Over the past few years, UK rap legend, Skepta has made it a personal mission to reconnect with his Nigerian roots – more specifically, his Yoruba roots. In 2018, the man born Joseph Junior Adenuga was ordained “Amuludun of Odo-Aje”, a chieftaincy title conferred upon him in his parents’ hometown in Ogun state. It was a marker of Skepta’s unreserved embrace of a previously unexplored side of his identity.
Beyond imbibing it and bragging about it—“Big chief Skeppy and I answer to no one”—Skepta is finding wholesome ways to project the peculiarities of a culture he clearly appreciates. A few days ago, Skepta launched a limited edition rum bottle in collaboration with one of the world’s leading rum producers, Havana Club. The announcement came with a promotional video that offers some insight into Skepta’s trip to Cuba—where Havana Club operates from—and the profound effect of encountering the outward display of Yoruba culture and vibrant practice of Yoruba religion on the island country.
If the short video feels slightly ephemeral, Skepta leaves a lasting imprint of the trip on the label that graces his Havana Club bottle. The label is a bold representation of Yoruba culture passed through the lens of Santeria, a religion that champions the ideals of Yoruba traditional worship, even though it was formed under the circumstances of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Santeria, which translates to “worship of the saints”, was synthesised through the syncretism between Yoruba Deities (Orisas) and Catholic Saints, ensuring that Yoruba traditional worship survived through Roman Catholic scrutiny and western feshitisation.
Today, Santeria is thriving on a large scale in island nations like Cuba and Puerto Rico, as well as in countries like Brazil and Mexico. Identifying with Aché—Santeria’s community-based concept of the universal energy behind all things—the label on the Skepta x Havana Club collab is packed with significant imagery, a meticulous design that’s rooted in the connection between Santeria and Yoruba culture. Here, we take a look at the elements that come together to form the striking and deeply symbolic image on the label.
Blue Background
The blue background on the label is designed to look like the texture of the sky. In Yoruba religion, the sky represents the demarcation, as well as the meeting point, between earth and the spiritual realm where the Deities reside.
Cowrie Shells
In addition to their use as apparatus for divination, cowrie shells are found on the statues of Elegua, the deity in charge of roads in Santeria. It is believed that he’s the keeper of the Aché, and the keys to the past, present and future are in his possession. A link of cowrie shells forms the outer boundary on the label, a symbol of Elegua’s overarching presence.
Ewe Oshun
Oshun, the river goddess, is regarded as one of the most powerful deities in traditional Yoruba worship. In Santeria, specifically, she’s regarded as the Orisa in charge of protecting and bringing blessings to the orí (head) of worshippers. Ewe Oshun (Oshun’s leaves) are used in Yoruba rituals, and on the label, they are bunched together within the cowry boundary in the form of a wreath.
Conga drum
Within the bounds of the Ewe Oshun wreath, there’s a multi-layered ring fashioned into the shape of the top of a conga drum, a nod to the percussion instrument’s popularity in Cuban and African music—especially Yoruba folk. The conga drum in this case, also serves as a nod to Skepta’s prowess as a rapper and music producer.
Skepta Head Silhouette
Bordering the Ewe Oshun wreath and Conga drum circle is an oval, with a silhouette of Skepta wearing a traditional cap reserved for chiefs. It’s a clear nod to Chief Skepta’s status as Yoruba royalty, however, for extra detail, the oval’s texture contains horizontal lines inspired by the güiro, a percussion instrument with parallel stripes carved across the surface of hollow gourd.
Thoughtfully stitched together, the label on the Skepta x Havana Club 7 bottle adds a substantial layer of meaning that goes beyond a commercial partnership, tastefully exhibiting Skepta’s connection to his Yoruba roots, as well as Havana Club’s dedication to its immediate Cuban society and other local communities. Skeptarum is being sold behind the counter in UK corner stores, while the bottle is available in other countries through e-commerce platforms.
Today would have marked the 21st birthday of Pop Smoke, the Canarsie, Brooklyn rap who took hip-hop by storm last year with his rumbling voice and sinister, but instantly infectious, brand of drill music. Earlier this month, Pop Smoke’s debut album, ‘Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon’, was posthumously released, and the album proves that the prodigious rapper was strengthening his abilities and widening his musical range before his tragic passing in February.
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To commemorate his birthday, Pop Smoke’s management and estate have now released a deluxe edition of ‘Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon’, featuring fourteen fresh tracks and a remix of “Enjoy Yourself”, which appeared on the initial version of the album. Burna Boy makes a guest appearance on “Enjoy Yourself (Remix)”, which should come as no surprise following leaks of his vocals on the tracks and videos of Pop Smoke vibing to Burna’s music. With the Spanish guitar-heavy instrumental and Pop Smoke’s confident contribution remaining the same, Burna adds his own distinct flair to the remix, delivering a patois-heavy verse that adds to the song’s feel-good direction.
Also on ‘Shoot for the Stars (Deluxe)’ is “Tsunami”, a song that features another Afropop megastar in Davido. Since the album’s announcement, Davido has been hyping his collaboration with Pop Smoke. Over stomping tribal percussion and radiant keys, Davido sets the tone for “Tsunami” with his typically energetic delivery on the hook, while Pop Smoke takes over with two verses where he woos a love interest with his hood credentials: iced-out jewelleries, untucked chains and shooters on call.
Listen to “Enjoy Yourself” & “Tsunami” here.
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
The past few months have been difficult to go through. An ongoing pandemic has forced us to significantly curtail movements and social interactions, and at the same time we’re fighting injustices on multiple fronts. Luckily, the one palliative we can rely on is the continued and diverse stream of music that has continued to grace ears from all over the continent. In a bid to highlight the best songs, we’ve looked around to bring you the songs you absolutely need to hear.
Our selections for today include pre-album singles from Adekunle Gold, Cuppy and Niniola, new singles Jidenna, AKA and more. Enjoy.
Adekunle Gold x Nailah Blackman – “AG Baby”
Months after its initial announcement, Adekunle Gold’s third studio album, ‘Afro Pop, Vol. 1’, is scheduled for release next year. Officially starting the project rollout, the singer has shared the lead single, “AG Baby”, a boastful cut where he relishes his success and touts his prowess. Accompanied by TMXO’s maximalist combination of rippling bass guitar, bright horn harmonies and punchy drums, Adekunle Gold sounds as imperial and suave as ever, while Trinidadian singer Nailah Blackman contributes an infectious that adds to the self-aggrandisement on display.
Cuppy x Rema x Rayvanny – “Jollof on a Jet”
Cuppy SZN is in full effect. The DJ/singer has been drumming up attention for her debut album, ‘Original Copy’, which is set for release next month. To that effect, she has shared the lead single, “Jollof on a Jet”, and it features guest appearances from Nigerian wunderkind Rema and Tanzanian star Rayvanny. “Jollof on a Jet” initially started off as one of Cuppy’s many hilarious moments on social media, and she’s capitalised on it to deliver a lively bop. Backed by Killertunes’ thumping production, Rema and Rayvanny deliver a romance-driven set, with the former taking the hook and the latter delivering a solid verse, while Cuppy adds a repetitive half-sung bridge in between.
Niniola – “Addicted”
Nearly three years since her well-received debut album, ‘This is Me’, Niniola is gearing up to release her sophomore album, ‘Colours & Sounds’, which is scheduled to arrive in September. In anticipation of the album, the singer has dropped a new single, “Addicted”, a Sarz-produced song that takes inspiration from the increasingly popular Amapiano subgenre. Over Sarz’s intermittent horn melodies, piano riffs and thudding percussion, Niniola longs for a physically absent lover, admitting her addiction to him through her expressive lyrics and playfully intense melodies.
