIgerian pop culture with smash hit “Otedola”

Davido and Mayorkun are samurai warriors in their new video for “The Best”

Posted on by The Native

Davido has opened his account for the year by sharing the video for “The Best”, one of the standout tracks from his latest album, ‘A Better Time‘. The song, which celebrates Davido’s impact in Mayorkun’s rise to fame and his influence on Nigerian Pop at large, boasts catchy melodies to match the artist’s brag, and for this and it has remained one of the top 10 songs in the country on the TurnTable charts since it was released last year. Directed by Dammy Twitch, the newly released video is sure to elevate the song from its current position at #9 as takes Mayorkun’s confessions; “See I learnt from the best oh/ Davido,” and turns it into a samurai trope of a student learning from his master.

The colourful costumes, dancing, and acrobatic performances make the Asian themed visual compelling while we see Wande Coal make an appearance as one of the samurai masters, a nod to Mayorkun’s cheeky bar, “Shey you sing pass Wande Coal? Pele.” However, it’s the palpable bromance between Davido and Mayrokun that makes the video a worth accompaniment to the smash hit, with several shots of them training together for a battle which Mayorkun eventually wins with ease.

Watch the video for Davido and Mayorkun’s “The Best” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Davido
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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: Davido’s ‘A Better Time’ was among our best albums of 2020

The Shuffle: Dice Ailes impacted Nigerian pop culture with smash hit, “Otedola”

Posted on by The Native

It might interest you to know that Dice Ailes started out as a Rap artist. Within the context of Nigerian Pop music, many artists – from Davido to Santi – start out slinging bars, before widening their skill-set to include singing, or switching it up entirely, somewhere down the line. In Dice’s case, it didn’t take too much time to begin honing his versatility. “Yemisi”, his first single upon relocation to Nigeria, featured some rapped verses but it was his singing that took centre stage, a move largely inspired by the upward trajectory of Afropop in the global music space.

In 2014, he signed a recording deal with Chocolate City, keeping his rap alliances intact, but early singles like “Fantasy” and “Machinery” showed he was very keen on sharpening his instincts as a hit-maker and Pop star. After dropping a couple of singles, hinting at his preferred direction, Dice Ailes finally scored his first big single with the Lil Kesh-assisted “Miracle”, a catchy bop that was perhaps a little too engineered; it was heavily reliant on the mid-tempo pon-pon sound that had just become en vogue, at the time and it featured Lil Kesh at his commercial peak. He admitted as much in an interview with NATIVE last year, saying, “‘Miracle’ was a hit song that I didn’t necessarily love because it sounded like something that was already in the market and I generally like to sound different.”

For his next big single, “Otedola”, Dice figured out a way to balance his peculiar skill-set with his far sharpened Pop instincts for an instantly memorable banger. An undeniable smash hit, “Otedola” is a fine example of how to blend idiosyncratic artistic approach with the more recognisable elements that is typically expected of a hit record. On this particular song, multiple variations of Dice blend together into a distinct, singular element, acting as the magnetic essence that grabbed and held our collective ears back in 2017. Somewhere in there, you can hear Trap Dice and Afropop Dice in a conjoined, playful dance, blending into a unique melody years before “Afro-Trap” started getting thrown around constantly.

A simple and catchy drum pattern, airy piano strings, and squeaky whistle interpolations match the cadence of Dice’s delightfully oddball delivery, situating it as a dance-ready cut with its own unique bounce. A glaring reference to Nigerian oil magnate and billionaire, Femi Otedola, Dice marries Nigeria’s aspirational society with whimsical songwriting to catchy effect. For a song that matches a show of affluence with raunchy intentions, Dice also namedrops popular actors Ramsey Nouah and Jim Iyke, legendary footballer Jay Jay Okocha, soda beverage Coca-Cola, and food seasoning brand Maggi, cramming in enough familiarity to get Nigerian listeners instantly hooked.

For anyone who’s come in contact with the song, it’s nearly impossible to think of the titular character without remembering “Otedola”, and if you consider just how obsessed Nigerians are with rich people, it’s evident that Dice Ailes greatly impacted pop culture with that song. Over three years later, Dice Ailes is still very much around, navigating the music terrain in his own way while constantly honing his versatility. Following the drop of last year’s stunning, ultra-sensual “Pim Pim”, it was expected that Dice would drop his long-awaited debut album – unfortunately that didn’t happen.

Now signed to Sony Music West Africa, and set to resume dropping new music, there’s every possibility that we’ll have Dice’s debut LP in our ears. For an artist clearly working on his craft constantly, the musical possibilities are endless, but the one thing we can be sure of is that he isn’t trying to recreate “Otedola” – “I never really try to imitate my previous releases because there’s a lot that the future has in store for me, so I just explore the stuff in me,” he told us in the aforementioned interview. It’s an implied admission that “Otedola” is one of the highest creative points in his career – so far.

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

Bobi Wine vs Museveni: The Dictator is Naked

Posted on by Safina S. B. Nakayiza

Throughout the recent election period in Uganda, Africa, and the world at large, watched as the incumbent president employed violence and fear to maintain his power, his totalitarian tactics resulting in needless deaths of innocent citizens who threw their support behind the opposition leader, Bobi Wine. From Museveni’s many dalliances with brutality, to Bobi Wine’s youth-endorsed run, writer and activist, Safina S. B. Nakayiza takes us through the history of this historical presidential clash.

Uganda has never had a peaceful transfer of power since attaining her independence from the  British in 1962. Presidents have always come and gone with the help of the gun, and that’s exactly how sitting President Yoweri Museveni came into power in 1986 after he picked up arms and mobilised a guerrilla army to seize power, killing over five hundred thousand people in the process. What prompted Museveni to take this route was a “rigged” election in  which he had come last. Since then, he’s clung onto Uganda, committing gross human rights violations and impoverishing Ugandans while the world has watched. Museveni has always hidden  behind the curtain of democracy through organising “free and fair” elections, appealing to his donors and the international community at large. Always, except this time. 

In 2017 Kyagulanyi Sentamu Robert also known by his stage name, Bobi Wine came on the political  scene, backed by strong support from youth in the ghetto, to contest for member of parliament for  his constituency, Kyadondo East, a position he won by a landslide, marking the beginning  of his political journey. Museveni almost instantly saw something in him. As early as 2018 he allegedly ordered for the assassination of Bobi Wine, an attempt that claimed the life of Bobi Wine’s friend and driver – Yasin Kawuma. The unfortunate events of that day, August 13th only made Bobi Wine more vocal in his criticism of the regime and gained him more support from Ugandans. He urged Ugandans to massively register for the national ID which was a necessity for one to register to vote and the  population heeded his call. Next Wine urged Ugandans to register to vote when voter registration began, which they did, then urged them to apply for political positions in his newly formed political party – National Unity Platform.

