2020 been a difficult year to navigate. Before our lives were threatened by a deadly disease, and now systemic racial and gender-based injustices, life was already crazy enough. Collectively, we all face a wide variety of obstacles on a daily basis, and now when you add the unease due to the aforementioned, there seems to always be something going on that’s trying to pull you down.
The pandemic has drawn us farther apart physically, yet somehow connected us online. The past week has shown that we all have a common interest to make the world a better place, following virtual and IRL protests in response to the death of George Floyd and the horrific assault and killings of young girls in Nigeria from Uwa Omozuwa to Tina Ezekwe.
There seems to be difficult news to consume at almost every turn, and the cycle of constantly digesting horrific news and graphic images can be detrimental to one’s mental health. The other day, I read somewhere that currently, your diet isn’t solely about what you’re eating; but also about the news you consume, the conversations you have, the music you choose to listen to daily and literally any information you’re willingly plugging in to has the power to change your social diet.
On the chorus of “Energy”, after baring his soul, Runtown directs us “back to the dancing”, and sometimes, it just be like that. Music has proven time and time again to be a conduit to healing, and whether it’s the song lyrics that resonate with you or a beat you can get lost in, you’re likely to hear something that will make you feel better.
Last week, when it was all going down, we provided you guys with a care package filled with tips and advice on how to unplug and take care of yourself considering everything that’s going on. This week, while things seem to have calmed down a bit, we’re all still triggered and aware of the horrible realities we’re facing, so we’ve gone a step further and providing a music care package to get you through these difficult days.
There’s a lot going on at the moment, make sure you take care of yourself.
We can all admit that the world is a bit more shit than usual for women right now, and that’s why to start out, we want everyone to hear from Ms Fu, Anae, Dzyadzorm & Raphaella, who brought our collective voices together in this song. Although it was released back in November last year, it could have dropped today and still be as relevant.
A lot of the time, women are made to feel shame about how angry we are at a system which has been designed to keep us down, and this song in light of the past week is the perfect reminder of just how justified we are in our anger. We must do our bit to dismantle, disrupt and discuss, and the track which starts off with “Listen to the stories, you can feel the pain in our eyes”, presents the perfect starting point.
SOLIS – “Can’t Breathe”
SOLIS’ brand of lo-fi bedroom pop music is incredibly important, her messages are poignant and powerful. On “Can’t Breathe” she encapsulates perfectly what most of us may be feeling at the moment, the world is spinning fast but SOLIS’ angelic and undulating vocals are here to guide you through feeling your emotions until you can let them go.
Tems – “These Days”
Tems’ latest single couldn’t have come at a better time. The deeply reflective and sombre number is fitting for these uncertain times, and make for the perfect background for when you want to slow down and look within. With a clear confession of how she’s feeling towards a sour relationship, Tems has put forward a kind of vulnerability that validates yours and has created something that could replace a late-night conversation with your homegirls. Thank you Tems.
Dave – “Psycho”
Dave didn’t get a Mercury Prize in 2019 for no reason. His stellar and deeply intuitive project ‘Psychodrama’ saw him delving into themes of family and identity in an almost therapeutic manner. On the project’s “Dreams & Nightmares” style opener, “Psycho” he bares his soul so honestly that it’s infectious. Dave mirrors everyone’s state of mind, speaking about spirituality, systematic injustice, mental health, identity crisis and more in the span of 4 minutes, without missing a beat. For anyone who’s finding it difficult to find a moment’s calm, Dave’s therapy rap is the perfect soundtrack to get those feelings out.
Nonso Amadi – “Free”
Nonso Amadi’s thing is love songs, and although “Free” is another love song, Nonso Amadi manages to capture a universal feeling; the need for freedom. With current social distancing requirements, the world is a different place from what it once was when this song first came out, but the message is still clear. Even while reliving heartbreak Nonso Amadi’s voice is soothing—resigned but optimistic.
Deathproof – Gigi Atlantis
The calm flippancy in which Gigi declares “fuck, the method’s a madness”, and “ain’t finna die, so we ride” on “Deathproof” is exaclty what you need to wind down to this week. The BOJ-assisted song finds the balance between chant-ready declarations and promoting resilience, singing, “Nobody Said That It Would Be Smooth Sailing”, which indicates that it’s a song made for both the artist and the audience. The world is upside down for everyone right now, and Gigi seems like she’s giving us herself the push we all need at the moment.
Naira Marley – “Mafo”
It would be a disservice to the entire Marlian community to not include our President’s most uplifting and assertive song so far. If we know about any musician’s struggles, it’s Naira Marley, and his jovial attitude towards it all tells us everything we need to hear. On Ma Fo, he’s telling us not to panic, and to always stand our ground because life is fucked up. Young Jonn’s infectious beat makes it impossible for you to sit still whilst Naira Marley is telling us to ‘stay happy and se jeje’ . The storms never last.
Tomi Thomas – “Shaken”
Tomi Thomas has a gift. His uplifting vocals and memorable lyrics will always catch your attention, and keep you captivated in the song. “Shaken” is the gift that keeps on giving, it’s a powerful message for listeners to remain strong and bold even in the face of troubles, is incredibly touching especially now. Even though our faith is shaken, we will not be moved in these times.
Odunsi The Engine – “Wetin Dey/Better Days”
Odunsi’s double drop “Wetin Dey/Better Day” is the exact kind of music you would call rhythm and blues. “Wetin Dey” is upbeat, catchy, fun, and memorable with the colourful accompanying sure to bring a smile to your face, while on the flip side “Better Days” is a desolate tune more fitting for the times we are in. Much like Odunsi and Wani, we’re all praying for the better days to come and restore hope to the bleakness we’re all feeling.
Runtown – “Energy”
Runtown’s “Energy” is exactly what you need right now. His superpower is his ability to get us in our feelings, whilst wanting to turn up and this track makes the perfect summation. It’s the exact song that’s reflective of the artist’s mind, where he speaks about adoration for a love interest, but also flexes on naysayers and ‘enemies’ with platitudes such as “so I say, no man can take my joy away. I just wanna make more money and live my life my way”. Think we can all relate.
Dami Oniru – “Nowhere to Run”
Dami Oniru’s latest single “Nowhere to Run” is a marker of the unprecedented times we’re all collectively navigating through at the moment. Rather than give up hope, Dami Oniru is telling us directly to engage in deep self-reflection, which is always the prerequisite for growth. Speaking to the NATIVE, she shared that: “The song is about rediscovering your power and finding strength in your weakness and just remembering that whatever the situation you are going to get through it”.
Burna Boy – Ja Ara E
This song starts off with wise words, “Your body go rest o, pa tell pikin o” which basically tells us that we can’t cheat nature. Earlier on, we spoke about how what you consume affects your state of mind, and if you don’t intervene, your body (mind in this case) will do what it needs to regardless. Later on in the song, he also gives some more solid advice, telling us to: “Look around in all the places you go to, stand your ground and stay solid like Ogun. Watch your back and do what you’re supposed to, take care of family and people you’re close to”. It’s important for us to stay strong at the moment.
Odunsi & Tems – Decided
When the song dropped back in April, we were weeks into quarantine when life was very confusing and people were grasping for any bit of grounding they can get. The past week, similarly, has felt a bit like that, and there’s a heaviness in the air that’s hard to place and navigate.
We’re at a point where we’ve been made to confront our immediate reality and contribute towards making a collective change to the injustices whilst dealing with the tragic deaths and y’kno, a pandemic. As our Best New Music selection that week, we said it was the perfect song for self-reflection and that’s every bit as true right now as it was back in April.
Skepta & Wizkid – “Bad Energy (Stay Far Away)”
Skepta and Wizkid’s first official music collaboration “Bad Energy” was undoubtedly the talk of the town that year, due to the catalytic effect of this fusion of two rich sounds. While when it dropped, it was the perfect soundtrack for summer parties and beachside living, with lines that made the perfect Instagram captions. Today, however, we quite literally need the positivity the song exudes, and we’re begging the bad energy to stay away.
Nasty C & T.I – “They Don’t Know”
This seemed like a befitting number to close this care package series. South African rapper, Nasty C has teamed up with rapper, T.I for a deeply sombre and reflective number titled “They Don’t Know”. The song directly addresses the racial injustices going on in the US, and urges listeners to remember the names of all those we have lost (Say Their Names: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, and countless more). The proceeds from the song will be going towards Unity Freedom and Solidarity Fund.
Stay Safe everyone.
Featured image credits/giphy
Tami is living in a black mirror episode and can’t seem to wake up. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_
2020 been a difficult year to navigate. Before our lives were threatened by a deadly disease, and now systemic racial and gender-based injustices, life was already crazy enough. Collectively, we all face a wide variety of obstacles on a daily basis, and now when you add the unease due to the aforementioned, there seems to always be something going on that’s trying to pull you down.
The pandemic has drawn us farther apart physically, yet somehow connected us online. The past week has shown that we all have a common interest to make the world a better place, following virtual and IRL protests in response to the death of George Floyd and the horrific assault and killings of young girls in Nigeria from Uwa Omozuwa to Tina Ezekwe.
There seems to be difficult news to consume at almost every turn, and the cycle of constantly digesting horrific news and graphic images can be detrimental to one’s mental health. The other day, I read somewhere that currently, your diet isn’t solely about what you’re eating; but also about the news you consume, the conversations you have, the music you choose to listen to daily and literally any information you’re willingly plugging in to has the power to change your social diet.
On the chorus of “Energy”, after baring his soul, Runtown directs us “back to the dancing”, and sometimes, it just be like that. Music has proven time and time again to be a conduit to healing, and whether it’s the song lyrics that resonate with you or a beat you can get lost in, you’re likely to hear something that will make you feel better.
Last week, when it was all going down, we provided you guys with a care package filled with tips and advice on how to unplug and take care of yourself considering everything that’s going on. This week, while things seem to have calmed down a bit, we’re all still triggered and aware of the horrible realities we’re facing, so we’ve gone a step further and providing a music care package to get you through these difficult days.
There’s a lot going on at the moment, make sure you take care of yourself.
We can all admit that the world is a bit more shit than usual for women right now, and that’s why to start out, we want everyone to hear from Ms Fu, Anae, Dzyadzorm & Raphaella, who brought our collective voices together in this song. Although it was released back in November last year, it could have dropped today and still be as relevant.
A lot of the time, women are made to feel shame about how angry we are at a system which has been designed to keep us down, and this song in light of the past week is the perfect reminder of just how justified we are in our anger. We must do our bit to dismantle, disrupt and discuss, and the track which starts off with “Listen to the stories, you can feel the pain in our eyes”, presents the perfect starting point.
SOLIS – “Can’t Breathe”
SOLIS’ brand of lo-fi bedroom pop music is incredibly important, her messages are poignant and powerful. On “Can’t Breathe” she encapsulates perfectly what most of us may be feeling at the moment, the world is spinning fast but SOLIS’ angelic and undulating vocals are here to guide you through feeling your emotions until you can let them go.
Tems – “These Days”
Tems’ latest single couldn’t have come at a better time. The deeply reflective and sombre number is fitting for these uncertain times, and makes for the perfect background for when you want to slow down and look within. With a clear confession of how she’s feeling towards a sour relationship, Tems has put forward a kind of vulnerability that validates yours and has created something that could replace a late-night conversation with your homegirls. Thank you Tems.
Dave – “Psycho”
Dave didn’t get a Mercury Prize in 2019 for no reason. His stellar and deeply intuitive project ‘Psychodrama’ saw him delving into themes of family and identity in an almost therapeutic manner. On the project’s “Dreams & Nightmares” style opener, “Psycho” he bares his soul so honestly that it’s infectious. Dave mirrors everyone’s state of mind, speaking about spirituality, systematic injustice, mental health, identity crisis and more in the span of 4 minutes, without missing a beat. For anyone who’s finding it difficult to find a moment’s calm, Dave’s therapy rap is the perfect soundtrack to get those feelings out.
Nonso Amadi – “Free”
Nonso Amadi’s thing is love songs, and although “Free” is another love song, Nonso Amadi manages to capture a universal feeling; the need for freedom. With current social distancing requirements, the world is a different place from what it once was when this song first came out, but the message is still clear. Even while reliving heartbreak Nonso Amadi’s voice is soothing—resigned but optimistic.
Deathproof – Gigi Atlantis
The calm flippancy in which Gigi declares “fuck, the method’s a madness”, and “ain’t finna die, so we ride” on “Deathproof” is exactly what you need to wind down to this week. The BOJ-assisted song finds the balance between chant-ready declarations and promoting resilience, singing, “Nobody Said That It Would Be Smooth Sailing” – which indicates that it’s a song made for both the artist and the audience. The world is upside down for everyone right now, and Gigi seems like she’s giving herself the push we all need at the moment.
