GEMS: A list of the best songs released this week

Posted on by The Native

Every Saturday, The NATIVE Will Put Out A List Detailing The Best And Most Enjoyable Songs Released During The Week. With The Scope Widening And Music Dropping At An Immeasurable Pace, It’s Easy To Miss Out On A Lot Of New Drops, So We’ve Decided To Help Out, By Collating A List Of The Best Hip-Hop, Pop, R&B Song From All Over The Continent. Our Main Goal With This List Is To Make Finding Great Music Of The Moment Easier For You.

Straffitti – “Everywhere” feat. Buju

Straffitti is one artist who wears many hats. Though he’s mostly known for being a rapper, he is also a graphic designer and a producer. For his latest single, “Everywhere”, Straffitti shows off a more romantic side than we’re used to, and he teams up with Buju for the dancefloor-ready bop. 

Over the upbeat instrumentals Remy Baggins produced with a piercing guitar baseline, Straffiti and Buju perform lyrics inspired by the sparks you feel when you fall in love at first sight; “Let me be the one to follow you/Everywhere”. Just like in most of his songs, Buju’s opening verse and chorus sees him looking for love (at a club). Though the lyrics don’t tell us if he gets the girl or not, it hardly matters because his charming falsetto and laidback flow are designed to be too infectious to resist on the dancefloor.  

The euphoric feeling of falling in love has inspired a lot of beautiful art. In the past week, the song that most accurately captures that feeling is Straffitti and Buju’s “Everywhere” and they accomplish this by confessing the destructive lengths they’d go to be with the one they’ve fallen in love with. While Straffitti says he’s “Spending (his) raba/ No you can’t stop (him)”, Buju threatens us, saying “oh you’re my enemy/ If you no let that baby get with me”. Straffitti’s willingness to evolve and experiment with his sound has always been impressive, here he switches from rapping to singing and adding some patios lines to give the song a reggae flourish. It makes “Everywhere” an outlier in his hip-hop catalog, but then again, the song will stand out no matter the context. 

Loti & KD – “Time of our Lives” featuring Buju

R&B artist, Loti and close friend and producer, KD have been teasing their joint project ‘Sins & Scenes’ for a while now, with the first single “Realer” providing an insight into their carefully crafted youthful world of alcohol, girls and pure unadulterated fun. They’ve just released another single off the project, “Time of our Lives” with a guest feature from Buju.

As the muddled days slowing roll into weeks and the weeks become months, it’s anyone’s guess when things will go back to normal. All across the internet, millennials and GenZers alike are airing out their grievances with these unprecedented times we’re all going through, and its songs like Loti & KD’s “Time of our Lives” that remind us to never let that youthful spirit die. The single presents visions of youthful indiscretions where the order of the day is to be joyful and inebriated, with each memorable lyric enunciated sure to have you rocking and swaying.

Over the drubbing bass-line beat laid down by KD, Loti and Buju are full of life as they encourage listeners to enjoy and make the most of these times. It might seem cruel to reminisce about all the fun we used to have with our friends before the lockdowns, but we’ll let it slide this time because it’s such a catchy tune. ‘You know the vibes, we don dey high/time of our lives we are still young, we need some fun’ coos Loti on the song’s opening verse, leaning into carefree hedonistic ideals. Buju joins him on the next verse and addresses a love interest directly, as he tries to convince her to let go and have fun in this memorable ‘time of [their] lives’.

Shalom Dubas – “One (For the $)”

The way Shalom Dubas tells it, she’s more Notorious B.I.G than Lil Kim and she’s also Pam from ‘The Office’ sitting next to Jim. It’s a statement of identity she champions on “One (For the $)”, a standout selection off her immersive new EP, ‘Mint, Green.’ Over the course of growing catalogue, Shalom has always made it a duty to own her narrative as someone with her own unique complexities, and as an artist who can spit mean sixteens and deliver acoustic ballads. What makes “One” a truly special song is that she doesn’t just own these traits, she embodies them in a way that feels normal and powerful.

With lines about saving endorphins for someone else and its R&B-inflected beat, “One” initially sets itself up as a mushy love song, but as the first verse gracefully crashes in, Shalom subverts those expectations into a song about acceptance—she’s accepted herself, she wants to ensure her love interest accepts her for who she is. “One” doesn’t just hit different because of its relatable nature, it also does because it’s a wonderful feat in technique, with Shalom’s assertive flow adding a playful burn to her vivid raps, and when she sings, her smooth voice preciously colours her devotional words.

Tochi Bedford – “Disintegrate” featuring Cruel Santino

Twenty-year-old artist and producer, Tochi Bedford is literally in his artistic bag. He’s the leader of the producer collective, 44db  which he formed back in 2018 with a group of talented friends, and since then, he’s had a hand in some of the bouncy trap sounds coming out of the scene. From Zamir’s “Anti” to Uglymoss’ “Creep” to even Odunsi’s experimental number “nü finesse”.

At the moment, Tochi Bedford is currently working on his debut project ‘Eternal Mob’ slated for release later this year. In the meantime, he’s rolling out pre-released singles off the new project to whet our appetites for what’s to come. For his latest offering, he’s tapping into Santi’s leisurely signature-style drawl for laidback rap track “Disintegrate”. Over the hi-hat-heavy beat he self-produced, Tochi and Santi deliver snappy raps about not giving in to the hate from the opps and naysayers bent on playing for the wrong side.

‘I never changed niggas be switching positions, I stayed the fucking same’ raps Santi confidently, on the song’s second verse. Both artists trade bars about wanting to detach from all the noise and stay in their own lane making bonafide hits, fucking the baddest bitches, and shaking the shackles of the industry games off their hands and feet. If you’re looking for music to blast on full volume this weekend, you’re in luck.

YMK Sama – “Bubblegum”

Yimika Owoaje, alternately known as YMK Sama, is a funny guy. You only need to go through his Twitter page or stumble upon any of his viral videos to conclude that he possesses a disarming sense of humour. This quality has seeped into his scant releases as a rap artist, mostly in service of socially tilted cuts. For his latest single, “Bubblegum”, YMK turns that ability inward in something of an Issa Dee mirror moment, as he negotiates with himself on the ways he might be willing to compromise in order to better his chances in a space where the relationship between being a rapper and making money is seemingly like oil and water.

“Do I stay true to me or do I pretend to be someone else?” he asks on the chorus, knowing that authenticity or keeping it real as rapper in these parts can be a recipe for constantly fighting against obscurity, and selling out for commercial gains may not bring the satisfaction he craves. It’s a heady debate but the allure of “Bubblegum” is that, even though YMK doesn’t have the answers, he knows what he wants to achieve: “I just want to make the crowd bounce”. Backed by Sir Bastien’s gamer-type piano riff and thudding drums, he does just that—creates a song that will make you bounce.

Davolee – “Festival Bar”

Davolee’s new tape, ‘Festival Bar’ is the project indigenous Yoruba rap fans have been waiting for since 2017. Though there’s no shortage of street-savvy rappers narrating their struggle to get out of the streets, Davolee’s breakout single, “Festival Bar” brought a new dramatic twist to the art with his cinematic depiction of his experience working as a bartender. He promised fans he’d have more stories to come and after 3 years of waiting, we finally have all 4 parts of the Festival Bar hip-hop drama. 

Though all four songs don’t follow the same narrative, the common thread that runs through them is Davolee’s street smart as he explains the different things he has done to survive on the street; working as a bartender, a motor-boy, a fuel station attendant, etc. However, “Festival Bar 3” standout as the centerpiece of the project as it describes how Davolee’s rap career started from a rap battle on the street to sharing freestyles on Instagram till he got noticed; “62 steady straight days ni mo fin drop bars sori IG ko to di pe eyin gbo bayi(I was dropping bars on IG for 62 straight days before you heard about me)”. 

Most people who use Instagram can relate with his sentiment for sharing content with the hope of being discovered one day. However, the song hits the deepest when he describes how he joined Olamide’s YBNL label but eventually had to leave because he still felt unsatisfied. Despite the story’s overarching theme of triumph, Davolee’s unsettlingly detailed lyrics allow him to mention his struggle depression and remind us that sometimes, things get worse before they get better.

Featured image credits/instagram

Words by Dennis Ade-Peter, Tami Makinde and Debola Abimbolu

ICYMI: FRESH MEAT: The best new artists this month (May)

Listen to Straffitti & Buju team up on new track, “EVERYWHERE”

Posted on by The Native

3 years ago, Straffitti’s breakout project, ‘Vanilla Sky’ turned him into one of the most impressive rising stars in Nigerian hip-hop. His psychedelic trap sound alongside his trippy visual identity and party-rager fanbase has set him apart as one of the most exciting emerging artists in Nigeria. With his frequent stream of new releases, the fandom has never been starved of new material to get hyped about as his collaborators grew to include mainstream hip-hop acts like M.I and Ice Prince.

Today, he has now teamed up with Buju for new track, “EVERYWHERE”, which shows them off as the perfect match. The show off great synergy on the new track as their voices mesh together to celebrate romantic feelings for their love interests.

Although Straffitti already established his sound as a rapper, his switch to the popular Afropop sound on “EVERYWHERE” feels like natural shift since he’s already developed a reputation for experimenting with different sounds. Produced by Remy Baggins, the groovy guitar-led beat inspires Buju’s intimately detailed verse and chorus about what he would do for love interest. Straffitti then picks up the pace with his follow-up verse, which draws on the melodic hook as he shows off his sonic range by switching gears from rapping to singing.

The dancefloor-ready beat and catchy melodies certainly make for a pleasant listen, but “EVERYWHERE” draws its magic from the pair’s depiction of that feeling you get when you first meet someone who you know will be special to you; “Let me be the one to follow you everywhere/ This whole time/ It’s you I’ve been watching.”

Speaking about the new release, Strafitti told us:

““EVERYWHERE” is very different from anything I’ve released in the past, it’s an exciting one for me. It was an amazing process getting this together cause I really love to explore genres and finesse it my own way. Buju is an amazing Afro artiste. We met a couple of times at random places and finally decide to heat up in the studio. He dusted the hook and left me to cremate the rest. I enjoy making timeless music like this,”

Stream “EVERYWHERE” by Straffitti and Buju below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/straffitti

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You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: We imagined your favourite Nigerian artists as footballers

8 producer/artists tell us what it’s like to be self-sufficient in these times

Posted on by The Native

It’s crazy to think that we’re getting all this great music, and can probably only consume it in the comfort of our homes until it’s safe to go outside again – if that ever happens. With the pandemic keeping people out of nightclubs and temporarily off the dance floor and concert grounds, it has taken even more resilience from artists and other key players to keep the music industry running.

Thanks to digital channels which have kept us all entertained, and also kept the music alive during this period, music entertainment hasn’t been entirely crippled, and even though traditional channels have been skewed, for now, the actual music has still remained an avenue to for up-and-coming artists to be heard and appreciated.

With most of the world going into isolation and with the order of things drastically changing, today’s climate has now jolted most things, and you’ll find that self-sufficiency is key to getting most things done. It seems as though all over the world, life is going back to normal, and we have to all adapt to new ways of being. The traditional sense of almost everything has been flipped on its head, which has left room for new and fresh things to emerge.

In a bid to get a better idea of their state of affairs, The NATIVE spoke with 8 producers/artists, who have the ability to make entire songs in one sitting without needing any external help. They are in a unique position at the moment, as their creativity doesn’t seem to be stifled at all.

From what inspires them to what they’re working on, here’s what keeps Omah Lay, Dunnie, TMXO and more self-sufficient.

Dunnie

NATIVE: What events led you to start producing and performing music?

I’ve always had a lot of sounds in my head but did not know how to put them out, eventually, I became an artist and the cost of production became a bit much so I took up music production so I could produce myself and also sell beats so I can make some money…so you can say the recession inspired my decision to do commercial music production.

For performing, I grew up in the church choir so it just came naturally, I can’t remember any particular event that led me into it. I just found myself in it tbh.

What is the hardest part about doing both? 

The hardest part about doing both is the Politicking of the industry…it is a game and having to play it can be very stressful if you are mostly all about the music.

How has producing and recording music yourself benefitted you, especially given today’s self-isolation situation?

The benefits of producing and performing my own music means that I get to make music on my own terms whenever and however I like. That freedom is priceless. Also, the current isolation really has nothing on me because I spend most of my time making music in isolation anyways.

What have you been working on?

I just finished work on my sophomore Project FOUR which drops on the 28th of may…I’m also working on my debut album, also I’ve been producing and writing for a lot of artists.

Would you advise other artists or producers to develop themselves to be self-sufficient? 

Not every artist should be a producer and not every producer should be an artist. It’s a slippery slope that needs proper management to succeed at..but if any artist/producer feels they are up for the challenge, why not?

Spotless 

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NATIVE: What events led you to start producing and performing music?

Well for me music has always been there from my childhood. I started playing the piano from age six, and because I was really good at it, I would have older guys who were producers at the time bring me to their studio to play chords on their drums… I  fell in love with the process of making music and soon developed an interest in making beats myself. I asked to learn from these producers but they just wouldn’t let me stay after my work is done. Fast forward a couple of years down the line, I got my first laptop as a gift from a church I was playing the piano for in my early teenage years. I had someone install Fruity Loops on my computer and started practising what I’ve been seeing those others guys do and I never looked back since. 