Fast forward to this year’s election season; many regime apologists were adamant that Bobi Wine wouldn’t be on the  ballot paper and he was about to prove them wrong. The Ugandan constitution permits Presidential enthusiasts to consult with the electorate about their candidacy, but Bobi Wine was denied this chance by the regime through the security forces. Everywhere Bobi Wine went, police followed; but fortunately, so did freelance journalists, who streamed live on both Facebook and YouTube, exposing the police brutality in real time.

Still, that did not deter Bobi Wine, who, in the end, emerged a legitimate presidential candidate, under the symbol of the umbrella: The National Unity Party. His journey, however, was one that turned Uganda red with the blood of innocent citizens who simply showed their allegiance with the true and just democratic change Bobi Wine’s presidency promised.  On his campaign trail, journalists were brutalised, people murdered and others arrested  by the regime. Several citizens, who were  part of the candidate’s entourage, as well as bystanders were amongst those killed by the security forces – brutal violence that was all captured on camera. This did not stop Ugandans from embracing what Bobi Wine preached. In the face of the ongoing injustices, the people only amplified their support of the new candidate and this resulted in more murders and abductions of Bobi Wine supporters, even at village level.

The dictator is naked. Throughout his presidential run, Bobi Wine has been exposing Museveni for the authoritarian he truly is, especially to the President’s  donors and the  international community, on whose money he relies to subjugate the Ugandan people through purchasing arms, flaunting them and militarising all institutions. On November 18th 2020 over a hundred citizens were allegedly murdered –although the mainstream media reported only sixty – and several injured across the country during the Free Bobi Wine protests, violence perpetrated  by the regime. According to several observers this general election has been the most violent in the history of this  country in which we saw an internet blackout last that lasted five days, a deliberate and transparent attempt to mask the assault that was being meted out on the citizens. Even still, Ugandans, especially the youths who make up about 85% of the  population, went out to cast their votes in favour of Bobi Wine. 

As expected, Museveni rigged the elections, but  this time he wasn’t going to get off the hook easily and Bobi Wine and his team made sure of it. An app was launched where citizens could send evidence of electoral fraud, violence and results from individual polling stations. This wasn’t anticipated by the dictator, nor his henchmen, who have, to date, failed to provide granular data for the results from which they declared Museveni the winner of Uganda’s 2021 elections, stealing  the victory of the Ugandan people. The constitution is clear, this data should be displayed after 48  hours by the electoral commission and yet, over a week later, the incumbent party still have not provided the requisite evidence. 

Now more than we have ever been before, the people of Uganda are vigilant, firm in our resolve to keep the dictator president on his toes. The internet remains awfully slow and restricted but VPNs are used to bypass these roadblocks. The vigilance of the youths is making it extremely hard for Museveni to plaster fake or doctored results in the media, weakening his regime as time goes.

The intimidation is palpable, but the people remain unmoved because they know we voted the dictator out and there’s proof this time, proof we participated in collecting  ourselves. Further indication of Museveni’s severe loss, is the over thirty ministers from his camp that have been voted out – alongside himself – by the people. Only roughly seven heads of state have congratulated the dictator upon his “re-election” some of whom he even had to call first. The world has rejected President Yoweri Museveni as have the Ugandan people.  Bobi Wine, reemerging after his eleven day house-arrest earlier this week, maintained that all legal and constitutional means will be exploited to put an end to the Museveni dictatorship. We urge the rest of the world to stand with us to fight the dictator, to fight for our freedom. 

Featured Image Credits: NPR

Safina S. B. Nakayiza is a chaotic feminist, passionate about preserving human rights. Tweet at her with activist energy only @kaysafi1

#ENDSARS: INSECURITY IN NIGERIA PERSISTS

Essentials: Efe Oraka’s ‘Magic’ is a beautiful coming of age story

Posted on by The Native

Efe Oraka is a storyteller and world-builder. In the opening moments of her debut EP ‘Magic’, she wastes no time in setting the scene for what’s to come. Singing beautifully over vibrant chords and strings, the Abuja-based singer/songwriter chants, “happiness is never automatic/God bless the magic.” Her words, simple as they may be, are a key clue to the singer’s thematic preoccupations across the 7-track EP, which chronicles and explores the gritty sides to stories of love, growth, and self-worth. 

Employing the help of some amazing artists and collaborators such as M.I, Tay Iwar, DOZ, and Sir Bastien, Efe Oraka embarks on a journey to convey her experiences as a Gen Z woman in today’s world. Each lyric and anecdote she shares is instantly relatable, at one moment pondering on lighter issues such as her lack of self-control with munchies on “Comfort Food”, and at another moment revelling in the magic of a new crush on “Wonderland”. 

“I wanted to create something I could always go back to – something that perfectly documented my thoughts, feelings, and everything really, that I, at the time, alluded to making me ME.”

 

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There is no aspect of the Gen Z experience that is left out of the world she created on this project, and it’s deliberately done to capture the singer’s growing pains. When she was just 17, Efe Oraka began working on what would become her debut EP. Although it would take her three more years to confidently share the musical offering, she soon realised it had morphed into a love letter to the many phases she’s had to shed along her journey. Speaking with the NATIVE a few months after its release, the singer/songwriter admits that the project became a way to not just articulate her own pain and growth, but to emphasise with listeners who she was certain would use it to navigate their own experiences. 

The songs on ‘Magic’ are said to “immortalise [her] growth” and as such it is caught at the intersections of different types of experiences of a young African woman. Here, listeners see romantic inclinations held side by side with a deep passion and reverence for God. On the M.I Abaga-assisted “Zion”, Efe sends a cry out to God as she questions her faith and her place in the universe. Her voice is heavy and pained, as she sings “I’m tired of trying/Oh Zion o why are you lying,” instantly bringing back memories of my own struggles with faith. M.I’s introspective verse elevates the “Zion” into an apt soundscape for moody musings on a Sunday afternoon.

Her songs are set against airy, ethereal backdrops, and coupled with her delicate, soothing voice, she weaves her own world where she unfurls the complexities of the past. The magical metaphors with titles such as “Wonderland” conjure images of a sonic escape from our present reality.  Tay Iwar adds his enchanting allure to “Love Galatic”, making it an instantly pleasurable listening experience, soft and stripped back to match the tenor of both their voices. “You are Mars and I am Venus/So Much Distance In Between Us,” Efe sings warmly, examining a lover that is putting up communication blocks. It bleeds into the project closer “Dive”, a reflective number that finds Efe advising a younger version of herself. “You got to sink or swim to stay alive so when you reach your ocean baby go ahead and dive,” she sings on the song’s hook, advising herself and listeners alike to face their fears head-on. You move as the lyrics are repeated, building towards the vivid guitar solo that bookends the song. Efe Oraka sees her past flaws clearly and comforts listeners to be less hard on themselves. 

