Songs of the Day: New music from WurlD, Wale, Davido, Lady Donli, Darkovibes & more

Posted on by Tami Makinde

Today, one could very easily argue that the Nigerian musical landscape is more liberated from the audience’s expectations than it’s ever been, and artists now have the room to re-imagine genres to fit their own personal expressions. This allows for an expansive range of new music from many different artists, which can become overwhelming, so we’ve decided to help out by sorting through new songs from across all the sub-genres around the continent to highlight all the new releases you absolutely Need to hear.

Earlier in the week, we brought you the mythical banger from Odunsi (the Engine) and Maison2500, a new song from one-half of R2bess, Mugeez, a Davido-assisted club-ready cut, Skales’ link up with Akon, and more. To start off the weekend, we have a new collaboration from Davido, Shizzi, and Wale. There’s also new music from Teni, Wurld, Lady Donli, Dami Oniru, Teffy, GJtheCaesar, Ayüü, and more. Dig in, and you’re welcome.

Shizzi, Davido & Wale – “Won Le Ba”

Shizzi has just released his debut single of the year, “Won Le Ba”, a self-produced bop which he enlists Davido and Wale for. The upbeat afropop number is a fusion of groovy percussions and pounding drums creating the perfect backdrop for this self-assured romantic cut. “Won Le Ba” roughly translates as you can’t keep up and Davido and Wale hone in this message with their boastful verses. ‘Y’all make noise but you don’t make ‘nough’ Wale raps on the song’s second verse, as both artists make fun of their competition and boast about the attention they receive from beautiful women.

Orezi – “Your Body” featuring Teni

Orezi is setting the pace for his upcoming album due in July with his latest single, “Your Body” featuring Teni. The sensual song celebrates women in all their greatness and the accompanying music video which is set at an outdoor party, shows how the new track is primed for the summertime–if we ever get one (yes I’m talking to you Miss ‘rona). Teni joins Orezzi to address a potential lover, ‘Hello my baby, how are you doing/I don dey wait you’ both artists sing on the hook against the groovy beat clearly geared towards the dancefloor.

WurlD – “National Anthem (Growing Wings)”

WurlD has just released his new EP ‘AFROSOUL’ a 7-track cut filled with soulful fusions where he unabashedly bares his soul to anyone who’s listening. On the EP’s opener “National Anthem (Growing Wings)”, WurlD delivers a deeply introspective track, where he sends a message of encouragement to fellow Nigerians, telling them we’ll get through the storms. ‘Dem go try but they can’t divide us/Dem throw stones but it never go touch us’ he sings, determined to inspire others who listen to the song to strengthen their resolve while also delivering a catchy number that we can still groove to.

Maison2500 – “Dirty Fanta” featuring Odunsi the Engine

Last month Maison2500 released a new project ‘Turnpike’ which housed the catchy psychedelic number, “Dirty Fanta” featuring Odunsi The Engine. He’s just released the video for the standout track and it’s a family affair, filled with cameos from everyone in the rapper’s inner circle from DRB’s Teezee to DETO Black as Maison’s muse. He’s joined by Odunsi for a psychedelic trip, where they both spits bars about the fun party-filled lifestyle they live illustrated in the video.

 Lady Donli – “Wonda Wonda” featuring Darkovibes

Since releasing her stunning debut, ‘Enjoy Your Life’ last year, Lady Donli has been proactively delivering some fire collaborations from her “Cash Remix” with Davido to her appearance on DRB’s “Ma Pariwo”. She’s been teasing a new single with Darkovibes for a while, and now she’s finally released it. Produced by Kuvie, the groovy afropop number sees our favourite Cash Mummy returning to familiar retro-inspired African sounds, and she pleads with potential love interests to leave her alone, because she’s not in the headspace for love.

Dami Oniru – “Nowhere to Run”

Earlier in the week, we spoke to Dami Oniru about her life while she’s isolation with her family, and she let us in on her new release “Nowhere to Run”. The song was actually an original submission for Beyoncé’s Lion King: The Gift, and has now released it to send her fans an encouraging message whilst we’re all stuck indoors. ‘Nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide/I’ve got no time for tears, only space for greatness here’ she sings, reflecting what many of us may be facing at the moment with having to stay indoors as the world battles with the ongoing ‘rona pandemic.

Speaking to the NATIVE, Dami Oniru shared:

The song is about forgetting who you are at some point, and eventually working through things and rediscovering your power and your strength in your weakness and just remembering that whatever the situation you are going to get through it. It’s inspired by Lion King, and I think the message in the song is really powerful so I thought no better time than now to spread the positivity.

Teffy – “Gidi Bumper”

Teffy is back with a new catchy single “Bumper”, his first release since ‘Melody King 2’ earlier this year. “Gidi Bumper” is a catchy afropop number with catchy drums and smooth melodies produced by MakBlaze. Teffy starts off the song saying ‘many people gonna use this for healing’ as he spends the rest of the song trying to soothe listeners, recognising the unprecedented times we’re all living in. The song clearly aims to give listeners something to keep them happy and take their minds of these times.

GJtheCaesar – “Gyrate” featuring Ayüü

Abuja-based artist, GJtheCaesar has just released the first single of the year “Gyrate” featuring Ayüü, a truly enjoyable number to wind down with this weekend. Both artists trade verses about the elated feeling they get from dealing with their love interests, and how the reciprocated love makes them want to sing and dance. ‘When I get that feeling/Girl I know you feel it’ sings GJtheCaesar over the song’s hook before being joined by Ayüü on the second verse who raps about getting that sensual feeling to make love.

Featured image credits/instagram/TheGuardian

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 from earlier in the week

Essentials: New projects from WurlD, Odunsi, Dr Sid, Mōnki Bznzz, KiDi & more

Posted on by The Native

In today’s era of instant gratification and a collective low attention span, it might be tempting to question an album’s relevance and place within music and more generally, popular culture. While singles give artists a bigger chance at increasing their popularity, an entire project is what gives an audience access to what they’re really about. It’s also a great way to establish an emotional connection, and in these times, we’ve seen that music is the medicine, and it’s just as important to listeners as it is to the artists themselves.

This week in music releases has made us realise how much we need to get out to enjoy all the music we’re getting in the correct setting. From KiDi experimenting with 80’s disco sounds on “Next Time I See You” which will induce a toe tap to two, to Odunsi, Amaarae, Gigi Atlantis and Deto Black’s twerk-ready “Body Count”, it’s important to consume music in the right setting. So, in order to ensure that people are enjoying these projects the way they need to, we’ve put together a list of all our favourite albums which have been released in the past week, with the aim to give listeners an extra layer to the music we’re getting and all enjoying.

Here are our 8 essential albums this week:

WurlD – AFROSOUL

With the release of AFROSOUL, WurlD refines his penchant for airy romantic meditations. The 7-track EP opens with the jazzy, and groovy “National Anthem/ Growing Wings”, where WurlD calmly reaffirms his immunity to sabotage and encourages listeners to persevere in tough times. WurlD’s love for cross-continental blends is made evident by the different elements of Shizzi’s composition, and the driving bass gives a Zouglou texture, combined with dancehall inflexions makes the song a petri-dish of African textures.

Throughout the album, his vividly emotive vocals give listeners the impression that he has been done a grave wrong, and coloured by his exciting vocal finesse and innate musicality, the project gives him the room to express emotion against catchy and inviting beats. With his usual air of confidence, WurlD is determined to succeed on his own at any cost on “Ghost Town”, where he says ‘you only gonna get one chance/so you better hit the bullseye, or you gon’ end up in the ghost town’. The pre-released “Love Nobody”, is a sparse mid-tempo EDM banger, where WurlD gleams as a man enthralled in a mutually selfish romantic affair. TMXO reimagines the afropop/ EDM hybrid that once captured clubgoers early in the 2010s with the kind of minimalist, intoxicating patterns that binds one to the dancefloor.

AFROSOUL shines it’s ability to convey emphatic passion. Whilst the listening experience is delicate, sparse and smooth, the content is deep-seated but graciously delivered through WurlDs airy ruminations. With a rich palette of sounds, the project is an eclectic journey into the heart of young man going through the various stages of love.

KiDi – ‘Blue’ (EP)

The rollout for KiDi’s debut album, ‘Sugar’, was quite an elaborate affair. To accompany the album, the Ghanaian singer shot and released a full-length film of the same title, the type of unsubtle flex not too many artists around these parts really ever attempt. By comparison, KiDi’s new EP, ‘Blue’, is a low-key drop, and that doesn’t quite undermine the quality of the actual music it houses. Coming in at five lean and infectiously mean songs, the EP puts a magnifying glass on KiDi’s best traits as a singer and songwriter.

Unlike his debut LP which was studded with A-list guest appearances, KiDi mostly goes the EP’s short distance alone, giving him ample room to strut his ability as a conjurer of instantly striking melodies and a writer with a flair for the vivid. Perfectly matching KiDi’s charm and charisma, a revolving door of sounds culminates into the bright and groovy sonic backdrop on ‘Blue’. The project’s opener, “Say Cheese”, is carried by a shoulder rolling swing, emphasised by the presence of a talking drum. Another noteworthy track, the Adina-assisted “One Man” chugs along to a folky rhythm, while “Next Time I See You”, our pick for this week’s Best New Music is propelled by a viciously catchy disco swing. 

 

Kiienka – ‘Spaceman 2.0’

Kiienka understands the appeal of mainstream dancehall music in Nigeria. Earlier this year, he teamed up with Veen for ‘Star’, a highlife fueled afropop project celebrating love and romance. His sonic shift to trap on his new EP, ‘Spaceman 2.0’ shows that he’s capable of greater emotional range, with psychedelic trap beats which amplify his observations of youth culture and gang life on the streets of Port Harcourt.

The 8-track tape of infectious bops shows us what’s going on in Kiienka’s head, while highlighting the diversity of Nigerian music in today’s self-publishing era. Hip-hop’s evolution from conventional boom-bap raps to a multi-genre sound has opened new paths for new voices. While Kiienka’s auto-tuned raps about drugs and turn up moments can still be seen as a branch out into more obscure markets in Nigeria, Veen’s production and collaboration with PsychoYP makes ‘Spaceman 2.0’ primed to encourage even the most sceptical listeners to accept the new and unconventional sound of hip-hop.

The image of Kiienka holding up a lighter, while wearing a face-mask like a thief on the cover art perfectly captures the project’s mood. “Pull up the glock and you rest up in roses” he threatens over the thick guitar basslines, synths and heavy drums on “Gvnz and Roses”. He shows off his druggy-lifestyle on the braggadocious track, “Fast Lane”, and compliments a woman he’s courting on “L.A Girls”. On the r&b track, “Bonnie & Clyde” featuring Libianca, he lets us know that he’s smitten, singing “Fuck with my Bonnie then it’s over/ Pull up on you in a rover”. Whatever mood he chooses to show off on the tracks, it’s compelling and it gets the people going.

Odunsi The Engine – Everything You Heard Is True

Earlier this week, Odunsi the Engine released a surprise EP ‘Everything You Heard is True’ where we see him taking off his training wheels and diving deeper into a more experimental mode than we’ve ever seen from him before. The 7-track collection finally made his sought-after collaboration with Maison2500,  “wicked, sexy” available to the public, and it’s everything we’ve been wishing for.

While each song sees him in his deeply reflective bag, as usual, he explores many different sonic styles as both producer and artist, preparing listeners for what to expect on his next album. Whilst more exciting tracks like “body count” clearly aim to make a statement beyond the sonic quality, songs like “nu finesse” and “airplane mode” take us into his deep, dark mind, giving us more insight to him as a person which in turn explains the music we’re hearing better. Odunsi knows the winning formula, and he’s not about to let go of it anytime soon.

Mōnki Bznzz – Banana Peel Vol. 1

Mōnki Bznzz is an EDM collective, led by Mōzzy the monkey producer. Having released a string of unique mixes, including a remix of Efe Oraka’s “Wondaland”, Monki Bznzz highlight their technical ability in making contemporary afro-EDM blends, with energetic & expansive reimaginations. On their debut project, ‘Banana Peel Vol. 1’, Mozzy and the rest of his crew, stretch the horizons of original cultural blends even further, and introduce us to their vibrant and eclectic world of afro-house, designed to make you dance your sorrows away.

The project opens with the oxymoronic “Lights Out”, with sombre piano chords which lead the record, yielding to uptempo electro notes. In the midst of scattered acapella beatbox inflexions from Mon Lee, the track crescendos into a complex array of driving drums, groovy synths, and pacey hi-hats. Elsewhere, tracks like “Broken Glass” meld EDM with elements of r&b and hip-hop in a transparent, fluid mix, in a similar fashion to the EPs closing track, “Shrine Love”. ‘Banana Peel’ ditches the anxiety and pacing thoughts you get at the start of the party for epic chants and celebration, as you get loose to the groove, bringing the project full circle.