I was already singing and writing songs before I found love for music production. Loved listening to the likes of Westlife, Backstreet Boys, Usher, Akon, Fela, Timaya, Danfo Driver, Psquare, 2face. So music found me from a very tender age, I’m very grateful To God for such an excellent gift.

What is the hardest part about doing both? 

Well for me the hardest part for every creative person, whether you’re a singer, songwriter or producer, is when they feel uninspired. Because like it or not, days like that would come and the best thing to do is listen to other great songs. Take a chill pill for a bit then get right back into it.

How has producing and recording music yourself benefitted you, especially given today’s self-isolation situation?

For me, I wouldn’t say it was that much of a benefit. Instead, it was distracting because so many people who were dear to my heart that are not used to the indoor lifestyle got really bored at this time. All they wanna do is speak to you to avoid being bored and alone, so it was distracting for just a bit until I controlled the situation. Now I can’t wait to share the classics I’ve been able to create with that time.

What have you been working on?

I’m just rounding up my EP for the year, but before I put out my EP I’ll be releasing a single and a video from quarantine.

Omah Lay

NATIVE: What events led you to start producing and performing music?

I like to say I started off as a producer, but I only went into that after deciding I didn’t want to become a rapper anymore. That was my first step into music; I used to call myself Lil King back then. But I decided I didn’t want to rap and started learning how to make beats as Omah Lay. I always hoped to blow up as a producer, but I was hardly getting paid for beats and even worse, getting credit for my beats or songwriting was a bigger issue. So last year I decided to start performing. It was my clap back to everyone that wasn’t giving me what I deserved, and now here I am; Omah Lay, the artist. 

What is the hardest part about doing both? 

I’d say the hardest part is producing because sometimes I already have half the song in my head, but making a beat that fits that song can be stressful sometimes. It might be good when others hear it, but for the song I want to do, it might not be good enough. That’s the hardest part.

How has it benefited you, especially given today’s self-isolation situation?

I never really thought about the benefits until I started working with other producers. Now I appreciate how I’m able to keep working on the beat till I find the right emotion for the song I’m working on. That’s what I think I achieved with Bad Influence and Do Not Disturb, and the isolation period didn’t stop that process, which has been a big plus for me.

What are you currently working on? 

I just released my debut EP ‘Get Layd’, where I focused on showing that I can’t be boxed into any sound and let my personality shine through. The reception so far has been great, but I’m already working on new music. Maybe another project isn’t so far away.

Would you advise other artists or producers to develop themselves in that way?

I don’t know about advising anyone to do it the way I did it, because I only just started. But I encourage everyone to keep growing your talents and keep believing in yourself. Hopefully, everything works out in the end.

Tochi Bedford 

NATIVE: What events led you to start producing and performing music?

I started making beats for games I was designing when I was much younger. But it quickly developed into a hobby of it’s own. I didn’t start to actually record music till at least a year and a half later. As for performing, I rarely ever perform but that’s more of a personal preference thing. 

What is the hardest part about doing both? 

I’d say the hardest part about producing music is getting into the right headspace. Of course, I can always sit down and create beats that people would love, but to create something unique for myself I have to be in a different headspace entirely. 

How has producing and recording music yourself benefitted you, especially given today’s self-isolation situation?

It has mainly benefitted me in the aspect of being partly independent. It has become another source of income and I don’t even have to leave my house to make the money most times. 

What have you been working on?

I finished my EP during the quarantine. Now I’m preparing the whole thing for release. 

VEEN

NATIVE: What events led you to start producing and performing music?

I started out as an artist in 2013, making covers of my favourite rap songs at the time. Then I moved onto minimal production in 2015, then fully in summer 16. I started producing ‘cause I really couldn’t afford beats and the free ones didn’t cut it. Glad I did because it gave me a deeper understanding of music. 

What is the hardest part about doing both? 

I think the hardest part about it would be the dissatisfaction of rinsing the material to the point where it gets boring, because it starts and finishes with me. 

How has producing and recording music yourself benefitted you, especially given today’s self-isolation situation?

It’s been great, I can’t lie. I’ve been able to craft the different sounds that I like, you know translating your ideas from your head pristinely is priceless. And I’ve owned a studio since 2016 so I’ve never really had to leave my studio for a session, except the times where we move the gear to the hotel or something. 

What are you currently working on?

 I’m working on multiple projects as always. I like the element of surprise so I’m not going to give anything away but expect something from me at the end of the year!

Would you advise other artists or producers to develop themselves to be self-sufficient? 

I would advise anyone interested in developing their own sound to find a producer on a similar path and work it through. If you can learn to produce, it’d do you a lot of good too. Ultimately, I think everyone should develop themselves in a way that is unique to them.

Nxwrth

NATIVE: How did you get into producing and performing music?

I’ve always wanted to perform music even before producing. I started off as a rapper but along the lines, I realised I was a better beat maker than I was a rapper. So I decided to take a step back to focus on production cause you know, in everything, you need to go towards your best trait.

So I took a break from performing and studied everything I had to learn about producing and I became a producer and helped everyone around me with beats. I believe that in the process of watching them become better artists, gave me the strength and inspiration to develop my craft as a producer and as an artist.

What is the hardest part about doing both? 

I think the difficult part about doing both is that each side has its own industry and how it works. Before you come into an industry, things have the way they already go. So you tend to do things a certain way as a producer but coming into the performing, producers don’t really know how to promote their music. But you know, you live and you learn.

Would you advise other artists or producers to develop themselves in that way?

I’d tell producer not to be discouraged from taking on their own beats because no one will understand you beat more than you. I really believe that every producer has a spot-on talent of artistry in them, and if you have the desire to take it a notch further, then you should accomplish being the best beat maker you can be before taking on the artist route.

TMXO

NATIVE: How did you get into producing and recording music? 

Well, it just puts me entirely in the driver’s seat as opposed to being co-pilot or having to take the backseat. I call the shots and the music gets heard in real-time. I have total control over direction too.

Has producing and recording music yourself benefitted you, especially given today’s self-isolation situation?

Definitely, funny thing is that creating tripled during the quarantine. I’ve delivered more records this period than when we could go outside. 

What have you been working on?

Been working with a couple of people in the UK, US or even just one street away from me here in Lagos. All from my desk and at the same time.

Minz 

NATIVE: How did you get into producing and performing music?

I started producing just cause I needed beats to sing on. I didn’t know any producers at the time and I really didn’t want to do covers, so I started learning how to make my own beats. It’s always been my dream to perform, I started out as a rapper and I always wanted to get on stage and be a star.

What is the hardest part about doing both? 

I think the hardest part is satisfying myself. I’m such a perfectionist and sometimes I just wanna outdo myself, it stresses me out at times.

How has being self-sufficient benefitted you, especially given today’s self-isolation situation 

Well, because I produce a lot of my own music I’ve been kinda self-sufficient in the sense that I don’t really have to wait for someone to be able to create.

What are you currently working on?

A long-overdue project for this summer.

Would you advise other artists or producers to develop themselves in the same way?

I think every artist should learn a thing or two about production, doesn’t have to be deep cause trust me, it’s stressful. But it’s really dope when you can record yourself or put down beat ideas and have a professional finish it. For producers, I think there are some really talented producers who are actually dope artists at the same time but aren’t confident enough to come out. To them, I’ll just say “take risks and succeed”.

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You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: Check out all the latest songs from around the continent here

Nnamdi Okeke embodies the broken Nigerian dream in ‘Living in Bondage: Breaking Free’

Posted on by Tami Makinde

One quick scroll through social media will reveal that Ramsey Nouah’s directorial debut ‘Living in Bondage: Breaking Free’ has been a point of conversation in the Twittersphere this week. The much-anticipated sequel to the 1992 classic, which hit the cinemas late last year is now available to stream on Netflix Naija.

The sequel follows the story of young and ambitious Nnamdi Okeke (played by Swanky JKA), through whom we get a glimpse of what the Nigerian dream is – to blow by any means necessary. When we first meet him, Nnamdi longs for success and as the events of the film unfold, he finds himself in a struggle between his morality and the possibility of living in bondage for his entire life.

Living in Bondage: Breaking Free is a marker of the Nollywood’s entry into a new phase, with using a relatively new face on the scene as the lead, to Ramsey Nouah – a veteran actor moving into a new phase of his career. Swanky KJA’s role as the lead character, Nnamdi Okeke will definitely set him apart as one to watch out for going forward, as his convincing portrayal of Nnamdi is almost palpable, and it wouldn’t shock me to see that he’s even a bit like the role he plays in real life.

Nnamdi Okeke is a young man who much like anyone else wants to make something of himself. Having grown up with a family who adopted him, throughout the film, it’s made clear that he’s always felt a bit out of place and wanted to find his feet by ‘making it’. When we first meet him, he’s excited about a beginning for himself, after setting up his own advertising firm and cheating his way into making his first pitch for a big company. Unfortunately, this plan is thwarted, by another double-crossing, which sees him falling flat on his face without a contingency plan.

At every point in adulthood, one is faced with adversity which makes you question your entire existence. This can make you either wallow in self-pity or drive you to create a better reality for yourself. After 5 years of being unemployed, no prospects in sight for him and a big dream, Nnamdi refuses to be knocked down and adopts an even stronger ‘by-any-means necessary’ attitude. Unbeknownst to him, he has a curse on his head, and his choices seem to be a bit more complex than whether or not he makes it in life.

This is where the broken Nigerian dream is brought into question. Where in the land of milk and honey, the dream is that you can achieve anything as long as you put your mind to it, the average Nigerian would rather take a shortcut, and hustling and finessing each other is the means to achieving your dreams. If you successfully find a cheat code in these parts, it’s considered an achievement, and this is clearly what drives Nnamdi throughout the film. He is reeled into the fast life, after being introduced to Richard Williams (played by Ramsey Nouah), by his family friend Obinna (played by Enyinna Nwigwe), without being overtly told that there’s a price to pay for it.

Set in 2019, where anyone with internet subscription has enough access to things outside of their physical realm, it’s not surprising that Nnamdi was so desperate to make it, that he became wrapped up in the lifestyle and didn’t question the speed at which he seemed to have made it. In fact, it seems as though Nnamdi didn’t give anything much thought until it was time to give back to the source which presented him with all the riches. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, think of Nnamdi in the same way you think of Draco Malfoy – that’s literally it.

(Credits: Netflix)

In contrast to the other male characters in Living in Bondage: Breaking Free, Nnamdi seems to be the least ruthless, and also manages to be the one with enough backbone to break the generational curse on his head. If you’re familiar with the first Living In Bondage, it follows the life of Andy Okeke (who turns out is Nnamdi’s father), and much like Nnamdi is, he was desperate to make it out of a life of strife. Seeking out a quick fix, he becomes involved in a cult (much like Nnamdi) and sacrifices his first wife for a life of riches. In this film, Andy seems to have left that life behind and like the notorious Shina Rambo, has given his life to God. Both Andy and Nnamdi seem to evade any kind of accountability throughout the film, whilst others in similar positions to them don’t.

Obinna, unlike Nnamdi, grew up in wealth which was brought about by these diabolical means and didn’t seem as phased when it came to actually being evil. The very first scene of the film opens up with Obinna slicing off a little girl’s head, and by the next time we see him, he’s speeding across town in a G-wagon, much to Nnamdi’s amazement. Whilst Nnamdi is impressed by his life of largess, throughout the film, Obinna is haunted by his decision, which in the end drove him to suicide. Unlike Nnamdi, Obinna would have continued to live in the dark lord’s bondage, even though he seemingly had all the money and success in the world.

Given where he’s coming from, it’s hard to blame him for wanting a better life for himself. Throughout the film, we see his parents castigate him a lot, guilt-tripping him when he tries to find out who his real parents are, and generally paint him as the black sheep of the family. In Michelle Obama’s recent Netflix documentary, she points out that she was seen and heard at home, therefore when she went out into real life and it wasn’t the case, she found it difficult to understand why. For Nnamdi, he doesn’t seem to be seen or heard at home, therefore hasn’t been rooted with an essence that will allow him to take on the wicked world, no matter what is thrown at him. This could be why he’s so easily and naively swayed by the promise of riches, without carefully considering what it could mean for him in the long run.

(Credits: Netflix)

Even though Nnamdi proclaims to do ‘Anything for the keys to the good life. Nothing else matters’ it turns out that he actually isn’t, which is actually a good thing in this situation. Each time we see him, he’s trying to bend the rules to his favour and the end of the film actually allows him to. In fact, apart from Obinna and his father, none of the characters face any consequences for their actions in the end. While Nollywood usually wants to pass off a moral message about the consequences of evil, and the bad guys are sometimes punished for evil doings, it seems as though this film almost presents the way it is in real life, where most people get away with evildoings.

While Nnamdi’s story unfolds and we see that he escaped the police whilst maintaining the relationships which were threatened during his stint in the cult, the cult leader, Richard Williams’ fate is left elusive. We see that he escapes police detention and flies away from Lagos unharmed, (which could be a hint at another sequel), however, we’re unsure of what it means for him in the grand scheme of things.

Whilst it doesn’t seem like there’s any palpable punishment for the antagonists, what we are left with is the truth finally coming to light, and an actual ‘breaking free’ of sorts. Where he might not have succeeded in gaining the material things he hoped for, he succeeded in breaking a generational curse and gaining peace of mind which is what he wanted all along anyway. Obinna acts as a foil to Nnamdi, and was so deeply entrenched in his own bondage, that it cost him his life.

