Essentials: Skepta, Chip and Young Adz team up for assertive new album, ‘Insomnia’

Posted on by The Native

Skepta, Chip and Young Adz have made careers from spinning intricate tales about their lives and giving the world a glimpse of the streets in London. We all know Skepta and Chip have been in the game for the past decade, spearheading and setting the pace for then UK’s now mainstream grime scene, and they have now brought their OG vibe with the younger artist, Young Adz who rose to greater prominence over the last three years. Having all contributed to grime’s recent global appeal, the trio’s collaborative album, ‘Insomnia’ is very important especially now when we all need new music.

‘Insomnia’ is Skepta’s first full-length project since he released ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ last year, while Chip is returning from his 2018 album, ‘Ten 10’ and Young Adz is following up his former group, D-Block’s 2019 album, ‘Street Trauma’. At this point in each artists’ career, they’re above chasing the hits. Skepta and Chip’s artistic evolution has reached an arguable peak, where their previous projects have made a notable mark on the grime scene, and made fans out of international megastars like Drake, A$AP Rocky and many others.

Skepta opens up the album with his verse on “Mains”, which introduces the assertive tone of the project. Over the mix of 808 drums, synth harmonies and flute samples, Skepta, Chip and Young Adz take turns bragging about their success, whilst reminiscing about the tough times before they blew up. Young ADZ’s melodic vocals make the song’s catchy hook, while Skepta takes the reigns on the next track, “Golden Brown”, an undoubted standout from the album which shows off each artist’ range.

‘Insomnia’ was welded by a group of producers from UK and America who bent elements of trap, grime, and pop into sparse soundtracks for the club undergrounds. “Golden Brown” finds them dipping their toes into a more sultry r&b vibe which you typically wouldn’t expect from Grime artists these days.

The project’s lead single, “Waze” was produced by Cardo, an American producer who was instrumental to the production on albums like Baby Keem’s ‘DIE FOR MY BITCH’, Travis’ ‘Astroworld’ and Kendrick’s ‘Black Panther’. On “Waze”, he mixed the eerie harmonies of trap music with bass drums which serve as the perfect sound bed for Skepta, Chip and Young Adz’s aggressively boastful raps, where they lay particular emphasis on their statuses as OGs in the game.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-II_wdHZ9I/

Elsewhere, London-based producer, Scott Styles produced the catchy trap beat for “Demons”, where the whistling riff he incorporates into the beat stands out for D-Block’s reunion. Dirtbike LB joins the trio for a reflective song about their motivation to change the lives of the people they hold dear.

Most of the tracks on ‘Insomnia’ benefit from the intricate production work. On “St Tropez”, Skepta’s shows off his skill and impeccable ear by sampling M.I.A’s 2009 hit, “Paper Planes”. DaBeatfreakz also gets to flex his muscles with the quick-paced drill beat for the emotive “Star In The Hood”, where the rappers reflect upon their steady incline and how far they have come.

Given this, songs like “Traumatised” continue this narrative and set the tone for the rest of the project, where they get deep and address the effects of their hostile come up on their mental health today, even now that they have made it. “I’m close to the edge so please don’t push me” Skepta explains before he speaks about the people he’s lost, the things people did around him that have left him traumatised and on edge, while Chip reveals the little ways he seeks joy in these times; “I pray a lot like heavenly father can you help me? All this weed and all this liquor, so unhealthy.”

For the rest of the album, the vibe is slowed down with hard hitting bars about the harsh reality of the streets they came from, and the effects violence has on society. By the end of the album, each artist gives us more insight to them as people, making the album seem like a love letter to grime. Each artists’ steady incline has been a result of the music changing their lives, which serves as a warm and welcome reminder of what’s important.

Though they have different strengths—Young Adz’s innovative flow, Skepta’s technical precision and Chip’s lyrical dexterity – they all come together quite nicely, and complement each other perfectly. It’s going to be a quiet next few weeks around here, so what better time to meditate to reflective music like this?

Stream ‘Insomnia’ below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/skeptagram
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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: Why it’s important to have quality cyphers in Nigeria’s rap scene

For the Girls: Sampa the Great is making empowering bops for black women

Posted on by Tami Makinde

To commemorate Women’s History Month this year, we will be spotlighting a different female artist every day of the month. Some of these women you may know, others you may have heard of and some will be entirely new discoveries. The aim is to shine a light on the remarkable young women from around Africa, who are finding their feet through music and giving women a voice of their own. 

Sampa the Great is a Zambian-born, Botswana-raised, Australia-based poet & songwriter whose socially conscious music strives to uplift, empower, and inspire positive change. Her love for music really took shape when she relocated to America for a music degree in San Francisco, before making the decision to move to Sydney, Australia upon her graduation.

While in Australia, she discovered the underground hip-hop scene there. which was at the time dominated by white males, thanks to leading group, ‘Larrkin rap’. Motivated by the need to take the narrative back,, Sampa released her first mixtape ‘The Great Mixtape’ which was well-recieved within the hip-hop community out there. One of her first singles, “FEMALE” sees her showing off her now signature poetic flow while celebrating African woman in all their strength and glory.

In 2017, she signed to London imprint, Ninja Tunes, before releasing her second mixtape ‘Birds and BEE9’ which gained her even more acclaim in the Australian music scene. The project fused her love for poetry with her clever wordplay as an MC, with standouts like “Black Girl Magik” and “Rhymes to the East”. 

She gained co-signs from many industry heavyweights such as Kendrick Lamar and even her childhood idol, Lauryn Hill. Sampa’s most recent release is her debut studio album ‘The Return’, which she released last year in an attempt to reconnect with her home country, as she weaves through themes of home, heritage, displacement and freedom. From the project’s opener “Mwana” which find her, her mum and sister performing in Bamba, a Bantu language spoken by her family to the titular track. On “The Return” which sees a couple of guests speak about what home means to them and where they come from, there’s a real strive to bridge the gap between her place in the Australian music scene and her African roots.