AKA – “Cross My Heart”
AKA’s recent project has seen the South African rap artist further embrace his melodic side. On his latest single, “Cross My Heart”, he embraces his falsetto more than he ever has, delivering an affectionate love song that still caters to his big ego. In between the hook where he sings, “I can’t get you out of my mind”, he delivers two rap verses highlighting the characteristics that he feels makes him an ideal romantic partner.
Jidenna – “Black Magic Hour”
Since he broke out, Jidenna has made it a point of duty to represent and reconnect to his African heritage. On his thumping new single, “Black Magic Hour”, he raps, “I rocked these linens ‘fore wakanda looked appealing/the best you rappers do is do a show, pay a visit/while I’m really out here living in Kenya, making shillings”. It’s one of many standout lines on a song where pays homage to his polygamous grandfather and tersely explains why he never looked at Morgan Freeman as a hero figure.
Sipho the Gift x Psycho YP – “ON MY JOB”
Whether he’s being introspective or bullish, Sipho the Gift raps like he’s trying to raise the hair on his listeners’ ears. Just over a month after releasing an EP, ‘Bloom’, Sipho is back with a new single, “ON MY JOB”, and he taps UK-based Nigerian rap star Psycho YP for an adrenaline-fueled cut. Accompanied by sinister piano chords and blown out bass, the pair combine for a boastful cut where they pump their chest and wag their fingers at naysayers, making it clear that they’re not interested in any unnecessary games.
Black Beatz x MOJO – “Dobale”
In addition to his latest solo single, “Chiwawa”, MOJO has been on a prolific streak of scene stealing guest appearances. His latest feature is on “Dobale” by Black Beatz, who produces the bouncy beat and wisely cedes most of the spotlight to his guest. For his part, MOJO delivers a raunchy set admiring the physical attributes of a love interest, rapping his endless stream of memorable bars in his trademark imposing yet playful cadence.
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
On the sleeves of our Ilé jersey in collaboration with Nike, tattooed on a surprising number of inked creatives, and prefixing the mesmerising 234Jaydaa’s birth name, Nigeria’s country code, +234 is worn as a badge of honour by her country people, especially by the creative class who seek to represent our home, and their national pride to the world.
The most recent airing of this Nigerian boastfulness appears on none other than 234Jaydaa’s debut single this year. Nicknamed the “23”, 234Jaydaa’s latest is an ode to her home, Lagos, Nigeria – globally renowned for its wild exuberance.
“23” opens with orchestral tones – characteristic of the fantastical instrumentals 234Jaydaa typically works with – before dropping into the R&B proclivities signposted on the record’s genre description, as the siren-like songstress chants our proudly embellished country code. 234Jaydaa’s unmistakable intonations bring the ‘Soul’.
Verse one on “23” describes the tropical climate Nigerians both loathe and appreciate. Singing affectionately about the radiant palm trees and vigorous bamboos, 234Jaydaa inadvertently questions the globally dominating Western seasons by asking “is it taboo” for the people of Nigeria to tan whilst its “winter”? Closing the verse with “fall in love with the heat by the end of the year”, the answer, of course: it isn’t.
“Never met people more fly”, begins the infectious chorus, redirecting focus from Nigeria’s sunny disposition to the people who inhabit her most captivating metropolis. Narrating Lagosians’ troublesome addiction to partying till dawn, each day re-energised for a repeat of last night’s tempestuous activities, 234Jaydaa sings reverently (emphatically non-judgemental) of her fellow “slaves to the moon” who refuse to relent during the infamous December in Lagos.
Nigerians are an industrial people. With few recourses at our disposal, living in Nigeria requires an industrial spirit, a hustler’s creativity and a willingness to veer outside your comfort zone in order to tap into whatever winning formula is available at the time. On this track, 234Jaydaa not only tips her hat to this “rise and grind” disposition of the Nigerian population, but even employs the same virtues by experimenting with a different style of song-making, as she raps her way through the second verse over the trap-influenced DJ Lolu beat. And just like her people (to whom this song is dedicated), 234Jaydaa comes out triumphant.
Niniola and Sarz are an unbridled combination. Much like when Santi links up with Genio or Rema with Ozedikus, when Niniola and Sarz put their heads together for a record, it’s undoubtedly another banger. Today’s installation: “Addicted”.
Announcing her sophomore album, Colours & Sounds, slated for a September release, Niniola offers what looks to be the first single off the forthcoming project, a painful love song that sees the Afro-House juggernaut pine after a distant lover.
As the song’s title would suggest, Niniola is addicted to her partner (potentially ex partner as this point) whom she bequeaths to “pada wale where you belong” (come back home where you belong). Shuttling between English and Yoruba, as is her usual flex, Nini confesses that this addiction is driving her crazy, singing “tori ife yi ti da mi l’ori ru” (because this love has scattered my head).
Courtesy of Nigeria’s finest, the beat for “Addicted” is bouncy, enthralling and quite frankly addictive, corny as it may sound. Sarz is notorious for producing club anthems, for himself (“Beat of Life”, “Hello Africa Riddim”), and for the plethora of artists with whom he works (from Dagrin’s “Kondo” to “MAD” with WurlD).“Addicted” is no different to the other hits in Sarz’s or Niniola’s discography – it would go off in the club. Unfortunately, with gatherings of over 20 people prohibited in Nigeria, clubs and parties seem like a distant dream, and that will likely have an effect on the success record.
In April, according to Rolling Stones’Alpha Data (the analytics tool behind their charts) US streams were falling as a result of the closure of restaurants and bars – it’s speculated – and album sales dropped dramatically as well. Later in May, the World Economic Forum reported that streaming numbers appeared to have improved, however, noted that more relaxed genres are rising in popularity. Though these data are not collated in the Nigerian context, these listener habits might be applicable here at home also.
“Addicted” is an impeccable record with undeniable potential to soar, and Niniola is not leaving any it to chance, lining up YouTube and Spotify playlisting. We hope despite the COVID-related setbacks, this party-starting number soars.
Featured Image Credits: Niniola/Instagram
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Wojumi is a bad bitch & she’s going to brag about it. Tweet her your latest cultural exploits @dewoju
DJ Cuppy knows how to get the party started and she’s clearly prepping for the summer with her new single, “Jollof on the Jet”. Since she released her first single back in 2017, she’s been building her catalogue as an Afropop curator with singles featuring artists like Zlatan, Tekno and many more.
Now, starting the rollout for her upcoming EP, ‘Original Copy’, she has started on a strong note, taps Nigerian and Tanzanian artists, Rema and Rayvanny for a celebration of the African partying experience; great music, dance floor romance and the delicious Jollof dish.
“Jollof on The Jet” pairs Rema’s endearing Afropop vocals with Rayvanny’s bongo vibe while Cuppy produced the lightweight beat with catchy percussions that invite listeners to dance. While Rema and Rayvanny’s lyrics are addressed at their love interests, Cuppy is more concerned with getting the Jollof meal. “Oya pass the Jollof/ I can’t get enough”, she says, blurring the lines between the undeniable appeal of romance, music and Jollof.
Stream “Jollof of the Jet” below:
Featured Image Credits:
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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
There’s no reason you shouldn’t be paying attention to Forevatired, the sprawling Abuja-based collective comprising 15 multi-disciplinary creatives. Last December, the collective dropped their debut tape, ‘Before You Kill Us All’, which was an excellent project that stands as a manifesto of their genre-bending ideals, as well as their tilt towards expressing a wide range of emotions in riveting ways.