Naira Marley – “Mafo”
It would be a disservice to the entire Marlian community to not include the President’s most uplifting and assertive song so far. If we know about any musician’s struggles, it’s Naira Marley, and his jovial attitude towards it all tells us everything we need to hear. On “Ma Fo” he’s telling us not to panic, and to always stand our ground because life is fucked up. Young Jonn’s infectious beat makes it impossible for you to sit still whilst Naira Marley is telling us to ‘stay happy and se jeje’ . The storms never last.
Tomi Thomas – “Shaken”
Tomi Thomas has a gift. His uplifting vocals and memorable lyrics will always catch your attention, and keep you captivated in the song. “Shaken” is the gift that keeps on giving, it’s a powerful message for listeners to remain strong and bold even in the face of troubles, is incredibly touching especially now. Even though our faith is shaken, we will not be moved in these times.
Odunsi The Engine – “Wetin Dey/Better Days”
Odunsi’s double drop “Wetin Dey/Better Day” is the exact kind of music you would call rhythm and blues. “Wetin Dey” is upbeat, catchy, fun, and memorable with the colourful accompanying sure to bring a smile to your face, while on the flip side “Better Days” is a desolate tune more fitting for the times we are in. Much like Odunsi and Wani, we’re all praying for the better days to come and restore hope to the bleakness we’re all feeling.
Runtown – “Energy”
Runtown’s “Energy” is the vibe you need right now. His superpower is his ability to get us in our feelings, whilst wanting to turn up and this track makes the perfect summation. It’s the exact song that’s reflective of the artist’s mind, where he speaks about adoration for a love interest, but also flexes on naysayers and ‘enemies’ with platitudes such as “so I say, no man can take my joy away. I just wanna make more money and live my life my way”. Think we can all relate.
Dami Oniru – “Nowhere to Run”
Dami Oniru’s latest single “Nowhere to Run” is a marker of the unprecedented times we’re all collectively navigating through at the moment. Rather than give up hope, Dami Oniru is telling us directly to engage in deep self-reflection, which is always the prerequisite for growth. Speaking to the NATIVE, she shared that: “The song is about rediscovering your power and finding strength in your weakness and just remembering that whatever the situation you are going to get through it”.
Burna Boy – Ja Ara E
This song starts off with wise words, “Your body go rest o, pa tell pikin o” which basically tells us that we can’t cheat nature. Earlier on, we spoke about how what you consume affects your state of mind, and if you don’t intervene, your body (mind in this case) will do what it needs to regardless. Later on in the song, he also gives some more solid advice, telling us to: “Look around in all the places you go to, stand your ground and stay solid like Ogun. Watch your back and do what you’re supposed to, take care of family and people you’re close to”. It’s important for us to stay strong at the moment.
Odunsi & Tems – Decided
When the song dropped back in April, we were weeks into quarantine when life was very confusing and people were grasping for any bit of grounding they can get. The past week, similarly, has felt a bit like that, and there’s a heaviness in the air that’s hard to place and navigate.
We’re at a point where we’ve been made to confront our immediate reality and contribute towards making a collective change to the injustices whilst dealing with the tragic deaths and y’kno, a pandemic. As our Best New Music selection that week, we said it was the perfect song for self-reflection and that’s every bit as true right now as it was back in April.
Skepta & Wizkid – “Bad Energy (Stay Far Away)”
Skepta and Wizkid’s first official music collaboration “Bad Energy” was undoubtedly the talk of the town that year, due to the catalytic effect of this fusion of two rich sounds. While when it dropped, it was the perfect soundtrack for summer parties and beachside living, with lines that made the perfect Instagram captions. Today, however, we quite literally need the positivity the song exudes, and we’re begging the bad energy to stay away.
Nasty C & T.I – “They Don’t”
This seemed like a befitting number to close this care package series. South African rapper, Nasty C has teamed up with rapper, T.I for a deeply sombre and reflective number titled “They Don’t”. The song directly addresses the racial injustices going on in the US, and urges listeners to remember the names of all those we have lost (Say Their Names: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, and countless more). The proceeds from the song will be going towards Unity Freedom and Solidarity Fund.
Stay Safe everyone.
Featured image credits/giphy
Tami is living in a black mirror episode and can’t seem to wake up. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_
In less than five years since garnering widespread popularity between Nigeria and Ghana, Mr Eazi has established himself as one of the forerunners of African pop music, not just in the drive for further global recognition, but also playing a major role in fostering a proper ecosystem on a pan-African level. Since the beginning of last year, Mr Eazi has performed at Coachella, snagged multiple cross-Atlantic features with J Balvin, Four of Diamonds and more, in addition to the incubator program/record label and distribution services arm he founded, emPawa Africa, has been integral in spreading the reach of many new artists across the continent.
With all of these successes and obligations, the singer has remained consistent with his own solo releases, and he’s just shared a new EP, ‘One Day You Will Understand’, in collaboration with emPawa. The 4-track EP plays into Mr Eazi’s realised pop instincts, pairing colourful production with his trademark writing style to suit the beat, languidly infectious melodies and guest vocals from King Promise and C Natty. On the EP, Mr Eazi comes across as a consumed romantic, as he laments about a love interest who’s with someone else on the Guiltybeatz-produced “Baby I’m Jealous”, and restates his undying commitment on the pre-released single, “I No Go Give Up On You”.
In hyper collaborative mode, the EP features four different producers, with Nonso Amadi laying the folk-pop beat for “Ogogoro No Sweet Pass Pami”, while Legendury Beatz set the foundation for the club-ready sound of “Baby This Your Body Na Gobe”. ‘One Day You Will Understand’ is Mr Eazi’s first project since his 2018’s ‘Life is Eazi, Vol. 2 – Lagos to London’.
Listen to ‘One Day You Will Understand’ here.
Featured Image Credits: Getty
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
The past week has been utterly disheartening. Along with news of the brutal crimes committed against young girls all over Nigeria, came a harrowing reminder of the ongoing conflict in the North as the #KadunaMassacre began to trend alongside the various “Justice For” hashtags on Twitter.
Though news of the constant violence that plagues Southern Kaduna often makes headlines in mainstream media – to the harrowing extent that sometimes they may not even be the headline – many young Nigerians outside the region find themselves grossly uninformed of the extent of the violence. The truth is, these killings have in fact been ongoing for over three decades. Unbelievable as it may seem that Nigerians are being slaughtered in one part of the country whilst the rest of us remain oblivious, this has been the reality for a very long time. So, let’s take a brief look at the history of the Southern Kaduna attacks. What are these killings all about?
Well, the root of the conflict is a struggle across numerous states in Northern Nigeria between the Fulani Herdsmen (also labelled the Fulani Militia) and farmers over depleting land resources – owing to the encroachment of the Sahara due to climate change and urbanisation. Historically, the government allotted grazing reserves to herdsmen in a scheme whereby they provided the herdsmen with land, water and the requisite resources for them to rear their cattle in return for taxes. However, with the ‘70s oil boom, came a decline in the agricultural sector, and this resulted in the neglect of the grazing reserve system.
So the situation at present is that stripped of their security and stability, the herdsmen now resort to seasonal nomadic grazing; however, as other communities have built upon the land they wish to graze, contention between the herdsmen and the local people invariably arises. In recent years these clashes have increased – which is why we’re hearing (more) about it – and the ensuing conflict has resulted in mass displacement and needless, tragic deaths.
Designed to raise awareness about the killings, the trending topic, #KadunaMassacre was met with hostility by the police and political figures in the region, who believed the hashtag to be a divisive tool to undermine the efforts of security personnel in achieving peace. With the Kaduna Police threatening to prosecute journalists ‘for spreading fake news’ (the news was true, just reported late), and conflicting reports on the magnitude of the killings, social media news of the #KadunaMassacre was shrouded in uncertainty.
Given how terrifyingly rampant this genocide is in the region, how distressing it is that innocent people are losing their lives and their land by the masses, it’s imperative that we familiarise ourselves with the facts so that our mobilisation for peace in aid of our country-people is well-informed. To that end, The NATIVE reached out to members of the creative community in Kaduna, who have helped us shed light on the conflict in the place they call home, giving much needed perspective of those living, working and creating amidst the unrest.
Yamai is the owner of classic menswear brand Kholie, formerly known as YKP. Born out of a healthy dose of vanity and necessity – Yamai’s need to dress to impress on a university student’s budget – Kholie began as an up-styling project, where Yamai would buy second-hand clothes and then customise them according to the latest trends he’d spotted in the movies.
These early days dating back to 2012 – a time when MTV Base Africa had successfully spread the gospel of South African urban wear sensation, Ama Kip Kip – music videos were another huge inspiration for the young Yamai as they were for most young Nigerian creatives of all walks. Eight years, an accounting degree and his NYSC service later, Yamai’s Kholie retains some of the playful exuberance characteristic of the whacky videos which coloured most millennial childhoods, whilst conforming to the matured tailoring of traditional Nigerian menswear.
Ruth is also a designer, though Ruth Waziri Atelier is much younger than Kholie. Entering into the creative sphere as a model (she’s represented by Few), Ruth began designing her own ‘fits just two years ago. In this short time, Ruth Waziri has evolved from a traditional bespoke tailoring brand into a contemporary womenswear fashion label. Attending Bingham University in Karu, Abuja, and beginning her brand during her Youth Corp year (she was lucky to pass out in March, right before the COVID-19 lockdowns began) Ruth boasts an interstate market between Kaduna and Abuja.
Midst is a documentary filmmaker, who came into the game in 2016, the year which marked a turning point in Nigeria’s creative industry, where artistic disciplines began to garner more respect and earn its people social brownie points. From what I remember at least, 2016 gave birth to the ‘cool’ creative (‘cool’ replacing struggling, try-hard, inauthentic and other negative parentheses that some were predisposed to using when describing creatives). Midst wanted in on this “cool thing” called filmmaking and it didn’t take him long to fall in love with the discipline, officially kicking off his career as a filmmaker toward the end of the following year.
Venturing into filmmaking was not without difficulty. Struggling to promote his local content without any funding, Dyeris made the decision to upgrade his TV and YouTube content creation to wedding and documentary filmmaking, as these were more lucrative outputs for his time and resources. With a lot of ups and downs along the way, Midst describes his journey using the universal adjective for the indescribable experience, “interesting”. But having fallen in love with storytelling Midst’s drive to create never relents.
Yashim – more commonly known as Sketch – owns a lifestyle brand that specialises in beaded bracelets, although other accessories such as caps and necklaces are also available. An architect by discipline, Sketch has always been industrious with his hands. In fact, it was his passion for drawing and other crafts – from making greeting cards to party decorations – in primary school, that scored Yashim the alias Sketch. SKETCH is the name Yashim appropriately bestowed upon his brand in 2013 when he decided to meld his fashion enthusiasm with his artistic inclinations in honour of his father, who passed away that year.
The loss of his father inspired Sketch to start something for himself, putting his love of fashionable accessories to good use. In remembrance of his dad, Yashim’s first creation under SKETCH was a commemorative bracelet. Realising that he wasn’t the only one who needed a token by which to remember a deceased loved one, Sketch began making remembrance pieces for friends and relatives and so the “something of my own” Sketch had committed to starting in honour of his father was born.
These four beginnings are relatable to any creative who’s gone out and started their own thing. But for Sketch, Ruth, Yamai and Midst, their Kaduna location and the instability in the regions has a real bearing on their businesses, and their personal lives too.
What’s it like being a creative in Kaduna?
Midst: Being a creative here is a bittersweet feeling. Sweet because there are a lot of stories to tell, it’s affordable to carry out projects without thinking twice, which is an add up to any creative mind. Bitter because creatives hardly get the accolades they deserve. People would rather pay someone coming from Lagos x3 to do a job and drag quarter the price with a home-based creative for the same or even better quality.
Yamai: It is really challenging trying to break out into the national scene, you know? People don’t really respect what you do if you’re not in Lagos or Abuja. But so far, the growth has been steady and encouraging. [A benefit is that] we have a fair overhead cost here in Kaduna compared to places like Lagos and Abuja. Rent is a bit fair, there’s ease of going around here, transportation is cheap.
Sketch: It’s been good really, basically because there’s always been an overflow of ideas, [which] could be attributed to [me] being in my home zone. But as much as there a pros there are cons. Sourcing of raw materials, skilled labour and equipment have been really challenging, [as well as] market of products, sales and all of that.