We would imagine that a real-life Nnamdi wouldn’t be so desperate to ‘blow’ anymore, given the lessons he should have learnt in his experiences. He’s a good example of the failure of the Nigerian dream to replace good ol’ hard work with greed and desperation, and what stands to be a way out of trouble if you do the right thing at the end of the day. We would definitely about 6/10 recommend that you watch Living In Bondage: Breaking Free on Netflix if you have nearly three hours to spare.

Tami is living in a black mirror episode and can’t seem to wake up. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

ICYMI: ‘Kalushi’ uses the anti-apartheid struggle as a backdrop to portray stolen youth

Dunnie’s new EP, ‘FOUR’ is a statement of her artistic growth

Posted on by Adewojumi Aderemi

Even though we very often use them for their quantifiable value, numbers denote symbolic significant value across various cultures all over the world. In religion for example, the Trinity in Christianity or the Five Pillars of Islam.

For Dunnie, sacred numbers are a source of power, inspiration and expression in her musical art. Her debut project titled, Seven, is now followed up by another numerically significant appellation, inspired by the Jewish Culture, FOUR.

There are many Jewish connotations of the number four, but for Dunnie the operative meaning on this EP is maturity. Subconsciously chronicling her growth in the two years since her last project, Dunnie’s epiphany came with the times:

“Social distancing and self-isolation made me spend a lot of time with myself and I came to realise that I have grown in every aspect of myself, [including] in artistry and as a human being. If you have followed my journey from ‘Seven’ to ‘FOUR’, what you will definitely hear is growth from Dunnie.”

 

As her silky vocals glide through the opening track, and lead single, “Overdose”, Dunnie’s growth is already palpable. Co-written alongside Troms, “Overdose” narrates Dunnie’s devotion to a lover – her mellow musings build up into an inspiring chorus characterised by its lively percussive beat (which she produces herself). Moving into the equally cheerful “Koro”, Dunnie again draws attention to her voice – particularly its range this time – by stacking her vocals with two harmonies amplifying the main melody.

As the title would suggest, FOUR ends at its fourth track, drawing to a close just as it’s kicking off. It’s a bittersweet sensation savouring the melancholic third track, as “I Need You” marks the beginning of the end of this sweet EP. Playing with minor notes, giving it much darker hues, “I Need You” is dramatically more hurt and desperate than the songs that precede it, though still characteristically upbeat.

In an exclusive virtual listening party via YouTube earlier this month, Dunnie revealed that she made the song over Instagram with some of her followers, reflected in the extensive songwriting credits given to Klem, Mikel Mizzy, Worship, Tiwadara, Rome (who co-produces the record along with Dunnie, Tuzi and Klasikbeats). The collaboration culminates in needy promises to an elusive lover for whom Dunnie has been waiting endlessly: “I need you, no starve me with your love o, love o//I need you, the wrongest thing to starve me with your love o, love o” she pleads on the hook.

 

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Self-described as an afro-fusion singer/songwriter and producer, creativity comes with the territory. Hearing the distinct xylophonic melody tingling through the chorus of “Ordinary” will settle any dispute against Dunnie’s artistic deftness. As the title suggests, “Ordinary” presents a yearning for normalcy, with lyrics that are modest without being self-deprecating.

Popularly consumed creatives are often put on a pedestal, and usually become unjustifiably venerated as superhuman. Dunnie wants no parts in this, and wants to be given room to make mistakes.

Reeling off a list of errors she makes “sometimes” (her repetition of the word suggests its importance) Dunnie shatters any falsely conceived notion that she’s perfect, or above lapses of judgment or character, even before they’ve been founded. Dunnie is very much in the early days in her trajectory, we’re sure “Ordinary” is one song we will return to as she rises through the ranks. If the quality of this tape is fairly judged, she’ll be doing so soon.

FOUR is a brief yet captivating project, one which is worthy of finally pushing Dunnie beyond the bounds of the periphery. Almost ten years since she recorded her first song, now feels a better time than ever for us get behind this talented contender. Stream FOUR below:

Wojumi is a bad bitch and she’s going to brag about it. Tweet her your latest cultural exploits @dewoju

ICYMI: SONGS OF THE DAY: NEW MUSIC RELEASES FROM WANDE COAL, TÖME, RUNTOWN, TRILL TEGA AND MORE

20 Nigerian artists as football stars

Posted on by The Native

We love music, we love football, and we love arguing about music and football. This was inevitable.

Before the Coronavirus pandemic literally brought the world to a halt, weekends and many mid-week nights were the designated period for Football Twitter to reign supreme, with hot takes and semi-hostile banter flying around lawlessly, constantly creating the silly and earnest atmosphere of a food fight. No matter how invincible the team you support might seem, or the individual greatness of your favourite player—past or present—being on the receiving end of an #agenda is inevitable, but there’s always the friendly ideal that everyone’s a part of the football fandom community.

In a similar vein, music always serves as a point of unity, even though preferences wildly differ. Nigerian music represents an export that’s integral to spiking the country’s cool points all over the world, but even in championing that, it still leaves enough room for argumentative tensions between many people. One minute we’re all the driving force between a flawless NS10v10 victory, the next we’re pitting our favourites against each other—sometimes with the help of the artists themselves.

Due to their nature as culturally impactful phenomena that entertain, unite and temporarily divide us, it only feels right to connect football and music through some of the key players. We’ve had this argument between ourselves in the office and in group chats, so we thought why not bring it to you. In this dynamic, we draw comparisons between twenty notable Nigerian artists and their football counterparts, using perceptions, achievements and career trajectories as the tools for our equivalent experiment. Feel free to @ us.

Fela Kuti as Diego Maradona

Iconic. Controversial. Castigated. Celebrated. An enemy of the state, uniter of people. Revolutionary in their talents, few people could and will ever perform the way they did. Similar to Maradona’s cult like status both at home and in his adopted and beloved Naples, Fela’s impact to Nigerians everywhere reached far beyond what he did on the stage or said on tracks. Despite their demons, many consider both to be the most talented to ever play the game or make Nigerian music, as the case may be.

Don Jazzy as Pep Guardiola

Just like Pep Guardiola was as a player, Don Jazzy is a great artist in his own right. Playing the in the middle of the park, Pep glued together Cruyff’s Barcelona Dream Team, in the same way Don Jazzy the artist-producer provided the base for the Mo’Hits All Stars. But where they have truly confirmed their legendary status is off the pitch/stage, and in coaching/exec. roles. As Pep has blazed a managerial trail, winning all there is to win and guiding talent such as Lionel Messi, Thiago Alcantara and Raheem Sterling, Don Jazzy as the Founder of Mavin has sold millions of records and produced a string of stars across the decade, from Tiwa Savage to Reekado Banks to Korede Bello to Rema. Their legacies are cemented both in and out of the arena.

D’Banj as Ronaldinho

The Great Entertainers. Before the games became all about streams and followers, goals and assists, entertaining was the hallmark of a great. And no one entertained like D’Banj and Ronaldinho in their respective fields. Both highly talented whilst being highly productive, what pulled the audience to both was how they played the game: always with a smile on their face, trying to wow the crowd each time they graced the stage/pitch. These are two special legends in a time when the game was far simpler than it is today. They conquered the game, reached the highest heights, and did it all entertaining along the way.

P-Square as The Toure Brothers

The two legendary brothers who have done it all. Kolo and Yaya Toure have won it all between Manchester City, Barcelona and Arsenal. Similarly, P-Square have toured the world, performing for thousands, and winning every accolade on offer along the way—before their unfortunate break-up. Sometimes fans may forget just how much the pairs have done, but they are bonafide legends, paving the way for those that came after them.

Odunsi (the Engine) as Anthony Martial

To say Odunsi (the Engine) divides opinion would be an understatement. Those that love him, swear by him. Those that don’t, simply don’t understand the hype. Similar to Anthony Martial, he seems to be completely in his own world—cold, steely looks. They don’t give much away, even when they do extraordinary things. Due to their intense cult followings, they are subjected to intense levels of scrutiny whenever they grace the stage (or the pitch). Coming into their formative years, they will be looking to fulfill their potentials, and turn that mercurial ability into superstar/stadium status.

Santi as Raheem Sterling

Young OGs. Still so young, but already accomplished so much and respected around the game, Santi is similar to Raheem Sterling in his profligacy and commitment to doing it his way. Starting the game so young, they have both gone through various stylistic transformations—Santi went from Ozzy B the rap lyricist to Cruel Santino, the boundary pushing, multi-hyphenate rapper, and Raheem Sterling went from the out-and-out winger at Liverpool, to the lethal forward at Manchester City, playing across the front three positions. Away from the pitch/stage, they have also both made a point to advocate for young kids just like them to be themselves, and not conform to industry/societal standards.

Asa as Luka Modric

Dictating the pace of their own game, both Asa and Luka Modric have played the long game. Honing the skills to become unicorns in their respective fields, these maestros are revered highly by both their contemporaries and the audience for their skill and performance level each time they grace the field/stage. Magic.

M.I Abaga as Michael Owen

As a starlet at Liverpool, no one could touch Michael Owen. The second youngest ever winner of The Ballon D’Or, he was a revelation in the first few years of his career. Similarly, M.I. came into the game with ‘Talk About It’, his phenomenal debut album that most regard as an undisputed classic. Following up with ‘M.I 2: The Movie’ and the ‘Illegal Music’ mixtape series, his legacy as one of the rap GOATs was cemented. Whilst both are perhaps not regarded by fans due to their later career work, their accolades cannot be discounted, especially so young in the game.

Olamide as Francesco Totti

Hometown heroes. The perfect phrase to describe Olamide and Francessco Totti. Both world class on their day, they’ve always repped their home towns (Lagos and Rome) to the fullest. Not just geographically for Olamide, but sonically too. As many of his peers were experimenting with R&B/Dancehall influenced records, Olamide stayed true to his roots, making great Nigerian Hip-Hop and carrying the sound on his back before it became cool again. Similarly, whilst many pushed for Totti to leave Roma for Real Madrid (who famously tried to sign him multiple times) he never left, and continued winning trophies for his hometown club.

Wande Coal as Mesut Ozil

Insanely talented. Misunderstood. Mercurial. Selfless. There are various terms you could use to describe Wande Coal that apply perfectly to Mesut Ozil. Both stars are near-idolised by their peers, and rightly so: they thrive mainly by bringing out the most in their teammates. For Wande Coal, it was providing their perfect hooks for the likes of Naeto C, Burna Boy, Wizkid, and not to mention his Mo’Hits label mates. For Mesut Ozil, it was to link play and provide assists for his teammates like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Alexis Sanchez. Some people call them lazy, or not as effective when not surrounded by stars, but this would be to misunderstand them. They are at their best bringing out the best in others, but this is not to say they can’t be elite when leading the charge—as seen on Wande Coal’s classic album Mushin 2 MoHits, and Mesut Ozil’s stellar campaign in 2015/2016. Quite simply, on their day, there are few artists nicer to watch/hear.

Teni as John Obi Mikel

Like Mikel, Teni was a young talent the entire country was excited for after their breakout showings (Mikel at the U17 World Cup, and Teni on with her near-flawless 2018 run). Whilst they both went on to carve out solid careers for themselves due to their immense talent, there is always that nagging feeling of what could have been had they been deployed in more adventurous roles and taken more chances with their style of play. Regardless, they will both undoubtedly go down as legends when it’s all said and done.

Naira Marley as Jamie Vardy

No Naira, No Party. Jamie Vardy spent years grinding through the lower leagues before reaching the pinnacle, breaking scoring records and lifting the Premier League title in the process. Similarly, Naira Marley was making a name for himself in UK’s then underground afro-swing scene, before last year’s phenomenal run that saw him dropping multiple consecutive hits and effectively changed the way we view Stan culture in Nigerian music. Naira and Vardy do not come without controversy, but they are the most lethal of marksmen. Chat shit, get banged.

Rema as Kylian Mbappe

Golden Boys. The Chosen Ones. Rema and Kylian Mbappe have both seen rapid ascents from relative obscurity to the global stage. Bursting on to the scene with his sparkling eponymous EP, headlined by “Dumebi”, Rema, like Mbappe in his Monaco breakout year, is the biggest new superstar on the continent. With the confidence to match their supreme ability, the world is their oyster.

Fireboy as Trent Alexander Arnold

Two young ballers changing the game. Fireboy and Trent Alexander Arnold have similarities, both learning their trade under iconic tutelage (Olamide and Liverpool), they have huge amounts of potential to change the game forever. Already racking up career Ws such as Fireboy’s #1 album ‘Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps’ and Trent’s performances inspiring Liverpool to 6th Champions League title, the future is bright to say the least.

Tems as Jadon Sancho

Most wanted. Despite their relatively small performance sample sizes, you know Tems and Jadon Sancho are special. The talent is both unique and remarkable. When Tems sings, you stop what you are doing and ask who is that. Similarly, one glimpse of Sancho, and you know you’re witnessing future greatness. This is why they are both being courted aggressively by the biggest record labels and football clubs, respectively. Wherever they end up, it will be for big bucks, and it’ll be more than worth it. World-beaters in the making.