The entire project shines as a vibrant, polished and colourful playground, with striking compositions, and subtle messaging that grounds the project to reality. Despite the situations the artists find themselves in, they rise to their duty, with an optimistic outlook that energises their efforts. The positive projections and melancholic recounts coupled with the diverse sonic range of ‘Banana Peel Vol 1’ make the entire project a vivid, and immersive rollercoaster of emotions.

Lioness – Wish You Were Here

A week ago, Namibian rapper, Lioness unveiled her third studio LP ‘Wish You Were Here’, a 12-track project cementing her growing catalogue as a young female artist who is navigating the African hip-hop scene. Speaking to the NATIVE, the doctor and rapper credited Mr. Eazi as being an influential part of the LP, as his invaluable advice to expand her artistry to singing as well as rapping gave her the confidence to expand her sonic influences.

The result is a stunning body of work on which she fuses r&b and hip-hop tropes with dancehall and amapiano-inspired sounds, where she reflects upon her life in the bid to achieve some catharsis through her art. With honest lyrics and a cadence which you don’t typically see women embody in music, the project is important especially now when music is the medicine for the cabin fever we’re all feeling. Lioness is joined on the album by Ghana’s J. Derobie, Ogranya, Dizzo, South African DJ/producer Young DLC and more.

popsnotthefather – ‘NNNN’

South Africa boasts of a stacked r&b scene, which is stylistically diverse – from the auto-tuned Trapsoul of Tshego to the earthy, neo-soul influences of rising star Elaine. Adding a striking new dimension, popsnotthefather dips his music into an experimental sea which pulls elements from psychedelia, hip-hop, prog-rock and more. The result of this, as shown on his debut project ‘NNNN’, is a trippy, immersive and sometimes mind-bending universe, which vacillates between floating and drowning.

The most impressive thing about ‘NNNN’ is that pops uses this plethora of sounds to emphasise himself as the main attraction, keeping the balance by technologically contorting his voice in ways that amplify the emotions on display. Across twelve songs and in less than half an hour, the singer explores romantic vulnerability and bodily pleasure with the same level of devotion. Over the hypnotic sirens of “BREAKYOUOFF”, he conveys the intensity of his sexual desire by seeking consent, while acoustic guitars surround his heartfelt confessions on “DOWNONMYKNEES”.

Dr Sid – ‘The Interesting EP’

Dr Sid has something to prove. It’s been 10 years since he released his debut album, ‘Turning Point’ which saw him make the transition from a rapper to a pop star. Though hit songs like “Pop Champagne” and “Surulere” from his 2 previous projects confirm that he’s a beast when it comes to making club bangers, he has been relatively quiet since then. His newly released EP, ‘The Interesting EP’ shows that he spent his time honing in on his craft in the sidelines, and is now determined not to get lost in the shuffle again.

‘The Interesting EP’ was released on Mavin’s 8th anniversary and each of the 5 tracks celebrate his teammates, love and party lifestyle. The opening track, “That’s Interesting”, features label boss, Don Jazzy who already teased the song on his Instagram two years ago. The love song highlights the timeless groove of highlife music as they both take turns singing their appreciation for their love interest over the lightweight beat produced by Don Jazzy with a banku bounce. The effortless chemistry between Dr Sid and Don Jazzy is a testament to years of working together since as far back as the Mo’hits era.

He gets boastful on the M.I-assisted “Lifestyle”, where they both reminisce about their humble beginnings in the industry and how far they’ve come since. Elsewhere, he teams up with labelmate, Ladipoe for 4-20 anthem, “Lit”, while Ozedikuz provides the breezy afropop beat for “Carry Go”, featuring Cameroonian singer, Eyango. The pandemic we’re currently experiencing has kept us from experiencing these club-driven songs on the dance floors they were designed for, but Dr Sid is prepared to ignore all that and enjoy the good life his music career has given him.

Featured image credits/CapitalXtra 

Words by: Dennis Ade-Peters, Tami Makinde, Debola Abimbolu, Djaji Prime 

ICYMI: New music from Maison2500, Lady Donli, Darkovibes & more

Listen to WurlD’s new EP, Afrosoul

Posted on by The Native

One could very easily say today that the landscape of Nigerian music is more liberated from the audience’s expectations than it’s ever been, and artists now have the room to re-imagine genres to fit their own personal expressions. WurlD is one artist who definitely enjoys this and coloured by his exciting vocal finesse and innate musicality his recently released EP, AFROSOUL is proof of this.

WurlD’s love for cross-continental blends is made evident by the different elements of the beat’s compositions in conjunction with the singer’s penchant for dancehall and saxophone sections to make the featured songs a sonic treat. With no featured artists, the singer invites listeners to enjoy his sonic ability on all 7 tracks, with confident delivery telling us a different story with each song. 

The 7-track EP opens with the jazzy, and groovy “National Anthem/ Growing Wings”, where WurlD calmly encourages listeners to persevere in the face of the adversity we’re currently facing. With his usual air of confidence, he is determined to succeed on his own at any cost, on “Ghost Town” where he sings ‘you only gonna get one chance// so you better hit the bullseye, or you gon’ end up in the ghost town’. “Love Nobody”, is a sparse mid-tempo EDM banger, where TMXO reimagines the afropop/ EDM hybrid that once captured clubgoers early in the 2010s with the kind of minimalist, intoxicating patterns that binds one to the dancefloor.

The entire project benefits the most from his delicate vocal delivery, which gives listeners a peek into his emphatic passion. Whilst bedded by energetic and lively beats which make the listening experience is delicate and smooth, what he’s actually singing to us is deep-seated and very emotional. With a rich palette of sounds, AFROSOUL is an eclectic journey into the heart of a young man going through the various stages of love.

Stream the project here:

Featured image credits/WurlD/Instagram

ICYMI: Best New Music: KiDi explores a funky disco sound with “Next Time I See You” 

Meet Eno, the visual architect turning everyone into Sims

Posted on by Adewojumi Aderemi

Ahead of the release of his surprise EP, Everything You Heard Is True, Odunsi (The Engine) teased the only record off the striking new tape that we were given any advance warning to expect. The “body count” teaser video depicted  Odunsi, DETO BLACK, Amaarae and Gigi Atlantis – the song’s fiery quartet – getting down to their infectious groove… as SIMS!

Watching them strike character-defining poses and break out sensuous moves in the “body count” teaser animated the 20-second clip beyond the affordances of the lively song itself. Much like visuals of inebriated moshpits that surrounded the cries for the long-awaited “wicked, sexy!”, “body count”‘s badass Sims figures added to the allure of the song. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait too long before the song’s official release, which was accompanied by more performances from DETO BLACK’s and Amaarae’s Sims.

“body count” is a sexually liberating track upon which Gigi Atlantis, Amaarae and DETO BLACK encourage women to defy cultural mores and appease their sexual appetite. Empowering women in more than one way, “body count” sees The Girls run the show, not only the vocalisers on the track (or Mowalola who styles them) but also the 18-year-old Sims enthusiast responsible for the digital depictions. Eno, whose role it was to illustrate the sexy body bouncing which Gigi chants over the hook, is a young Nigerian girl who lives within a society that permits everybody but the woman herself to sexualise the female form, so of course “body count” was deeper than her professional debut:

“The song starts with the chorus and when I heard it I was like “ah cool.” But once I heard Amaarae say “big d*ck for me” I REWINDED ’cause knew the song was gonna be super sexy, and the chorus hits different when you realise that. I smiled throughout, I felt empowered. Aunties need reminding, I’m actually a bad bitch.”

 

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With her first-ever commission as a digital artist entering the top ten on Nigeria’s Apple Music charts within hours, Eno’s bad bitchery is now indisputable (just like D BLACK’s, another artist who made her debut on the record and the wordsmith of the bar Eno references: “Tell those aunties I’m a bad bitch”). This instantly prosperous collaboration with Nigerian music and fashion powerhouses is a start many creatives would strategise for months for, but for Eno this moment was simply a happy by-product of her creative hobby and perfect timing.

“I made the Odunsi Sim for fun, sent it to a friend, they loved it & said Odunsi was actually looking for something similar to tease new music with. [Odunsi] then put me in contact with [Mowalola] and we worked together on the styling.”

The Odunsi Sim wasn’t Eno’s first time recreating a celebrity figure in her Sims utopia, where every beautiful face she spots in real life has the potential to be replicated. Rihanna and Beyoncé are two other Simed singers which Eno shares with me.

“I’m sort of obsessed with making the game as realistic as possible. I actually made an Instagram for [my Beyoncé Sim] but it got deleted [for] impersonation”

Not only do the likenesses resemble their muses, but everything from DETO BLACK’s assertive dance moves to Odunsi’s photogenic poses bear similarities to the IRL characters – including their fashion choices. Eno’s desire to achieve the most detailed rendering of her subjects led to some quality time with the creative junkie behind the eponymous brand, MOWALOLA, perfecting the familiar ‘fits we see her Sims model in the “body count” teaser shots. Eno tells me of the long-winded process required to self-style your Sims beyond the game’s stock: saying

“To put it simply, to make your own looks this is, you have to create your own “mesh” (which is like a skeleton for the item of clothing) and put colour on it. There’s an abundance of creators online so I think you can really get whatever look you want. I think the game could be limitless, with the right modding”

Though she’s also got pursuing her degree on her plate, Eno is still determined to test the Sims game’s limits, as she looks to flip this hobby into a career. For many of us youngins, Sims was a recreational part of our childhood, to some degree or another, and for Eno, it was to a great degree.

“I used to play a lot of the Sims when I was younger, but the game fell off heavily so I’m just into dress-up. That morphed into pretty successful attempts at making celebrities on the game, then objects, clothes etc.”

Although she’s still learning how to use the software, by finally putting her name to her work with these “body count” clips, Eno is now ready to take on the difficulty that comes with managing university deadlines alongside a freelance career. A struggle all too familiar for young creatives these days, Eno assures me that she is prepared for the workload to come, and wouldn’t have it any other way.

“When I “perfect my craft” and change details and make animations I really feel like what I put out will be 200x better than the current teasers”

Eno is so confident her ability to replicate reality – or at least real people – that she’s considering an entirely virtual Instagram presence, creating a Sim for herself who, in her world, can interact with Beyoncé, Rihanna, Gigi Atlantis, and all the other digital avatars to come. And it won’t just be Eno who’s got a virtual presence roaming around the digital world – she thinks Sims and avatars are going to become mainstays on social media. Given the current state of affairs, where physical contact is all but prohibited, it doesn’t seem at all like a far fetched reality that avatars similar to the characters Eno creates will become our proxy for social interaction. In fact, Odunsi commissioning Eno’s Sims for the “body count” teasers – a direct reflection of how the times are pushing artists towards more imaginative visuals – is an early indication of what the (distant) future may hold.

“Though I don’t feel it’ll start with the virtual presence as a person like Lil Miquela, I honestly think brands will gravitate towards using 3D models. I know I would! And if the models are unique – or just conventionally attractive – enough they may have their own individual online presences.

I’m thinking really far [ahead]; I do think I’m gonna see more of this in the future [though]. Virtual artists, it’s our time! Even though I’m a full beginner, if you’re reading this come & teach me, let’s make bank!”

Lil Miquela is a Brazilian-American virtual influencer created by Trevor McFreddies (you may but probably don’t know him as Yung Skeeter) and Sara DeCou for their ‘transmedia’ digital studio, BRUD. Boasting endorsements from Prada and Calvin Klein, and an active music career, she recently released two singles featuring Teyana Taylor, Miquela’s popularity and access has been the subject of much controversy since she grew into stardom.

Last year she, and her co-creators, received backlash for her first-person narrative account of being touched inappropriately in the back of a car. A completely fictional event (because she’s only real in the digital sphere) Miquela’s video seemed insensitive, tone-deaf and inconsiderate of the many real victims for whom sexual harassment and assault is not just a story to register outrage, but an actual traumatic event. In 2018, Dominic Cadogan and Kemi Alemoru addressed the topic of Lil Miquela’s modelling/influencing career sidelining actual models of colour. Kemi Alemoru argued that along with other virtual characters, Shudu and Nfon, Miquela’s presence was enabling companies to capitalise on ‘POC aesthetics’ whilst at the same time marginalising people of colour. It’s this incendiary practice of profiteering, which is inherent in capitalism that leaves Eno disillusioned.  

“I want to see more virtual presences. Although, because of capitalism I question whether I actually want that, because even now there are white artists who profit off of their black/POC 3D models and that honestly makes me uncomfortable. Not because of who they’ve chosen to create, as art is subjective, but it’s the profit part.

I feel only black people should be able to do that [profit] off black culture, and our features are a part of the culture. [Virtual characters] will probably become exploitative, as everything eventually does.”