Ruth: Being a creative in Kaduna is hard work, especially when what you’re trying to do isn’t something really familiar in the North. I’ve encountered some struggles with pricing, exposure, at some point logistics were hard. Also getting raw materials, especially when I need to get some things for bridals. [For instance] I’ll go to the market and ask for let’s say, a padded bra cup –I’ll be told I have to order from Lagos because people here don’t use etc. There are fabrics quite alright, but you find out that there are new things in vogue etc and I’m looking for it up and down [in Kaduna] but when I get to Garki market in Abuja it’s there, gbam!
When I was in Abuja, people paid for my services without asking questions and belittling what I charge or so. Kaduna is also relatively cheaper than other places. Hiring tailors and transportation (days when I have to go to the market to and fro or do fittings or take measurements) is cheaper. I also have more clients here, since that’s where started from and grew. I think at some point when I was serving in Abuja, I had to do interstate sewing and send to my clients over here, and that helped me in learning how to take my time and sew properly without having to think of adjustments etc.
How has the violence in Southern Kaduna affected you?
Sketch: Well, it really has affected me on a personal note ‘cause my old man passed during the killings around my hometown, in 2013. For a long time, this has been going on. We used to casually stroll to our hometown, but these days it has to be very important and calculative. I can’t visit my hometown or [my] dad’s grave like I’d love too. It has also really affected my business directly.
Yamai: Directly, as regards to a family member, no. But there are people who I know that have lost relatives. It has affected business [though]. In some periods we have to be on 24hrs curfew, for a week or so. The last one that required a long curfew that affected where I stay was October 2018. I remember having to sneak out of Kaduna to attend LFDW that year, as it was a no movement, stay in your house curfew.
Ruth: Personally, we are all affected because we all know one or two people from these parts. There’s a girl that lives with us who went home to see her parents during this lockdown and she’s from that particular community or around it I think. We couldn’t reach her and everyone was panicking and all. We were on edge about what could have happened to her until we finally heard from her, and explained her situation.
Mentally you’re always thinking about what if and panicking. Some people who don’t know the distance in Kaduna and your friends who are not from around will be calling to check up on you to make sure everything is okay when they hear that there was an attack in Kaduna. It’s very draining to keep explaining to them over and over again. With regards to business operations and so on it doesn’t really affect me per say since most of my clients live in [the] main Kaduna town.
Midst: For me, the killings hit personally. A lot of times I go online and see it on the trend list, and it breaks my heart. Some weeks back, we were coming from a trip and we passed a village that was attacked the previous night – [it] was not a good sight. Seeing women and children leaving their homes to a distant land, walking miles with lots of luggage because strange people are attacking their land, killing their fathers, mothers and children is heartbreaking. I mean those images are disturbing. A woman we gave a lift cried and said she thought she [wouldn’t] make it, I can’t say exactly [what] the reasons for these killings [are] but the Government are not doing enough or apparently not doing anything about it and it pains the most.
Is there any form of activism ongoing against the violence in Southern Kaduna?
Ruth: None that I know of
Sketch: Well in recent times I don’t know who’s has been advocating, but I know there have been a few individuals and a few people on social media. I haven’t seen any other [besides SOKAPU] movement/medium that have moved against this violence
Midst: I have heard and read about the Southern Kaduna Union. It is a good one to have a Governing body that will always speak for their people, I am not part of any movement but I will always give support with my craft.
Yamai: I call out the government when they mess up and support them on projects that make sense. I mostly just want what’s right for the people. I don’t know if that’s activism, but I really want the country to be better. The most common [activist group] is SOKAPU [Southern Kaduna Peoples Union]. Steven Kefason [and] John Danfulani.
Unionisation is something I think we all consider to be largely a thing of the past; thanks to the Thatcher/Reagan era, peoples unions have seen a dramatic dissolution. These days, unions aren’t as prolific and few wield as much power as they did during industrialisation’s prime. But in Southern Kaduna, the Peoples Union is the primary activist group demanding peace be restored to the region, the only formal organisation speaking out against the lethargic government it seems. As a community, the people of Southern Kaduna believe that they have suffered social and economic inequalities and injustices at the hands of what they deem to be their (state) government’s disinterest in their welfare or their lives.
It’s not difficult to see why the people of Southern Kaduna are disgruntled. Attacks on their communities are largely met with silence: the President of SOKAPU has criticised Kaduna’s governor el-Rufai over his quickness to respond to attacks in the Igabi and Giwa villages in early March, whilst having never condemned it nor issued a statement when attacks have occurred in Southern Kaduna municipalities. When outrage is garnered and shared by the Nigerian people at large, security personnel seek to undermine the gravity of the issue. The state’s First Lady even brazenly denied any obligations to condemn the killings via her public Twitter platform, essentially saying she’s just here for the LOLs.
That isn’t to say that authorities have been entirely mute. President Buhari – communicated through Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Sehu – issued a statement on the latest (May 13) attacks in Kajuru LGA, Kaduna and el-Rufai shared a retweet mentioning how he has brokered peace. Unfortunately for the people of Kaduna, a few words and some retweets of a resolution without any transparency or assurance that it will be lasting isn’t going to cut it. There are still many displaced peoples. There is still a general fear of impending attack. Kaduna (and other states in which the Fulani militia are in operation) need action.
Midst: The government should act. We are not talking about just a life, these killings are happening back to back and The Governor hasn’t said a word yet.
Sketch: There are supposed to be some “conflict resolution“ means of resolving all of this really. Because securing those areas with security personnel is something the government isn’t ready to do.
Yamai: We just want the government to take actions. We want the killings to stop.
With regards to what the rest of the country could do, Yamai thinks:
“Calling them out and making sure that is done will go a long way for us.”
So load up your Twitter fingers my fellow keyboard warriors, we’re fighting for Peace in the North.
Wojumi is a bad bitch and she’s going to brag about it. Tweet her your latest cultural exploits @dewoju
Even though my respiratory system is easily prone to illness from exposure to cold, I’ve always found being in the rain to be quite liberating. I remember a few times in uni when the skies darkened and droplets of water would begin to pour, instead of seeking covers I’d continue playing football with guys who clearly had a better tolerance for the weather. That same night, or the next morning at the latest, the effects of my choice would predictably and painfully begin to manifest, but I don’t recall ever ruing my decision to throw caution into the wind.
I’d be lying if I said I’ve had any profound, rain-related moments with Majek Fashek beyond classic 1988 single, “Send down the Rain”, but thinking about it now, it perfectly encapsulates the carefreeness of standing, running or doing any under playful activity in the rain. It might cause a coughing fit, difficulty in breathing for a while or even graver consequences, but being in the rain can be an act of living in the moment and enjoying what’s happening right there in front of you. Recorded during a period of low rainfall in Nigeria’s south-south region, “Send down the Rain” was more than a plea for the heavens to open, it is, on a visceral level, a personification of the unfiltered joy rain can bring as an experience.
As a younger millennial who knew of Majek Fashek and didn’t get to experience him during his peak in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, a song like 2Baba’s “Dance in the Rain” is a bit more fitting as the soundtrack for my trysts with rain. The thing about timeless music, however, is that it’s never too late to fully appreciate it and find new meanings. “Send down the Rain” is as evergreen as music gets, and it’s one of those songs several generations of Nigerians are familiar with, whether they experienced its smash success first-hand and the ensuing myth that christened Majek, “Rainmaker”.
Growing up with parents who were only interested in playing the “classics”, I was very familiar with Majek’s signature song, but my first time actively and voluntarily listening to the singer as an adult happened through sampling. In late 2015, Nigerian rapper, Boogey dropped his mixtape, ‘Irregularly Scheduled Program’, and on it was the standout selection, “Say Amen”, a prayer-filled cut that was carried by a warm reggae-folk instrumental, which I later found out was a sample of Majek’s “Holy Spirit”. That served as my gateway into ‘Spirit of Love’, the legendary singer’s international major label debut on Interscope Records.
Released in 1991, ‘Spirit of Love’ captures Majek, with the support of his band, the Prisoners of Conscience in sublime form. Musically rooted in reggae, with visible Yoruba folk influences, and championing the Rastafari beliefs of freedom and world peace through a pan-African lens, the album is a compelling combination of socially aware music and evocatively arresting rhythms. Loading his music with a message was Majek’s mode of operation on his three previous albums, and it continued until his final album in 2017, ‘Weep Not Children’, which features a 2Baba-assisted remix of “Holy Spirit”.
In the enviable league of Nigerian artists who spoke truth to power, though, Majek was unique in his own brand. He wasn’t as satirically blunt as Fela or as humorously surgical as Lagbaja, but what made his music so potent and instantly attractive, was that he proselytised using hope. With a voice that communicated vigour by cutting through the pain, and poignant writing that sounds inspiring even at its most pedantic, Majek prioritised the bigger picture of a brighter future, without undercutting the tension of a world suffering from racial injustices, or Nigerian society struggling with civil fairness and economic difficulties. Since these issues are still very prevalent, Majek’s most enduring legacy might be his optimism, especially in a time when it’s all doom and gloom.
If you’re a person with a beating heart and any common human decency, the events of the past week have been extremely difficult to manoeuvre. The news cycle and timeline feeds have constantly given us reasons to wince in agony and heartbreak, shifting the focus between gender-based violence and police brutality. We learnt of the death of the teenager, Tina, at the hands of police, reports and accusations of sexual violence have been coming fast and in vivid details, and the world got to see another unarmed black man getting murdered by the police—all of this has happened against the backdrop of an actual global pandemic.
Perhaps the most foreboding part of this unfortunate series of event is that, we’ve been here before and it never seems to get better. In usual fashion, these reports have been rightly met with outcries, outrage and protests, but it all feels like inflection points in the never ending downward spiral. We’ve seen a man leverage privilege into support despite indicting himself as a rapist, the family of a sexual assault victim is currently being denied justice due to the ineptitude of our policing system, and a country is brutalising its citizens for protesting against race-motivated injustices, with support from its president.
This is the video of Uwa’s sister talking about the police and their reaction to her sister’s death. pic.twitter.com/Lo5dgqGAKJ
Under these circumstances, optimism is quite a luxurious commodity. Obviously we want things to get better, which is the reason for our outrage, but the contradicting forces in our society makes it difficult to truly believe things are going to get exponentially better anytime soon. In fact, if you’re a Nigerian who’s pragmatic enough to gauge the rot of society – which has an alarming poverty statistic; is morally bankrupt and socially vindictive despite placing a premium on puritanical values and also has been saddled with leaders who exploit these same defects rather than fix them – it’s easy to tread into hopelessness because nothing really gets better around here.
Regardless, that’s the task we’re faced with if we want something to change— to challenge the idea that nothing really gets better around here. “There’s work to be done, Africa”, Majek sings on the rallying anthem, “So Long Too Long”, a call to duty that’s as urgent today as it was when the song was released three decades ago. It might sound like some sanctimonious BS, but the fact is that we are all responsible for the change we desperately want to see. Even though our society makes it easy to feel helpless, we have to hang on to hope wherever we can find it so we don’t lose sight of the reasons we’re outraged.
The stereotype is that Nigerians are a self-serving people who only care for their personal needs, and as true as that is, the displays of collective annoyance and communal support is proof that many of us want a better, saner and safer society. With the odds stacked up against us, being positive is the only motivation to continue chipping away towards a brighter future. That’s what Majek Fashek represented in his music; he spoke the language of optimism while singing of the daunting challenges of rebuilding society for the better.
By default, I’m not a very optimistic person, however, I also hate to think that things won’t ever get better. Following the announcement of his sad passing in the early hours of Tuesday, June 2nd, 2020, and in light of the crazy events of the past week, listening to Majek’s music feels like tapping from an inexhaustible fountain of hope. Even though he had a rough fall from grace and his powers as a musician considerably waned as he battled personal demons, we should remember him as an artist who spoke truth to power in the form of empowering, optimistic hymns.
We should honour his memory by drawing inspiration from his visions of a future that’s free of police brutality and any other forms of oppression. Our society has been burning for a while, and we have to anticipate or at least create the conditions for the rain that changes the tides of things.
Rest in peace, Majekodunmi Fasheke.
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
While global society has been fighting to dismantle harmful beliefs and behaviour which enables rape culture, Africa as a whole has only started to catch up and we seem to be decades behind the rest of the world. In light of the fact that we have lawmakers who still believe that women should dress ‘appropriately’ to avoid sexual assault since ‘men are not wood’, and policemen who when a case is brought to them think it’s appropriate to ask a traumatised 18-year-old whether she enjoyed her assault, we have a lot more than we think to dismantle.
