According to Wallz, he is “the best rapper from Ibadan.” Though most artists we’re familiar with hail from Nigeria’s commercial capital, with the occasional Port Harcourt or Abuja star cropping up, everybody who pays attention to music in Nigeria has heard about the bustling rap scene growing up Ibadan. So, it is quite a claim that Wallz asserts, but from his new EP, ‘Big Bad‘, he is definitely a worthy contender, putting up the right kind of fight to take home the title.
Opening with a short, sweet, but still relatively dramatic title track, “Big Bad” is followed by the real head-bopper “Next”, a smashing production from one of drill’s biggest champions, Chris Rich Beats, who pads the song with sinister strings and and dark sliding bass notes. After these two solo takes, Wallz convokes a whole host of familiar names to assist him in delivering the Ibadan’s most talked about EP (one assumes is his intention).
“PSA” welcomes MOJO and Blaqbonez on a similarly as gritty track as the song that preceded it – a comfortable spot for the Chop Life Crew frontman, MOJO. For the afropop number, Oxlade and Lamii’s presences are requested, the latter stealing the show with a stellar closing verse. Similarly, on the project’s final track, “Money”, Fresh L’s verse, which comes up last, emerges as the highlight of the song, though Wallz and Tobby Drillz do hold their own.
Repeating throughout the album that he doesn’t like stress, Wallz has certainly set himself up for commercial gain on ‘Big Bad‘, so earning the life that affords no stress is getting less far-fetched for the Oyo native. Stream ‘Big Bad‘ below, and help Wallz achieve his dreams.
We’ve had music to fall back on through all the heartbreaking moments of 2020. Despite the ongoing pandemic, civil unrest, and the seemingly endless barrage of bad news, musicians have continued to capture our collective pop consciousness with new songs that either reflects our present reality or provide an escape from it. As pivotal as music has been to us getting by, it can be difficult to keep up with all the diverse streams of new releases, so we’ve created this column to keep you, our readers, up to date with all the finest tunes coming out of Africa and the rest of the world.
During the week, we brought you new releases from Remy Baggins, Supa Gaeta, Rhamani and more. On a packed day for new drops, our weekend curation includes the long-awaited, Davido-assisted remix to Olakira’s summer hit, “Maserati”, a collaborative single from Reekado Banks, Kida Kudz and EO, the lead single off Runtown’s coming album, and more. Dig in and enjoy.
Olakira – “Maserati [remix]” (feat. Davido)
Following its June release, Olakira’s “In My Maserati” became a dark horse in the running for song of the summer, racking up millions of streams (over 2.8million on audiomack alone) on digital streaming platforms and effectively becoming his biggest song yet. The song’s buzz kicked into a higher gear after a Davido-assisted remix was teased a few weeks back. The remix, along with an accompanying music video, is now out, and as expected, Davido absolutely kills it.
With the beat and the song’s showy flirting remaining the same, Davido’s appearance provides a renewed sense of novelty to “Maserati [remix]”, as the superstar references his affluence in resounding fashion. “Girl, I’m ready if you’re ready/Lasgidi to yankee for this pandemic/girl, I get dollar me I wanna spend”, he sings with a playful energy typical of the generous pop star. Even though his contributions remain unchanged, Olakira continues to act as the song’s anchor, with his indelible hook remaining as earwormy as the first time we heard it.
Runtown – “Kini Issue”
Since he dropped “Body Riddim” in late January, Runtown has been relatively quiet on new music front, only surfacing for the occasionalfeatureappearance. But with the recent announcement of an impending album, the singer has clearly been working, kickstarting the rollout by sharing the lead single, “Kini Issue”. Digging into his familiar lover-boy bag, Runtown delivers a romantic set over summery piano chords, sunny guitar riffs and bouncy afropop drums. “Why any time I dey with you, I can’t focus/why all of a sudden me I can’t go”, he sings on the chorus, marvelling at the spell his lover has brought him under. “Kini Issue” doesn’t break the mould for Runtown, but it solidifies him as one of the best at dishing out catchy love-struck songs.
L.A.X – “Go Low”
Following the release of a few loose singles in the past few months, L.A.X is set to close out the year with his sophomore album, ‘Zaza Vibes’. Ahead of its November release, he’s shared the third single off the album, “Go Low”, and it taps into the Amapiano movement from down south. Clemzy helms the mix of airy synth pads, wide bassline and shimmering keys, serving as the perfect accompaniment for L.A.X’s playfully chanted lyrics, where he urges listeners to dance and “go low”.
Killbeatz x King Promise x Ofori Amponsah – “Odo Nti”
Killbeatz has been one of Ghana’s foremost music producers for well over decade, with a sprawling credit list that includes R2Bees, Sarkodie, Fuse ODG, Mr Eazi and much more. The producer will be headlining his very first project, ‘Love and Happiness’, a joint EP with veteran singer Ofori Amponsah and bonafide pop star King Promise. Preparing for the tape’s release this November, the trio have shared the lead single, “Odo Nti”, a mid-tempo cut that establishes the creative relationship between them. Killbeatz laces the beat with highlife-inspired guitars and a buoyant bassline, while King Promise and Ofori take turns promising eternity to their respective love interests.
Reekado Banks (sort of) promised fans a new LP tentatively titled ‘Daddy to Many’, as far back as last year. It isn’t clear whether the singer is still looking to put the album out, but he has decided to sate the ears of fans asking for new music. “Need More”, his new single, taps into the slinky vibe of afroswing and it features UK-based rappers Kida Kudz and EO. Mirroring the playful hedonism found at parties, the song finds all three artists boasting of the credentials that makes them the life of the party. “Henny in my cup, need more/got a lot of racks”, Reekado sings on the catchy hook, while Kida and EO follow with light-hearted verses of their own.
When it was announced, many expected “Follow Me Reason”, the new collaborative single between Zilla Oaks, Psycho YP and Eeskay, to be a thumping banger featuring hard-nosed bars tailor-made to dunk on opps. However, the trio have inverted those expectations into something entirely different but just as impressive. Backed by Jaylon’s sunny production, they channel their softer sides into a romantic bop. Although there’s still a fair bit of boasting on the song – “shoot niggas like a nigga Spike Lee/and the juke drizzle like a nigga Ice T”, YP raps – they do it in service of wooing their love interests. With their lively performances, “Follow Me Reason” plays into the trope of hard guys being openly emotive when they meet someone they like.
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Vigro Deep Songs at him @dennisadepeter
Tems’ rise in the last couple of years has been uniquely expeditious. With only “Mr Rebel” behind her, Tems was already one of the more closely watched emerging artists as we entered into 2019, and as the year went on, thanks to multiple performances and two more magnanimous tracks, Tems secured herself as the newcomer venerated as highly as longer-established acts.
Only in the game for two years, it isn’t surprising that Tems is only just releasing her first body of work, though the fanfare around ‘For Broken Ears‘ might encourage you to think so. What is of note and extremely commendable and emblematic of her captivating talent is that Tems is so revered at such an early stage of her career. From her features to the industry interest, and fans clamouring for new releases, Tems has remained highly coveted so far, and with the release of this debut EP, she knows she is not about to let up anytime soon. The pressure is on.
We have all been looking forward to ‘For Broken Ears‘. The advent of its lead single last week, made fans even more eager for Tems’ first body of work, and to get our senses even more prepared, yesterday she released the music video for the lead single. Directed by Ademola Falomo, produced by Ladder, Lex and Booker, “Damages” sees Tems float the the trap house with her girls. Playing board games in the afternoon turns into getting dressed and dancing to Tems’ latest single in the night time, in the simplistic video for “Damages”.
Surrounded by her friends in “Damages”, later in evening, at midnight, we got to see, well hear, Tems go at things all alone (though all her singles so far have been solo takes, so her no-features tracklist didn’t come as any surprise). Upon first listen, my conclusion is that Tems has delivered a timeless piece, one that I’m going to return to tomorrow, in five years and probably in another 15 when my daughters are finding their feet in the adult world. To help you draw your own conclusion, here are my ramblings from my first ever listen to Tems’ ‘For Broken Ears’. Read on:
“Interference”
I love this intro, it goes straight into her powerful voice, although I’m a bit confused because I cannot for the life of me discern what she’s saying, is she talking about disturbing a someone? Tems, you fling the doors open!!!
I love the simplicity of this song, this is the perfect introduction for a Tems debut, her voice is right at the front and her poetic lyricism is set up to be the champion of the song, as it should be. “If you couldn’t be reminded baby girl I’m gon’ remind you now” – this is such a hard line, catch me and my middle fingers shouting it everywhere! The ending feels a bit dragged on, but I like that we’re given time to contemplate on all Tems has said.
“Ice T”
I like the key change, it’s the same chord progression but in a different key and pace – I think that’s very clever and I’m hearing notes of “Mr Rebel” which remains my favourite Tems track to date (maybe ‘FBE‘ changes that?). I hate that I connect so much to these lyrics, not because I’m sad about waiting for a guy but because Tems is a queen and deserves better than having to assume a lover wants her. I thought this song would have something to do with Ice-T of Ice & Coco (maybe there’s a reference I’m missing, will have to listen again) but it’s about making ice tea out of lemons. Not lemonade out of lemons? Fair, shout out to Lipton.
The production is simple, shakers are nice and soft, the bass on my speakers is all the way up but so I’m really feeling the kick. I love these lyrics, they’re quite funny. This chorus chanting is not what I would ever have expected from Tems, I can see she is having a lot of fun with this song, talking about raspberries, ginger, vanilla – this is kind of chaotic but it’s a whole lotta fun!
“Free Mind”
I love this pattern, but this intro is a bit dragged. This is such a powerful song. This will really resonate with a lot of us at this point in time, there is so much going on not even just in terms of the world but in personal lives, from talks with my friends and even talent I am getting the impression that everyone is feeling at war in mind; we are definitely looking forward to feeling the peace you cannot buy.
This is my favourite so far. I love her similes for how free she wants to be… ok wow, that sudden flip, I did not see coming! So this is a two-sided record? Okay, Free Mind is hashtag that track. The wistfulness of this side of the production is like yeah, very… emotive ?
“Temilade Interlude”
Awww, this is so sweet! Her mother knew she was a girl before anyone believed it. And she defied the Yoruba tradition of the husband’s father giving names. She was literally written in the stars, someone pass me a pack of Kleenex please.