Seven months later, Forevatired has returned with their second tape, ‘THOSE KIDS NEXT DOOR’, a project inspired by the pandemic induced. Last week, the collective shared the dreamy lead single, “Devil Fruit”, along with an accompanying, trippy music video to whet our appetites.
The 10-track project is now out in its entirety, and it continues to build on their penchant for curating a fluid combination of immersive soundscapes and relatable songwriting.
Listen to ‘THOSE KIDS NEXT DOOR’ here.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/Forevatired
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
When he’s not crafting hit songs for a long list of Afropop superstars such as Tekno, Davido and Seyi Shay, Krizbeatz is busy curating albums that double as true pan-African experiences. In 2017, the producer released his debut LP, ‘ADM (Afro Dance Music’), with features from Davido, Sauti Sol, DJ Tira, Victoria Kimani and much more, and now it’s looking like his time again.
Nearly three years later, Krizbeatz is back with his sophomore project, ‘African Time’, and in usual his fashion, he’s pulled in some of the biggest names in Afropop. The star-studded line-up includes features from Mr Eazi, Vanessa Mdee, Rayvanny, Fuse ODG, Faze, Timaya and much more.
The album was supported by a handful of previously released singles, including “Hit”, featuring Teni and Tekno, and “Abi”, featuring Diamond Platinumz and Ceeboi. ‘African Time’ comprises 14 tracks, and it clocks in at a relatively brisk 42-minute run time.
Listen to the album here.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Krizbeatz
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
If we harken our minds back to #thattime in 2017 when there was an entire podcast episode dedicated to flagrant comments about some artists, you might remember the comments made about CKay. Shortly after, the Choc City artist responded with an EP titled after the infamous remark, ‘Who the fuck is CKay?’ and has since seen one of the industry’s most interesting upwards trajectories.
While the tape’s overt attachment to the public outcry meant the buzz was fleeting, the public’s opinion on the legitimacy of CKay’s career remained inconclusive for a while longer. Given that it was still quite early on for him, it was clear that he was audibly still working out who he wanted to be with the EP, and it wasn’t until he dropped“Container”the following year that he finally struck gold.
“It was very different from what I normally do. I just did it as a cruise song and we just put it out.”
CKay fancies himself a lover-boy with songs typically themed around love, heartbreak and sex. Fortunately, he can also switch it up and make upbeat, party songs such as “Container”, a playful party-driven song which celebrates living lavish. The song became a viral sensation on social media after it earned the approval of celebrities like Davido, Zlatan, Mayorkun and others who joined the online challenge made to promote the song.
“That was the first breakthrough that made everyone pay attention to me. We didn’t even take it too seriously at first and from just my Instagram post, I already had American DJs sending me videos. They were sending me videos of people playing it and it wasn’t like I had ever gone to America to do press or anything. I mean it changed my life, cause I got to do shows in so many different places.”
CKay further cemented his place as a bonafide pop star with his follow-up EP, ‘CKay The First’ which showed off his versatility and range, as he adjusted nicely to a newly found freedom from the weight of people asking who the fuck he is. He experimented with different ideas, such as blending classical music and afropop for “Way”, a lightweight turn-up afropop anthem which was inspired by Beethoven’s “5th Symphony” rendition. He also explored spirituality on Barry Jhay-assisted “Beeni”, preached the gospel of emotionless sex on “Dtf” and by all indications, dropped a tape with no skips.
“I’ve always wanted to drop a proper project that will make people shut up and respect my name. To just say “yeah this boy is dope”. I believe to be noticed, I have to make stuff that’s just different and have different ideologies. There are a million songs about love but I made a song like “Dtf” that talks about emotionless sex for the sake of preventing heartbreak.”
Clearly continuing in his penchant for standing out, his latest release, “ALIEN”, a sci-fi short sees him stepping outside of the box, featuring Afrofuturistic costumes, some spoken word, a few tracks from the EP and some melodramatic acting. The acting followed the romantic narration from the poems and the lyrics of the featured songs, “Oliver Khan”, “Dtf”, and “Love Nwantiti”, which served as the soundtrack for the 3 parts of the 7-minute long video.
“ALIEN” starts off with a black and white scene, showing CKay being rescued from a deserted road by a woman who is revealed to be an alien when the coloured frames show her blue skin. The entire short exists to show how love is often found where and when we expect it the least, and CKay has to break his human lover’s heart in order to be with the alien he has fallen in love with.
This interest in science fiction wasn’t birthed out of Black Panther‘s Wakanda making Afrofuturism cool two years ago. CKay’s interest in space exploration has been apparent since he was a child, and this led his parents to push for him to study engineering.
“When we were making the visuals, we were thinking of an angle that would be culturally relevant because all eyes are on Africa. I’m a huge “Star Wars” fan and I wanted to make space suits and all that shit but then I thought about it again and I figured that would be like inferiority complex because we’re portraying a narrative that doesn’t belong to us as Africans.”
His sci-fi plot took elements from the interstellar universe and fused them with his everyday reality in Africa. Though the video is set in Accra, the deserted road he’s stranded on mirrors sci-fi’s usual setting in space. We later see him attempt to bring his alien lover into his human world, but she’s met with a lot of hate for being “different”, which feels a bit relevant to the current times. “ALIEN” leaves no stones unturned, while blurring the lines between CKay’s authentic human reality and the sci-fi alien fantasies that inspired the video.
One of the scenes from the short film was shot in a castle in James Town, Ghana which is a popular historic location for slave-trade. The castle was built to house white people because it was so close to the coast, however, black people weren’t allowed in during the colonial period in Ghana. It’s poetic that a building which signifies segregation in our own land has now been taken over and is being used to create art and express themselves freely. CKay’s authentic depiction of the historic monument from a period some people still won’t acknowledge has value that can’t be quantified. It’s art and its culturally significance is far greater than Star Wars derivative spaceships and laser weapons.
“The Jamaicans, the Europeans and Americans are more intrigued when they see Ankara, red sand, trees. All that shit is crazy to them because it’s culture and they’ve never seen it before.”
CKay hits all the right marks with “ALIEN”. Even if you wished he neglected his indigenous culture and took the more cinematically ambitious route, you can see why it was important for him to portray his authentic African culture especially in light of the recent riots held in America and the UK to fight racism.
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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
Back in May, as part of our monthly Fresh Meat series, we spotlighted Ghanaian singer Jay Cliff as an artist deserving of close attention. Over his growing and impressive catalogue, Jay Cliff has established his flair for crafting music that’s mainly reserved for the intimacy and vulnerable thoughts that comes with dark hours. Following the release of his last project, ‘Twelve2Five’ back in January, the singer has just dropped his first single of the year, “CROSSFADED”, featuring $pacely and NATIVE Fresh Meat alum, Whoisakin.
While Jay Cliff’s previous work has shown his ability to work within a wide range of emotions, “CROSSFADED” squarely focuses on the carnal, as he builds up anticipation for a sexual encounter through vivid imagery and raw desire. Produced by Moor Sound, the ambient piano twinkles, lush horn harmonies and groovy, mid-tempo percussion leaves maximum room for Jay’s floating melodies and raunchy lyrics where he promises to satisfy his partner’s sexual demands. $pacely and Whoisakin make their appearance further in the song, sharing space on the second verse where they follow the song’s feel-good and lustful precedent.
Earlier on in the month, following a cryptic tweet by Wizkid of today’s date, fans took it to mean that we’ll finally be getting his long-teased album ‘Made In Lagos’. Instead, however, to celebrate the Starboy’s birthday today, he has shared a new single featuring H.E.R., “Smile” which is a retort to anyone who has ever questioned Wizkid lyrical ability.