While most songs are notable, the most catchy song on the album is probably “Final Form”, a bass-thumping anthem offering soulful ’70s funk vibes and a message of black power and resilience. The song was recently featured on the soundtrack for Netflix’s first African original series ‘Queen Sono’.

Watch the video for “Final Form” below.

Featured image credits/MayaMensah

Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

For the Girls: Tomi Owo will captivate you with her soulful voice

Best New Music: Rema, 6LACK, Tion Wayne & Manny Norte’s “4 AM” sets the mood for this summer

Posted on by The Native

Just last week to celebrate the anniversary of Rema’s debut EP, we took a look at the incredible year he has had in the game, and how the current times and paradigm shifts have allowed him change the game as we know it. Throughout his career, he’s steadily gained the attention of the entire world, and gained the seal of approval from key players from all over the globe as seen from the collaborations he’s secured in just a short time.

(Photo: YouTube/ Manny Norte)

This is what makes him the perfect representative for Nigeria in a song which brings talent from all over the world together. Helmed by British DJ/presenter Manny Norté, the romantic song shows the undeniable growth and attraction of afropop all over the world. We’re now living in a global village and access to music is literally one click away, and that’s why for his debut single, Manny Norte tapped into wide range of talent from around the globe – Rema from Nigeria, 6LACK from America and Tion Wayne from UK.

On “4AM”, we see Rema in his loverboy element, wearing his heart on his sleeve while pleading with his lover to come back into his life, before 6lack kills the chorus and hook. Being the only rapper on the song, Tion Wayne holds his own with his melodic verse, where he also serenades a lover with promises of luxury.

Manny Norte also teamed up with P2J and Anthony Marshall for the breezy beat, which left room for the artists to croon about their innermost feelings about love. The song manages to marry all the different genres they excel in seamlessly, showing that music is truly a universal language.

The Meji Alabi-directed video, which was released only 6 days ago has already garnered over a million views, which shows that eyes are watching. We see all four artists convene in Manny Norté’s hometown, Teshie Ghana, living lavish and setting the pace for what the summer holidays should look like. If the ‘Rona permits, we’ll definitely be jamming to this one at summer raves, all over the continent and the world.

Watch the video for “4AM” below.

Featured image credits/instagram:mannynorte

Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

Best New Music: Darkoo’s “Juicy” makes lust sound profound and playful

The importance of well-executed Cyphers to the Nigerian rap scene

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

If you talk to anyone who’s privy to its inner workings of the music industry, or even just pay close attention, you’ll find that personal egos and an unwitting sectioning are major roadblocks to the growth of Nigeria’s commercially struggling (English) rap scene. An unwillingness on the path of rappers and relevant stakeholders to work together towards a fruitful end, has sort of stunted the genre from sustaining momentum and growing upwards rather than sideways. This is why when collaborative efforts do happen, it’s important that they’re executed on a compelling level.

As an informal means of collaborating, rap cyphers provide a no frills avenue for rappers to show off their abilities amongst their colleagues. Unlike joint records or posse cuts, cyphers disregard typical song structure entirely, and focus only on freestyled verses which aren’t bound to a common theme. Given this, featured artists are able to really show off their skill, and emphasise upon a varied mixture of looseness and friendly competition. In these parts, however, participating rappers deliver written raps or go off the cuffs over a single beat, only bothered by their lyrical content and technical precision.

The equally—if not more—important part of rap cyphers are those behind the scenes. Since cyphers are put together in audio-visual mode, the organiser(s) are responsible for everything that is necessary for a well-executed cypher. These responsibilities include picking the right beats, audio mixing, picking the right location and set, video editing and selecting the right set of rappers to form a relatively compatible collective on camera. Once any of these factors goes awry, the balance of the cypher is thrown off, effectively reducing its enjoyability.

Take the recently released pilot of MTV Base’s cypher series for instance, which would have been a striking entry into their new, commendable endeavour, save for a few missteps. Shot in what looks like either a car garage or car storage space, the brightly lit set is eye-grabbing, and the quartet of Shakez, Alpha Ojini, Hench and Timi Kei all look like they belong in front of the same camera. Where the cypher falters, however, is in the audio editing. If you press your earphones in or turn up the volume significantly, you can hear the slick wordplay in each rapper’s lyricism, but it is almost impossible to feel the passion behind their delivery.

With all the verses performed and taped live, we definitely needed them to amplify each rapper’s voices in post-production. With the exception of the immaculate Timi Kei, who raps like he’s walking on water, performances from the other rappers were bogged by section cuts and censored words. In a setting where listeners expect a no-holds barred approach from the rappers, removing parts of a verse without any subtleties and glitching out certain words and phrases are difficult, almost inexcusable bumps that derail cyphers rather than enhancing them.

Considering that this a relatively new move by MTV, the hope is that the series will get better with subsequent episodes, even if history shows that’s not really the case around these parts. At the moment, the Hennessy cypher is the only long-running cypher series we have in Nigeria, and while the cognac brand behind the series deserve a lot of props for keeping the cyphers alive for the last five years, it’s definitely due for a revamp. In its past three editions, the cypher has gone from a highly anticipated event to something many rap fans are weary of watching.

Their latest of the annual series was the straw to break the camel’s back, from the uninspiring beat selections, followed by the lacklustre bars they inspired. Their 2019 edition wasn’t well-received by an audience who was expected a spectacular showing, and for good reason.

