Kabza De Small’s ‘I Am the King of Amapiano: Sweet & Dust’ is a creative landmark for Amapiano

Posted on by The Native

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

ICYMI: REMA’S AMAPIANO-INSPIRED “WOMAN” WAS OUR BEST NEW MUSIC PICK LAST WEEK

Watch Davido perform “D&G” & “Fall” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Posted on by The Native

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

ICYMI: THE 10 BEST DAVIDO NON-ALBUM SONGS

Watch Rema perform “Iron Man” on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Posted on by The Native

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

ICYMI: How Apple Music is betting on Africa

WAFFLESNCREAM Release skateboarding short, ‘MANGO’

Posted on by The Native

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 🥭

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

ICYMI: How waffflesncream are navigating the new normal

The underrated triumph of Wizkid’s ‘Sounds from the Other Side’

Posted on by The Native

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 “Jaiye Jaiye”, “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

ICYMI: Essentials: Of “SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER SIDE” And The Place Of Wizkid In African Music

Listen to Ycee’s new 2-single pack, ‘Quarantunes’

Posted on by The Native

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

EXCLUSIVE: HOW YCEE’S CREATIVE PROCESS IS MAKING HIM A BETTER MAN

Is it mesmerising, is it triggering, is it cake?

Posted on by Adewojumi Aderemi

“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.

It’s mesmerising!

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.”

 

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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.

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.

Featured image credits/@shaqaveli_182

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ICYMI: HERE ARE SOME SELF CARE TIPS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING THIS WEEK

Nnabu is at his most enjoyable and accessible peak on new single, “It Go Bad”

Posted on by The Native

‌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.

Stream “It Go Bad” below.

Songs of the day: New Music from Ladipoe, Teni, Tellaman & more

Posted on by The Native

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 the collaboration between Ladipoe and Teni, Tellaman taps Alpha P for his latest single, Alpha Ojini leads one of the most exciting Nigerian rap posse cuts in recent memory, Korede Bello’s Rexxie-produced single and more. Enjoy.

Ladipoe x Teni – “Lemme Know (Remix)”

Ladipoe is having a great year. Late last week, the rapper updated his biggest single yet, “Know You”, with a stunning music video which has already crossed half-a-million views on YouTube. Almost immediately after, he shared the remix to “Lemme Know”, a loose single which became an official release after it quickly became a fan favourite on social media. In a pretty neat move, the remix features Teni, who Poe referenced with the memorable line, “Your sugar mummy on my case like Teni”. The remix retains Ozedikus’ horn-laden, springy and Poe’s original verses, while Teni adds her unique flavour with a boastful verse.

Tellaman x Alpha P – “Cross My Heart (Remix)”

With his excellent debut album, ‘God Decides’, South African singer Tellaman established himself as an emergent leader in r&b music on the continent. On one of the many standouts, “Cross My Heart”, the singer linked up with Tay Iwar for a bubbly romantic cut, and he’s now reached back to the song for a remix, this time around he features the wunderkind, Alpha P. For the remix, Tellaman retains the rhythmic, afro-Caribbean production as well as his initial contribution, leaving up space for Alpha P to shine with his stellar contribution.

Azana x Sino Msolo – “Umaqondana”

Azana broke into South African music consciousness following her phenomenal performance on Sun-El Musician’s “Uhuru”, and she’s not wasting any time establishing herself as a fast-rising star. The singer is gearing up to release her debut LP, ‘Ingoma’, later this week, and she’s been sharing singles to build up anticipation for the album. For the final pre-release drop, she’s shared “Umaqondana”, and it features another Sun-El protégé, Sino Msolo. Backed by radiant keys, horn stabs and fast rolling percussion, the pair show off their entrancing vocals, as they sing about the hope of finding love in a world filled with situationships (or ‘entanglements’ if you will).

Missaei – “Killa”

Missaei’s “Bad Boy”, featuring L.A.X, brought her closer to mainstream consciousness, and she’s proving herself worthy of increased attention with each new drop. She’s just shared her second single of the year, “Killa”, a confident bop which finds her protecting her energy and warding off anyone who tries to come at her. “So when I say you won’t see the uglier side of me/no, you won’t bring me down”, she asserts over the self-produced mix of bouncy mid-tempo drums and steel pan riffs.