Mr Eazi as Lukaku

Love him or hate him, but Mr. Eazi gets things done. Similar to Lukaku’s exemplary goals return, Mr Eazi has consistent sold-out tours, always with a hit record in rotation, multiple savvy business dealings, and is always advocating for young African artists. Whilst some may question his style of music and actual talent level, the same way they question Lukaku’s first touch and record against big teams, you simply can’t argue with their results and their work ethic. An example for all young aspiring ballers and artists.

Tekno as Dimitri Payet

Forget the awards or an album, we’ve got the streets. This is Tekno in a nutshell. Known to his peers and audiences as a genius producer and hit-making songwriter, similar to Payet, the talent they possess is out of this world, and some of the tricks they pull seem next to impossible. Seemingly unbothered about being in the spotlight or racking up awards and streams, they simply create in their own caves, at their own pace, where they are most comfortable. Mercurial talents that fans may not always understand, but must respect their gift.

Davido as Cristiano Ronaldo

Similar to Cristiano Ronaldo, Davido has always had talent. From a young boy producing music in Lagos, it was clear there was something about him. And just like Ronaldo, it is the sheer hard work and dedication that took that raw talent, and turned it into superstar status. With very legitimate claims to the title of The Greatest, they have both accomplished all there is to do—no award hasn’t been won, no record hasn’t been broken. Even when they are counted out, they still come back with elite performances. The prime example of talent meets hard work and producing excellence.

Wizkid as Lionel Messi

Considered by many as The GOATs in their respective fields, the comparisons between Wizkid and Messi don’t stop there. Small in stature, they have made a career in defying the odds and placing themselves at the top of the pedestal, to the point that they are seen as the standard: how many times have you heard “this guy is the new Wizkid” or “this player is the next Messi”. Until now, that has not always the case. They still stand unique in their greatness. Due to their icon status, they are intensely scrutinised any time they don’t match the insanely high standards they themselves have set. That being said, whenever they decide to hang it up, they will go down as one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Burna Boy as Virgil Van Djik

Giants. Similar to Virgil Van Djik, Burna Boy always had the talent, and many thought if given the chance at the highest level, he would do well. They both got that chance, and excelled even beyond what everyone thought—well, everyone but them—as their supreme self-confidence is a source of inspiration and what makes them who they are. After consecutive years of domination at the pinnacle of the game, Burna like VVD, has carved out a lane for himself that makes him utterly peerless. They both appear completely impenetrable, to the point that they make their jobs look almost easy, as their contemporaries struggle to emulate their performances. Already in the conversation as one of the greats, if they continue at this elite level for much longer, it will cease to be much of a debate.

[All Illustrations Are NATIVE Originals by Debola Abimbolu]

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NATIVE BUSINESS SPECIAL: APPLE MUSIC IS BETTING FIRST ON AFRICA

The Shuffle: That time DJ Neptune enlisted M.I, Naeto C & DaGrin for the evergreen rap collab, “123 (Remix)”

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

On Sunday, Naeto C and M.I Abaga took to Instagram Live, in what can now be regarded as a moment for Nigerian rap music and African hip-hop as a whole. Both artists had arranged for a battle of the hits-style event, but on a night where stories were shared and some of the very best and biggest rap records from the side of the world were played, it turned out to be two of the greatest and most influential African rappers of all time celebrating each other in the friendliest contest you’ll ever see.

In the final period of the live session, when every ounce of competitive tension had dissipated, M.I played “123 (Remix)”, the DJ Neptune-headlining song that featured both rappers and the late, great DaGrin. As a tribute to their late friend and collaborator, M.I quickly skipped ahead to DaGrin’s part in the song, a flawlessly executed verse teeming with his trademark confidence. As a rapper who had already made his mark with the classic sophomore album, ‘C.E.O’, that appearance was a statement of skill, which holds more weight when you consider that he was on the same song as two rappers operating in topnotch form at the time.

Released in 2010, “123 (Remix)” was preceded by its original song from the previous year, which featured only M.I who delivered a head-spinning verse laden with his typified wordplay and inimitable flow. By the time the remix landed, it became far more significant, and not just because of the added features, but also for the way it encapsulated the then apex of Nigerian hip-hop and it’s endless possibilities. Each featured artists was a highly revered rapper at the time – both in precision and also for commercial value– and “123 (Remix)” offered an avenue for them to flex alongside each other in a manner which was both regal and free —it was basically the gathering of three unicorns.

Backed by M.I’s buzzing piano strings and drums that canon off your eardrums, they take turns listing their credentials and grimacing at the thought of lesser skilled rappers trying to compete with them. M.I maintains the same form we know him for today, baiting his counterparts who he believes he’s a cut above with lyrics like “Ticked off a couple rappers last year, pissed off” and “You’re just a substitute the game already kicked off”. He’s then joined by Naeto C eases us into his verse filled with hard-hitting raps with the melodic hook.

Stealing the entire show (especially now in hindsight), Dagrin raps circles around every other artist with his Yoruba delivery, starting off declaring that the crown will stay long on his head. The buzzing beat is slowed down for us to really appreciate Dagrin’s verse where he closes off saying that even though he’s rapping in Yoruba, he’s still the king of hip hop. In light of the fact that the indigenous rap scene – which he laid the foundation for before his traffic passing– has infiltrated the mainstream, his verse seems like a foreboding of sorts.

With scratches provided by DJ Neptune, “123 (Remix)” recalls rap music in its rawest form—a DJ, a dope beat and MCs delivering mostly impenetrable bars. Beyond the effectiveness of Naeto, M.I and DaGrin, this classic song is also the prime showcase of integration, a statement that different rap styles and languages can thrive together within the same song.

In a hip-hop space that’s currently divided due to language and musical affiliations, as well as commercial perceptions, it’s evident that a thriving rap scene can only be achieved through cross-sectional collaborations. It’s a complex solution, but the success and significance of “123 (Remix)” already serves as blueprint for future efforts. When you also add the fact that it still slaps today, “123 (Remix)” is an evergreen song which will always remain relevant to Nigerian rap music and African hip-hop as a whole.

Watch the video for “123 (Remix)” here.

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

ICYMI: REVISIT MAINTAIN’S LUDACRIS-SAMPLING HIT, “CATCH COLD”

Songs of the day: New music releases from Wande Coal, TÖME, Runtown, Trill Tega and more

Posted on by The Native

With most of the world self-isolating to flatten the COVID-19 curve, music is 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.

We started the week with new music from Dj Spinall and Dice Ailes, Dj Wayne and Oxlade, as well as songs from Jesse Jagz, Ice Prince, Praiz, Tim Lyre, Chimzy, Psycho YP and Jean Frier. For our midweek compilation, Wande Coal blessed us with a new video for previously released sleeper hit, “Again”, while we also feature our favourite cut from Canada-based Nigerian singer, Tome’s new project. Trill Tega, Ade Lasode, Yhemhi, Bizzonthetrack, Olamide David and Dwayne $tunna also have new music out for you to enjoy. 

Wande Coal – “Again”

Wande Coal doesn’t miss. Over a decade long span in the game, 2 albums and a string of hit singles, the Black Diamond has built a solid catalogue which cements his place as a top tier artist we can always count on for jams. His latest offering, “Again” has now been given a video to match the romantic tale he narrates. Directed by Adasa Cookey, the video shows Wande Coal singing his hearty lyrics to his muse, “I can’t wait to make your face just smile”  and reassuring her that “nobody be like Wande”. It’s clearly a song for the grown and sexy and the video makes sure to get that message across.

TÖME – “Concentrate” feat. Runtown

Last week, Töme released a new 10-track album, BT4W, and one of the songs which stuck , was the Runtown-assisted “Concentrate”, where the pair demonstrate the lustful intentions of dance floor romance. “Me no want no boring guy/ So check out my waistline and take time,” she sings over the catchy mix of Afropop drums riffs, percussion and synths. Runtown’s contribution serves as the song’s chorus as he performs a few lines of patios to add a Reggae edge to “Concentrate”. Although the pandemic has disrupted her chance to show off the allure of her sound in the club, “Concentrate” encourages listeners to turn their rooms into dance floors until we can get outside again. 

Trill Tega – “My Side”

Trill Tega has recently reignited our passion for the art of gangster rap on his latest single, “My Side”. The mix of vibrating synth lines and catchy flute samples make for a leisurely listen while Trill Tega layers in confident bars that make him come across like a nigga you don’t want to cross; “Now imma give you a piece of my mind/ Now imma give you a reason to hide”. Listening to “My Side” inspires you to unleash your inner cockiness, whilst also building anticipation for what else Trill Tega has in store for us on his upcoming tape. 

Ade Lasode – “These Niggaz”

Ade Lasode’s latest single, “These Niggaz” is a shift from her usual soulful singing, and she shows off some of her hip hop influences. She channels rap’s cockiness to deliver self-assured bars with the aim of mocking men who want to play her for a fool. Her confidence is boosted even further by the mid-tempo beat produced by Yinka Bernie, which serves as the background as she narrates her experience with a fuck-boy.

Despite her melodic rap flow, her lyrics, “I brought this nigga to my house/ bad nigga, you were sipping on my couch”, comes across as threatening while the laid back instrumentals take on an air of mischief. “These Niggaz” is the perfect song to give you all the confidence you need on your way to give your cheating ex-boyfriend a piece of your mind.

Yhemhi – “I’m Sorry” feat. Bizzonthetrack, Olamide David, El-Nino

We often hear artists replicating their experiences in relationships in their romantic songs, but Yhemhi’s new single, “I’m Sorry” subverts that trope, where he explains why he’s too focused on his music career to find time for a romantic relationship. Over the atmospheric afropop instrumental produced by El-Nino with a piercing guitar riff, Yhemhi apologises for his lack of commitment to his love interest and uses his drive to turn his music passion into a money-making career as his excuse. Singing “I’m sorry, I can be toxic/ I know you like me/ but I like my music”, he’s quite convincing and admits to his own faults while the featured artists, Bizzonthetrack and Olamide David echo his tunnel vision focus in their accompanying verses.  

Dwayne$tunna – “Dash”

To those who don’t appreciate it for what it is, hip-hop can be seen as a disruptive genre. But in the right hands, that boisterous energy can be charming, and Dwayne $tunna’s new single, “Dash” is a good example of that. He turns his fun and juvenile charisma into a social magnet, while spinning playful lines about drugs, getting money and partying. Rapping “I be so damn fly/ Make a bitch ask why” over the trap beat, it’s style over substance approach for Dwayne, which is sure to leave an instant mark on listeners.

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You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: Catch up on all the new music released earlier this week

Universal Music launches Def Jam Africa

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

With recent events like Apple Music’s intensified curatorial efforts and Billboard’s recent cover story—which features three of the continent’s biggest stars—as further proof, it’s quite clear that music coming out of Africa is only getting bigger and better by the day. Due to this, it’s unsurprising that global labels and corporations are increasingly investing in the continent’s music space.

As part of an incursion which has seen them open an Africa-based annex and signed a global recording deal with Tiwa Savage, Universal Music Group has just launched Def Jam Africa, a new label, which will follow the blueprint of the prestigious Def Jam recordings. Def Jam Africa will be dedicated to representing the best of hip-hop, Afrobeats and trap talent on the continent, and they’ve already kicked things off with a flagship roster.

Def Jam Africa now boasts of nine artists on their roster: Nasty C, Cassper Nyovest, Larry Gaaga, Boity, Nadia Nakai, Tellaman, Tshego, Ricky Tyler and Vector. The label is currently based in Johannesburg, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria, but it will be looking to discover, sign and service artists from across Africa. As part of Universal Music’s operation in Sub-Saharan African, Def Jam Africa will be overseen by Sipho Dlamini, the managing director of Universal Music Africa.

Looking to get straight to business, Def Jam Africa is currently prepping new releases for its novel roster, most notably ‘Zulu Man with Some Power’, Nasty C’s third studio album, which will be released this summer in partnership with Def Jam Recordings in the U.S.

In a statement, the interim CEO of Def Jam Recordings, Jeff Harleston said,

“Def Jam is a globaly recognized brand, synonymous with excellence in hip-hop, and we enthusiastically welcome the launch of Def Jam Africa an opportunity for audiences worldwide to discover the incredibly talented artists emerging from across the continent.”

Def Jam Africa is the latest global expansion move for Universal music and Def Jam Recordings, following the launch of Def Jam South East Asia in September 2019.

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

ICYMI: 3 WAYS CHOCOLATE CITY’ WILL LEVEL-UP WITH NEW WARNER MUSIC GROUP DEAL

Songs of the Day: New music from Dj Spinall, Dice Ailes, Jesse Jagz, Wayne, Oxlade and more

Posted on by Tami Makinde

With most of the world self-isolating to flatten the COVID-19 curve, music is 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.

Last Friday, we got new songs from Sauti Sol, Rema, Dremo and Davido, Dunnie, YMK, ABDUL, L.A.X, Simi, and Tiwa Savage, Yung L and Wizkid, Stormzy, Burna Boy, and Sho Madjozi, BergdorfBadman and Straffitti. To start off the week, we have new sounds from Dj Spinall who’s just dropped a new single with Dice Ailes, Dj Wayne has also released his debut single “Vacancy” which features Oxlade. There’s also new music from rapper Jesse Jagz, Ice Prince, Praiz, Tim Lyre, Chimzy, Psycho YP, Jean Frier, and more to keep you busy this long weekend. You’re welcome, dig in.