At the beginning of last year, Loose Kaynon, A-Q, M.I Abaga and Blaqbonez united for the first ‘Martell Cypher’, delivering one of the most talked about events in Nigerian rap music in recent memory. Although with pre-recorded audio verses, the Martell Cypher was a masterclass in packaging, and as a result recieved instant fanfare and sparked rap conversations for several days after it was dropped. With the success of a seemingly new rival, rap enthusiasts hoped the Hennessey cypher would step up to match the odds, and when they didn’t, it made sense that M.I and company returned for ‘Martell Cypher 2’, a sequel as equally impactful as the first.

In comparison to consistently churning out exciting albums and successful singles, cyphers might seem transient, but in the grand scheme of things they’re quite valuable. While the ones featuring the more prominent rap artists are important in creating moments of visibility for the genre, cyphers featuring lesser known rappers should serve as compelling discovery points and indicators that there’s a boatload of talents brimming just beneath the surface.

A stellar example is the first set of Coronation cyphers that were released November. Curated by Chocolate City-affiliated imprint, 100 Crowns, one of the sets featured five must know, up-and-coming rap artists, while the other focused on the battle rap scene. Both cyphers have been viewed over 20,000 times on YouTube, cumulatively—not too shabby for videos with only a few familiar names. In a smart move, the cyphers were released a few days to the latest edition to the Coronation, stoking hype and leading into the best instalment of the hip-hop-centric event series, till date.

Without the right heads and hands behind the scenes, shoddily executed cyphers have an unwelcome, negative effect for a scene that needs as many wins as possible in Nigeria. It would serve the industry well to integrate more rappers who rap in their native tongue, for variety and wider appeal beyond ‘hip-hop heads’, but that’s a discussion we’ll have another time. What is needed right now, though, are properly executed cyphers that aid the growth of the Nigerian rap scene.

Like they say, what is worth doing is worth doing well.

You can watch the Coronation cyphers below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/M.I Abaga

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

ICYMI: NASTY C, SARKODIE & M.I ABAGA NOMINATED FOR AFRICAN RAPPER OF THE YEAR AT THE 2020 256 HIP-HOP AWARDS

NATIVE Exclusive: Exploring the communal magic of WeTalkSound

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

A very popular saying goes, “If you want to go quickly, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”, and WeTalkSound, a community of musicians, creative artists and music enthusiasts, demonstrate the strength of going together. Last year, when they dropped their sophomore compilation project, we described WTS as “a phenomenon laying wait, infecting music culture to the farthest reaches of the internet”. This aptly describes the truly boundless collective who have been growing at a steady and impressive pace, meeting the stakes for each endeavour, while also raising the bar to constantly inducing evolution of the music scene.

From the early 90s’ collective of alternative hip-hop groups, Native Tongues, to the sprawling, radical and irreverent Odd Future, We Talk Sound has traceable precedence, however, their broad and seemingly infinite scope is what sets them apart as a distinctive community. Interestingly enough, they didn’t exclusively set out to make the group what it is now; as the full name implies, the online group was formed initially as a forum to trade opinions about music. Shortly after, they realised that a significant amount of the members were up-and-coming artists who were actively aiming to hone their skills, and this led them to organically morph into a space for artist’s support.

Even with this evolution, WTS has retained an informal edge, which manages to give both new and old members a sense of ease they typically won’t find so easily in the current climate of the music industry. Every day on WTS’ 1,000-strong Telegram channel brings with it new topics and debates, which are always positive – everyone can freely drop their takes. Even when there’s disagreement and things get heated, it barely results in malice, which creates a welcoming environment for new members to get acquainted, share music whether it’s theirs or a friend’s and leaving room to galvanise support within the community.

“You don’t have conform to anything; you can just come on the group and say, ‘You guys, please give me feedback’”, co-founder,  Dolapo Amusat tells me during a long and insightful conversation at his Lagos apartment. This exact example he describes is something I’ve witnessed on the group myself, and while the number of reactions varies, artists sharing new or old music will be met with comments, whether positive or negative. Depending on how enamoured members are with the music, the comments can turn into far-reaching levels of support and interaction.

“Support on WTS ranges from receiving feedback, to people actually streaming your music and sharing it on social media, to connecting with a producer who could give you a beat or help you record your music etc”, Dolapo explains, shedding light on the community’s wholesome nature. While the level of support you gain as an artist sort of depends on how active you are in the group – for instance, an artist who only pops by to share new music will most likely not garner the same amount of reactions and backing as one who is more visible and shares their thoughts during chats. From what I’ve gauged, it’s not really about being on the Telegram channel 24/7, as much as it is a combination of being familiar name or moniker and making sure your music passes the litmus.

Regardless of a member’s relationship with the community’s online channel, members can rest assured that WTS has positive value for them. With the amount of substantial discussions tucked in between the fun, the community is an educative avenue for creatives and non-creatives to learn about any and everything related to the creative and business aspects of making and releasing music. There are as many debates about the fine prints of making a song, as there are in-depth conversations about how to distribute and market music. Even if you’re not contributing, you’re gaining by paying a little attention to the discussions.

All of this knowledge and camaraderie culminates into WTS’ approach in pushing whatever project they’re involved in. During their early days, the idea was to digitally strong-arm as many people as possible, with members tweeting the link to a song and aggressively tagging any and every one they could online. “We used to be very noisy on social media”, Dolapo admits, but you’d be incorrect to think they’ve dialled down the noise. These days, WTS is operating on a laudable level when it comes to promotions, retooling that noise into well-intentioned and well-executed roll-outs. It’s no longer just about strength in numbers, but also placing an emphasis on quality so that each effort makes a sizeable mark.

“Bio’s “Indigo” was the first thing we did that was creative on the level we now create stuff”, Dolapo tells me. The release of the lush and seductive R&B track was preceded by extensive pre-promotions, mostly centred on fan interaction, as a way of reeling in bystanders and doubters into the WTS fold. This methodical approach resulted in the most streamed song to come out of WTS’ stables at the time, leading the way for the community’s commitment to creative and promotional campaigns, now being led by its young but accomplished creative arm, WTxtra.