If you’ve been paying attention to social media over the past few days, you’ll see that something doesn’t quite sit right. With reports of several women being killed at the mercy of police brutality and mostly sexual violence, we’ve reached a tipping point where the dark underbelly of societal ills are now being exposed. Unfortunately, the consequence of this has been the loss of precious lives to society’s negligence of what women have been fighting against for most of my life. Given this, it’s clear that we’ve reached a time of reckoning and there’s a huge demand for change. To do our fair bit for our community, The NATIVE will be joining The Consent Workshop in their ongoing campaign, 21 Days Of Consent, to produce a 5-part series. Each piece will be dedicated to dismantling different facets of rape culture and how the music industry as a whole contributes to this from the actual music to the structures in place.
Back in April, after several whispers, we learnt horrid details of Brymo’s alleged assault of an unassuming fan, amidst a swarm of women coming forward to boldly name and shame their abusers. Since then, there seem to be no consequences for the singer, and he’s resorted to threatening his accuser with the law, whilst relying on the support of fans and tweeting incendiary things such as “silence is always consent”. As recently as last night, we learnt about how talent manager, Mayowa Balogun recorded his partner during sex without her consent and also proceeded to announce this encounter to Twitter (in form of an apology) without speaking to her about it first. From the varying nature of each of these cases to the responses in favour of the accused men, we’ve spent the past week confirming something we already knew: the music industry and society as a whole has a big issue with their attitudes towards women.
In the past week alone, we’ve heard of accusations made against artists and others in the music and entertainment industries such as Peruzzi, D’banj, Comedian Ebiye and Mayowa Balogun. Peruzzi’s 2020 began with accusations by Daffy Blanco, who in January, said he had defrauded her of 15 million Naira and also tried to force himself on her. As usual, this accusation went away as quickly as it came, and we never heard anything about it after a while. Last week, however, another allegation was made against Peruzzi, this time with a detailed description and voice recording of what allegedly transpired between them.
Trigger Warning
In her Twitter thread, Jayamah22 went into great detail about how he forced himself on her after she had repeatedly rejected his advances. Although the singer/songwriter emphatically denied these claims in a statement and also via several tweets, a slew of older tweets from him are indicative of his (and society’s) attitudes towards women and their autonomy, making a case for how these attitudes have led to the tipping point we’re at today.
In Peruzzi’s tweets, he says overtly (and around the same time of his alleged act) that if a woman does not agree to his advances, then he will forcibly have sex with her. In his statement, however, Peruzzi admits that his tweets were irresponsible and that because he was younger, didn’t realise the gravity of the things he was saying. Similarly, Mayowa Balogun in his address, relied on the fact that he wasn’t aware that his behaviour was problematic, even though it has only been over the course of two years. Given that sexual assault is not a new thing, it’s a bit curious that people generally don’t realise the gravity of making distasteful jokes about sexual assault, and this is where society has failed, mostly to the detriment of women. Worldwide, thanks to the patriarchal structure of our society, attitudes towards sexual relations between men and women have the effect of trivialising or normalising sexual assault and harassment.
People tend to think that unless it escalates to the point of the penetration, then ‘it’s not that deep’, however, the rationale behind tweets such as Peruzzi’s –which is basically that a woman does not get the choice – are a big part of the problem. Similarly to the account shared by Brymo’s accuser, what’s clear and common, is that these men have prioritised their own sexual urges over the autonomy of their (possible) partner’s. Where people might see a grey area thanks to these societal structures, we are (and have been) saying that it is assault. This is a direct result of the patriarchal culture which teaches that sex is something a woman gives to a man for him to take or enjoy and in these (alleged) cases, they were both denied something society taught to believe is theirs to take.
In addition, our society’s disingenuous teachings about sexual relations are deeply rooted in traditional and religious norms. Therefore, sex is treated as a taboo topic and many of us would have only been taught that we shouldn’t do it more than anything else. In many homes, parents fail to teach their sons about consent – based on the assumption that they shouldn’t be doing it anyway – whilst teaching and impressing upon their daughters the importance of avoiding trouble. When these things then do happen, there’s an ingrained culture of victim shaming and blaming, since the order of the day is that women should avoid trouble rather that men shouldn’t be doing these things in the first place. By getting into this trouble (even through no fault of her own), she has essentially stepped out of the line society has marked out for her, and the focus is then shifted to this rather than the consequence for the actual abuser.
Knowing that they are not as protected as they should be, victims and survivors often remain quiet, afraid of the consequences they will face. In the thick of things last week, Comedian Ebiye’s ex-girlfriend came forward and recounted details of the physical and sexual abuse she endured during the course of their relationship. Whilst it was chilling to read the comedian’s deplorable acts, what was more upsetting was her account of his confidence that there would be no consequences of his actions, because of his loyal fanbase.
With the knowledge of the cushioning they have, thanks to their privilege, perpetrators typically have a lot of confidence that they can get away with assault. When women make allegations against prominent figures in society, people come out in droves in support of their faves, whilst silencing the women they have allegedly abused. By questioning the legitimacy of a person’s account, what they’re doing, is making the public (who already have dangerous views towards sexual assault) less empathetic towards these women who have come forward. Given how much has already been discussed, it’s fair to say that these people know exactly what they are doing.
As it is, while Ebiye’s ex-girlfriend feels liberated for sharing her story, she also feels unsafe – she doesn’t believe her parents will be understanding if they were to find out, and she also believes that she could be harmed by people connected to the comedian. These fears mirror and confirm what most people in her position feel, and this should be enough indication that something ain’t right.
The unravelling of events this week has brought to light the fact that we cannot continue to be complacent in hoping that things will change without ensuring change is implemented. While we can all contribute in our own little ways to continue working towards building a community that prizes fairness and social justice, we must also disrupt and dismantle to ensure that all are treated with dignity and respect. In our next part of this series, we will be discussing how songs and their lyrics often enable harmful behaviours.
Featured image credits/TheConsentWorkshop
Damilola is the HBIC around here. Don’t tweet at her @damdamxx
The biggest difference between Ictooicy and other aspiring new artists has always been her casual DIY approach to music. We’ve grown used to Icy baring her soul and diving deeply into head in her music, however, her latest EP, ‘Lavish’ takes a more adventurous direction and positions her as a soft-voiced rapper who knows how to party; “You know me I like to party/ Find me where the drinks are plenty”.
“LAVISH” 09/06/20 can’t wait to show you guys what I’ve been working on throughout these weird confusing times I love you guys and please stay safe💙💙💙💙
On the 4-tracks of ‘Lavish’, Ictooicy rhymes over pillow-soft instrumentals of electric guitar riffs, synth-pop samples and trippy beats produced by Pan and Lexis and Chris. Fasina and 234Jaydaa feature as guest vocals on the title track, “Lavish” and “Shadows” respectively, and with each song, they contribute perfectly to Icy’s gentle tale of romance.
Some of the tracks on ‘Lavish’ highlight the problems she has noticed with her relationships, with particular details to the effects it had on her emotions. With sharp hooks, and thoughtful lyrics, her voice is as dreamy and charming as the backing instrumentals, and throughout the project she shows off significant artistic growth all round.
Listen to the EP below.
Featured Image Credits: Twitter/ictooicymusic
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You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him@debola_abimbolu
It can be hard to keep up with the rapid pace of events unfolding during lockdown. The past week has been particularly difficult as black communities around the world, and particularly in the US, battle to dismantle the institutional racism, which has resulted in the loss of innocent lives.
It seems as though injustice all over the world is being tackled, as here in Nigeria, we’re also experiencing an uproar, following the loss of life to gender-based and sexual violence (Let’s continue to say their names: Uwa, Jenniffer, Barakat, Farishina, Azeezat, Peace). This has led to a number of women around the country, rallying behind one another, and sharing their sexual assault and also a general consensus for society to drop harmful beliefs that contribute to rape culture.
The battle against sexist and misogynistic beliefs is an ongoing one that we must not relent on, as long as we have leaders and lawmakers in positions of powers harbouring perverse and outdated knowledge of rape and rape culture (see: ‘men are not wood’). All across our social media timelines, Nigeran women are speaking up; telling stories which would typically be silenced, and they are being presented on the center stage for all to see. Since the police and law enforcement are hell-bent on victim-shaming and typically take sides with perpetrators, we must take matters into our own hands and clean up the streets by changing the casual attitudes towards sex and a woman’s autonomy.
To this end, our friends over at The Consent Workshop, have risen to action and are calling for a #21DaysofConsent digital campaign which will start from today. These twenty-one days will be dedicated to having these hard and uncomfortable discussions about the systems and practices put in place to propagate rape culture as well as addressing the myths and facts that surround them.
Speaking to the NATIVE, founder Uche Nelo explained that:
“For about 2 years now, The Consent Workshop has been actively educating the community on the different elements of rape culture. Devastated by the horrific sexual violence cases garnering attention, we at The Consent Workshop believe its the best time to collaborate, strategize, and address the sexual education gap that exists in the country. There’s a rotting problem.
As an organization, we want to provide Nigerians, the preventative resources, and tools for the community to make more positive healthy decisions. We hope this campaign is a start to de-normalizing rape culture in Nigeria as we know it. Rape culture has its foundation in our systemic and cultural beliefs. This campaign aims to start the conversations that reverse this.
To start off, we’re dedicating today to our sisters, daughters and our friends whose lives were taken from them by rapists. Let’s promise to break down the pillars of rape culture in every way possible. #TCW21DaysofConsentpic.twitter.com/R3aJLQ040j
— The Consent Workshop (@ConsentWorkshop) June 8, 2020
Featured image credits/TheConsentWorkshop
Tami is living in a black mirror episode and can’t seem to wake up. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_
This week has been one of the toughest we’ve had all year, and every corner of the internet is filled with reports of people dying from the grave and perverse injustices. Here at home, we’re waging war against those who wish to rid women of their bodily autonomy and render them lifeless over their wicked and selfish desires. Over the weekend, we heard about the brutal assault and murder of two women: twelve-year-old Farishina and twenty-two-year-old UNIBEN student, Uwaila Omozuwa.
In the wake of this news, we have all taken to social media to bring to light the rapists and assaulters, in our midst, across a range of industries in Nigeria. Like clockwork, the victim-blamers were ever ready to derail the conversations and dissect these women baring out their traumatic stories. Not only is the belief that women’s lived experiences can be debated, analysed, and questioned pervasive but it is also counter-productive as no efforts are being made to offer any working help to the survivors in question.
Well, not today, gender equality and sexual-based violence organisation, Stand to End Rape Initiative is saying. The youth-led movement founded by Ayodeji Oluwaseun Osowobi is currently accepting donations for the family of late Uwaila Omozuwa led by her sister, Judith Omozuwa. Donated funds will go towards a funeral for Uwaila and will be sent directly to her sister in order to support the family through this incredibly trying period.
This is an incredibly worthy cause to donate to, alongside the fund set up for Farishina. Creating awareness and educating the masses on enthusiastic consent and respecting bodily autonomy is a great step, but so is putting your money where your mouth is and donating to notable causes like this, as even though it can never fill the void for them, it makes life a bit more bearable for them at the moment.
The last few days have been disorienting, to say the least. Reports and accusations of sexual violence and police brutality have dominated the news cycle and pervaded our social media timelines. While these heinous acts and a copious amount of truly despicable reactions are a reflection of the harmful, retrograde ideals of our society towards women, the only positive is the sense of duty many have shown in this bleak period, through protests and pulling together to support victims.
In the spirit of social responsibility, there’s an ongoing financial campaign for Farishina, a 12-year old girl who was sexually assaulted by eleven men. Organised by Jola Ayeye and Feyikemi Abudu, hosts of the ‘I Said What I Said’ podcast, the campaign is to provide wholesome support for Farishina so that she has better chances at recovering from the traumatic event. Donated funds will be used in setting up a trust fund that will take care of Farishina’s medical bills, cover counselling and therapy, pay for as much of the rest of her secondary school education as possible, and supply her family with staple foods for as long as possible.
The campaign has options that ensure anybody can donate in Nigeria and from anywhere in the world, and you can access them via the dedicated website. Currently, creating awareness on the repulsiveness of sexual violence is important, however, opening up our purses and donating to notable causes like Farishina’s financial campaign goes a long way in dismantling the effects of these acts. We still have some ways to go in reforming a system that enables rape culture and doesn’t provide adequate justice or protection for victims, but the least we can do is to be as helpful as possible in whatever way possible
We saw the horrible story of a 12 yr old girl who was raped by 11 men. Her name is Farishina. @fkabudu spoke to her and her mum to find out how we can help. We can't change what's happened, but can try to make the rest of her life better. Please donate: https://t.co/pz7UDMxyqJpic.twitter.com/MMSRGps7Cz
A few days ago, we learnt about the fatal shooting of Tina Ezekwe by a drunken police officer at Iyana Oworo. Since then, people have expressed their disgust at the police and demanded that the officers responsible for shooting and killing the teenage should be brought to law.