Ultimately, ‘Magic’ is a finely crafted story told through very distinct lenses. Efe Oraka asks listeners to look deep within for their inner child and get comfortable with vulnerability. It’s a divinely contoured body of work that finds its sweet spot in fashioning poignant and intimate coming of age stories about love, faith, and purpose.

Stream ‘Magic’ below.

Featured image credits/Efe Oraka

ESSENTIALS: TOMI AGAPE’S ‘NEVER GUNNA BE THE SAME’ WILL GET YOU TO FEEL & MOVE

Songs of the day: New music from Bella Shmurda, Tomi Thomas, capespring and more

Posted on by The Native

New year, same agenda. Last year, the NATIVE created the ‘Songs of the Day’ column as an avenue to curate some of the best and biggest songs from around the continent. In the time since its creation, the column has served as an avenue to discover music from niche, rising acts, while also spotlighting releases from the biggest artists. As music industries around the continent have begun kicking into gear, it’s only right that we return to pointing you towards as much great music as we can.

For last week’s Songs of the Day, we brought you new music from Femi Kuti, A-Reece, Yung L, SirBastien and more to catch you up on the latest songs from around the continent. Our latest Songs of the day curation includes new singles from Bella Shmurda, Tomi Thomas, Le Diouck and DJ Bamao Yendé, Fresh Meat alum, capespring and Sustain. Dig in.

Dangbana Republik x Bella Shmurda – “Rush”

Bella Shmurda fans are set to have a ball today as we celebrate the anniversary of the rising singer’s debut tape, ‘High Tension‘, as well as his birthday. To make the day even more memorable, Bella Shmurda also released his highly anticipated new single, “Rush” which he has been teasing on social media since the start of the year. The snippet of the song he shared on Audiomack already raked in 7 million views and his fans can finally stream the full version of the gritty, bass-boosted street-hop sound Larry Lanes and Pbeatz produced for the song. Bella’s encouraging lyrics, “Why are you feeling down? Life is short so ginger yourself,” and his catchy melodies ride the groovy instrumentals to give the song a little extra oomph that can turn car rides and walks into a private party if you listen with the volume on full blast. It’s Bella’s birthday so we recommend that you do just that.

Bamao Yendé x Le Diouck – “Marvin Gueye”

Paris-based Senegalese singer, Le Diouck and DJ Bamao Yendé first started collaborating in 2018 and their harmonious partnership led them to form a band called Nyoko Bokbae. Last year, the duo released their new 6-track EP,  ’55 Degrees‘, delivering a hypnotic and ethereal sound made more haunting and sensual with Le Diouck’s knack for singing in a mix of French, English and Wolof. The opening track, “Marvin Gueye” has now gotten updated with an immersive music video that highlights their eccentricities with the cowrie necklace and the desert scenery. Vincent Catel directed the video which captures Le Diouck and his love interest as they embrace each other, bath together and smoke together. For those who can’t follow the lyrics because of the language barrier, the video plays out like an art film depicting the elegance, beauty, and power of dark-skinned people.

Tomi Thomas – “Who Knew”

Tomi Thomas has opened his account for the year by sharing the accompanying video for his previously released single, “Who Knew”. Uaxstudio’s Seyi Akin directed the video which follows Tomi Thomas as he performs his Reggae-fueled melodies while walking among regular folks in the streets. They all join him to dance along to the lightweight beat Genio produced for the song. Tomi’s lyrics, “Who knew, who knew?/ We would get these Standing ovations,” offers words of comfort for those who are still struggling to get recognition for their works. With the cast of people living in the slums of Lagos, he is able to motivate his audience to continue believing in their dreams.

capespring – “Indigo”

Last year, capespring emerged as one of the promising artists from Kenya to look out for when he shared his debut project, ‘Duality’. With his smooth voice urging listeners to lean into their feelings while he translates the minutiae of his post-high school life into lo-fi Rap and R&B music, fans were able to compare him to artists like Frank Ocean and Stromae. However, the 17-year-old singer has wasted no time to show that he still has more to offer, just releasing his debut single for the year, “Indigo”, in partnership with an international music label, Kitsuné. The single is the opening act of a 5-part heartbreak story that follows him as a protagonist, searching for a lover to rid him of his woes. His lyrics, “Do I need a shawty or do a shawty need me/ I just need somebody that’s gon put me at ease,” finds him detailing what he wants from a relationship in a mix of rap bars and melodic singing. He promised to share his second single, “puppy” on Valentine’s day while we can expect the full project in March.

Sustain – “Situationship”

Sustain’s new EP, ‘Afrosus’ earmarks him as one of the new artists emerging in Nigeria whose sound is inspired by the indigenous Yoruba sound of Fuji and Juju music. Though he sings in English lyrics as much as he sings in Yoruba, his accent and melodic references remain deeply rooted in Yoruba traditions. However, the Afro-Caribbean instrumentals Phantom produced for “Situationship”, the opening track from the recently released EP allows him to explore his range while he quizzes his muse to confess their earnest feelings; “Baby let me know/ Do you want me too the way I want you?” The smooth mix of Caribbean guitar riffs and Sustain’s charming melodies make “Situationship” an instant earworm that encourages listeners to play the entire tape, which also features artists like Yusufkanbayi on “To Love”.

Featured Image Credits: NATIVE

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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: Catch up on all the latest songs you may have missed from last week

Silencing Nigerian rappers is not the answer to cybercrime

Posted on by The Native

Nigerian Criminal Code Act, Section 419:

Obtaining goods by false pretences

Since its October 9 release, Bella Shmurda’s inescapable “Cash App” has amassed as much controversy as it has plays – quite a feat, as it currently has over 25 million stream across YouTube, Audiomack and Spotify. Referencing his dubious mode of income, back when he was still hustling tirelessly to reach this point of success, Bella Shmurda has continued to receive backlash for his casual lyrics which explicitly mention the practice of ‘Yahoo Yahoo’, the ubiquitous term used to describe internet fraud in Nigeria.

In the past four months since the song has been released, internet users have continued to lambast Bella Shmurda for his ambivalent criminality, and the lack of remorse or accountability he shows when putting it on wax for thousands of impressionable “youths” to hear. Alongside comparisons to violence in Hip-Hop, petitions advocating that the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission ban “Cash App” off the airwaves emerged, indicating the double standards many Nigerians employ in praising one genre of music whilst deriding the other for being guilty of the same thing.