Dolapo describes WTxtra as “a proper business” that services a wide range of clients, from artists—WTS affiliates and otherwise—to corporate bodies. In about a year of its existence, notable accomplishments on the agency’s portfolio includes a campaign for ride-sharing company, Bolt, and building interactive fan websites for artists like Dami Oniru and Teni. In a bid to further establish themselves, WTxtra will be putting out their debut product in a few months, one that hones in on the team’s inventive use of technology in connecting with potential fans and listeners.

Regardless of all of this, the most important thing to them still remains the music. Just last month, they put out ‘LOFN 3: A Collection of Love Stories’, the third consecutive instalment of their Valentine’s Day compilation they debuted in 2018. Arguably the best edition yet, ‘LOFN 3’ packages the musical diversity of WTS into a captivating, front-to-back experience.

True to its title, it’s a collection of stories that compels listeners to consider love as something best experienced, even with its ups and downs. From obvious standouts like Shakez’s “Long Distance” and Meji’s “Overkill”, to the deeper and immersive cuts like Dwin the Stoic’s “Juju” and Caralee’s “25/8”, the compilation uses variety as a binding tool, and fronts the ideal of WTS as an aggregate of its affiliate artists.

As with previous editions, songs on the project were sourced through artist submissions, but according to Dolapo, ‘LOFN 3’ almost didn’t come together the way it did. “A few weeks—even days before—we were far from ready with the project”, he tells me, explaining that finding the right songs didn’t happen till the last minute. Even the stunning, summery baecation vibe of the cover art went down to the wire, with the designer, Vik, initially spending about ten hours straight on a rejected idea, only to come up with the eventual cover on a final try in about three hours.

This process for ‘LOFN 3’ points to the mix of carefulness and spontaneity that buoys the creative packaging of WTS, and it’s not stopping anytime soon. Dolapo understands that with more “industry” and general eyes on the community, there’s a pressure on WTS to continue to level up and deliver game-changing work. It’s a situation he’s fine with but not at the expense of the boundless energy at the community’s core. “We’re going to experiment more, we’re going to try out new things so don’t put us in that ‘saving the industry’ box”, he asserts. “We want to better than everybody else, but we’ll probably make mistakes, and that’s fine ‘cos we’ll learn from it.”

For all of the grand visions, Dolapo maintains that being a safe space where artists learn, interact and even earn off their work remains the priority for WTS. “It’s important to me that WTS remains a community that encourages and supports different people. In fact, the goal for ‘LOFN’ and future projects is that artists can make money off their work”, he explains. In an increasingly fragmented and oversaturated music landscape, it is tough for independent artists to make substantial money off streaming and sales, but Dolapo is sure that WTS is getting there slowly but surely. At the very least, the projects are directly affecting the organic growth of its affiliates’ fan base, which is definitely something to be proud of.

By banding together and refusing to be separated, the community is creating impact for itself and artists within it. The sprawling group may not be going as fast as, say, their Alté counterparts, but the momentum WTS is consistently building up brightens their future prospects and assures that they’re a phenomenon that will go whatever distance and heights they set for themselves.

[Featured Image provided by Dolapo Amusat for WeTalkSound]

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

ICYMI: WTS AFFILIATE SOULBLACKSHEEP DROPS A SELF-ISOLATION PACK YOU NEED TO HEAR

For the Girls Special: How women’s place in music has changed over the the decade

Posted on by Tami Makinde

The music scene in Nigeria has benefitted from a large crop of women who have come in and out of the limelight, and played a part in making afropop the profitable and domineering genre it is today. Now more than ever, we’re gaining visibility all over the globe, the world is looking to Africa and paying attention to her sounds, and for once, not just the men.

Back in the late ’90s to early 00s, the music scene in Nigeria witnessed a defining moment where most of the mainstream songs mirrored American hip-hop, owing to the rising mainstream popularity of the genre at the time. This saw many Nigerian artists adopting similar versions of the late 90s and ’00s trends, like we saw from artists like Tony Tetuila to the Plantashun Boiz, Ruggedman and many others.

This is not to say that any of the women were left out of this monumental time in music history, as we had a crop of female rappers leading the charge and redefining what it meant to be a rapper in Nigeria. Like you’ll find with other indigenous rappers who are left out of rap conversations, Weird MC at the time was one of the unsung heros of the 00’s hip-hop/rap era. Most people from our generation would probably only know her two most popular songs, “Ijoya” & “Allen Avenue”, even though she had been in the game for most of our lives at these points. Beyond the music and her position in the rap scene, her androgynous style set her apart, and created a space for women like her who didn’t stick to the norms.

Following quickly on her heel, Sasha P, crowned ‘First Lady’ of rap at the time went on to achieve a number of firsts for female artists in Nigeria. In 2008, she became the first Nigerian female artist to perform at the World Music Awards, and two years later was the first Nigerian to win the Best Female Award at the MTV Africa Music Awards. Although some of the fiercest MCs at the time, Weird MC and Sasha P both retired from the mic; where Weird MC took on a more mentor-ey role in the industry to push younger artists, and Sasha P went into the fashion industry.

This is in stark contrast to the male counterparts from that time, who are revered today for their status as industry veterans, while the women are usually looked upon as a distant memory. Although Plantashun Boiz eventually split up, the group’s lead member, Tu Face, became one of the biggest household names in the history of Nigerian music, and has maintained mainstream relevance over the past two decades. Furthermore, the most popular female artists today are the women who came much later on in the next decade, such as Tiwa Savage, Simi, Asa, Teni the Entertainer, when attitudes towards women had changed and we began to take charge of our own narratives worldwide.