To take this further, The Oworonshoki Youth Forum, Oworonshoki art Forum and other communities have now set Thursday, the 4th of June as the date for a “peaceful demonstration” to seek justice for Tina.
Given the current state of affairs all over the world, which is bringing about a general unrest, it will come as no surprise that we are no longer standing for any kind of oppression anymore, especially when it results in the loss of precious and innocent lives. Contributing our voices to decry police brutality on social media has helped raise awareness, as well as highlight the need to be more proactive in our fight to gain justice for those who have been affected.
The epicentre of Tina’s unjust murder will be marked by the peaceful demonstration which kicks off tomorrow at 11 am. Please find all the details above. Those interested in joining the peaceful protest are advised to wear black T-shirts, gloves and masks to prevent the spread of the virus, while we demand justice and grieve the loss of life.
We are working closely with the Oworo Youth Forum to find ways to support Tina’s family in any way we can. We remain committed to our responsibility to shed light on these instances, and use our platform to fight for change, all the time. Please find details of the protest 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
WARNING: This story contains discussions about sexual assault
Being a one of the oldest, and most-widespread crime we have in society, one would think humans society would have developed a fool-proof method of verifying rape allegations, shaming and punishing sexual offenders, and eradicating this barbaric act from our society. Yet the topic of assault remains rife, shrouded in controversy and at times with more protection for perpetrators than victims. There is detailed literature on the psychological toll rape has on its victims, the difficulty victims have in seeking help, revealing it to their families, and the burden of proof of the criminal act always being on the woman.
Approximately six out of every ten Nigerian children experience some form of violence, and one in four girls and one in ten boys being victims of sexual violence according to UNICEF. In a 2014 National survey, 25% of Nigerian women surveyed between ages of 18 to 24 years had experienced sexual abuse prior to age 18, with only 5.0% of that group seeking help, and 3.5% receiving any help.
Over the past week, two violent cases of gross sexual assault have drawn our collective attention to this scourge in our society; the violent gang rape of a twelve-year-old, and the rape and consequential murder of 22-year-old Uwa Omozuwa. In addition to this just being flat out horrible, reliving the experience can prove torturous ordeal for survivors, whilst making other women feel even more unsafe than the last time they heard about someone like them being defiled.
Although societal attitudes are very different to what they used to be, the hope of finding justice is extremely discouraging, as the Nigerian law and it’s enforcement make convictions of these heinous acts infrequent and nearly impossible. Between 1973 – 2019, Nigeria recorded 65 rape convictions with sentences ranging from 1 year and a few strokes of cane, to life imprisonment and death penalties. Half of these convictions took place between 1973 – 2015.
Legally, rape in Nigeria is defined as non-consensual sexual intercourse, however, the statutory laws applied in several states, including Lagos, explicitly states that rape cannot take place in a marriage, and focuses mainly on penetration, neglecting other forms of assault.
Often, child victims are too ashamed to share their experiences, and even if they wield enough courage to expose the truth, it might backfire and cause them lifelong trauma. The threat of shame often leads to families suppressing or disregarding the allegations, which is scary, as culprits are often trusted members of the community, and are often people who the children are left in care of, such as parents, relatives or even a teacher.
Understanding personal boundaries, the effects of one’s actions and steeper deterrents sends a clear signal against sexual assault in our society. It’s also important that in addition, we should ensure to make little changes to our immediate environments, such that it doesn’t seem so far fetched for the law and other structures put in place to protect us actually do. The law is built upon societal attitudes, and if the people don’t feel like it’s important enough, there’s nothing pushing the law to act upon it. Worldwide society is built upon the pain and suffering of women, and given this, it’s systems are usually set up to the benefit of men.
On a more technical note, sustained efforts are also required in the healthcare sector, in terms of providing rape kits in all medical centres across the country, as these form both immediate aid to distressed victims and serve as an immediate means of documenting cases of assault. This is why it’s also extremely important to empower and support organisations which are set up to help and provide counselling to victims and rigorous sensitization at the community level, such as The Consent Workshop, Stand To End Rape, WARIF and many more, which will hopefully encourage more survivors to share their stories, and hopefully rid our streets of these horrible perpetrators.
Nothing I have said in this piece is new information, however, we all have a responsibility to lend our voice, and also help through our actions help build a safer society for all. There’s still a lot of room for improvement in dealing with sexual misconduct. For every public case of sexual assault, there are thousands more which go unreported and are repressed in the memories of the affected. The fight against sexual assualt is global, but its perpetrators are local members of our neighbourhood, and as such, our communal behaviour and societal values could easily mark the difference between building a safe and free environment for all, and harbouring deadly criminals.
This past weekend, we all witnessed something truly unique and despicable: An accused person providing evidence of his predatory role in a rape accusation, under the guise of exoneration. Apart from this, what was really heart-wrenching, was that a significant amount of people bought into the conceit behind his story, and sadly reaffirmed the staunchly ridiculous ideals that prevail in our society when it comes to sexual abuse issues.
Usually, when victims of sexual assault name and shame their abusers in disturbing detail, the alleged perpetrators take cover under the pretext of “innocent until proven guilty”, either waiting out the outrage until everything is swept under the rug or responding with (empty) threats of legal actions. This is all while counting on the support of a society who condones their alleged behaviour, over the wellbeing of the people they have caused great harm to. In the case of Tife Fabunmi – a young Nigerian corper and talent manager (according to his twitter bio) who was accused of rape by his ex-girlfriend – he relied on that same support while pushing the ledger for the audacious lengths accused people can go to in order to clear their name.
In a Twitter thread narrating the events and aftermath of the sexual encounter, the bombshell is a series of chat screenshots where he admits to noticing the pain on his ex-partner’s face and hearing her cries for him to stop, however, he still kept going because she didn’t physically push him off. Like clockwork, there was—and there still is—an overwhelming amount of support in favour of the abuser. As disappointing, disorienting and disheartening as it is, this reaction isn’t unexpected, it’s what you get with a mix of purity culture, misunderstanding of basic sexual consent, and the general lack of care for women in society.
Due to the deeply patriarchal nature of our society, sexual abuse and harassment, which should be black-and-white issues, are often treated with a heightened level of obnoxiousness and scepticism towards victims, simply because the perpetrators are more often than not, men. In a society which demands that men dominate the order of the day, coupled with the widespread idea that sex is an activity a woman participates in and a man takes pleasure from, it’s not that hard to see the foundation of rape culture in Nigeria—and generally, Africa.
Built on that foundation, is the disgusting dynamic between entitlement and shame, where one gender can be flagrant about what they do in pursuit of and also during and after sex, while the other gender is expected to be sexually timid and submissive or face derogation. It’s important to be aware of this relationship because it plays a key role in male support and female shaming whenever there are any sex-related allegations. In the aforementioned case, it’s absolutely shameful in 2020, and also telling that the lady has been ridiculed for travelling between states and engaging in ‘pre-marital’ sex, amongst other things.
It’s also worth noting that unlike other popular figures who have recently been accused of sexual assault, the guy in question is being supported simply because our society only values the truth when it’s interpreted through the archetypal male lens, at the expense of those who have been offended. To cap off this unevenness, a lot of men are – or pretend to be – oblivious of this advantage, and refuse to add any positive value in the quest to overturn the culture of enabling and victim shaming.
Uwa's story breaks me. We all have to admit that our parents have failed woefully in the raising of the male child. Concentrating too much on the conduct of the female child when it's actually the males who have the higher propensity to do evil! #JusticeForUwa
A notable instance of this ignorance is the now popular saying, “not all men”, a needless and aggravating rhetoric which tries to absolve guilt, but only ends up distracting from the conversations around forward motion for gender-based violence. It is quite odd that in a society where women are often looked at as representatives of their gender rather than individual people, men often baulk at being defined by the atrocious crimes perpetrated by their fellow men.
As much as many men don’t want to be saddled with the casual cruelty that’s associated with our gender, what’s far more pertinent, is that men NEED to be better invested in changing a culture which enables their role in sexual assault and harassment without consequences. This is in a bid not just to change perception, but most importantly because it’s a human rights issue we should all be deeply concerned about.
If the first step is becoming aware of our privilege, the next is to unlearn and relearn. Due to the way we were raised and what we were (not) taught, many of us have imbibed ideals about sex and communicating with women in a way that’s harmful and degrading to ONLY women. A dedication to swapping mindsets for the better is important to realise that something as seemingly trivial as catcalling is fundamentally wrong, and sexual consent is far simpler than it is complex.
Need a refresher on consent?
Consent can be withdrawn. Unconscious people can’t consent. Minors cannot consent to adults
Beyond its personal effects, unlearning and relearning trickles down into how we interact with friends and those around us when related conversations come up. While broader social media platforms make it difficult to put these ideals into proper context, discussions in more intimate spaces affords an avenue to educate friends and change any harmful stances they might harbour. In knowing better and helping those around us to know better, it creates a ripple effect which increases awareness and ensures that men are more intelligible and empathetic when it comes to cases of sexual violence.
In recent years, the current generation of young Nigerian women have shown that they will not be tolerating sexual assault and harassment. They have been protesting, assisting victims and finding ways to tackle these issues in a country where the law seems geared toward protecting offenders. Nigerian men need to become a bigger part of this fight, and not be the centre of it. Unravelling the societal constructs which enable our gender to do horrid and downright unspeakable things to women will only go faster with the addition of our efforts.
No woman deserves to be assaulted, harassed and widely shamed when they share their difficult stories. Getting that into our minds and the minds of others around us is when we’re creating a better place where men aren’t synonymous with danger. Until then, we should accept that change is a communal onus which belongs each and every one of us, and the work does not stop until these acts stop being a part of our societal fabric. It’s not enough to not be a perpetrator, we must also fight alongside women in order to create a safe world for them to just exist the way we do.
[Rest in peace, Uwa Omozuwa.]
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
It feels like a lifetime ago when the internet was a place of solace from the grim reality of the outside world, and social media offered us escape from our day-to-day lives. All year, we’ve been meming our way through the pain, from when there was a threat of another World War, to just a few weeks ago when we all collectively trolled the government for placing an 8pm curfew, amidst our fear of the virus spreading even further.
Over the last few days, however, our timelines have been flooded by the tragic events of racial injustice, police brutality, rape and murder and many more horrible things, which doesn’t really leave us the room to use humour as a defence mechanism, cause ain’t shit funny anymore. While we can’t change most anxiety-inducing situations—like a work deadline coinciding with the loss of a close one, or the inescapable need to stay informed yet being overwhelmed, there are factors within our control which can set us up to be the best versions of ourselves as possible.
We know the stress weighing us down has made scrolling through social media particularly daunting, so we’ve put together a little care package we think everyone should make a habit of. The world is crazy at the moment, and we don’t know when it will get better. Take care of yourself.
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Try to unplug:
There’s a reason Black Mirror episodes are depressing, and it’s because the underbelly of too much technology can actually be a bit of a downer. It’s nearly impossible to have a good day after seeing some news headlines and sometimes, even personal messages can trigger anxiety while trying to interpret a message sent or just waiting for a reply. Using social media as a distraction from dealing with our emotions can backfire at the moment, due to the large amount of disturbing news we’re being presented with today, and it might actually be best for your mental health to just unplug from it all. Spending all that time without a constant distraction forces you to look inwards. You can watch helpful videos on YouTube
Acknowledge your emotions:
This might seem like a no brainer, but we’re not always as honest with ourselves as we think we are. The human mind is very complex and your anatomy only allows you to feel emotions you’re comfortable with feeling. While that might sound cushy, it’s actually not helpful in the long run, because suppressing negative feelings doesn’t actually help you process them enough for you to let it go.
The current climate must make you feel angry, unsafe, betrayed amongst many things as a woman, a black person or just a person with common human decency. When you’ve cleared enough mental space, you gain better access to your thoughts and feelings and become better equipped to let it go, rather than holding on to it and being triggered all over again when something else comes up to upset you. It’s okay to let yourself feel what you’re feeling, whether it’s angry, scared, sad or overwhelmed by the ills of the world. Do what you need to do.
Set firm boundaries:
We’re all aware of the gaslighters, who think this is the best time to remind us that nOt AlL mEn and aLl LiVes MatTer. They have no function but to derail the fight for equality and are best ignored. It’s not your job to teach people how to be decent, and there’s already enough on your plate – you don’t have to take on any more. If someone engages you in a senseless debate, make it known to them that you’re not interested in a back and forth. You’re also allowed to unfollow and block anyone who is contributing negatively to your mental health right now, if you’re not enjoying the content or finding it helpful, you can disengage. It’s very important to not entertain such discussions which are not meant in good faith, especially at this tender moment.
