The last few months have been difficult. But with three weeks left until the end of the year, we’re trying to find more ways to be thankful and present in the current moment. While we’re still dedicated to amplifying and reporting the issues that have plagued us this year, we’ve now resumed our column, Songs of the Day as a nod to the artists putting out great music that serve as a momentary escape from all the grimness of the current news cycle.
This week, our Songs of the day curation started with new releases from Stonebwoy and Davido, Falz and Niniola, Tomi Agape, Amaarae and BOJ, Waje and Cracker Mallo, Lo Village, and many more. For the mid-week curation, we have compiled the latest releases from Tekno, Reminisce and Adekunle Gold, DMW’s latest signing, Liya, Port Harcourt rapper, Kblacktheblack, more. These are the songs we believe can help you get through the rest of the week. Dig in and enjoy.
Tekno – “Designer”
Tekno’s upcoming album, ‘Old Romance’ remains one of the most anticipated albums from any African artist this year. Since he broke into the mainstream with “Pana” in 2016, fans have waited on his first full-length project, and it’s finally set to drop tomorrow, on the 10th of December. While we wait for the 14-track tape, Tekno has followed up the lead single, “Enjoy” with a new single, “Designer” which further amplifies the romantic and dancehall direction hinted in the album’s title.
Backed by the waist whine-ready production “Designer” finds Tekno expressing how much he loves his muse; “This kind woman sent from heaven”. He’s able to fuse different influences as he sings in English and patois while laying Afropop melodies over the Caribbean dancehall beat. Though we’re still raising our eyebrows about some of the lyrics, (“No matter the money, my baby no fit give her pussy to nobody”), “Designer” tells the story of a man in a committed relationship with the woman of his dreams.
Joeboy – “Celebration”
Since he broke out in 2019 with his debut single under Mr Eazi’s emPawa platform, “Baby”, Joeboy has remained one of the most promising music talents in Nigeria. This year, he continued his run by delivering impressive guest features like Major Lazer’s “Sun Comes Up” and DJ Neptune’s “Nobody”. He’s now rounding up the year with a festive new single, “Celebration”, produced by Type A.
“Celebration” has a groovy Afropop baseline that guides Joeboy’s melodic performance as he encourages listeners to have a good time and anticipate their blessings. Singing “No worry my brother/ you know money go dey”, “Celebration” is primed to set the festive mood for the coming holiday season. Joeboy explained to us at NATIVE that he was inspired to record the feel-good song while at a recording camp in Ghana. He shares:
“In a year that has been more torrid than fulfilling for many of us, we still need to give thanks and appreciate the littlest of things and that’s what ‘Celebration’ is about. “Celebration” is a song of happiness, recorded at my recording camp in Ghana. It’s not a love song but a feel-good song that signifies that we shall be alright regardless of the challenges.”
Liya – “Melo”
Liya was unveiled as the first female DMW signing earlier this year, and now she has shared her first official single under DMW management, “Melo”. The romantic single was produced by Zaki Magic who lays a catchy highlife-influenced beat for her to show off her vocal range. She delivered a high pitched performance as he sang about her music’s dance floor appeal in a mix of English and Yoruba lyric; “I got the vibe, I’d make you losing your mind/ dancing make your body come alive/ ta lenu bi rodo”.
Davido also made a cameo in the accompanying video for Liya’s “Melo” as Dammy Twitch directed the ballroom set where we see Liya performing the song in different gorgeous and culturally recognizable costumes. Several dancers and models are also seen in the ballroom set as they dance along to the catchy music and confirm her bold claim as the latest vibe machine in the country.
Reminisce and Adekunle Gold – “Toxic”
Men are commonly seen as the most toxic gender even though the abusive traits that make one toxic aren’t specific to any gender. One of the major reasons for this is cause men rarely admit their vulnerable feelings when they get hurt. Reminisce and Adekunle Gold have teamed up for a new single, “Toxic” where they show us that it’s possible to celebrate rapper-like hedonism while acknowledging your weakness.
Over the hip-hop-leaning beat produced by Sess, Reminisce addresses a love interest who’s only using him; “You choking me to death, can’t you see ni? Fulfilled your every wish, afi bi genie”. Adekunle Gold delivered the song’s catchy hook where he describes his muse’s love as poison. Both artists are aware of their love interest’s toxic traits and channel the pain they’ve endured to create an empowering song that’s instantly relatable. “Toxic” is Reminisce’s first single since he put out his EP, ‘Vibes & Insha Allah’ in July.
Kblacktheblack x Dokashot – “Winner” Feat. Eké Miller, Veen
Jos was once the undoubted home of Hip-hop in Nigeria, back when M.I was at his peak in the early 2010s. These days, Port Harcourt rappers have taken the spotlight as the rap scene in the city continues to flourish with new rappers emerging from there with different vibrant and unique styles. Kblacktheblack joins the ranks of PsychoYP, Erriga, Kiienka, Veen and other Port Harcourt breed rap talents as he delivered as impressive 7-track EP, ‘Soul Ecstasy’, where he flexes his rap prowess and afflictions with guest verses from Eké Miller and Veen on the opening track, “Winner”.
Doka Shot produced most of the tracks on ‘Soul Ecstasy’ and for “Winner” he teamed up with Kresh Maejor for an Afro-inspired trap beat which sets the backdrop for Kblacktheblack, Eké Miller and Veen to brag about being winners.
dndSection – “It’s Been a While”
Fans have been anticipating Atlanta-based Nigerian rapper, dndSection’s project since he first hinted at it in August with the lead single, “Zaza” featuring SMV. We can finally hear the whole project as he has now shared the 5-track EP, ‘Patience is Best’. where he shows off his vibrant hip-hop flows and explores themes like romance, drugs, wealth, and gang rivalry over different riveting trap beats.
On the second track, “It’s Been A While”, he performs a tribute to a friend who has passed on, saying “I miss my dawg but I know he in heaven/ But I still feel his presence”. The trap beat Rai produced for the song has an ethereal ambiance that highlights the emotive context for dndsection’s lyrics as he channels the loss to deliver confident bars about his focus on acquiring wealth and surviving in the streets.
PsychoYP – “Attention” Feat Oxlade, Merry-Lynn
PsychoYP has just shared a 2-track package, ‘National Anthem’ which boasts of features from Lyta, Azanti, Oxlade, and Merry-Lynn. Both tracks, “Flex and Ball” and “Attention” offer further proof of the Port Harcourt-bred artist’s range as he continues to adapt his hip-hop flow to suit the commercial sound of Afropop.
On the Oxlade and Merry-Lynn-assisted track, “Attention”, he performs a melodic rap set over the AfroHouse instrumentals produced by Lames. His lyrics, “I feel like I’m way too drunk to be holding a convo” doubles down on the house party mood the beat already hints as he goes on to describe his relationship with his attention-seek muse. Oxlade and Merry-Lynn contribute a verse each, offering their own take on how they deal with their obsessive lovers. Though there’s no interplay between the artists as they barely stick around to harmonize, the common denominator is their ability to find their comfortable pocket on the instrumentals for their unique vocals.
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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
It’s December, the final month of what has been one of the most chaotic years in the past decade and I couldn’t be happier. 2020 has been a rollercoaster and we’re all edging towards that point where the ride’s doing a bit too much with the twists and turns and we just want to get off. But even though it’s starting to feel like the worst may have passed and we’re almost in the clear, it seems as though everyone is stumbling through a tough week to get by. With a looming sense of general exhaustion, it wouldn’t shock me to hear that we’re all just burnt out from the happenings of this crazy year and the effects are beginning to manifest.
This column was initially created to offer a bit of catharsis from the tumultuous new cycle and the happenings of this year but when the protests hit states around the country back in October, we took a much-needed pause to focus on championing and highlighting the plight of young Nigerians during the End SARS protests. There hasn’t been much to offer our hot takes about in the past few weeks seeing as we’re all trying to make it to the end of the year unscathed and in one piece. Come the existence of the COVID-19 vaccine or not, life is still happening all around us and even more so now that the popular ‘Detty December’ season is upon us. But this December seems to leave little to be desired unlike the others, and now, it just might be one of the cleanest we’ve had in a while. Around this time, we’re usually gearing up for festivities, but with limited IRL communication and large crowds still a hotbed for the virus to spread, we’ve got more time to kill on our hands. That’s why this week, we’re back to bringing you our hottest takes of the week.
This week, I’ve hit pause on many things but I still found time to binge-watch Netflix’s Big Mouth, listen to some Lo Village on repeat and tune into some trending topics on Twitter such as the imminent collaboration from Enisa and Davido which sparked off a conversation about tap dancing for the white man, YBNL Princess’ rant online and JT’s old tweets. Here are my hot takes for the week along with a bit of Mean Girls humour for you.
What I’m watching on Youtube: How Far? with Mr Eazi and Temi Otedola
I haven’t been going down YouTube rabbit holes like I used to, and that’s not because there isn’t an overflow of content but that my attention span is way too thin at the moment to handle any more information. However, over the weekend, I decided to have a look at Mr Eazi and Temi Otedola’s latest podcast called ‘How Far? with Mr Eazi and Temi Otedola’ where they talk about everything and anything pertaining to life, their careers and relationships. I really enjoyed the couple’s debut episode where they both spoke about paying for dates, flying people out and who gets to pay for what. It was cute seeing how close they were in their relationship and the comfort levels in their friendship. I love Love.
What I’m watching on Netflix: Big Mouth
Big Mouth season 4 is out! And I spent my entire weekend binge-watching the entire season because I have no self-control (just kidding) but it did make for a very convincing reason as to why I had to stay in bed all Saturday. Now, I know Big Mouth is a weird-ass show but I like mindless tv that doesn’t make me think too much and I can just watch it to forget what’s happening IRL. This season, the kids of Big Mouth are still going through changes and learning what it is to be hitting puberty, it’s cute seeing things we went through back then but from a more exaggerated and comical angle.
This season, however, I was most grateful for Missy’s character, the only black girl in the lead roles on Netflix’s Big Mouth who in recent seasons had no plot that extended beyond the men in her life. This time around, we get to learn more about Missy and how she interacts with her blackness for the first time. This also comes at a time where behind-the-scenes, the actor Jenny Slate who formerly voiced Missy’s character stepped down from the role so that a Black actor could provide the voice of a young woman finally owning her Blackness. In the penultimate episode, the comedian, writer, and actress Ayo Edebiri takes over, coinciding with a time of real awareness and growth in Missy’s character arc. It was done so well and was probably my best bit of the show. Also, this season also health with topics of anxiety and depression, and as someone that also struggles with similar experiences, I felt seen (to an extent).
What I’m listening to: “Out the Window” – Lo Village
Earlier this year, I came across a cool DMV-based band called Lo Village on a Spotify playlist. Their cool raps punctuated by the r&b vocals of the lead vocalist Ama drew me to dig deeper into their music and I learnt two of the band members were actually Ghanaian. Safe to say since then, I’ve been keeping up to date with the group’s releases and was pleased to find that they have their third studio album on the way later this month.
Last week, they released the project’s second promotional single, an upbeat socio-political number called “Out the Window” where they explore Blackness in America from their personal lenses. They address the racial uprisings that took over this summer, following the brutal death of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many other Black people at the hands of the police. Here, both personal and political converge as they sing “I’m a soldier, I remain ten toes” reminding listeners everywhere that the battle isn’t over until we get justice. If you’re a fan of deeply introspective rap and killer hooks, then I’d definitely recommend this one. Can’t wait to see how their album comes along.
She doesn’t even go here
Over the weekend, I noticed that the name Enisa was trending and upon further investigation, I found that this was because the Albanian-American singer had sent out a call on social media for the remix of her latest single “LoveCycle”. Although many of her fans threw different responses her way, the response that generated the most buzz actually came from American rapper ABoogiewitDaHoodie who suggested that Davido appear on the remix. Trust Nigerians to flood her comments and stir up quite the buzz on social media, causing Davido to agree to this remix because the singer had used her platform to promote the End SARS protests that swept through the country back in October.
Not long after this, Nigerians continued to engage the singer by photoshopping her face until the bodies of women clad in vibrant coloured native attire and run up her streaming numbers that it her single entered the Top 100 on Apple Music. And it seems like since then, new achievements have been flying in for the singer who has now gained a ton of new social media followers as she thanked Nigerians on Twitter for all their love and support. Though it was alright at first, I did think she was overdoing it a bit with the tweets about Nigeria (I’ve just gone on there today and there’s a tweet from 7 hours ago about Nigerian jollof). And it’s not only her that’s done the most in this case, as Nigerians seem to have fully embraced her and invited her to the cookout when they’ve known her all of two seconds. I might just be hating, but think about it LOL.
Leave women alone
We all know that being a woman in Nigeria is hard but everyday I’m reminded further why this place is set up against us from the jump. In the past week, I have seen women insulted and debased online simply for living their lives and going through human experiences just as we are. Two days ago, the artist Temmie Ovwasa also known as YBNL Princess went on social media to talk about her ex-label YBNL and the label boss, Olamide, who she claimed allegedly stifled her chances of growth as an artist by withholding all the music and content she created for nearly five years.
Nigerians were not forthcoming with her sharing her experience and came after the artist for trying to drag Olamide, one of the most influential players in the Nigerian music scene today. It also didn’t strengthen her case that other new signees to the label such as Fireboy DML who’s music has endlessly come up in conversations surrounding afropop’s new vanguard. The comparison wasn’t fire judging that we don’t know the contracts between these artists and the label or what happened beyond the experiences that were shared by Temmi Ovwusa herself. It was made worse when I noticed Nigerians insulting Temmie as the cause of her failures pointing to her mental health struggles, her tattoos and coloured hair as the reason for her shortcomings. Profiling of this kind is exactly what we have been speaking so fiercely against this year, particularly during the End SARS movement. We’re no different from the older generation if we continually fail to approach situations and people with nuance and empathy.
Besides this, just today a viral video of three women dancing and smoking to Rexxie and MohBad’s latest single “KPK” was circulating on social media. These women, clearly close girlfriends were in their room, in lingerie dancing and smoking to the hit song but Nigerians online didn’t seem to agree with their actions. They were slutshammed and insulted, called all kinds of names because they were donned in tattoos and coloured hair and they dared to be women dancing and enjoying each other’s company, and worse of all, dressed the way they did without maintaining ‘decency’. I think its high time that we allowed women to make choices about their bodies without scrutinising them endlessly all in the name of decency. Men are never held to these higher standards of decency and they are never at the receiving end of being stripped by soldiers on the road, as has become increasingly popular these days. If this offends you then you need to stay out of women’s business. Period.