“Higher”
I love the kick drum on this, ah and she referenced “Kini Big Deal”, Neato T, my hero. “Would you cry or would you try to get me? Tell me now I need you to be clear. I WILL WAIT FOR YOU!!!” Wow, the way these records resonate with me. “Why you made a war that we’re fighting“… ok Tems is speaking my truth, I absolutely love to hear it. She is singing about running away, which is exactly what I have been planning to do (no joke, I look at flats in Osaka in my free time), and I’m sure everyone feels it too when life gets a little too complicated. Okay this guitar that has replaced the kick as absolutely stunning, I wish it were louder, like a full on guitar solo – now that would be epic.
“Damages”
The entry into damages is very harsh, but in a nice way – it emphasises the juxtaposition of the two tracks, between the subject matter and the general vibe of the song. “Higher” is with the slower pace, whilst “Damages” is a mid-tempo with a higher bpm than the preceding song, a punch that is padded with the song’s dramatic entry. Okay, “Damages” is making me miss summer already, it’s such a vibe. Hold on whilst I worm my hands into the air with that brown liquor in my cup. Spax’s production is taking me back to 2016 Drake, but no I’m feeling this is very Party, right now thinking of “Only You”, but I’m sure there are more PND songs along these lines. Hardly matters, I am in love.
“The Key”
I like the wind on this song, is it a western flute or one of its African sisters? Okay, I am feeling the melody for this chorus, it wasn’t predictable and I really appreciate that. “Listen when they call they call my name”, I like that she is already feeling herself and her success – this is what I call “Superstar” energy, debut project but the artist can already prophesy that the whole game is with them and for them. It was facts for Wiz and is facts for Tems, she is going to be at the top, the point where everyone knows her name. I love that she already brags about it.
Final thoughts
Okay, that was an abrupt ending, but I’m not mad at it. I like the length of that project, I definitely feel ready for it to be done, I’m not wishing there was more and nor did I wish for it to end. I feel like this project might get mixed reviews, but I think that would depend on your expectation. ‘For Broken Ears‘ is a delectable project, for you to put on and vibe to, it doesn’t feel like it was ever intended to be a blockbuster debut that commands attention for weeks on end. In this day and age there is so much music we are consuming, some good, some bad, some forgettable and some you’ll always want to return to; Tems has given us music that we will always want to return to, timeless music. It doesn’t have to go the hardest right now, because it’s gonna go hard forever.
Featured Image Credits: Tems/YouTube
Wojumi Is A Bad Bitch And She’s Going To Brag About It. Tweet Her Your Latest Cultural Exploits @Dewoju
Since its formation back in 2010, SA music duo Black Motion have been on the cutting edge of South African house music, pushing the ledger as one of the more inventive acts within the broad genre with each new release. The producer/DJ group, comprising Thabo “Smol” Mabongawe and Bongani “DJ Murder” Mohosana, released their debut full-length, ‘Talking to the Drums’, back in 2011, and they followed up with four more LPs over the course of the last decade, building one of the most significant catalogues in African house music.
This year, the duo have been celebrating the decade anniversary of their formation, hosting a 2-hour virtual performance in June, and hosting a somewhat low-key live event in August. All of this has built up momentum for their newly released sixth studio album, ‘The Healers: The Last Chapters’. Due to its subtitle, there were initial speculations that this might be Black Motion’s final album, but the pair have quickly debunked the rumours. “Unfortunately for some and fortunately for others, there’s no split. The Last Chapter simply says we’re closing the [last] 10 years”, they have stated.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFglck9lHD1/
According to the duo, ‘The Healers: The Last Chapter’ is the closing arch to the narrative they started with their first work. Across their albums, Black Motion has established a spiritual connection to their music, using each full-length to provide insight into their progression to becoming “traditional healers” through their music. As the final part of this narrative, ‘The Healers: The Last Chapter’ is a hefty and befitting closer, a sprawling album that stands at 41 tracks long, with 14 of them being radio edits of initially longer songs.
‘The Healers: The Last Chapter’ is packed with guest features from Sauti Sol, DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Msaki, Ami Faku, Sun-El Musician and many more. “Each album represented a chapter, so we’re going on to a new book now”, they explained to Apple Music of the album’s overarching significance. “If you want to understand us, you’d have to understand us via this book. If you look at it as a journey, you’ll understand our story”.
Nasty C is making big international moves. Earlier this year, the South African rapper signed a venture deal with the prestigious hip-hop label, Def Jam, ahead of his recently released, brilliant third studio album, ‘Zulu Man With Some Power’. The deal clearly aligns with Nasty C’s global aspiration, as he’s gone on to release the ‘Zulu’ mixtape hosted by DJ Whoo Kid, appeared on American late night TV, while ‘ZMWSP’ contains cross-Atlantic features from Ari Lennox, Lil Keed and Lil Gotit.
All of these moves indicate that Nasty C is serious about his role as the foremost ambassador of rap music coming out, and he isn’t just focused on North America. Last year, he spent some time in Japan, during which he soaked in parts of the local culture, collaborated with several of the hottest artists out there, and got to experience the East Asian country’s vibrant creative arts and rap scene. To immortalise the trip, the rapper has shared the documentary, “Zulu Man in Japan”, a 48-minute visual experience of Nasty C’s journey and artistic exploration of Japanese culture.
Officially announced with an official trailer last week, “Zulu Man in Japan” was created in partnership with Red Bull Africa and is now available for on-demand viewing on Netflix. Going by its trailer, the documentary sees the rapper living carefree, exploring the country at night time, indulging in local fashion and high art, recording music, attending high octane concerts and much more, sharing all these insightful experiences with a cohort that includes Nigerian-American designer Ugo Mozie and manager Colin Gayle.
“I’ve always had this feeling that I was meant to visit Japan”, Nasty C says of the seemingly eye-opening and thoroughly entertaining trip. “I could never really explain it. Perhaps it’s because I’m not just a rapper, I’m an artist and I feel like Japan is the hub of art. Shout out to Red Bull for giving me the opportunity to expand my knowledge and creativity as far as art, fashion and music go”.
Against the recent acquisition of Netflix’s first ever movie from a Portuguese-speaking African, Nicolas Nhalungo explores the history of the Mozambican film industry, explaining how Netflix might be the key to Mozambican cinema finally living up to its intended purpose.
New York Film Academy (NYFA) alum, Mickey Fonseca’s latest project, Redemption has garnered international recognition since its pivotal release last summer. Selling out across Mozambican cinemas in the days following its July 18th premiere, a year later, the film has now been made available for global streaming on Netflix. On July 30, 2020 the young director achieved a feat that no other director has to date; and Redemption has become the first-ever Mozambican film to be featured on Netflix, the world’s largest streaming platform that caters to around 190 countries. It’s also the only film in Netflix’s catalog from a Portuguese-speaking African country. Written, produced, and directed by Fonseca – who co-owns his own filming production company with Pipas Forjaz, Mahala Films – this achievement serves as evidence of the impact digitalisation has had on the African continent, particularly in extending resources to African creatives.
Redemption (Resgate in Portuguese) is one of Mozambique’s few independent films. Edited in South Africa and Portugal, it follows the life of a young man dealing with the aftermath of his involvement in criminal affairs. The film highlights ongoing issues within Mozambique, particularly the kidnapping of entrepreneurs. Screened around the country and in Portugal, with a relevant message and stellar production, Redemption received critical acclaim, so much so that the creators were motivated to distribute the film to a wider audience. When picked up by Netflix with the hopes of a wider reach the film was dubbed in English, and its distribution extended to Kenya.
To truly understand the significance of this milestone we must examine the history of the film industry in Mozambique, and the politics behind it. In the early ‘70s, FRELIMO (the Mozambique National Liberation Front) and the country’s newly appointed president, Samora Machel, believed that films could be an incremental tool for its people. Creating a National Institute of Cinema (INC) – Mozambique was the only African country to have a film institute instated immediately after independence – President Machel pioneered a cultural wave in the country, founded upon film. Due to the country’s Marxist-Leninist ideology, that attracts creative workers with its socialist philosophies, the Mozambican INC were able to attract several filmmakers, including Portuguese-Brazillian director, Ruy Guerra (Mueda, Memoria e Massacre), Jean Rouch (Moi, un roi) from France, and the French-Swiss film critic, screenwriter and director, Jean Luc Godard (Bande À Part). These three were part of the most prominent cinematic movement in the 1960s and were privileged enough to be part of the birth of cinema in Mozambique.
Led by the President, with the support of the ruling party, the nation went on to produce films that were intended to empower and mobilise the Mozambican people, though, counterintuitively, the moulding of Mozambican cinema was primarily conceptualised by foreign filmmakers, since Mozambique did not have the resources to forge their own cinemascape alone. To boost the local film industry, President Machel’s first cultural mandate was to establish the Kuxa Kanema weekly newsreel program, sharing this via the few newly erected cinemas that were scattered across the country and mobile units provided by the Soviet Union, which enabled movies to move around the country in order for cinema to reach the masses.
Many of the earliest films produced in the nation are difficult to find these days, as many were lost as a consequence of a socio-political transformation – consequentially, along with the loss of the captured footage of the first 11 years of independence, so has that period of time been forgotten from history. In part due to the socio-political transformation, which came with a lack of financial motivation to continue investing in the industry, economic difficulties in the country, and perhaps even the absence of acquired knowledge, unlike its neighbouring country South Africa, or further north, Nigeria, Mozambique still only has a relatively small but growing film industry – it’s comparatively smaller movie industry could also be attributed to a later independence. Today, Mozambique still has only a handful of functioning theatres across the country, but that has not stopped the country from hosting a number of annual film festivals. The Dockanema (the country’s first film festival in 2006), Kugoma, and The European Film Festival, thrive in the country and also invite hosts of international audiences. Mozambique film festivals such as. Additionally, Mozambique has proven to be an attractive destination – known for its colonial architecture, tropical islands, and large biodiversity – for filming; in the past, films like Blood Diamond, Ali, Diana, Generation Kill, and The Interpreter shot scenes on the picturesque landscape. Now, with the acquisition of Redemption by Netflix, Mozambique has now become a destination for digital consumption, as well as scenic exploration or festival going.
Over the years Netflix has been pushing to obtain more African media, inviting African creatives to tell their stories, giving them a platform to share the multiple African perspectives that are so often silenced. Looking to be a leader of inclusivity and diversity in our global society, by featuring a film like Redemption in their catalogue, Netflix continues to live up to their aims, however the question can still be asked, are Netflix doing enough?
Reportedly 5-10 African films are added monthly, most of which come from Nigeria’s booming movie industry, Nollywood, however; and whilst Netflix brand themselves as an inclusive streaming service, they’re yet to host in the majority of African countries. Most African content currently comes from Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa, the largest African film industries on the continent. In this regard, African cinema is still one dimensional in the way we are presented to the world, with the West African perspective dominating what is consumed as ‘African’ media. Still, as the streaming giant takes small steps to achieve a truly global catalogue, Netflix is also setting itself up to be the vessel that delivers African cinema to a global audience, acting as a catalyst for local industries to finally reach their full potential, or in the case of Mozambican cinema, realising its intended purpose.