In addition, men always found a way to feed off each other, while the women typically didn’t come together and were rarely ever even featured on the men’s songs. This is not to say, however, the male artists weren’t collaborating with the women around them – Sasha P was part of hip hop collective, Trybesmen and had standout verses on songs like “Oya“, and just last week we had a look at how Lagbaja’s “Never Far Away” was an all-time classic particularly due to the song being helmed by Ego Iheanacho Ogbara, whose career never took off after she split from the band.

Music consumption back then was also very different to what it’s like today. To listen to music, you would have to buy physical albums or tune into radios or TV stations, therefore to really excel as artist, listeners had to buy your albums and tapes. The most successful arists were the most popular ones, and the women at the time weren’t given the same treatment and opportunities that the men were.

Female artists at the time were not what’s considered mainstream entertainment. In fact, women were fighting for their voices to be heard and also for the one seat at the men’s table allocated to them. Looking back, knowing what we know today, it would have served them better to come together, rather than compete.

These days, however, things are different and women are able to gain more visibility on their own thanks to the Internet and streaming, which makes profiting from your music much easier. Today, to access a musician’s entire discography is one search tab away, and the success of this is evident in independent artists such as Tems and Lady Donli, who with no label backing have towed their own paths and made their voices heard.

Prior to Tiwa Savage, it would be difficult to point to a female afropop superstar, thanks to this unspoken idea that there’s only space for one women at a time, alongside all the other men dominating the scene together. Growing up, as a young Nigerian girl, there was no one in Nigeria who held the same reverence to us that Britney Spears or Beyonce were in ’00s pop culture.

Currently jarring numbers show that only 21% of the global music industry are women and within that, only 3% produce and another 2% mix and master their music. We’re sure that within the Nigerian music industry, these numbers are even lower, within the different areas of the ecosystem from DJs and producers to songwriters and rappers. While the rap scene in the country is still finding it’s feet, the number of female rappers are basically zero to none, with only a few like newcomer Yazavelli and old timers such as Eva Alordiah spitting their truth.

Everywhere else in the world, women creating space for themselves, as we’ve seen over the years with artists like Lil Kim, Remy Ma, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Tierra Whack and many others. It would be very difficult to point to that many women in our industry, and we all know what the reason for that is.

The progress women have made generally from the public’s reception of them to the amazing sounds they produce is immense, now we have a younger set of artists who are willing to put each other on and are even creating space for each other to win together. We’ve seen this from Tems to Dami Oniru, Bella Alubo, Tomi Agape, Efe Oraka, Ictooicy and many more. As the world became more aware of the importance of women’s place in society, so did the notion that more than one woman can win just like her male counterparts.

Lady Donli’s stunning debut album ‘Enjoy Your Life’ had more than its fair share of collaborations from other women such as 234jaydaa to Somadina to even Ghanaian pop princess, Amaarae; Bella Alubo’s recent EP, ‘Summers Over’ had Ezi Emela on the project’s standout track “Don’t trust Geminis” showing just how much growth and good sounds can come out of women working hand in hand to create their own legacy.

Even the existence of the more contemporary r&b, lo-fi sounds from Solis, LunaLovesYou, 234jaydaa, Merry-Lynn and our entire list of discoveries this month, is just further proof that there is space for more than one woman at a time, and also that we don’t need a seat at the boys’ table to be seen.

It’s important for us to keep this momentum going, and support women in music as much as we can, so that younger generations to come can look back with even more respect and reverence for the women who have come before them.

Featured image credits/native

Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

ICYMI: First half of 2017 in review – women in music

Songs of the day: New music from Crayon, Terry Apala, Niniola, Veen and more

Posted on by The Native

The fast and furious pace of new music releases makes it hard to keep track of all different new sounds coming out of Africa, as the music scene grows more and more expansive. We’ve decided to help out, by sorting through all the new songs from across all the sub-genres around the continent to curate a column with all the best “Songs of the Day”, to highlight all the new releases you absolutely Need to hear.

On Monday, we brought you new releases by a diverse set of African artists, including Ghana’s Nxwrth, South Africa’s DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Smal and Nigeria’s Aussie Maze. Crayon, Terry Apala, Niniola, Veen, Txby, Darkovibes, Davido, French Montana, Angel and others make the Songs of the Day list today so be sure to update your playlists as we edge closer to the weekend.

Terry Apala – “Lock Up” Feat. Niniola

Terry Apala and Niniola make a delightful pair on “Lock Up”, a new single we’re expecting on Terry Apala’s upcoming debut project. The catchy track sees them teaming up to challenge fraudsters who try to take advantage of them., against a groovy Zaki-Magic beat. While the song benefits greatly from Terry Apala and Niniola’s vocals, it’s their humorous lyrics—“Me and you dey for street/ Forget humility”—that will convince listeners to put the song on repeat.

Crayon – “Shima”

Mavin’s latest recruit, Crayon continues dishing out impressive singles to soundtrack the dancefloor at parties. His latest offering, “Shima” produced by London finds Crayon singing affectionate lyrics to his lover, and making passionate promises to her; “Make I treat you nice/ I go take my time/ this your love is so divine”. “Shima” is Crayon’s 2nd single since he his debut project, ‘Cray Cray’ last year, and it’s no less than we expected from him.

Veen x Txby – “Flex”

Veen and Txby have teamed up for “Flex”, a steamy love song for dancefloor fascination. Produced by Veen, the catchy Afropop beat with 808 drum riffs and synth samples guide the melodic verses from him and Txby. For the romantic song, the pair serenade their lovers, expressing their deep feelings singing; “Baby I cannot lose when I’m with you (Txby)/ Anything you want, you can have my checks (Veen)”.

Angel – “Blessings” Feat. French Montana, Davido

Angel debuted “Blessing” last year, after signing a distribution deal with RCA. The UK-based singer and producer is taking advantage of the global range of the label with his latest release, “Blessings Remix” featuring American rapper, French Montana and Nigerian pop star, Davido. He has released the accompanying video for the collaboration and the video is set at a bowling alley where they perform their verses in the company of models and dancers before they’re later seen at a party. It’s a romantic bop and we expect to hear it in the coming weeks leading up to summer 2020.