The City Girls have always been the mean girls of rap and I don’t think people realised the gravity of such a title until recently when JT came under heat for her problematic old tweets from past years. At this point, it’s customary for celebrities to get their old problematic tweets plastered on the timeline as a means to reconcile whether the artist has done any growing or if they still hold the same harmful views. Public apologies have become increasingly popular and the notes app has been put to work this year but nothing prepared us for JT’s old tweets which saw the rapper coming for every and anybody on the planet if she didn’t like your face.
After being trolled online for her old tweets, the rapper eventually deleted her verified account and made a new account where she’s been freely tweeting up quite the storm. JT is the definition of the Unfriendly Black Hottie and her new account bio is all the proof you need, it reads ‘if you here to hate, leave now dirty bitch!’ It seems that the rapper is not apologetic about her past and she’s ready for all the smoke from trolls, critics, and fans online.
The other half of the fierce Miami crew, Yung Miami made sure that JT was not the only City Girl catching the heat and posted a disturbing tweet about pregnancy and motherhood that many fans online did not think was funny or factual, and actually irresponsible for an artist with such a big platform. Neither of the City Girls seemed to care as they went on to promote their new song and capitalise on the viral moment. That’s true friendship to me and I love it when women don’t take shit from anyone, this may not be the perfect example of this by a long shot but I, for one, will still be listening to “City on Lock” and shouting all the quotables from the meanest rap girls in the game.
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.@tamimak_ is just trying to make it to the end of the year
Formerly known as the Hip-Hop World Awards, the Headies has become the premier award event in Nigerian music, with its longevity preserving its prestige despite public reservations with its awarding system, and the production quality of the event. Since debuting in 2006, the award event had been constant in its annual outing, until its last two instalment, which both had to condense over a-year-and-a-half into its period in review, due to wavering consistency.
Last Friday, nominations for the 14th edition of the Headies were announced, and it takes into account a 15-month period—July 2019 to September 2020. Fireboy DML leads the pack of nominees with seven nominations, picking up nods for Best Recording (“Dreamer”), Best R&B Album (‘Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps’), while his sophomore album ‘Apollo’ is nominated for Best Pop Album and Album of the Year. WurlD follows closely with six nods, including Best Recording (“Ghost Town”), Best R&B Single (“Mad”), Best R&B album (‘I Love Girls With Trobul’) and Songwriter of the Year.
Burna Boy—who, similar to Fireboy, also released two albums in the period in review—and Wizkid both follow with five nominations each, both picking up nods for Artist of the Year and Headies viewer’s choice, while Burna’s ‘African Giant’ is nominated for Album of the Year and Wiz’s “Joro” is up for Song of the Year. For the much coveted Next Rated award, nominees are Tems, Omah Lay, Bella Shmurda and Oxlade, a competitive, fan-voted category comprising the shining breakout stars of the year. Nominees for the Headies Revelation category are Rema, Fireboy DML, Teni, Victor AD, Joeboy and Chike.
Last year saw the most inclusive and diverse Headies nominee list up to that point, and looking to further that agenda, the award body has broken up the Best Pop/r&b category into two new categories, while two new ones have been added: Best Alternative Album and Songwriter of the Year. It’s an admirable step to ensure every facet of Nigerian pop music is properly represented. After taking a look at the full list of nominees, below are our takeaways, including the good, the not-so-good and the befuddling snubs.
Consistency
Music has been really helpful while dealing with the traumas this year brought, and it’s only right that artists get recognised for their work. One major takeaway from the 2020 Headies list of nominees is the award show’s consistency since they started in 2006. Besides the adjourned 2017 edition, Hip-Hop World Magazine have honoured artists who deliver outstanding performances at the Headies Awards show which celebrates the different talents within the Nigerian music scene. The consistency has allowed them to develop a reputation as one of Africa’s most high-profile and anticipated award shows, especially with the Next Rated category that highlights the breakout artists who are likely to stand the test of time. The pandemic put a big dent in artists’ plans for 2020, but we’re pleased to see the Headies Award Show will still hold and honour artists who deserve their trophies.
Best Vocal Performance (Male and Female)
Though it seems the rest of the world is developing past the need for gender-specific award categories, it makes sense that we have a male and female category for Best Vocal Performance at the Headies. We can see from the male-dominated non-gender-specific categories that the music industry is partial to men over women as only Tems, Tiwa Savage and Simi got nominated in the major Categories; Tems for Next Rated, Tiwa Savage for Artist of the Year and Simi’s “Duduke” for Song of the Year.
Men are still dominant over women, in nomination for gender-neutral awards, and contrary to what is said, it’s not because men produced more work or even better work. With the Best Vocal Performance (Female) category, it shows some effort from the Headies to be more inclusive of women in the Nigerian music industry.
The Next Rated
The viability of award shows as a true marker of the culture has been called into question many times in the past few years. Award events like the Grammys, the Oscars, and more have failed to accurately represent the diverse sonic and cultural landscape that the world now operates within and although there have been steps to ensure that award shows become more diverse in their nominations, none of the steps have yielded any practical results. Very recently, artists like The Weekend and Rina Sawayama were snubbed for Grammy nominations and the lacklustre breadth of nominations on the refurbished Best Global Music category. It’s impossible for these awards to accurately represent the culture when those spearheading them are too out of touch to the communities that make up our diverse society.
The Headies isn’t that much different in that regard. The Next Rated award has always been one of the most contentious of all the awards at the Headies being the most coveted achievements of the year and a marker of how influential an artist has been in the music scene in these parts. Past winners of this award have been Asa, Wande Coal, Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Mayorkun, Rema, and more – all artists who have gone on to exceed the need for such title. Through the years, the award has tried to be fairly representative of which artists are controlling the streets and keeping the clubs on lock, but they have also bestowed awards on artists much later than they deserved to be recognised for their achievements such as Wizkid’s boycotting of the show back in 2016.
This year, the Next Rated award boasts of nominated artists such as Tems, Oxlade, Omah Lay and Bella Shmurda, all of whom have made stellar contributions to the music scene this year. But although all these artists have more than held their own this year with hit singles and projects that have sustained the attention around them well into the end of the year, it is worth noting that Tems is the only woman who has been nominated this year, joining the likes of Asa, Yemi Alade, Tiwa Savage, Seyi Shay, Cynthia Morgan and more, who have received nominations in the past. Out of these women, Asa has been the only one who has actually won the award, and that’s not to say the other women lost out solely because of their gender alone, but it does go to show how performative award shows can be. In a bid to seem in tune with the culture, nominations are given solely to make a category appear representative, when in actual fact, the winner will typically end up being the male choice.
Seeing an alternative artist like Tems beat the odds and gain a nomination is a testament to the Headies being more willing to include a broader selection of artists from the country’s diverse sonic environment. But it’s less exciting once you realise that she’s set up against winning solely by the fact that she’s the only artist in the list yet to have mainstream domination. Tems’ track record is one to be marvelled by, having rounded up a successful 2019 performing at Wizkid’s Starboy Fest in Lagos. Her 2019 single “Try Me” was also #1 on Apple Music charts following its release last year, with the singer making chart history again this year after the release of her standout single “Damages” off her debut EP, ‘For Broken Ears’. It’s clear that the singer is carving out her own lane despite all the odds in the music industry but even at this, it will take a long time before an award show like the Headies pays attention to anything other than the mainstream.
Rema Snubbed?
Rema is among the few artists who had a good run this year, and it seems like a bit of an oversight one of the most refreshing afropop acts of the year only received one nomination. His 2019 bop, “Lady” got a Headies nod for Best Pop Single, a category that’s determined by votes. Having won last year’s Next Rated Award, Rema is now being nominated for Headies Revelation along with new acts, Teni, Chike, Fireboy DML, Joeboy and Victor AD. According to the Turntable charts, Rema’s “Woman” has spent 14 weeks in the top 10 Radio Airplay Chart, which makes it tie with Patoranking’s “Abule” for the song that has spent the longest period on the charts. But besides the song’s popularity with music lovers, even the video deserves some recognition with UAXStudio’s impressive depiction of Rema’s world where he “too like woman”.
After introducing a unique sound with his own spin on it to the scene last year, Rema spent this year doubling down with trap single, “Alien” and afropop bangers that were accepted by mainstream audiences, “Lady”, “Woman”, “Ginger Me” and “Beamer”. Rema’s unique versatility has defined a new generation of talent in music and artistry and he deserves to be recognised for it.
Expansion of categories
Like most award bodies stuck in its ways, the Headies haven’t always been the ideal gauge for the diversity in Nigerian music, mainly due to a focus on what’s “mainstream”. In recent times, however, the award body is clearly looking to balance what’s popular with the more experimental and idiosyncratic sounds that are increasingly eminent within the broad scope of locally made music.
At the last edition, there were nominations for Odunsi (the Engine), Lady Donli, Tay Iwar and Tems, indicating that the Headies were finally acknowledging the “alté” scene and its importance to the omnivorous nature of the new vanguard in Nigerian music. This year’s nominees list continues to front the award body’s seeming dedication to better reflect the diversity in Nigerian, specifically through the expansion of categories. Very notably, the slightly claustrophobic Best Pop/R&B album category has been opened up to draw a finer line between pop, r&b and alternative albums, a welcome innovative move.
With each category containing five nominees each, this expansion allows recognition for more excellent projects, rather than clumping the most popular five into one category. Considering that we’re in an era of music where full-lengths constantly defy easy categorisation, grouping albums by genres is quite the head-scratcher, but the Headies have done a pretty alright job. For example, The Cavemen’s retro-futuristic highlife debut LP, ‘ROOTS’, is up against DRB’s ‘Pioneers’ – a cocktail album that blends afro-fusion, rap & r&b – in the Best Alternative Album category. Stylistically, these are widely disparate projects, but they do fit into that category.
Hopefully, there are wins for these “sub-mainstream” artists, unlike last year where these sort of nominations lead to zero wins. If the same thing happens this year, it will only bolster the idea that the Headies is only interested in paying lip service instead of truly recognising the diversity of Nigerian music.
Hip-hop in Nigeria is not homogeneous
One of the more pleasant surprises of this year’s Headies nominees list was seeing Psycho YP’s ‘YPSZN 2’ picking up a nomination for Best Rap Album. Being one of the younger rappers injecting a more flamboyant and melodic flair into the canon of rap music in Nigeria, YP has encountered his fair share of resistance for his non-conforming approach, but he’s remained defiant and has amassed a loyal following, so his nomination is a reflection of the fact that rap music in Nigeria is not homogeneous.
In fact, the diversity of nominees in the rap album category – which includes Paybac’s poetic portraiture, ‘CULT!’ and Erigga’s pidgin odyssey, ‘The Erigma II‘ – seems quite fitting for the period in review (except, very notably, the snubbing of Odunsi ‘EYHI’). At that, it feels very odd that indigenous styles of rap music isn’t represented in the other rap categories. Granted, it hasn’t been a very eventful period for indigenous rap projects, but some of the biggest and very best rap songs have been delivered by indigenous rap artists, and it’s downright ridiculous that this isn’t represented in the Best Rap Single and Lyricist on the Roll categories.
There’s a rhetoric about the ailing state of rap music Nigeria, an untrue inference that’s ironically reinforced by taking one look at those categories. Almost exclusively dominated by rappers who perform in English, those nominations do very little to showcase the heterogeneity of rap music, and of greater consequence, its sizable impact on Nigerian music. Not say the nominees were undeserving, but there’s no reason why Zlatan’s playful philosophical musings on “Quilox” or Naira Marley’s catchy bars on “Mafo” aren’t contending for Best Rap Single, or Davolee and Jaido P’s ferocious and technically impenetrable Yoruba raps on “G.O” aren’t deserving of Lyricist on the Roll nods.
Rap music in Nigeria comprises multiple dimensions, and it’s undeniable that the street-bred, indigenous aspect is its most impactful. The failure to represent this buys into the “differences” of English rap and indigenous, an agenda that obviously needs to be eradicated very soon. Maybe the Headies will get the memo next time.
“Ase Trap Tse Ke Pina Tsa Ko Kasi”. For the uninitiated, this is Focalistic’s trademark tagline; a quip that’s becoming quite iconic (Cassper Nyovest once famously borrowed it) and is symbolic of the central conceit driving the South African rapper’s music. Translating to “it’s not trap, it’s songs from the hood”, the tagline lays down a guiding context for how listeners should engage with Focalistic’s music, a proclamation of who, what and where he represents.
While he’s been around for well over half-a-decade, 2020 has clearly been a banner year for Focalisitic, a run catalysed by his willingness to make music inspired by, and for, the hood. As Amapiano grew into the global sound of South African townships and the toast of the continental mainstream, Focalistic became one of the first rappers to co-opt and properly commit to the sound, channelling the liveliness of his gruff voice over the booming beats of the House subgenre. Last year, he teamed up with production duo Major League DJz for a joint EP titled after his tagline, a thumping collection of club-ready songs that’s symbolic of his collaborative spirit with ‘piano producers.
This year, he’s featured on notable projects by Kabza De Small, Semi Tee and Vigro Deep, while also working with the latter for his biggest song yet, “Ke Star”, which appeared on the 3-song pack, ‘Blecke’. Very recently, Spotify named Focalistic as the fifth most streamed South African hip-hop artist on the platform, an achievement in a year where a global pandemic threatened to derail the upward momentum of Amapiano. Putting an exclamation mark on the year he’s had, the rapper dropped his second full project of the year, ‘Sghubu Ses Excellent’, comprising eleven new songs and all three songs from ‘Blecke’.
Following up his April drop, ‘Quarantined Tarantino’, which significantly dabbled in the sonic stylings of contemporary hip-hop, ‘Sghubu Ses Excellent’ is firmly planted in amapiano territory, and it displays how skilled Focalistic has become at adjusting rap cadences to fit perfectly over several variations of the intoxicating blend of Kwaito, Jazz, deep house and diBacardi. Where his preceding projects revelled in riotous exuberance, this new project is the sound of an artist settling into the plushness of superstardom. Standout song, “Onoroko”, distils these musical and thematic aspects into a rolling banger.
Produced by frequent collaborator Semi Tee, “Onoroko” is cut from the diBacardi-dominant corner of amapiano, where innovative use of percussion drives the composition forward and the other parts, in this case a psychedelic piano riff and sci-fi synth effects, create a constantly turning groove. This beat selection is in line with Focalistic’s affinity for production that’s slightly chunky and in perpetual motion, but rather than fight for space, he tends to inhabit them with a playfully magnetic cadence. On “Onoroko”, he’s even more lax, rapping with a carefree conviction that’s instantly infectious and so technically apt it sounds like his casually bending the beat to his will.