Independently of human (ab)use, technologies don’t actually pose a threat to us (think: ‘guns don’t kill people’), however, it is possible to propagate societal shortcomings through technologies by weaving inequalities into the fabric of what we create online. Eno is distancing herself from that world, and her interest in virtual reality hardly extends beyond Sims and IVMU – another online gaming metaverse. Her characters are based on real-life people, so whatever profit she attains from her passion always comes with the consent and approval of her subjects. Eno has no desire for capitalistic exploitation, she simply wants to reimagine the beauty she witnesses in her everyday life through her own digital lens.

“No matter how “real” I want my Sims to look, I’m still creating my own fantasy. It’s a form of expression that I feel everyone should enjoy.“

 

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

ICYMI: THE IMPORTANCE OF A SONG LIKE ‘BODY COUNT’ FOR AFRICAN WOMEN

On Simi’s “Duduke” being the most played song in the country & not having a moment

Posted on by Damilola Animashaun

Since she broke out in 2014 with “Tiff”, Simi has had a hit in circulation almost every year from “Jamb Question” & “Joromi” to “Owanbe” & “Mind Your Business”. Regardless, conversations about her in popular culture have always been based around what she’s wearing, who she’s dating or whether or not she’s pregnant, and her place in the actual music industry is never really given much thought or presence.

Her latest single, “Duduke” is probably the most glaring example of this, where the announcement of her pregnancy took over the course of the conversation, rather than the fact that the song is actually one of the most played songs in the country right now, topping the charts on every DSP and radio station at the moment.

Currently, we’re all celebrating Nicki Minaj & Doja Cat’s first number 1 on the Billboard Charts, given how impressive it is that a black female artist has garnered enough listens to make their songs the most played in the country. The fact that an artist like Nicki Minaj after delivering hits for so many years has only reached the top of the charts in 2020, is telling, especially when artists like Lil Nas X or Roddy Ricch reached these heights after a short time in the game, and also stayed at the top of the charts for many weeks after they got there.

In the Nigerian charts, which we can only measure through curated playlists on DSPs giving us indication of how many people are listening, Simi is currently occupying the top 2 spots across the board, with “Duduke” and her contribution to Ladipoe’s latest song, “Know You”. Before yesterday when “Body Count” dropped, she was the only woman featured in the top 10 on Apple Music, Spotify & Audiomack, yet, the conversation about her remained either non-existent or only about her personal life and choices. Simi is one of the most talented women we have in the music industry today – not many people are aware of the fact that she writes, produces and mixes her own songs, which is a very impressive feat given how scarce it is to find women who work behind the scenes in music.

With this in mind, she clearly puts in the necessary work towards making the kind of music her audience enjoys, and her position at the top of the charts shows that there are people (somewhere) who are listening to her music. On one hand, this could be telling of the fact that women always have to do and be more to gain the attention of a wider audience, even when they’re doing as much (in this case, more) than their male counterparts.

Artists such as M.I or Odunsi The Engine are constantly given praise for having both song making and writing talents, an extraordinary feat which doesn’t require them to work any harder than they need to in order to gain the praise. These artists also get attention for things outside of music, from Odunsi’s outlandish hair to M.I’s ‘double entendre’, which never seems to affect how their music is received by any audience. This is not quite the case for Simi, whose number 1 song was mostly celebrated by the fact that she announced that she and her husband are with child.

Contrarily, however, it’s also not that hard to see why Simi is typically counted out, especially considering the fact that the socially conscious and liberal young demographic who would care about these achievements, don’t seem to like her. While the injustice is clear, it’s also quite difficult to root for Simi, because she often perpetuates harmful ideologies, which this demographic are definitely holding her to.

 

The echo chamber of (younger) millennial and Gen Z audience, who have dominant currency in popular culture will always hold you accountable for your wrongdoings. This year alone, on her talk show, ‘Stoopid Conversations’, she has said a few flagrant things which polarise her, and cause a disconnect between her and this audience. In the first (now deleted) episode, she very boldly said that she believes homosexuality is a choice which she doesn’t think it’s natural.

Our generation, unlike the older Nigerian generation, are a lot more tolerant of things society forces us to believe is other. We have enough access to information for anyone in our age bracket to have moved past this bottom line, and it was disappointing to see that Simi is part of a group of people who haven’t. As a woman who belongs to a marginalised group in society and has a platform, it’s very irresponsible to add to the vitriol the LGBT community are fighting every day. To her, it might seem as though she’s innocently stating her opinion, however, she inadvertently lost the support of some people who would be loyal fans, whilst also managing to piss off the rest who are apathetic towards her.

This isn’t something we can pin to a gender divide because anyone who harbours the same or similar beliefs to her and voiced them on a platform everyone has access to, would get the same treatment. Kizz Daniel is a good example of this, another artist who always has at least one hit in circulation, however, after showing his misogynistic tendencies several times, has been relegated to the background and no one really cares when he achieves anything these days.

We carried out a survey amongst some members of our community, to find that 59% of the people we approached didn’t like or dislike Simi, but were apathetic towards her. When we asked why, people cited several different reasons for this from not liking her voice and intonation, to others who said it’s because they think she dresses badly. To put in perspective, someone like Tiwa Savage, who in the past has said derogatory things about feminism, still appeals to a wide group of women, because she defies set norms by living loudly and seems to be doing exactly what she wants to be doing rather than what she’s supposed to be doing.

Beyond her statements, Tiwa is more relatable to the group of young women who would celebrate Simi’s achievement, because she appears to be more relatable and align more with our ideologies through her music as well. Simi, on the other hand, appears to pander a bit more to these norms – from her views on the LGBT community to the way she presents herself – which as an enlightened generation who are trying to break free from these norms don’t really fuck with. This could contribute more to people’s apathy towards her and explain why she’s left out of conversations about music and not about gossip and vitriol.

Regardless, the numbers show that people are listening to her anyway, and there’s clearly a set of people who have a similar mind frame to her, and care about her music – it’s just not the people who determine and dictate what’s popular culture. We’re never going to hear Simi pop off in the club, and are more likely to hear her music at a wedding (before 8pm) or when our parents are trying to be ‘current’.

The missing link between her numbers and whether they care however, is that these people who listen to her don’t control or even contribute to popular culture. Yesterday, when “Body Count” dropped, most of the conversation surrounding it was about how much of a moment it was for women, and also it’s place in the charts. This just goes to show that when women achieve these feats, there are people ready to celebrate, and given all this, it’s a bit annoying that a prime candidate who could change the status quo for women in music for our generation is actually unable to.

The way the music industry around the entire world is set up, there’s only room for one woman at a time, and if we didn’t have all these reasons holding Simi back, she would 100% break the chain and bring another seat for herself to the table considering her talent.

Featured image credits/Simi/YouTube

Damilola is the HBIC around here. Don’t tweet at her @damdamxx 

ICYMI: Alhaja Eniola Salami is one of Nollywood’s most important female characters

Exploring the issues with the need for fans to compare musicians

Posted on by The Native

These days, it seems as though rivalries between artists bring about an intoxicating high for music lovers and fans of art in general. In 2007, the hip-hop industry pit 50 Cent against Kanye West in the build up to the release of their respective studio albums,’Curtis’ & ‘Graduation’, which was buttressed by their infamous face-off on the Rolling Stone cover that same year. The ensuing media ‘beef’ was a marketing success, and it also marked a change in the direction of mainstream hip-hop music. Kanye represented a new, more melodic alternative, while 50 Cent was the more established hip-hop OG, whose commercial success made him a near-invincible adversary. The victor of that battle was Kanye West’s, ‘Graduation’  which outsold ‘Curtis’, and Kanye then went on to dominate not just hip-hop, but pop music in general.

Last decade, afropop fans were consumed with analysing who was better between Wizkid and Davido, which was egged on by their beef which they often took to social media. Each release sparked debate with arguments and rebuttals about who was the ace pop star in Nigeria. Even after sharing the stage together several times in shows of solidarity, the conversation around Wizkid vs Davido is still very much present, and with more accolades, hits and success, grooming their own stead of artists, there’s no real clear winner.

The Wizkid and Davido comparisons are more akin to Michael vs Prince though, as they are both contemporaries whose careers ran parallel to one another, as distinct and prominent figures within their spheres of pop music. Whilst human beings are fiercely competitive, it still begs the question; why do fans love to compare artists?

According to a Social Comparison Theory, human beings have a basic drive to evaluate their opinions and abilities, and people evaluate themselves through objective, ‘nonsocial’ means. However, when objective ‘nonsocial’ means are unavailable, people evaluate their opinions and abilities by comparison to other people. Furthermore, the theory states that the tendency to compare oneself to another person decreases, as the difference between their opinions and abilities becomes more divergent, which is why Burna Boy is more fairly compared to Davido or Fela, than he would be to Kanye West or Prince.

Music is subjective and experience-based, as most art is. With so many styles, variations and tastes, it’s extremely hard to make an air-tight argument about what is ‘the best’ music – everything is debatable, and this is perhaps what further fuels the need for comparisons. Artists are graded initially by how popular they are and how much acclaim they have built. Warring factions of loyal fanbases can easily spend hours making a case for their faves.

Social media has added a new layer of fan’s access, and thanks to constant updates through Twitter, Instagram and other channels, fans feel closer to artists they love, resulting in devout, cult followings for all the different tiers of artists. The result of this is standom, and Nigerian Twitter users would be all too familiar with ‘Wizkid FC’ the ever ready defence squad for Starboy.

These types of comparisons are not just limited to afropop. Twitter users recently decided to compare rappers YCEE & Dremo, following the release of ‘Codename, Vol. 2’. Whilst they share the same genre, the circumstances around their music, from influence to rollout strategies are wildly different. Some fans went as far as saying that YCEE has not had a record as big as “Juice” in a while, ignoring the fact that YCEE had gone through a prolonged legal battle, which not only prevented him from releasing music but most likely also took a mental toll, which cannot be gotten over so easily.

Context such as YCEE’s label problems are usually neglected in conversations about comparing talent. For the artist, this is damaging, as it waters down the years of hard work and dedication put into creating the music we love, and distils the fact that there’s an endless list of parameters for success. Creating an original body of work is a feat in its own right, and should be appreciated regardless.

Stan culture shares a lot of its origin in hip-hop culture. After many years of this fandom, the term was coined by Eminem, due to the titular song which recounted the tale of an over-obsessed fan. Stan culture defined a lot of outcomes in hip hop, from boosting Kanye’s first week sales to defeat 50 Cent, to Drake fans rallying around the 6God like an episode of Power Rangers during his feud with Meek Mill, creating killer memes, adding a new dimension to traditional rap beef.

Stans can be very useful in creating hype for an artist, supporting fundraising and other campaigns for artists, they also often engage in rivalling contests, listing stats and building opposing arguments in support of their favourite artists. While most times these conversations are fun and can provide visibility for a creative’s work, they sometimes descend into insult matches, with very little productive impact.

No two artists are alike. Each artist is a specific and unique alchemy of experiences, influences, stylistic singularities and the beauty of art is in appreciating its purpose within context. There is no doubt that competition will continue to push artists to produce even better records, however, comparisons should never be the basis with which we define the artist. What defines an artist is the creativity they display, their individuality which makes them personable, and the consistency present in their art.

Featured Image Credits: Web
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Djaji is a creative Vagabond, send him your takes on music and African culture @djajiprime

ICYMI: Making Great Rap Music & Chasing Money Are Not Mutually Exclusive

Songs of the Day: New Music from Odunsi, Maison 2500, Davido & more

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

Today, one could very easily argue that the Nigerian musical landscape is more liberated from the audience’s expectations than it’s ever been, and artists now have the room to re-imagine genres to fit their own personal expressions. This allows for an expansive range of new music from many different artists, which can become overwhelming, so we’ve decided to help out by sorting through new songs from across all the sub-genres around the continent to highlight all the new releases you absolutely Need to hear.

To start off the week, we brought you NSG’s new single, M.anifest’s collaborative single with Kelvyn Boy and Kel P, Bella Alubo’s single donated towards a charitable cause, and more. Today, we bring you the mythical banger from Odunsi (the Engine) and Maison2500, a new song from one-half of R2bess, Mugeez, a Davido-assisted club-ready cut, Skales’ link up with Akon, and more. Dig in, and you’re welcome.

Odunsi (the Engine) x Maison2500 – “wicked, sexy!”