Darkovibes – “Inna Song (Gin & Lime)” Feat. King Promise

Darkovibes has released the video for “Inna Song (Gin & Lime)” in the run up to his anticipation for his ‘Kpanlogo’ album. While we wait for the project’s release in April, we can watch the Yaw Skyface-directed video for “Inna Song (Gin & Lime)” which features Darkovibes and featured artist, King Promise, performing different romantic gestures for their love interests. The song is a rousing confession of love and the video captures the romantic ambience with serene set designs from a restaurant to a garden and a pool. While Darkovibes and King Promise perform their sets, we watch them give their lovers flowers and take them on dates.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Darkovibes
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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: “Soul Makossa” introduced the world to Cameroonian Jazz legend, Manu Dibango

Niniola pays homage to the Kalakuta queens in video for Femi Kuti-assisted “Fantasy”

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

Niniola continues to shore up her sex-positive persona with her new Kel-P produced single, “Fantasy”. The dance-ready number features backing instrumentals from Femi Kuti, where the afro-house queen sings about how she’s been captivated by a lover.

Now, she has just updated the new single with a video, which pays homage to the unsung heroes of Afrobeat: the Kalakuta Queens. While there’s a few shots where we see Niniola teasing her love interest, the more colourful parts of the Sesan-directed video features the singer and her dancers performing seductive, choreographed moves in and around the New Afrikan Shrine in Ikeja, Lagos.

Watch the video for “Fantasy” here.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Official Niniola

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

ICYMI: MEET DANIELLE MBONU, THE DIRECTOR BEHIND NAIRA MARLEY’S LATEST VIDEO, “AYE”

Here are some films you want to watch on Netflix this week

Posted on by Tami Makinde

We’re well over week into self-isolation and its becoming increasingly clear that there’s no time frame for this. When we spoke to a few young Nigerians about what they were doing to keep busy, a lot of people revealed that they were watching more television, and we all know Netflix is a great place to find new or even old shows and films to keep you entertained during these uncertain times.

You can even experience this with your friends, as the streaming giant have recently included a new feature, ‘Netflix Party’, which allows users synchronise their viewing with friends and stream films together in real time.

So if you’re overwhelmed by the choices, and need a bit of a guide, we’ve collated a list of some of the things we’ve been watching. From ‘Queen Sono’ to Toyin Aimakhu-directed film ‘Alakada Reloaded’ to ‘King of Boys’, here are some of our best picks to get into.

Queen Sono

Last month, Netflix unveiled its first script-to-screen commission from Africa, the thrilling spy drama ‘Queen Sono’ directed by Kagiso Lediga. The action packed 6-part series saw Queen (played by Pearl Thusi) tackle on a menacing enemy, led by the series main villain, Ekaterina. The series is filled with something for everyone, from the kick-ass female characters to the subtle African humour injected into almost every scene. If you’re looking for a story with meaning, and a deep appreciation for Africa, look no further.

Alakada Reloaded

The last part of Toyin Aimakhu’s franchise, Alakada, recently became available on Netflix. The hilarious story follows a young girl from a less-privileged family who lies about her financial and social standing in order to fit in with the crowd. Featuring actors like Toyin Abraham, Kehinde Bankole, Odunlade Adekola, Helen Paul, Lilian Esoro, and Gabriel Afolayan, the film did so well at the time of its release that it is seen as one of the highest grossing Nigerian films of all time. If you’re looking for something light and goofy, this one’s for you.

When Love Happens

Seyi Babatope’s 2014 release ‘When Love Happens’ is now streaming on Netflix, and its a romantic comedy featuring top stars like Beverly Naya, Desmond Elliot, Shaffy Bello, Enyinna Nwigwe, Blossom Chukwujekwe and many more. The story follows a wedding planner played by Weruce Opia who finds that she is unlucky in love, despite making other people have wonderful wedding days. She then takes matters into her own hands and seeks a partner online dating, which leads to a cooky series of unfortunate events that land her in the arms of a platonic friend.

King of Boys

Now is a good time than ever to rewatch Kemi Adetiba’s thrilling film ‘King of Boys’ especially because we know the sequel is on the way. Hailed in the last year as one of the highest opening week numbers in 2018 for a non-comedy film, and the second highest ever by a female director, there’s more than enough reasons to get into it or rewatch it if you’ve previously done so. With all the political drama and plot twists, mean-looking thugs and slapstick comedy, ‘King of Boys’ has got you covered this quarantine season.

Kasala

Ema Odioso’s 2018 release ‘Kasala’ is available to stream on Netflix, and if the title is anything to go by (translation: trouble) then it’s just the film we need to counteract the mundane long days. It follows a day in the life of four teenage boys living in Lagos, which finds them at an unmissable party after the boys steal one of their uncle’s car. A series of unfortunate events occur after that deter them for returning the car home in one piece. It’s just the right amount of humour we’re looking for and for extra points, it’s directed by a woman!

Castle & Castle

Nigeria’s first legal series, ‘Castle & Castle’ was released in 2018 and has just recently been added to the catalogue of Nollywood series on Netflix. The Mo Abudu and Heidi Uys-created drama features a star-studded including Richard-Mofe Damijo, Eku Edewor, Dakore Egbuson-Akande and Dorcas Shola-Fapson. The 13-episode show follows the Castle’s as they try and navigate the growth of their law firm, whilst keeping their marriage and family afloat. With lots of plot twists and exciting storylines, you’ll definitely want to binge watch this one.