The love themed song finds Wizkid taking a more direct approach to confessing his feelings, with punchy and wry lyrics describing his affection. “I’ll do anything for my love/Run inside a building up in flames just to be with my love”, he sings, as he rides the reggae harmonies of the guitar-led beat produced by P2J.
Even with his candid confessions matching the intensity of his guest feature, H.E.R, Wizkid’s allure remains in his catchy melodies, as he changes cadence between English and pidgin lyrics to infuse his signature charm. It’s safe to assume that “Smile” will feature on ‘Made in Lagos’, even though many expected a full project today.
It’s been almost six months of self-isolating to flatten the curve of COVID-19, and things haven’t become any easier. The one constant through these bleak times is the vast array of new music we’re getting from all our favourite artists, which definitely help make the world a bit brighter considering everything. In a bid to constantly highlight the best music from this period, we’ve scoured through the continent and selected our Top picks of all the best songs released today.
Our selections for today includes new music from The Cavemen, the collaboration between Sugarbana, Bella Shmurda and Barry Jhay, Marv OTM, Zlatan and Tiwa Savage‘s new music videos and more. Enjoy.
Browny Pondis – “Again”
Browny Pondis has come a long way from back when he had to tag musicians on his weekly Friday freestyles, and his latest single, “Again” details his grind to score that elusive hit song that’d shoot his career into acclaim. Browny feels no shame about his struggles and boldly paints a painful picture of his reality, wearing the hardship like a scar; “We put in work in everything but nothing show/ I don tire for this kind life.”
While the frustration is palpable in his voice and the melancholic piano harmonies of the beat, he remains optimistic that he’s just one song away from nationwide acclaim. The down-to-earth approach to songwriting might not have the finesse to make him into a showy pop star, but “Again” deserves endless replays for its catchy melodies and Browny Pondis’ confidence-inspiring performance.
The Cavemen – “Anita”
Everyday on Twitter, there is a picture or video floating around the timeline to remind us about the past, when things were simpler and we could go out without needing protective masks. The Cavemen have been providing nostalgic highlife music for fans before anyone could even imagine there’d ever be a lockdown and their latest single, “Anita” continues their retro style music.
Here, they narrate a romantic tale over catchy live-music instrumental arrangements-highlife guitar riffs, horns, percussion, drums, rattling samples and backing vocals-that accent their nostalgic poise. With more focus on music rather than the lyrics, “Anita” is mood music, and The Cavemen sound very at ease over the colourful backdrop of highlife instrumentals.
Tiwa Savage – “Dangerous Love”
It might interest you to know that falling in love did not fall off in quarantine. Tiwa Savage’s latest single, “Dangerous Love” emphasises this as she expresses her feelings, singing: “I’m deep in love with you/ oh I’m deep in love with you”. With her usual soft yet present vocals over the laidback Afropop beat produced by Cracker Mallo, Tiwa seems to be sceptical about her “Dangerous Love”. In her self-directed the video in collaboration with Ibra Ake, starring Adesuwa, she offers an intimate look at her process whilst getting ready to go out on a date, in between trippy cuts of Tiwa performing her emotive lyrics.
Zlatan – “The Matter” Feat Papisnoop
To say the news headlines for 2020 have been stressful would be putting it lightly. We normalised watching the rising death-toll of Coronavirus victims and now it seems like everything could potentially be a cake. Being in self-isolation means we’re relying on news updates to know what’s going on around us and Zlatan’s “The Matter” depicts a comical narration of our attempts to make sense of what’s going on with the world. He just shared the Visionary Pictures directed video for the song and it’s set in a courtroom where’s he’s dressed as the judge, who has to solve cases arising like “I order shawarma, I see akara”. With cameos from social media comedians like Brother Shagi and Poco Lee, the video for “The Matter” is fun way to spend 3 minutes of your afternoon.
Sugabana – “Shalaye” Feat. Bella Shmurda, Barry Jhay
Sugabana, Bella Shmurda and Barry Jhay have dedicated their music careers to being illustrators of the streets, and on “Shalaye” all three come together to take turns narrating their experience with women who took advantage of them. Singing “You know me I gangsta, I don’t care”, they also admit their role in the crime-ridden community. Sugarbana’s flows standout over the mid-tempo beat produced by Timmy/Badass while Bella Shmurda and Barry Jhay contribute their melodic Yoruba-fueled sets to add more flavour to the song.
Elmina – “Done With You”
Elmina just released her debut EP, ‘No Drama’, a 4-track tape that introduces her unique blend of r&b and afropop, while she navigates her emotional struggles with love and romance. Stand out track, “Done With You” is a potent breakup anthem influenced by early 90s’ R&B songs that soundtracked our high-school relationships. After describing the bright sparks from the initiation of the relationship on the initial tracks on the project, she finally admits everything wrong with their romance on “Done With You” as she sings “If we’re being honest, we both know we got no connection” over the lightweight piano-led R&B beat. The music video Avalon Okpe directed also taps into the nostalgic r&b elements as we watch Elmina walk around her glamorous apartment in slow-motion while she sings her heartfelt lyrics explaining why she’s over the relationship.
Marv OTM – “How You Feel”
Marv OTM has been producing and rapping as a member Abuja-based collective, Apex Village and last year, he put out one of his strongest solo offerings yet, “How You Feel”, which he’s now accompanying with a music video. The psychedelic trap beat and Marv’s druggy lyrics on “How You Feel” already sounded ready for a dystopian sci-fi movie and Ben Ankobiah followed in similar direction with the video he directed. The video shows Marv OTM in a neon-lit garage with a spot car and a white model to highlight the rapper’s cocky brags; “I just pulled up in a Merc’/ It ain’t no lease/ Foreign lil biddy that’s imported from overseas”.
When it comes to rum production, anybody who knows anything about anything knows that the Caribbean is where it’s at. Skepta clearly knows a thing or two, as he’s recently teamed up with one of leading rum producers worldwide, Cuba’s very own Havana Club.
A while ago, Skepta graced the shores of Cuba in a well-documented trip, thanks to the keen lens of Stephen Tayo. Though now, pictures of the colourful and immersive journey through Cuba have expired on the artists meticulously managed IG page, a more lasting product of Skepta’s visit has emerged: A limited-edition bottle of Havana Club 7 designed in collaboration with the global grime legend, Skepta.
Ordained Amuludun of Odo Aje, Ogun State, the London-born grime star has spent his more recent years imbibing Yoruba culture in a bid to wholly reconnect to his Nigerian roots. Regardless of the fact that Skepta grew up slightly removed from Nigeria, being born and raised in England, the Chief still embraces his Yoruba heritage. This is something he has in common with the generations of Cubans who have kept Yoruba customs, religion and tradition alive in the centuries since their predecessors were captured from the motherland and enslaved.
A concept dubbed aché in the Santeria religion – the idea of a sacred creative bond that fashions divine-human connections – is the cornerstone of this collaboration between Skepta and one of the pillars of Cuban society, Havana Club.
At the time, slaves were forced to practice the religion of their masters (which was often Roman Catholicism), the syncretism between the Yoruba Orisa and the Catholic Saints allowed the slaves to practice their own worship in secret. Centuries later, traditional Yoruba religion is thriving in the new world today, which is in great contrast to its decline where it originated from in west Africa.
Not only was Skepta enamoured by the prevalence of Yoruba culture in Cuba, he was also inspired by the joyful industrial spirit that characterises the unwavering sense of community felt throughout Cuba. This same spirit of togetherness runs deep within Skepta’s creative circle in London, it’s also championed in Nigerian youth culture, which Skepta has become more and more attuned to over the past 4 years.