Having spent sleepless nights taking risks, he sings on “Cash App”, Bella Shmurda is not afraid to flaunt his newly acquired commas, regardless of the illegal ways in which they are gained. Like Davido on “Dami Duro”, Bella Shmurda is singing about his life experiences with wealth, bragging about the money he’s earned in his lifetime. The difference is, Bella Shmurda wasn’t born to a Baba Olowo, as Davido was; his concerns weren’t spilling Belvedere in the club, getting girls, or trying to fend off money hungry leeches. Featuring Olamide of YBNL (Yahoo Boy No Laptop), Bella Shmurda’s 2019 breakout hit, “Vision2020” provides a lens through which we can investigate the rough road that he has travelled, with no end in sight, that led Shmurda, and many other young Nigerians like him, to allegedly take a left into a life of crime. Singing from his mother’s words, “better get that money, son/we are starving,” Bella Shmurda raises the gender imbalance that places the family’s need at the feet of the “man of the house” and his finances. Telling us he “hustled for six months, [I] no get money,” Bella Shmurda continues into his verse finishing, “I’ve been thinking o, I’ve been thinking o,” illustrating the long-lasting, hopeless desperation that led him into scamming.

Whilst Bella Shmurda’s circumstances do evoke pity, at the end of the day, poverty is not an excuse to defraud innocent people who have their own – financial or otherwise – struggles to face every day. Many Nigerians in his position would continue to work honestly, one can’t condone cybercrime simply because it is a symptom of the government’s failings, as Bella Shmurda is quick to remind us of “Vision2020”. Still, by understanding his motivations, “Vision2020”, “Cash App” and music detailing and inextricably glorifying cybercrime in general, offer us an opportunity to assess the socio-economic conditions in which Yahoo Yahoo proliferates in Nigeria.

Like knife crime is to Drill music, or gun crime was to Gangsta Rap, cybercrime has been the illegal vice attached to the Zanku music trend, right from its onset. Zlatan, who features on “Cash App”, who was arrested alongside Naira Marley as part of an EFCC investigation, and has long since been affiliated with this infamy in Nigerian society, broke out with a verse on “Able God” which outrightly encouraged struggling young Nigerians like him to invest in a laptop and get online (“kuro n’be ‘to ye ko lo ra lappy/ tete connect ki wan na le collect”) – a euphemism understood by all Nigerians to basically mean, “get into fraud.” If we listen to Bobby Shmurda who says, “Run up on that nigga, get to squeezing, hoe,” or UK Drill rapper, A.M whose lyrics narrate, “3-2 shots make man disappear/Bare bluss tings all over the gaff/Leave man’s face all open and that,” it is clear that music not only glorifies crime, but also, in some parts, actively encourages it as a response to one’s own circumstances – be it poverty or disrespect. However, as British Journalist Andre Montgomery-Johnson says in his documentary of Drill and knife crime, titled Terms and Conditions, “there’s so many things that you can look at. The lack of father figures, the lack of economic structure, the lack of activities, the lack of opportunities.”

Montgomery-Johnson might be speaking specifically in reference to Drill music, but the same can be said about Zanku music. To understand the link between Zanku music and cybercrime in Nigeria is to realise it’s an effect not a cause, existing only because Yahoo boys exist. By simply denigrating Zanku music and focusing on its hardly proven effects on youngsters, we are ignoring the symptom and avoiding the disease that is cybercrime. In our hyper-religious society, with its moral superiority complex, this is of course the easy way out, to make ourselves feel better about condemning yahoo without actually doing anything about the fraudulent practices that characterise Nigerian culture, such as the victim blaming that occurs when prices are unfairly hiked due to client profiling, or the virtue ascribed to those who are able to evade customs officers both home and abroad. Fundamentally, our society has been desensitised to fraudulent behaviour over the years, so there is a hypocrisy in criticising artists singing about their own reality (and, this writer would argue, a sense of problematic culture tourism in consuming a culture which we are not a part of, to which we cannot relate, with judgemental intentions).

Globally renowned for our scams, it is understandable why publicising our prevalent fraud problem is a particular trigger to Nigerians. But it is incorrect to ascribe the blame of our cybercrime notoriety to musicians; fraud has been brewing on our shores far before Olu Maintain put a dance to it on “Yahooze”. For at least a century, Nigerians have been running their scams abroad, with one of the earliest 419 documents dating back to 1920, according to Stephen Ellis’ This Present Darkness: A History of Nigerian Organized Crime. P.Crentsil – “Professor of Wonders” as he signed himself – was a fraudster who would write to foreign countries, including Ghana, describing how his supernatural powers could be used to the benefit of his mark, for a fee of course. Dubbed the “advance-fee scam” Crentsil’s M.O. is a confidence trick, described by the US’ Federal Bureau of Investigation as a scheme which “occurs when the victim pays money to someone in anticipation of receiving something of greater value – such as a loan, contract, investment, or gift –and then receives little or nothing in return.” On the Wikipedia page for “advance-fee scam” it takes only three paragraphs before Nigeria is highlighted as one of the countries in which this type of fraud is most prominent, given as the first and most detailed example.

The “Nigerian Prince” scam is the most notorious iteration of advance-fee fraud, dating as far back as the mid 1900s, with notorious Nigerian conmen, Prince Eket Inyang Udo, Prince Orizu (aka Dr Abyssinia Akweke Nwafor Orizu), Prince Bill Morrison (who was actually a 14-year-old boy) and Prince Modupe coming up as some of the earliest Nigerian Princes. In the mid ‘40s Wayo Tricksters emerged alongside these highly successful “princes” – they were financial scammers who sold victims boxes of blank paper, promising that, with the application of a particular chemical, these sheets would turn into valid currency. However, in the ‘80s, during President Shehu Shagari’s regime, was when Nigerians really settled into our deplorable stereotype.

The Shagari Administration of 1979-83 led by poor example; their corruption and overspending not only brought about economic downturn but also bred a culture of greed, entitlement and crime, naturally resulting in the increasing prevalence of fraud in Nigeria. As ever, during the Buhari administration that followed, things only got worse, and our “whether na legal or illegal” attitude deepened. Coinciding with the growth of the internet, which brought about tools such as translators and voice modifiers (that have only improved over time), and gave out criminals even more  access to countries all over the world. Cybercrime boomed throughout the ‘90s, damaging our international reputation and resulting in the formation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2003, by President Olusegun Obasanjo.

With a history such as this, it becomes almost laughable to suggest Zlatan or Bella Shmurda are responsible for the cybercrime epidemic in Nigeria. For many years, fraud has been a lucrative mode of income and a well-practiced method of poverty alleviation. With our corrupt politicians looting from innocent people too – albeit for largely different reasons than to the disenfranchised youth – Nigeria’s problems do not begin nor end with “Cash App”, and pretending that shutting out the experiences of an entire demographic will somehow erase the problem, will only insulate the cancer of fraud from real and proper scrutiny.