Alpha Ojini x Psycho YP x Zilla Oaks x Paybac Iboro x Vader the Wildcard x Hotyce x Payper Corleone – “Pop II”

After the release of impressive sophomore project, ‘Chvmeleon’, Alpha Ojini hinted at the possibility of a few remixes to a couple of fan favourites on the album. The rapper/producer has now shared the remix to the project’s lead single, “Pop”, and he brings together an army of featured rappers that mirror the diversity of Nigeria’s English rap scene. Over the oriental strings, flute riffs and floor trembling bass, all seven rappers come out swinging with an array of punchlines and endless quotables, creating a chain reaction that sounds like seven grenades detonating in quick succession. In a rap space where posse cuts are rare occurrences, the blistering quality of “Pop II” makes a case for more rappers collaborating on wax, at the very least, for the thrill of it.

Korede Bello – “Morire”

Korede Bello has been on a run of impressive releases, and the Mavin singer is currently gearing up to drop a new EP, ‘Table for Two’. While the project will feature the previously released “Mi Casa Su Casa” as its lead single, the singer has now shared the intro track, “Morire”, as the second single. Accompanied by Rexxie’s wistful flute melodies and folksy percussion, Korede Bello delivers an affectionate set, appreciating fans who have stood by him since his infamous wink #thatyear, reminiscing on his path to success and also sharing words of encouragement.

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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter

BEST NEW MUSIC: AMAARAE “LEAVE ME ALONE” IS THE SELF-ISOLATION ANTHEM

Best New Music: Amaarae “Leave Me Alone” is the self-isolation anthem

Posted on by The Native

Amaarae released her first EP, ‘PassionFruit Summers’ in 2017 and has since become a true cult figure —a singer with a ubiquitous voice from Ghana whose instantly recognisable vocals and style crossed over to fit in with Nigeria’s burgeoning alté scene. Over the course of her career, she has developed a reputation as one of the most bracingly frank songwriters of our generation with her often sexually explicit lyrics to match her sensual voice. Her new single, “Leave Me Alone”, however, finds her channelling her air of awareness in a different way than we’re used to, speaking about finding strength in solitude.

Given the current state of affairs all over the world and on the Internet, (why is everything a frigging cake!?), “Leave Me Alone” is coming perhaps at the time when we need it the most. She sets the precedence early on enough in the song, where she states point-blank: “Me no need favour from no one but God, ’cause I got me”, and in some ways, is presenting the natural evolution from where Odunsi & Tems seem to be on our BNM pick that week, “Decided”. 

Produced by Kuvie and KZ the Producer, the song’s bedding is filled with classic highlife guitar riffs which gives Amaarae’s r&b and pop melodies room to back up this freedom when she’s realised that all she needs is herself after examining the unhealthy nature of some of her relationships. Essentially, the song makes a strong and compelling case for self-isolation, which seems to be the cure for avoiding the global pandemic and also in the middle of all the societal ills we’re experiencing (why is everything a cake!?).

“Leave Me Alone” feels bright and easy-going on the surface – thanks to the actual music – however, the lyrics reveal her hatred for wasting time on people who don’t make her happy, and aggressively fight for her solitude. It’s no easy feat to present such reclusive feelings against a catchy beat, but the casual elegance of Amaarae’s voice proves worthy of the task.

When the song was released, she explained in a tweet that the song is “For the Young OGs to smoke and be happy to” and we’re almost certain it has the desired effect. Amaarae has always been ahead of the curve and she’s showing no signs of stopping, as she’s building up to the release of her coming project, ‘The Angel You Don’t Know’. 

She said she’s about to get deeper in her bag for the next six months, and we’re ready.

Stream “Leave Me Alone” here:

Featured image credits/

ICYMI: Rema embraces his trap sounds on new single “Alien”

NATIVE Exclusive: Skales has a newfound appreciation for life

Posted on by The Native

Much like any other industry subject to the forces of capitalism, contentment is quite the elusive concept in the music industry. As artists advance in their careers and with each new release, there’s an expectation of commercial success and constantly levelling up, which is almost always about whether the artist can surpass their current level of acclaim. From breaking out to proving consistency to rising to the top of the popularity pyramid, there’s an emphasis on forward motion that makes it difficult for many artists to truly relish the accomplishment of putting out a project.