After its initial premiere on live stages last December, “wicked, sexy!” quickly developed a myth as the upcoming banger of our lives. Now that the song is here, as part of Odunsi’s new EP, ‘Everything You Heard is True’, that myth has become a reality that’s beyond satisfying—“wicked, sexy!” is an insanely infectious romp. As is customary, Maison2500 pulls in a phenomenal shift, however, Odunsi doesn’t get outdone on the song, delivering a verse that’s wicked, sexy, catchy, and assertive. “Niggas worry ‘bout me, worry ‘bout the wrong things/worry ‘bout your girl, do you know what she up to?/she let me do anything, everything that you don’t do”, he quips over the psychedelic beat.

dndSection x Chrystel – “Darling”

As part as Traplanta and as a solo act, dndSection is always down to feed the streets with new music. Taking a turn from the hedonist leanings of his last release, “Bestie”, the Atlanta-based rapper shows a vulnerable, lover-boy side on his new single, “Darling”. Joined by Chyrstel, both artists play out a scenario with two love interests letting down their guards as a show of commitment, with Chyrstel’s charm complementing dnd’s gruffy voice. “Can we get it started, you can be my darling”, they harmonize over the bouncy drums and guitar strums.

Skales x Akon – “Kowope”

After opening his account for the year with “Oliver Twist II”, featuring Harmonize and Falz, Skales is getting ready to drop a new EP as his next release. ‘Healing Process’, the 7-track project with features from Walshy Fire and Ice Prince, will be out later this month, however, the singer has now officially shared the Akon-assisted “Kowope” as the lead single. Backed by vibrant, Salsa-tinged production, Skales and Akon clarify their motives: make money and keep it moving. “If the money no be mine, ko s’oun to kan mi (it’s not my concern)”, Skales sings on the first verse.

Headgurl x Davido x Don Coleone – “Set Awon”

The streets will always have the mainstream in a chokehold, it seems. Since Small Doctor popularised the term, “set awon”, it has become a pop culture fixture, appearing in hit songs like Mayorkun’s “Geng”. Headgurl is now the latest artist to use the term, her new single “Set Awon” features Don Coleone and afropop superstar Davido. Together, the trio perform a boastful set about their affluence, throwing out catchy one-liners over Egarboi’s club-ready beat.

Mugeez – “Six in Da Morning”

Both as one-half of R2bees and as a solo act, Mugeez has cemented himself as one of the finest melody slingers in afropop. “Six in Da Morning”, the Ghanaian singer’s second single of the year, is an addition to his lineage of catchy, romance-fuelled bops. Accompanied by Chopstix’s summery, afro-Caribbean beat, Mugeez admires his love interest and seeks her consent for sexual relations, promising to make their time together worth her while.

TÖME – “Vie De Estabelle”

For the past two weeks, Canada-based singer TÖME has been building up to the release of her sophomore album, ‘Bigger than Four Walls’, dropping later this month. She’s already shared two singles, “Free” and “Magical Fruits” with Wavy the Creator, and she recently put out the third single, “Vie De Estabelle” –an upbeat track where she sings in a mix of French and English. Carried by her pristine voice, she tells the story of a woman trying to exit a toxic relationship, using the song as a PSA to women urging them leave men who aren’t treating them right.

Meji x Shakez Baba x David Rhino – “Sidewalk”

In less than a year, Meji has elbowed his way into the conversation of exciting Nigerian rap artists on the rise. While he’s currently prepping his debut EP, ‘Meji is the One’, scheduled to drop sometime in June, he recently shared “Sidewalk”, a proclamation of his tunnel vision focus towards achieving his goals. Pushed along by thumping production, with electric guitar scratches from David Rhino, Meji loads his stellar verse with memorable wordplay, setting the tone for Shakez’s equally impressive verse.

Maka – “Waiting for You”

Last November, Nigerian singer Maka dropped her EP, ‘It’s Not You; It’s Me’, a 10-track that centred around her soulful voice and expressive writing. Maka has now opened her account for this year with “Waiting for You”, a new single that continues to hone in on her strengths as an artist. Backed by Xblaze’s earthy, contemporary R&B production, Maka shoots her shot with someone she’s been trying to get with, letting him know she’s got some patience but won’t be caught waiting around longer than she needs to be.

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

ICYMI: GET INTO NEW MUSIC FROM M.ANIFEST, NSG, BELLA ALUBO, MARV OTM AND MORE

Polartics virtual art exhibition is proof that the way we consume art in Nigeria is changing

Posted on by Tami Makinde

In just the space of a couple of months, we’ve gone from memeing through the pain of the then-novel coronavirus to observing strict social distancing requirements to flatten the curve and curb the chances of community spreading. It’s been a gradual, yet harsh phasing into a new reality, where we are heavily reliant on social media and the Internet to stay connected with friends and loved ones, work and study remotely from home, engage in friendly culture clashes and if you’re a bit like me–attend online yoga classes on Zoom.

Every facet of our reality is changing, and it’s no surprise that with this change comes ripple effects on the way we consume music, entertainment, and art. This is why online art gallery, Polartics are quickly adapting to these new times through the introduction of their new 3-D virtual art exhibition ‘I Hope This Finds You Well’. This endeavour is a joint exhibition of work from artist, Adeoluwa Oluwajoba and photographer, Femi Johnson, with art that revolves around themes of isolation and stillness in a changing world. The exhibition is currently ongoing and will end on the 7th of June.

 

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The immersive virtual experience mimics being in an art exhibition IRL (in real life) as viewers can begin a virtual tour guided by a playlist that takes them through all the artwork on display. Oyinkana Dada, the brains behind Polartics came up with the idea for a virtual exhibition following the cancellation of an IRL exhibition she was supposed to curate in Lagos. After this, she began reading up on how other key art players were coping with the lockdown and stumbled upon the deeply immersive world of virtual tours and art fairs.

“Polartics has never had a physical space, it’s always been mainly online anyway. I guess the difference was not just putting art online, but actually curating something as close to the exhibition experience as possible”.

The new normal is now suggesting that all you need to lose yourself in art, is really just access to the internet, and Oyinkan Dada is tapping into this, alongside museums and galleries around the world phase into this frontier of 3-D digital experience. ‘I think this movement might even stay after all of this cause I mean this is a good way to save money, and as long as you raise awareness and collectors know it is happening, you don’t always need that physical space’ she explains to me, noting how this augmented reality experience is in no fact a new feat, and one that will only continue to catch on, depending on how soon we’re all allowed to be let out again.

Although things are changing, creatives are still met with the same challenges as they would be in real life without the lockdown, such as access to funds to realise her vision.  ‘The biggest challenge was not having done this before, but it was relatively straightforward once I knew what I was looking for. I knew that I was looking for some sort of software that could create an experience that was close as possible to the real thing. Funds are always a challenge, it was exciting to be creative with it and explore something new’ she tells me, explaining how the process came to life.

Conversations around how we consume entertainment and how that’s changing is definitely in the forefront right now, and it’s refreshingly exciting to see young African art collectors aligning themselves with the change that is to come. You can check out the exhibition here.

Featured image credits/Polartics

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

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

The Shuffle: Kwani Experience’s “The Mudaland Funk” as a landmark of African Jazz-Fusion

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

Nearly thirteen years after they released their sophomore album, ‘Live after Birth’, South African jazz-fusion band, Kwani Experience returned with “Ransom”, their first single since. The track is a smouldering protest against the inequalities capitalism engenders when it comes to basic human rights, and those who are familiar with Kwani Experience will see that it’s business as usual for the band, who matches their strident candour with inventive musicianship.

Back in 2005, Kwani Experience debuted with ‘Birth of the Mudaland Funk’, a magnificent showcase of the band’s sonic gumbo, comprising jazz, funk, hip-hop and traditional folk grooves, as well as the revolutionary, pan-Africanist ideal that was deeply embedded into the music. ‘Birth of the Mudaland Funk’ wasn’t a big commercial success when it came out, however, it is widely regarded as a modern classic amongst cult fans and South African jazz aficionados.

For such a highly regarded body of work, it’s almost impossible to state what’s the best song— it’s “Dipula”, if you ask me—but as far as definitive goes, there’s no stronger case than the penultimate song, “The Mudaland Funk”. As with the entire album, “The Mudaland Funk” is an amalgamation of varying styles into a striking whole, but it’s also an explicit statement of what Kwani Experience stands for, as opposed to the way it’s implied on the other songs.

“The Mudaland Funk” starts off by tearing into an ululating piano motif, clattering congas, frenetic drum surges and a solitary vocal chant, which creates the perfect atmosphere for rapper Kwela Sekele’s charged couplets, which brings to mind Gil Scott-Heron’s seminal spoken word piece “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”. “Feel the deep rhythm sections of the heart/which are Eden’s mudaland funk/we march with the harmony of chants”, Kwela recites breathlessly, proclaiming the band and its sound as the manifestation of celestial inspirations. “Kwani Experience is the mudaland funk”, he chants on the makeshift hook.

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Innerlude | #BafanaNhlapo #BTS

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Towards the middle, the song settles into a tribal soul groove that accompanies spiritual chants and declarative raps, none of which are delivered in English, however, still manage to be transcendental by virtue of sheer performance. Beyond being a definitive song for Kwani Experience, “The Mudaland Funk” is a touchstone for African jazz-fusion, due to its otherworldly headiness and blistering execution.

The late, legendary jazz musician, Miles Davis once said, “Jazz is the big brother of revolution; revolution follows it around.” Kwani Experience have always embodied that quote, even after their hiatus in 2012. It’s why their older music – ever defiant and always looking to trigger a revolution one listener at a time – remains timeless, even fifteen years later. For those who didn’t know until now, you are welcome to the Kwani Experience.

Listen to “The Mudaland Funk” here.

Featured Image Credits: web/afropunk

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

ICYMI: REVISIT BURNA’S BOY & WIZKID’S EXPERIMENTAL COLLAB, “SINGLE”

Odunsi the Engine drops suprise EP ‘Everything You Heard is True’

Posted on by Tami Makinde

Odunsi the Engine has been leading us up to this moment strategically, without us even realising. Despite not releasing any new music for about 6 months, he remained the topic of conversation seemingly every month since then. Whether it was about potential love interests, his collaboration with Tems, demands for a full version of “wicked, sexy” or commentary around his hairstyle choices: Odunsi The Engine is the name on everyone’s lips.

Last December was the first hint at the newly released project, when he premiered the mosh-inducing single “wicked, sexy” featuring Maison2500 during Santi’s Lagos-stretch of his No Tears in the Jungle concert. Just this weekend, he whet our appetites with a teaser of the girl’s anthem, “Body Count” featuring Amaarae, Gigi Atlantis & Deto Black, which certainly got everyone even more excited.

Now the wait is finally over, and Odunsi has finally blessed our eardrums with his 7-track tape which includes the much sought-after bangers.

 

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‘Everything You Heard is True’ is a culmination of everything the artist has been through in the past few months, following the cancellation of his first European tour which left him depressed and alone. He is incredibly experimental on the new EP, wishing to strip back everything we know about him, reinvent himself and show off the twin – like the Gemini he is. Speaking to the NATIVE, Odunsi admitted that the new project is:

“Just like a combination of everything anyone’s felt about me, everything anyone wants to believe, because at the end of the day it’s their perspective and I can’t battle someone’s views. Hence the EP name. Literally because everything you hear is true, because if you believe this or that then that’s what it is. It’s not a war thing, I’m not going to war with anyone about my personality or my vision, it’s more like if you’re with it, you’re with it.  It’s kind of like a statement”.

The statement he is referring to is the undiluted truth he wears on his sleeve within the 7-track tape, from the starter track “Luv in a Mosh” where he chides naysayers for worrying about his coloured hair to “Body Count” where he takes a step back and gives women the room to wield the sword of sexuality to slice notions our deeply conservative society present.

‘Everything You Heard is True’ is definitely one of the most experimental projects to come out of these parts in the last couple of months, and you don’t have to take our word for it. Listen for yourself below, you’re welcome.

Featured image credits/odunsitheengine

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

ICYMI: Odunsi the Engine and Tems’ “Decided” is the perfect song for self-reflection

The importance of a song like ‘Body Count’ for African women

Posted on by Damilola Animashaun

Female sexuality is a mainstay in afropop, yet for some reason isn’t a space women themselves are allowed to occupy, and also tend to shy away from. Women in music are marginalised by gender inequality and with respect to this are often forced to repress their own sexuality in order to satiate an audience who would rather view them as sexual objects.

“Not today, sis” said Amaarae, Gigi Atlantis & DETOBLACK with their outstanding performance on “Body Count” the undoubted standout off Odunsi’s recently released EP, ‘Everything U Heard Is True’. Beyond the incredible sonic quality, this track is a big moment for women, and I’m going to explain exactly why.