Get enough sleep, food and exercise:
The general recommendation for a good night’s sleep is still 8 hours and even if you feel well-rested after less, you still need more for optimal mental health and cognition. It’s difficult to get some sleep with an overactive mind racing from pole to pillar, so once you’ve gone through the aforementioned tips, it should be easier to get to sleep at night. Sleep deprivation, improper nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle reduces productivity, and it’s important for us to be at our utmost best in these fragile times. We’re all hiding indoors from a virus, so we understand how little motivation there to do absolutely anything, however, it’s best in the long run to reduce chances of anxiety and depression taking over.
Practise mindfulness and self-care:
As Nigerians, we generally don’t have a culture of being mindful – whether it’s of each other or even of our own selves. Self-care is a necessity, and not some hippie shit as popular media will have us think. It’s particularly important right now to practice self-care in order to not implode. Sometimes (like now) it gets to the point where you just have to turn off your phone, throw on some shades and meditate.
Meditation is like the toothbrush of the mind, and in the same way it’s necessary to brush your teeth every morning, it’s necessary to unclog your mind of racing thoughts and not allow them to control your day. If you can, take 5 minutes out of the day every 3 hours to just be still, do nothing and gather your thoughts, this will clear your mind to leave room for your day to carry on without chaos in your head. Since there’s enough chaos outside in the world, it’s probably best to make sure you’re all good on the inside. We tend to think that mediation has to be a particular thing or that you have to be professional at it to do it, but here’s a tailored mediation for healing trauma in these times, and an interesting video of J Cole explaining how he takes 5 minutes of his day every few hours.
If you are a human being with a beating heart, then the past few days have been hard for you. If you’re a Nigerian woman, who is dealing with news about the effects of racism and gender-based violence at the same time, you’re exhausted and feeling entirely hopeless.
This weekend alone at the end of May, we heard about the tragic rape and murder of 22-year-old Uniben student, Uwa Omozuwa, and also the rape of 12-year-old Jennifer by 11 men, whilst we were still recovering from the death of 16-year-old Tina who was killed by police brutality. All around the same time, we saw a man brazenly announcing to the entire internet (in a bid to absolve himself) that he had raped his girlfriend, without even realising that he was doing so. All this goes to show is that the society needs to be cleaned up and we all have to pick up a broom.
We already explained why it’s important to hold perpetrators accountable, and now it feels like it’s time to be doing even more. UNICEF says that one in four Nigerian girls will experience sexual violence in her lifetime, and we have one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the entire world. Given how deeply woven misogyny is in our society, there’s a lack of accountability which emboldens perpetrators to continue to harm women because they know they are protected and will often get away with it.
While we fight to ensure that there is justice for Tina, Uwa and Jennifer, we must also work to change the casual societal attitudes towards violence against women. Looking at all the many problems which are engulfing our society today, especially in light of the past week where the entire world seems to be toppled on its head, it’s easy to feel inconsequential and helpless in the bigger picture.
Well, whether we realise our impact or not, we all collectively contribute to the way the world works, and if we don’t like what’s going on we have the option to either try and change things, or we can sit back and watch things get worse, hoping that we’re safe from the ills of society in our comfort zones. So, given the state of affairs at the moment, here are some things to consider doing if you’re looking to clean up the streets and create a safer world for women and girls to exist without living in constant fear of being abused.
1. Educate yourself and others about rape culture
Ignorance is not bliss if you’re feeling upset about the way women are treated (as you should), and the first line of prevention is education. We live in a society with dangerous attitudes towards sexual violence towards women, and given the societal teachings, there’s always more to learn about dismantling rape culture. A good first step to take, which seems obvious enough, is to educate yourself about consent, how it works and how to prevent any possibility of sexual assault or inappropriate behaviour. When you’ve learnt enough, you should also spread the word to your friends, on social media and to anyone who will listen. Here’s a video from The Consent Workshop explaining very carefully what you need to know about how consent works, this is a good start:
Need a refresher on consent?
Consent can be withdrawn. Unconscious people can’t consent. Minors cannot consent to adults
It’s definitely easier to wave something off as a joke than it is to confront the inappropriate behaviour of people close to you. Unfortunately, the price to pay for that is that we’re leaving room for cases like the aforementioned, and to ensure that there’s none, we must tackle the issue from all angles. When things are trivialised, it gives perpetrators even more confidence in their wicked decisions, which is always to the detriment of their victims. It might seem inconsequential, but it definitely goes a long way. It’s important to always call out flagrant behaviour towards sexual violence and create an environment with zero tolrance for it in any form.
3. Lend your support and open up your purse
We know how little help the system which is put in place to protect us offers when we really need it, and also how common victim blaming is. Only last year did we get an official sex offender’s registry, and until today, there have been less than 100 convicted cases of rape in the history of Nigeria. While the system fails to protect us, there are several youth-led NGOs, which are set up to ensure justice and also safe recovery for survivors you can support by either volunteering services, or donating money to help their cause. In doing this, you can help provide survivors with tools they need to empower themselves, whilst also ensuring that they gain justice.
Here are some details of a few trusted NGOs you can donate to and possibly contact to volunteer for:
Unfortunately, Jennifer & Uwa’s cases as horrifying as they are, aren’t unique, and given the unrest that the pandemic is causing in general, it does not feel fair that we should still have rife cases of such injustice. Any case is one case too many, and we’re demanding change and safety for women all over the world. Gender-based violence is pervasive and deeply entrenched in our society, and given how rife cases of sexual assault are, it’s not enough to just sit back and hope anymore.
Since it’s clear that there is no urgency to protect the people of the world, we must all fight to create the world we want from every angle possible.
You don’t need another reminder of how awful 2020 has been, you already know. If you’re reading this, chances are, you’ve tried to use music for escape, activism or a combination of both. While some artists have reasonably decided to delay their music releases, Wavy The Creator is gearing to release new music to inspire and uplift listeners in these bleak times.
Regardless of this, however, she understands the need to take some time off, as she too has been off the grid for the past couple of months. She took a break from social media and other responsibilities of life to focus on creating and gaining a new self. She did this because it was very important to her that she could grow mentally, spiritually, physically and emotionally to gear up for the next chapter and now she’s finally ready.
As part of the generation who witnessed hip-hop become popular, Wavy’s latest single, “Gender Bender” honours her wide musical taste as she finds a way to cram all the sounds that personally move her—pop, afropop, hip-hop—into the song. Saying, “I be talking all my shit/ You can call it pride”, “Genre Bender” finds Wavy being her most assertive and confident self as she raps and sings over the ambient hip-hop beat produced by Kuvie. As a Nigerian, she has been questioned for her gender-fluid style and wardrobe choice over the course of her career and she channels the song’s confidence to finally address people who feel entitled to decide how she should dress; “Everybody trying to figure out my gender/ Everbody speaking on my name/ I’m tired”. Speaking to us about the song, she had this to say;
“Genre Bender” is a genre-bender and it was a very experimental song. I hardly talk my shit, and I really just wanted to talk my shit and for the first time put all my feelings on a song. It’s basically expressing everything that I have been through at some point in my life, especially the last couple of years. There’s a line in the song that goes “Speaking on my name that’s drama, Wavy this I’m tired” and it’s just about people always having one thing or the other to say but never actually speaking to you about it.
Taking time from the world has reminded Wavy of her true creative ability, she tells us: “I began to utilise my time very well, going deep into myself to find things that could inspire me to create this new world I wanted for myself and my lovely family (my fans).” She then went on to explain what that means for her music going forward.
“I am working on so much, it;s beautiful.I have always referred to my sound as ever-evolving, it it has never remained the same since I recorded my first record, “Stay” and then transitioning to the first song I ever released, “H.I.G.H”. I have always made music based on where I was at in my life and how I feel.
I think what I am moving into is a higher level of writing. My pen game finna get stupid good! I think I’ve allowed myself tap into something I never knew was there. Like opening Pandora’s box. The next chapter is truly beautiful. This new level represents everything that’s me in the now.
The new single, which we only have for a few hours signals that Wavy’s hiatus is over, however, she seems to have picked up a few skills that she still carries with her. She told us that the first thing she learnt when she was away was that everything she needed to create art was already inside of her.
“The experiences, the stories, the ups and downs. I learned I didn’t need any external things to bring out the artist in me. I also learned to take my time with anything I was creating. Art is not supposed to be rushed, art is felt and should be done expressed as it is felt. Art and overthinking do not blend well.
Art is staying true to yourself, be inspired but don’t copy. Mastering my spirituality, emotions, and physical self only opened more creative windows in my brain. My art now is raw and it’s the truth – not that it wasn’t before, but now it is actually a true extension of my being.”
Wavy the Creator is celebrating her birthday today and her new single, “Gender Bender” is her birthday gift to fans. Sadly, the song will only be available for a few hours while she celebrates her birthday, by introducing her fans to her new world, new sound, new planet and new Wavy. In light of this, these are her final words to fans:
“Stillness, peace & patience will yield the best result. Thank you for waiting even in my absence, soon we all fly in my spaceship to the next chapter. I love you.”
Stream “Gender Bender” below before it’s not available any longer.
There are several moving parts at the moment, from the rapidly rising number of Coronavirus cases in Nigeria, to the news of people being murdered by the very people who are supposed to protect us. The air is very heavy and one minute, we’re feeling nostalgic and being reminded of the simpler times thanks to No Signal and Verzuz, the next we’re enraged by all the ills of society showing up all within the space of one week.
Whilst many of us stood in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in America, as they protested following the murder of George Floyd by policeman Derek Chauvin, we were met with similarly upsetting news right here at home.
Over the weekend, we learnt that 16-year-old Tina Ezekwe was shot and killed by a policeman at a bus stop near her home. Still reeling from that tragic incident, the following day news broke that 22-year-old UNIBEN student, Uwa, was raped and murdered whilst studying in a church, and in Jigawa, 12-year-old Jennifer was raped by 11 men.
Violence against women and police brutality needs to stop, and the perpetrators must face justice. It is important for us to channel our empathy and rage into demanding this, and finding ways to support the families of those affected, and the organisations doing important work all year round to help victims, and ensure justice is served.
There have been far too many cases of police brutality before Tina, and in fighting for her, we are fighting for all of the unjust killings. In order to keep the system from sweeping this case under the rug, we are joining the Oworo Youth Forum in calling for a Public Trial for Tina to ensure accountability for the Nigerian Police Force, who failed Tina and everyone else they have senselessly killed, and failed to protect as they have been sworn to.
Our hearts go out to all the families who are grieving great losses. We are working closely with the Oworo Youth Forum to find ways to support Tina’s family in any way possible. We are also seeking avenues to support the families of Uwa and Jennifer. In the meantime, we have made a donation to STER, which you can also do if you wish here.
As community-centred publishers at The NATIVE, we have a responsibility to shed light on these instances, and use our platform to fight for change, all year round. We are more committed than ever to upholding these values.
There’s a lot going on at the moment. Regardless of all the shit, music has been one of the things that has kept our spirits up and sustain our sense of community. Artists from all around the world have continued to put out new music from quarantine and their relatable subject matters help us relive past experiences, dream of a better future, or just enjoy the present moment. Because we know the volume can be overwhelming sometimes, we’re saving you the stress of scouting by sharing our selection of latest releases that reflect the liberal and diverse state of African music today.
Our midweek curation included releases from Wande Coal, Tome and Runtown, Trill Tega, Ade Lasode, Yhemhi, Bizzonthetrack, Olamide David and Dwayne $tunna among others. To get you in the right mood for the weekend, we’re bringing you the new animated video for Kiienka and PsychoYP’s collaboration, “Gvnz and Roses” as well as new music from Tochi Bedford and Cruel Santino, Loti, Davolee, Superwozzy and Barry Jhay and Jesse Jagz. You’re welcome.
DJ Spinall ft Omah Lay – Tonight
A feature on a DJ’s song seems to be a rite of passage for Nigerian artists, and DJ Spinall has featured some of the biggest artists we have today in the early stages of their career from Burna Boy to Mr Eazi. Now it looks like Omah Lay is having his moment, and just one week after the release of his debut project, ‘Get Layd’ he has returned with some more heat so we can’t forget him in a rush. Against DJ Spinall’s slow tempo beat decorated by heavy percussive patterns, Omah Lay is singing everyone’s current mood out loud. On the melodic hook, he sings “I wanna thank God for life, I just wanna make up my mind, don’t wanna be traumatised”, which is very fitting for the heavy mood looming around the world at the moment.