Very often, when I speak to artists who have just put new music out, it’s easy to hear the high hopes in their words and glean the anxiousness for success in their voice. When I spoke to Skales less than a week after dropping his recent EP, ‘Healing Process’, it was surprisingly refreshing to hear him speak with gratitude and a deep level of contentment. “It’s been really good” Skales offers when I ask him what the reception had been like in the early days since the release. “In fact, more than anything, I’m happy that the project is out ‘cause it means a lot that I’m here and I’m still doing what I love.”

This appreciative demeanour is the polar opposite of what he offered us two years ago: “Someone like Olamide would say ‘Skales should have killed himself by now.’” At the time, Skales was in a peculiar place in his career, where he was no longer the easy target of caustic jokes about unsuccessful artists. He was four years removed from “Shake Body”, the hit single that would rocket him back into prominence following his exit from Banky W’s EME imprint, two albums and several big singles deep into his resurgence, but there was still a disconnect between his successes and what was initially expected of him. And a lot of that stemmed from his switch-up from rapper to pop artist.

Back then, Skales pointed to his achievements as justification for revamping his primary style of music, noting that it had opened doors, given him so many opportunities and made him into the bankable artist. Today, he’s less keen on these types of explanations that convey some sort of frustration, opting to count his blessings, stay in the moment and putting his current situation in perspective with his journey so far.

About a week before ‘Healing Process’ came out, Skales dropped a trailer in anticipation of the EP, crystallising his mindset and the circumstances that inspired the EP into an affecting short video. In between bright shots of Skales strolling and taking in the sun on a beach, we see clips of the singer receiving medical care, and going by the drip by his bedside, it’s safe to presume it was pretty serious. Being able to come out on the other side with a clean bill of health, and the fact that life always has challenges waiting on every corner is what inspired the project’s title and loosely informs the songs on the EP.

NATIVE: You always seem to go for profound titles for your projects, why is that?

“I pick my album titles based on whatever I’m going through at the moment, or whatever I write down that feels right. Like ‘Man of the Year’, I had those issues after I left EME, many people wrote me off and didn’t think I was gonna come back, but then, boom!

For ‘The Never Say Never Guy’, the road wasn’t smooth, there were a lot of stories and doubters, and that was a challenge to myself to prove them wrong. With ‘Mr Love’, that’s a nickname my friends call me because they know me as a lover-boy, and the album basically was about love.

For this project, a couple of things happened and I started appreciating life a little more. I was sick for months and many people didn’t know, but I kept thinking about the fact that I could afford to pay for my healthcare and there are people that cannot afford these things. Also, I went through being hurt by people, disappointments and failures, and I know that I’m not the only one that deals with that.”

Going by the title and the trailer, you’d probably expect ‘Healing Process’ to be an overly introspective project, but that’s not what Skales delivers. The EP lands within Skales’ established flair for rhythmic music better suited for dancefloors. Like his previous projects, the title baits you in with something profound, but switches into a set of songs that are partly enjoyable and partly banal. Unlike his previous projects, though, Skales sounds rejuvenated and in better control of his powers as a songwriter.

With seven tracks clocking in at a brisk 21-minute run time, ‘Healing Process’ is far leaner than Skales’ previous three albums, all of which suffered in quality due to the amount of bloat and filler tracks. By being concise, ‘Healing Process’ cuts out any excesses in a way that emboldens Skales’ best qualities as an artist that conjures bright melodies and favours hook-driven writing. On the opening track, “God is Good”, Skales predictably gets prayerful, fortifying the sheer relatability of the theme with a personal approach to his writing and an impressive display of his singing chops. On the standout selection, “On Your Side”, he imbues the bouncy, fast-paced song with a dotting charm that’s pulled from the R&B playbook, creating a blue-eyed love song that can slot into wedding playlists and club sets.

An integral part to the enjoyability of ‘Healing Process’ is the impressive production, boasting a set of colourful beats that skate around afropop, dancehall and even veers into trap on the Ice Prince-assisted final cut, “A‘Lagos”. This project is far from a reset for an artist who defines himself as an artist who primarily makes Dance music, but it also feels like a new chapter, by being a reupholstering of Skales’ sound, and gone are the tendencies towards selecting insipid and overproduced beats. For that, Skales gives major credit to Kezie, the teenage producer who serves as the main co-conspirator on the EP and is now signed to Skales’ imprint, OHK Entertainment. With this creative partnership, ‘Healing Process’ amounts to a replay-worthy project that also stands as Skales’ best body of work till date.