Lyrically, each artist is operating well outside of the space carved out for African women in general, starting off with Gigi’s infectious hook where she chants: ‘Don’t worry about your body count, let your body bounce’. While we all know that these conversations surrounding a woman’s autonomy over her own sexuality are tired and outdated, society doesn’t seem to follow suit in their treatment of the topic. Just last year, Kizz Daniel brazenly released the slut-shamey anthem, “Fvck You”, where he dedicated an entire song to berating his lover of sleeping with the grand total of 11 people – travesty. Only a few weeks ago, we saw Kelz, a British-Nigerian contestant from Netflix’s Too Hot To Handle mansplaining the issues he has with a woman’s body count being high, and why this is a reflection of her self esteem. He also explained that this doesn’t apply to men, because in his opinion, they experience sex differently to women, which supports the age-old myth that sex is something a man takes from a woman to enjoy, whilst a woman gives rather than enjoys for herself. The entire premise of “Body Count” and Gigi’s hook especially is here to defy this ‘norm’ and remind us that all of that is nothing but a load bullshit.

Sexuality in pop music is a nuanced concept, especially for women. It’s very empowering for them and their listeners when an artist completely controls how her sexuality is perceived, however, can be a bit cringe if it’s done solely for the appeasement of the male gaze. With her music in general, Amaarae has always embraced and presented sexuality on her own terms from songs like “Spend Some Time” and “Like It”. With this in mind, her contribution to “Body Count” sees her on form, where she flips the typical tenets of rap on its head, telling us about having the hots for the stereotypical ‘bad boy’, with lines such as “young rich nigga with blade and the chains, call me wifey”, and “big dick for me, then he fighting off the R.I.C.O”. This is especially powerful, considering how men love refer to women as gold diggers and hoes in their music, and it’s interesting to see an African woman flipping the script and giving them a taste of what they do. That’s not even all she had to offer, she also dabbles a bit into the politics involved in dating and situationships, with lyrics that negate the idea that women need emotion to enjoy sex. Men (in music and in real life) are notorious for refusing to claim the women they’re dealing with, and Amaarae takes a page from their book when she says “that’s not my man, that’s my amigo”, and also completely objectifies them with her cheeky Ludacris sample, saying “we got hoes in different area codes”.

Songs such as Khia’s  “My Neck My Back”,  Lil’ Kim’s “How Many Licks”, Missy Elliot’s “One Minute Man” and several others, prove that black women have been talking their shit and taking charge of representing their sexual autonomy for decades, however, we’re still always taken aback when we hear more recent artists like City Girls, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat and others taking up this space. While they’ve held it down for women all around the globe, this is a completely untapped niche in the African music sphere, and freshman DETO BLACK introduces it in the best way with her verse on “Body Count”.

African women are expected to conform to the purity culture society has preached to us all our lives, and DETO single-handedly challenges this with her debut on the music scene, with confident delivery and explicit lyrics which defy everything we’ve been taught. For her first attempt and introduction to her music, she raps with the cadence of any other rapper you’ve heard, introducing her signature drawl at the end of each bar and switching up her flow to ride the wave of the beat. She’s also flexing the same way you would expect any rapper to, spitting body and sex-positive lyrics which show that she is entirely in control of her interactions, expressing carnal desire and demanding the way she wants to be treated – “I know you saw me looking cute on the ‘gram/don’t step if you ain’t got a plan”, “Gotta keep it on the low though, raw dinner eat this pussy real slow though.

Deto’s penmanship elevates the gravity of what she’s saying, and completely eradicates any possibility of her ability as a rapper being challenged with wordplay and specific references to things we all go through. She speaks directly to other women like her when she reminds us to ensure that we’re actually enjoying sex, saying; “better throw it back sis, gotta let this body count”, or when she pumps us with much-needed vim to live loudly and break set barriers, putting a middle finger up to the older generation of women who enforce these norms when she says to let these aunties know that she’s a bad bitch.

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Take that 💕

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This isn’t even a particularly new feat in afropop. Songs like Tiwa Savage’s “Written All Over Your Face” (which never quite took off), or literally every other Niniola song where she sneaks in Yoruba lyrics about sexual desires between her afro-house beats exist, however, don’t quite directly address women’s sexual autonomy in the way “Body Count” does. Outside of this, you’ll find that anything to do with a woman’s sexuality in music, is controlled by the male perspective, and Odunsi taking a step back on his own project to give women the platform to do this seems like a request for a revolution.

More than a catchy bop for women to twerk to in the mirror whilst we wait for outside to open so we can hit the clubs, “Body Count” is a bold statement for women and breaks ground for a new reality to emerge. We’ve spoken about the importance of women sharing their experiences in music, and whether we realise it or not, songs like this are a great contribution to the fight for women’s liberation from the shackles of patriarchy. When Megan & Beyoncé released their “Savage” remix, it brought women from all over the world together, and “Body Count” should be met with the same reverence for women in Africa.

Enjoy the music, but also make sure you don’t worry about your body count and let your body bounce.

Featured image credits/@Jessicnnt

Damilola is the head bitch in charge around here. Don’t tweet at her @damdamxx 

ICYMI: The importance of women sharing their experiences in music

Looking back at DJ Jimmy Jatt’s influence on Nigerian music

Posted on by The Native

Traditionally, DJing as an art-form existed for one purpose; mixing records at parties to make people dance. With the rise of hip-hop, however, this role required refinement and more than players of records or tastemakers, DJs also became creators of trends, who broke new and exciting music, standing at the pulse of an industry.

While there’s perhaps a considerable list of young Nigerian jockeys today who fit into these roles and are celebrated for their skills behind the needle, there’s older list of names who are recognised for their impact in the game. Outside of this, there’s a separate list which houses only one name, on who is eulogised as a trailblazer, turned a hobby into a paying career, and has influenced both the art-form and multiple generations. That name is DJ Jimmy Jatt.

With a career spanning close to three decades, Jimmy Jatt isn’t particularly a pioneer, in fact, this is a title he’s always eager to rebut. He’s however, something more; an institution—a huge figure in Nigeria’s pop-culture history at the vanguard of a movement, and an absolute living legend.

Let me explain

If you ask the average creative, chances are that many of them would have tried their hands at music at one point, particularly rap. For Jimmy Jatt, it was no different. His younger years were heavily influenced by the variety of sounds from the streets of Lagos Island and in a wider context, American hip-hop. He took to rapping under the stage name, Master J, and it didn’t take much longer for him to discover that there was a different calling to his dream of being an entertainer – the journey just required a slightly different path.

Coming of age in Nigeria, especially in the ‘80s and ‘90s, the famous question of your dream career was only limited to a few options: doctor, lawyer, banker or engineer—any profession outside of these were met with scrutiny and generally not taken seriously. At the time, being a DJ was regarded as a hobby or an activity for kids who lacked ambition, and while Jimmy acknowledges that DJing wasn’t a decision he knew would guarantee success, he was deliberate about doing it in order to prove the naysayers wrong.

For him, there’s a punch and power to being a DJ, which has always been appealing. He aspired to be the guy who determined which records got played at an event; the one who had a raised booth or corner all to themselves that very few could get to; the one with the secret key to whether a party popped off or not.

Jimmy not only shifted what it meant to be a DJ, he also shaped its perception by building the ‘cool’ identity, which has become the mainstay of his brand. With this small number of professional DJs at the time, Jimmy was already being regarded as the best DJ in Africa by 1989 and 1990 respectively, but it was later in that decade when the pop evolution began that the impact of his work got the attention it rightfully deserved.

Down the years, he established himself as the one-stop-shop for a wide variety of services. For the artist who could not pay a producer for beats, Jimmy Jatt’s studio was the go-to place for rough instrumentals. For upcoming talents on the streets, he kicked off the Road Block Street Carnival and took some participants along to the night clubs he played at, and for those with demo tapes seeking radio airplay, Jimmy Jatt was the plug with his radio shows; Fun Fragments on OGBC2 and later Friday Night Jams on Ray-power.

“I met DJ Jimmy Jatt for the first time around 2005 when I just came into Lagos to promote “Na Beans”, narrates veteran rapper, Terry Tha Rapman. “I went to his house in Surulere, played him my single and weeks later, he invited me to record on two tracks on his album.’’ The album Terry is referring to is ‘The Definition’, the first official LP curated by a DJ in contemporary Nigerian music.

Released in 2007, Jimmy leveraged his goodwill and extensive connections, pulling together the biggest name in the industry at the time for ‘The Definition’, a project Terry refers to as a “Hip-hop milestone”. The album was a resounding success, spawning hit records, including the evergreen Lagos anthem, “Stylee” and the all-female ensemble banger, “2 Much”.

In 2008, he began Jimmy’s Jump Off, a TV show providing a platform for rappers to showcase their skills. Jimmy’s Jump Off was programmed with several videos played in-between an interview session, but its main event became the last segment which featured a freestyle session. During its run, freestyling on the Jump Off was the avenue for rappers and even singers to bolster credibility and boost their CV.

Jimmy’s booth hosted a long and diverse list of notable rap acts, pulling in evergreen moments from the M.I, Modenine, Burna Boy, the late, great DaGrin, Wizkid, L.O.S, and much more. For Ghost, one half of the rap duo Show Dem Camp, who recalls meeting Jimmy Jatt when SDC made its Jump Off appearance in 2013, he describes the show as the “modern-day Sway in the Morning or Fire in the booth.’’ These days, the Jump Off has now been expanded into an annual concert.

The legacy

I have witnessed Jimmy Jatt perform on many stages, but my first time having a conversation of any form with him was at the Castle Lite Unlocks concert in Lagos, which J. Cole headlined. Hours before the show started, the organizers tossed the press into a room for a brief exchange with artists performing on the night. Only a few artists showed up, with several of them looking like they would rather be somewhere else, but not Jimmy Jatt—that is one attribute that has defined his career all these years.

He walked into the room exchanging light-hearted banter with those he recognised and it was no surprise that his session was the longest and most insightful, as he entertained questions with the clarity of someone who had a deep understanding of his craft, a genuine love for the music and a profound appreciation for people gathered in the room. “I always realised the need to keep learning and improving myself,” he told me in a separate interview in 2018.

“The internet has made it easy now for DJs unlike when we started, so for me, to be more is to do more.” He once attempted to put together a band of his own, after discovering a band that performed at Eko Hotel, where he earned his first big fee of N1,000, got 20 times that amount. He stuck with DJing, though, building the type of legacy money can’t buy or adequately measure.

To etch a legacy is to create stories that would outlive you. What’s really admirable about Jimmy Jatt is that he has never been complacent about being great, and it extends into the extensive list of DJs and artists he has mentored or influenced. There is hardly any Nigerian DJ who didn’t pass through or get some form of help from Jimmy Jatt, be it in words, tutoring or exposure. Today, DJs like Neptune, Consequence, and Spinall have successfully followed this template, becoming dominant fixtures in Nigerian music and possessing a number of projects in their respective catalogues.

I once read that a strong measure of an artist’s greatness and legacy is how often they are cited by others as an influence—“He is always a positive force,” Ghost tells me. Jimmy Jatt certainly didn’t invent the art of DJing, nor was the first to place pieces of vinyl on a turn-table on the streets of Lagos, but the impact of how far he went to make a success out of it – not just for himself, but for anyone who dares to dream is monumental and far-reaching.

Longevity does not automatically equate to legendary, but it’s a major part of it. Prolific in the 90s, consistent in the 2000s and constantly re-inventing himself, Jimmy Jatt has shown that you can rewrite the history of your chosen path irrespective of how the society tries to outline the narratives. In his words, “If you do a great job, people will come find you,” and for close to 30 years, people have not stopped knocking on his doors.

[Featured Image Credits: Instagram/djjimmyjatt]

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Ehis Ohunyon is a veteran journalist, amongst other things. Direct your questions on Nigerian music and pop culture to him @ehiscombs

ICYMI: REMEMBERING TONY ALLEN, A BONAFIDE AFRICAN MUSIC HERO

NATIVE Exclusive: Meet Edozie Anedu, the Benin based artist behind DRB’s ‘Pioneers’ cover art

Posted on by The Native

I think my story is special. I have the role to break boundaries and connect more people, especially here in Nigeria.

The connection we once had between an album’s music and the physical design isn’t quite as prominent as it used to be in today’s age of instant music. Though we can’t tangibly hold the art like we did when we collected records and CDs, the album cover still remains the face of the songs, even though they currently only exist as a tiny thumbnail in our phone’s music library.

Regardless, this didn’t stop DRB from commissioning Benin-based artist, Edozie Anedu to produce a memorable cover for their long-awaited debut album, ‘Pioneers’. Edozie’s surrealist painting for the DRB cover evokes an emotional resonance that highlights the importance of togetherness and collaboration in Nigeria’s creative scene.

 

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Edozie Anedu gained an interest in art from when he was really young. Before he got the chance to go to museums, he developed an interest in art through his appreciation for the graffiti paintings done as part of his school’s social night activities. He soon started drawing at the back of his notebook but was punished by teachers who felt he was wasting the space he should be used to take notes. He tells me:

“Drawing at the back of my notebook is what influenced my art style. The back of your notebook is where you make rough calculations, so I’m used to drawing over rough scribbling. And if you look at my work, you’d see that all around the work, there are rough sketches. Now when I have to draw I have to incorporate those rough scribblings all over my art.”