Ultimately in the “Cash App” music video – where Bella Shmurda, Zlatan, Lincon and Dre Spencer (Mr Loader) rob the Bank of America – the criminal quartet end up trading their ice for prison stripes. Yahoo boys come and go, but unless Nigeria fully evaluates our values, customs and priorities, we’re going to be known as 419ers forever.

Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted his heel against me.

Psalms (41:9)

Featured Image Credits: Audiomack

ICYMI: CHARLES OKPALEKE ACQUIRES RIGHTS TO MAKE A BIOPIC ABOUT SHINA RAMBO, THE NOTORIOUS 90’S CRIMINAL

NATIVE Exclusive: Kida Kudz is pop royalty at home and abroad

Posted on by The Native

A London-based artist, Kida Kudz’s music is inspired by his time living in Nigeria and his daily life in the UK. He often took part in rap battles while he was in high school in Nigeria and he eventually got his first taste of the limelight when he emerged as the winner of the 2nd edition of the Peak Talent Show in 2010 before he moved to the UK. Though Kida moved to the UK for studies and even graduated with a degree in Media Production from Newham College, UK, he remained committed to following his music passion and expressing himself authentically. As such, his songs express Afrocentric sentiments that other diaspora Africans can relate to. It’s no surprise that he was able to grow a strong fanbase of Jiggy Boys (and girls) both at home and abroad as he delivered hit songs that made him into a distinct figure in the UK Rap community and a crucial part of Afropop’s global dominance.

 

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Kida Kudz’s Pop proclivities put him in the same room as other key figures in the music scene in Nigeria and abroad, and he often collaborates with these artists, for example on his breakthrough single, “Issa Vibe” featuring Burna Boy and Geko. The song’s success made him a regular feature in Afropop playlists around the world. He has since continued to capitalise on his successes to remain a mainstay in the music scene as he even created a distinct sound dubbed Afro-swank by blending his indigenous influences with his Rap influences. The stylistic melodies and composition have produced impressive genre-blurring gems like “1AM” which recreated Ghanaian Hip-Life classic, “Ahomka Womu” into a club hit.

Given the career boost the Nigerian market gave him, Kida Kudz has been partial to these parts, an obvious preference from his tweets alone. The listening party for his debut project, ‘Nasty’ in Lagos, Nigeria, and the city welcomed him with open arms as his venue was packed with a mix of students, celebrities and hipsters who had come from as far as Jos to see him perform their favorite tracks. You wouldn’t have been able to tell that he isn’t based in Lagos from the crowd’s reaction to tracks like “1am”, “Big Up” and “Tasty Time”. He closed last year with an impressive 3-track project, ‘Jiggy Pack Vol. 1’ and we can’t wait to hear what he has planned for 2021. he already teased a potential collaboration with the rising artist, Bella Shmurda after he discovered that they share the same birthday, which happens to be today.  

To celebrate Kida Kudz’s birthday today, we’re looking back at our interview with the talented artists, which we conducted following his debut project, ‘Nasty‘. Enjoy below:

THE NATIVE: What’s your most reoccurring vision for each year?

KIDA KUDZ: I’m so excited in the role that God has given me, bro. I think I’ve got a lot of responsibility to the industry and I can’t mess it up. That’s why I take pride in what I do. I’m making sure that I’m not folding and I’m not forgetting the game plan. I’m just trying to focus on the right energy, and what I’ve promised myself that I’m going to be musically. I’m not trying to fall victim to the industry and do the same thing everyone is doing. I just focus on my craft till it gets there. 

THE NATIVE: What makes your sound so distinct?

KIDA KUDZ: Speaking for myself, I had to do a lot of studying. I had to do a lot of learning and unlearning. I had to let go of some things that are not good for me. I had to find my deeper self. Ever since I found that balance, it’s been lit and everything has been great, ‘cause I’ve been out here for a long time. Like I started my career when I was 14 so me moving to the UK after winning a talent show in Nigeria really helped me add more to what I grew up listening to. When I moved [to London] I got exposed to Ellie Grande, the UK Rap, the Pop, the R&B. Everything mixed with my own culture, where I come from. Everything polished nicely. I [also] try my best to listen to off-genre stuff so I can just listen to music and vibe. 

THE NATIVE: How did you know you wanted to make music?

KIDA KUDZ: My first dream was to be a vet doctor, but I didn’t even make it to be a science student. I was an art student. I did audio engineering, music business and music production in school [and] college in the UK. I’ve always loved music and being able to record myself is a great advantage. Music business, as well, has made me more exposed to a lot of things. I’m still learning though. I’m still figuring my way around stuff. I do a lot of research. 

THE NATIVE: How have people accepted your sound around the world?

KIDA KUDZ: They’re accepting us properly. We’re recognised worldwide. People had to develop with me. It took me 9 years to finally say, “this is my sound; this is the kind of music I make.” And to be able to say it with my chest up and be like yeah this is what I created by myself. I think the supporters and the industry grew with me. ‘Cause at some point, I don’t think people got what I was doing. And I’m not even mad at that cause I didn’t know what I was doing either. I was trying to figure something out while I was doing the music. Thank God they didn’t leave me, they just stuck by me. Now that everything is patterned, they’re real happy to say, “yeah they’re Kida Kudz supporters” ‘cause they’ve seen it grow and they’re proud to be a member. 

THE NATIVE: Do you feel pressured to keep up with the enthusiasm of the Jiggy FC fanbase?

KIDA KUDZ: There’s no pressure anymore. They’re already in the deeper realm with me. It’s a different connection. I think every Kida Kudz supporter has a deeper meaning to the Jiggy FC that I say in my track. It’s for people that actually live this stuff. Everyone that has put their energy where my energy is at. So the same feeling I feel when I drop a song and be like, “yeah, this is how I want people to feel,” people are feeling it that way because music is a spiritual thing. That’s why I probably don’t have everyone behind my back now. Because it’s not for everyone. But at some point more people are going to come. But for now it’s just me and my people and they’re deeply into the stuff that I’m doing. 

My shows and events are spiritual, man. People lose their mind and shit cause they feel it differently. It’s like if I go to a Lil Wayne show, I’d lose my mind cause that’s my hero. Someone I looked up to growing up. I’m sure people from my generation looked up to Lil Wayne as well. 

THE NATIVE: Your general thoughts on award shows?

KIDA KUDZ: I’m not going to say I don’t care about accolades ‘cause I want a Grammy. But I’m disconnected to a lot of things. I don’t really care about a lot of things. But the right time, when it comes, it’s cool. But I don’t do this for the award. I do it ‘cause I love this stuff. I do this for people that want to listen to music.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/kidakudzgram
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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: Where were you for Kida Kudz’s ‘Nasty’ listening party

Hot Takes: Amaarae, Meek Mill & Funke Akindele’s ‘Omo Ghetto’

Posted on by The Native

Do you ever make new year’s resolutions? I’ve always thought it imperative to make one to guide your year, even if you end up abandoning it months down the line. But with last year being anything but normal, the tradition of making a new year resolutions seemed a tad redundant for such an unprecedented time. For one, we’re still battling the COVID-19 pandemic which seems to be getting way worse than it is easier, and for many of us, entering the new year wasn’t the tell-all answer to the terrors of the previous year, but really a continuation of a really shitty time in our young lives.