Dj Spinall – “Pressure” featuring Dice Ailes

Dj Spinall has just released his first single of the year, “Pressure” an uptempo groovy bop featuring Dice Ailes. Over the pounding afropop drums and vivid percussion patterns, Dice Ailes sings about the weight of the pressure he feels from all areas of his celebrity life. ‘This kind pressure man dey face, scatter my eyes/it’s very mighty o, e do me strong thing’ he sings over the infectious hook, musing over the struggles it takes to find your feet in this world. Although we never find out if the pressure is alleviated, the groovy upbeat number is sure to catch on quickly and get you on your feet.

 Jesse Jagz – “B”

Jesse Jagz is back and he’s already giving us a new project, titled ‘Garba’ due to be released on the 29th. After a long hiatus, he’s back to rapping and talking his shit in his music, and is showing this off with his new single “B”, where he muses about lost love and past times. ‘I’m back at it now my approach is pragmatic/ain’t nothing last forever, all plastic and leather’ he raps self-confidently, coming at all his past lovers for walking out when they had a good thing. We’re glad to have Jargo back.

Praiz – “Like It” featuring Ice Prince

Praiz is back with his first single of the year, the romantic and sensual bop “Like It” which features Ice Prince. Over the mellow guitar-led self-produced beat, he sings about the desire he feels for a love interest and is unafraid to let her know what he wants to do with her. Ice Prince joins him on the second verse, rapping: ‘I’m addicted to your anatomy/the reason I studied monogamy’ offering more praises for his love interest, as both men drive home their explicit sexual desires.

Wayne – “Vacancy” featuring Oxlade

While Wayne is more popularly known for his work as a DJ, to start off the year he’s released his debut single “Vacancy” featuring Oxlade. Over the mellow drum-led beat produced by Adey, Oxlade sings about the longing he feels for a love interest. ‘Make you no go follow another man who no dey for you/Girl please let me know if you dey for me’ he sings over the hook, making sure to tie up all loose ends with his love interest. Oxlade maintains his usual lover boy form, wishing to commit exclusively to her and doesn’t want anyone else in the picture.

Tim Lyre – “Shank” featuring PrettyBoy D-O and AYLØ

Lagos-based artist, Tim Lyre is back with a 3-pack EP titled ‘Senpai’ on which he shows off more of his stellar songwriting chops and ability to glide seamlessly on the beat. He gets help from close friends and collaborations, MOJO, AYLØ, PrettyBoy D-O and producer, DaRe for the new project and each artist delivers in their own way.

On standout track “Shank”, we see all three artists trade bars about getting their shit popping. ‘Now they know that I’m a beast in the streets and I’ve got to eat/I’ve been planting seeds, growing trees’ raps Tim Lyre on the song’s first verse, showing off his stellar penmanship and having fun over the mellow eerie beat. He’s also joined by AYLØ’s rapid-fire hook and D-O’s braggadocious and cut-throat raps allowing each artist enough time to hone in their sound and increase their individual reach.

Chimzy – “Ijoya” featuring Psycho YP

US-based afropop artist, Chimzy is back with a new singled titled “Ijoya” featuring Apex Village’s formidable rapper, Psycho YP. The song is an ode to Weird MC’s hit single “Ijoya” which was a mainstay at class parties back in the days. The two artists bring their own unique spin to the song, with Chimzy trying to gain the attention of a love interest. ‘I was drowning, a nigga couldn’t breathe/but I told myself forget about power, focus on wealth’ raps Psycho YP on the song’s second verse, as he gives us a glimpse into his grind-focused lifestyle where he’s no longer paying attention to the naysayers, but on making shit happen with the team.

 Jean Feier – “Notorious”

Ghana-based artist, Jean Feier is back with a new single “Notorious”, a swift follow up to her last release “Here with Me”. The bedroom pop singer is back with another romantic lo-fi production, on which she sings directly to a lover who she’s waiting patiently to return to her. ‘Look at what I made with the pain/But when it comes to you I’m a fool’ she sings, letting her lover know she’s going to ride or die for them and will always be there despite their complicated past.

Featured image credits/Instagram 

Tami is living in a black mirror episode and can’t seem to wake up. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

ICYMI: Here’s all the new music you may have missed last week

We spoke to a few women about claiming their sexual autonomy through sex work

Posted on by Tami Makinde

You know it’s a thing thing when Beyoncé refers to Only Fans in a song with Megan Thee Stallion, and that’s not to say that the ladies on Only Fans weren’t holding it down long before Queen B’s nod. Launched back in 2016, OnlyFans is the latest social network which allows creators to monetise their content through a monthly subscription. For as long as we’ve all existed, sex work has been relegated to the hot spots, however, in a world of digital convergence and sex-positivity, this platform and others like it are bringing it into the mainstream and we all for it.

Since the global crisis hit, according to Vice, the platform has reported more than a 75% increase in new sign-ups in April and has gained around 150,000 new users every 24 hours. This may be due to most likely, a combination of staying-home boredom and the eye-catching quality of a lax avenue to create income while businesses around the world suffer heavy losses from social distancing requirements.

There’s an immense power in the recent wave of celebrating the female body in all its glory, and it’s time to shake off the stigma that these women (and a few men) get for controlling their own narrative. To get a better idea of this, we spoke to a few women who have been active in the digital sphere of sex work about how they got started, why they do what they do and what it does for them.

 

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It’s a common misconception that sex work is only one thing, however, it’s extremely multi-faceted with many varying mediums of how one can go about their business. From being physically present to virtually, such as with Only Fans or even just a raunchy Twitter account dedicated to selling nudes, there’s not only one way of entering this market.

Keen to get a real understanding of how African girls are tapping into the phenomenon, I spoke to Pinky, Alice and Maria*, three women at different stages of their careers.

For women like Pinky living in Ghana, her journey as a sex worker began like most: from selling private pictures to eager buyers on a private Snapchat account, and when demand increased, she quickly changed with the times and moved to Twitter, and now she’s found a permanent home on Only Fans, where she’s able to release as much or as little as she pleases. For now, she’s growing her following and establishing client relationships, because the market being too saturated means having to cater to a loyal following.

“I have always felt like I have been participating in some kind of non-consensual sex work with men I have met, dudes have always tried to give me value back for time spent on them. Especially the men from Ghana” Pinky explains to me. While popular culture would have us believe that sex is only acceptable in the context of monogamous relationships, Pinky wants to drop that, and also let other women know that it’s okay to drop these messages that have been hammered in our heads forever.

 

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Pinky tells me:

“As a bisexual woman and a non-believer in monogamy, it was not hard for me to separate sex from something that we’ve been taught only exists in the context of a relationship. Why does the money I am bringing in have to justify what I am doing as a source of work?

You’re basically projecting. Sex is this huge thing everyone knows about and talks about, but it’s made dirty when women want to make buck off it. It makes me feel really good about myself so I don’t plan to stop anytime soon, no matter who judges me”.

For others like Ms. Alice, she’s still testing the waters having kicked things off a few months ago, and isn’t planning to start an Only Fans anytime soon. She sort of stumbled into monetising her sexuality, and only started taking it seriously when a male friend requested some nude photos for a fee. She then realised the untapped market right before her and has since made it a little side gig. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever actually start an Only Fans. For me, I’m not really where I’d like to be in terms of body confidence so not yet’ she says to me with a laugh. ‘Maybe I’ll start an Only Fans when I have my dream body, and I wear a mask then I’ll reconsider. For now, I’m okay doing this on the low’.

Every day, these women conceptualise their own shoots, produce them, maintain sustainable relationships with clients whilst trying to stay in tune with current adult content trends. They are basically one-women production and marketing companies, run out of their homes. A lot of people discredit the amount of work that goes into creating and maintaining a career in this field and tend to think it’s easy money but it requires very calculated and deliberate business savvy.

“People think sex work is something you do when you run out of options. That you must have failed at everything else and run out of options that’s the only reason you’d be naked on the internet. It’s really disgusting because this is my career and it should be just as respected. It’s my body.” – Pinky

From my conversation with each of these women, it came across that they wanted everyone to know that they are not creating content for the whole world, but mainly for themselves and for paid subscribers who respect their craft. Another noteworthy example is Maria from Nigeria who got into sex work through her fascination with BDSM and exploring kinks. She draws parallels between the work she is involved in and customer service, highlighting the transferable skills one can acquire from working consistently in her field.

‘It was very flexible and it was something I enjoyed doing, so I figured I might as well make money from it. You have to have a skill most definitely, you have to be able to talk to people and adjust to their needs. It’s not something you can do for easy money, and nowadays the market is oversaturated with influencers who are looking to make a quick buck off it when it’s really a whole craft that has to be perfected’.

Beyond people questioning the legitimacy of their work, these women also have to deal with horrible people online who wish harm upon them and make them fearful for their lives. For Maria, she does a lot of in-person meet-ups as a dom, and has faced scary instances where she fears for her life. ‘A lot of the time you meet entitled men who come to you, and pretend to be submissive. They have some thrill out of humiliating a dominant woman and create an unsafe environment. I have been places where I am actually scared for myself when I have to meet up with clients’ she admits explaining how unsafe the territory can be.

For Pinky, her biggest fear when moving her business to Twitter meant she was susceptible to family and past friends finding her online since she sometimes gets requests to show her face in videos. A big part of being a sex worker is establishing boundaries with your clients, particularly for Pinky as she’s had friends in the past deceptively guise as clients seeking to out her when she reveals her face.

 

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Here in Nigeria, a collective progressive attitude towards sex workers is still a myth, given how deeply conservative and ‘moral’ our society is. Unfortunately, this still means conversations surrounding sex work and female autonomy are usually lacking in any real depth. African women are taught purity culture and expected to conform at all times, which leaves women either never exploring or feeling guilty/met with disdain if they dare to.

Sex Sells, and it’s a bit odd that men are often allowed to benefit from women’s sexuality – e.g a pimp isn’t usually met with as much degradation as his sex worker often is. In Nigeria, the word ‘ashewo’ (which means prostitute) is used as an insult to every woman in the way ‘hoe’ or ‘slut’ is, once we do anything they don’t like. Sex workers from these parts are always met with judgment and disdainful comments from people who’s sole aim is to shame them for their line of work.

These women are braving the harsh environments they live in to do work they love, and their defiance from the set norms are a bold statement for women like them. We’re always discussing why we should end the attacks against women in the workplace, without really including sex work in that conversation. Well, it’s demon time, and these women are not hiding in plain sight anymore.

While countless industries have been ravaged by Covid-19, Only Fans and its many variations are only going to start taking more shape in Africa.

*Fake names have been used to protect the identities of those we spoke to.

Featured image credits/Instagram:exotic.cancer

Tami is living in a black mirror episode and can’t seem to wake up. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

ICYMI: The importance of a song like “Body Count” for African women

Best New Music: Omah Lay’s “Damn” is a declaration of assuredness

Posted on by Damilola Animashaun

Omah Lay first caught the attention of the whole nation with his Valentine’s Day tune, “You”, which is still making the rounds today. Last Friday, he released his debut project, ‘Get Layd’ which houses 5 tracks to properly introduce us to the singer’s vibe. While from looking at the numbers of plays across various digital streaming platforms, his pre-released single, “Bad Influence” seems to be the favourite, the standout for us has to be the project’s opener, “Damn”.

The two songs released in the run-up to ‘Get Layd’ managed to show off two sides to Omah Lay; the smitten lover boy on “You”, and the bad boy on “Bad Influence”. On “Damn”, to set the tone for the rest of the project, he combines both and presents us with a self-aware loverboy whose girl loves him regardless of his flaws.

Produced by Bizzouch, the mid-tempo beat led by piano keys and heavy bass sets the perfect bedding for Omah’s melodic vocals to take the stage. His rhyme pattern gives the song some character, where he ends every other sentence saying words in the same tone, riding the wave of each beat drop perfectly. On the pre-chorus, he sings “Cause you be my nigga, you be my goon/you be my water, you be my gold/you be my river, you be my road”, to end a verse where he says he’s ready to settle down with the girl who he’s sure of her affection.

In his usual fashion, he fuses r&b and afropop perfectly, with reflective verses which culminate into a catchy and chantable chorus; “she loves me when I’m lost, even when I no need love. She loves me like damn”. Throughout the song, he declares, “I know myself”, with a conviction which reveals that he’s aware of the faults he sings about but doesn’t let them get in the way – especially not his love life.

While he’s yearning for love on “You”, and coming to terms with his flaws on “Bad Influence”, he’s self-assured on “Damn”, and not even parents’ disapproval or fear of God doesn’t get in the way of that. He tells us “I dey smoke cigar, I dey blow skunk/I know I get boys, we dey do runs” before he declares that he “dey fear God”.  It’s common knowledge that coming to terms with who you are at the core creates a calm stillness even in the face of adversity, and Omah Lay shows that he’s aware of this on “Damn”. For an artist in such early stages in his career, it’s important for him to maintain this self-assuredness, in order to get far ahead in the harsh inhospitable conditions of the Nigerian music industry as we know it.

Cloaked in afropop’s catchiness and quotable lyrics,  “Damn” is one of those songs that could boost your confidence if you need it to. In the same breath, without needing the heaviness watered down, we imagine that if we could go outside  it would also pop off in the clubs. The ability to get listeners in their feelings whilst wanting to turn up seems to be an important marker of today’s music, and Omah Lay gets it right.