Although few, films produced by Mozambican filmmakers are not simply produced for entertainment value, but carry with them important messages, reflecting the vision pioneered at independence by President Machel. Post-independence presented a great need to deconstruct the narratives produced by Portuguese colonists of Mozambican people being depicted as dependent, incapable, and small-minded; Machel hoped cinema would (re)educate the masses. Fonseca’s Redemption achieves this, and through its success, the film promotes and celebrates this quality in Mozambican cinema on a universal scale. In a country that gets relatively little support for creative endeavours, having an awarding film featured on a streaming service as far-reaching as Netflix presents multiple opportunities, paving the way for more films like it to garner the international critical acclaim Redemption boasts so far.
Granted, with the global stay at home mandate and people being locked at home, able to binge from dusk to dawn, it was in search of something new and different that many stumbled upon Redemption. Regardless of how the film was found, be it fate or chance, mistake or design, Mozambican cinema has finally been given the fuel to grow beyond her borders into the socially empowering tool it was always meant to be. Redemption stands at the helm of this movement, but it shouldn’t stand alone; these are the top five films this writer believes deserve a spot in pushing forward this Netflix-assisted digital charge:
Comboio de Sal e Açúcar (2016)
Directed by Licinio Azevedo
On a dangerous train journey through war torn Mozambique, civilian passengers witness the painful duality of an ill-disciplined military force, who are on board with the purpose of protecting the passengers, fighting off the rebel army lurking in the bush, but also use their status to harass the innocent civilians. In the end, they must all work together to repair the sabotaged train track.
O Ultimo Voo do Flamingo (2009)
Directed by João Ribeiro
The locale of Tizangara, Mozambique is plagued with a number of mysterious explosions that have taken the life of several soldiers in a short space of time. To investigate the concern, a Portuguese soldier Massimo is appointed to the case, accompanied by a local, Joaquim who is charged with translating both the words and the facts, in order for clarity to be gained and the mystery solved.
Mueda, Memoria e Massacre (1978)
Directed by Ruy Guerra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YLk3-uCawU
On 16 June 1960, acting out their orders from the Portuguese governor, the Portuguese army executed 600 inhabitants in Mueda, Mozambique. Said to be Mozambique’s first feature-length film, Mueda, Memoria e Massecre blurs the lines between documentary and fiction as it narrates this the harrowing chapter in the history of Mozambique, a moment which is popularly connected to the birth of the national liberation struggle that ensued in 1994.
Virgem Margarida (2012)
Directed by Licinio Azevedo
The year is 1975, Mozambique is being reborn as an independent nation. Not without violence and trauma to its many citizens. It is in this politically turbulent time that a 16-year-old Margarida is caught between the crosshairs of a plight to cleanse the streets of Maputo of its prostitutes. Taken by mistake, Margarida’s story draws on real life accounts from women living through this particularly androcentric period in Mozambique history.
Kuxa Kanema: The Birth of Cinema (2003)
Directed by Margarida Cardoso
Kuxa Kanema: The Birth of Cinema is a documentary on the INC, President Machel’s vision, the INC and Godard’s proposal to set up an independent television network as the INC struggled to get up and running. The film, which was released on DVD and has played at a number of film festivals, delivers rare footage from INC original films, and tells the compelling history of Kuxa Kanema (which translates to The Birth of Cinema).
***
As an aspiring Mozambican creative, it is inspiring to see new opportunities for my country to exhibit our many talents. The birth of Mozambican cinema may have been years ago but Netflix has brought an exciting prospect as we may possibly witness major growth in Mozambican cinema. As Mozambican films gain international recognition it is time for the country to invest more to help local creatives and to propagate the Mozambican narrative.
Nicolas Nhalungo is a writer and researcher whose interests include mental health, intersectional feminism, pop culture, travel, fashion and sustainability.
Born in Montreal, Canada, Nigerian/French-Canadian singer, TÖME is the neo-afro-fusionist artist, who refuses to slow down for anyone or anything (not even corona). Releasing her sophomore album, ‘Bigger Than 4 Walls‘ earlier this year, TÖME has rather swiftly moved on to a new chapter ushered in by a three-pack single release, “I Pray”.
Laden with inspiring quotations and messages of love, “I Pray” is a spiritual gospel song that leans on God for guidance. Speaking with NATIVE, TÖME revealed what in particular she has needed God’s protection from this year.
What (or who?) have been your biggest adversary this year?
Most definitely COVID-19 has been my biggest adversary, as well as my bad habits of procrastination.
Besides prayer, what other methods do you use to overcome your demons?
Meditation really helps me calm down, yoga, [or] just [taking] deep breaths and moments of quiet; these practices are not as consistent as I’d like them to be however it is something I still try to do as frequently as possible to help me centre myself and focus my energy on positive thinking. What are your preferred methods for lifting your spirits?
Taking deep breaths and just recollecting my own memories and thoughts of the moments I appreciate the most. Making music is a great way for me to find inner peace. Working on an acting script is really uplifting and my social life, being around friends is always good and healthy for my mind and mental. Who are you sending love to today?
My family.
The primary single is a reggae-soaked number, fittingly featuring a childhood hero, Sean Kingston, who last year came back to popular attention in Nigeria with his collaboration with Davido, “Peace of Mind”. Following her alluring musings that signal TÖME’s entrance onto the track, the singer, narrates of how different adversaries wish to knock her down and take her sight, but she says “No, no fighting, no cussing, no war,” instead encouraging “love and affection for all.“
With compelling wails through the first half of the chorus, TÖME gets on her knees and prays to the Lord for mercy to lead her, help her fight her demons and give her strength so she is not broken down by the forces working against her. Sean Kingston quickly snatches the mic after TÖME’s magnanimous chorus, contrasting her passionate cries to God with a smooth, laid-back verse where he discusses his troubles involve financial difficulties, takes accountability for his sins, and ultimately thanks God for the good life he has lived over his thirty years.
Following TÖME’s second chorus is an unduly lengthy outro, the highlight being a brief duet where TÖME sings over a part of Sean Kingston’s verse where he praises God for the blessings that He has bestowed upon him. In a press release statement, Sean Kingston expressed his gladness to have worked with TÖME on “I Pray”, saying:
“TÖME is an incredibly unique artist with a beautiful voice, I really vibed with this song and I respect the fact that she is an independent Afro artist on the rise. I’m happy to be a part of a record the world truly needs right now”
The next offering in the pack is the extended version of the track, that replaces Kingston’s vocals with a second verse from TÖME herself. This take is absolutely impeccable. Exhibiting the versatility in her vocal skills, as she dextrously changes pace and rhythm, TÖME encourages us not to be discouraged from following our dreams, and not let outside voices control us with their purported “advice”.
To fill out these three minutes, TÖME ends the extended version of the track repeating a prayer to God, “please have mercy on me,” before leaving room for the BRYM beat to play us out. The final track in the pack is a French rendition of the extended offering. Boasting a worldly following, TÖME appreciates her own multinational, bilingual upbringing with this trifecta of singles.
Featured Image Credits: TÖME
Wojumi Is A Bad Bitch And She’s Going To Brag About It. Tweet Her Your Latest Cultural Exploits @Dewoju
Wizkid has kept us waiting long enough, but it is now officially Starboyszn. Just last week, Wiz gave us a second offering from his much-awaited album, ‘Made In Lagos‘, alongside the artwork. Now he’s returning to the album’s lead single, to deliver an eye-watering music video for the H.E.R-assisted “Smile”.
After the tumultuous year we’ve all collectively had, one either comes out of the other side in bits, or as a calm, still whole. From the music we’re getting from him, it seems as though Wizkid has chosen the latter, and his recently released video for “Smile” is enough indication of that. This year has thrown innumerable trials our way – collectively the world is hurt and individually we are all trying to navigate these unprecedented times – and the difficulty of it all has left us with very little to smile about. But in preparation for his forthcoming album, ‘Made In Lagos‘, Wizkid is reminding us that though times are looking bleak, we will always have something important thing to smile about: each other.
Canvassing groups of friends, couples young and old, aunties bright in their iro, buba and gele, the dreamcatchers, Banky Wellington and even a man with his barber (an ever precious bond that can’t ever be broken), the video for “Smile” depicts the joy of interpersonal relationship, as all these different groups of people smile and have fun together.
Dedicated to Wiz’s three kids, Bolu, Ayo and Zion all make an appearance in Meji Alabi’s latest masterpiece, which also spotlights other parent-child bonds, to remind us of the first love most of us ever felt. “Smile” is a heartwarming song which has now been adorned with a bountifully cheerful video that will life your spirits instantly.
Watch the video now, and every time you need to “Smile”:
Whoisakin wants everyone to pay undivided attention to his music. The singer’s breakout has been characterised by an impressive debut EP, ‘Full Moon Weekends’, and a preference for physical anonymity. It’s not a common trope in pop music, but a few artists have concealed their identity in the beginning stages of their career—e.g. the Weeknd, H.E.R—getting initial props for their talent before putting their faces out there.
Whoisakin is following the same route, albeit with his own twist, using an animated hybrid of wolf and a young man as his avatar. The “Wolfbiker” image adds a layer of mystique to the title of his EP, representing the immersive style of music he makes, which is perfect for owl hours listening. “I’ve always been nocturnal and I wanted to make a tape that depicts my love for the moon”, he told us back in June as part of our Fresh Meat picks for that month. A blend of emotive storytelling and musical choices that intersect between Afropop and contemporary r&b, ‘Full Moon Weekends’ has captivated a lot of ears, including mentor Mr Eazi, who he’s now working with via the #emPawa30 artist incubator initiative.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-u8JKwDcqs/
Keeping up the momentum for his EP, Whoisakin has dropped the animated video for the opening track, “Magic”, which features another Fresh Meat alum, Olayinka Ehi. Based on a real life situationship, the song portrays the complicatedness of differing intentions between love interests, and the hurt that follows when the only compromise is to part ways. “Even though I thought the relationship had potential at the early stages, she never felt the same way and it was just “vibes” for her”, the singer explains of the scenario behind the song.
The animated video for “Magic” is a dramatic depiction of the song’s content, while it also continues to lean into Whoisakin’s anonymous mystique. Put together by YX Animation, we see Wolfbiker physically fight through robots to get his interest, representing the intensity of his affections, however, Olayinka Ehi’s animated character demands some space and turns him down outrightly at the end of the video. Eye-catching and riveting to watch, the video is another timely reminder that not everyone you like will like you in the same way, and that’s very fine.