I think a lot of us are starting to realise how, in the grand scheme of things, nothing really matters – not time, not resolutions, and not even life itself (sorry to go all nihilistic on you). But through all the confusion and the chaos, there have been moments of hope and moments where we have felt truly at peace despite witnessing major historical events in realtime. We started this column a few months ago to give you (more ourselves tbh) a much-needed break from the constant consumption of horrible news every day, and it’s been such a journey discovering all the latest tidbits in popular culture to get our minds off our dystopian reality. So to start off the new year, The NATIVE welcomes you back to your favourite column in the world. Enjoy!

What I’m watching on Netflix: Snowpiercer

I’ve been searching through the entire Netflix catalogue for something interesting to watch since I’ve rewatched Bridgerton an unhealthy number of times, so it was quite interesting to come across a new Netflix Original series, Snowpiercer. I’d seen the trailer which was jam-packed with enough cliffhangers to pique my interest, and boy did it do just that! Snowpiercer is a really interesting series (if you have the attention span for 50-minute long episodes), as it tracks human life after global warming has caused the Big Freeze and all human life has ended – save for a few survivors who made it aboard the Snowpiercer Express.

With 1001 train carriages, we watch how human life tries to continue its existence, but rather than become a utopia where all people flourishes, society continues to show how backhanded and evil it truly can be. The rich are sectioned into first-class complete with walk-in closets, caviar, and chandeliers, second class is just as exquisite, third class is the working class and then there’s the tail where the poorest are kept, away from sunlight – they are even prohibited from bearing children. I won’t give more of the plot-line away, but if this is your beat, you should binge Season 1 right away because Season 2 is out on Netflix this weekend.

What I am listening to: Drake’s ‘Nothing Was the Same’

 

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Drake is by definition what you would call an album artist. With over six studio albums, three compilation albums, and seven mixtapes, there is no shortage of Drake’s material out there for you to stream and enjoy. Yet the 6 God is not showing signs of slowing down any time soon. Last week, it was announced that Drake would be pushing back the release date to his highly anticipated album ‘Certified Lover Boy’, the follow up to last year’s ‘Dark Lane Demo Tapes’, and though I was looking forward to hearing how Drake has evolved since his last offering, I was more than okay waiting a bit longer for the album. This is because I have recently spent a lot of time revisiting my favourite Drake albums, ‘Take Care’ to ‘Views’, ‘More Life’ and my absolute favourite at the moment, 2013’s ‘Nothing Was The Same’. 

By my standards, ‘NWTS’ should be regarded as a classic – arguably the crème de la crème of all Hip-Hop/rap albums. I mean, it gave us singles such as “Furthest Thing”, the Jhene Aiko-assisted “From Time”, “Hold On,  We’re Going Home”, the Sampha-assisted “Too Much”, “Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2” and many more. Revisiting this album took me way back to when I was younger, looking to the age I am now longing for what has now become my reality. I didn’t know it then but Drake’s bars would become quotables that directly mirrored some things in my adult life. Like when he sang “the furthest thing from perfect like everyone I know” on “Furthest Thing”, echoing how a lot of us feel in our twenties realising that no one has it all figured out. I guess you could say nostalgia led me to the album, but it was the timeless bars that kept me coming back for more Aubrey. Whether you fuck with Drizzy or not, there’s no denying his influence on popular culture today and the way he continuously changes the game. If you won’t take my word for it, at least revisit the project and hit me with your hottest takes (I’m available @tamimak_)

Amaarae is calling ALL the bad b*tches!!!

“Shawty, and if you a bad b*tch run it up, run it up!” Attention all hot girls, the Ghanaian singer and rapper Amaarae is mid-production for the video to her standout Yinka Bernie-produced, Moliy-starring single, “SAD GURLZ LUV MONEY”, and she’s calling for you (yes, you reading this rn) to submit your video entries for a chance to be featured in the song’s video. Besides Davido, you’d be hard pressed tto find anyone more dedicated to their fans and open to collaboration in the Afropop space than Amaarae, and that’s just a testament to how great an artist and creative she truly is. I can’t imagine the video for “SAD GURLZ LUV MONEY”, not including Amaarae’s trusted Raenbow fans, just because of how involved we were in the making of ‘THE ANGEL YOU DON’T KNOW’ – particularly those of us privy to the exclusives on her finsta.

Funke Akindele’s “Omo Ghetto” is the highest-grossing Nollywood movie

The devil works hard but Funke Akindele-Bello, the brainpower behind the Jenifa series, works even harder. Despite the changes to cinema culture this year, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the pivot to more digital forms of streaming, Funke Akindele’s recently released film ‘Omo Ghetto’ has broken the record as the highest-grossing Nigerian movie of all time in Nigerian cinemas.

Estimated at a whopping 468 million naira, the film has now surpassed ‘The Wedding Party’ and ‘The Wedding Party 2’ which previously held the title until this year. This is no small feat as the world vastly changed at the time when this Nollywood film was released, and cinema ticket sales had taken a huge plunge in the face of the never-ending virus. Though I am yet to watch the film in cinema, it certainly could not be glossed over that a female director is breaking a 5-year old record (previously held by another woman) with her film. Give Funke Akindele-Bello her flowers, now.

Meek Mill wants to collaborate with young Nigerian artists

(Written by Debola Abimbolu)

Although the ongoing pandemic has limited performers from touring around the world, social media has allowed artists to continue expanding their audience across the globe. Earlier this month, we saw a young Nigerian talent, Hyzah featuring on international media headlines after getting the coveted Drake co-sign for the videos of him freestyling in the streets of Lagos. The video went viral on Twitter and he quickly became an overnight sensation, growing from having just 2 followers to 77,000 followers in a matter of hours.

While we can only imagine what’ll happen if they co-sign leads to a proper collaboration between the two talents, it’s certain that Nigerian Twitter is fast becoming the go-to place for discovering young talents. Over the weekend, another American rapper, Meek Mill tweeted “Link me with the new young Nigerian artists”. Though the 5 framed art emojis he included in the tweet suggested that he was referring to visual artists, both music and visual artists responded to the prompt by replying with images and links to their works. Even fans responded with suggestions like Laycon, Tems, Rema, Blaqbonez and more.