Listen to “Damn” here:

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/Omah Lay 

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ICYMI: GEMS: A list of the best songs released last week

GEMS: A list of the best songs released this week

Posted on by The Native

Every Saturday, The NATIVE Will Put Out A List Detailing The Best And Most Enjoyable Songs Released During The Week. With The Scope Widening And Music Dropping At An Immeasurable Pace, It’s Easy To Miss Out On A Lot Of New Drops, So We’ve Decided To Help Out, By Collating A List Of The Best Hip-Hop, Pop, R&B Song From All Over The Continent. Our Main Goal With This List Is To Make Finding Great Music Of The Moment Easier For You

Tems – “These Days”

Tems is undeniably one of the most exciting artists at the moment, and every song she releases sounds like an angel is speaking directly to you. This year alone, she’s managed to keep the attention on her solely with guest features, from  Odunsi The Engine’s reflective “Decided” to stirring up the perfect vibes on DRB’s “Trouble” and teaming up with Khalid & Davido for the “Know Your Worth” remix. 

This week, she graced us with her first song of the year and 4th-ever single, “These Days” where she looks inwards for a deeply reflective number. Over the mellow drum-led beat produced by RVdical The Kid, she sings ‘and these days are made from the pain/these nights are not full of stars’ musing on what seems like a past lover who revealed their darker side to her. Tems has a way of expressing what we’re all thinking, and this song is particularly needed during these unprecedented times. This new song gives us a moment to reflect on the grief of losing our normalcy and the guilt that follows when we think of those experiencing ‘real’ grief from losing loved ones around the world.

Kaychuba – “Ogbanje”

Vulnerability is not a calling card in Afropop, especially for male artists, and even when they do employ it in their music, it rarely ever gets really deep. Although he has only two singles to his name, Kaychuba might just be the honest, sad-boy hero we didn’t know we wanted. On his debut single, “Selfish”, the singer brings all the feels in a way that almost makes you ignore how self-obsessed he’s being, and for his latest, “Ogbanje”, he pulls off the same trick with a bit nuance to his storytelling abilities.

Taking stock of a relationship that ended bitterly, Kaychuba recounts all the ways he was used, misused and tricked by his ex. “Apart from 2014 wey you tell me say you go love me die/how many times I don call your phone wey you no reply me?”, he sings, pulling out receipts to show he was putting in the effort.

Usually, there are two sides to how a break-up went down, but the detail Kaychuba uses to support his narrative, coupled with the way his emotive voice gently bounces off Timijay’s R&B guitar riff and afro-folk percussion, it’s difficult to contest his side of the story. In fact, he might get you to join in wallowing, because one way or the other, we’ve all been where “Ogbanje” is.

 

Rema – “Fame”

Since he broke out last year, Rema has successfully highlighted the range of Nigerian music in more ways than one. First, his debut EP, ‘Rema’ introduced him as an afropop singer before his emo trap follow-up tape, ‘Rema Freestyle’ eventually showed off his hip-hop influences. Secondly, his ability to embody both indigenous and foreign sounds has seen him become the poster child for new generation African artists. His latest release, “Fame” sees him looking back at how much has changed for him, and narrating his experience since becoming a pop star.

Over the Woodpecker-produced emo trap background instrumentals, Rema gets vulnerable and admits his struggle to handle dating as a celebrity. To be fair, relationships tend to get complicated even without the weight of being famous, but the lyrics, “Since I got this fame, it’s been so hard to love again” are frighteningly revealing. His ability to subvert hip-hop’s braggadocious trope for a melancholic anthem is impressive and we expect that fans will be raging to this one as soon as the lockdown is lifted and we’re allowed to go out again. 

Shalom Dubas – “Ride with Me”

Maryland-based rapper/singer Shalom Dubas has just released her third EP ‘Mint, Green’, a 6-track project covers a range of themes from love to perseverance as she delivers her most well-rounded offering yet.

The EP’s undeniable standout and lead single, “Ride with Me”,  aged beautifully in light of all the other songs, where she a smooth love song which sees her showing off both her rapping and singing skills. Over an array of acoustic strings and vivid percussive patterns, she raps about her object of affection, saying they inspire her to show a level of affection she’s not used to. ‘I’m flame and I’m trying to ignite you/might write you a whole book of haikus’ she raps, before delving into mellow harmonies that sweet and shimmer on the song’s hook. 

Zilla Oaks x Prettyboy D-O x MOJO x Marv OTM – “No Conversate”

Conversate isn’t a real word, but in the context Zilla Oaks, Prettyboy D-O, MOJO and Marv OTM use it on “No Conversate”, the motive is crystal clear. Rappers asking to be left out of whatever doesn’t add to their pockets is a norm in rap music, however, Zilla and his colleagues reinforce that mind-set with undeniable moxie. Over a Tochi Bedford beat which sounds like the sonic equivalent of a wide grin through gold grills, each rapper takes turns pointing to the bag as their major focus.

D-O opens “No Conversate” with the declarative hook and a typically commanding opening verse, where apostrophes—not commas—are what separates the figures in his account balance. Marv and Zilla follow suit in quick succession, expressing disdain for long talks when it’s not about the “kpa”, and bragging about how much money they have.

While all preceding rappers turn in impressive performances, it’s MOJO who arguably steals the show with his irreverent energy and raps filled with an avalanche of quotables. “Na only money language I understand, mi o tie gbo Yoruba mo (I don’t even understand Yoruba anymore)”, he raps to open his verse, referencing a former Nigerian president and demanding for contracts instead of congrats further down the line.

Omah Lay – “Damn” 

Omah Lay‘s debut single, “You” was an instant hit and set the pace for listeners to anticipate his promised EP, ‘Get Layd’. The initial release date was set for April, however, after listening to the 3 new tracks, fans will agree that it was worth the wait. 

While love songs are far from being a novelty in afropop today, Omah Lay brings a refreshing honesty to the romantic theme. The aptly titled first song on the EP, “Damn” is a welcome jolt, where he uses the cuss word to describe the magnitude of love. Singing “She loves me like damn/ Like damn damn damn” over the delicately caressed keys, breezy synths and saxophone harmonies, Omah Lay’s impossibly nimble flow and catchy lyrics cement him as an Afropop star that shouldn’t be ignored.

For the final verse, he describes his lifestyle as an outlaw, “I’m a bad boy/ I no get work/ I dey smoke cigar, and I dey smoke skunk”. Given the sweet nature of his pre-released songs, one wouldn’t naturally associate the lover boy to these things he sings, however, it fits into the song’s narrative as a modern-day interpretation of Romeo & Juliet. “I know father don talk, make she just drop/ but she love me die, she no dey hear word”, he sings to prove his trust in the bond he shares with his partner. While there’s always the risk of losing relatability when you switch up your character in music, however, Omah Lay’s mischievous personality on “Damn” pays off to make a damn good song.

WurlD – National Anthem (Growing Wings)

Last week, WurlD released his third project in the past year, and upon first listen it was difficult to choose a favourite, so we made the entire project our pick for Best New Music. Now after a week, we’ve landed on the Shizzi-produced “National Anthem” as the standout cut, an energetic song which serves as a great introduction to the project. Listening to the project in sequence will make you go from inadvertently bopping your head to thinking about the state of your life in one fell swoop, and songs like the opener, “NATIONAL ANTHEM (GROWING WINGS)” gets you to do both.

Where ‘Arise O Compatriots, Nigeria’s call, obey’ can urge one to fit into status quo, WurlD singing ‘Dem Go Try, But They Can’t Divide Us/Dem Throw Stones, But It Never Go Touch Us’ against a bass-heavy beat with pulsating drums seems more fitting to a generation of young Nigerians who have clocked the puzzle and refuse to be trapped by their environment.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/WurlD

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ICYMI: BEST NEW MUSIC SPECIAL: WurlD makes a mark with his latest EP, AFROSOUL

Rap Song of the Week: It’s Davolee & Jaido P versus everybody on “G.O”

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

For a lot of 2019, there were so many rap beefs, that it was hard to keep track if you weren’t truly invested in the involved artists – especially if like me (a music journalist) you had to be in the know. Partly because of the confusing back story, the exchange between Davolee and Dremo wasn’t very publicised, however, it brought in its fair share of interesting jabs and ferocious cuts. With all due respect to Dremo, it was clear after a few rounds that Davolee brought a gun to a fistfight, and ended the exchange fairly quickly.

Although his biggest song till date places emphasis on his storytelling abilities, and he’s showcased versatility on a few occasions, Davolee’s raw ability as a combative lyricist is undeniable. He’s a rapper who believes he can go bar-for-bar with anyone and win, and it’s the attitude that powers his latest single, “G.O”. Tagging with frequent collaborator, Jaido P, the pair run wild together, listing their street cred, shadowboxing naysayers and beckoning potential competitors to fuck around and get smacked.

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Who is your own #G_O ??? 😂😂😂

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In terms of attitude, Davolee and Jaido P operate on the same wavelength, so much so that “G.O” is a bit like watching the Hardy Brothers gang up on one-half of a hapless opposing tag team. On this track, it’s them versus everybody, and crushing windpipes until their adversaries tap out is the only option. While the Yoruba delivery makes their menacing delivery hit harder, the controlling cadence and commanding flow both rappers wield over Masterkraft’s haunting piano strings and ground-shaking bass is enough proof that “G.O” is a deeply satisfying rap song.

While rap music has rightfully expanded its emotional range over the past two decades, it’s still an art form that allows its purveyors to turn raw aggression into visceral thumpers. “G.O” is proof that, with a beat that’s hard as nails, a burning desire to jump your rivals at every chance, and a chant-ready hook that will stay in your head for a minute, rap music can be primal and sublime in equal measure.

Watch the video for “G.O” here.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Davolee

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

ICYMI: ODUNSI (THE ENGINE) & MAISON2500 MAKE A “WICKED, SEXY!” PAIR

NATIVE EXCLUSIVE: WURLD IS HERE TO INSPIRE

I. Coming to Nigeria

In the heat of his epic IG Live beat battle with fellow ace producer Shizzi, Sarz elected “Trobul”, his first collaboration with WurlD as the reply to Davido’s “Blow My Mind”—complete with a Chris Brown feature and a previously unheard Meek Mill verse. Alluding to WurlD’s evident songwriting involvement on “Blow My Mind”, it was a perfectly cheeky insert to a night filled with Sarz’s now trademarked cheekiness.

What was even more memorable, was watching that moment escalate into a battle of which producer was the better WurlD collaborator, so much so that Shizzi played the smooth and gently swinging “Wishes & Butterflies” when the energy in the virtual room became palpably high octane.

With a joint catalogue overflowing with classic songs featuring Drake, Beyonce, Wizkid, Davido, and much more, the WurlD-centric back-and-forth set between two of the continent’s most accomplished producers is all you need to know about the singer’s growing phenomenon in the past year. At the beginning of 2019, WurlD wasn’t totally unknown – he already had widely known singles in “Trobul” and the Shizzi-produced “Show You Off”. By the end of the year, he had released two excellent projects, won an award at the Headies, co-written one of the biggest songs of the year, and capped off his fairy-tale run with headlining concerts in Abuja and Lagos.

“I knew people followed what I do, but I think Hard Rock Café was a blessing for me because it assured me that I was on the right path,” WurlD explains with a deeply appreciative tone in his voice when I asked about the significance of his Lagos show. “It showed me that I had a strong fan base in this region.” To put his sentiments into perspective, WurlD had only moved back to Nigeria on a semi-permanent basis in 2017, and upon this move had to relearn and adjust to the norms here in order to integrate into the music space.

The catalyst behind that pivotal move was “Show You Off”, a brassy, anthemic and instantly memorable song, which basks in the warm and intoxicating feel of the honeymoon phase. Interestingly, that was WurlD’s very first foray into Afropop’s sonic terrain. Prior to that, WurlD, then based in Atlanta, was honing his chops as a singer-songwriter and lending his services to a stylistically diverse set of artists including Mario, B.O.B and Trinidad James. By virtue of his extensive and successful (in Eastern Europe) work with Polish DJ/producer Gromee, WurlD’s solo music was mostly steeped in the bombast of Electronic music, before “Show You Off” effectively widened his horizons and realigned his purpose.

“I didn’t see it coming,” WurlD says of his breakout single’s success, and to be fair, no one saw the song coming. Following its 2016 release, a period when music discovery via SoundCloud was very much the in-thing, “Show You Off” built steady and organic online momentum, which eventually translated into genuine buzz for the singer by the summer of the next year. “That was a huge song, I didn’t have to promote it too much. It did well across the world, but Nigeria took that song and made it theirs—that’s the reason I’m back home.”

II. Flood the Streets

Usually, when a previously unknown artist cuts through the noise and scores their first big single, the next course of action is to follow-up with subsequent material in relatively quick succession. In his case, WurlD decided to take his time, and for good reason. “In coming back home, I had to relearn the culture, figure out what makes people tick, so I can communicate properly,” WurlD says of the 2-year space between his breakout and his debut EP.

“I didn’t want to be successful in America without Africa – or at least Nigeria – behind me. If I’m doing something and I hope to get Nigerians invested in me, there’s going to be a gap if I don’t know how to communicate and that would affect my career negatively.”