Watch “Magic” here.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Empawa Africa
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Vigro Deep Songs at him @dennisadepeter
We’ve had music to fall back on through all the heartbreaking moments of 2020. Despite the ongoing pandemic, civil unrest, and the seemingly endless barrage of bad news, musicians have continued to capture our collective pop consciousness with new songs that either reflects our present reality or provide an escape from it. We know it can be difficult to keep up with all the diverse streams of music, so we’ve created this column to keep you, our readers, up to date with all the finest tunes coming out of Africa and the rest of the world. These are the songs you absolutely need to hear.
Though it has been a slow week for music releases, we’ve made sure to capture all the highlights with our Songs of the Day curations. We started this week’s curation for Songs of the Day with new music from; The Cavemen, Skepta, L3, and Michael Phantom, Eugy, Toyé, Sir Dauda, and Simi. Today, we are featuring the new releases from Remy Baggins, Psycho YP and MOJO, Ghanaian singer, Supa Gaeta and Oxlade, Rhamani, and more for our mid-week curation and you can enjoy them below.
Remy Baggins – “GBOJU!” Feat. Psycho YP, MOJO
Remy Baggins has consistently represented Nigeria’s anime fandom by making reference to the Japanese cartoon culture on each of his 3 projects. Just like his last EP, ‘Sakura’, his latest project, ‘Amaterasu’ gets its title from the ninja anime, “Naruto”. As a result, he’s able to tap into his more forceful elements for “Gboju!”, one of the standout tracks from the tape where he features Psycho YP and MOJO to deliver cocky brags.
Tell produced the beat for “Gboju!” with the trendy drill bass that sets a frenzied backdrop for the aggressive performance from the artists. With each artist performing threatening lyrics, the video Kelvin Nuel and The CRWD directed captures them looking menacing in the streets. Remy Baggins puts on a ski mask in some shots while Mojo smokes a blunt and Psycho YP points gun fingers at the camera. Though Remy Baggins was all about love on ‘Hentai’ and ‘Sakura’, “Gboju!” reflects a more hardcore Baggins.
Supa Gaeta – “Text Me” Feat. Oxlade
Ghanaian singer, Supa Gaeta is gearing to release his new EP, ‘SUPA SZN’ in the coming months. While fans anticipate its release, the singer has shared the tape’s lead single, “Text Me” inspired by his experience from the pandemic-induced lockdown.
Singing “It’s a lockdown thing/ Facetime me, make I run that thing” over the breezy afropop production, the song continues the genre’s romantic conventions as he expresses his intimate feelings for his muse. There’s also a guest verse from Oxlade who performs a melodic set that builds on the distant lover narrative as he joins Supa Gaeta to plead for a text from their muse. The accompanying visualizer made by YX Animation depicts Supa Gaeta and Oxlade in a Simpson’s style art while we watch both singers try to win their muse’s affection over the phone.
Whoisakin – “Magic” Feat. Olayinka Ehi
With his debut tape, ‘Full Moon Weekends’ Whoisakin proved that it’s possible to make upbeat and joyous songs that can still put listeners in their feelings. On the Olayinka Ehi-assisted opener, “Magic”, he delivered a sensuous r&b infused performance with lyrics that narrate his experience with unrequited love. “She said to me/Though it feels like magic/ I’d be on my way”. He has now shared the YX animated visualizer for the track and it depicts him in his wolf form as he rescues the animated Olayinka Ehi who plays the damsel in distress.
The visualizer video for “Magic” depicts Whoisakin fighting off some robots who attack Olayinka Ehi in the forest. However, just like in the song, he fails to earn her love and the video ends with him getting a door slammed in his face.
Rhamani – “Pepeni” Feat. Dahlin Gage
America-based Cameroonian singer/dancer, Rhamani has released a new single, “Pepeni” ahead of the release for his upcoming project, ‘Just Rhamani’. He had previously shared his self-produced debut single, “Legedis” and “FAWO” in 2018 and 2019 respectively, but while we wait for the tape’s scheduled release, he has given fans a new dance-driven single to enjoy.
“Pepeni” has an upbeat rhythm reminiscent of the Azonto era of afropop. Though the sound is no longer as trendy as it was, Rhamani invites us to recall its groovy appeal. He has built his fanbase around his dancing so his embrace of the dance-driven sound is hardly surprising. Ghanaian rapper, Dahlin Gage also contributes a rap verse that shows the genre’s range. By conjuring the throwback sound, “Pepeni” sounds instantly familiar.
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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
Though he hasn’t been out of sight completely – thanks to a gentle stream of unmissable features, such as his ‘Pioneers‘ standout chorus on “I Swear”, his assists on Higo and Hvrry’s double take, “Company/Issues”, or his latest collaboration “Mentally” with Prettboy D-O – it has been almost a year since WANI delivered a single of his own. Having spent the year working on the second installation of his widely acclaimed debut EP, ‘Lagos City Vice’, WANI is finally out with his first official single this year, “All My Ladies” – an indication that he’s is ready to open up the floodgates to the ‘LCV‘ sequel, which the girls (and boys too) have been clamouring for, for years.
Dedicated to a particular demographic of his fanbase – the ladies – WANI’s new single is a thank you to the ones who have stayed on side, even during his long, unannounced musical hiatus.
“The hiatus was just to get the plan in motion for the next set of moves. I just secured a deal for ‘Lagos City Vice 2’, so I was waiting for that to be set before I released any music. Also, I wasn’t comfortable releasing music throughout the pandemic, I didn’t even feel like people were ready to [listen].”
Telling NATIVE of how he felt “the mood wasn’t ready” – now that outside is opening back up and people are more comfortably adjusting to the new normal , WANI believes fans will be more receptive to “All My Ladies” – WANI also expressed that with the weight of the year, it was also hard for him to get into the right mood to release music.
“This latest release, I wouldn’t even call it a single. It’s just something to show people that I’m still working. Give me a little bit of time, let me get the project ready for your guys. That’s literally the whole purpose of this release, and it’s a crazy song, so why not?”
“All My Ladies” is a celebratory release that closes out WANI’s previous chapter, introducing the next phase of Wani Wonder. However, as much as the track is a happy appreciation of his loyal fans, “All My Ladies” also warns the industry that now is the time to start support, because WANI is about to go. Having recently signed a deal with Platoon, WANI’s warning “if you got love, show me don’t wait till when I get on,” looks like one to be taken seriously and fast.
It’s like every 4th quarter I remember I actually have to drop . just singed a deal for Lagos city vice 2 but I’m going to drop ONE more independent record for you guys before then ok ?
“All My Ladies” is produced by Adey, who earlier this year, for his long-deserved spot in the limelight, called upon WANI to deliver “Fugazi”. Clearly a sound pairing, Adey’s production on “All My Ladies” matches WANI’s diverse musical palette. Journeying through musical history, Adey’s beat honours Nigerian hip-hop legends, The Remedies, through its subtle sample of their hit single, “Shako Mo”, before teleporting us to a deserted Colonial Street, where Nelly and Kelly hash out their “Dilemma” to the tune of Ryan Bowser’s infamous high-pitched “ahh”. Sampling Diana King’s unforgettable “Shy Guy” opener, “Oh lord have mercy mercy mercy,” WANI himself cashes in on his versatility and breadth of musical knowledge as he sings to his lady love.
WANI has always been positioned, by his listeners mostly (although he embraces it too), as a ladies man – this latest single plays right into that. Compelling the woman he is interested in to take him serious – “fuck with me I’m a real don dada” he sings – over the course of the track, WANI reminds his fans that he knows how to treat girls right, and that, when it’s time, he is a faithful guy (though he might still play the field during off-season).
Is Mercury in Retrograde this week? I don’t check those things anymore, because I’m trying to get right with God (read all about how I found God in between Roddy Ricch lyrics here), and apparently horoscopes go against the first commandment. I’m lying, it just gives me anxiety when the first thing I read in the morning is ‘Gemini, watch out for crossed wires today’, and all I do throughout my day is look over my shoulders waiting for someone to piss me off. Anyway, it seems as though everyone is having a bad week this week, and it wouldn’t shock me to hear that we’re all just burnt out from the happenings of this crazy year.
We started this column a few weeks ago to give you (more ourselves tbh) a much-needed break from the constant consumption of horrible news every day, and we hope you’ve enjoyed them so far. So if this week, you’re having a horrible week like me, here are some of the things that have kept my mind off the chaos, and kept me a little bit sane. Enjoy!
What I’m listening to at the moment: What A Time To Be Alive
On Sunday, Drake & Future’s joint tape, ‘WATTBA’ turned 5, and I went to listen to it again just for the vibes. When it dropped, I had just started my Masters at London College Of Fashion, and I remember very vividly the first time I heard “Plastic Bag” and “Diamonds Dancing”, and falling in love instantly. “Diamonds Dancing” especially because of Drake’s monologue at the end, when he said ‘your mom would be ashamed of you, haven’t heard a single word from you, ungrateful‘ – let’s just say, thank God for growth. Whilst the lyrics about a toxic entanglement resonated more with me in 2015 when the project dropped, when I was listening to it on Sunday, the standouts for me were “Jersey” and “30 For 30 Freestyle”.
I guess at that point in life, I hadn’t really achieved anything or even experienced real pain, so it didn’t hit like that when Future was clearly revelling in the pride of what he had overcome when he said ‘you do what you want when you’re popping’ on “Jersey” or when Drake said ‘but I got bigger fish to fry, bigger shit than you and I’ and ‘the pen is working if you niggas need some ghost lines’ on “30 for 30 Freestyle”. It was nice to look back to 5 years ago and be able to see very clearly how different my perspective on life is. When I pressed play, I wasn’t expecting to do any self-reflection, I just wanted to revisit one of my favourite albums of all time, but it was nice that the music was able to help me measure my growth as a person. Music is special isn’t it? The world was a very different place in 2015, but what Drake and Future said in most of these songs are still relevant today. I’m very grateful that it’s my job to listen to music and analyse what it means, and when things like this happen, it reminds me that I’m definitely on the right track.
What a time to be alive, no?
What I’m watching on YouTube: Jay Z
If you haven’t already noticed by now, I’m a real rap girl. I spend so much of my free time either listening to rap or researching rappers, and Jay Z is one of my favourite rappers. I would say about 70% of my free time is spent either watching or listening to a rapper speaking about something or the other, and this weekend I was on a Jay Z interview binge. I watched a lot of interviews I had already seen before, but the one that stuck out the most to me out of everything was this one at Columbia University where he says ‘I walk into every room as myself. I don’t walk into any room as anyone else, I’m not cowering, I’m not speaking soft, my voice doesn’t change. Imma walk in as myself and proud and I speak for us’.