Kiienka – “Gvnz and Roses” feat. PsychoYP
Kiienka’s latest project’s lead single, “In The Ends”, earned a spot on Ebro’s Beats1 radio show on Apple Music to follow up with that milestone, he’s released an animated video for “Gvnz and Roses”, another standout tracks from the project. With the PsychoYP assist, “Gvnz and Roses” sounds like Kiienka trying to introduce himself to a wider audience, and he doesn’t fail to impress with his catchy flow and imaginative brags; “I might just walk on water like I’m Jesus/ Pull up the glock and you rest up in roses”.
The animated video by VX Animation portrays the colourful lifestyle Kiienka and PsychoYP describe in their lyrics, where they are seen standing on the ocean while they rap and show off their shiny jewellery.
Tochi Bedford – “Disintegrate” feat. Santi
Tochi Bedford has been building anticipation for his latest single, “Disintegrate” since the start of the year. First, we heard the snippet with a heartwarming dance video to match, then he announced that Santi would be featured on the record and we knew this was a special one. Though Tochi already has an impressive record of working with established artists like Zamir, Odunsi and more, his boastful lyrics on “Disintegrate” are made more convincing by Santi’s feature. The atmospheric trap beat he produced sets a pleasant pace for him and Santi’s braggadocios lyrics. Saying: “I was a kid, fucking your bitch in the field”, they never get dangerous, but still sound very troublesome.
SuperWozzy “Gratitude” feat. Barry Jhay
SuperWozzy and Barry Jhay share a preference for making inspiration songs, and we can all agree that we need a bit of that at the moment. The pair are a match made in heaven on “Gratitude”, and over the Wicked Beatz-produced mid-tempo beat, SuperWozzy raps in a mix of English and Yoruba as he delivers prayerful lyrics expressing his appreciation of God’s blessings and asking for more. Barry Jhay‘s melodic hook spices up the song and heightens the spiritual appeal of the song with his enchanting vocals.
Davolee – “Festival Bar 3”
Davolee broke out in 2017 with “Festival Bar”, a rap song with a captivating tale told from the very descriptive perspective of a bartender working at a bar in Ikotun. The song quickly became popular on the streets of Lagos and earned him the recognition of tastemakers like Olamide who signed him to his YBNL label. However, sharing the limelight with other rappers hasn’t been too kind on Davolee and even his attempt to appeal to the mainstream sound on “Cirocing” was met with modest reception from fans. The rapper has now broken ties with his former label and is returning to the basics with ‘Festival Bar’, a 4 track EP based on his debut. “Festival Bar 3” is one of the tape’s standout track with its detailed narration of his experience trying to get a visa or as they say on the streets, “Japa”. On “Festival Bar 3”, Davolee continues to show off his storytelling songwriting chops while embodying the hustler mindset that makes hip-hop songs compelling.
Loti – “Time of our Lives”
Whether you realize it or not, Buju has become one of the most popular artists in Nigeria. Over the last 24 hours, the afro-fusionist has featured on 2 separate songs, one of which is Loti and KD’s “Time of our Lives”. “Time of Our Lives” is the 2nd single from Loti and KD’s anticipated EP, ‘Sins and Scenes’, and it continues where they left off on the sex-positive first single, “Realer” as Buju joins them on their quest to celebrate their youth. KD’s lightweight mix of percussion, horns and drum riffs sets a groovy backdrop for Loti and Buju’s melodic performance with lyrics describing the joys of the party lifestyle they’ve subscribed too; “We are still young/ We need some fun”. Given the suggestive title of the coming EP from Loti and KD, we expect more moments celebrating their self-indulgence.
Jesse Jagz – “B”
“Even if shawty run away/ I bet you, she’d come back another day”, Jesse Jagz raps on “B”, a standout track from his new tape, ‘Garba’. The 5-track EP narrates the Jos-raised rapper’s growth from the underground to the mainstream, and he retains the confidence of his inspiring journey as he laments the loss of lovers on “B”. Over the trap beat, he explains the lessons he’s learnt from his experience with different lovers saying “Now I know even though I run to and fro/ for sure, girls at the door will come and go/ ain’t nothing last forever/ all plastic and leather”. It’s a song which wholly translates Jesse Jagz’s experience with relationships to fit into the project’s depiction of his journey to becoming one of Jos’ most famous rappers.
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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
Staying true to our mission reshape the face of African popular culture, The NATIVE team curates a monthly list to spotlight the best and most exciting new artists on the continent. Some of these artists have dropped songs to some regional acclaim, while others are brand new on the block, working towards their first big break. Tune in to what’s next. Click here for April’s Fresh Meat.
We’re back with our third instalment of Fresh Meat, and we’ll have to confess that this has become one of the best parts of lockdown for us. With instant news feeds available to us via social media, it’s clear how everyone is feeling these days, and we’re generally not doing that great. We’re in the middle of a pandemic, yet we’re still losing lives to other unrelated things such as racial injustice. This amongst several other things have taken a toll on our mental health, as they’ve become the major focal point in our conversations routine conversations. Scouring every corner of the Internet looking for new artists has become a favourite pastime at The NATIVE, and fortunately, we’re a team with very diverse music taste. Each time, we finalise our list for the month, we’ve presented an impressive range of talent we find from all over the continent.
The world may be on pause, but it’s clear that life is still going on, and one of the things that is still keeping us all going is the music. Simply uploading your content to the internet gives an entire world of listeners access to your talent, whether it’s those at home who’s attention you hadn’t caught yet, or anyone else from any part of the world looking for new music to listen to in these times.
For our third installation of Fresh Meat, we were even more intentional and committed about music discovery from all over the continent. With the scope being less dependent on anything but quality at the moment, it’s more important now, than ever, to ensure that we’re supporting and pushing good music. We’re sending love to all the artists at every stage who are still coming through in these times.
Naya Akanji
It’s really not too early on to say that Naya Akanji is a dynamic r&b powerhouse whose soothing voice, angelic refrains and intense delivery, place you right in the middle of the action. Lending from a range of influences, from reggae, r&b, and supported by Lemar Abdul’s house-themed afropop production, Naya Akanji’s romantic tales have a colourful, frantic & intergalactic quality on their brief EP ‘Vivid Emotions’.
Whether she’s reflecting on wasting energy on an “Ungrateful” lover or yearning for the warmth of that special person on “Company”, as an orator, Naya is magnetic, presenting distinctive insight on topics that are at times presumed to be stale and outdone in pop music. Naya’s music is certainly not flowery, as she reflects on being hurt in the past, but maintains an optimistic outlook, embracing and harnessing the full range of her voice in an honest and straightforward manner.
“Eyes on You” one of the project’s standouts, casts one into the trance of accepting the deep emotions you feel, when you finally accept you are in love with a person. As Naya gradually accepts her emotions, the track bursts into a colourful ecstasy of sounds, and chorused melodies, with groovy percussion, a mechanical bassline and deep synths. The production is deceptive however, maintaining a minimal, subdued tone, and using explosive synths to enforce Naya’s enchanted, divine refrains.
“Set Me On Fire” sees Naya embrace her more devious side, where she’s joined by Lemar and threatens a hater to set her on fire. Naya’s tone reveals that this action will not bode well for the person, but daring them to try anyway. Beneath the surface, “Set Me on Fire” represents Naya’s self-assuredness, no matter the damage done to her, she is invincible.
Naya is a promising talent with a wide musical palette, as she continues to refine her sound, we will no doubt get more jams to enjoy from her.
Willy Cardiac
Willy Cardiac is a new artist getting some buzz in South Africa without viral gimmicks or attention-seeking publicity stunts. His game during this age of sensationalism is to embrace hip-hop’s more raw and violent intentions, from the menacing visuals in his video for “Fan of Me” to his threatening lyrics on “No Percs”. Willy Cardiac‘s music offers up bold and vivid commentary on gang activities and social angst.
One might expect a newcomer who already got a taste of the limelight from featuring on PatricKxxLee’s “Achoo”, to loudly declare his arrival with youthful joy, however, the South African rapper layers antagonising lyrics over menacing trap beats which evoke all the right related emotions. He takes taunting shots at the opps on “Blinky”, flexes for the ladies on “Manic Lullaby” then reps his set, ‘Willy Gang’ on “No Percs”.
All of these songs portray Willy Cardiac as the golden child of the cold, bombastic style of gangster rap in South Africa. His biting lyrics are a reminder that one of the lesser spoken about results of hip-hop’s dominance as a global genre, is how much the sound is ingrained into other cultures across the world. Just like 21 Savage or Tekashi69, he also channels hip-hop’s penchant for violent tales and celebration of street smarts to reflect criminality in his African community.
Over the last decade, African artists have explored the full arsenal of hip-hop’s artistic range. Not only were the stories of conquering the streets relatable –the auto-tuned, mumble rapping, gold-teeth wearing attributes weren’t quirky enough to prevent African rappers from assimilating the culture. While Willy Cardiac isn’t a mumble rapper, he’s savvy enough to infuse inventive ad libs to make for an immersive listening experience and inspire crowds to rage when he gets on stage.
Apartment VII
If ‘Choreographed-Chaos’ was a term, Apartment VII would be the textbook definition. Musical experimentation is nothing new in Nigerian music, but Minna-based, Apartment VII’s unorthodox and ubiquitous blends set them apart. Aggressive guitar strums, synths and ghostly howls welcome you to their EP ‘Abstract Reality’, as a chorused voice chants ‘I don’t have to explain’.
“Save Yourself” is a delicate ballad which incorporates harp-like chords, and swelling keys, with a rich uncharted atmosphere. The song features a duet that highlights the push-pull emotion that comes with letting go of a lover. “Invincible” is an honest reflection on the true capabilities of a person. Despite the weighty and self-deprecating thoughts, we all have the latent ability to exceed everyone’s expectations, including our own and be great in whatever we set our minds to. The dexterity of the lyrics place the artist as both subject and object of these introspections, breaking into a checkered vocal break in traditional EDM fashion.
“Dirty Laundry” is a clash between folk and techno music. The track peaks and troughs as lyrics embrace the vocalist’s imperfect nature. At it’s core, “Dirty Laundry” examines the ironic fallacy of accepting a stranger’s presumptions of another stranger at face value, dropping the guard and inviting all who care to see their dirty laundry. As unique and individual as the human experience is, if we walked a few meters in the other person’s shoes, we would most likely understand and appreciate their perspective better.
As Nigerian artists continue to experiment with their varied musical backgrounds, we welcome more amorphous blends akin to Apartment VII’s, that are firmly grounded in r&b roots, but explore eclectic atmospheres that range from indie rock, to contemporary pop and everything in between. The scale of production gives their music a grand and spacious quality, that is at times contrasting, but nevertheless harmonious. With the epic quality of ‘Abstract Reality’ we hope a couple tracks get picked up for a movie score.
Le Rú
Kenyan singer, songwriter, and rapper, Le Ru has been holding it down on the music scene in her home country since making her mark with her debut, “Why” over four years ago. Since arriving on the scene, she’s dabbled in a range of genres such as rap, where she’s able to show off her pen game and puts on her best bad bitch persona to r&b and even jazz where she slows down the tempo and lets her buttery smooth vocals lead listeners into a psychedelic odyssey.
‘I’ve always wanted to make music so it’s no surprise that I took this route’ Le Ru says over multiple voice notes. She talks about her earlier days with so much joy, proudly proclaiming to be a part of the Soundcloud generation. She stumbled upon it after scouring for beats online and discovering that she could adapt her poetry into songs.
Amongst all her releases and features she’s garnered over the years, an undeniable standout is her most recent release “Sick Ah” featuring Ayoo. We’ve always been fans of women talking their shit without holding back and on “Sick Ah” Le Ru shows she’s unwilling to let these niggas walk all over her. She’s clearly frustrated and turns this frustration into hard-hitting bars and profane boasts which offer cathartic release for anyone also feeling that way inclined.
Le Ru is not just your typical artist, she’s also a keen content creator and scriptwriter, which she uses to fuel her music career by producing her own short films and music videos. She’s also currently undergoing a master’s course in marketing at University, but she’s not planning on giving up on singing anytime soon. At the moment, she only has a handful of official singles, most of which are on her active Soundcloud page, and a loose 3-pack EP titled ‘Hey There’ which was released last year.
From what we’ve heard so far, we can tell she’s definitely one to watch out for.
Sir Bastien
Before leaning into his singing voice for his impressive debut project from last summer, ‘Mango’, Sir Bastien wasn’t a big fan of how it sounded. Already showcasing his production chops through his extensive work with Eri Ife, Bastien initially poured himself into the idea of being an r&b producer, he was being nudged to write and sing more often. “The first song that I wrote was “Coffee Machine” with DAP The Contract and Bio, and when I played it for a few people, they encouraged me to flesh it out and have this as my own peculiar sound”, he explains via voice note.