Since he released ‘Love is Contagious’, the WurlD train has been in hyper-drive, with each release adding a new layer to the singer’s artistic mosaic. As far as proper introductions go, ‘LIC’ is as formidable as they come. The 9-song project is an impressive portrait of WurlD as a dexterous singer with wide sonic ambitions, weaving between the Fuji-inspired rhythm of “Contagious”, groovy folk on my personal favourite, “Drown”, and the sensual alt-r&b feel of “Candy”.

In November, WurlD returned with ‘I Love Girls with Trobul’, this time around in collaboration with one of the most prolific producers in afropop, Sarz. In a brilliant 180 from his preceding project, ‘ILGWT’ is a concept project, which leans into the pulsating atmosphere of afro-house. Adding a layer of romantic complexity to his writing, and with Sarz’s exquisitely layered production bringing a darkened edge to his usual charm, the EP is truly ‘collaborative’ in every sense of the word.

The secret to that, was WurlD’s relative obliviousness to Sarz’s catalogue. “I didn’t know Sarz’s discography when I met him,” WurlD admits, given that he was more in tune with what was popular over in the States, and had only really heard  “Come Closer”. Just as I was processing that admission, it dawned on me that a clean slate was needed for both artists to neutrally identify with each other’s abilities and foster the synergy on ‘ILGWT’.

“One of the tracks Sarz played for me when we met was the one for “Trobul”, I recorded the song the next day. We had a conversation after that, I felt like I’d met someone I could do a project with in Nigeria, I think he felt the same way and we didn’t overthink it. We created most of those songs in 2017. It wasn’t until later on that I knew what Sarz really represents.”

Barely six months later, we’ve been given a new WurlD project. Last Friday, the blue-haired singer dropped ‘AFROSOUL’, a 7-track project that continues to unravel the ambitious and singular nature of his skillset. Collaborating with a wide range of producers that includes, Kel P, Del B and Spax, WurlD makes his omnivorous palette even more evident, as he dabbles into reggae (“Ghost Town”), afro-EDM (“Love Nobody”), and a fusion of Makossa and Afrobeat scores the upbeat opener, “National Anthem (Growing Wings)”.

With far-flung musical choices, WurlD centres ‘AFROSOUL’ by giving us a better look into the ideals of Sadiq Onifade. While the EP has its fair share of expected, veritable lover-boy cuts, we also get songs about resilience, celebration and remaining true to self rather than end up as fame-seeking zombie. “This is my Africanism at its core, that’s what ‘AFROSOUL’ is.  I didn’t hold back on my African side this time,” WurlD explains, pointing out the distinct energy of the EP.

I wanted to use this project to put a glow on my fans, cause I see and appreciate all they do. That’s why I wanted it to be free, so they can feel the same freedom I feel when I create music. This is me appreciating my fans, basically, and also setting up the album.

In tandem with his previous releases, these three projects give us a 3-dimensional image of WurlD as a singer, songwriter, collaborator and a self-aware human beings with experiences and lessons to share. Together, they’re also presented as a statement of consistency from an artist who’s intentional about the music he puts out. “The rate of these projects is me flooding the market and at the same time being mindful of quality,” WurlD tells me. “I didn’t want to just come out with anything, my goal was to consistently put out quality music and hope that people receive it well.”

III. Inspired to Inspire

In a way, WurlD’s ongoing run reminds me of Mr Eazi’s saturation campaign in 2016, when the Banku singer was literally everywhere from sporadic singles to a constant stream of guest features. The marked difference for WurlD, though, is that his strategy is a bit more meticulous and project-based, but the goal is the same: ubiquity. This approach puts WurlD in a peculiar and inter-sectional position amongst the new generation of Afropop superstars, since he’s as prolific as a mainstream act like Rema, but he also embodies the independent narrative of colleagues like Santi and Lady Donli.

The next stopping point on the WurlD train is a debut album, and he’s already stoking hype for it. Just yesterday, the singer tweeted the picture of a song in progress, simply tagged “WurlD x Asa 1”. Being a perennially reclusive artist, guest appearances from Asa are a bit like sighting a unicorn, and it only goes to highlight the infinite possibilities for WurlD’s next big drop. The singer isn’t sure when that will be, but gauging from the amount of times he mentions growing his catalogue to rival the greatest artists, I suspect we won’t have to wait more than a year.

For WurlD, the ultimate goal behind his drive for consistency in quality and quantity is that it coalesces into a career that’s inspirational for fans, colleagues and coming generations. “I looked up to some of greatest artists of all time, from Michael Jackson to Whitney Houston to Mariah Carey to Kanye to Prince,” WurlD says when we start talking long term targets.

I looked up to these artists growing up and I can’t really see myself as anything other than an artist who will inspire others, that what I aim to do. At the level at which I’m doing music, I’ve been inspired and if I’m not inspiring people, I feel like there’s something wrong there.

Much like friend and colleague Ladipoe, WurlD’s plan is to push African artistry, specifically in a way that prioritises freedom of creativity and expression. This includes making the music that feels right to him at every point, and publicly working as a hired songwriter in a terrain that isn’t too kind to that profession. While he’s collaborated and is open to collaborating with partners and major labels, WurlD prides himself on being independent, noting that he won’t ever sign any deal that threatens to infringe on his creative autonomy.

From Prince changing his name to the love symbol as a form of contractual protest, Kanye rapping through shattered jaws when no one wanted to give him a chance, to Mariah Carey pushing the diva mould to pioneer the oddball pop/hip-hop pairing, one thing WurlD’s artistic inspirations have in common with all the aforementioned is a self-conviction that drove them to leave indelible marks on music history. As an artist with a working ground game at home and a boatload of self-confidence, the singer’s dream of becoming a symbol of artistic freedom is well within his reach. With an increasing army of loyal supporters, a constant drive to create the best music possible and the whole world to gain—tell me what could go wrong.

Stream ‘AFROSOUL’ here.

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NATIVE EXCLUSIVE: LINDSEY ABUDEI TALKS PERSONAL PROCESS AND THE VALUE OF ART

Songs of the Day: new music from Wizkid, Burna Boy x Sho Madjozi, Rema, Sauti Sol and more

Posted on by The Native

With most of the world self-isolating to flatten the covid-19 curve, music is one of the things that has served to keep up our spirits 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.

Earlier in the week, we got new songs from Tems, Medikal, Big Zulu, and other artists from around the continent. Today, we’re bringing you a new selection of music from Sauti Sol, Rema, Dremo and Davido, Dunnie, YMK, ABDUL, L.A.X, Simi, and Tiwa Savage, Yung L and Wizkid, Stormzy, Burna Boy, and Sho Madjozi, BergdorfBadman and Straffitti.

COLORSXStudios x Rema – “Fame”

Rema made his Colors Studio debut 5 months ago to perform “Bad Commando”, which went on to become the title track for his latest tape. The Colors Studio have now put out a second Rema performance, this time for an unreleased song titled, “Fame”.  Just as the title suggests, “Fame” narrates Rema’s experience since he broke out into the limelight in 2019. “Since I got this fame, it’s been so hard to love again” he sings over the guitar-led instrumentals produced by Woodpecker. The song highlights one of the many allures of the Mavin star boy, as he drops his afropop melodies to embrace a more hip-hop sound.

Sauti Sol – “Insecure”

Sauti Sol have given us the latest offering off their upcoming project, “Insecure”. The Kenyan group has mastered the art of combining their voices to make charming songs with positive messages to encourage listeners. For their new release, a lightweight mix of layered strings, drum riffs, percussion provide the background to their lyrics about finding your inner confidence.

The accompanying video shows them performing at a record store while we also follow a dance performance by a woman whose insecurities physically manifests as a demon who haunts her while they dance to the beat. Their album, ‘Midnight Train’ is expected to be released on the 5th of June, but in the meantime, we can enjoy the pre-released singles like “Brighter Days”, “Insecure” and “Suzana”.

Dremo -“Mabel” featuring Davido

‘Codename Vol. 2’ was released to cheers from Dremo fans as well as rap fans across the continent. The DMW rapper adds more fuel to the fanfare with the newly released video for one of the standout tracks, “Mabel” featuring Davido. Taking turns to express their romantic feelings for their lovers over the Milakeyzz-produced beat, the song already captured the pleasant feeling of being in love. Director Q translates that feeling on to our screens as he directs the video showing Dremo and Davido on romantic duty while performing their hearty lyrics to their muse.

Stormzy – “Own It (Remix)” featuring Burna Boy and Sho Madjzoi

It didn’t take long for “Own It” to trickle down to clubs DJ sets and playlists after it was released last year. Apart from showing off Stormzy’s more vulnerable side, when he took a break from heavy lyrics about the state of affairs in England, the song highlighted the UK rapper’s global pop star ambition through Burna Boy and Ed Sheeran’s feature. “Own It” now has a new remix featuring South African rapper, Sho Madjozi, and broadens the romantic perspective of the song with her rap verse infusing her indigenous dialect and ecstatic persona.

ABDUL – “Be Happy”

It can be a challenge to find reasons to be happy when you’re confined to one place and can’t see your friends for weeks and months. However, one half of the BlackTribe duo who’s set to make a comeback as a solo act, ABDUL just released a new single, “Be Happy” to encourage listeners to take it easy. The song promises that “Tomorrow go dey okay”, as his lyrics emphasise the common sentiment that worrying about the bad things isn’t a productive use of time. With his cheerful use of pidgin English and the catchy Afropop beat produced by Dapiano, “Be Happy” plays out like a happy pill designed to put a smile on listeners’ faces.

Yimika Owoaje – “Bubblegum”

Yimika is a versatile and savvy creative just like his idol, Donald Glover. He’s known on social media for producing comedy skits but he has also been developing his career as a rapper with songs he promotes on SoundCloud. His latest offering, “Bubble Gum” sees him channel his sense of humour as he raps over a lo-fi beat produced by SiirBastien. His mood switches between confident and anxious, as he converses with his old self and ponders on whether to remain true to himself or pursue fame. “Bubble Gum” is YMK’s 2nd single for the year and we look forward to more.

Dunnie – “Overdose”

Dunnie isn’t the first songwriter to compare the emotion of falling in love with the effect of doing drugs. However, she does it so well on her latest single, “Overdose” that the song itself becomes addictive with each listen. The self-produced song is set to a mix of upbeat Afropop harmonies that guide Dunnie‘s description of a love so perfect, she jokingly questions how good it is; “The way that you give me love. Na wa”.

The backbone of the song is the groovy beat, punctuated with all sorts of fun auxiliary sounds; chimes, clanking percussions and echoing synths. However what the song really benefits from is Dunnie’s voice, which alternates between English and Pidgin English, milking the latter to give the song its rustic feel like something recorded in a remote village.

L.A.X – “Gobe (Remix)” featuring Tiwa Savage and Simi

L.A.X dropped his first single of the year, “Gobe” earlier on in the year and partnered with 2Baba to confess his unfaithfulness in his relationship. Now, he’s looking to take the narrative further, by enlisting Tiwa Savage and Simi for the song’s remix, and Both singers’ channel the angst from their past relationships with their lyrics mocking their exes for cheating on them. Tiwa’s biting lyrics, “Because of Agege Rihanna/You decide to scatter everything wey we gather”, serving as the song’s standout.

Yung L – “Eve Bounce” featuring Wizkid

“Eve Bounce” was one of the highlights of Yung L’s tape, ‘Juice and Zion’, with the wistful synths evoking Eve’s “Let Me Blow Your Mind”. For the remix, he’s enlisted Wizkid, who delivers a similarly lustful set on his verse for the song’s remix as he sings “let the music go all night/ We go do am in the morning/ I go give you when you want it”.  It’s too bad we don’t get to experience the full effects of this banger at the club, but if you’re in quarantine with a lover, this is the song to play.

BergdorfBadman – “4L” feat. Straffitti, Jaiye

Trap music is gearing to break out of the underground music scene in Nigeria and the ThirstyWorldWide collective have built a reputation and catalogue which positions them as one of the people pushing the synth-heavy hip-hop sound forward. One of the members, BergdorfBadman just put out his debut tape, ‘084Darko’ and it’s no surprise he’s singing a cocky empowering anthem on one of the standout tracks, “4L”, produced by GCL3F.

“4L” features Jaiye and the collective’s star boy, Straffitti. The presence of the crew’s de facto leader makes the BergdorfBadman‘s griff voice even more charismatic as they all talk their shit as wealthy and tough rappers with potential mob ties.

Featured image credits/instagram 

ICYMI: Here’s all the new music you may have missed from earlier in the week

Mr Eazi debuts first single off upcoming emPawa project, “I No Go Give Up On You”

Posted on by The Native

Mr Eazi has been hard at work spreading the Afropop gospel to the entire world, and to show that there are really eyes looking in, his efforts were recently rewarded with Billboard cover alongside Tiwa Savage & Davido. Now, to give the world another taste of what they’re looking at, he’s just teased his first collaboration album with emPawa, with a new single, “I No Go Give Up On You”

“I No Go Give Up On You” combines Mr Eazi and contributors’ (Ajibade, Mikel and Isaiah) charm with a wistful guitar-led beat produced by Blaq Jerzee. The catchy drum riff clearly designed for the dancefloor, sets the scene for the song’s dance club-inspired lyrics. “Them no dey propose for club/ but your body put me on the spot”, Mr Eazi sings in the chorus while the rest of the song knits together the anxieties and excitement of falling in love. The verses describe the emotions the subject of their affection evokes from them, as they rely on the song’s sweet lyrics to convince their love interests of their affection.