I don’t think I need to explain why it’s important for anyone anywhere to walk into every room as themselves, and because I’ve felt more like myself recently than I ever have, it really sat right with me when he said that. If you need a reminder, I suggest you listen to Jay Z speaking, something about the things he says – whether it’s on wax or in an interview – always gives me a good indication of who I am and maybe it could help you too.
What I’m watching on Netflix: Menace II Society
It’s taking me a really long time to get through this film, because I don’t like blood and it’s very bloody, but I’ve been starting and stopping ‘Menace II Society’. It’s a drama set in Compton in the ’90’s, and it follows a young man who gets caught up in a life of crime, and has to face the consequences of his actions… somehow. It’s basically a different and more in-depth version of ‘Boyz N The Hood’ or ‘Baby Boy’ (why was that film so trash?), and you guys know how fascinated I am by gang activity and life on the streets.
I really enjoy consuming anything that gives me a good sense of a reality that’s very different to mine, and I think this film is basically a visual version of the kind of music I like listening to. From watching it, I can also recognise a lot of scenes from ‘Don’t Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood’ (where Ovie’s signature ‘MESSAGE’ is originally from) which I’ve now understood is a parody of ‘Menace II Society’.
Check out the trailer here:
Wizkid, Burna Boy & Davido
We’re preparing for our next instalment of our weekly column Fresh Meat, and every month when we’re looking for these artists, I remember a time when artists like Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy were at their own tipping point, and gearing up to take the Nigerian music industry by storm. 10 years ago in 2010, I only knew of Davido because he made a song with my friend called “Tambourine”, which was circulated via hotmail (lol them days), I had no idea who Burna Boy was and knew of Wizkid from his feature on D’Prince’s “Jonzing World” (one day can we talk about how great 2009/10 D’Prince was??).
Today, all three of these artists have earned their stripes and have all left indelible marks on the Nigerian music industry in general, yet for some reason, we’re kind of demanding that they have to still prove it to us? In the past 8 weeks, each of them have dropped music and each drop has had it’s own moment, been enjoyed by all and certainly undeniably good. But, each of them have been compared to one or the other surrounding these drops and I’m genuinely confused about what the point of these comparisons are. There’s always some sort of beef or the other surrounding all of them; Wizkid and Davido’s beef trickled down into the different fan clubs and I think we’ve all been made aware of the brewing conflict between the African Giant and O.B.O recently. When ‘Twice As Tall’ dropped, there was talk about “Way Too Big” being a diss song to Davido, but if you ask me, I would say “No Fit Vex” sounds like it could be what’s directed to his counterpart, and what would make the most sense for grown ass men who occupy the same position.
While Davido clearly drew the battle line with “Fem”, making direct indirect with lines like ‘tell Odogwu we like to party’, “Life no easy my brother you dey find your own me I dey find my own” sounds like where we should all be at. Back in 2015/16, we were all thriving off Drake and Meek Mill’s very public fight (I can’t believe Drake convinced me that I didn’t fw Meek), but now they have made up and Meek has said many times that it was a pointless and baseless fight he should have never given any energy to. I don’t know what the intricate details of any of these fights are, we’ve all heard whispers but it sounds dumb, and like Jay Z has advised us previously, let’s not Michael & Prince any of these guys. Let’s all just enjoy all the fire music with no stress.
But I’m a Gemini and the twin is kind of living for the drama and thinking this is more interesting than M.I & Vector’s beef….
Hennessy – The Conversation
Which brings me to my next point. I got really excited when I heard about The Conversation, a documentary by Hennesy which aims to present a dialogue about the evolving hip hop scene in Nigeria since the ’80s. As someone who is actually really interested in rap, I’m particularly uninterested in Nigerian rap and watching this documentary confirmed why to me. My favourite thing about rap is the authenticity, and how what I’m hearing gives me a good enough idea of the person who is rapping, and I rarely ever get that from Nigerian rappers. I know it’s because I can’t really get past the intonation which mostly mimics an American accent, and that’s why I’m more drawn to rappers like Naira Marley and Zlatan, who are speaking (rapping) as it comes to them, and it really makes the difference for me.
I love to learn about things though. I wanted this documentary to fill in the gaps my disinterest in the actual music left, but I’m afraid it didn’t really do anything for me at all. Earlier on in the lockdown, I watched all the episodes of Hip Hop Evolution on Netflix, and I was in awe of the creativity and innovation evident in each rap era the show documented – even from a time long before I was born or even thought of. Two episodes in, I’m not really sure what more this documentary aims to do, than sensationalise M.I and Vector’s beef. The first episode left out a lot of crucial information, that would have given an even clearer idea of the shaping of the Nigerian rap scene, by the people who were there. These actually interesting bits were very briefly glossed over in the aim to rush into this conversation about who is the best rapper or not, or who is beefing who.
I personally want more or nothing at all.
FEMME MAG is what the girls need and deserve
As someone who is usually the only girl in the room and has mostly always been, when I get a crumb of the amazingness of spaces created for women, I am eternally grateful. FEMME MAG is an editorial version of that. I spent a lot of my time as a young girl reading Cosmopolitan, Man Repeller, Jezebel and such websites targeted towards women, but never really felt like it was for me (because it wasn’t lol). Having a website dedicated to Nigerian women, and made by Nigerian women is what the scene needs at the moment, and our friends at Femme Africa are doing a great job.
If you haven’t heard about it yet, FEMME MAG is an editorial vertical of Femme who are carving out a space to tell stories about African women, for women, by women. I particularly love their interview series, Friend Of A Friend, which tells real and authentic stories about young women in a way I’ve never seen done (right) in these parts. I am definitely looking forward to everything else they have in store, and you should follow them on Instagram for more frequent updates:
Last week, the internet was in a tizzy because news broke that ITV had partnered with Digital Play to bring Love Island to the country. For those of you who are uncultured and won’t keep up with the times, ‘Love Island’ is a UK dating show, where a number of contestants are locked up in a villa for eight weeks and have to find love within that time. At the end of the show, there’s prize money and also the inevitable promise of becoming a celebrity as we’ve seen with many of the previous contestants.
Currently, we’re all following Big Brother Naija (or at least were until they evicted Kidd and Erica) and earlier on during lockdown, my timeline was filled with tweets about ‘Love Is Blind’ and ‘Too Hot To Handle’, which gives good enough indication that the Nigerian audience will appreciate this kind of reality show.
It would be the perfect opportunity for pop culture to become a bit more daring in this country, and I’d like to see a lot of drama. Much like we’ve seen in Big Brother several times, I’m expecting a cheating nigga, who has a girlfriend outside to be inside the villa professing love for someone else. I’m also expecting to see the goody-two-shoes who is mArRiEd To tHe LoRd but still came on a dating show on national TV to find love. I really want a ‘wild girl’, who will shake the room for real; someone who will take all the ideals about gender equality, and general uselessness of (you know the gender, don’t make me say it) that we see the timeline divided over, to the wider Nigerian audience, and cause a real ruckus with the olds who will be watching. I generally just want chaos, and I hope they deliver!
Left to my parents, if you don’t go to an office, you don’t have a job. Wait until they find out that ‘pressing phone’ is actually a career, and the power of the social media influencer in driving sales is genuinely lucrative. The Internet has changed many things since millennials came ‘of age’, and many bloggers have built a reputation and amassed a following by offering genuine and honest reviews of all sorts of products. Essentially influencers have a trust-based relationship with their followers, and this allows them to drive sales and predict trends in the way that it was originally done by fashion and beauty magazines.
Of course, with every good thing comes the bad, and we have instababes who have very clearly had their bodies sculpted by Dr Miami telling us that all we need to do to look like them is drink Flat Tummy Tea. Given that these guys have taken charge of the forefront, when I come across people like Melissa’s Wardrobe, I’m genuinely happy and if I had more money, I would buy everything she recommends.
First of all, she doesn’t present herself as an ideal in any way. In the same breath that we see her all glammed up and living the lifestyle – wearing Prada and chilling with Stormzy – we also see her at night with her hair in a mess, spot cream on and looking just as regular as any of the rest of us do. If you watch her Instastories every day like me, you’ll know that a few weeks ago, she tried a product which she was hoping wouldn’t make her break out, and lo and behold, it did. Her hashtag #melmademedoit is enough proof that more than an influencer with a curated page, and very nice clothes, she is actually influential and I would present her to my children as someone to look up to! Follow her if you haven’t already, her stories are hilarious!
It is no secret that Nigerian society is a patriarchal one. One doesn’t even need to visit our shores to see how androcentrism proliferates, a simple peek through our most commercially successful movies will give you all the insight into the misogynistic tropes into which Nigerians – through TV and cinema – are buying. Though films such as ‘Wives on Strike’ or ‘King of Boys’portray and venerate women wielding their own power, both in their own unique ways, quite a few major blockbusters still haven’t been able to shake decades old stereotypes of Nigerian women as evil mother-in-laws (The Wedding Party), conflicted brides (Isoken), or slimy, slutty vixens (anything with Beverly Naya in it).
But whilst our popular entertainment still has a way to go in telling women’s stories, Nigerian literature has always remained diverse, imaginative and inspired in how they narrate women. So, of course, when rumours dropped that Arese Ugwu’s bestseller, The Smart Money Woman would be getting a television adaptation, we knew that we were in for a treat, and have been eagerly anticipating today, as the series premieres on AfricaMagic Showcase tonight (DSTV Channel 151).
Published in 2016, Arese Ugwu’s The Smart Money Woman is a Lagos-based fictional novel that explores the daily trials of middle-aged, middle-classed womanhood in Nigeria’s commercial capital. The Smart Money Woman TV series, which is based on the book, isn’t only exciting because of its storyline centring around five women and their affairs alone, it’s also a treat considering the formidable cast of female filmmakers behind the scenes. Produced by Kemi Akindoju, The Smart Money Women is directed by Bunmi Ajakaiye and its scriptwriters are Pearl Osibu and Jola Ayeye, who of course adapted from Arese Ugwu’s original story.
Starring Osas Ighodaro, Ini Dima Okojie, Toni Tones, Kemi Lala Akindoju and Ebenezer Eno (respectively), The Smart Money Woman TV series follows the lives of its protagonist Zuri, and her closest comrades, Tami, Lara, Adesuwa, Ladun, who navigate financial, career, relationship woes as individuals and as a supportive group, through the course of the show’s thirteen episodes, which will air weekly. Speaking with NATIVE about what viewers should expect from the forthcoming series, Ayeye says:
“Smart Money Woman is about how love, relationships and money collide. So you guys can expect to laugh, cry, feel sad and be exasperated by the characters and their shenanigans. You can expect to see themselves and their friends –and enemies– in the individual stories. I really, really hope people enjoy the series, it’s going to be a fun 13 weeks”
Watch the trailer for The Smart Money Woman below, and get your alarms set for 9:30pm tonight, when the series premieres.