Skepta’s limited-edition Havana Club 7 bottle is masterfully crafted to proudly exhibit the artist’s Yoruba roots, adorned with the ritualistic Ewe Oshun leaves, cowrie shells like those found on statue representations of Orisha Eleguá, Guiro textiles designs, and of course Conga drums to represent the beatsmith’s versatility.
Arriving behind the counter exclusively at UK corner stores on July 1 (in other countries the bottle will be available via e-commerce platforms), the Skepta x Havana Club bottle is dedicated to the local community. Conscious of the global unrest in retaliation to the rampant and persisting racial inequalities all over the world, Havana Club is determined to do their part in uplifting marginalised populations by supporting local businesses and connecting with local people in a less commercial more meaningful way.
A toast to the global creative community, the Skepta x Havana club bottle illustrates the power of aché: “community and togetherness keep us strong”.
When Spotify released its list of the most streamed South African artists in South Africa for 2019, it wasn’t surprising to see Kabza De Small sitting at top of the list. In a year where Amapiano fully emerged as a dominant force of the South African music mainstream, Kabza established himself as one of the biggest purveyors of the sound, and perhaps more meaningfully, he evolved alongside a subgenre that he helped introduce to a wider audience.
While there’s an ambiguity to the exact origins of Amapiano, Kabza is widely regarded as one of its earlier popularisers, going back to his 2016 debut album, ‘Avenue Sounds’. At the time, Amapiano was still establishing its credentials as a niche sound, and in the following years, the infectious blend of Kwaito basslines, Deep House, Jazz and Bacardi (a folk-dance style originated in Pretoria) steadily gained ground amongst township youths. Songs and DJ mixes spread through online forums and peer-to-peer sharing on platforms such as WhatsApp and more.
As the subgenre became synonymous with dancefloors and a bigger part of youth culture, key players began to emerge, and it’s a testament to Kabza’s star power that he’s at the top of the pyramid, especially when you consider that it is common for pioneering figures to fade into the background when a sound picks up steam commercially. Last summer, Kabza vaulted into Amapiano’s foremost superstar with ‘Scorpion Kings’, the behemoth debut collaborative project with DJ Maphorisa, which has been certified Diamond (over 100,000 in sales) by the Recording Industry of South Africa and can be easily considered as an instant classic.
Up until mid-April, and in addition to a long list of production credits and guest appearances, Kabza has delivered six more projects, including four collaborative tapes with Maphorisa and two instalments of the mostly instrumental ‘Pretty Girls Love Amapiano’ series. While this extensive catalogue is a treasure trove of the very best and biggest Amapiano records, it also makes a great case for Kabza’s creative range – the collaborations with Maphorisa were heavily steeped in full-bodied club bangers and his solo projects tilted towards being more flamboyant and experimental. All of this sets the stage for Kabza’s latest project, ‘I Am the King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust’, an ambitious 3-hour set which indulges the producer’s creative whims without scaling back on overall quality.
Very often, the work of prolific artists face the danger of serialisation, meaning that projects become a bit blurred in the minds of listeners rather than being respected and judged as individual entities. This is why they raise the stakes when it comes to projects they deem definitive—e.g. the higher level of reverence for Future’s ‘DS2’, even though the album followed a run of classic mixtapes. For an artist who tags 90+ minutes worth of music as EPs, ‘I Am the King of Amapiano’ holds the highest stakes for a Kabza project since ‘Scorpion Kings’, by virtue of its title and the sheer scope of its 27 tracks. The most important thing is that it does payoff; ‘I Am the King of Amapiano’ is a terrific front-to-back album that serves as a resounding statement of Kabza’s undeniable powers, and it immediately stands as a creative milestone for the entire subgenre.
As its sub-title connotes, the album is a two-sided affair. ‘Sweet’, the album’s first part, follows in the lineage of the ‘Pretty Girls’ series, due to its overarching lushness and melodic explorations, albeit with far more interest with incorporating guest appearances. ‘Dust’, the other part, follows the dance-driven ideals of the Scorpion Kings projects. Both sides contribute to ensure the album is in perpetual motion, however, it’s easy to spot the dichotomy between them from the very first listen.
Perhaps due to the mandatory emptiness dancefloors, ‘Sweet’ feels like the more rewarding side to listen to at the moment, with its immersive and gorgeously layered beats tilting more towards head bops and themes revolving around longing and romantic intimacy. While he still brings the party with this side, there’s an intended clarity on Kabza’s path which combines his beat-making quirks with a sharp ear for song arrangement. Building out from the drums, then adding a bevvy of very radiant piano chords and a variety of other instruments, the beats are full compositions in themselves, and even though this side is truly collaborative in the best way possible, Kabza elevates himself into the director’s seat, peeling and adding layers according to how he sees fit.
On instant standout and predictably the biggest song off the album yet, “Sponono”, Kabza enlists the star-studded line-up of Wizkid, Burna Boy, Cassper Nyovest and Madumane, curating an effortless synergy amongst his guests, over a beat that sounds like a breezy evening on a tropical island. Amidst buoyant percussion and a dominant, floating piano chord, he throws in a glockenspiel riff underneath Wizkid’s bridge, mouth whistles accompanies Cassper’s hook and quivering synths embolden Burna’s chorus, as each artist tags in and out without dropping the song’s momentum.
“Sponono” is a phenomenal feat and the brightest example in a section packed to the ear with such collaborative highlights. In as much as ‘Sweet’ clings to Kabza’s outré sensibilities, he doesn’t leave his featured artists to simply sink or swim, rather he pulls them closer into his orbit in a way that’s conscious of their respective strengths, whether it’s Wizkid finding a pocket to vibe on the hypnotic “Need You Tonight”, or creating the right ambience for Samthing Soweto’s majestically ethereal voice on the Disco-style swing of “Duze”, or ensuring Sha Sha’s glossy and soulful coexists with Madumane’s hysterical mumble on “Why Ngikufela”.
With the exception of “Ndofaya”—a song that sounds like David Guetta Amapiano mimic—the engrossing quality of ‘Sweet’ comes from Kabza’s ability to invert influences in a way that portrays Amapiano as boundless, wholesome sound beyond its distinct elements. On the backend of the section, he plays up the importance of Jazz to the subgenre, especially on the consecutive tracks, “Mapiano Blues” and “Many Faces”. Both songs feature vocal scats by Howard and sublime guitar work from XolaniGuitars, with Kabza setting and constantly adjusting the sonic framework for the melody interplay between both artists—in this setting, he comes across as a bandleader more than a beat-maker.
In comparison to the expansive edge of the preceding section, ‘Dust’ is more of a standard fare, dance-charged Amapiano project, but in the hands of Kabza, even that comes with a couple of tricks and twists of its own. Sure, the section is geared towards inspiring full-bodied swings and the endless styles of leg works, but there’s an endless list of interesting sonic details that keeps things refreshing for observing listeners. If not for its strident tempo, “iLog Drum” would fit right into the lushness of ‘Sweet’; electric zaps and sci-fi effects heighten the elaborateness of “iZolo”; there’s strobing keys and beeping sports whistle on “Sam Sokolo”; and XolaniGuitars appears on “Quta”, adding to the loudness with a digitised bass guitar riffs.