Delicate, sometimes to the point of being fragile, Sir Bastien’s voice has a preciousness which lends a gently immersive vibe to his singing. Although he’s accompanied by guests for a significant portion of ‘Mango’, – with all of them being far more practiced vocal performers, he controls the flow of the project by complementing the nascent charm of his voice with emotive writing and a musically diverse soundscape that’s always rooted in the ethereal. While he manages to be proficient enough on the 9-song project, he’s gaining better control of his voice, as exemplified on his latest single, the Lecktrik-assisted “Kawaii Mami”, a confident and sunny bop that will get your shoulders rolling.
“It was always super cringe to hear myself singing, but over time I came to like my own voice,” he says. As an artist who is constantly gaining a better understanding of his skillset as a singer, songwriter and producer, Sir Bastien is at the formative stage in his career where each leap forward is sure to culminate into a singular, undeniable artistic identity. At the moment, he’s working on an upcoming project that will be “loosely related to ‘Mango’”. With a dedication to building up his catalogue while continually evolving and levelling up, it’s quite exciting that we’re getting front row seats to watch Sir Bastien’s growth from uncertain singer to bonafide triple threat.
Jay Cliff
Ghanaian-based artist, Jay Cliff has put together a catalogue which shows his earnest desire to find the right reaction to a tense world at the moment. His latest EP, ‘Twelve2Five’ pays homage to the period when people feel safe enough to share their more vulnerable thoughts on social media; usually between 12 midnight and 5am. Over 25-minutes, Jay Cliff taps into his own vulnerable emotions as he explores a range of themes mental health, sexual harassment, sexuality, loneliness and more.
The focus on these topics over conventional popular rhetoric, shows his conviction that music should be used as a way to express our vulnerable feelings, provide a way to cope with hardship and help us reckon with our collective responsibility as part of society. Just like his message for making the world less brutal, his sound is soft and encourages unity as he weaves between electronic pop, trap, soul, R&B, and spoken word poetry. His willingness to follow melody and tune over genre and format is encouraged by the masterful production by Supa Gaeta, Jenkins, Quist, Niq-El Angelo, Kyle and Bryan the Mensah who provide the synth heavy production on his latest tape, ‘Twelve2Five’.
In an interview last year, Jay Cliff explained how he honed his craft by listening to other artists who inspire him. “Who inspires my sound? Easily Kid Cudi, Travis Scott and the alte scene in Nigeria,” he said, confirming what some already suspected after he named his debut EP, ‘Alte Cruise to a Happy Place’. It’s hardly a surprise that the progressive new sound of Nigeria’s new alternative music acts have had Pan African impact given the recognition artists like Santi, Odunsi and Lady Donli have received from all corners of the world. The acceptance of the progressive new sound across the continent has led to Jay Cliff’s emergence as an advocate for honest and optimistic songs, which don’t shy away from our murky reality, delve deeply into our social ills and emerge with comforting messages.
Dunnie
Dunnie recorded her first song way back in 2011, and released her debut single, “E Go Better” in 2012, which topped Cool FM Abuja’s Top Ten for three weeks. So whilst she’s not quite a fresher to the music-making class, despite her having been in the game for almost a decade, Dunnie still sits in relative obscurity within both mainstream and alternative channels. However, with a dedicated management team and tangible growth over the years, Dunnie is registering more and more listeners, inviting in more and more fans, especially now as she’s released her sophomore EP, FOUR.
Though her songs aren’t your typical Afropop bangers, Dunnie shies away from describing herself as an alternative artist. Rather, she thinks of herself as a genre-bending afro-fusion act, melding soul sensibilities with highlife patterns and afro-pop trends. Upbeat songs such as “Simpulu” and “Unconditionally” off Seven lean towards the mainstream whilst her collaboration with Ric Hassani, “Tell Me” clearly caters to an audience of alternative tastes.
With such longevity in the industry, Dunnie is kinda breaking our Fresh Meat rules (even though she’s probably a new name to you) but honestly, it’s all the more fitting considering Dunnie marches to the beat of her own. Rules? Dunnie don’t know her.
Xenlaii
Being an indie hip-hop artist in Africa can pose a set of revenue challenges for those who choosethat route. On the flip side, however, it allows the rappers creative freedom to mould their identity into whatever shape they want, and proceed accordingly. Over the last three years, Johannesburg-based Xenlaii has taken advantage of the freedom his independence affords him, curating an emotionally expressive, musically diverse and quite engrossing artistic persona, especially with the use of high art flourishes when it comes to visual components.
Similar to indie S.A rap colleague, ByLwansta, Xenlaii is a multidisciplinary creative who counts being a visual designer amongst his skillset, and he ensures it plays a crucial role in the presentation of his music, from his videos to his live shows. As a standalone part of his ability, Xenlaii’s music more than holds up on its own. His latest release is April’s ‘Surf: AM (Deluxe Edition)’, an extended version of his 2019 EP, ‘Surf: AM’, and it comes with four new songs, a remix track and a re-arranged tracklist that adds a fuller context to the project’s narrative.
Recorded after a period of attempting to use hedonism to numb the pain of his mother’s passing, ‘Surf’ uses the tension between exuberant highs and reflective moments in the search for personal clarity. In the process, he explores universal themes of confidence, the willingness to accept love, unemployment and more. Accompanying Xenlaii’s story-driven raps are a cocktail of sounds that pays homage to his South African roots and also looks outward for inspiration. The anthemic “Wenza Ngani” is cut from the west coast’s signature hyphy bounce, ear-tingling opener “Kwaze Kwamnandi” is driven by spaced out kwaito-infused instrumentation, while the honest introspection on “Idolz” is contrasted by a positively haunted trap beat.
Looking forward to his next musical chapter, Xenlaii is currently working on his next project. In a recent interview, he revealed that his next projects will revolve around awakening, with a stronger focus on his pen game “with regards to content”. As a highly talented artist who’s insistent on putting his stories on wax, Xenlaii’s brand of reality music is equally riveting and resonant—one listen and you’ll be left with a positive impression.
Jean Feier
Jean Feier is an experimental lo-fi pop artist who is making genre-mashing relatable bops for black girls like her. From a young age, she developed her skills as a performer and a songwriter, citing artists from Beyoncé, Lil Wayne, Rihanna, and German pop-rock band, Tokyo Hotel as her musical influences while growing up.
Speaking about her inspirations, she says ‘For as long as I can remember I have always expressed myself through art: music and theatre but it was really the feeling I got from listening to music during my toughest years, that fuelled me with the conviction to start this’. Growing up as a black girl in Germany, Jean was subject to bullying and hate speech from her white classmates, and it was through the music she was able to find a safe place.
She uses her music to tell emotionally layered and detailed stories; from her first release, the boss-bitch rap anthem “Ready” to questioning her existence on “Wandering” and even reflecting upon hurtful words from a lover on “Lnly.Grl”, there’s a story in each song if you listen closely.
‘I want listeners to go to therapy with me’ Jean Feier says to us about her music. She’s not sticking to genres but dabbling at a range of sounds and influences, whether it’s rapping about kiss-offs and spilt tea or singing melodiously over airy synths, there’s something for everyone coming to her music.
Tochi Bedford
Fans of ambient rap music have a new artist to obsess over – Tochi Bedford. The Nigerian artist who also doubles as a producer has put out a handful of singles where he layers his melodic raps on to atmospheric beats he produced. His most played song on SoundCloud, “LA” featuring Zarion Uti use droning synths to stir emotions while his lyrics walk haters down memory lane. It’s clear that Tochi’s adept understanding of production plays a huge part in making his songs so endearing.
Tochi taught himself how to make beats while he worked on a game he was designing at a much younger age. His journey into music production soon developed from work into a full hobby that eventually turned into a rewarding career as an artist/producer; a feat only a few others like Pharrell, Timberland, M.I and Odunsi can boast of.
With his self-sufficient skills allowing him to produce and record his songs from where he’s quarantined in Lagos, Tochi is poised for big things in 2020 and already released a teaser announcing his upcoming EP, ‘Eternal Mob’ in June. His contribution to the vast sound of pop music coming out of Africa these days is unique as he funnels rap’s aggression through hypnotic instrumentals. Despite his sing-song vocal pattern, his lyrics tend to focus on darker and harsher subject matters than you might imagine. “Pour that Henny/ Grab a semi/ Shoot him in his tummy”, he sings on “South” featuring Zamir and pairs his dominance asserting lyrics with gentle piano chords that stir emotions. It’s the type of song that stands out in whatever context you choose to see it.
However, it’s Tochi Bedford’s production which has earned him his reputation as one of the culture shapers of Nigeria’s self-publishing music era. His production credit on Odunsi’s recent body of work, ‘Everything You Heard is True’ is only one of the many he has garnered over the last 2 years. He’s aiming to prove he’s among the best emerging Nigerian rappers with his project expected to benefit from the increasingly mass appeal of Nigeria’s alternative music scene.
Featured image credits/NATIVE
Words by: Dennis Ade-Peter, Adewojumi Aderemi, Tami Makinde, Djaji Prime & Debola Abimbolu
One of the best things about Afropop today is the increased musical interaction across country borders, through constant collaborations and sonic exchanges. One good example of this phenomenon is Nigerian producer Kiddominant, who scored a continental hit with his stellar appearance on AKA’s “Fela in Versace”, and is now exploring a sub-genre he describes as ‘South Afrobeats’, a combination of Afrobeats melodies and South African drums.
Kiddominant came up with the idea after spending a year in South Africa, imbibing the local culture and visiting the clubs where he heard a lot of their music. As a statement of his new musical exploration, Kiddominant brings that vision to life in the form of his bubbly new single, “eWallet”. Helming the club-ready production, Kiddominant layers several colourful piano melodies to create a summery and ambient vibe, while a boisterous, distinctly South African percussion pattern is responsible for the song’s body roll-inducing groove.
“Girl I was been searching, till I found you/and when I found you, I swore that I won’t search no more”, Kiddominant sings on the catchy hook, laying down the romantic premise of the song’s lyrical content. He’s joined by South African rapper Cassper Nyovest, who swaps his usual rap delivery for a singing appearance where he even teases a croaky falsetto. As a pair, Kiddominant and Cassper find a middle ground, with the former playing into Cassper’s well-known Kwaito obsession, and the latter softening his approach to fit into the mellow, summer-ready intentions of “eWallet”.
Phyno spoke his greatness into existence. After the release of his classic debut album ‘No Guts, No Glory’, the rapper conferred the title of ‘Ezege 1’ on himself and didn’t wait to be inducted into the hall of fame. Some may call it faking it till you make it, but in Phyno’s mind, he was born made, what was left was just manifestations. It’s that combination of the law of attraction and a confidence that borders on arrogance that makes “Speak Life (On God)” such an inspiring record.
The latest single off Phyno’s latest album, ‘Deal With It’, “Speak Life” is somewhere between a victory lap that never really goes over the top and an appreciation song. Major Bangz creates the sonic backdrop for Phyno’s mostly-Igbo monologue, with a chipmunk soul sample and grand drum rolls adding an epic feel to the Enugu-bred MC’s reflection on his successes over the years. He gives God the glory but going by the title of his debut album, it should come as no surprise that Phyno keeps the change.
Now on his third solo project, there isn’t much that isn’t known about Phyno’s come-up story. From making music in the East, to making a killing off of it up North – as he puts it. From a street rapper with humble beginnings to an elite artist living out his dreams, as he puts it too. To his rap fans, Phyno’s dreams these days aren’t as clear as they once were and since he found success with highlife music, the MC has been getting criticism for hiding his bars.
On this song, though, Phyno shows his punchlines and metaphors to the world and thankfully, they haven’t lost their beauty. While most of his raps are delivered in his local language, his assertive candour is unmistakable, and his confidence is the magnetic factor that keeps things engaging, whether you understand every word or not. At times, “Speak Life” sounds like a continuation of “Best Rapper” off his sophomore album, ‘The Playmaker’. But where that song employed a siege mentality, “Speak Life” employs a victor mentality that’s beyond fitting for an artist with far less to prove these days.
On the hook, Phyno convincingly raps, “Look at all the levels I unlocked”, a sentiment that’s impossible to disagree with. Since storming the Nigerian mainstream with the riotous and evergreen “Ghost Mode”, Phyno has established himself as the biggest rapper from the Eastern part of Nigerian till date. Even with his singing detours, the one thing that’s certain is that Phyno is a transcendental figure in Nigerian hip-hop, and “Speak Life”is his live report from Mount Rushmore.