“Onoroko” refers to women’s undergarments, and on the song, Focalistic uses lust as the framing device for his rockstar lifestyle. Wooing a potential one night stand partner, he gets self-referential, using his fame and street credibility as his calling card—at one point, he claims that people in his hood call him Mandela, which doesn’t seem far-fetched since he’s already known as the hood Maradona. He’s joined by Ricky Rick and Reece Madlisa, the former being one of the few older hip-hop artists adapting rap to amapiano, while the latter has become a revelation with the headlining smash song, “Zlele”, and a standout guest feature alongside Ricky on Busta 929 & Mr Jazzi Q’s “VSOP”.
Together, the trio (and Semi Tee) build a palpable chemistry on “Onoroko”, playing off each other’s energies, from Reece’s animated yelps to Ricky Rick’s unflappable cool, and Focalistic splitting the difference. This is the second collaboration between Focalistic and Ricky Rick, following Ricky’s “UNGAZINCISHI”, the Tyler ICU-produced cut which converted amapiano elements into a swag rap stunner. Now two for two, their sterling collaboration re-emphasises the efficacy and wide range of possibilities for the convergence of rap and amapiano when done right.
Being the major ambassador of this delightfully oddball union, Focalistic is pushing the boundaries of both these genres, and as “Onoroko” proves, he’s having a lot of fun while doing it.
Listen to “Onoroko” here.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Focalistic
Dennis is a staff writer at the NATIVE. Let me know your favourite the Cavemen songs @dennisadepeter
End SARS protests have resumed across major Nigerian cities including Lagos, Ibadan, and Abuja today. Since the first wave of the protests dispersed about 6 weeks ago, there have been threats from the powers that be, emphasising that a second wave of peaceful demonstrations will not be allowed. More than just thinly veiled threats of dispersing any further iterations of the protests, they have also been sure to send a message across with their responses from detaining protesters and confiscating passports to shutting down FemCo’s website and more.
But growing agitation from young Nigerians continues to rise, as none of the original 5For5 demands have been met by the Nigerian government. In the past few weeks, there has been continued resistance from the government and armed forces towards gaining justice for End SARS victims and their families. In judicial panels across the country, summoned defaulting officers do not show up to the panels, the government is still waging war on social media, no one has taken responsibility for the massacres that took place on October 20th despite the detailed CNN investigative report that revealed the Lagos State government’s invitation of the Nigerian Army to the Lekki toll gate.
While upcoming protests are gaining steam, there are already attempts made to quell the protests have already begun. Earlier today, news of the protests in Lagos was met with swift action from the Nigerian armed policemen and soldiers who were said to have been deployed to the Lekki toll plaza, Lagos, according to Punch NG, while other armed forces have also been sighted at other areas in Lagos state including Opebi, Alausa, and Ikeja.
In a statement on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, had said the command would not allow any demonstration under, since Lagos residents were still nursing the injuries of the violence that trailed the #ENDSARS protest.
With the news of the End SARS protests reemerging in cities across Nigeria having reached social media over the weekend, the online protests have also kicked off with the #EndSARS hashtag now trending in Nigeria, UK and the US for a second time this month. It seems like we may very well be on the verge of another nationwide protest as young Nigerians are showing up in and organising new demonstrations in many states around the country.
Update – 08/12/2020
It has been brought to our attention that there are fake videos circulating on verified news sites about protesters at the Lekki toll gate. There were no protesters stationed at the toll gate yesterday but there has been armed forces presence at the toll gate reported both yesterday and today, a report on Arise TV reads. In a statement yesterday, the Lagos Police Command said, contrary to viral videos on social media, no #EndSARS protest was staged at the Lekki toll plaza on Monday.
“The video was one of the viral videos released during the recent violent #EndSARS protest before the Lekki Tollgate plaza was set ablaze by the violent protesters on October 21, 2020. The command, therefore, urges the general public to regard the video as baseless and mischievous.
The Command also wishes to appeal to the general public to remain calm and go about their lawful businesses as the police are prepared to deal decisively, within the ambit of the law, with any act of lawlessness that could lead to the breakdown of law and order in the state.”
According to the Guardian, news of the imminent resurgence of the End SARS protests led President Muhammadu Buhari to warn young Nigerians, yesterday, that while citizens were at liberty to freely express themselves in a democracy, such latitude did not include acts of hooliganism. He stated that anyone that would hide behind lawful and peaceful protests to commit a crime would be dealt with decisively to ensure peace and stability in the country.
However, despite the warnings, protesters hit the streets of Osogbo, the Osun State capital, to demand the release of all detained protesters and the unfreezing of their accounts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
This is a developing story.
.@tamimak_ is just trying to make it to the end of the year
Omah Lay has climbed to the top of the Turntable charts with “Godly”, one of the standout tracks from his newly released EP, ‘What Have We Done’. Though it debuted last week at #3 behind Davido’s “The Best” and Olamide’s “Infinity”, he has now peaked at the top of the Turntable charts which incorporates data from radio airplay, streaming, and TV airplay in Nigeria. Even though “Godly” doesn’t is not an official single, clearly it’s a favourite, as it has reached the top without television backing, a feat that only Wizkid and Burna Boy’s “Ginger”, Davido and Nicki Minaj’s “Holy Ground” and Davido and Mayorkun’s “The Best” have accomplished in the 5-week history of the chart.
In the past week, “Godly” racked up 2.03 million streams and 42.14 million radio airplay audience impressions to put the Port Harcourt native on top of the Airplay Chart and Top Streaming Chart. He had previously featured on the Top Streaming Chart with his guest feature on DJ Tunez’s “PAMI” and Olamide’s “Infinity”, and now with “Godly” serving as his 4th #1 feature on the TTC, he joins Davido as the artists with the most #1s in the chart’s history.
Omah Lay also matches Davido’s record for featuring on the top 2 spots of the TTC as Olamide’s “Infinity” featuring Omah Lay retains its #2 position from last week. “Infinity” off Olamide’s ‘Carpe Diem’ has now spent 3 weeks in the runner-up position after it debuted at #2 on the chart released on the 16th of November. However, it moved down 3 spots when Davido debuted ‘A Better Time’ and dominated the top 4 positions on the chart. “Infinity” drew 1.19 million streams and tallied 32.15 million radio airplay audience impressions, leaving Davido’s “The Best”, featuring Mayorkun backtracking to #3 after topping last week’s chart. “The Best” only garnered 1.59 million streams though it tallied 44.82 million radio airplay audience impressions to lead the Radio Chart for a second week.
Olamide’s Bella Shmurda-assisted track, “Triumphant” and Davido’s “Holy Ground”, featuring Nicki Minaj both climbed one spot each from their positions on last week’s chart to occupy the 4th and 5th spot respectively this week. Bella Shmurda, Zlatan and Lincoln’s “Cash App” also climbed up to reach a new peak at #6 as it continues to climb following Bella Smurda’s recent string of small shows in Dubai and some places in Africa.
Davido’s former chart-topping single, “Fem”, however for the first time since it debuted has been out of the top 5. The song spent a record 9 consecutive weeks atop the Top Airplay Charts and has now slipped from last week’s #4 position to occupy the #7 position on this week’s chart. Wizkid’s former #1, “Ginger”, featuring Burna Boy also dropped one position from #7 to #8 while Cheque returns to the Top 10 with “Zoom”, climbing from #14 to #9 as Patoranking’s “Abule” goes down from the 9# position it held last week to its current place at #10.
Outside the top 10, Naira Marley’s prodigy, Zinoleesky made his debut on the TTC charts with his new single, “Kilofeshe” debuting at #22 while Timaya’s “Gra Gra” debuted at #35. Zinoleesky just put out the official video for “Kilofeshe” so we expect that it will continue to climb and perhaps even reach the top 10 next week.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Omah Lay
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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
The last few months have been difficult. But with three weeks left until the end of the year, we’re trying to find more ways to be thankful and present in the current moment. While we’re still dedicated to amplifying and reporting the issues that have plagued us this year, we’ve now resumed our column, Songs of the Day as a nod to the artists putting out great music that serve as a momentary escape from all the grimness of the current news cycle.
We ended last week’s Songs of the day curation with new releases from Davido, Odunsi, Tekno, Flavour, Mr Eazi, Buju, Ghanaian Stars, Femi Kuti, LadiPoe, and more. Today, as news of reemerging End SARS protests in Nigerian cities reaches social media, many young Nigerians may be feeling just as stuck as they were back in October. So, to help dissipate the worrying thoughts, we’re bringing you new music to get you through the day including new releases from Stonebwoy and Davido, Falz and Niniola, Tomi Agape, Amaarae and BOJ, Waje and Cracker Mallo, Lo Village, and many more. Dig in and enjoy.
Stonebwoy – “Activate” featuring Davido
When Ghana and Nigeria collaborate, it’s always to stellar results, and Stonebwoy’s latest single “Activate” is further proof of this. Produced by Mix Master Garzy, the new single sees both artists singing about the effect that their muses have on them and declaring their intentions to deepen their physical connection.
In the accompanying video for the new single, both artists can be seen having a good time by the poolside with beautiful women. Singing “Baby you activate me o/you dey captivate me” over the song’s hook, Stonebwoy states just how consuming the love connection he feels is. And with both artists exchanging and donning the other’s national football jersey, it’s clear that this is a formidable pairing.
Falz – “Squander” featuring Niniola
Just in time for the end of the year, Falz is back with new single, “Squander”, featuring the Queen of Afrohouse, Niniola. The up-tempo number produced by Young Willis, sees both artists aiming to get you and moving and swinging to the spritely beat. Niniola seems as confident and comfortable as ever, finding herself in familiar territory and floating seamlessly over the propulsive rhythm.
DJ Spinall – “Sere” featuring Fireboy DML
Dj Spinall is days away from the release of his new album titled ‘Grace’ and already he’s served up singles like the Dice Ailes-assisted “Pressure” and “Everytime” featuring Kranium to whet our appetites. Ahead of the forthcoming project, he’s just released a new single titled “Sere” which features YBNL’s Fireboy DML. Over the uptempo beat produced by Kel P and DJ Spinall, Fireboy DML delivers a catchy danceable verse that invites listeners to groove and sway with its infectious rhythm as he invites a love interest to let loose and dance with him.
Tomi Agape – “Lovers Rock” featuring Amaarae and BOJ
Tomi Agape is back and we’re also getting an incoming project titled ‘Never Gunna Be The Same’on the horizon. Ahead of the project’s release on December 11, Tomi Agape is letting us into her world with the release of the new romantic single “Lovers Rock” which features Amaarae and BOJ. The groovy mid-tempo number sees all three artists audaciously asking their love interest to accept their advances and not hold anything back. “You’ve been on my mind, especially at nighttime” sings Tomi Agape, declaring her love before being joined by BOJ on the ook as he sings “I just want to show you off baby, I just want to give you love baby” showing that modern-day romance is far from dead.
Waje – “Best Thing”
Waje is back with a new single just in time for the end of the year. The new single titled “Best Thing” is a romantic number produced by Cracker Mallo, which sees the singer addressing a love interest who she regards as the best thing in her life. “Shey you be my best thing/need no second-guessing/oh abeg make I hold you” she sings amorously on the song’s hook, professing all her romantic feelings with the conviction that her love interest also holds her this highly in their heart.
Lo Village – “Out The Window”
Maryland musical r&b and rap trio, Lo Village has been generating some buzz in their hometown for quite a while and with the release of their forthcoming EP ‘Lost in America’, it’s clear that the group are poising for a more global-facing domination. Their latest single “Out the Window” is a more politically charged number which sees them exploring the black American experiences in America. Singing over the chorus, Ghanaian-American vocalists Kane and Ama sing, “I’m a solider, I remain ten toes” as they speak to the power of black people who continue to stand up against racially charged injustices in America.
As the world sees a momentous shift regarding racial injustice and inequality, the group knew it was time to convey their truth through new music. Speaking about the new release, they shared “As the world sees a momentous shift regarding racial injustice and inequality, the group knew it was time to convey their truth through new music.”
DEELA – “ROLLING STONES” featuring KA$H
Since finding the confidence to release her raps this year, newcomer, DEELA has been setting off quite the storm with her string of bold, bossy raps. For her latest offering, the 18-year-old mcee taps into the sounds of Atlanta-based rapper KA$H for a confident, self-assured number titled “ROLLING STONES“. The trap-charged cut sees both artists effortlessly running through their achievements, particularly DEELA who is quick to address the pressures of being an upcoming rapper in the game.
“Rubbing any beat cause I can/For the niggas in the back who ain’t fucking with me, you niggas stay dumb” she raps on the first verse, making a very convincing case for why you should stop what you’re doing and become a DEELA fan today. Whether you like it or not, she’s coming and she’s disrespectful AF
Lucid Lemons x Dara Blaxx – “Can’t Get Enough”
The team over at Lucid Lemons is expanding and adding to their musical repertoire. They’ve recently released their first official single titled “Can’t Get Enough” which features UK-based Nigerian singer/songwriter Dara Blaxx. The romantic cut sees the singer confront feelings of love, infatuation and affection and speaks to the power in believing in one’s sauce despite the fervour of your love for someone else. Going forward, the Lucid Lemons team has promised more of these musical collaborations with various artists in their community. We can’t wait to see what they come up with.
KARE – “Freaky”
Nigerian singer/songwriter Kare is preparing for the release of his debut EP set to be released next summer. Ahead of the forthcoming release, the singer is whetting our appetites with new afropop single titled “Freaky”. The upbeat new single finds Kare addressing a female muse to get down with him in the naughtiest way possible. From the song’s suggestive title, it’s clear that this new single is dedicated to the thrill of dimly lit nightclubs and parties.
Featured Image Credits/Instagram
.@tamimak_ is just trying to make it to the end of the year
The last few months have been difficult. But with four weeks left until the end of the year, we’re trying to find more ways to be thankful and present in the current moment. While we’re still dedicated to amplifying and reporting the issues that have plagued us this year, we’ve now resumed our column, Songs of the Day as a nod to the artists putting out great music that serve as a momentary escape from all the grimness of the current news cycle.
We started this week’s Songs of the day curation with new releases from Olamide, Bad Boy Timz, Zinoleesky, Ojah B x Oxlade, Di’ja, Reekado Banks, Dremo x Mayorkun, Oma Mahmud, Teffy, and more. Now as we start the first weekend in December, we’re bringing you new music from Davido, Odunsi, Tekno, Flavour, Mr Eazi, Buju, Ghanaian Stars, Femi Kuti, LadiPoe, and More. Dig in and enjoy.