PatricKxxLee has made no secret of his emo influences. With multiple face tattoos, piercings, black painted nails, dyed hair and choker chains, the South African rapper wears his angsty attitude proudly. Though he might seem like any other SoundCloud rapper who shares similar wardrobe choices, PatricKxxLee has always stood out for his earnest reflections. Where it’s typical for rappers to spend the bulk of their time bragging about their money and affluence, he spends his time dismantling his demons and blurring genre lines between hip-hop and punk-rock.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFSQAFtFIRA/
He just shared his 3rd album, ‘Eternity’, the follow-up to 2018’s ‘Nowhere Child’ and he’s picking up right where he left off on his dark path to salvation through music. With no features on the 17-track offering, PatricKxxLee can indulge in all his emo punk extremities, exploring the darkest corners of his thoughts over moshpit-inducing beats he self-produced. He delivers tracks referencing the horror video game, “Silent Hills”, “Lost Boy Anthem”, a vampire romance-themed track, “Fangz” and even encouraging listeners to “Join (His) Cult”.
Although PatricKxxLee’s charismatic personality has allowed him build a fanbase that matches his intensity and need to rage, emo rap is still seen as the outlier among hip-hop heads. However, on one of the standout tracks from ‘Eternity’, “God Don’t Make Mistakes”, PatricKxxLee highlights hip-hop and punk rock’s symbiotic relationship as tools for protesting against the system. His rage inciting mix of bass guitar riffs, eerie synth samples and hi hats serve as the perfect backdrop for him to deliver commentary on the systematic oppression of free-thinking youth by conservative societies and religion.
“Might as well kill me now because I will not fear the system/ This is a horror movie/ they kill anyone who film it”, he says with the swagger of a gangster rapper. His lyrics paint institutionalised religion as an evil machine that brainwashes people and robs them of their purpose and voice. And although some of his rants become mythical with lines like “The universe is female/The species that inhabit mars is indeed male”, he remains grounded in the truth he preaches against the system and makes compelling points like “Toxic masculinity goes hand in hand with Christain pride”.
PatricKxxLee’s “God’s Don’t Make Mistakes” shows that there’s never a bad time to protest against injustice when we see it. Using Christianity as the anchor for his cry against institutionalised subjugation, the song encourages listeners to be more politically and socially literate, or “woke” so they don’t fall for whatever lies their authority figures say.
Stream PatricKxxLee’s “God’s Don’t Make Mistakes” “below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/patrickxxlee37
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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 the Afropop movement takes on the world, topping charts and gaining international accolades, Nigerian gospel is doing the same. Culture Journalist, Ify Obi guides us through the evolution of Nigerian gospel music, from its birth, to its global appeal, and beyond.
A little while ago, a video of DaBaby and his daughter having a father-daughter moment sent Nigerian twitter into a frenzy. As sweet as the video was, what caught everyone’s attention was the song by popular Nigerian gospel music singer, Agatha Moses, playing in the background. Upon hearing that song, as I’m sure it did most Nigerian-bred Twitter folk who watched the clip, a rush of previously locked memories came streaming through my consciousness. I recalled waking up on Saturday mornings to the voices of Tope Alabi or Chioma Jesus knowing that I had a long day of chores ahead, or the funny choreographies we did to Darrell Evans’ “I’m Trading My Sorrow” and Infinity Music Group’s “Olori Oko” whilewearing the infamous white lace gloves with socks to match. Gospel music has always been informative in our collective Nigerian socio-cultural experience and will continue to be so, after all, the Nigerian Christian community accounts for the largest Christian population in the continent.
As much as gospel music is a diverse Christian music genre, it is also an intricate part of popular culture. Today, gospel isn’t bound to the walls of the church, though having its roots there – you are every bit as likely to listen to a choral rendition of a song like Midnight Crew’s “Igwe” at church as you are to dance to it at a wedding party. Chances are, you’ve probably already done so. In the face of life’s uncertainties, the feelings of helplessness associated with living in Nigeria, and the ever-present socio-economic hardships, gospel music provides a sense of relief for the average Nigerian; the genre vocalises our longing that one day, these circumstances of life will change. It has never mattered what language the songs are performed in or whether or not we understand them, the message – of love, hope, and faith – is (and always will be) felt deeply.
The Formative Years
Gospel music in Nigeria dates back to the 16th century. At this time, the Portuguese catholic missionaries arrived in the ancient Benin kingdom for their evangelical mission, and with their arrival came the introduction of liturgical music. This music was often unaccompanied and contained very limited tunes, so it did not fare well with the people. What would, however, form the basis of what we now know today as Nigerian gospel music began to take form until the 19th century. The coming of the UK based Church Missionary Society (CMS) created wide-spread evangelism across Nigeria and choral music was introduced. Not long after, a Nigerian version was born out of a style and rhythm that was unique to the rich culture of its indigenous listeners, pioneered by Reverend Josiah J. Ransome-Kuti (grand-father of Fela Ransome-Kuti), who, as church organist of the St. Peter Church, Ake, Abeokuta, fused choral music with Yoruba and new rhythmic structures.
A total of 43 tracks were recorded when Reverend Ransome-Kuti was invited to the United Kingdom in 1922 to record an album for his compositions. Some of these recordings became standards, such as “Egbe Awon Angeli”, “Oyigi Yigi Olorun Wa”, “Jesu Oba Alaanu”. Today, Ransome-Kuti is regarded as the father of Nigerian gospel music and is credited as the first Nigerian to record an album. In the same vein, chorister and composer, Ikoli Harcourt-Whyte was the first person to create choral music in Igbo language in the 1930s.
By the ‘50s and ‘60s, the trend of incorporating traditional music forms with choral music quickly grew in popularity and spread wide across Nigeria. Soon enough, traditional instruments began being implemented, and it didn’t stop there. Gospel music artists continued to evolve the genre through the decades – from the folk and country-inspired Karis Band of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (the ‘70s) to Kris Okotie’s pop-to-gospel conversion (the ‘80s). Then, with the rise of the new generation of American ‘90s gospel stars (Kirk Franklin; The Winans), Nigerian gospel music set itself on a new course. Modelling their music after the American legends, the emergence of Nigerian gospel artists such as Sam Okposo, Tope Alabi, and Broda Martyns, spread the gospel beyond the congregation. From there, Nigerian gospel music gained listenership outside the church and began establishing itself as a crucial part of the Nigerian music industry at large.
Taking on the World
There is clearly a growing space for Nigerian music in the global music market right now. As the Afrobeats movement takes on the world, topping charts and gaining international accolades, Nigerian gospel is doing the same, albeit in its own way.
The global growth of the Afropop movement was mainly reliant on the rise of internet culture, evolution of digital technology, and the age of DSPs such as YouTube, SoundCloud, and Apple Music. Gospel, on the other hand, always had an invaluable edge: the international expansions of Nigerian Pentecostal churches and communities. From The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) to Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministry (MFM) many Pentecostal denominations have, over time, established communities in key countries around the world particularly the U.K and the United States. The international leap for Nigerian gospel music was a natural given.
In 2014, former Destiny’s Child member Michelle Williams sampled popular Nigerian praise song “When Jesus Say Yes” on her single “Say Yes” which featured other former Destiny’s Child members, Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowland. Williams’ single was eventually ranked amongst the biggest gospel singles of the past decade by Billboard. Sinach’s 2015 single, “Waymaker”, recently spent 6 weeks at number 1 on Billboard’s Christian Songwriters Chart with over 120 million streams across different streaming platforms in the month of May 2019-2020. This came along after the song was covered by international gospel stars such as Bethel Music, Michael W. Smith, Mandisa, Leeland, Christafari, Mandisa, and Passion Worship Band.
Similarly, fellow Loveworld Records (owned by Christ Embassy Church) artist and contemporary singer-songwriter, Frank Edwards released a joint EP in 2016 with one of gospel music’s most respected figures, Don Moen. “My crossover into the international market started when I collaborated with Grammy-nominated artist Micah Stampley” Frank Edwards explained to me over a text message.
“The church I attend, Christ Embassy, already had a clear global presence, as sermons were broadcast around the world. So when you step on that stage, you minister to a worldwide audience.
But you see, The Experience Concert gave me a chance to meet some of the people who already knew me. People like Don Moen and Travis Greene. The Experience Concert kind of brought us together.”
When American gospel music heavyweight, Travis Greene, described The Experience concert as the “largest Christian music concert in the world,” he wasn’t too far from the truth. It might not be marketed as one of the major ‘Detty December’ activities in Lagos but The Experience concert does pack a punch. In 2017, the annual Lagos-held free concert reportedly drew a staggering 700,000 attendees to the historic Tafawa Balewa Square, with millions viewing online across the globe.
Established in 2006 by House On The Rock Cathedral Senior Pastor, Paul Adefarasin, The Experience has, since its inception, given a home to a number of emerging and established artists alike. Coming at a time when there weren’t many platforms dedicated to the growth of gospel artists, The Experience Concert has played a prominent role in the crossover of many local talents into the international gospel market.
“As a result of the vast improvement in quality, several gospel songs now compete favourably with secular music, oftentimes debuting at the number one spot on music charts.
Before now, American gospel songs were the norm in our services. Today, our indigenous songs are favourites in many American Churches.”
Pastor Adefarasin explained during a press conference in the wake of the 2018 edition. He, however, stated “While we do not take all the credit for the growth of the gospel industry, we are proud to say that The Experience has played a very prominent role in this regard. The socio-economic impact of this mammoth occasion is evident and lends credence to scriptures in the Psalms which attest that God blesses and causes the earth to yield its increase to His people whenever He inhabits their praises.”
Now, many local talents compete favourably alongside their international counterparts as they carve their own spaces in the global market.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufh5tfdKw6I
The Contemporary Face of Nigerian Gospel Music
The year may be 2020, but the Nigerian music industry still remains heavily male-dominated. You can comfortably count on one hand the number of women who are slightly in the reigns and even at that these women rarely receive as much recognition or visibility as male musicians do. However, the same can hardly be said of its gospel sub-genre. Speaking on the cultural impact of the gospel music industry, it is difficult to overlook the influence of its women. I mean if there is any doubt, you can take a look back at the beginning of this story.