The Ghost and the Tout

Another Toyin Aimakhu-directed cut. The 2018 comedy follows a young woman who encounters a ghost after she has a terrible accident. This unearths a new superpower for her: the ability to see the dead–including the recently deceased Mike. He needs help to communicate with his family and friends that he left behind, as she becomes engrossed in solving this murder mystery.

93 Days

93 Days is probably the most timely film of the lot, as it tells the story of the men and women who were at the frontline of one of the deadliest infectious diseases, Ebola which spread rapidly in Lagos that year. This will be a comforting watch for you at this time,  showing the invaluable work of doctors at the frontline, and the successful containment of the virus in Nigeria.

Seven and a Half Dates

‘Seven and a Half Dates’ is the Biodun Stephen-directed comedy which follows the story of a young woman who is engrossed in her career, but reluctantly gives into her father’s plan to set her up on 10 dates to find a suitable husband. Somewhere along the line, before the experiment ends, she unexpectedly finds love. This lighthearted watch features Sola Sobowale, Mercy Johnson, Jim Iyke and Toyin Aimakhu, and will take your mind off all the chaos for a bit.

Featured image credits/giphy

Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

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

For the Girls: Tomi Owo will captivate you with her soulful voice

Posted on by Tami Makinde

To commemorate Women’s History Month this year, we will be spotlighting a different female artist every day of the month. Some of these women you may know, others you may have heard of and some will be entirely new discoveries. The aim is to shine a light on the remarkable young women from around Africa, who are finding their feet through music and giving women a voice of their own. 

Tomi Owo is a multifaceted artist, who is creating alternative r&b bops infused with English and Yoruba. She capitalises on the soothing soul sound of the 90’s, which has now become her signature sound. She’s been releasing music actively for the past five years on Soundcloud page, which is filled with freestyles and singles.

She credits her love for music to her mother, as growing up, she heard original compositions and diverse record collections at home, which piqued Tomi’s interest and shines through in a musical maturity beyond her years. This led her to seek inspiration from a diverse crop of talented artists such as Sade, Seal, Fela Kuti, Jungle and Jhené Aiko.

Tomi’s lyrics are firmly based on everyday experiences from hers to others’, and they explore familiar themes that any millennial would instantly relate to: resilience, kindness, affection & courage.  Her earliest single, “Pieces” came out over four years ago and turned into a personal project which she embarked on to release a new single each month. Produced by IBK, Tomi deals with a conflicting feelings of a toxic relationship whose abrupt end left her feeling broken. Elsewhere on “Ile” over an interesting mix of acoustic and afro-inspired sounds, Tomi delivers a heartfelt Yoruba song about realising your own light, and the power of love even in the face of pain and hurt.

Two years ago, Tomi complied all the tracks from her monthly releases into one project packed with just about every remedy you need for your emotions. “Versus” was a standout from this project, with a pop-tinged production by Odunsi (the Engine), where Tomi addresses a love interest directly. More recently, Tomi linked up with Alpha P on “Number One” a mellow self-confident number which featured as the official soundtrack for MTV Shuga Naija Season 4 soundtrack.

If you’re a fan of contemporary lo-fi r&b like Dami Oniru and LunaLovesYou, then look no further.

Featured image credits/tomiowo.com

Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

For the Girls: Kenya’s Karun Mungai is forging her own impressive music career

Meet Danielle Mbonu, the director behind Naira Marley’s latest video, “Aye”

Posted on by The Native

The world is making way for a younger crop of entertainers from all walks to flex their muscles, and the last three years have shown us a shift in the paradigm, with young & fearless young directors such as TG Omori, Santi, Ademola Falomo taking the baton from the OGs. As with anything else in the world, this space is mostly occupied by the men, and there’s a significant lack of female talent, which is why Danielle Mbonu’s directorial debut with Naira Marley’s latest single, “Aye” is so important, especially now, during Women’s History Month.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-FPnAgDU4a/

No stranger to the game, Dan Mbo as she’s known professionally, is also a photographer who has spent the last few years capturing the best of Lagos’ youth culture. With an already impressive bank of work with brands such as Nike, Off-White and more, with cool and captivating images of all our faves from Tems to Deto Black, she’s definitely a name you’re going to want to watch out for.

The talented photographer and now director draws inspiration from her interactions with friends and other people daily, and also the city’s growing creative freedom, which she has no doubt contributed a lot to. Now, taking her talents into new territory, she has come in with a big bang, and her work will be impossible to ignore. For Naira Marley’s “Aye”, Danielle’s main aim was to bring the message of the song to life. In his usual fashion, Naira Marley is encouraging listeners to not make life any harder than it needs to be, and to enjoy their time while they are here. Being a Naira Marley fan, there was a lot of immediate synergy, and it came as no real challenge for her to bring the song’s message to life.

She tells me over the phone:

I wouldn’t even say I was going for an exact interpretation, I just wanted the video to match the song. It basically says life isn’t hard and we tend to make it hard for ourselves. Naira is rich, he wants to have fun and he likes pretty girls, it’s all quite simple really. People act like being young, successful and rich in Nigeria is a crime and it’s not. I just wanted to show that

Her distinct touch of capturing youthful exuberance is definitely one of the video’s strengths, and this is something she’s particularly interested in maintaining throughout her stint as a director. Like you’ll find with Santi & his candles, and TG Omori’s penchant to build an entire set, Danielle just wants her photography style to translate to the videos she directs. From what we’ve seen with her first attempt, she’s walking a good path.

Watching succeed at such a young age — and in a notoriously male-dominated industry — is beyond inspiring, and we’re very glad to see a young woman winning. We can’t wait to see what her next move is.