While the lyrics get the job done, the accompanying visualiser reflects the sentiment behind the title, “I No Go Give Up On You” as we watch Mr Eazi’s numerous attempts to convince a woman of his love. We see Mr Eazi fight a man twice his size, show up with flowers unannounced and doing many other things in order to gain his lover’s affection. The song’s hook ends with “I no go give up on you”, and the accompanying video shows that sometimes, all you need is a little persistence.

Watch the video for Mr Eazi and emPawa Africa’s “I No Go Give Up On You” below.

featured image credits: Instagram/mreazi
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ICYMI: Find out all the 30 artists that joined the emPawa program

Watch Davido and the DMW crew in the video for “Intro”

Posted on by Tami Makinde

Before the end of 2019, DMW boss, Davido released his long-awaited sophomore album ‘A Good Time’, his most expressive body of work till date. Since then, he’s been releasing videos for songs off the project from the Summer Walker-assisted “D&G” to the project’s undeniable standout, “Sweet in the Middle” featuring Zlatan, WurlD and Naira Marley.

 

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The latest song he’s now made a single is the project’s “Intro”, which sees Davido offering emotive reflections of his journey so far. The new video is a family affair, with varying clips of the whole DMW clan, as well as shots of Davido’s family showering him with prayers for protection against naysayers inserted into the mix.

Since the ‘rona became a global pandemic, there has been a shutdown of large events and festivals that could be harmful for attendees, and most artists all over the world are suffering drawbacks from this. Just before the pandemic, Davido had to cancel the rest of the North American leg of his tour and in the video directed by Brendo Kareem and his creative director, Tycoon, we get to see collated clips of the cities and shows Davido and the gang were able to get to before the pandemic.

Watch the video for “Intro” below.

Featured image credits/Youtube

Tami is living in a black mirror episode and can’t seem to wake up. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

ICYMI: Oxlade and Davido join Skip Marley and H.E.R for P2J-produced “Slow Down”

Omah Lay releases debut project, ‘Get Layd’

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

We’re not halfway through the year, but we can convincingly tell you that Omah Lay is one of the breakout stars of 2020. The singer’s Valentine’s Day single, “You”, quickly made its way up streaming charts and has been in radio rotation ever since. If not for Ms ‘Rona, “You” was shaping up to become the inescapable bop you’ll hear everywhere, from the mall to the clubs. Regardless, the buzz has directed attention to previous singles, “Bad Influence” and “Do Not Disturb”, and also set the stage for his newly released debut EP, ‘Get Layd’.

Since he announced earlier this year, ‘Get Layd’ has been highly anticipated, especially as a formal introduction to one of the hottest new artists. While the EP houses only 5-tracks, including 2 previously released tracks, “You” and “Bad Influence”, it expands on the singer’s flair for romantic expressions, instantly catchy melodies and groovy mid-tempo beats that will get you moving. In addition to solely handling vocal duties throughout the EP, Omah also produced two of the five tracks, while calling in assists from Bizzouch, El Jack and Andre Vibes for the remaining tracks.

Listen to ‘Get Layd’ here.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/OmahLayVEVO

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

ICYMI: CHECK OUT OUR BEST NEW ARTISTS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH

Oxlade & Davido join Skip Marley & H.E.R for P2J-produced ‘Slow Down’ Remix

Posted on by Damilola Animashaun

Only a few days ago, news broke that Skip Marley and H.E.R made history, garnering over 44 million global streams on “Slow Down”, which became the quickest-streaming song in Marley Family history. Last month, they enlisted P2J for a remix to the original song, now, to capitalise on their recent win,  have enlisted Davido and Oxlade for a bouncy new remix.

While this remix maintains the same cadence as the original P2J-produced remix, they’ve spiced it up even more with two additional verses from Davido and Oxlade to make the song even more appealing to a Nigerian audience, whilst also presenting our style on a global stage.

For this remix, Davido kicks things off with a bouncy and energetic verse, where he addresses a lover asking for her affection and not to mess about with his heart. He’s then joined by Skip and H.E.R with the same melodic verse we’ve heard on both previous versions of the song before Oxlade closes out the song in his usual dreamy and otherworldly fashion. Maintaining his usual loverboy personality, He sings “Girl I’m in love with you, do anything you want as long as you slow down”.

All year, we’ve had different songs which indicate how much of a global village the world has become today, and each time is just as exciting as the last. Davido has racked up a list of collaborations with many global artists from Chris Brown to Summer Walker, however, this is particularly exciting for an artist like Oxlade, who is currently enjoying his breakout season following his debut album, and has been exposed to a realm larger than his immediate vicinity. That’s definitely something dreams are made of.

Listen to “Slow Down” here:

Featured image credits/Instagram/Oxlade/Davido

Tami is living in a black mirror episode and can’t seem to wake up. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

ICYMI: Listen to Tems’ first single of 2020, “These Days”

Meet the visual artists connecting Nigerian album arts of the past & the present

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

Albums are never just about the music. To fully experience an album is to realise that there are other components which can either improve upon or hinder quality, none more so than its visual components. A lot of the time, before an album makes its way to our ears, it makes an impression on our eyes through its cover art. Even though we’re in an era where physical copies of albums have increasingly become a novelty, there’s a reason artists often unveil cover arts as part of their rollouts: branding.

When an album is visually branded in such a way that makes the right impression, it can excite the listeners and vice versa. For example, there was a huge sigh of relief and positive expectation after Davido finally shared the colourful and joyous album art for his sophomore LP, ‘A Good Time’—the pre-order link initially came with a somewhat macabre cover. However, attaching a fitting cover art to an album is not an ideal limited to recent times.

Even though technological advancements have grossly expanded the possibilities for cover arts, they’ve played such integral role that some of the greatest albums of all time have covers which are indelible in music and pop culture history. The cover art of Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ is an apex image of the disco era, zebra crossings haven’t remained the same since the Beatles paraded themselves in front of one on ‘Abbey Road’, and back home, Fela’s prolific run in the ‘70s was marked by iconic covers mostly illustrated by the great Lemi Ghariokwu.

As a way of pronouncing its importance as fixture and ever-evolving phenomenon, Nigerian visual artists Dunsin Bankole and McQueen Pius are currently running a series dedicated to album covers, tagged ‘Back to the Future, Vol. 1’.  With three instalments already released via social media, the idea behind the series is to mix and match the cover art of an older album with that of a modern one. Rather than juxtaposing, they’re using this as an avenue to connect the past and the present in a way that feels conversational and pays homage to the rich history of Nigerian music.

So far, they’ve put out artwork that combines Wizkid and King Sunny Ade, Davido and Commander Ebenezer Obey, Show Dem Camp and M.I Abaga. “What we usually do is dig for the older album cover and look for the new one, then we look for the striking elements in each one and start working up ways to combine them”, Dunsin tells me of the pair’s creative process. In addition to fusing album art, they also merge titles and curate a playlist of songs from the respective albums, as a way of paying homage to the artists featured.

With its wholesome packaging, ‘Back to the Future, Vol. 1’ is the work of two music fanatics who happen to be developing visual artists—that much was clear from Dunsin’s vigorous candour throughout our conversation. For the Akure-based duo—operating together as the Blueprint—the series is simultaneously an avenue to showcase their knack for telling compelling stories, and their belief in visual art components as a tool to heighten the experience of listening to songs and entire albums.

Our conversation with Dunsin Bankole has been lightly edited for clarity.

Dunsin Bankole (left) & McQueen Pius (right). Pictures provided by Dunsin.

NATIVE: How did you guys meet and decide to start working together?

Dunsin: We met at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Funny enough, he was the pastor of this fellowship I used to attend then. I was in part one and he was in part three. He always used to come to my hostel where we used to do these family meetings, every Sunday, and we don’t talk about anything gospel, we just chill and discuss whatever. One day we talked about music and albums, and M.I’s ‘Talk About It’ came up in the mix, I thought, ‘this is a cool guy’. After that, we bonded, became friends and eventually started working together three years ago.

How did you get into graphic design?

For me, I’ve always liked design since I was young. Back then I used to gather the packs of cereal like Nasco cornflakes and Cabin biscuit, I was obsessed with them and how they looked. But I grew up with my mum and she was a pharmacist, so I wanted to be a doctor ‘cos I thought that’d be cool. I wrote my JAMB exams but I couldn’t get into medicine ‘cos I wasn’t smart enough apparently, so I had to choose another course so I decided to pick microbiology. Two years in, I realised microbiology wasn’t it for me, so I started to figure out things I was passionate about. I tried modelling, tried to rap, tried to be a DJ, but I eventually fell into design, and people seemed to love my designs and I stuck with it.

What’s the inspiration behind “Back to the Future, Vol. 1”?

The thing is, we listen to music a lot. We’re passionate about rap music and African music. What we do with the Blueprint is that we design for businesses, but on the side, we also make art and create art direction for artists we like. We’ve been listening to older Nigerian classics recently, then I saw the artwork to King Sunny Ade’s [1982 major label debut album] ‘Afro Juju’ and I couldn’t believe that calibre of cover art was made in the ‘80s. It became an argument ‘cos my friend thought it was probably re-designed, so we did a bit of research and found out it was original, designed by an American artist even. That’s how we became obsessed with cover arts from the past, ‘cause even though a lot of them aren’t great, some are actually really nice.

We then came up with the idea that since people tend to compare modern artists to older ones, let’s just re-imagine that dynamic by combining covers of old classics and newer ones, and also create playlists such that people can actually play these songs and become acquainted with the older music and not just the names. So far, we’ve been able to curate three and we’re looking at putting out ten, ‘cos we want to make sure we’re making the right picks and combinations.

 

How do you go about picking which artists to mix and match?

That’s basically the hard part. What we usually do is dig for the older album cover and look for the new one, then we look for the striking elements in each one and start working up ways to combine them. Like the first one we did that merged King Sunny Ade and Wizkid, the striking element on KSA’s album was that brush stroke and for Wizkid it was his image with those glasses and the stars. So we took the background from KSA’s, pulled in the Wizkid image while also replicating the effect that was on KSA. For due homage to both artists, we used KSA on the glasses instead of ‘Superstar’. Also, we combine album names, so this one is titled ‘Superstar Juju Music’.

Of the three that you have now, which of them came together the fastest?

That would be ‘Talk About These Buhari Times’, the one we combined M.I’s ‘Talk About It’ and Show Dem Camp’s ‘Clone Wars IV, These Buhari Times’. We are huge rap fans, and that one just made sense. SDC’s album art had this plastered effect, so we just took that striking element, put it on the door in M.I’s cover and zoomed it out in a way that pays homage to both albums. We feel like they are two modern Nigerian rap classics.

You guys took a break, so when do you plan on continuing, and which do you consider the most ambitious amongst the ones you have ready?

We’re continuing this weekend, we took a pause ‘cause we’ve been a bit swamped with projects. Number four is two albums by female artists. Of the ones we have, the most ambitious one would be Burna Boy and Fela. That’s kinda obvious but we’re going to put that out towards the end of the series. Thing is Fela’s album arts are iconic, and Burna Boy’s recent album arts have been crazy too, so yeah that’s all I’ll say for now.

Beyond combining elements, how does this series play into your personal styles as graphic designers?

The way we make our own, the focus is to tell a unique story that connects with people, from logos to every other thing we do. With this series, we feel like we’re telling a story of Nigerian album arts through time, and at the end of the series, we plan on writing an article on the evolution of album arts from the ‘80s. For us, this is another avenue of showing that we can tell compelling stories. If you go through the series and the playlists, the stories would actually become clearer to you—that’s what we’re trying to achieve.

Interesting angle on the evolution of album arts. How would you describe their significance, especially in the streaming era where physical copies aren’t a primary way of getting to the music?

I’d say extremely important, even now more than ever, because it’s an avenue for added interaction with the music. Like the vinyl era, you had to pull them out of big cases, so you always had to interact with the cover every time you want to play the music. I think when it got to the CD era, the importance reduced ‘cause people would usually just stack CDs and play them whenever they want. With the advent of streaming, there’s been like an upturn – every time you play the music on Apple Music, Spotify or wherever you actually see the album art. In this case, the relationship between a listener and an album or a song kinda increases because it’s a visual component you can’t escape. It’s why there are album arts with colour schemes that are tweaked to fit the mood of the music.

There’s this new thing on Spotify where you can animate album arts, like the art for Burna Boy’s ‘African Giant’ does that when you go into full-screen mode. WurlD’s new project, ‘AFRO SOUL’ also does that as well. It goes to show that there’s a lot of potential for integrating album covers to fit the mood of the music. Imagine an experimental album where each song has a different colour scheme with the same album art, so when you’re playing an album, it’s another layer of artistic experience. That’s only possible in the streaming era. I feel like we’re just realising all this potential, and our generation is going to be a part of curating all of this so that listeners can experience music on a higher level.

Is that a part of your future plans?

Yeah. We’re looking to create visual art for artists, ‘cos we like music, a lot. We love when artists also tell their stories through visual art, and we feel like not many artists are doing it in this part of the world, but there’s an ongoing change to an extent. Artists are paying better attention to branding their albums, and we want to be a part of that shift in the culture. So the future goal is to create visual arts through photography and designs for young artists who want to tell their stories, and also create amazing experiences for listeners to enjoy.

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

ICYMI: In conversation with Anedu Edozien, the visual artist behind DRB’s album cover