In the gospel music industry, women are seen to be the leading figures, and this goes beyond the music, as women often assume positions of authority, for example, Bola Are and Funmi Aragbaye who have both served as National Presidents of the Gospel Musicians’ Association of Nigeria. Not only are these women highly influential, they also enjoy longevity in their careers. We have all been listening to songs by Tope Alabi and Chioma Jesus for most of our lives, yet, they are still very much present in the industry and show no signs of slowing down. They presently co-exist and reign supreme alongside the likes of newer names like Mercy Chinwo, Sinach, Nikki Laoye, Ada Ehi, and an even newer crop of gospel artists diversifying the landscape.
“For too long, Nigerians have put gospel music in a box creatively. They believe if it doesn’t sound like Nathaniel Bassey, Tim Godfrey, or Mercy Chinwo then it isn’t spiritual”
So believes Timi Kei, a young artist whose music blends soul and rap with spiritual lyrics.
Like a newly-formed butterfly finding its way out of the cocoon, gospel music in Nigeria is steadily breaking free of traditional stylistic limitations and is soaring to new heights. Today, its leading artists incorporate the forms of other popular music genres like pop, jazz, rock, r&b, rap, and even afropop in their music; though not without a few criticisms. Purists are of the opinion that the gospel community is conforming to the ideals of secularism in order to appeal to larger audiences for financial gain.
“This is one of the reasons I decided to refer to myself as a Christian who makes music as opposed to a gospel artist. I strongly believe there is nothing wrong with a gospel artist adopting any secular music style as long as the message is being passed to a broader audience,”
Timi Kei continues.
Regardless of such criticisms, the contemporary gospel community continues to hold its place, and to the Glory of God, it shan’t be backing down.
Back in July, Spaceship Entertainment singer, Nissi, released her debut project, a seven-track EP that brought refreshingly positive high notes to the year. 2020 has been dire, to say the least, but Nissi’s ‘Ignite‘ offered us a soundtrack to let our hair down to, basking in the pop glory the rising star offered up for our ears to devour. Telling NATIVE that this project, and her music on the whole, is intended to reveal bit by bit who Nissi really is, ‘Ignite‘ set off with a proud proclamation of her happy demeanour, the title track explaining how music, her music eases the stress and pressures of the harsh world.
Directed by Mollana Burke for JM Films, the freshly released music video for “Ignite”, illustrates the joy that the track, and its gleeful crooner exude. Showing off her footwork through a picturesque catwalk of hedgerows as she sings, “As soon as I step in the building you know it’s about that time, ’bout the time to ignite your life“, the “Ignite” video brings to life Nissi’s assertion that dance is the right medicine for pain. Emphasising the healing bond of friendship, “Ignite” depicts three women leaving stressful situations, finding themselves happy and at peace as they dance with their friends, one of whom of course, is Nissi.
Though “Ignite” is definitely a feel-good pop bop, the record bears more meaning than just ‘have a blast’. Speaking with us last month, Nissi revealed that she always aims to add value to the world with her music, saying:
“For me, music is not about the popular phrase of ‘I just caught a vibe’, the real skill is being able to say something that people can understand and enjoy easily. It helps when you constantly utilise music as a means to say something, whether it’s to yourself or to someone else.”
From this it is clear that “Ignite” is more than just a song to get hip to. Appreciating that there is “only so much that one can digest“, “Ignite” it’s is a means to defy the constant expectation to be war-ready in the battleground that has become our daily lives; it’s a timely suggestion of how to deal with stress, both internally and externally, in order to take care of our mental and physical wellbeing; “Ignite” is a big middle finger to the recurring pain that has been exacted on the world throughout the year.
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“There’s always a recording session, so I have little time to myself to relax and do other stuff”, Cracker Mallo tells me over a Whatsapp voice note recording. He pauses for a second as if to underscore how much he’d like to do other stuff. This year alone, the Lagos-based producer has produced on projects from Fireboy DML, Olamide, Tiwa Savage, and more, all while still working on his own debut project as an artist/producer. The project, ‘A Friendly Introduction to Saund’ was only a few hours from its scheduled release date when we had our conversation, but he was still in the studio, working on new music. “I just can’t stop”, is the only explanation he offered.
He quickly laughs off the comment, but his shyness contradicts the sense of wonder he expressed repeatedly over the course of our conversation. Ayodeji Olowu, who many know as the producer, Cracker Mallo emerged as one of afropop’s most promising producers when Fireboy DML’s breakout single, “Jealous” became a hit in 2019. The song’s success led him to other Afropop tastemakers such as Tiwa Savage, Mayorkun, Slimcase, Mr Real, Dice Ailes, and more. And though producers are often seen as shadowy intermediaries in Nigeria’s music scene, Cracker Mallo has stood out with his distinctly festive instrumentals.
Combining the upbeat bounce of street-hop with stunning percussions and synths, there’s a lingering sense that the beats he makes are the showpieces—no matter whose vocals are on them. After his production helped Olamide secure this year’s street anthem, “Wonma!” the young producer solidified his reputation as a hitmaker. But despite the growing support for his production, he remains convinced that he has the range to also be a celebrated artist. “It’s more rewarding to drop my own music”, he explained. “I’m still going to drop some more”.
The release of ‘A Friendly Introduction to Saund’ might be the start of Cracker’s career as a producer/artist, but straddling different talents has been a constant in his life from a young age. He spent his early years participating in different activities from dancing, singing to playing the drums, and conga and drawing. He was also the social prefect while in school, so he got to organise parties and even DJ in some of the parties held in his school. It was while DJing that he first realised his passion for music. “I get inspired to create all the time. It was when I started to DJ that I started to really enjoy music. Then I got the software and once I figured it out, there was no going back”, he recounts to me with utmost confidence.
If a childhood spent exploring so many different talents seem usual, its peculiarity didn’t occur to Cracker Mallo. “The normal mentality in Nigeria is that you have to go to school and get a job before you can make money”, he explained. “They tell you that if you’re doing something else that is not in that line, then you’re taking a risk and not securing your future. So I had to do both school and production. It wasn’t easy because school had to suffer a bit, but I did it anyway.” His determination to always find creative ways to express himself shines through on all his buoyant productions that can either sound disarmingly off balance like on Olamide’s “Wonma” or harmonious like on Tiwa Savage’s “Dangerous Love”. Meanwhile, his exuberant sonic signature, “Saund!”, immediately makes all his tracks sound as inviting as a party.
One of the exciting things about afropop is that it innovates so rapidly that by the time you’ve got a handle on one style, everyone’s moved on to something else. However, Cracker Mallo has remained on top of all the different trends. He admits to me that his project had no unique direction besides highlighting the different angles his music can take. True to those words, the 5 tracks show Cracker’s production range with enchanting EDM harmonies, street-hop bangers and r&b bops. With each track embracing afropop’s dancehall elements that trigger involuntary head bopping, ‘A Friendly Introduction to Saund’ provides some welcome escapism in an era of lockdown.
“When I make a beat, I’m trying to paint my emotions and the different sounds depict different intensities at different points. It all has to go together and it has to be full and interesting and cohesive and weird.”
All the years of singing in the church also pay off on ‘A Friendly Introduction to Saund’ as he incorporates his vocals into his production. Backed by lush EDM harmonies, Cracker sings “Waiting/ Don’t keep me wait” on the opener, “Paradise”, filtering his vocals through auto-tune machines till it melts into the groove of the beat. He told me it was also his vocals that formed the Arabic-sounding drop on the Olamide-assisted track, “Palanshe” while he performed all the vocals on the closing track, “Do Better”.
It’s a vulnerable introduction of Cracker Mallo as an artist, but one that reveals his dedication to pursuing a career as an artist, even while it seemed out of reach in Nigeria’s white collar focused society. Though Lagos has proven to be the most talent and entertainment friendly scene in the country with the music industry holding several music festivals and concerts to celebrate the culture, there are still challenges that even celebrated producers like Crack Mallo can’t avoid.
“Everybody in Lagos seems like they’re on fast forward. It’s fun but at the same time it’s stressful because everyone is hustling and trying to chance everybody,” he told me. “It takes a lot to be able to grow. There were times when we didn’t have money for fuel, so we’d be in the studio, waiting for light. We’d have to wait for like 3 hours before we have light to start a session and then they’d take light after 30 minutes. Sometimes we’d get deals and it’d look promising and then it just doesn’t work out in the end. There has been a lot of challenges, but in the end, I’m happy.”
Having won the City People Music Award for “Music Producer of the Year” and earning a nomination for Soundcity’s MVP Awards for “African Producer of the Year”, Cracker Mallo is finally seeing the results for his dedication to making music. With several hit songs to his name, he can explore more experimental sounds for his debut project and introduce us to his accomplished singing voice. The project shows that he isn’t just a producer, but a full blown artist in his own right.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/crackermallo
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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
Wizkid has been teasing his forthcoming album ‘Made In Lagos’ for over three years now. During summer’s peak, ‘Made In Lagos‘ anticipation left fans in a gulf of uncertainty, as debate as to whether we’ll ever hear the album ever grew more and more valid. Matters weren’t made any better when the previously announced “July 16” release date, turned out to be the H.E.R-assisted “Smile”, instead of the full-length album touted to feature Burna Boy, Tems, Tay Iwar, Skepta, Ella Mai, Damien Marley and more.
With the release of his latest single, however, the original Starboy has assured us that the false starts are through. Along with “No Stress” came the album’s bright and hyperactive cover art and a pre-release appearance on streamers, indicating that, on October 15, we will finally hear the sounds that Wizkid ‘Made In Lagos‘ and beyond.
Track number eight on the forthcoming project – two songs down from the #MIL lead single, “Smile” – “No Stress” begins with four counts of the same breezy arpeggio, a surprisingly simple, soothing introduction to Wizkid’s equally as calming familiar vocals that confess his casual relationship status involving no stress.
The familiarity in Wizkid’s opening line doesn’t come from his delectable signature-sounding singing chops alone. The melody of his introduction, which turns out to be the heart of the track – it’s chorus – is reminiscent of Wizkid’s 2018 hit-collab with fellow Eagle, Skepta (who ironically released a song of the same title on Friday too, though his interpretation of “No Stress” sounds a little more gritty than Wiz’s sensual one). Reigniting the intonations he delivered on his “Energy (Stay Far Away)” chorus, “she tell me bad man, say I need your love,” Wizkid hones in on the parallel these two songs shares in their sentiments, affording the conclusion that he wants “bad energy [to] stay far away” because both this bad man and his “pretty pretty lady” don’t like stress. This is the bond that both Wizkid and his girl for the three-plus minutes of the record share, the fact they “no like no stress“.