Edozie’s work celebrates Nigeria’s youth culture with vibrant colours and rough scribblings. His Basquiat-esque approach to art pushes beyond safe conventions and makes his art stand out from his peers.

“I started out with drawing complete forms before I discovered Jean-Michel Basquiat’s work. Then I started painting and over time, that led to a particular direction which developed into my style. My style is very rough and raw. It’s influenced by Basquiat but it reflects my childhood and life experiences growing up in Benin. I don’t draw other people, I express my art in a more vibrant and more skewed form.”

His unique art style made him the go-to artist to portray the visual summary of ‘Pioneers’, named to reflect the DRB reputation as the forerunners of Lagos now buzzing alte scene.

“If you’re going to lead a new movement, if you’re going to be legendary, you have to be different”, Edozie says when he’s featured on the documentary video DRB released ahead of the album. Although he has been gaining some attention in the Lagos art scene since his work sold out at the Top Pyramid art fair in Lagos, he’s probably the least recognizable person in the 4-minute long clip which featured appearances from heavyweights such as Olamide, Davido, Skepta and the other collaborators like Santi, Odunsi The Engine, TEMS, Wani, Prettyboy DO and Lady Donli and many others who contributed on the album.

“For me it was a big surprise at first. Just getting all that info. Then we had a couple of meetings in Lagos. I travelled to Lagos for those meetings. We hung out a few times just to get into the vibe of the project” Edozie tells me, describing his surprise at being selected to design the cover for the new DRB project. “Teezee told me about ‘Pioneers’ and it was really cool because we all stand for the same thing, trying to stand out, trying to create something while still being ourselves. For me, that was all the reason I needed to work with DRB.”

Edozie Anedu’s reputation in the Lagos art scene was solidified when he held his exhibition, “Mistakes I Choose to Keep” curated by Wunika last year. He describes the experience as his opportunity to enter into the art world for real but his earlier feature at Top Pyramid Lago’s art fair already showed him the impact of his position as a young Benin-based artist, working in Lagos.

“I think my story is special. I have the role to break boundaries and connect more people, especially here in Nigeria. I remember when I mysteriously got selected for the Top Pyramid art fair. I was the only artist there who wasn’t from Lagos.

It was very significant that I wasn’t from Lagos and I was also a lot younger than everyone else. It made me realise the importance of my story and my position. You don’t see a lot of young artists going out there. People my age don’t really see a reason to push boundaries.”

His level of recognition, especially outside of his usual scope is all due to his work, which he lets speak for him. Through social media, he managed to gain the attention of people outside of his sphere, and it’s only served him well since he began. “It’s probably best not to expect anything. The main aim is to believe in your art and share as much as you can”, he says. “When I saw how people reacted to my pieces and I got feedback, that made me realise that what I was doing was working”.

 

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Edozie also explained that being from Benin inspires his work because his creative mind enjoys investigating the chaos around him. His pieces often use symbolism and sometimes written word to give commentary on his society. He believes that the purpose of art is to shock and enlighten people in the best way that he can, using his art tools. A favourite among his many pieces, “Advertising For Nigerian Police Force” for instance, speaks to Nigeria’s security challenges with striking imagery.

“In my work, I try to depict a form of honesty with how I draw my lines. My lines can be likened to that of a child’s in an effort to portray honesty. When people look at my work, I want people to see life and not just art cause I’m trying to show what life is actually about.

I also try to express the emotional side of colours. I try to combine new colours in a way to express something and I’m going to continue to do that in the hope that people are able to connect with it. I hope I am able to convey a message with the colours.”

All of these also inform the direction he decided to take for DRB’s album cover which he titled “Midnight Friends”. The art portrays a hangout scene, which expresses togetherness and how important it is to build relationships with others. It’s a sentiment that’s also mirrored in the project’s cohesive mix of different artists from the Nigerian music scene to fit seamlessly into their vision for the album.

The DRB crew have been innovative and stylish from the start. They clearly recognise the importance of having an aesthetically pleasing cover for their debut project as a collective, and collaborated with an artist who like them, knows why you need to stand out from the norm as a creative. Edozie’s visual summary of ‘Pioneers’ elevates the project from its already appealing attribute as an entertaining listening experience to a celebration of youth culture and subculture in Nigeria.

Stream ‘Pioneers’ below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/edozie__
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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: NATIVE Exclusive; Nxwrth is making the sound of the future today

How E Kelly puts his artist-oriented approach on full display with new EP, ‘No Secrets’

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

In a 2016 interview, Noah “40” Shebib, widely known for his role as Drake’s creative right-hand, detailed his artist-oriented approach to making music. In between all the technical terms, 40 explained that his fondness for immersive soundscapes is part of his process to ensure the artist has enough room to express themselves without having to duel with the beat, since they will be performing the songs and carry them as part of their catalogue for the long haul.

Listening to E Kelly’s newly released debut EP, ‘No Secrets’, I immediately recalled 40’s creative process, since the project comes off as the result of an artist-oriented approach. Usually, producer-curated projects are seen as the perfect medium for outright showcases, since for all their contribution to the music, producers are so often underappreciated. While E Kelly does strut his prowess on ‘No Secrets’, he uses it as a vehicle to display his ability as an ultimate collaborator who’s fine with dictating the colour and intensity of the spotlight rather than being under it.

For those familiar with E Kelly’s work, this approach isn’t uncharacteristic. In comparison to widely regarded colleagues such as Sarz and Shizzi, he doesn’t necessarily have the perception of a super-producer, even though his overflowing catalogue (Wizkid, Major Lazer, Mr Eazi to name a few), continued relevance and longevity are proof of the level of respect we should be putting on his name. In a recent hits battle against DJ Coublon, where he clearly omitted some of his biggest hits, E Kelly comes across as a producer who’s content with letting the music speak for him, even if it means he gets overshadowed by it.

 

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With five songs and five featured artists, E Kelly doesn’t break form with ‘No Secrets’. The project finds him adjusting to each artist’s sensibilities, without sounding like there’s no autonomy on his part—in fact, the EP’s greatest strength is in his ability to cater the variety of guests in service of well-executed songs. Take standout cut, “Oreke”, where E Kelly merges r&b-styled guitar chords and lively afropop percussion, perfectly accentuating Joeboy’s blue-eyed candour and infectious melodies.

‘No Secrets’ finds the balance between layered instrumental work and vocal delivery; instead of leaving it up to the artist to sink or swim, E Kelly works towards enabling a comfort zone for his collaborators. Mr Eazi’s appearance on the Faze-interpolating “Need Somebody” is bolstered by summery keys, xylophone plinks and booming bass; Boybreed’s heartfelt show on the title track plays to the sibling duo’s afro-Caribbean strengths; while glockenspiel riffs, tightly plucked guitars and a dancehall bounce adds momentum to King Perryy’s dynamic performance on “My Girl”.

In contrast to recent, excellent projects such as Guiltybeatz’s ‘Different’, Nxwrth’s ‘N.A.S.A’ and Rexxie’s ‘Afro Street’, E Kelly’s debut differs from how these projects retool artists’ voices to fit into the producer’s space. By virtue of its approach, ‘No Secrets’ broadens the scope of the afropop’s growing trend of producer-helmed projects, by showing it can—not should—be done in a way that suits the artists and still prioritises the producers.

Listen to E Kelly’s ‘No Secrets’ here.

Featured Image Credits: 

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

ICYMI: WE NEED TO STOP DEMANDING WHAT KIND OF MUSIC WE WANT TO HEAR FROM ARTISTS

Life in Quarantine: Here’s how Dami Oniru is spending her days indoors in Atlanta

Posted on by Tami Makinde

Life In Quarantine Is A New Bi-Weekly Column We Will Be Running To Give African Artists who are Quarantining In Different Countries Room To Speak About Their Current Creative Processes During The Current Global Pandemic. We Take A Look Into Their Daily Routines And Find Out How They Are Doing whilst having to be Away From Their Family And Friends With No End In Sight, Yet. This week, we speak to Dami Oniru about her time with her family in the States.

It took almost a whole week to get in touch with  r&b/soul singer, Dami Oniru, and from our conversation, I came to realise that it’s because the reclusive artist spends a lot of her time off social media. She’s heavily invested in her daily schedule, and doesn’t find that much time to be as plugged in.

Back in February, before the ‘Rona and shortly after the release of the colorful visuals for ‘5 Shades of Bri’, Dami Oniru flew to Atlanta to visit her mum and sister for three weeks. She certainly couldn’t predict the changes that would take place within the space of her mini holiday.

Today, it’s been three months since she left Lagos and Dami is making the most of the time indoors with her family. She is choosing to look at the current lockdowns and social distancing requirements as a blessing in disguise from God.

As she waits out the opening of borders so she can come back, Dami Oniru is spending her time indoors wisely. One thing about Dami is that she has always been well-organised in her affairs and this is something that continues today even with the lockdowns. From mapping out her daily tasks in the morning, cooking up quarantine games for her fans and followers to even taking up guitar and piano lessons, and still finding time to code, Dami Oniru is keeping busier than ever. From our conversation, she definitely inspired me to do more with my time, and that’s one of the qualities of her music which sets her apart.

 

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 On how she got stuck in Atlanta

I was meant to be in Atlanta for three weeks back in February when the coronavirus became a pandemic. Since then, I have been with my family, especially my mum and my sister and it’s great because I usually don’t get to spend this much time with them. We’re all just waiting for the borders to re-open so we can come back home, but I probably won’t even leave immediately it’s safe to travel just to see how everything out there plays out first.

On how she’s finding it

It’s been good, it’s been okay. This is the longest time I have been here at a stretch. It’s been good being with my mum and my sister. Georgia has actually re-opened, but I don’t really trust that decision because it had one of the highest number of cases in the US so my family and I are still limiting going outside and social distancing.

On how the city is like in lockdown

Like I mentioned, the city has pretty much opened back up because the state government made that call but it’s really just for essential workers and people who need to work to earn their living. Restaurants and fast-food joints are still closed but you can always order online. There are new social distancing requirements set in places like the supermarket as they have these stickers on the floor that ensure 6 feet distance between customers. I’m still spending most of my time indoors, and only go out for groceries. When I do, I glove and mask it up.

On her daily schedule in Atlanta

I usually start my day between 1pm and 2pm, I give myself free time in the morning cause once I begin my day, I’m sticking to my schedule until really late in the evening. I write a to-do list every morning and it’s usually the same thing, but it’s good to guide my day. I’m doing some coding courses, but I haven’t done it for the past two-three weeks because I have been focusing on the music aspect of my life and trying to properly plan and create a brand for myself, to utilise post covid. I’m ready to tie loose ends with everything concerning my personal brand Dami Oniru and focus on the music business side of things as well.

I now have a team, so every day, we speak about things that need to get done, and that’s mostly been about planning the release of my new single, which is out on Friday. Before this, I was coding every day and taking guitar and piano lessons, and I also started trying my hand at producing music. I actually haven’t recorded anything since quarantine started – I’ve written new songs but nothing recorded yet. My creative process usually is to work with producers and make stuff from scratch but with everything going on I have more or less had to take a pause on recording and focus more on doing things I didn’t have time for before coronavirus (BC). I’m also doing more songwriting, just trying to get better and do better because I don’t think we will get this free time again. I want to be as productive as possible.

 

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On her Quarantine Games

I think one thing a lot of people don’t know about me is that I am very playful and a kid at heart, I love playing all kind of games and I’m a big fan of word games and Sudoku. I thought this would be a great time for any artist to tie up loopholes; that could be with your fans. I was thinking of ways to connect with my fans that didn’t involve going on IG live cause that’s what hot atm. So the whole idea for the quarantine games was to get my database of fans up, so I could know what the numbers are like and try to engage with them. Because I feel like people connect with my music but because I am such a private person, they don’t really know much about me.

I google-searched a bunch of tools that could help me create word search games or crossword games and just things that could get people’s brains working and I created the games based on titles from my songs and yeah, I used that as a medium to send out emails and just gain more fans. The fastest marketing tool that’s free is definitely word of mouth because the number of people engaging with my games kept increasing. People did really engage, so its really cool to see they’re interested in me and what I have to offer and I’m happy to be a reason why they were entertained at this time. It has made my fans and I connect more, because in the emails I send out, I try to give a little advice to encourage them. A few people said they were hard, but I made some a little difficult on purpose. I hope to do more of that in the near future.

On her upcoming single, “Nowhere to Run”

The song is about forgetting who you are at some point, and eventually working through things and rediscovering your power and your strength in your weakness and just remembering that whatever the situation you are going to get through it. It’s called “Nowhere to Run”, and it’s ironic cause I mean we actually don’t have anywhere to run physically and mentally at the moment. Mentally, we will always get stuck with our thoughts and we can do things to distract ourselves in the meantime but no matter how far you run, and how much you distract yourself from what it is, you’re always going to come back to that problem. The best way is to work through it. You know how when you put a mentos in a Coke bottle, it explodes? That’s how it will be if you keep things bottled in.