Pulling out peculiar highlights like this ultimately says more about ‘Dust’ being a complete and cohesive DJ set, rather than a playlist of high-octane songs. Through that lens, the section starts right when the party is heated, and it rides that wave for 76 straight minutes. Of course, there’s a fair share of standout moments, like Focalistic infectious chant drawling over the buzzing synth loop and wide groovy bassline of “Rabu Chupa”, the delightful table top drum pattern on “Masupa”, and the synth-pop swing meets ‘90s house vibe of “Jwaleng”.
While ‘Sweet’ relies on Kabza’s creative intuition to show his willingness to innovate relentlessly, ‘Dust’ is a stunning display of his sensibilities as a club controller. Together, both sides affirm the producer/DJ’s claim on the title: ‘I Am the King of Amapiano’. With the reception the album received upon release—all 27 of its tracks were in South Africa’s Apple Music Top 100 within days, and there’s still 11 on the same chart as time of writing—this was set to be Kabza’s summer of solo domination. It still is, but without the availability of packed clubs, sold-out concerts at home and international festival appearances, his ascension to the next level feels limited.
The irrefutable positive is that, ‘I Am the King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust’ goes beyond the conceit of self-approval—it’s a creative landmark that offers a full glare into the limitless potential of Amapiano itself. Even with its upward trajectory, there are cynics who still look at Amapiano as a fad, due to the increasing influx of producers and the revolving door of hit singles. By virtue of its existence and sheer brilliance, ‘I Am the King of Amapiano’ is a direct response to those scepticisms, proving that the sound is wide and effective enough to either be avant-garde or accessible—or both at the same time.
Listen to ‘I Am the King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust’ here.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/thekingofamapiano
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
One of the indicators that afropop’s rising global acceptance is the increased frequency with which the genre’s superstars are appearing on a variety of international platforms, from festival stages to late night TV shows. On the same night Rema made his late night TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Davido was a guest on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and the singer performed a medley that included “D&G” and “Fall”, two singles off his sophomore album, ‘A Good Time’.
Backed by live instrumentation from Alternate Sound, Davido finds the balance between his boisterous presence and the colourful but intimate setting, putting in a confident shift that highlights his extensive experience performing on different type of stages all over the world. While the appearance is in support of ‘A Good Time’, it’s important to note that Davido is currently readying the release of his next studio album, ‘A Better Time’, which, according to rumours, will be in our ears sometime this summer.
While we wait for the album, you can watch Davido perform “D&G” and “Fall” here.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
Last night, Rema appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform “Iron Man”, one of the first tracks he released when we first met him with his eponymous debut project. With each of the four tracks on the EP exploring different unique Afropop styles, Rema was introduced as one of Nigeria’s most versatile artists, and backing from veteran label, Mavin, the whole world had to take notice. He was recently named as Apple Music’s Up Next artist, and his growing appeal on a global scale is hard to ignore.
While fans here in Nigeria were more drawn to “Dumebi”, the project’s lead single, people from other parts of the world seemed to gravitate more towards “Iron Man”, especially after Obama added it to his summer 2019 playlist. Throughout the year, and in the last few weeks specifically, Rema has continued to add to his increasingly diverse catalogue, sharing new music as though unfazed by the pandemic.
We might not be able to see him perform at concerts with the lockdown measures in place, but we can watch him perform “Iron Man”with a live band on the intimate quarantine edition of “Jimmy Kimmel Live”.
Watch below:
Featured Image Credits:
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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
WAFFLESNCREAM are one of the pillars of society for the youthful generation. Through their popular clothing line, their community events and their enlightening short films, WAFFLESNCREAM have garnered huge influence that extends beyond their tight-knit community of skateboard enthusiasts, penetrating Nigerian youth culture at large. Dedicated to chronicling Nigeria’s cultural history – on the wheels of the skateboard – WAFFLESNCREAM are consistently ushering out emotive content, with their latest offering titled, MANGO.
MANGO is a historical account of the rise of skateboarding in Lagos, narrating how the brain-drained, cut-throat 1990s was juxtaposed by the increased opportunities that emerged with the new millennium. The global recession sweeping the West forced the skilled Nigerians who had emigrated for work to return. This, narrates Tolani Adu, is how skateboarding culture was born.
This exclusively Yoruba narration is set to a rousing video directed by South African videographer, Jonathan Pinkhard. MANGO canvases everyday Lagos life through the eyes of avid skateboarders, Fahd Bello, Leonard Theagwan, Henry Okwubuasi and other members of the WAFFLES family.
Day and night the WAFFLESNCREAM boys train relentlessly to cheers from the local community when the land successful. Whilst the skaters themselves have formed an unwavering brotherly bond, beyond their own kinship, their practice brings them together with the local people in the varying parts of Lagos they tour.
Coming in at a brief 8-minutes MANGO shows just how far-reaching skate culture has become, thanks almost entirely to WAFFLESNCREAM conglomerate who have fostered a keen sense of community spirit, for onlookers, learners and pro-skaters alike. Watch the feel-good short below:
Wojumi is a bad bitch & she’s going to brag about it. Tweet her your latest cultural exploits @dewoju
There was palpable anxiety around Wizkid’s trajectory in 2017. On the heels of the behemoth success of “One Dance”, the Drake-headlining chart-topper – and a milestone major label deal in the tuck – the world had become Starboy’s domain, and in typical Nigerian fashion, we asked: What next?
The task ahead of Wizkid was monumental. On the one hand, he had to live up to the hype and package himself in a musical context that would be digestible by global audiences. On the other hand, he was also meant to appease us – the fans back home who had helped catapult him to global stardom. Nigerian audiences over the past two decades have been spoilt for choice by the proliferation of Afropop back home, and despite supporting his evolution, we just wanted Wizkid to continue churning out the trademark hits we had grown accustomed to.
Having established himself as the most prominent voice in African pop music with his classic debut album, ‘Superstar’, and a subsequent overflow of smash singles, Wizkid’s sophomore LP, ‘Ayo’, wasn’t received too kindly. It was panned by many for being unimaginative, with critics pointing at a lack of depth and citing the anthemic juggernaut, “Ojuelegba”, as the album’s main saving grace.
In all honesty, Wizkid’s second go-around was indeed bloated, but pop albums are designed to spawn hit singles and keep listeners talking—‘Ayo’ was successful on both these fronts. The album had its undeniable hits in “JaiyeJaiye”, “In My Bed” and “Show you the Money”, and it was clear Wizkid had masterfully side-stepped the much dreaded sophomore slump.
Treading an experimental path with his third project, the reception to Wizkid’s ‘Sounds from the Other Side’ was similar to his previous LP. Much like ‘Ayo’. Wizkid expanded upon his musical influences from highlife, reggae, contemporary and electronic dance music, fine tuning the alchemy and partnering with a diverse range of heavyweights to present a well-aggregated blend. ‘SFTOS’ found the singer embracing the full range of his voice, from Highlife projections on “Sweet Love”, to the Afro-R&B schemes of “One For Me”, and minimalist tropical synths on “Picture Perfect”.
Most Nigerians imagined that given the support of a major label, Wizkid would use this opportunity to fully present an authentic ‘Nigerian pop album’ to the world, however, the only problem with that was he had already established himself within that sonic realm with his two full projects that came before. The status of ‘Superstar’ as arguably one of the five greatest Nigerian pop albums is undisputed; ‘Ayo’ was interestingly met with mixed reviews but its legacy has endured; for ‘SFTOS’, Wizkid sought to chart new territory whilst maintaining his Nigerian roots.
Critics, who constantly yearn for ‘substance’ from Wizkid, raised the case once again upon the release of ‘SFTOS’, a classic case of critics expecting an artist to do what they expect, instead of allowing artists refine what they are best at. While Wizkid has had introspective and affecting cuts reflecting on his background, the labours of his Mum and brief insights into Nigerian society, his strongest inclination wasn’t toward personal exploration and social commentary, and it didn’t need to be.