Generous with his verses, Wizkid delivers an atypical (for these times) three verses over the track. Interpolating Amerie’s “1 Thing” on his third and final verse – where he shouts out black women from the Motherland, the Caribbean, and even South London – Wizkid’s second verse gets into a sung flow, as he repeats that he is the only one for his muse, a tone he set right from the top of the song where he sings favourably as about his independent woman whose “got her own but she needs some love.“
Crude in his lyrics, delivering his own version of the “suck and fuck” rhyme, Wizkid is the perfect man for his muse; he’s the only one that can make her feel love or feel warm, the only one that can relieve her stress, and likely because he is the only one that can make her cum. Though Wizkid brags a lot about his stamina and his dexterous oral muscle, he is just as much into having a good night as he is into treating his lady right. It is refreshing and tantalising to hear a male artist advocating for sexual equality in the bedroom as well as emotional maturity in relationship affairs.
Wizkid has been winning women over with his lyrical seduction since his “Tease Me” days. But over the years, as Wiz has matured, so has his growingly alluring vocals, boasting a seductively calm voice that narrates his grown-up intimate desires, adding more authenticity to his irresistible music. When it comes to “No Stress”, UK-based producer P2J (who boasts sprawling credits on Beyoncé’s ‘The Lion King: The Gift‘ album) uses his talents to forge the safe, sexy space that affords the type of encounter Wizkid narrates over the gyrating beat. P2J’s prowess is evident from the subtle details he weaves into “No Stress”, for example, in the background of his production, listeners can sense a muffled vocalising trooping through each bar, mocking the orgasmic sensation Wizkid repeatedly describes – and, for all music lovers, metaphorically imparts – on this song.
“No Stress” leaves listeners pulsing to the beat of Wizkid’s perfect modern love affair. It’s another W in the bag for Nigeria’s brightest star.
We’ve had music to fall back on through all the heartbreaking moments of 2020. Despite the ongoing pandemic, civil unrest, and the seemingly endless barrage of bad news, musicians have continued to capture our collective pop consciousness with new songs that either reflects our present reality or provide an escape from it. We know it can be difficult to keep up with all the diverse streams of music, so we’ve created this column to keep you, our readers, up to date with all the finest tunes coming out of Africa and the rest of the world. These are the songs you absolutely need to hear.
We ended last week’s curation for Songs of the Day with new music from; Kwesi Arthur, Simi and new collaborations from Alicia Keys and Diamond Platnumz, Darey and Patoranking, Bankuli and Congolese singer, Hiro, Leehis Jr, Shaun Mbah, Big Daddy Kave, Ictooicy and R¥DA, NSG, and more. To start the new week, Today’s curation for Songs of the Day features the latest releases The Cavemen, Skepta, L3 and Michael Phantom, Eugy, Toyé, Sir Dauda and Simi. You can enjoy them below.
The Cavemen – “Bena”
Though traces of highlife guitar riffs remain ingrained in the DNA of afropop, the genre is not quite the rave it used to be in the ’60s. Lagos-based brother duo, The Cavemen, however, are on a mission to reignite the spark of the historic guitar-led sound. Their impressive debut project, ‘ROOTS’ channelled the nostalgia of highlife as they narrated different romantic scenarios.
The band has now released the music video for one of the tape’s standout tracks, “Bena”, a captivating ode to a certain type of love. The Granville Wilson-directed video pays tribute to the band’s retro aesthetic with greenroom edits that are immediately reminiscent of music videos from the 70s. We also see cultural dancers reintroduced, while we see some of the lyrics being dramatised, as one of the band members tries to woo a love interest who’s only interested in money.
Skepta x L3 x Michael Phantom – “No Stress”
Skepta seems to have developed a fond relationship with the Essie Gang since he featured on the remix of Octavian’s “Bet”. His latest release, “No Stress” sees him teaming up with two other Essie Gang members, L3 and Michael Phantom as he flexes his production chops and delivers threats to his opps; “Kill your bloodclat tell that pussy don’t stress”.
L3’s lyrics also echoed Skepta’s threatening intentions despite his auto-tuned and melodic vocals. Phantom’s cocky bars come in at closing verse as they all rap over the menacing instrumentals. The video produced by BrathaBratha mirrors the edginess of the song with blurry frames and spooky lights. Though “No Stress” has the same title as Wizkid’s latest single, the two songs antithetical as Wizkid appeal to love and romance while Skepta wants the head of his haters.
Eugy – “Forever”
Eugy released his latest project, ‘4 Play’ with the accompanying video for the opening title-track, “4 Play”. The cryptic ending of the video hinted that there will be more videos to give a more wholesome picture for the romantic-themed project. True enough, he just released the video for the tape’s second track, “Forever”, where he sings praises of his love interest over whine-friendly afropop beats produced by Janeson records Hamadoo.
The video Gabriella Kingsley and Luke Biggins directed for “Forever” continues from 3 months from when the video for “4 Play” was set in. The relationship with his muse from the older video seemed as though he had been cheating on his main girl, however with this one, we now we see them together at parties with his friends. The video for “Forever” also ends on a cliff hanger, when both women meet at the party and we expect to see more drama in the coming videos from Eugy.
Toyé – “Attitude Remix” Feat. Jada Kingdom
Atlanta-based Nigerian singer, Toyé offered an impressive dancefloor-ready tune for his 2019 debut, “Attitude”. Now, to keep the momentum going from the attention garnered for the song, Toyé has just released a Jada Kingdom-assisted remix that adds a welcome touch of a woman to the love song.
Jada Kingdom is a Jamaican singer and her contribution to “Attitude Remix” introduces the steamy sensibilities of reggaeton to the romantic song. Saying “Go0d punani make me get the bling/ You dey man it so well/ I will give you loving plenty”, her sexually provocative lyrics make the song fitting to sex playlists, while also blurring the lines between the Caribbean and African dancehall culture. It’s a late entry, but “Attitude Remix” deserves to feature on summer playlists.
Sir Dauda – “Woman” Feat. Simi
Thanks to his guest feature contribution to songs from artists like Show Dem Camp, LadiPoe, Falz and more, Sir Dauda already had a recognisable voice before he released “Landlord”, his debut single under Bahd Guys Records. Though the single’s egotistic lyrics betrayed his soft voice, the singer has now shared his debut project, ‘Love Ex Machina’, taking a more sensitive approach with the 4 new songs contained in the 5-track EP.
Sir Dauda has now released the music video for one of the tape’s standout tracks, “Woman”, where he confesses his affectionate feelings for women; “This is love/ This is love that I’m feeling”. Directed by Dammy Twitch the video shows Sir Dauda seated on a throne with his muse, while Simi performs alone in a studio set. The video captures the song’s dreamy harmonies through ethereal glitch effects and fanciful costumes.
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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
If Big Brother Naija has shown us anything for the past two months, it’s that Nigerians love reality shows and the drama that comes with them. For the past two months, a significant portion of the populace have been, as expected, glued to the ongoing fifth season of the show, and while this is now the norm for the well-established BBNaija brand, it’s also an indicator that the country is a potential hotspot for many entertaining reality show formats.
Over the weekend, word got out that the UK-originated reality show, “Love Island”, will be coming to Nigeria very soon, as the format of the show has now been acquired by Nigerian-based media and entertainment network, Digital Play, from its original producers, UK-based ITV studios. The executive chairman of Digital Play, Toyin Subair, publicised the news via his Instagram account, stating that the deal was announced during the ITV Studios Fall Festival that took place last week.
After its successful reboot in 2015, “Love Island” quickly became a hit initially amongst viewers in the UK, before going to gather audiences across the world. With this level of success, the dating reality series has gone on to become an international franchise, spawning offshoots in over a dozen countries including the U.S, Australia, Sweden and more. Nigeria and Spain are the latest countries to co-opt the “Love Island” title and format.
Last summer, the timeline collectively watched the series’ 5th season every night, and together we fawned over the drama in the villa which housed two British-Nigerian contestants: Yewande Biala and Ovie Soko. Earlier on in the year, before the ‘rona turned the world upside down, we also enjoyed the likes of British-Ghanaian Leanne Manning and Michael Boateng who brought an extra layer of entertainment to the house. There is no doubt that with an exclusively Nigerian or African cast, the show is bound to be even more exciting than we know it to be.
There’s no certain date as to when the first season of “Love Island: Nigeria” will go into production and begin to air, however, it is definite that it will air on Lagos-based television station TVC, for terrestrial, and on 9 Vision Media for digital. Since the news got on Twitter, the potential—or inevitable—drama of a Nigerian version of “Love Island” has got many excited, resulting in a lot of jokes and excited reactions filling up the timeline. Check out some of the reactions below.
The success of Nigeria’s 1995-themed Nike jersey at the 2018 World Cup has allowed Nike to continue incorporating national history and cultures into their jersey designs. To commemorate the New York Fashion Week back in February, the sportswear giant unveiled a new set of jerseys for Nigeria, USA and Korea. The jerseys celebrate the federations’ distinctive attributes with highly differentiated collections that also highlight Nike’s 65 chassis options across varying necklines, sleeves, cuffs, badge placement, etc.
For its new design, Nike gave Nigeria’s nostalgia-influenced 2018 jersey a more culturally immersive makeover, with hand-drawn prints and a colour scheme that resonates with the national flag. The new Nigerian national team jersey didn’t only take on a new look, as science is the core of Nike’s design process. The design team leveraged 4D visualization tools to bring the product to life, after capturing data on more than 300 footballers and football-specific movements. The result of the precision knitting is a kit that is 55% faster wicking, 13% more breathable and with 10% more stretch than Nike’s previous kits.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Mt–tHmhE/
In putting it together, the Nike crew collaborated with a creative team of fashion and culture tastemakers from Nigeria. NATIVE spoke to Teezee, one of the creative minds behind the design research and he told us his contribution to the creative process. “I worked with Grace Ladoja, Rukky Ladoja and Bubu Isigo on this project, from the inception of the ideas to the end. We essentially did all the research on the textiles traditionally used in Nigeria, trying to get them incorporated into the new kit.” He also explained that the jersey isn’t about getting a better version of the successful 2018 kits. “It’s about introducing new innovation with local-inspired techniques for these new ones.”
This is the 3rd time Nike is unveiling new national team jerseys for Nigeria since they became official kit sponsors of the National Football Federation (NFF) in April 2015. Ahead of international friendlies in October, the NFF has now officially unveiled the new kit as the country’s national jersey for both the Super Eagles (male team) and Super Falcons (female team), from 2020 till 2022. In addition to the NFF announcement, several Nigerian footballers have come on social media to flaunt the new jersey and other additional threads.