On why she’s choosing to release music now

We are all collectively stuck at home, which could translate into a lot of things and that could be hard for some and easy for others. It may have an effect on the people who are used to moving around a lot and being in control, which has now been taken away and this ties into like fear and mental health. The song is basically about losing yourself and basically rediscovering your power. In conversations I have had with friends nowadays, I think this period is a time to self-reflect and just figure yourself out and if there’s anything you always wanted to do it, now is the time to do it. If there is stuff you need to heal from then now is a good time to turn inwards because like I said before, we don’t know when next we get this free time.

You will hear that the song sounds like a soundtrack for a movie, its cause it was a demo I wrote for Beyoncé’s Lion King: The Gift album. It’s inspired by Lion King, and I think the message in the song is really powerful so I thought no better time than now to spread the positivity. That’s always my goal, to put a smile on someone’s face through connecting through my music. I hope the song makes someone feel better about themselves, the song is just every positive affirmation you can think of.

One thing she loves, likes and hates.

One thing I love right now is how much I am learning and how productive I have been. In a normal setting, there are so many distractions so this is great.

One thing I like is staying home, which I love ordinarily but now I am able to spend time with my family and I really like that.

One thing I hate is not being in control. I know that God is control and I am always trying to teach myself to let go and let God. Not knowing what is coming next is kind of annoying, I know that regardless of whether I am in control or not, God’s plan is the best. I hope we’re all here to experience the good things after this.

 

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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 how Lady Donli is spending her days indoors in Toronto

Best New Music: KiDi takes inspiration from the ‘80s on “Next Time I See You”

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

Two of this year’s best albums, The Weeknd’s ‘After Hours’ and Dua Lipa’s ‘Future Nostalgia’, are defined by their explicit affinity to pop music from the ‘80s. While both artists lean into those inspirations to create personal masterpiece, in the larger context, it further highlights the far-reaching influence of music from that era.

Closer to home, Odunsi (the Engine)’s debut album, ‘rare.’, took some cues from the disco-funk hybrid originated back then, and Tyler, the Creator sampled an obscure Nigerian disco gem for a standout cut off his last album, ‘IGOR’. Now, Ghanaian singer, KiDi is the latest African artist to draw inspiration from this infinite well, and a feat he manages to pull off sublimely.

‘Blue’, KiDi’s new EP features repeat-worthy songs, loaded with ear candy melodies over mid-tempo, highlife-indented production, however, it’s the disco-heavy final track, “Next Time I See You” that stands as the project’s most striking point.

The sonic difference of “Next Time I See You” sets it apart from those within its proximity, but that novelty is an accessory to a greatly crafted song which adheres to the simple, shiny and chic essence of pop music from the ‘80s. Disco music’s best and most potent trick lies in its ability to get listeners in a good mood without subverting the emotions behind the singer’s content.

On “Next Time I See You”, technicolour keys, a low-end piano synth riff and swinging, slip-n-slide drums create the bright atmosphere for KiDi to hold out his pining heart to a love interest he feels a strong, almost divine, attraction towards. “Next time I see you, I swear walahi, I no go let you go, no way”, he proclaims on the bold and bulletproof hook.

Where KiDi’s work is usually accentuated with tricks for melodic embellishments, “Next Time I See You” finds its allure in a somewhat straightforward vocal approach, giving us a full view into the singer’s raw ability as a vocalist. Coupled with his lyrics, some of which are sung in his native dialect, the song is an incredible take on a highly influential style of music, taking KiDi’s Ghanaian identity into account while also sounding as pristine and as catchy as disco music is supposed to be.

While “Next Time I See You” is a testament to the wonderful results artists can achieve by looking to the past, it also acts a leading example for future forays from other African artists. As an amorphous genre that pulls from any and everywhere, it won’t be totally unexpected if disco becomes a prevalent source of inspiration in the near future. What’s certain, though, is that KiDi’s well-executed banger—alongside aforementioned examples—has set a high benchmark for quality.

Listen to “Next Time I See You” here.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/kidimusic

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

ICYMI: WANI SENDS A MESSAGE ABOUT RESILIENCE ON DRB’S “I SWEAR”

Songs of the Day: new music from M.anifest, NSG, Bella Alubo, Marv OTM and more

Posted on by Tami Makinde

Today, one could very easily argue that the Nigerian musical landscape is more liberated from the audience’s expectations than it’s ever been, and artists now have the room to re-imagine genres to fit their own personal expressions. This allows for an expansive range of new music from many different artists, which can become overwhelming, so we’ve decided to help out by sorting through new songs from across all the sub-genres around the continent to highlight all the new releases you absolutely Need to hear.

Last week, we brought you Rema’s new collaboration with Samzy, we also had new music from Aramide, Kida Kudz, Tomi Agape, WurlD, Yinolu, FamousCTwo, and Psycho YP as well as Namibian rapper, Lioness’ new album. To start off the new week, we have new music from NSG, Bella Alubo, Marv, Manifest, Mugeez, and many more. Dig in, and you’re welcome.

NSG – “Porsche”

Raise your hands if you were today years old when you realised NSG stands for Nigeria slash Ghana! Over the weekend, the UK’s biggest music group, NSG announced their forthcoming EP, ‘Roots’ which is due for release next month. The 18-track collection is set to feature Jae5, Chip, Tion Wayne, Legendary Beatz including pre-released fan favourites such as “Options” as well as their new single “Porsche”.

In their usual fashion, the boys are just having fun and vibing with each other over a fusion of trap and afrobeats-inspired sounds. In the accompanying music video, the group is seen having fun and boasting about their success since stepping on the scene as they enjoy the company of seductively clad dancers and deliver their verses in front of a Porsche – no less.

M.anifest – “We No Dey Hear” featuring Kelvyn Boy and Kel P

Manifest is back with a new single “We No Dey Hear Word”, a swift follow up to his last self-assured single, “No Long Talk”. This time around he teams up with Kel P, and fellow Ghanaian rapper Kelvyn Boy for a catchy upbeat number about staying true to oneself despite the curveballs that life throws.  ‘New things on the horizon/Boys no dey hear chale that’s the slogan too’ M.anifest sings assertively before he is joined by Kelvyn Boy’s melodious voice on the song’s hook both adding to the uplifting tone of the song.

The accompanying video directed by Allison Swank begins with the propitious message ‘When life puts me in a tough situation, I don’t say why me, I say ‘try me’. Shot in Accra, we get to see the sights and sounds of the city and watch the immense strength and courage of its inhabitants.

Bella Alubo – “Loneliest Girl in the World (Quarantine Edition)

Bella Alubo is currently isolating in London, where she is bagging her Master’s degree and for her latest offering has given us something to enjoy during the quarantine. On “Loneliest Girl in the World”, Bella whips up a syrupy synth production upon which she speaks about the struggles of living alone abroad. ‘I ain’t go no money/I ain’t got no friends’ she sings, baring her sould for her fans to see. With this song, we get to understand her isolation routine a bit more and the accompanying visualiser helps paint a more vivid picture of what the artist is getting up to. We also love that the track is a donated single, all proceeds she makes will be going towards COVID-19 relief in Nigeria, so make sure you listen and keep listening!

Marv OTM & Malik Bawa – “Jetski!” featuring Zilla Oaks

Abuja collective, Apex Village has whipped up a considerable level of fame in the last couple of years, putting out a prolific stream of music releases to satiate their expanding fanbase. Despite the strength they garner as a group, the members of the collective are currently cultivating budding solo careers from Psycho YP to Zilla Oaks and Marv OTM. This month, producer and artist Marv OTM is set to release a new project with fellow producer, Malik Bawa and ahead of this, they have shared a new single “Jetski!” featuring one of our Fresh Meat artists, Zilla Oaks. The new single sees both artists trading bars about running circles around the competition and staying ahead of the curve with their impressive braggadocious raps.

Emtee – “Johustleburg”

South African rapper, Emtee has just released an ode to the city that raised him into the man he is today, in new single “Johustleburg”. Producer and long-time collaborator, Ruff is responsible for the frenzy of scant bass, hi-hats and whistles on the new track. ‘You can’t play a Jo’burg nigga like that/people here hustle day and night’ he sings, admirably talking about the city of Gold and reflecting on the dangers that many within the city face.

Featured image credits/CapitalXtra 

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 Friday

For the Girls: In conversation with Deena Ade about her love for Lagos, her music and SlutWalk

Posted on by Tami Makinde

‘My name is Deena Ade and I live in Lagos’

Deena Ade is a fiercely independent artist and our very first interaction where she promptly mapped out what the nature of our subsequent conversations were going to be gave me a good sense of that. She drew my attention to a music video release she had the following day, telling me: ‘I am hoping we can collaborate on this and perhaps you can gain insight into the elusive and reclusive Deena Ade, creating in isolation’. Of course, I was instantly intrigued by this pointedly confident artist, who just two years prior, had put on the ‘infamous’ SlutWalk in Lagos. We quickly became acquainted speaking about her approach to music, and her interest in dismantling societal views against women’s sexual autonomy.

Given this, I was very surprised when Deena Ade stated her reservations about believing women who have accused someone of assault anonymously, because she thinks there’s a chance that it could be false. ‘I know my views are not conventional, but I’m a firm believer that if you are going to do something, do it right. If you’re going to accuse somebody of rape, I need you to come forward and not be anonymous because how can I argue and defend somebody I cannot confer who they are’. I immediately explained to her that anonymity doesn’t negate the validity of the claim, especially given the current climate where people are quick to defend abusers for the abused to see. Still, she maintained that:

I am never going to take one side of the story only especially when it’s from an anonymous source. I have brothers and I am very worried about that. It might seem tough and unfair but I am not for the dragging especially when we have no evidence whatsoever’ 

As stated earlier, Deena speaks with strong conviction, which made me wonder whether to prod further – I didn’t. Given that the patriarchy is woven so deeply into our societal fabric, it’s not alarming to see women with opposing views. With this reality in mind, any woman who is challenging the patriarchy in their own little way is contributing to the fight, which needs to be tackled from different angles. At the end of the day, we’re all eating the same shit from different toilets, so where I see someone not as committed in an area I’m committed to, just shows me how much more I need to do for the women I’m fighting for. 

One person’s dog in the fight, like Deena Ade’s might be to champion sexual health for women, whilst another person’s, like mine, could be more interested in ensuring that victims of assault are always seen and heard. So while our views differ, Deena Ade is entitled to her own views. I believe that it’s my responsibility, however, to educate people within my reach about the damaging effects of harbouring such views could cause for a generation of women, and the dangers of letting allegations of assault slide.

 

Deena Ade might be from Ibadan, which is very different to Lagos, however, she clearly has the inbuilt hustle mentality that comes with living in Lagos, which is probably why she made the decision to make it big over here back when she was in university. Back then, she would periodically visit the buzzing metropolis for holidays with her cousins, which drove her determination to never return home. She tells me:

Life in Lagos is pretty interesting, very different from Ibadan. It’s very exciting but very challenging as well. There are a lot of benefits to being a woman here, but it’s like a minefield most of the time

I didn’t want to go back to Ibadan and have a simple life – be a banker, and have a house and family. I wanted to go to Lagos and get it. I saw all the opportunities here and there was no way I was going to pass up on it. I made the decision to move, I worked and I saved money for rent and that was it’ she tells me with a laugh. 

For the most part, she’s doing it all on her own with the help from a few friends she made in the industry. She cites her relationship with Sarz and Wavy the Creator as one of the reasons she was welcomed so quickly into the Lagos music scene and refers to them as friends turned family, who have kept her going in her darkest moments. ‘Once I decided that I wanted to make music, I started making the necessary connections in preparation for me moving to Lagos. Of course, everything was not as it seemed and some of the people I met over the years were not as useful as they portrayed to be later’ she tells me, stressing the need to protect your energy from people in the industry ready to take advantage of young artists.

 

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Much like it is in person, Deena Ade’s superpower is her ability to connect with her listeners through reliability, and her focus is on romance and love. She’s just finished her new project and is excited for the ‘rona to be over so she can begin rolling out the new singles. In her latest song, “Bitter”, the anti-love anthem where she curses out a past lover is actually not even her own story.

‘Bitter is not my personal experience, it’s actually one of my close friends. He was breaking up with his spouse and would not stop talking about it. So I wrote the chorus based on everything he had been saying. In the verses, I was like I wonder what she is saying so I wrote it from her perspective and just kind of mix-mashed them both in’

It’s this ability to effectively communicate matters of the heart, that has endeared Deena to listeners. Earlier this year, she landed a spot at the last Femme Africa showcase, a feat that she found very thrilling. She thinks platforms like Femme Africa are really important in showcasing and highlighting female talent, in order to gain the attention of the big wigs who can really make a difference and fill the gaping hole, which lacks women in the entertainment industry as a whole.