Davido – “Jowo”
Davido has continued his knack for offering cinematic visuals for his music as he just shared a star-studded music video for “Jowo”, one of the standout tracks from his recently released album, ‘A Better Time’. The video features RMD and former Big Brother housemate, Nengi who are cast as gang rivals in a video that adds more drama to the romantic narration from the song.
Directed by Dammy Twitch, the video for “Jowo” shows Davido and Nengi as gang leaders who were ordered to assassinate each other but eventually fall in love with each other. Though the script is cliche script, the acting and cinematography are impressive as we see the characters playing their roles convincingly while the laidback song plays in the background.
Odunsi – “Fuji 5000”
Odunsi’s growth from indie acclaim to becoming one of the cultural tastemakers of the Nigerian music scene allows him the freedom to experiment with different niche sounds. For his latest single, “Fuji 5000”, he attempts to bridge the indigenous Fuji sound with trap eccentricity, as he blends Yoruba and English lyrics while singing and rapping over the self-produced beat that infuses futuristic synth sounds and gunshot samples.
In a statement released with the song, Odunsi explained that the song is “a tribute to traditional Nigerian sound & traditional Fuji sound and just (him) putting (his) own twist to it. It’s basically a narration of where [his] mind has been since last year, up until now and an introduction to (his) new experimental sound and style of delivery”. We can’t wait to hear what he does next.
Flavour – “Looking Nyash”
Flavour is back with his new album, ‘Flavour of Africa’, his 7th studio album. Though he seemed like he was heading towards a religious stint following his public association with the religious prophet, Odemeje AKA Indaboski, the new 16-track offering shows there are many sides to Flavour. He collaborates with people from different cultures all over the world including Fally Ipupa, Beenie Man, Tekno, Phyno, Prophet Odumeje, Waga G and more. “Looking Nyash” is set to the rustic rhythm of highlife as Spax produced a lightweight guitar-led beat that lulls listeners to nod their heads and move their hips, much like we can see in the video.
Mayorkun – “Your Body”
Mayorkun has dished out a new record for the dancefloor, “Your Body”. Produced by DMW’s favourite beatmaker, Fresh VDM, “Your Body” has a groovy beat which primes the song for dancefloors. Mayorkun’s lyrics and catchy melodies once more provide us with witty one-liners that have made him one of Nigerians more entertaining musicians.
We might not get to enjoy this song at a big music concert this year, but we can’t imagine anything keeping us from keeping this in regular rotation through the rest of the festive month of December.
Mr Eazi x J Balvin – “Lento”
Latin pop and afropop have enjoyed an impressive run of success in the global music scene lately and among the artists responsible for that are Mr Eazi and J Balvin from Nigeria and Colombia respectively. The two have teamed up for a new single, “Lento” where they combine the dancehall allure of afropop and reggaeton. The song is Mr Eazi’s follow-up to “Oh My Gawd”, which also featured international collaborators, Nicki Minaj, Major Lazer, and Nigerian singer, K4mo.
Produced by Killertunez, the mid-tempo beat for “Lento”, sets the groovy rhythm for him and Mr Eazi to go back and forth, performing vocals in their indigenous languages about partying. As the world grows more accessible for international collaborations such as this, genre lines will continue to be blurred for better or for worse.
Niyola – “Olúmorántí”
Niyola just surprised fans with a new single, “Olúmorántí”, where she reflects on the loss she experiences when her father passed away. Though the new single is her first music release in 3 years, you wouldn’t notice from her captivating voice which is still as enchanting as it was when she first broke out as an EME artist. Over the melancholic piano harmonies, she sings “I can’t stop thinking of you” as she goes on to express feelings of hurt, pain and frustration. She eventually turns to her spiritual faith and finds resolve through a worship performance dedicated to God. Though the song is named after her father, she expresses sentiments that are universal for anyone who has experienced the loss of their parent.
The accompanying video for Niyola’s “Olúmorántí” directed by Unlimited LA and it stays true to the ambient mood of the song as we see Niyola performing the song in different scenes where she’s all alone. The only time she’s seen with other people is when we see three women dressed in white stretching their hands out to catch her while she ascends up into the sky.
Tekno – “Enjoy”
Before this horrible year, one of the things that helped us get through the year was the anticipation of December festivities. Now that we’re in a pandemic-induced lockdown, and can’t go out to parties or concerts, the next best alternative is to live vicariously through festive music. Tekno recognises our need for merrymaking, and his latest single, “Enjoy” serves us the upbeat and jovial music we require after surviving to the last month of a year filled with overwhelming negativity.
“Enjoy” was released last month as one of the lead singles from Tekno’s anticipated debut album, and the singer has now updated the song with a fun music video to match. Directed by TG Omori, the video shows Tekno in different settings, where he dances to the groove of the beat produced by Blaise Beatz. We see Tekno moonwalking on a dining table, dancing inside a public toilet, chilling in a mobile swimming pool and dancing at a grocery store after locking out the security. These goofy acts are perfect for a song that serves as the soundtrack for bouncing through life like it’s a daisy field as Tekno sings “Allow me to enjoy myself”. It’s a refreshing contrast to reality to see him so optimistic, even as the song encourages listeners to enjoy life and avoid negative and problematic friends.
Earlier in the year, Tekno’s dropped “Sudden”, a more sombre song that reflected on the current political climate as he sang about the corrupt leadership plaguing the country. However, his mood shifted towards more lightweight themes when he dropped “PuTTin”, a dance-driven single in October. The newly released video for “Enjoy” builds anticipation for Tekno’s debut album, but while we wait, you can enjoy the video for “Enjoy” below.
Buju – “So Lovely”
Though it’s relatively easy to determine what sound dominated the mainstream in Nigeria when looking back at past decades, it’s a little more tricky to come up with a generally agreed sound for the mainstream within the moment. However, if there’s one sound that has a strong case for being inescapable in 2020, it’s the South African house music subgenre, Amapiano. Buju recently put out his latest single, “So Lovely”, embracing the lightweight groove of the ambient Amapiano harmonies produced by regular collaborator, Timi Jay. Buju’s soft vocals narrating his complicated relationship status with his muse rides the catchy beat as he delivers enchanting melodies that confirm his versatility.
Femi Kuti – “Pà Pá Pà”
Fela’s legacy continues to live through the many tributes from music lovers around the world as well as through Afrobeat music releases from members of the Kuti family. Femi Kuti’s son, Made is also towing in-line with the Afrobeat family tradition as he’s set to release a joint project with his father, ‘Legacy +’, which is scheduled to drop in February 2021. Leading up to the release of the father-son collaboration, the pair have each shared one single from the two-sided tape, “Your Enemy” and “Pà Pá Pà” which reveal that they’re continuing in the politically charged tone that was set by Fela.
Femi Kuti’s “Pà Pá Pà” comes along with an accompanying video directed by Adasa Cookey and it shows Femi Kuti performing the upbeat song that encourages listeners to speak up against dishonest and incompetent government; “we must face the government/ government must not waste our time”. The video shows him performing at the New Afrikan Shrine with cheering fans and we also see different shots of Lagos and her citizens.
LadiPoe – “Jaiye Remix” feat. Aluna, Sigag Lauren
LadiPoe started last year with a banger, “Jaiye(Time of Our Lives)”, a triumphant single that laid the runway for the impressive run he’s enjoyed so far in 2020. After delivering smash hits like Simi-assisted “Know You”, and “Yoruba Samurai”, the Mavin singer has reinvented “Jaiye” into an EDM song. He teams up with UK singer, Aluna who adds her airy vocals to the euphoric EDM beat produced by Nigerian EDM producer, Sigag Lauren.
Johnny Drille’s vocals from his contribution as the producer for the original single can still be heard on the remix while Sigag Lauren infuses the lush, jungle driving sound of Afro-house. The song’s message to pursue happiness is timely as we get into the last month of the year. However, aware of the tragic impact of the Coronavirus on those who have lost lives and means of livelihood to the pandemic, he announced that the proceeds from the song will go to a charity that raises money to benefit the fight against the virus in Africa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtVQhf_pKJs
One People – “One Nation” Feat. Stonebwoy, Efya, King Promise, Fancy Gadam, Darkovibes, Maccasio, Famaye, Teephlow, and Bethel Revival Choir
With the pandemic and widespread protests that have happened around the world, 2020 is easily the most politically inclined year for most of us young people in the world. As a result, we’ve learned to pay attention to leadership and demand more accountability from them. Ghanaians will have the opportunity to elect their next president at their general elections scheduled to happen next Monday, the 7th of December. In the build-up to the elections, some of Ghana’s music stars, Stonebwoy, Efya, King Promise, Fancy Gadam, Darkovibes, Maccasio, Famaye, Teephlow, and Bethel Revival Choir have teamed up to encourage Ghanaian’s to come out to vote.
Over the groovy mid-tempo beat, each of the artists takes turns to encourage listeners to be united and conduct themselves peacefully during the elections. The elections pit the former president, John Mahama, and incumbent president, Nana Akufo Addo. A victory from John Mahama will mark a historic moment as his running mate, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyeman will become the first female Vice President in Ghanaian history. We hope the more competent candidate is elected on Monday as this song from the Ghanaian stars reminds us of the great talent who will benefit from a peaceful and successful election in Ghana.
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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
As part of the demands to signify that the Nigerian government is indeed committed to the eradication of police brutality, the Nigerian youth populace demanded the inauguration of judicial panels across the country’s 36 states, to collect testimonies from victims of police brutality, provide (financial) restitution, and forward recommendations to the government. In acceptance of this demand, the National Economic Council (NEC), led by Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, directed all state governments to set up panels, ostensibly meaning that these panels were indeed backed by the federal government.
However, it appears that the police is now contesting the validity of these panels of enquiries, claiming that their proceedings should be deemed inconsequential, since the force is a federal institution and isn’t subject to state authorities. Yesterday, reports broke that the Nigerian police filed a suit at a federal high court in Abuja, seeking an order to stop all public hearings and proceedings of the #EndSARS judicial panels across all 36 states. In its petition, the police is claiming that the panels set up by State Governors is “unconstitutional, illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”
This development is the latest disappointing tactic being employed by a government institution, since concerned Nigerians came out in demonstrations against police brutality, especially by the “disbanded” Special anti-robbery squad. Even with the announcement of the disbandment of SARS, Nigerians have been vocal about the police’s dedication to ending the omnipresent abuse of power amongst its ranks, citing distrust in any word of mouth and it’s easy to see why. During the weeks-long protests, police responded with brutality all over the country, peacefully received “pro-SARS” groups who openly threatened peaceful protesters, stood idly while protesters were attacked by sponsored thugs, and has continued to arrests popular faces from the protests.
In an interview with local TV station AIT, Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, stated that he was unsure if he had the power to constitute a panel without adequate Federal backing, however, with the directive coming from the NEC and President Buhari’s public backing of the Lagos judicial panel, there appears no reason these panels can’t legally operate for these panels to operate.
Update – 16:00, December 4
The Nigerian Police Force has recently called for the immediate “discontinuation and withdrawal of the suit challenging the legality of the States’ Judicial Panel of Inquiry.” As far as we know, a hearing for the case is scheduled to begin on December 18th, and among the defendants are the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Anthony O. Ojukwu, and more.
The Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has ordered for the immediate discontinuation and withdrawal of the suit challenging the legality of the States’ Judicial Panel of Inquiry into alleged brutality by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Hundreds of young people flooded the streets of Nigeria to protest against the SARS unit of the Nigerian police and police brutality. In the heat of the protests, Rema cut off all his hair, at the same time videos of members of security forces forcibly doing the same thing to civilians. After a tumultuous October, it felt like November was a time to recoop, and gain some much needed calm after the wild storm. As the end of the year sparks hopefulness amongst us, the Mavin star has now released a new single, “Peace of Mind”, to calm the current climate’s intensity.
“Peace of Mind” has a soothing highlife baseline produced by Kel P and the tranquil harmonies of the guitar riffs serve as the backdrop for Rema’s narration of his stressful reality as a Nigerian; “Gunshot no let me meditate/ Hypertension full the place/ People dey die/ Police sef dey go deny the case”. Though his introspective songwriting allows him to express his deeply personal discontent with the uncertainty of the moment, he also has the presence of mind to acknowledge that the dissatisfaction with the current state of things is a sentiment shared by most young Nigerians.
All year, we have spoken about the special role music plays in
Stream Rema’s “Peace of Mind” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/heisrema
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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
The last few months have been difficult. But with four weeks left until the end of the year, we’re trying to find more ways to be thankful and present in the current moment. While we’re still dedicated to amplifying and reporting the issues that have plagued us this year, we’ve now resumed our column, Songs of the Day as a nod to the artists putting out great music that serve as a momentary escape from all the grimness of the current news cycle.
We started this week’s Songs of the day curation with new releases from Tim Lyre, Lil Kesh, Lyta, Loti, Remi Nubi, and more. Now as we get ready to kick off the new month, we’re bringing you new music from Olamide, Bad Boy Timz, Zinoleesky, Ojah B x Oxlade, Di’ja, Reekado Banks, Dremo x Mayorkun, Oma Mahmud, Teffy and more. Dig in and enjoy.
Olamide – “Loading” featuring Bad Boy Timz
December is officially here and although we’re looking forward to the festivities, we can’t gloss over the impact COVID-19 will have on the music industry this year. Concerts and festivals have been cancelled and replaced with socially distanced live shows and everyone from Wizkid to Burna Boy has lined up something interactive but safe for their fans. So it’s fitting that when Olamide chose to release the latest video for his standout single “Loading” featuring Bad Boy Timz, off his recently released album ‘Carpe Diem’, he tapped into some very quirky features to bring the song’s exhilarating message to life.
The Clarence Peters-directed video is an immersive VR experience that takes viewers on an inebriated journey into a world entirely of Olamide’s making. Here, viewers are in full control of their viewing experience, with the ability to immerse themselves deeper into this colourful and vibrant world with just the click of a cursor button. In this reality, everything is vibrant or nostalgic, it’s the perfect video for these times.
Ojahbee x Oxlade – “Dutty Love”
The music industry got a lot of representation from Oxlade and his manager, Ojahbee during the EndSARS protests. They showed great courage in the frontline of the fight against police brutality and Ojahbee is most likely to still carrying scars from when he was illegally detained and harassed by the police. However, the duo shows us that they’re lovers not fighters on their new collaboration, “Dutty Love”, where Oxlade sings over the catchy r&b infused-afropop instrumental produced by Ojahbee. The song is a mixed bag of playful innuendos for a late-night rendezvous as we hear Oxlade sing romantic lyrics to convince his muse he’d do anything to prove his love.