An artist’s role is to express themselves in the best way they deem fit, some people can ride trends to great effect, others focus on examining society and articulating their perspective. The variance and infinite possibilities have been one of the reasons why music remains one of the most popular mediums of entertainment. In the case of Wizkid, it would be safe to say he viewed ‘SFTOS’ as an opportunity to test his vocal dexterity, and experiment with blending sounds that have most likely influenced his musical palette all his life, in a unique and all-encompassing way. From salsa spurts, thumping house production, to R&B melodies, ‘SFTOS’ ambitiously draws inspiration from across Africa and the diaspora to present perhaps the most comprehensive blend of ‘African Sounds’. This is most likely what the ‘Other Side’ represents for Wizkid; the eclectic harmonies of African pop rhythms.
In the aspect of collaborations, Wizkid assembled a diverse cast to create one of the most seamless pop albums in African music. In stark contrast to the out of place international collaborations on his sophomore, ‘SFTOS’ pools the expertise of producers and song writers from around Africa and the world, validating Wizkid’s place as the Ambassador for African pop music, like on the hypnotic “All For Love” featuring Bucie, where DJ Maphorisa grounds light salsa tones in the dense rhythms of South African house. On “Nobody” Wizkid fully embraces his R&B alter ego, whilst maintaining his Caribbean inflections for one of his most emotive cuts, returning to his trademark Starboy style on the album’s closer “Gbese” – a cut which paints the image of a grand end of year beach party, assisted by a killer verse from Trey Songz.
In terms of being Nigerian, besides Wizkid’s expanded vocal range and slight tonal alterations, there’s very little about his vocals that should strike familiar audiences as being peculiar. Very few artists can vary their styles, or imagine themselves on genre textures that are unfamiliar to their musical origin whilst maintaining their original essence. It’s interesting how Nigerian audiences continue to endorse Wizkid’s trademark Afropop style, despite how repetitive they claim it is, yet seemingly shunned ‘SFTOS’.
Commercially, ‘SFTOS’ was not the international success it could have been. Besides having a nonexistent ground game in Nigeria, the fact that a lot of tracks had leaked prior to release killed the element of surprise, effectively harming the album’s momentum. Videos were not shot, and while we could endlessly speculate how far the E.P. could have gone, we will just have to settle for the influence it has had on overarching pop-culture, with mainstream chart toppers like Swae Lee embracing the sound, and ex-rapper/commentator Joe Budden even chiding (a bit erroneously) other artists for jacking Wizkid’s sound without openly admitting the singer as a major influence.
In this era of stat analysis and chart positions, we forget that, though numbers don’t lie, they can be manipulated. The true value of art is in its uniqueness and lasting history. It is very hard to imagine the current dominance of Afropop, through artists like Rema, Santi and others, on the global scale without the boundary shaking ideal of Wizkid’s third album. D’banj laid the initial blueprint with “Oliver Twist”, and while ‘experts’ called it a flop and some Nigerians did not appreciate the ‘Jamaican’ flavours, the underrated triumph of ‘SFTOS’ is integral to the frame work for Nigerian pop music’s global evangelism.
In a world of infinite choices and instant access, we all enjoy things we are familiar with because sorting through the noise can be difficult. Having invested time, hype, and sometimes money in the careers of our favourite artists, we’ve earned some say in the direction they take, but at the same time, the most crucial aspect of support is in trusting the artistic vision of our creative geniuses. Wizkid is Nigerian Afropop’s ambassador, and ‘SFTOS’ was his passport to the world. We wonder what planet no. 4 will take us to.
Featured Image Credits: Web/ Wizkid
Djaji is a creative Vagabond, send him your takes on music and African culture @djajiprime
Ycee clearly dictated his artistic narrative as an artist who won’t be boxed into one particular medium of vocal delivery on his debut album, ‘Ycee vs Zaheer’, by splitting the project into two near-equal halves of rap songs and melody-based, afropop songs. Reiterating that ideal, in case anyone missed it, he’s just dropped ‘Quarantunes’, a 2-single pack which he describes as “the conclusion to the ‘Ycee vs Zaheer’ saga,” featuring one rap song and one afropop song.
For “MIDF (Money I Dey Find)”, the rap half of the drop, Ycee is talking his boastful shit and bringing all the smoke to perceived competition and detractors. “All that piss talk, e don dey reach here/bruh you’re just a Naija rapper you ain’t rich yet/you ain’t been to places I been bruh/you gon make me come Idi Amin y’all”, Ycee bellows over Wxla’s rumbling production, matching his cutthroat raps with a ferocious cadence that ensures his intentions are executed with high impact.
On “Tell Nobody”, he softens his approach considerably for a romantic cut, where he seeks reciprocity from a love interest and promises to keep their affairs on the low if that’s what she wants. “Gimme love and I won’t tell nobody/this kind love dey sweeti my body”, he intones on the bright hook, making his amorous intentions plain over the Brym’s thumping, Igbo Folk-inspired production.
Listen to ‘Quarantunes’ here.
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
“These Are All Cakes” tweeted Tasty, the foodie vertical by Buzzfeed, dedicated to sharing the latest food fads through delicious recipe videos from their community and also compilation clips showing what other incredible chefs have cooking. Their July 8th tweet falls into the latter bracket. For Tasty’s unsuspecting social media team, “These Are All Cakes” was an innocent tweet, shared to wow their million plus followers as they do on most days with their tantalising content – they could never have predicted what would follow. Over the weekend, what was simply a jaw-dropping, mouth-watering exhibition of baking talent turned into a collective existential crisis on the Twitterverse (and beyond, of course).
For those who live under a rock, the ‘cake’ trend coursing through Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and perhaps Facebook (maybe, who really knows what goes on there?), is a baking scam which sees cake moulded and iced into everyday objects, items of food, whole meals and even body parts. As early as January we saw a tattooed hand sitting next to an apple, cut to reveal that it was no hand at all, but in fact what looks like a vanilla and strawberry cake. Of course, the apple wasn’t much of an apple either, and throughout the year, we’ve spotted several different deceitful depictions. Over the weekend, however, following Tasty’s now-infamous tweet, there seemed to be an assault of trickery, leaving internet users genuinely uncertain as to whether the raw chicken breast brought right out of the supermarket packaging is in fact chicken or…
Is it a cake?
Thus, the meme was born. Suggesting the entire universe may indeed be made out of cake – I might be cake, this device might be cake, your eyes might be cake – the trending topic “Is It Cake?” poses a ridiculous, yet still incredibly triggering, existential question. Shrouded in the absurdity of the meme, is the very real fact that we know very little about the world we’re living in. There are so many questions about life at the moment – far more unnerving than whether or not we’re all made out of cake – uncertainties which have come rushing to the foreground of public debate over these past few months. Though presented as a joke, going down as one for most people, for some (like me, who gave up on R.S. at 14 because there was too much philosophical thinking involved in our studies of Plato’s Cave and The Truman Show) the joke has turned into a mild existential crisis.
Whilst I do want to marvel at the talent these baking gods are flaunting, I also feel deeply uneasy seeing an onion with naturally flaking skin sliced open to reveal sponge. These videos have shoved me down a rabbit hole echoing existential doubt: What is real?What does ‘real’ even mean?Is my life real? What even is ‘life’? And as if the puzzle of ‘reality’ sparked by this inescapable internet craze isn’t confusing enough, I’m even more perplexed with how to react to it. Am I being irrational for freaking out about life over a meme? Should I focus on the artists and their culinary dexterity? How do I react to seeing the abnormal yet skilful amalgamation of two of my favourite foods (McDonalds’ McMuffin and cake)? Is it mesmerising? Is it triggering?