As much as it can be described as a collection of happy-go-lucky songs, Skales explains that the relation between the content of the EP and its title is implicit since the intention is to use his music to create pockets of unreserved happiness for listeners. “Basically, all I’m saying is, every second, every minute, every hour, every day is a healing process, because there’s a lot of things we can’t change or control, and we have to go through them and move on” he explains. “I’ve come out of my own difficult experiences with a better appreciation for life and that’s what I want my music to show.”

Very often, when artists have been through life-impacting situations we expect them to detail it in their music, so that we can identify with them as people who also go through difficult situations just like us. Skales tells me he’s well aware of these expectations, but he’s gotten to a point in his life where he’s focused on the emphasising the positives, and it’s easy to see why. He’s survived through multiple, career-derailing valleys; in interviews and on his Twitter he’s let the world in on the domestic abuse his mother suffered and the difficult circumstances she raised him in, and he’s had to battle a serious illness to be alive. With all of this being public knowledge, he believes he’s earned the leeway to deliver music that reflects where he is at the moment, even though it is attached to a baggage of difficulties.

NATIVE: Do you think you wear the underdog tag as a badge of honour?

Yeah, I think so. Being an underdog is my story and I’m not even trying to sound bitter, man. This is a kid that came from a city that’s over 14-hours by road, into a megacity that he doesn’t know anybody, and he’s come this far. I’ve worked hard and I’ve sacrificed so much to get to where I’m at.

NATIVE: What’s the biggest sacrifice you’ve made as an artist?

I’ve emptied my account many times to make sure things happen. It’s not a smart decision—I won’t advise anybody to do that [laughs]—but sometimes, you just have to take the risk and I’m grateful it’s paying off.

At the moment, Skales is satisfied with everything he’s achieved. While he has plans to remain consistent and keep growing upwards, he’s not letting the constant race for sustained prominence give him anxiety. Contentment doesn’t equal complacency – if anything, it indicates a strong level of security and Skales is so secure about himself that he’s not too bothered by not being the biggest superstar. He considers having a huge fan base across Africa—East Africa especially—and in the UAE as indicators that he’s doing well for himself, he’s scored big collaborations with Major Lazer, Nicki Minaj, Akon and more, and he only sees more positives for himself going forward.

For an artist who spends a lot of his time touring and performing, Skales isn’t happy about the ongoing pandemic that has restricted travels and cancelled the possibilities of large gatherings in the foreseeable future—“I won’t lie, it hurt my feelings so bad”. However, he views as one of those things he can’t control, so staying safe, connecting with those closest to him, continually creating (he’s working on a rap album) and embracing happiness is how he’s coping.

NATIVE: What would you define as happiness?

Happiness is peace of mind to me, doing what you love and being profitable from it.

NATIVE: Are you happy?

Of course, I’m happy!

Listen to ‘Healing Process’ here.

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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter

NATIVE EXCLUSIVE: IT’S ADEY’S TIME IN THE LIMELIGHT

AMKMQ unveils her new collection ‘Say What You Mean’

Posted on by The Native

After letting us into her multimedia world where she’s constantly debating gender and purity politics and wowing us in the latest Mowalola campaign for her designer handbags, 21-year-old creative and activist AMKMQ is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.

Today she is unveiling her second collection titled ‘Say What You Mean: Do What You Say’, a collection of unisex tops and tees – a colourful concoction of carefreeness, sex appeal, and confidence. Created with black women in mind, each piece can still be worn by every and anyone who wishes to feel good in them, whether that’s at a summer picnic or a protest.

This year has been incredibly difficult for everyone collectively, but even more so for black people and black women around the world who are constantly consuming horrific news about misogynoir, racism, and sex and gender-based violence.

That’s why in a bid to contribute to the fight against the injustices that women face in society, AMKMQ is giving a portion of the proceeds raised from her collection at the end of the summer to the Mirabel Center, one of the organisations tackling sex-based injustices in Nigeria.

Speaking to the NATIVE about the collection, AMKMQ shared:

“The ‘Say What You Mean’ Collection is a culmination of every emotion I’ve weathered the past four months of lockdown – both as a black woman and as an individual in this world. It’s been a lot, for ALL of us at that. The excesses of the world seem to have finally begun to keel over, and there has been so much pain and destruction that has come from that. Collectively.
But with every form of destruction comes a form of rebirth (if you let it). I’ve realized that during this lockdown. Every time I have come apart, I have put myself back together. And now, every time I choose to use my voice to speak up for what I believe in, I know I’m saying exactly what I mean.
In a world that has been continuously revealed to be built on dishonesty, greed, and deception, I have never felt it more pertinent for people to speak from their hearts and act with their chests than I do at this moment. It is time to make a choice. It is finally time to say exactly what we mean, and there’s no escaping that. And I’m very happy to be a part of that.”