Reekado Banks – “Mama”
Reekado Banks has blessed fans with a new 7-track EP, Off the Record which boasts of impressive features from Tiwa Savage, Mr Eazi, Attifaya, EO, Kida Kudz, and Tanzanian’s top pop star, Harmonize. The Kida Kudz and EO track, “Need More” announced the tape’s aim to highlight Reekado Banks’ diverse sonic pallet as well as his global range of influence as he sang over a grime beat. However, after hearing the rest of the EP, it’s clear that he can deliver a far more convincing performance when tributing his home country.
“Mama” is the tape’s last track and it’s dedicated to celebrating the local sound of the continent. Tee Y Mix produced the groovy instrumentals, inspired by the Soukous sound of Congo while Reekado Banks and Harmonize take turns convincing their muse and listeners of the beauty of the continent.
Di’ja – “Inyamuri”
Di’ja has continued to serve us with tunes that are inspired by her northern Nigerian heritage. Her latest single, “Inyamuri” is a love song which she sings in her heavily Hausa-accented voice. Di’ja has always had a great voice and watching her wield it as a traditionally-inclined artist has been surprisingly refreshing.
On “Inyamuri” her lyrics, “I’m in love with Inyamuri” are desperately romantic as she celebrates her love, singing “Spoil me with money/ he buy me designer”. “Inyamuri” is expected to feature on the Mavin singer’s upcoming EP, ‘Aphropop, Vol. 1’ as she continues to build anticipation for the tape.
Zinoleesky – “Kilofeshe”
The Nigerian music scene is filled with great talents who are appreciated all over the world for our local sound. However, we’ve seen time and time again that our artists aren’t shy to acknowledge great music from other parts of the continent when they hear it. The South African Amapiano sound is hot at the moment and Zinoleesky is the latest artist to tap the sound as he sings over the afro-house rhythm for his new single, “Kilofeshe”.
Saying “ordinary things no fit move me again/ seun ti o fe she”, Zinoleesky continues in line with the cocky celebrity attitude we heard from his last single, “Ma Pariwo”. But it doesn’t get in the way of the catchy Amapiano beat produced by Niphkeys. It’s impossible to resist the beat’s invitation to dance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZGbkhHILyk
Dremo x Mayorkun – “E Be Tins”
One thing you can always count on the DMW boys to deliver, is good humour. On Dremo’s new single, “E Be Tins” he references the funny Ghanaian slang while bragging about the irresistible charm of their good looks. The song also features label mate, Mayorkun who handles the chorus and kills it in usual fashion. Fresh VDM produced the beat for “E Be Tins”, with dominant synths swirling around mesmerizingly to make the song catchy while Dremo and Mayorkun deliver expressive wordplay.
Pheelz – “One Life”
Pheelz has followed up his debut single, “Gobe”, featuring Olamide and Naira Marley with a new single titled “One Life”. The song introduces the renowned producer as a singer and songwriter as we hear him laying down melodic vocals over the self-produced beat. He already showcased his skill at making dancefloor bangers with his catchy production on his debut single, “One Life” as well as his production contribution to the catalogue of hitmakers like Tiwa Savage, Olamide, Fireboy DML and others. For “One Life”, he continues to impress, this time embracing the ambient sound of the South African house genre while infusing horn samples to make it more distinct. The tranquil ambiance of the beat fits with the carefree message of his lyrics, saying “I go live life like I don’t care”. We made it to another weekend and deserve songs like this to remind us to rest and relax.
Oma Mahmud – “NOW!!!”
Oma Mahmud is back with a new release ahead of the year-end. For his latest, the singer releases a new and energetic heavy rock-influenced single titled “NOW!!!” which is rife with urgency and anger against the oppression that many of us have faced through this year. He sings “I want to fight my oppressors but I don’t know how/I need my justice, I need it right now” he chants loudly on the song’s hook, trying to mull over his personal feelings about the actions that have plagued this year including the End SARS protests that shook the nation over a month ago. Though he’s not able to offer solutions to the many problems that Nigerians face in their country, “NOW!!!” is an honest and heavy look into the mind of a young Nigerian who is looking to music as a form of cathartic release.
Aina More – “Destiny”
British-Nigerian rapper and producer, Aina More closes out 2020 with a fiery new track titled “Destiny”. Co-produced by Aina More herself and producer Musiek Mambu, the track begins with an attention-grabbing sample of the Seun Kuti afrobeat classic “Bad Man Lighter” setting the tone for what’s set to be two-minutes of unfiltered, bruising raps. “Black women are the prototype/Too busy working on my EP and too introverted for a chat” she raps cockily over a heavy afro-drill beat, speaking about her come up in the industry while giving listeners a peek into what she’s been up to this year. It’s clear that she’s rouding off with a bang.
$odaman – “On The Way”
Atlanta-based rapper $odaman is back with a new single titled “On the Way”, a boisterous new single which sountracks the rapper’s comfortable life as it details everything that he has experienced from the money to the girls and anything else that comes from the astronomical rise to the top. “Had to get up and go get it, ain’t no other way” he raps on the song, showing that the life he boasts of has not come easy but through constant determination and hard work to stunt on his haters. In the Kharkee-directed visuals, we see the rapper enjoying the spoils of his labour, and we’d certainly hate to be his opps right now.
In the inaugural edition of the weekly Top 50 Turntable charts, we saw Wizkid’s “Ginger” featuring Burna Boy shoot up to the #1 spot in the country after the release of ‘Made in Lagos’. The following week, Davido’s “FEM” stole the show, re-entering the Top 50 charts the week leading up to the singer’s release of his third studio album ‘A Better Time’, which arrivedearlier this month. Since then, Davido has maintained his stranglehold of the charts, bagging subsequent #1 songs for three consecutive weeks, with songs off the newly-released project. After “FEM” came a “Holy Ground” featuring Nicki Minaj number one, and this week the spot belongs to the Mayorkun-assisted “The Best”.
The song tallied 35.77 million radio airplay audience impressions this week, rising from its debut position at #5 to become the top charting song on Turntable’s Radio Airplay Chart. “The Best” also drew in 2.06 million equivalent streams to top the Streaming Chart as well this week. This is an impressive run for Davido who just last week entered international charts including the official Afrobeats UK chart and the Billboard Top 200 Albums. However, this week, the charts aren’t entirely dominated by songs off Davido’s ‘A Better Time’ – as they were last week – but sees artists like Omah Lay and Olamide amongst the Top 10 pack.
Olamide’s single “Infinity” featuring Omah Lay rises to the #2 spot jumping up three spaces from last week. Following the release of his sophomore EP ‘What Have We Done’, Omah Lay’s standout track “Godly” enters the charts at #3. The track also debuts at No. 3 on Turntable’s Top Streaming Chart, after drawing 1.91 million equivalent streams, and starts at No. 5 on the Top Airplay Chart after tallying 29.74 million radio airplay audience impressions. Omah Lay now joins veterens Davido, Wizkid, and Olamide with multiple entries in the top 3 in a week.
Omah Lay’s latest charting success comes after the young star recorded his biggest opening week yet on Youtube Nigeria, earning 493,000 views within the week of its release. Outside the top ten, Omah Lay debuts on the chart with three other tracks off ‘What Have We Done’. “My Bebe” debuts at No. 13, “Can’t Relate” debuts at No. 22 and “Confessions” at No. 23., while his “Damn (Remix)” featuring 6lack returns to its peak of No. 11.
Other songs in the top 10 include Davido’s “FEM” which moves down to #4 and Olamide’s “Triumphant” featuring Bella Schmurda which is #5 this week. Davido’s “Holy Ground” featuring Nicki Minaj drops to No. 6 after debuting top of the chart last week, while another former No. 1 song Wizkid’s “Ginger” featuring Burna Boy drops to #7 this week. Bella Shmurda’s “Cash App” with Zlatan & Lincoln jumps from 13 to 8 after peaking at No. 7 two weeks ago, and Patoranking’s “Abule” rises 2 positions to #9 while Davido’s “Jowo” backtracks to No. 10 from its No. 4 peak.
Staying true to our mission reshape the face of African popular culture, The NATIVE team curates a monthly list to spotlight the best and most exciting new artists on the continent. Some of these artists have dropped songs to some regional acclaim, while others are brand new on the block, working towards their first big break. Tune in to what’s next. Click here for September’s Fresh Meat.
Last month, due to the civil unrest throughout Nigeria, we were unable to present our picks of the best new artist of October. After a full month filled with sober reflection of the injustices we face as African citizens. Whilst in Nigeria we were calling out for the end of police brutality, the women of Namibia were standing up against gender-based violence, our brothers and sisters in The Congo were fighting against the poor government and exploitation of young citizens.
This month, however, even though nothing has changed, we’re getting back into the groove of things and music is starting to sound better again. Of course, new artists from all over the globe have been holding it down as usual, and the artists all over Africa haven’t disappointed.
This month, before the nightmare of 2020 comes to an end, we’ve scoured all corners of the Internet for all the music we may have missed throughout the year. With a mix of artists who have been in the game for a few years, to people who have made their debut only a few weeks ago, here’s our pick of the best new artists this month.
Marcus Harvey
In late October 2019, South African singer Marcus Harvey made his official debut with “Mosadi”, a booming, electro-r&b song where his raw voice was the main draw, amidst the delightfully icy layers of sound crafted by KaeB. Having cut his teeth with open mic showcases, Marcus’ impressive debut outing indicated an artist already several steps deep into the developmental stage of his craft. The same conviction in his nascent abilities carries into his sophomore collaboration with KaeB, “Sweet Seduction”, singing in a spectral, sensuous vocal tone over a jazzy hip-hop instrumental.
Capitalising on the growing interest generated by these confident showings, Marcus released his debut album, ‘I Am Marcus Harvey: You Don’t Know Me Yet’, in April, led off by the lilting lead single, “Find Your Love”. Marcus’ debut LP is a function of an omnivorous sonic palette and his unflinching dedication to expressing himself openly, unifying into a resounding statement from an artist still finding himself, much in the same the album subtitle motions towards the audience. The opener, “Areyeng” leans into languid tribal folk, as he sings of the zeal required to press on, while paying homage to the women who raised him. On the closer, “Let It Burn”, Marcus rolls his anxieties into hydroponic buds and puffs them out over a sparse reggae groove.
The major portion of the 11-track album is defined by romantic concerns, with Marcus mostly singing enthusiastically about the highs of mutual parties falling into one another. “I believe that what we have is so special/girl, you so precious/what’s your desires?” he sings atop the slightly off-kilter hip-hop drums of “Walk N Talk”, symbolic of the plaintive writing embedded in the project. Sometimes, it can veer towards cheesy, but Marcus’ voice—which can trail into a slinky falsetto and swing into bouncy, rap-adjacent cadence—helps to bolster his developing lyricism. Although unified by a recognisable ambience, ‘I Am Marcus Harvey’ pulls in a variety of influences from neo-soul, outré folk, electro-soul and the ‘90s flavour of r&b pioneered by Timbaland, culminating in a bricolage of sounds that adds colour, several textures, and teases out the expanse of Marcus’ voice.
Since the release of his debut and the support it has accumulated from an increasing pack of supporters, Marcus has scored several major co-signs, appearing as Apple Music’s spotlight rising artist in June, and he was part of a recent Adidas campaign. Fat Joe, The Game and Monte Booker are amongst high profile names the singer’s music has captivated; collaborations with these artists even seems very likely. It’s difficult to term Marcus’ breakout as meteoric, especially considering that we’re in a time when the Internet makes superstars within moments, however, the strides he’s achieved in just over a year since his debut are impressive. The best part is, he’s figuring it out right in front of a growing audience, a sign that he’s interested in strapping for the long ride.
Moliy
Two weeks ago, Amaarae released her much-anticipated but album, The Angel You Don’t Know. The takeaways from the album were innumerable, but arguably the most invaluable finding was our discovering of the rising Ghanaian singer, Moliy, who seamlessly assisted Amaarae and starred on standout tracks, “FEEL A WAY” and “SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY” respectively.
This alliance was almost indistinguishable; Moliy expertly moulded herself into a twin flame for Amaarae’s uniquely enticing vocal technique, but that did not, by any means mean Moliy’s own sonic identity was lost. Matching Amaarae’s high pitched vocals, Moliy’s performances on TAYDK complement her host’s American accents with Ghanaian intonations that invite the local soundscape onto the celestial tracks with more attentive singing practices. Envious singing abilities and an afro-pop tongue are what you’ll find on Moliy’s debut EP, Wondergirl. You’ll also find all the songs she’s ever put out on that project, ironically (though not unprecedentedly) ending with her first discoverable single, “Jonny”.
A typical laid-back, slow-paced afropop number, “Jonny” was a strong start from the 22-year old Molly Ama Montgomery, who made the debut last December. A reasonable introduction to Moliy, in this respect, “Jonny” doesn’t quite compare to its preceding track, “Ghana Bop”, which sees Moliy singing and rapping over a dynamic beat, whilst putting her home on the map. Repping Ghana worldwide which is one of Moliy’s professional goals, the second is to empower and support women working within the male-dominated music industry, as she knows all too well of its androcentric difficulties. After a bar of Latin-inspired strings, “Ghana Bop” begins with Moliy proclaiming, “everything I do, I’m killing it,” in a spoken rap cadence that she later swaps out for more melodic bars, expected considering her singing talents. Full of pop music quips such as, “now you mad over me Runtown, I dey do bad girl Rih man down”, Moliy’s lyricism, her dexterity and her vocal skills are all on show on this laid-back yet dance-inducing number.
As a true Gen-Zer, Moliy is not confined by four walls belonging to one style or genre. Though she does have a pop-leaning forte, as “Ghana Bop” and her featured appearances (on TAYDK and “Medellin” by Fresh Meat alum, Hermez) reveal, Moliy will eat up anything that is put in front of her. Her versatility is palpable not only in her small but mighty discography so far, but also in her lyricism and subject matter. A keen fan of romance novels and poetry – which has helped refine her writing skills – of course, Moliy knows how to deliver a love-inclined tune; but she also has much more to offer her ever-growing number of listeners. On Wondergirl alone, Moliy is longing for love, stirring up the party and fondly recalling her high. Aptly titled “Loud”, this fitting intro informs listeners of the state of mind they should be in to enjoy Moliy music. Whether it’s the blunt, “four, five shots in a row,” or another substance of your choice, Moliy promises to take you even higher.