An argument can be made for the two, but I’ve found peace in the only affirmation we know to be true: it is cake.
As disturbing as this newly spotlighted movement, long existing within the baking scene is, one can’t help but sound a round of applause for the cake bosses that are able to guilefully pull off this mass trickery. German-Nigerian Heather Moradeyo, who runs a London-based bakery, Happy’s Bakery, is one of such wily talents. Sharing her own contribution of to the Cake trend on Twitter on Sunday afternoon, Heather tells me things have been going crazy for her since, as her cake rendition of a hearty Nando’s meal garnered huge attention owing to her artistry. Though Heather doesn’t think her food cakes look particularly realistic, watching her slice the quarter chicken into cake was a heart-breaking sight for many – her Nando’s cake and the other food cakes occasioning Happy’s Bakery’s Instagram page are a far cry from her first-ever ‘food cake’, a ‘burger cake’ made for her brother’s birthday, which Heather refuses to share because it’s now that “embarrassing”.
“It was good for my first time. Obviously, [it was] nothing compared to [what I’m making] now. What I will say though, everyone always says ‘what does it taste like’? It tastes good! Ok? These cakes have buttercream, these cakes have ganache [laughs], these cakes are made by a pastry chef who understands flavours – they just happen to look also nothing like a cake.”
Just 24-years-old, Heather Moradeyo is a certified pastry chef, professionally trained through restaurants and hotels to deliver Michelin-star desserts and fine-dining standard cakes. So when she decided to venture into cake-making, inspired by the grandeur of the Cake Boss himself, Buddy Valastro, Heather was well-equipped to become the cake-art sensation she is today.
“Modelling chocolate is great!” She tells me before ploughing into a bunch of techniques she uses to recreate familiar dishes with the unfamiliar ingredients.
“Not only does it smell great it tastes better too! It’s like working with clay or plasticine. I use anything to make my cakes look realistic. From rolled up foil to scratches using my fork. The trick is to have an image you want to replicate and look at it in detail – all the scratches and the marks etc.”
Speaking to me about her early days teaching herself how to master this dupery, Heather says:
“it was basically working with edible colours, working with different elements. So, for example, Rice Crispies is a really good way to replicate rice. You can [also] mould different shapes out of cake if you just add a bit of icing to it – it almost becomes like clay and then you’re basically eating a cake pop. So, just with experimenting and with YouTube and all these things, I was learning how to create more realistic cakes.”
This is something Heather promises me she will continue doing. Heather and other bakers have been concocting these marvellous abominations for quite some time – the practice is nothing new, but simply becoming more mainstream. So, especially now that she sees people enjoy her creation for entertainment purposes, Heather will “100% be making more realistic cakes”.
“People are starting to recognise that cakes aren’t just round and piped with flowers anymore. That’s what’s so great about it though! The possibilities are endless… It’s very hard to tell when something isn’t cake, and I say this because I am surrounded by the most talented bakers. Every day I discover a new cake artist and go ‘how the hell did they do that?’ So, it’s very hard to tell. I mean they could place something in front of you and you’d be like ‘na that’s Jollof Rice’, but it’s actually just cake.”
It’s mesmerising, but also…
It’s triggering.
When you can’t trust what you see, it’s hard to trust anything at all and therein lies the problem. Innocent as these cakes may be, the memes surrounding them trigger a dark train of thought, for me at least. Magnetising, we can’t seem to get enough of these masterful creations; we can’t stop looking, which means we can’t stop ourselves from ushering in another massive question mark to a life that was already full of them. This year, in particular, didn’t need a meme posing an existential question, however, here we are, our minds are once again in the middle of a civil battle debating the existence of reality and other profound (un)truths we tend to spend our days avoiding.
Am I the only one these cakes are upsetting? I really don’t like these videos
— Be Kind To One Another (@feyi_bello) July 13, 2020
To some people, this will all sound rather hyperbolic, but if you know you relate, first of all, congratulations on manoeuvring your way through the minefield of triggering content to reach this stage. Secondly, so as not to leave you scarred and stranded, we’re rounding off with some steps to pull you out of this and any other existential crises you may encounter. This year has been especially harrowing, so it is ever more important we stay informed on how to take care of ourselves mentally. There are many different types of existential crises – questions of death and mortality, life and purpose, freedom and choices – but these steps are from a range of healthcare resources that should help you overcome all.
Reframe your mindset
Existential crises often come with big unsettling questions such as “what’s the point of life?” or “what will happen when I die”. Breaking down these bigger questions and reframing them into action points can be a really helpful exercise in reducing anxiety. For example, questioning your life’s purpose could turn into challenging yourself to do something of value, pondering death could turn into a determination to work towards being less scared of death. These latter questions are not easy, however, they’re plausible points to work through.
Controlling your thoughts in this way, you can flip this crisis into an opportunity to grow and to learn.
Research, but be prepared for persisting unknowns
It can be a good idea to research the questions and worries you have, in order to find out how other people perceive the issue that is currently troubling you. Take lots of notes and find answers, help or guidance to your smaller, broken down questions. However, you must also learn to accept that you might not be able to find all the answers. Life is full of many things unknown, and it’s incredibly scary, but going back to tip one, it is useful to reframe your mindset and strive toward accepting the unknowns.
Journal
Putting pen to paper to purge yourself of all your negative emotion is a useful practice that most healthcare professionals advise. As well as writing down, expressing and freeing all your negative thoughts, gratitude journals are also a great tool for combatting existential crises, particularly to do with crises of purpose or fear of freedom and choices, as these help you highlight the positive’s in your life, thereby bringing your mind to a place of peace.
Get active and outdoors
When you’re in a thinking rut, it is very easy to neglect your body, which in turns leads to a worse-off state of mind. Exercise is another go-to recommendation for healthcare professionals as it is indubitably effective in clearing out your mind. Fresh air and a change in scenery are also helpful in cleansing your thoughts, removing you from the mental rabbit hole and enabling you to reframe your thinking.
Seek professional help
All these tips are much easier said than done and sometimes even when you’ve checked off everything anxiety and depression can still persist; in this case, it’s best to seek a mental health professional. If you have a history of mental health issues, seeking professional help is an advisable first step.
Nnabu’s 2014 debut tape showed off his keen ear for staying on trendy popular sounds, and the r&b songs the project housed piqued the interest of his fellow college student back in America. After this, he then expanded his horizon with follow up releases, “Bombshelter” and “Ocean Baby”, which proved that he could bridge his cultural roots with his pop influences in the way he does today. Having discovered the allure of mixing his regional styles, the American-based Nigerian singer is back with a new single, “It Go Bad”, a romantically Afropop song about getting to know your partner.
Afropop has one golden rule it requires of listeners; get dancing. While it’s not an easy request to make in 2020 following the pandemic-induced self-isolation, which has prevented people going to the clubs, Nnabu is confident in his sound as “It Go Bad” plays out as his most enjoyable and accessible peak. His cool and soulful voice rides the airy Afropop instrumentals, as he addresses his lover with the expert penmanship, whilst the use of pidgin English and patios inflections add to the song’s dancehall credibility.
Singing “It go bad if we no make heaven”, Nnabu won’t be blindsided by a romance that has resulted in a rare moment of dance-ready Afropop. “It Go Bad” is a peek at the direction Nnabu is heading with his coming project, ‘Modern Age’ and we’re looking forward to seeing what more the project has to offer.