The collection will be available at 8 pm today here.

Featured image credits/AMKMQ

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ICYMI: How multi-faceted artist, AMKMQ is redefining purity politics for West African women

Rema teams up with DJDS and Tory Lanez for “Simple Things”

Posted on by The Native

Rema has been on fire in the past few weeks and in no rush to slow down, has given us a double dose of his pure vibes today. He released a compilation album of all our favourite songs he’s been doling out, and that wasn’t all he had in store for us, as the singer has also teamed up with Grammy-nominated DJDS and Tory Lanez for a reflective new song, “Simple Things”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCdwXVKpGYp/

Last year, DJDs teamed up with Burna Boy for the 4-track EP, “Steel & Copper”, which housed reflective songs such as “Thuggin” and “Darko”. Now, they’ve returned to Nigeria and enlisted our current star boy, Rema, in the peak of his dominant run at the moment. The joyous mid-tempo beat by DJDS leaves a lot of room for Rema to do most of the heavy lifting, handling the hook and a closing verse. Tory Lanez joins him for a verse and sparse ad-libs in between instrumental breaks, where he lays out all the things he’s looking for in a relationship.

Rema starts and closes the song with the infectious hook singing “simple things are your blessing, how you no notice your blessing”, which seems very fitting to these times. Currently, as the world tries to navigate the threat of a pandemic, everything has been stripped down and we’re all reliant the important things in life. Rema is reminding us that it’s in the simple things, and sends a reassuring message (against a beat that slaps) to everyone.

Listen to “Simple Things” here:

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/heisrema
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ICYMI: Rema’s “Woman” is this week’s Best New Music

Watch the video for FOREVATIRED’s latest single, “Devil Fruit”

Posted on by The Native

Our favourite Abuja-based music collective, FOREVATIRED have kept us interested since they were formed in 2017, and their music has since been hard to ignore. Back in December, they released their latest album, ‘Before You Kill Us All’ and now seem to be gearing up to their next, ‘Those Kids Next Door’ with their latest single, “Devil Fruit”. 

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kids

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Released last week, “Devil Fruit” is in keeping with their usual brand of dreamy, ethereal pop sound. Backed by a ubiquitous beat which demands your attention, the song benefits from the switch up between hard-hitting raps and a melodious flow and a melodious flow. For the accompanying video, we follow members of the group from their living room where they knock back shots and share a jay, to a dreamy landscape where they perform the song with lots of colourful foliage.

“Devil Fruit” is their first offering of their upcoming project, which is set to capture all the things the group have been going through during the pandemic-induced lockdown. We’ve come to expect FOREVATIRED to get us into the depths of our feelings, and we’re ready.

Watch the video for “Devil Fruit” here:

Listen to Amaarae’s bouncy new single, “Leave Me Alone”

Posted on by The Native

The wait is finally over, and Amaarae has released some new music. This year alone, she’s wowed us with her guest features on Oiee’s “Still Dey Inside” alongside Mensah and Odunsi’s “Body Count” alongside Gigi Atlantis & Deto Black. Now, she’s released her first official single of the year, “Leave Me Alone” and she’s sending a message about protecting your peace.

Amaarae is one of the most exciting artists at the moment, who’s distinct style and instantly recognisable voice sets her apart. Her introspective yet lighthearted declarations are a defining factor of her previous songs, “Like It” and “Spend Some Time” and now she’s following suit with the latest release.

On Twitter, she declared that “Leave me Alone” is for the Young OGs to smoke and be happy to, and we couldn’t agree more. The song is about learning how to protect your peace, regardless of what’s going on in the world. In her usual calm tone, she sings: “You’re fucking up my mental space, you’re blowing my high. Too much energy being wasted on business not mine” giving good indication of where her head is at and her disinterest in spending time on things that don’t make her happy.

With the state of the world at the moment, it’s no surprise that Amaarae is feeling like this and spreading the word to the rest of us. Like she said, she’s about to get deep into her bag in the next 6 months and if this is anything to go by, let’s have it.