Deshinor
Deshinor is not your typical Fresh Meat, given that he’s been in the music scene for quite some time, marking over five impressive years in the game so far. His career has been more of a slow burner with a handful of loose singles under his belt landing the artist the 2017 Nigerian Entertainment award for Most Promising Act to Watch. But Deshinor’s career began to truly blossom when he went through some personal growth, and came into a more well-rounded view of his sound. It’s his debut project ‘Desh the EP’, released earlier this month that cements the Nigerian-born artist as a formidable vocalist and songwriter.
On the 7-track project, Deshinor paints the picture of a colourful, infectious, and musically varied body of work that showcases his stellar penmanship and his mastery at sounding off honeyed-toned words of affection for the object of his desire. The album opener “Adura” is a soft-sounding ballad that incorporates acoustic strings and vivid percussive patterns creating a rich, soulful atmosphere. Deshinor sings praises to God and his woman, thanking both of them for standing by his side through all the tribulations for all these years. After graciously welcoming us into his world, things begin to pick up steam on the Runtinz-produced single “Pemi” where Deshinor dips into his romantic bag. Listening to the record, you can tell this is where Deshinor feels his most confident, chanting off romantic lyrics with the intention to score the attention of the woman of his dreams. And there are fewer lines as romantic as a love interest serenading their lover with lines such as “if you need somebody to fight for you, I go slap soldier” and Deshinor clearly knows that.
“Gawu”, on the other hand,is afropop at its core, infectiously catchy and likely to have you busting your best zanku on the dancefloor. Couched between percussion and deletable drum patterns, Deshinor turns his affection back to what’s familiar–women. He’s is clearly unafraid of letting his desires and affections known, and he uses many of the songs on this project to show off this romantic side of him. “Fade” is perhaps the album’s centrepiece, where we see the artist singing over pop-tinged production about a love interest. Deshinor is on his best form, digging into the frustrating romantic moments of his life to produce a number that is equal parts pensive and sanguine. The song’s production provides the backdrop for his message: he promises to give all of himself towards this love and only asks that the feelings be reciprocated from Fade.
On the album’s final track “Ire”, Deshinor rounds things off with a final glance at the past life he is leaving behind, as he steps into a new phase of his life. He sings “make my sounds dey blow/make the money pile high high” succinctly surmising his intentions for wanting to make it big in the music industry. It’s clear that the artist is not merely wishful thinking but making a concerted effort to do the work and actualise his visions. His contribution to Laycon’s latest single, “Hip Hop”, has been felt in waves, given that the song consistently maintains a spot in the Top 50 songs on the official Turntable charts, placing the singer in the limelight. We will no doubt get more jams to enjoy from Deshinor. Watch this space.
Sipho the Gift
Sipho the Gift has been dreaming of his life as a rapper since he was seven years old. A diligent student of the works of Dr. Dre, Eminem, and 50 Cent, and South African legends like Skwatta Kamp, Khuli Chana, and more, Sipho the Gift constantly fine-tuned his craft until he was ready to invite listeners into his world. But now his world has grown into a carefully mapped out sonic universe where he audaciously explores his feelings, thoughts, and fears without any drawback.
Now well-armed with three EP’s and two full-length albums, it’s clear that Sipho the Great is as hardworking and conscientious as they come. The rapper/producer has been operating within the South African music scene since 2015 when he released his debut self-produced mixtape ‘Coming of Age’ at the age of twenty-one, the decisive genesis for his brand of introspective rap infused with alternative and melodic elements. Two years later, he followed this up with the 6-track sophomore EP ‘Kintsgui’, an introspective project which put his darker thoughts on full display and unearthed his penchant for vivid storytelling. Each new body of work is akin to discovering a newer, well-refined side of the artist who clearly has command and understanding of his psyche and translates this graciously in song.
Regardless of the beat, Sipho the Gift effortlessly glides across it, taking no prisoners as he decimates his contemporaries and shows off his lyrical chops. His sophomore album, 2019’s ‘iNDiGO’ is home to some of his most introspective work to date. He has conversations with himself on the beat, switching from existential questions on “YOuNG AND LAZY” featuring Lucille Slade to comparing himself to late political figure “MANSA MUSA”, contemplating father-son relationships on “A FATHERS LOVE” and skittishly glides over a drill beat on “BOY” as he hurls out relentless raw raps. Throughout the project, he never fails to remind listeners of his roots, the album is bookended with snippets of his native tongue and pidgin at other moments, grounding the work in his South African heritage.
This year, Sipho the Gift continues to expand his arsenal releasing a string of singles and contributing guest features to artists of his ilk. It’s no surprise that this year, the rapper/producer linked up with our Issue 004 Trybe album, Psycho YP for a bouncy new single titled “ON MY JOB” which sees both artists feeding into each other’s flashy, trash-talking bars. Their synergy is impeccable, as they list off profane boasts with ease over a frenzy of bass and hi-hats. “They fucking with me like it’s Diddy in his prime” Sipho boasts, his bars audibly cocky, though with his impeccable pen, it’s hard to imagine him not getting brash. Earlier this year, Sipho the Gift also released his third EP ‘Bloom’ earlier in the summer, as a way of soundtracking his growth so far. In a recent interview, the artist shared “I’m at a stage where I can masterfully dictate my sound and express my thoughts and I love it. It’s a celebration of my growth artistically, gratitude for everything that’s brought me here, and a statement of my future intentions: keep growing and refining.” From the masterful grasp of his cadence and structure on the project to the rapid-fire verses, it’s clear that Sipho the Gift is here for a long time. Give him his flowers now.
Yellw
In the 90s, heartfelt confessional songs were the hallmark of r&b music. These days, that vulnerability seems to have been replaced by disrespectful and flashy lyrics in our current hip-hop and dancehall dominated music space. However, artists like Tems and Odunsi who are radically rewriting the sound of Nigerian mainstream music with their charting r&b songs confirming that expressing sensitive emotions isn’t completely out of fashion.
Though Victor Dagogo (AKA Yellw) is from Nigeria, a country that seems like it raises its GDP via dancefloor-filling music, he doesn’t shy from making hyper-emotional songs about his yearning for love. In 2018, he shared some snippets of himself singing on his Instagram, yet, kept his face hidden because he wasn’t quite comfortable with showcasing his singing face yet. The snippets which are still accessible via his Instagram account, indicate that like the serene yellow sunflowers that inspired his stage name, Yellw’s voice evokes passionate sentiments from listeners with meaningful and distinct lyrics as he sings over acoustic instrumentals that let his voice take centre stage. The post was met with positive feedback about his meticulous attention to acoustic sounds and his lush voice that transformed heartbreak into wistful bliss as while narrating his relatable tale of romance.
Yellw eventually released “Tell Me”, his official debut single the following year, 2019 and proved that the heartfelt sentiments of the 90s era of r&b still remains today as he turned the lens on himself and excoriate the deepest recess of his mind, offering listeners catharsis in the process. Singing “You gotta tell me/ is this real or fantasy”, the song questioned why anyone would love him knowing how unattractive he can be and it established him as a bonafide voice for this generation, tortured by our search for something real in the superficiality that characterises our lives.
He has now shared his debut tape, ‘Wishful Thinking’, offering four wholesome R&B tracks that narrate his relationship woes. The opening track, “Hello” is an instant classic of telecommunications-themed romance, and in the vein of every love song previously featuring a telephone, the chilling dial-tone of his lover’s answering machine provides context for the melancholic mood he sustains through most of the tape. On the next track, “Stay”, we hear him pleading with his lover to stay with him forever before he then goes the risqué route on the 3rd track, “Can We ?”, where he channels his romantic passion to perform a lustful tribute to his muse.
Yellw’s newly released EP introduces him as a singer returning to the dark halls of r&b and finding himself in the process. With each track, he delivers hushed bedroom confessions that take each component of r&b to its most-felt heights— he explored the genre’s sly seduction on “Can We ?”, was unapologetic blunt on “Stay” and grieved for lost love on “Want This”. He told us at NATIVE that for him, recording these songs was a way for him to escape from his struggle with his identity, relationships and toxic traits, hence the title, Wishful Thinking. And with his earnestly expressive songwriting, acoustic production and dreamy vocals, it’s a conversation shifting tape that earmarks the singer as one to watch.
Vader
Although Vader dropped his debut project, ‘King of the Night’ on SoundCloud in 2017 (a generation ago in internet time), he still remains on the cusp of breaking out to the mainstream. This hasn’t kept him from releasing new music for fans who have continued to show cult-like support for Vader’s music.
Vader mostly performs as a rapper, but he has shown that he’s also an accomplished singer who can hold a note on tracks like “Missing You”. He recently shared a new EP, ‘Stars Die, Knights Don’t’, extending his volatile instincts through the angsty 7-track tape that blurs the lines between trap and afropop to create a cohesive sound that genuinely radical, but also polarising. Though the beats were inevitably influenced by hip-hop, the songs weren’t bound to it. On the afropop-influenced track, “Farawe” for instance, he laced the celebratory vibe of the dancehall melodies with trap productions that will turn any spot into a party.
“This for the pretty young thang that’s trying to figure out what to do”, he sang on the tape’s standout track, “Bye Nebula”, before advising listeners not to give up on their dreams. In a statement shared along with the tape’s announcement, Vader explained that the project was inspired after the events of this year made him realise he was naive for wishing he was a star. He now believes that surviving alone isn’t enough as we must fight to keep our dreams alive. This combative attitude gives the tape a brooding ambience that’s heard from the opening track, “If I Die” and still retained on the boastful tracks, “Vices” and “The Man”, where he delivers a Travis Scott-esque melodic rap performance.
The tape marks him as the latest in a linage of artists like Kida Kudz and Prettyboy DO who’ve been moving in this direction lately as they nudge the sound of afropop and hip-hop towards a middle ground. It feels natural that after a fleet of talented artists spent the 2010s reviving indigenous melodies by fusing in elements from r&b and EDM, another wave of acts would come along to transmute that decade’s aesthetic into the hip-hop sound dominating radio all over the world. His latest EP shines with immersive production that earns the tape critical acclaim. For the first time since he debuted in 2017, he seems to be reaching more people than ever before during his stint in the game.
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Featured image credits/NATIVE
Words by: Adewojumi Aderemi, Dennis Ade-Peter, Debola Abimbolu & Tami Makinde
Multifaceted creative, Nneoma Kanu doesn’t like to refer to herself as a videographer even though her penchant for visual storytelling makes the label hard to run away from with each creative project she embarks on. That said, this year alone, she’s been tapped by creatives like rapper and Fresh Meat Alum, SGaWD who saw potential in the budding videographer and trusted her with the lyric and music video for her latest single “Feel Alright”. For a young woman who taught herself to code and shoot during her formative years, it feels like a full-circle moment for the DC-based creative who is now rolling out her very own website.
Unveiled last month, her exciting new website (found at the shiny dot.com nneoma.work) is an immersive and interactive space for the multidisciplinary creative to properly document and account for all the incredible work she’s taking on, boasting of everything from her inimitable videography skills to her knack for design, creative writing, playlist making and photography. The decision to create her website now was borne out of her desire to work with more creatives and expand her growing resume as she taps directly into the creative scene in Nigeria.
“I have this hunger to tell a story and to document and really just give my own perspective because my experience is multicultural and that has afforded me this unique perspective on a lot of different things.”
Nneoma’s passion for storytelling was borne from her non-traditional upbringing. Her parents, who were first-generation Igbo citizens were deeply fascinated by the arts and amassed a vast collection of artistic relics and valuables, teaching a young Nneoma the importance of history and documentation of culture and tradition from a very young age. It was her desire to reconnect with her Igbo ancestry and spirituality in the last year that informed a lot of the work she now undertakes as she reveals that everything she does is in a bid to exalt her ancestry and tap into these lost memories that help guide her work.
She believes that it’s her job to document the monumental times in history she is privy to witness. She says, “I wouldn’t even call myself a videographer, but I am just someone who is very passionate about telling stories exactly as they occurred,” and this is what she has spent the majority of the year doing. Earlier this summer, we audaciously fought against police brutality following the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and as a creative living in D.C, the epicentre of America’s socio-political affairs, Nneoma felt compelled to document the protests that took place right on her doorstep.
“I felt obligated to pull out my camera and take note of what was going on for the present and for the future,” she tells me. History is very important to the visual archivist who sees it as a personal mission to document everything for fear of our history been whitewashed, wiped out, and erased. It’s this same passion that she brings to the current #EndSARS protests taking place in Nigeria. Though she’s not home to record videos herself, she’s been collating an archive of videos and pictures from protesters on the ground in the country, in preparation for a video collage that celebrates the drive and determination of young Nigerians. For her, this is quite unlike anything many young Nigerians have ever experienced, and as a creative, she’s vowed to take an active step in joining this current movement in her own way.
The influence of her stylistic inspiration is palpable in her work especially that of Emmy-nominated Kahlil Joseph whose avant-garde cinematography has earned him a league of his own in the art and pop culture scene. She’ll modestly deny this if you draw these parallels, which she chucks up to the battle with anxiety to share her work publicly. “I don’t think I am ever going to get over that fear of putting myself out there, it’s almost like you’re naked in front of people,” she tells me. Her creative work, therefore, can be best described as an emboldened attempt to work past the self-doubt and become a consistent player in the budding creative scene sprouting up in the cities she now calls home – London, Lagos, and DC.
Though she’s nowhere near where she wants to be, Nneoma is still growing her CV religiously and she’s most proud of her work with the young rapper SGaWD who she connected with earlier in the year. “I love Seddy’s work and when she came up with the idea to include her supporters and make a fan-inclusive video, I really admired her vision and hopped on board,” she tells me. Due to the tumultuous year, we have all had that demands we remain socially distanced from each other, Nneoma knew that the importance of SGaWD’s vision would shine through and she saw an area to diligently hone her skills.
The video titled ‘When Does It Feel Right?’ is an honest exploration of love in all its many phases; examining the tell-tale signs that young people feel when they are in love. Right at the onset of the visual feast, we are introduced to cinematic films that touch on romantic love from black love represented in Mati Diop’s Atlantics to queer love in Barry Jenkin’s Moonlight. This stylistic choice was necessary for Nneoma to drive the song’s heartwarming message home being a die-hard romantic herself.
Nneoma reminds me that the entire point of her new website is to be a one-stop hub where she could present all her work in a way that puts her in total control of her vision. One quick look at the website reveals that this is not a regular run of the mill content that she’s churning out but ostensibly an immersive and creative world of her own making. She channeled her love for video games from her younger days and her nostalgia for websites like Tumblr into the site’s creation and now she’s ready to share it with the world.