Davido, who previously worked with Meek Mill on the 2015 hit single, “Fans Mi”, which saw the two artists stand side by side in the video, in one of the earliest indications that Afropop was a globally competing genre, also responded to the call, saying, “stop playing, hits r us!!!” We wouldn’t mind an encore given how much the two have grown since. Although Twitter has now taken down Meek’s account, we doubt that it has anything to do with the overwhelming number of people who responded to his call.

Let’s talk about PLT

Just before 2020 ended, it was announced in December that a Black woman, Teyana Taylor would be taking over as the new creative director and ambassador for Pretty Little Thing (PLT), a UK-based fashion retailer that has been known to profit off the ideas of black women and underpay for their labour (side-eye to everyone who shopped their black Friday sale). While this was a historic moment for Black women, I couldn’t help but think that it was a bit tokenistic. This hire doesn’t erase the wrongs that the company has done to Black women, and it feels, to me at least, like PLT’s attempt to assuage their guilt and court their Black buyers with feigned allyship. It’s no secret that Black culture remains the blueprint for many of the trends in popular culture today and this also persists in fashion where fast fashion companies take Black creations and claim it as their own, only to profit from the frenzy caused by that theft in the long-run. When the online Black community voices their anger over Black inventions or creations being stolen, we are largely ignored or given mediocre responses by these companies who persist in stealing designs.

Recently, creative designer and blogger, Fisayo Longe complained about her brand’s legendary Gai dress being imitated by fast fashion companies in the UK and even here in Nigeria, where you can easily find a dupe on stalls in Balogun market. PLT was one of the brands to have copied the design and style of the Gai dress, but rather than stop production of these dupes, PLT have only doubled down by ignoring these complaints and hiring a Black woman in a high profile role. So what exactly has been done to make sure Black creatives aren’t stolen from? It’s only skirted around the issue and given a similar retort to ‘but I have black friends,’ [intense eye-roll]. Brands like PLT need to do better, but it’s up to each and every one of us to speak up when Black people get their ideas stolen. If they won’t stop, we at least have to make them uncomfortable to profit off Black creatives.

Meet Kenya’s Spy Queen

You’ve heard of James Bond but have you heard about the latest spy detective in Africa? If you haven’t, then I am here to give you the scalding hot tea. A documentary on the popular Kenyan private investigator Jane Mugo is coming to the BBC, and it seems very entertaining by the look of the trailer. Jane Mugo is a spy that gets the job done, she’s been responsible for bringing many criminals to the law but was forced to go into hiding when she was named a wanted criminal by the Kenyan police.

The documentary is said to track her life in hiding, and the rigorous practices she has to undertake to evade a criminal sentence in her home country. While the rest of the world laughed at the comical trailer released yesterday, it seems that Kenyans, on the other hand, found the BBC Africa trailer far from entertaining. Many Kenyans were not impressed and poked at the gaps in the trailer. Whether or not you’re familiar with the story of Jane Mugo, there’s no denying that her methods are hilarious, so watch the trailer and watch your day go from bad to great :)).

Featured image credits/NATIVE

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#EndSARS: Insecurity in Nigeria persists

Posted on by The Native

Trigger warning: Police brutality

Despite Nigerians across the country, from all demographics, protesting their wanton persecution at the hands of the very people sworn to protect them, last year, insecurity in Nigeria still remains high. The violence in northern Nigeria isn’t declining, as we all bore horrific witness to during the December period, when over 300 school boys were kidnapped in Katsina. Down south, in Oyo state, the Fulani Herdsmen have been accused of perpetrating multiple killings, resulting in activist Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, calling for the eviction of the Fulani Herdsmen. In today’s news, his house has been burned down, in retaliation, it is suspected.

Yesterday evening in Imo State, the Nigerian Army are reported to have gone head to head with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)’s Eastern Security Network (ESN), a fatal clash that has led to the death of multiple local people in the Orlu local government area of Imo State, in what Social Media users are now calling the Orlu Massacre. Whilst in neighbouring Enugu, armed men wearing a uniform labelling them as the “CRACK SQUAD” were captured on video threatening and extorting locals. Even across state lines, the lack of police presence on these widely known danger zones that we call expressways – with their poor construction and sparse, if not non-existent, lighting – opens travellers up to kidnappers and bandits. This was the fate of one Twitter user, who used the #EndSARS hashtag to tell their story and bring attention to the fact that, all across the country, Nigerians are forced to live in fear, owing to the corrupt and inadequate security forces we must endure.

Amidst the multiple dangers from militants in various pockets of the country, kidnappers crippling interstate travel, and local criminals who are emboldened by the police’s lackadaisical attitude to fighting crime, the Nigerian police force themselves, continue to count themselves amongst the dangers Nigerians face on a day to day basis. Last year October, Nigerians united in weeks of EndSARS protests, with the hope that the corrupt and violent police unit would be disbanded and brought to justice for their crimes. Instead, officers that had unjustly taken the lives of the citizens they were sworn to protect were shifted into a ‘new’ police unit,  simply given a new uniform in which to carry out their unscrupulous crimes. The reform Nigerians were hoping to achieve still has not appeared, and unfortunately, this continues to cost us our lives.

This morning, the Lagos State Police Task Force allegedly run down a young bricklayer in Oshodi, in their pursuit of a danfo bus. Killing him instantly, the police are now allegedly withholding the victim’s body from his family, a cousin reports on Twitter, calling out the Lagos state governor as he describes the police’s threat to them with large weapons. Owing to an inadequate, ineffective, poorly trained and careless police force, another young Nigerian has lost their life.

Our call to EndSARS is more than a request to remove the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, but a demand that the very thread used to weave the blood-stained fabric of Nigeria’s poor governance be unwound with immediate effect. Yesterday afternoon, announcing that he has “accepted the immediate resignation of the Service Chiefs, and their retirement from service,” our President seemed to be finally taking our pleas seriously. We only hope that the newly instated defence chiefs will instigate the reform in Nigeria’s security sector that we are looking for, carrying out their duties diligently, justly and to the service of all Nigerian people.

Featured Image Credits: BBC

SECURITY AGENTS CLASH IN IMO STATE, DESTROYING LIVES AND PROPERTY

What’s Clubhouse? 6 Young Nigerians Tell Us All About the latest Social app

Posted on by The Native

The latest social phenomenon is the new voice-only social media app called Clubhouse which is now causing all the rave online, to the annoyance of the select few still unsure about joining the app. Launched back in April by Paul Davison and Rohan Seth, the new networking app was released in the thick of the coronavirus induced lockdowns, a time where most were connecting to their loved ones and friends online, making it the most conducive environment to receive an app with such interesting features.