Listen to “Leave Me Alone” here:

Life in Quarantine: Here’s what ‘Elevator Baby’ director, Akay Mason has on his watch list

Posted on by The Native

We’re spending a lot more time these days streaming some of our favorite television shows and films as the coronavirus-induced stay-at-home order enters its fourth month. Each week, there seems to be several new Nollywood film joining the Netflix Naija catalogue ready for us to watch and then debate later on Twitter.

A few weeks ago, Akay Mason’s latest film ‘Elevator Baby’, made its Netflix debut, and many film lovers finally got to watch Timini Egbuson and Toyin Aimakhua’s world collide on their screens. When I asked Akay Mason about his feelings towards people watching for the first time, he tells me: ‘It’s always amazing when people watch your movies and people love it or hate it. I guess one of the biggest fears when you create content is that no one reacts to it so you don’t want to create content that no one reacts to’.

‘Elevator Baby’ may not have all-round raving reviews, but he’s been more concerned with those who his craft is positively impacting. He tells me the story of a woman who called him crying after a tragic experience with childbirth, and felt really happy to find that the child in ‘Elevator Baby’ survived. To him, ‘This is the reason why you make movies, to touch people and make them find things they relate to in the movie’. 

 

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As he currently works on his upcoming film ‘DOD’ with co-director Abosi Ogba, we caught up with Akay Mason as he quarantines in Lagos. He’s spending his time indoors wisely and trying to keep his brain engaged by reading as many Hollywood screenplays as he can, and watching some of his favourite movies from Niyi Akimolayan’s The Set Up to Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood.

On how he’s adjusting creatively and personally to the change

It’s pretty much been business as usual for me. My life has mostly been indoors before this, so it’s my normal routine except that I can’t go to the cinema or hang out with friends.

We are currently working on the sound design for my next film ‘DOD’ and it’s been strange to talk to my sound designer over Zoom. The Zoom audio quality doesn’t really give you the actual authentic sound, so it’s hard to judge and give notes. But as human beings, we immediately know how to adapt so I’ve adapted to organising script conferences over Zoom. It’s been challenging because the energy in the writer’s room is where you debate and engage with everyone but over zoom, it can get lost in translation. Someone’s wifi may be messing up but we are making it work.

I also stumbled upon a book called Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. It’s a very interesting book that touches on how we have dealt with past pandemics and what the possible next threat for humanity would be. It brought out some really interesting notes, for someone that wrote a book a few years ago, the book is quite relatable to the current situation of the world. It doesn’t add to my anxieties about the current pandemic because I don’t really suffer from anxiety, but it makes me understand that with everything in human history, things come and things go, so this too shall pass. 

On how the pandemic has affected his film projects

With the coronavirus, it’s impossible to put your movie in the cinema right now because no cinema is open and you don’t really want to release it only on Netflix because you miss the opportunity to test the cinema audience. The best bet for us right now is to hold unto the movie.

Our distributors are working right now with Film One and the cinema houses so that when the cinema opens again, and we gauge the reaction from audiences; whether they resume watching films at the cinema or not, then we will have a proper release date. The cloud of uncertainty that is covering everyone is also covering us as well. That’s one of our fears, are people even going to be able to enjoy the cinema experience post-pandemic. 

There are projects that I should be directing right now but because of the pandemic, we can’t move ahead with that, and that’s understandable because you don’t want to put any of your cast/crew in harm’s way at the moment. You don’t want to contribute to the problem, you want to be part of the solution so I am gladly putting all my directing projects on hold till this blows over. Until we find a way to work around this. 

 

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On his quarantine watch list

I have been watching a lot of Netflix. The Last Dance, yes I am part of the statistic that has watched it and raved about it online. I have also been watching Paul Thomas Anderson movies, he’s my favourite director after Christopher Nolan. I have been streaming a lot on Netflix and Amazon.

So on my list are; Magnolia and There Will Be Blood by Paul Thomas Anderson. Adu which is on Netflix. The Set Up by Niyi Akinmolayan, Elevator Baby by yours truly and Django Unchained.

One thing he loves, likes and hates

I hate Zoom as I mentioned earlier. 

I like my solitude – I’m an introvert and I don’t like going out that much, but this quarantine has given me more time to myself. It’s been really introspective.

I love my Play Station and Jumia food – I don’t have to deal with rude cashiers anymore, I just call order my phone and pay.