At the moment, Nneoma is just trying to make it through this year unscathed as living between America and Nigeria has been bleak this year. Caught between both worlds, Nneoma is channeling all her energy into her work and her undergraduate degree in environmental sustainability. She tells me, “everything I am doing is just an exaltation of myself, my body, my family, my past, my ancestors, my future, my children” and that’s the reason she deftly works in her lived experiences into her art. So even when she seems to be playing by the rules, she finds her own way to break and remold them.
“I want to be able to reach more like-minded people and more people that are willing to collaborate.
One thing I am looking forward to with putting this out there is that just building connections with people and being able to add my perspective to someone’s vision or them being able to add to my vision”.
We doubt that it’s a coincidence that Timaya’s new album, ‘Gratitude’ has 15 tracks and was released 15 years after the singer released his debut single in 2005, “Dem Mama”. The Bayelsa-raised singer is the type of artist to leave Easter egg trails for fans to find, and the album is essentially his way of expressing his appreciation for his successful music career so far and sharing his approach to life’s uncertainties – “This life I can’t kill myself oh/ Allow me to flex oh”. And with his numerous accomplishments—including a Grammy nomination in 2017 for his contribution on Morgan Heritage’s album, ‘Avrakedabra’—Timaya has the range to flex on anybody as he flexed his muscles by performing all the tracks on the album without including any guest features.
Timaya has never been afraid of saying it exactly as it is when it comes to expressing how he feels. On “Dem Mama”, his debut single which broke him out to the mainstream, he gave an unflinching portrayal of the brutality he experienced at the hands of the Nigerian security forces in 1999, when soldiers attacked his village in Bayelsa. The Odi Massacre, as it was called was carried out on the 20th of November in Odi town in Bayelsa state, where Timaya grew up. The attack was triggered by the Niger Delta conflict over indigenes’ rights to the region’s oil-rich lands. And just like they’ve done with recent Lekki Massacre, the Obasanjo also denied involvement with the attack. According to the government’s claims, the military was ambushed on their way to the village at the time of the attack. Unfortunately, we didn’t have access to social media live broadcasts or CCTV camera recordings to show proof that the military did in fact attack villagers in Bayelsa in 1999, however, Timaya made sure that the incident won’t be swept under the rug by narrating his personal account of the attack.
Singing “This na reality. Well e bin happen for Bayelsa oh/ 1999 oh/ I swear I no go forget am oh/ when them kill the people oh/ And them make the children them orphans oh”, his message was pointed and conveyed a sentiment that’s familiar to us today after experiencing the Lekki massacre and watching the government refuse to take accountability for their actions and loss of innocent lives during the protests. Even with all the evidence in the world, they still wouldn’t admit to the killings.
Thinking back, I never realised the weight of “Dem Mama” when it was getting massive radio play back in 2005. It was very popular and I’m sure I even joined in to sing along with the catchy rhythm of his lyrics, “I say them don killi Dem mama eh, dem papa eh/ I say them don killi dem mama, dem papa, dem mama eh”. It’s hard to imagine such violent words being sung endearingly, but many of us have sung joyously to the upbeat record that announced Timaya’s arrival into the Nigerian music scene.
Timaya has since made other types of songs including 2013’s soundscape-defining hit song, “Ukwu” that showed he can be as carefree and as he’s conscious and self-aware. The subversive message of “Dem Mama” didn’t stop it from becoming a stadium anthem and it certainly didn’t keep Timaya from becoming one of the biggest Nigerian artists of the last decade. Though we’ve seen the government clampdown on EndSARS activists by blocking bank accounts and even detaining some, Timaya’s unapologetic affront to the government on “Dem Mama” should encourage artists to channel our current political climate into making the type of fist-pumping anthems that can provide the motivation we need to fight against any oppressive government.
Watch the video for Timaya’s “Dem Mama” below.
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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
After a mostly quiet run this year, Teni the Entertainer is back with a bang unveiling the announcement of her forthcoming album, the follow up to her debut EP ‘Billionaire’last year. To close out the year, she’s just released her latest single titled “Jo”, an up-tempo bop that’s in usual Teni fashion is guaranteed to get you on your feet and dancing to its infectious rhythm.
On “Jo”, Teni teams up with talented producer, P.Priime for an upbeat number that reminds listeners to unplug from the stress of life and enjoy themselves by dancing away their worries–even if just for a moment.
Over the energetic beat, she sings, “I can’t come and kill myself, ontop another man/dance like Michael/dance away your sorrow”, with a relaxed vocal inflection throughout the song. Her message is simple but she makes even the mundane sound exciting and sings with unbridled confidence about focusing on your enjoyment. Speaking about the new single, the singer shared that,
“It’s been a crazy and emotionally draining year, and I just feel the world needs to end the year with a bang.”
Listen to “Jo” below.
Featured image credits/michaelsopejohnson
.@tamimak_ is just trying to make it to the end of the year
Back in October, Boiler Room x Ballantine’s welcomed their first True Music showcase since the coronavirus ravaged the Earth and placed crowd restrictions on public gatherings in most countries around the world. Returning with a new series, Boiler Room x Ballantine’s True Music ‘In The Round’ was conceived with the aim of joining communities in an intimate setting, whilst adhering to social distancing measures. On the day, the reimagined structure of this live show consisted of an in-person live audience of fifty members, joined by an online community of faces tuned in via a live stream on Zoom. Those that weren’t able to attend the event weren’t left out either. Since the show, Boiler Room x Ballantine’s have released videos of Zilo and Mr Eazi’s performances as well as a short film that depicts how Mr Eazi made his grand return to the main stage, for the first time since the pandemic began.
Preparing for his tour right as the WHO issued the global warning that COVID-19 was a certified global threat, Mr Eazi has had, up until this Boiler Room x Ballantine’s True Music In The Round headline, a year devoid of live shows. As an artist whose music lends itself to raves across seas, who is known for hosting and performing at festivals around the world – from his Life Is Eazi Culture Fest in London, 2017, to his debut at Coachella last year – the ‘rona’s effect on live music showcases certainly took its toll on Mr Eazi. However, as much as the banku don is a party-starter, the positivity expelled from his music is one that has blossomed from within. Where others might wallow and dwell in missed opportunities, Mr Eazi created new ones for himself, for example, conquering his fear of busking, accompanied by guitarist Tim Newman.
“Having that new experience was initially daunting but, in the end, really exciting for me,” Mr Eazi tells NATIVE. As the world has continued to adapt to a new way of living, we’ve all been encouraged to find new ways in which to convey our creative expressions. Mr Eazi tried his hand at busking, photographer, Daniel Obasi took a step in front of the camera, Amaarae delivered a full animated music video, Homecoming collaborated with Browns to bring the youth their usual streetwear marketplace, this time accessible from the comfort of our homes. Although this year has been excruciating and traumatising, in coping with the innumerable curveballs 2020 threw our way, we have grown more innovative, experimental and resilient; “it’s a learning curve, and I love a new challenge,” Mr Eazi tells us, going on to express that to still be able to do what he loves (performing), no matter how different that looks these day, is ultimately “a real blessing.”
“Things can go on in different ways,” Mr Eazi opens the Boiler Room x Ballantine’s True Music In The Round short film, which followed the headline act through his evening at the event, “the fact that it’s different isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” he said privately to NATIVE. Greeting the Zoom audience with the same effusive excitement as he did the sit-in members, Mr Eazi’s live performance was typically as bubbly and dance-inducing as it always is, despite the fact that UK government restrictions prohibited live audiences from standing up. At-home audience spectators, however, were able to join the Mr Eazi’s energetic up and downs as he reached the climax of ‘Life Is Eazi, Vol. 2: Lagos To London’ hit single, “Miss You Bad”. Given time in the short film to narrate the peculiarities of enjoying live music in this detached way, both the at-home audience and the audience present on the night, could be seen throughout the film, delivering nods, in some cases head-bangs, of approval for our apparent new reality.
“Music is that one thing that keeps us going – sad times, happy times, crazy times”
Mr Eazi’s performance came at one of the most turbulent times in Nigeria’s sixty-year history – at the height of the #EndSARS movement. Nigerians have always had a keen affinity for music, it colours our most important experiences, so it was no surprise that music was also a focal point during the #EndSARS protest period. As Davido’s “FEM” took on a new life as a resistance anthem of the Nigerian youth who will not be fooled by the empty promises of our leaders, viral verses blossomed into full blown songs that narrated the ongoing fight for our basic rights. But beyond the music itself, its artists also played a key role in the protests, using their platform and influence to inspire, inform, donate and, most importantly, serve. From his distant London location, Mr Eazi was doing so too.
“Supporting people on the ground in any way possible is so important, whether as a mouthpiece, signing petitions or through monetary donations – these are all things that will help strengthen our community that will lead to improvements,” he tells NATIVE, when asked about the poignant message printed across his concert hoodie. “Just because I have a presence, doesn’t mean I am disconnected from what’s going on and I want to raise awareness as much as possible in order to promote healthy change in the system.” More than a musician with a platform, Mr Eazi himself has been victimised by the criminal element masquerading as a police unit before, for non-issues as simple as having dreadlocks; Mr Eazi was always going to join in the campaign to #EndSARS.
“Ultimately, the collective consciousness of the Nigerian youth across the world has been elevated and now we are holding the government accountable, so we pray that from this comes change.”
This week, End SARS protesters have returned to the streets in a resurgence of the movement, owing to continued, brazen lawless on behalf of our government. Noting the structural barriers to justice and freedom in Nigeria, Mr Eazi is now looking beyond the protests, at ways in which we can see our revolutionary movement through to the end. “We must view the protests on the streets as a step forward and the next step is every one of us, such as you and I, getting more involved in selecting our leaders,” Eazi explains to NATIVE.
After a deeply dejecting year, most of us have been feeling understandably deflated. Using his first live performance since his COVID-cancelled tour to spread a message of hope for a better future, in our conversation Mr Eazi reminds Nigerians that we must keep going in our fight for justice: “We need to keep the energy and momentum.”
Image Credits: Vicky Grout/Boiler Room x Ballantine’s
Over the weekend, several disturbing reports reached that a number of farmers have been killed in northeastern Nigeria after gruesome attacks were allegedly carried out by the Boko Haram terror group. The reports came during the weekend in the early afternoon of Saturday when assailants descended upon the village of Koshobe and other rural communities located in the Jere local government area near Maiduguri.
“Armed men on motorcycles led a brutal attack on civilian men and women who were harvesting their fields,” Edward Kallon, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria shared. The incident is the most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year. I call for the perpetrators of this heinous and senseless act to be brought to justice,” said in a statement on Sunday. Although only 43 lives were first accounted for, the official numbers show that many more brutally lost their lives with the death toll now hitting over a 100 and is still on the rise.
Insurgents killed over 100 people in Nigeria’s Borno state. Attackers targeted farmers in rice fields, slitting their throats. At least 10 women are reported missing.
Attacks by militant groups Boko Haram and ISWAP have killed over 30,000 since 2009 and forced 2 million to flee. pic.twitter.com/Faosxb6tUG
News of the killings sent Nigerians at home and in the diaspora into an uproar as many feared that the government were incapable of tackling insecurity and had grown unbothered by the causal loss of human life as evidenced from their treatment of the Lekki massacres just a month ago. However, this would not be the first time that farmers are slaughtered for doing their job in the North as several reports coming from the area detail the worsening food crisis experienced in Borno and the ensuing targeted attacks on farmers.
According to the Cable, there were also reports that women in the area were kidnapped and taken from their homes forcefully during the attacks on Saturday afternoon with 10 women reported missing, AJ Plus confirms. The incumbent President Muhammudu Buhari expressed his “shock” over the killings but no one has been held accountable for the untimely death of many lives. A funeral service for those who died was held on Saturday and the Borno State Governor Babaganan Umara Zulum was in attendance of the ceremony. Zulum urged the federal government to recruit more soldiers, Civilian Joint Task Force members, and Civil defence Fighters to protect farmers in the region.
Over the past few weeks, the Nigerian government has employed a number of tactics to clamp down on young Nigerians who were involved in the End SARS protests that swept through the country last month. From the news that attorney, Moe Odele’s passport was seized pending investigation by the DSS, to the unlawful imprisonment of the Abuja Six and Eromosele in Lagos, it has now become increasingly clear that the government viewed the protests as an affront to their long-standing rule and are taking steps to ensure that no uproar of similar magnitude occurs again.
Following the protests, the Nigerian government has been clamping down on the spread of false information and calling for reconsideration of the Social Media Bill in a bid to put more online censorship in place and control the narrative about affairs taking place in the country. Though steps are yet to be taken to ensure that this bill gets passed into law, it seems as though the government’s bid to enforce erasure and censorship was not just empty threats as news reached yesterday that the Feminist Coalition website is currently inaccessible to view when using local mobile networks in Nigeria.
The FemCo website is currently inaccessible in Nigeria except through a VPN.
All the writings on the wall are clear so it is important that everyone is aware of the tactics.
It seems bizarre that the government would restrict viewing and traffic on the Feminist Coalition website, when the members of the female-led group expressly stated that they would be bowing out of funding and assisting with the logistics for the End SARS protests over a month ago, following the brutal killings that took place in Lagos on October 20th. Just as they allegedly employed the CBN to hinder seamless transactions during the protests, the Nigerian government continues to show that they would rather make more effort to trump the demands of its citizens, than make the change we are merely asking for.
Up until yesterday, the FemCo website only contained the detailed breakdown of the allocation of pooled funds from donations and crowdfunding with the Coalition’s final statement, expressing their desire to remain committed to the group’s core mandate: championing the advancement of the Nigerian woman. Now, however, when you visit the website, the webpage does not load unless through a VPN. Damilola Odufuwa, one of the founding members of the Coalition shared that:
“It appears many people in Nigeria using various network providers cannot access our website without a VPN. Upon discovery, many of the coalition founding members tweeted about it and a lot of people confirmed. Someone actually tweeted it on November 12 but we missed it. It’s ridiculous that the website of a women’s rights organisation (with harmless details about who we are and a summary of our work so far) has been blocked. Why is a website with numbers and tables being blocked? Why are we being censored?”
This story is developing.
Featured image credits/FeministCoalition
.@tamimak_ is just trying to make it to the end of the year
Collaboration is one of the most important elements of music making. Right from orchestral compositions to modern-day artist/producer collabs, working with others always has a way of elevating the music making process. Rising musicians, Na-Ku and Trill Xoe – who air their latest collaboration, “8am in Lekki” with us tonight – view collaboration as one of their biggest assets.