It works just like last year’s Houseparty, with users having the ability to access a variety of rooms as they connect to people within their professional field or even just converse with friends. There are no exceptions to the number of rooms and conversations one can have on Clubhouse, I once found myself hopping from a room for a live rendition of Lion King the Musical to another room for astrology lovers looking to get a detailed reading of their chart during the new moon. It’s no denying that Clubhouse is a hit, and with a recorded 600,000 active users since its inception, the number of users is only growing by the millisecond, and the app has already being valued at $1 Billion dollars this year.

Of course, as with all things, Nigerian users have a record-breaking audience on Clubhouse, and typically rooms for Nigerians double and triple by the thousands when interesting conversations surface on the app. At times, a quick scroll through your social media timeline will reveal that just about everyone is tweeting about the latest hot topic on Clubhouse, while the other half is complaining about Clubhouse conversations dominating the timeline.

For me, I’ve reached a point where I am dealing with online fatigue and I’m less likely to use the app, but that’s not quite the same for a lot of other young people. To this end, we spoke to a number of young Nigerians who use Clubhouse, to find out why they made the pivot to the latest app, from using it as a hub to keep WeTalkSound, a community of artists and creatives in touch to sourcing out all the latest gossip, here is what members of the NATIVE community had to say:

I’ve been using it for about a month now and I’m typically drawn to rooms that have interesting topics, relatable topics, or rooms with provocative names just to understand what they are talking about. I started using the app mostly because I’m spending more time indoors and boredom isn’t a joke. I barley even already use it as much as I used to when it first came out and I think I’ll totally forget about it when things are back to “normal”. I actually think we are consuming too much media, and I think it’s lack of what to do, too, so we keep checking our social media for anything interesting to keep going and yeah I’m getting tired of the repeated topics and things.

M, 23, M.

I started using the app sometime in November 2020, mostly out of boredom and curiosity. Now I find myself going back to rooms with discussions on things that affect everyday life as a young person such as mental health, sexual health, and identity. I’m also a member of clubs centred around my interests in music and creativity, such as the WeTalkSound Club and the Beyhive fan club. It has also been a great way to feel connected to other like-minded people and less alone. I however don’t see myself spending as much time on the app in a post-covid world. I wouldn’t call it a safe space because it is the internet, so you’ll still run the risk of running into frauds and generally people with ill intent. Through it all, I’ll still recommend the app to people.

I, 21, F.

I started using Clubhouse because of boredom and all the time spent at home social distancing. I’m typically in rooms surrounding my interest such as the game rooms where you can play with strangers and friends alike, the football discussions and the WeTalkSound community. Some discussions on there have educated me on a myriad of topics, but I’ve decided not to get distracted by what I listen to on Clubhouse or every other social network. There are some pretentious assertions that actually makes you deviate from what you believe in.

D, 22, M.

I use Clubhouse because I like to have fun. I mean it’s a bit like Houseparty in the sense that you can have a laugh with your friends and enter as many rooms to contribute (or even cause some mischief). I rarely use it nowadays because these new apps are mostly facades that don’t last very long, but when I do use it, I’m typically in rooms with people I already know on a day to day and not really with those that I don’t know. I also like gossip so when there’s a bit of commotion on the app, because someone’s dishing out their life story for strangers, you can find me there!

S, 25, F.

I joined on 24 November, 2020. Initially I was drawn to black and tech rooms, now it’s usually Twitter that draws me back I won’t lie. I love a bit of drama here and there, as long as they’re not talking about anything remotely conscious, so dating horror stories, that room about that sugar baby was HILARIOUS until people started trying to reason with her. I am into trash content rooms tbh, or singing talent audition rooms. I absolutely would not use Clubhouse if things were back to normal – frankly, I want to throw my phone away when things are back to normal –  but even aside from that, I genuinely think it’s Twitter on crack. There’s a lot of use in the app but it gets watered down by the typical toxic nature of social media: echo Chambers and no actual conversation. Will I pop back on for an occasional trash room? Probably. But to be sitting down hearing people argue – it’s not for me. BK chat fell off for a reason.

I, 23, F.

I had been hearing about CH in the second half of 2020 and it sounded like an interesting concept. However, I was using an Android then so I couldn’t join even if I wanted to. Towards the end of the year, I was hearing more chatter about the platform and I decided to get an iPhone and experience it for myself. Once I joined, I understood how it could help take our community to a new level. The fact that CH is a melting pot of cultures and audiences occurred to me as holding a huge potential to expand our community – laterally and vertically.

In our fast-growing club, people are networking with creatives and professionals that they probably wouldn’t have had a chance to connect with so directly, outside of CH. That, to us, is an indicator of the impact we’re creating by growing the community and curating these important conversations. I would agree that it’s fairly linked to the remote nature of life right now. People want companions and online communal experiences that can attempt to replace real-life gatherings and conversations. CH is providing exactly these. I think, though, that even when things go back to normal – whatever that would be – CH would have become embedded in the culture in a way. It wouldn’t be easy to just shake off its hold.

D, 25, M

Featured image credits/TechCrunch

.@tamimak_ Is a Staff Writer at The NATIVE

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Security agents clash in Imo state, destroying lives and property

Posted on by The Native

Trigger warning: Police brutality, violence and death

The governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodimma has ordered a curfew as a result of the violent clash that happened on Monday, between security agents at Orlu local government. Although it’s still unclear what exactly triggered the violence, local media reports confirmed that it started from the conflict between the military and some youth believed to be members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), a rogue security agency set up by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The Nation reported that the clash happened in Okporo, Banana junction, Ogboosisi in Orlu local government and the governor has now restricted movement from 6 pm to 6 am in the surrounding neighborhoods (Orlu, Orsu, Oru East, Oru West, Ideao North, Ideao South, Njaba, Isu, Nwangele and Nkwerre) in order to deescalate the crisis.

The brutal exchange of gunshots is believed to have resulted in at least 10 deaths including 4 soldiers as reported by The Punch. We were also able to see some clips of the attack from people within the community who were brave enough to capture parts of the violence and destruction on their phone cameras. The videos which they shared on social media showed soldiers in their army uniforms, shooting at unseen targets while the secret videographer commented that they were shooting at “anything that moved”. We also saw houses raised in flames and military trucks driving around the streets while we hear people crying and begging to be spared.

(Trigger Warning for the video below)

However, according to the governor’s report, it was a group of militants – under the ESN – that unleashed terror in Orlu and killed innocent citizens. Aloy Ejimakor, a lawyer and special counsel to the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu disagreed and explained that he believes the operation was an attack against Igbos as he has no clue what prompted the attack.

Though militant attacks have become quite common in Nigeria (the Boko Haram terrorist group was famously referenced in Marvel’s “Black Panther” film), it doesn’t seem like the government has found a solution to the insecurity crisis. It’s now causing people in Imo state to grieve for the loss of lives and properties and without any concrete reason for the senseless killing. Citizens continue to live in fear for their lives.

Featured Image Credits: Twitter/Real_AmakaIke

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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

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