Featured image credits/Guardian

Written by Tami Makinde

ICYMI: Into the mind of surreal 16 filmmaker, Abba Makama

Zarion Uti’s “Money” is a motivational anthem for the times

Posted on by The Native

Everyone everywhere in the world will understand the importance of needing funds, and Zarion Uti upcoming single, “Money” is a testimony to that. A steady output of singles have made our Fresh Meat Alum one of the new generation Afropop who can simultaneously serve lightweight pop lyrics as vividly as a motivational hood anthem.

The hook for “Money” serves as a mantra for starving creative, where he sings “We need the money/ We want to jollie/ So where the money?/ Na the problem and we gaz solve am”. Throughout the song, he adopts an all-to-familiar narrative, where he gives a play-by-play narration of his come-up from the ghetto.

Toronto-based producer, BRYM sets the song to a swaying laidback groove, mixing Afropop drum riffs with percussion and synths. With the beat drop matching Zarion’s tale of triumph, “Money” is an anthemic bop with lyrics primed to be chanted. With an economic recession looming over the world since the pandemic-induced lock-down, we can all agree that the lyrics will resonate.

Speaking to The NATIVE, explaining some of the inspiration behind the song, Zarion said:

“The song means a lot to me because it’s about the struggle. putting your dreams first and striving harder even in the face of adversity. In the times of a global pandemic, money is still highly relevant. It’s the main reason many people are frustrated so it’s basically my way of saying they aren’t alone. We all just trying to achieve our dreams so we can live a better life.”

Stream “Money” by Zarion Uti exclusively below:

Featured image credits/Zarion Uti

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Ladipoe updates his latest single “Know You” with a memorable video

Posted on by The Native

Back in April, Ladipoe released the romantic number “Know You” featuring Simi, an honest and open track on which he tells the tale of a coy love story where no one is willing to admit their feelings. The relatability of the track certainly made it a worthy number 1 on the charts for weeks, and now he’s released a video to give us a visual backing of the song’s message.

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The colourful video opens on a rainy evening in Lagos, with a young woman standing outside without a jacket to shelter her from the cold. Ladipoe notices her shivering while he’s waiting for his ride and as a gentleman offers her his jacket. The pair end up getting on, and a budding romance begins between the two, after he finds her phone number in his jacket pocket.

‘E be like say I no remember say/I Say I no really know u that well’ Simi sings on the hook, as the romance between the two lovebirds starts to deepen. With the photo-shoot-ready sets and stylish outfits provided by Daniel Obasi in the video, the chart-topping track has ahead even better with an accompanying video.

Watch the video for “Know You” below.

Featured image credits/Youtube

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The shuffle: Ronnie’s “The Way I Feel Rap” laid the foundation for Nigeria rap

Posted on by The Native

Being a 90s baby in a Nigerian household for me meant King Sunny Ade’s funky tunes playing at ear-piercing volume whenever my dad was in a good mood. It was also Fela blasting out from the sound system of the 504 and Yinka Ayefele providing the soundtrack at big parties. Music from the 70s was sophisticated, loud, at times political and a world way from the explicit MTV curated songs I loved and wanted to listen.

However, as I got older, these Nigerian classic moved from being background noise to form a part of my cultural heritage and a fond memory of my childhood bond with my parents. So you can imagine my shock when I found out that the first hip-hop song in Nigeria was not DJ Jimmy Jatt’s “Stylee”, but rather, a song released as far back as the early 80s’. With hip-hop‘s undeniable dominance today, it would seem that my mom and dad missed the cool train by a few years.

“The Way I Feel Rap” was released in 1981 by Ronnie (Ron Ekundayo), a popular TV presenter, OAP and DJ in Lagos who had caught on to hip-hop’s chart-topping appeal after Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” first introduced rap to a global audience in 1979. His role as a DJ, OAP and TV presenter allowed him to spot the hip-hop trend DJ Kool Herc had started in the Bronx and so when he decided to add music artist to his resume, he made sure to infuse rap elements to his debut project, ‘The Way I Feel’.

Listening to ‘The Way I Feel’ reveals that Nigerian musicians have always taken foreign music and played it back through a Nigerian filter. The project catered to the funk and disco demands of dance floors in the 70’s, as each track featured electronic synths that captured funk’s devotion to rhythm and dance. It could easily have been buried under the sheer volume of similar sounding project from the time, but Ronnie’s hip-hop experiment on “The Way I Feel Rap” rescued it from obscurity and earned him a place in Nigeria’s music history as the first rap song from Nigeria and possibly Africa.