Singer/rapper, Na-Ku and producer, Trill Xoe, have been collaborating with each other for a while; “Trill has been with me since the beginning… I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Trill,” Na-Ku tells me. So fond are they of working with others that they even have a group chat of like-minded creatives, including Davis who designed the poster, and it was in this creative mecca that “8am in Lekki” was born, just three weeks ago.
Producing the beat during one of the many rough patches this year has thrown at all of us, Trill Xoe shared “8am in Lekki” (which was almost called “8am in Lagos”) with his group chat, and instantly, Na-Ku gravitated towards the song, laying down vulnerable vocals that reflected Trill’s state of mind when making the beat.
Over the slow tempo track, Na-Ku opens up about a love gone sour, because his partner is going through it and projecting their pain into the relationship, as opposed to communicating and laying all things bare. “Say you’re fine but I do not believe ya,” Na-Ku sings, pointing at the mistake, we all make, of denying anything is wrong, when the opposite is blatantly true, because we wish to be strong. Speaking as the person wounded by the understandable dishonesty, Na-Ku’s melodic rap freestyle finds a way to be relatable from both perspectives.
Emotionally mature and honest, Na-Ku’s performance makes a sound accompaniment to Trill Xoe’s pensive beats, lined with shakers and light tinkers that add a spark of hope to the melancholy notes. As the song reaches its final minute, Trill Xoe’s beat is given a lot of space to shine, lulling listeners out, soothing, yet somber.
In advance of the single, NATIVE had the opportunity to speak to the rising artists about the new collaboration, and their plans for the future, in light of the fact that they have both come off the back of an extended musical break. Read below:
Interestingly, both of you have had long breaks before this last quarter, why did you decide to press pause on release music then?
Na-Ku: The hiatus wasn’t voluntary. If I could have not been on a break I would choose to do that, but some things were just happening in my life and I couldn’t make music for a while. It was just circumstance. If there’s anything about my journey so far that I regret the most, it’s that – that wasn’t part of my plan, I feel like it’s been really really a hindrance, but we’ll see what happens in the future.
I’ve planned my releases for next year. Compared to what I’ve dropped so far, everything from now is planned, it will be more strategic. I have basically just set myself up for the near future.
Trill Xoe: I didn’t want to drop music because I don’t really like promo, I don’t like working on those things, so I just said ‘you know what? I’m not dropping music.’ The last song I dropped was in 2018, so I took a two-year break. Then I came back, dropped “How To Act”. That song just came spontaneously, it’s one of those songs that I just felt, ‘this needs to be out.’ So now, I can take another break and just work on other people’s stuff, because I just really don’t like working on promo and everything, so that’s why I don’t drop music regularly.
N: The thing about break is, if you’re not already established, if you [fail to] put yourself out there for long enough, you risk being forgotten or starting over again, and that’s long.
T: But I mean, if you love the music you’ll just be like *shrug*
You are part of a group chat of creatives who all work together on the art, why is collaboration so important to you?
Trill Xoe: I love collaborating. Almost everything I work on is a collaboration, because I believe that I learn from other people when I work with them. [I] collaborate a lot; [I] collaborate with artists, collaborate with people on the internet, because I feel that it’s a learning process for me. I just love working with other people.
Na-Ku: Working with other people is great. With artists, for example, there are a lot of artists that I really want to work with, but we just don’t have the time or the songs to work on with other people. That sucks but it’s fine, when it’s meant to be, it will be. I recently started producing and collaborations are actually the only thing that’s really helping me, besides YouTube. Collaborations are really helping me make myself a better musician, because now – besides recording, being a rapper and singer – now I’m a producer. I’m not a producer like Trill [Xoe], but I’m getting there.
What did you learn from each other from this collaboration?
Trill Xoe: Na-Ku’s range. This is the first time he’s doing something like this.
Na-Ku: I don’t know, let me not lie. When I did “Love Like This”…
T: No, this one is different because there’s a slower tempo, the vibes [are different]. I feel like I learned his range, and [how to] push the guy. I didn’t even expect this; I just sent the beat because I was sad and I just sent it to the group chat. I know he can do a lot but when I heard the freestyle I was [speechless]. It’s been really amazing working on this song with this guy
N: Me, what I learned is that we work very well together, because that was fantastic. It was a really nice process.
In today’s world, citizens of countries from New Zealand, to Australia, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Germany and US states including Nevada, Arkansas and Colorado can legally register to identify as “X” gender or existing outside of the confines of the male or female binary tickbox. Over here in these parts, however, gender is approached as strictly either/or male and female, erasing and othering the experiences of many other Nigerians who are discovering their true selves: a self that exists outside the gender binaries and expectations that rule our patriarchal and misogynistic society.
Here in Nigeria, the idea that a person can choose to exist outside the two widely recognised and accepted genders is treated as foreign from the Nigerian experience. You need only think back to the vitriol that influencers such as Bobrisky and James Brown have received endlessly over the years for maintaining visible social media profiles as they audaciously flout expected gender norms. But for all their visibility, these two only represent one side of a multilayered experience that also encompasses but oftentimes leaves out transmen. Writer Vincent Desmond succinctly stated in NewsWire NGR a few months back that ‘…for many Nigerians, trans-ness is usually equated to being a transwoman, and…the concept of being non-binary typically exists outside the mental reality of many Nigerians.’ There’s no one right way to be transgender or nonbinary and it’s extremely harmful purporting such ideals.
Earlier in the year, Netflix rolled out a new documentary titled ‘Disclosure’, a deep look at the history of transgender representation in American media spanning from the beginning of film history to present-day portrayal in media. The documentary took into account the real-life experiences of trans and non-binary persons including Laverne Cox, Indya Moore, and many more, drawing out the ways in which media has been complicit in the erasure of trans and non-binary identities. But for all it’s honest portrayal of these identities on a global streaming platform, trans and non-binary representation has never been a more topical issue than today – at a time where authors like J.K Rowling and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie are able to pass off transphobic comments without facing any repercussions.
Back in 2018, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie came under heat for comments she had made on Britain’s Channel 4 News regarding trans identities and their experiences. Adichie had said, “When people talk about, ‘Are trans women women?’ my feeling is trans women are trans women.” But she later clarified that she wasn’t saying that transwomen weren’t women, only that there are “real differences between transgender women and women who are not transgender without suggesting that one experience is more important or valid than the other”. Though she later apologised for the ways in which her comments invalidated the experiences of transwomen, the writer came under heat again this year when she referred to an essay by Rowling on gender as “perfectly reasonable”. To Adichie, “JK Rowling is a woman who is progressive, who clearly stands for and believes in diversity” and who should not be scrutinised for the transphobic rhetoric that she shares online and in essays.
But what Adichie’s comments fail to realise is that she is not the voice for transness and non-binary experiences when she has been privileged to live her life as a cisgender heterosexual woman. Transgender and non-binary people face discrimination in bathrooms, in housing, in employment, in dating, and in almost every other sphere of human life. They have alarmingly high rates of poverty and suicide, and often fall victim to violent and targeted hate crimes. And when narrowed down to Africa, they are imprisoned or worse killed for simply living their lives. This is most often because society thinks that transgender and non-binary people aren’t “really” the gender they claim to be and enforcing hateful ideas that they should be forced to conform to their born sex.
Chimamanda being asked about trans women is like Lena Dunham being asked about Black women. It doesn’t work. We can speak for ourselves.
In the three years since Adichie’s first transphobic comments, it became increasingly clear that the writer had failed to learn and listen to people from the community who are better placed to speak on their experiences. Though Adichie is well versed to speak out against feminist issues, she is by no means the voice to speak out against trans and non-binary issues and she may very well never be. What needs to happen is that we need to bring to the forefront of conversations those who have lived their entire lives being hated and vilified simply for existing, those who are constantly denied their rights because it is illegal for them to exist, and those who just want to be respected as people like you and I. More education, more understanding, more acceptance, and more willingness to constantly grow and challenge ourselves are what’s needed for protecting and safeguarding trans and non-binary rights.
To this end, the NATIVE spoke with Three (she/they), a non-binary Nigerian who has now relocated to Canada where she/they are able to live freely without judgment or fear of violence as an identifying non-binary person. Our chat, which follows below, has been lightly edited for clarity.
NATIVE:How did you discover/know that you were queer and non-binary?
THREE:I guess I’ve always kind of known. I knew, but I was always terrified about it and I always said there’s no way I could be queer because if I am then that’s a sin. I come from a very religious Christian background and though I would see women and have crushes on them, I never acted on it. I always questioned who I was because I struggled with body dysmorphia and what my place in this world was, and it wasn’t until I had been in a relationship with a non-binary person and made some friends within the community that I realised that I don’t navigate the world thinking I’m a man or woman, I navigate the world thinking I am this genderless being existing in between all of these states. This is when I realised that I am not female, and so I changed my name to Three.
I am still scared of identifying as non-binary because my family is super religious and so, on the one hand, I want to do it as soon as possible. But on the other hand, I am worried if my parents find out and how that would affect my life. Even though I am more financially stable than I was before, I still depend on them for certain things so I’d have to make sure I am totally independent of them.
NATIVE:How was dealing with that realisation while living in Nigeria with Nigerian parents?
THREE:I only came out when I left Nigeria but I remember being so scared of my parents, I still kind of am but when I came to Canada and I started talking to queer people. I had a crush on this queer person and I was just scared. I can’t even explain it but the fear was consuming even to the point that when I was in Nigeria and in a relationship with a queer person, I was literally deleting my texts like every couple of minutes. It’s not just that my parents are Nigerian parents but they are Nigerian parents who are pastors. So it’s so layered for me in the sense that I literally fear for my life. There was a time someone threatened to out me to my family and I went into shock because of the fact that someone did that because I knew the repercussions I would face and I knew I would not be able to make it back from that. Even now, talking about it, the anxiety is a lot and scary.
NATIVE:What are your pronouns and how do you enforce them with friends or people you meet?
THREE: My pronouns are she/her, they/them. But I think for me, the most important thing is my name. I feel like even if people don’t use the right pronouns, not using my name correctly really hurts me and so I tend to let my friends know. Sometimes, I just let it go and not hold people to it but other times, my old name doesn’t even feel like mine anymore. T* is the pastor’s kid, the one who does good and Three is the non-binary queer person trying to struggle with depression and living her life and deal with all of this without drowning in everything happening. It’s so hard to reconcile those two parts of me. I do appreciate that I have a ton of queer friends who are able to enforce these boundaries for me and if I am not able to enforce it, I am glad I have spaces like this where my people come through for me if people are misgendering me and protect me from that. It’s really hard to navigate the world and putting your foot down when you’ve gone around not having this identity and not knowing who you are.
NATIVE: Do people ever refer to you as they? Or is that often sidelined like so many non-binary people complain about?
THREE:At a point in time, people kept calling me she/her when I insisted on they/them so I just said okay both work when addressing me. And it’s not a defeatist attitude, we have to do what we have to do to survive and if that’s by going as she/her then I will go by that. At the end of the day, putting yourself in situations where you can be open to discrimination is not a path that everybody is willing to take. There are times when I feel more strengthened and I correct people but there are times where I am so exhausted because I am a black immigrant who is queer and non-binary and I am doing all these things while online and hypher visible so I cannot muster the strength to deal with extra shit. But I do feel like I am able to be myself outside Nigeria although my community is mainly online. I think knowing people who were in Toronto for instance really helped me settle into myself when I moved here. They allow you to be yourself and it’s so easy here because more people respect pronouns and it’s not hard to enforce rules or step into your truth here.
NATIVE: How did you feel about Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s recent transphobic comments?
THREE: In 2017, before I even realised who I was, I realised that Chimamanda was not the person I wanted to associate with as a feminist. I realised that what she was teaching was not feminism to me and I kind of just dissociated from her. People always try to make excuses for her and say that she’s not educated enough and this is what she knows being an older African woman but it’s like there are African trans people and non-binary people like myself and this is what I know. Everyone is always trying to invalidate trans identities and people love her because they feel like she is speakng her mind but she doesn’t represent queer voices. For the past three years, Chimamanda has been on this platform and she’s been repeating the same harmful ideas during this time. She called transpeople complaining about what she’d said ‘trans noise’ and this is clearly not someone that is trying to be a better person or trying to show growth. This is someone who has made up her mind that she is not going to acknowledge trans people or non-binary people as people who deserve the kind of respect or rights that they have been demanding for.
One of the things I always remember is that viral video of Dominique Jackson receiving an award at the 23rd annual Human Rights Commission dinner. She’s addressing the crowd and she said something that has always stuck with me. She said where I am not asking for your acceptance or tolerance, I am here and you will respect me and that’s literally how I have gone through life. Once I remember this video, I am just like this is how I want it to be, I’m not asking people for their acceptance, I am here and you will respect me.
NATIVE: You do a lot of work for members of the LGBTQIA+ community who are struggling or homeless online. Why is it important to you to amplify the voices of marginalised people?
THREE: Before I realised I was queer, I always wanted to be sure that all my queer friends were good. It’s so important to me that everyone is able to live a full life and when I realised that people are really being maligned in this world and not able to be themselves while having to struggle financially, it woke something up in me. I knew that I could not just sit down and watch. I have enough privilege that I have a good-paying job but a lot of people are not able to experience this life and the fact that I am, then I can make things better for other people. I need to be able to stand up for people in the community who are struggling. I am in Canada, I have the option to stay here forever and not come back to Nigeria but there are people back home who have their lives threatened and in danger every day, it’s so important when you realise the amount of privilege you have ahead of others.
NATIVE: Finally, what does identifying as a non-binary person mean to you?
THREE:It’s a lot of things. On the one hand, it means dealing with a lot of gender dysmorphia because you have things that happen to your body that don’t necessarily align with the idea of who you are. But on the other hand, I can navigate the world in a way that is not hinged on gender and I don’t feel the need to adhere to gender norms or do certain things to prove that I am a man or woman or non-binary. I just exist and move through the world every day being who I am and that’s just it for me.
When I realised I was non-binary, the amount of peace that washed over me was immense. That’s just it for me. Before, I was trying to figure out who am I, what am I doing, and what is my place in this world but now that I know who I am, I am just okay and existing. Sometimes, it is hard to navigate but a lot of times, I am just existing and moving through the phases of the world, I wear whatever I want to wear and shop in the men’s department and I don’t really care. It’s so freeing to just be able to exist.
Featured image credits/Parents
.@tamimak_ is just trying to make it to the end of the year