Outside of the music, Deena is also very interested in fighting for women’s equality, and her contribution is through sexual liberation. She’s mostly interested in women’s sexual health and increasing the accessibility of contraceptives for women in Nigeria. She has been working with a few powers that be to make this happen and plans to host another SlutWalk if miss ‘rona ever leaves us alone.

 

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Through her sonic quality and bolshy nature, Deena is an important facet to the Nigerian music industry as a whole. We need more women who exist loudly and outside of convention to challenge the status quo, mainly because of the current lack there is. As we have explained previously, it’s important for women to be presented with music which mirrors their own experiences, and Deena is a good candidate for this. Perhaps something that could even help shape her own views, when she’s privy more theory outside of the scope she’s interested in for a more wholesome fight against the patriarchy.

Featured image credits/DeenaAde

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

ICYMI: Let’s talk about the big bad F: Feminism

Where Were You: Femme Africa’s virtual panel was full of wise takeaways for creatives

Posted on by Tami Makinde

Beyond the music, Femme Africa has also been committed to paving the way for other creative women manoeuvring the industry. They did so with their first-ever panel talk, Coffee With A Creative and their latest one, Spilling The Tea where we got to hear directly from women in the industry about their various experiences.

Over the weekend they brought Spilling the Tea directly to us through their first virtual webinar, which was aimed at opening up an honest dialogue about alternative streams of revenue for artists and creatives in the wake of the pandemic.

 

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The Spilling the Tea panel included some daring and revolutionary women in the creative scene including Elizabeth Sobowale, brand manager and consultant to Dj Cuppy, Kimani Moore, the marketing manager for the diaspora at WMI Warner Music and Grace Ladoja, founder of Metallic Inc. & Homecoming, as well as the manager to Skepta, Sarz & Octavian to name a few. These formidable spoke about the current state of the world, how they manoeuvre their fields and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on creative careers.

The creative industry today has been seen a huge hit thanks to the pandemic, and many young creatives have suffered a decline in their workflow and income. It was particularly heartwarming to hear the panel reassure young people that they can still remain active during these times, and offer practical solutions to make the most of the time indoors. Spilling the Tea was a great way to take our minds off the stress, and also an interesting way for creatives who signed up to the event to tap the brain of successful people in the industry and gaining perspective from different angles of the industry.

The speakers didn’t only inspire us with their personal journeys, they also shared some pertinent advice for young people who are manoeuvring the industry, using their own experiences as a milestone. The things that stuck out the most were: Grace Ladoja speaking about the importance of budgeting and mapping out finances such that you’re always in the position to plan ahead and adjust accordingly; Elizabeth Sobowale speaking about the value of staying true to the brand you have created for yourself, using her client, DJ Cuppy as an example, stressing the importance of not falling out of character, just to stay on and perform for everyone, especially in these times when we’re all stuck at home. Another thing that stuck out was Kimani’s advice for young creatives to aligning their mindset towards work, speaking about how one should always be working to improve yourself and gain experience even if you’re not being paid, because it will always serve you when bigger opportunities come your way.

Speaking to the NATIVE, Femme Africa’s founder, Ayomide Dokunmu shared her and her ever hardworking team’s motivation behind the webinar, and the excitement at landing their event speakers:

“The team and I had been pretty stressed about the pandemic, lockdown, and loss of revenue that we started thinking more about what we could do and how we could really make an impact. That’s how we decided to do another “Spilling the Tea”. In fact, it was great because we could get those who weren’t in Nigeria and have as many people benefit from it regardless of their geographical location.

For an event, we always have who we want to speak and have backups incase our speakers are unavailable. We decided to literally shoot for the stars and we were very pleased when we got these three amazing women. The artists they represent range from up and coming to those who have already achieved mainstream success.

They all have unique stories that people do not really know about from Grace being homeless three times to Kimani barely surviving on $100 a month after moving to Atlanta to pursue her dreams. The impact on the scene is incredible and learning from them was something else. The feedback we got was great and can’t wait to do more!”

Featured image credits/Femme Africa

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

ICYMI: In conversation with Ayomide Dokunmu, the founder of girl-group initiative, Femme Africa

Songs of the Day: New music from Rema, Kida Kudz, Aramide, WurlD, Tomi Agape, and more

Posted on by Tami Makinde

Today, one could very easily argue that the Nigerian musical landscape is more liberated from the audience’s expectations than it’s ever been, and artists now have the room to re-imagine genres to fit their own personal expressions. This allows for an expansive range of new music from many different artists, which can become overwhelming, so we’ve decided to help out by sorting through new songs from across all the sub-genres around the continent to highlight all the new releases you absolutely Need to hear.

Earlier in the week, we brought you a collaboration between Don Jazzy and Falz, Cassper Nyovest’s second single of this year, the lead single from a joint project between Vector and Masterkraft, and more. To start off the weekend, we’re bringing you new releases from Aramide, Kida Kudz, Tomi Agape, WurlD, Yinolu, FamousCTwo, and Psycho YP as well as Namibian rapper, Lioness’ new album. Dig in, and you’re welcome.

Aramide – “Me & You Time”

Aramide is back with her first single of the year following a short break from music. “Me & You Time” is a romantic number about spending time with the ones you love. Over the mellow beat produced by Sizzle Pro, Aramide sings about being so encompassed in her love, ‘I’m loving everything that you do/E be like say na juju’ she says over the acoustic strings and acapella-like humming in the background showing how quality time ranks highly in her love languages.

Samzy – “Red Dots” featuring Rema

Nigerian-American rapper, Samzy has just released his second official single “Red Dots”, one of the pre-released singles off his forthcoming EP which features Mavin’s golden boy, Rema. The catchy bass-drop anthem is produced by Eem Triplin, and has both artists trading hard-hitting bars about obliterating their competition. ‘Red dots, what’s going on call the boss/man I pray I never get caught’ Rema sings on the hook, tapping into his known trap sensibilities for this self-assured number. It’s great to see Rema collaborating with younger artists from around the world!

Kida Kudz – “Jiggy Freestyle”

Since dropping his debut tape ‘Nasty’ earlier this year, Kida Kudz has kept the freestyles coming at an impressive rate. This week, his latest offering is “Jiggy Freestyle” a loose number on which the UK-based artist addresses fans directly, asking them to stay jiggy even during the quarantine. Over the drum-led beat produced by “Tasty Time” producer, KD, the JFC leader puts on a braggadocious front as he raps, ‘NBG no I got no belt/On a lockdown still jiggy’ clearly having fun in this short freestyle.

WurlD – “Wayo (Kpe Le Wu)

All month, WurlD has been releasing singles in anticipation of his project ‘AFROSOUL’ which we’re expecting later on in the month. This week’s offering, “Wayo (Kpe Le Wu)” sees him in usual form, where he addresses a romantic subject pleading that she loves him and skips the games in their relationship. Over the groovy percussions and pounding drums produced by Kel P, WurlD sings, ‘No dey switch personalities/we don dey get too comfortable’, admitting his deep feelings, which he wishes his lover reciprocates.

Tomi Agape – “London”

Tomi Agape is back with a new single “London”, a smooth follow up to her earlier single “This Way”. The London-based artist taps into the drubbing infectious beats of Juls, upon which she delivers a rapid-fire number about her city, London and the steady grind to success. ‘Take it on the chin, don’t stop/Young one inna London tryna make that dough’ she sings in her usual laidback drawl, as she flips her current situation into a catchy upbeat bop letting listeners know she is focused on making her music and stacking her paper.

Yinoluu – “(In) B/W” featuring AYLØ & AY

Ahead of his EP drop later this month, talented producer Yinoluu has been dropping singles ahead of the upcoming project, and this week, he has tapped into the infectious voices of AYLØ and AY for new single “(In) B/W”. The pair are a smooth union of undulating airy vocals, as they muse over the subject matter of love and empathy. AYLØ switches up his usual flow, rapping ‘Got a job and now you renting nice apartments/Got it going on like you got that’ using ornate writing to capture his side of the relationship, where it seems like the girl is doing well without his help.

C-Two – “Sosa” featuring Psycho YP and Famous Bobson

UK-based rapper C-Two tapped two Nigerian rappers, Psycho YP and Famous Bobson for his debut single of the year “Sosa”. Produced by Mudz Beatz, the upbeat number has all three artists trading hard-hitting bars about women and getting their shit popping. ‘Power changing hands now/Don’t fuck with the rules/smoke next to the no-smoking sign’ Psycho YP’s raps stealing the show in his usual self-assured manner, as he puts on a confident show and cocksure brags over the upbeat track.

Dimss – “No Regrets”

Rapper, Dimss has just released a new project ‘GoingThruIt’, an 8-track collection of introspective tracks where he digs into the frustrating parts of his life and turns it into relatable numbers for listeners to enjoy. On the first track, “No Regrets”, he raps about making it big with his boys over the catchy drubbing beats. ‘I’m just tryna better me/I’m just doing it for the family’ he raps reflectively, showing a deep self-awareness of his flaws but resolving to do better rather than be weighed down by the past.

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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 from earlier in the week

Watch Editi Effiong’s new short film, ‘Fishbone’

Posted on by The Native

Following the success of his first two feature films ‘Up North’ and ‘The Set Up’, over the weekend, Editi Effiong released an impressive short film, ‘Fishbone’ which does a good job of tackling the issue of drug counterfeiting, through the lens of its victims and perpetrators. Set in one of Lagos’ finest slums, Makoko, the film also manages to touch briefly on life in low-income communities and how their talents are exploited by the high and mighty in society.

Shot handsomely by cinematographer Femi Awojide, ‘Fishbone’ brings to mind Akin Omotoso’s  ‘The Ghost and the House of Truth’, another film shot mostly in Makoko that captures its filth beautifully. Both movies show the abandonment of these slums by the authorities and the heinous crimes that occur daily. In Omotoso’s film, a girl doesn’t return home after school – she has been raped and murdered; in ‘Fishbone‘, ghetto kids are recruited to produce fake drugs that are mostly bought by people like them because they are cheap.

‘Fishbone‘ has three principal characters; Mama T, Schoolboy and Inspector Cole, who represent the rich, the poor and the law, respectively.

Mama T (played by Shaffy Bello) runs a drug counterfeiting lab in Makoko, and we first meet her in a gorgeously lit scene where she berates Schoolboy for being afraid of the police. “You fear too much,” she says to him in Yoruba, and through this conversation, we learn that she’s a woman who understands her place in society – above the law. Schoolboy, one of Mama T’s eyes on the street, has just run down to the lab to inform the team that the police are around. The police have been investigating Mama T for a year, but she’s so elusive that they didn’t realise she’s right under their nose.

In one of the film’s most touching scenes, she and the inspector have a tete-a-tete: “Brave of you to come out here, no offence but this is no place for people like you,” he says to her. She replies, “looks can be rather deceiving, inspector.”, which brought him to realise the weight of her words, and the reality of the system he works in.

In just over 30 minutes, ‘Fishbone’ tackles drug counterfeiting, social injustice and karma. Editi Effiong’s directing and screenplay impressively weaves these themes to create a powerful film that critiques, informs and transports its viewers to a world that’s familiar but often forgotten, where wealthy Nigerians get away with every evil they perpetrate, and the poor man hopes karma gets them. Unlike in the real world, however, we see karma in full effect albeit distasteful, given that it ropes other innocent people into the suffering the perpetrator deserves.

In every scene Mama T appears in, Effiong makes her the most powerful presence, she’s dressed entirely in bright red and adorned in jewellery, but as she unravels, her appearance becomes less illuminating. As Mama T, Shaffy Bello is magnificent, never in a movie has her facial expressions been this intentionally used to serve a narrative. In the film’s most exciting scene, the  Inspector (played Etim Effiong) and Mama T have a conversation about conscience, which is more of a monologue from Effiong, since Bello’s facial expressions speak for her. This use of silence to communicate is abundant in the film, and is a curious but welcome choice for a debut director.

‘Fishbone’ is mostly excellent, the problem with the short comes in a series of post-credit interviews on piracy and drug counterfeiting, but more about the former, and given the film’s subject is the ills of drug counterfeiting, talking about intellectual theft in Nollywood feels insensitive. It would have been in better taste to speak to people who have suffered from the effects of drug counterfeiting; let’s hear their stories. This is however, not to dismiss the issue of film piracy; it’s definitely a worthy conversation, just not here.

Watch ‘Fishbone’ here:

Featured Image Credits: Youtube/ShowdemcampVEVO

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Words by Daniel – Nollywood blogger and critic. Tweet at him @DTNollywoodblog.”

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