Where Chris Okotie set a purist standard for disco music with his funky beats and melodies, Ronnie’s selling point was the wild eyed enthusiasm to explore and discover amazing new sounds. Saying “I’m going to do it my way/ I’m going to rap to the beat the way I feel” with hip-hop’s conversational cadence, “The Way I Feel Rap” doesn’t sound like it was recorded by someone who was recreating rap for commercial reasons. In fact, he was trying to encourage more people to catch the vibe, as he spends most of the song defending rap’s appeal to listeners while still narrating his romantic encounter at a club; “It makes you rock/ it makes you want to disco down/ She’s got that thing called sex appeal”.

“The Way I Feel Rap” inspired other early adopters of rap, such as  Mams and Hart who offered pointers at things to come and Oby Onyioha, who highlighted hip-hop’s break dancing and sneaker culture. While these first attempts at hip-hop in Nigeria were awkward and mostly seen as mindless party chants, Nigerian rap has become decidedly more refined since the new generation of rappers like Naira Marley, Rema, Maison2500, PsychoYP, Blaqbonez and others emerged with their impressive and distinct narratives. Ronnie’s song means rappers from Africa have their own homegrown and history to fall back on, and even though disco was also in the offering on “The Way I Feel Rap”, it still stands as the first official declaration of Nigerian rap and the new era in music.

Stream Ronnie’s “The Way I Feel Rap” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Average Records

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The Sexual Harassment Bill has now passed its third reading

Posted on by Tami Makinde

The past few months have been difficult for women collectively. The harrowing and continuous news cycle of sexual and gender-based violence, at almost every corner of the country, has left us all severely scarred. Being one of the oldest, and most-widespread crimes in society today, you’d think we would have bulletproof laws to protect survivors yet the topic still remains ridden with controversy as there is little to no protection to cover all areas of this heinous crime.

Back in March, we spoke about everything you need to know about the Sexual Harassment Bill which is currently making its way through Senate, and yesterday, we learnt that this bill has now passed its third reading. This means that the Bill has gone through enough considerable steps, and can no longer be amended. It also means that there are only a few steps left before this Bill becomes a part of our law, and this is definitely a feat to celebrate as young women around the country can soon rely on the provisions and protections of this Bill.

Given that we live in a country where our lawmakers still believe that women should dress ‘appropriately’ to avoid sexual assault because ‘men are not wood’, and others that have evaded responsibility even with concrete video evidence of them being physically violent with a woman, it is clear to see that it’s time for the culture of silence and rape to shift and this Bill is a step in the right direction.

You can read the provisions of the Bill here.

Featured image credits/Quartz

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NATIVE PREMIERE: WurlD is done playing games in the video for “Wayo (Kpe Le Wu)”

Posted on by The Native

WurlD is one of the most hardworking artists out at the moment, and his ever-growing music catalogue is proof enough of his star power as he’s just released his third project in the span of fourteen months. The 7-track project ‘AFROSOUL’ houses a diverse range of sounds as WurlD delves into themes of self-awareness, romance, heartbreak, survival, and perseverance. He shows no signs of slowing down and has now released the video treatment for one of the singles off the project, “WAYO (Kpe Le Wu).

Directed by Baba Agba and WurlD himself, the video for “WAYO (Kpe Le Wu)” opens up with WurlD performing for his fans in what appears to be an intimate cabaret performance. He performs his set while locking eyes with a female fan in the crowd who is just as smitten with the star as he is with her.

They communicate through explicit non-verbal gestures, as their eyes lock and hold throughout WurlD’s performance. ‘My feelings getting critical/this is more than physical’ WurlD chants during his set, as his romantic lyrics seem to be aimed at this one woman who has caught his attention. Halfway through his performance, the mystery woman becomes so engrossed that she slips into an imaginary world where she gets an intimate and private audience with WurlD.

Speaking about the new video, WurlD tells the NATIVE:

“Wayo is a blend of Afrobeat with soul music. This song shines light on the idea of wanting assurance of commitment from a lover “no do me Wayo” which means “don’t play games with me.

The video focuses more on an imaginary love connection between me and a fan at a show. This describes special and intimate moments with me and fans at my shows, like it’s just us alone at the concert.”

Get a first look at the video for “WAYO (Kpe Le Wu)” here.

Featured image credits/Chuchu Ojekwe and Vizuvlgvds

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