Check out her debut with the video for Naira Marley’s “Aye” right here:

Featured image credits: Instagram/

ICYMI: Danielle Mbonu captures the best of IAMISIGO S/S20 for NATIVE X Lagos Fashion & Design Week

The Shuffle: “Soul Makossa” introduced the world to Cameroonian Jazz Legend, Manu Dibango

Posted on by The Native

Cameroonian saxophonist, pianist and composer, Manu Dibango recently passed away from exposure to the Coronavirus. He is one of the first celebrities we’ve lost to the virus, which has claimed thousands of lives since WHO declare it a global pandemic a week ago. The 86-year-old funk musician was one of the most well-known African musicians around the globe, after his song, “Soul Makossa” became a big hit in 1972.

Manu Dibango was fondly referred to as “Papy Grooves” for his innovative jazz fusions and wide range of influences. He married the traditional sounds from his home country with jazz, funk, disco, soul, reggae, spirituals, blues and electro. The groovy horn-fueled harmonies of “Soul Makossa”, his Atlantic Records debut blew up in New York’s underground disco scene and laid the foundation for the world music scene as it inspired pop stars like Michael Jackson and Rihanna. His Duala lyrics, “Mama-say-mama-sa-mama-coosa”, were later repurposed into scatting lyrics on Michael’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” and Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music”. He sued both artists in 2009 when Rihanna sampled his lyrics without seeking his permission but agreed to settle the case out of court.

Though Michael’s multi-platinum selling album, ‘Thriller’ was instrumental in putting Manu Dibango in the limelight, the Jazz legend was an important pioneer in his own right. He collaborated with other musicians like Fela Kuti, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, King Sunny Ade and Don Cherry over the 6-decade duration of his career and performed alongside stars like James Brown. The “Scarface: The World Is Yours”video game also featured his song, “Reggae Makossa” as a soundtrack in 2006.

Manu Dibango died in Paris on Tuesday, 24th of March and left behind 4 children and an impressive catalogue of music that will be remembered for bringing joy to listeners and establishing the international allure of African music.

Listen to Manu Dibango’s “Soul Makossa” below.

Featured Image Credits: Web/bandcamp
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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: Fela’s “Water No Get Enemy” should be everyone’s mantra for 2020

Where were you: Asa’s heart-warming performance on her IG Live

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

Since dropping her latest studio album, ‘Lucid’, Asa has been giving us glimpses into the more cheerful side of her person. In the last few months, the ever-elusive singer has shared jovial short videos of her dancing, sashaying around and giving random but pertinent PSAs. This level of accessibility is alien territory for an artist who’s been famous since the late ‘00s but has never been one to remain in the public eye for too long. You could sum up her modus operandi in this way: drop an album, go on a global tour that may or may not include her birth country, slip away for however long she deems until it’s time to repeat the cycle.

Whether she’s finally got the hang of the use of social media, or reflecting her calm and joyful mind set these days—something ‘Lucid’ hints at—or a combination of both, it’s clear that Asa fans are having a great time watching the acclaimed singer have fun. Last night, those same fans (myself included) had the rare opportunity of seeing Asa, in all her radiant glory, perform her music via a livestream on her Instagram page. Days before, the singer had been teasing an online performance, so when she announced that it was go-time on her Twitter, all the Asa faithful excitedly congregated at the designated space, and had their presence rewarded with an hour of acoustic bliss.

Set in her Lagos apartment, Asa was accompanied by master guitarist, Nsikak, and occasionally joined by a backup singer. Together, the trio played an intimate show that spanned across her phenomenal discography, with a set-list that comprised both evergreen songs from her older albums and her newer ones. She opened the show with her world weary classic, “Jailer”, one of the wildly popular songs off her LP that catapulted her into superstardom. From then on, she took song requests from the audience, playing a fan-curated set till the end.

The spontaneous arrangement of the performance was extra licence for Asa to flex her chops as an accomplished performer, as she took creative liberties with the songs she performed, playing around with melodies and instrumental rhythms, even adding freestyled codas to some songs. In this stripped down setting, Asa’s music retained its intimacy, with her voice and overall candour projecting an infectious and soothing warmth.

Throughout the live streamed show, admiration-filled comments constantly poured in from fans, including one from Genevieve Nnaji, three (by my count) from Adekunle Gold and a couple other celebrity entertainers. It all pointed to the adulation Asa has always enjoyed, as well as her slightly underrated—but never undervalued—influence on many of today’s alternative and pop-adjacent artists in Nigeria and Africa. In fact, the entire show was a golden moment of artist-fan interaction, where Asa was revelling in front of the camera and fans were collectively giving her flowers in real time, undeterred by location constraints.

Amidst the ongoing global chaos, you could call the show an act of escapism, but seeing a delightful performer like Asa requires no excuses. She’s promised to be back for another live streamed show this weekend, and it’s sure that the same set of fans will be back for seconds (myself included). You wouldn’t want to be asked where you were when the second show happens.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/asa official

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

ICYMI: KALAKUTA QUEENS ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES OF AFROBEAT

For the Girls: Kenya’s Karun Mungai is forging her own impressive solo career

Posted on by Tami Makinde

To commemorate Women’s History Month this year, we will be spotlighting a different female artist every day of the month. Some of these women you may know, others you may have heard of and some will be entirely new discoveries. The aim is to shine a light on the remarkable young women from around Africa, who are finding their feet through music and giving women a voice of their own. 

Karun Mungai is no stranger to the game, and she has been making music for over a decade. Back in high school, she and a group of friends formed an r&b and hip-hop band called Camp Mulla which included bandmates Shappaman and Taio. Consisting of five members with varying skills from songwriting to production, the group were credited at the time to be game changers for the Kenyan hip-hop scene, and went on to gain nods from many prominent award shows like the BETs and the MOBOs before their eventual split in 2013.

These days, Karun is forging her own individual music career. An alum of the Berklee College of Music, her journey as a solo artist began in 2014 with the release of her debut album ‘Sun & Moon’. The 14-track tape saw Karun work through many of the things she was feeling at the time, from stepping out from under the shadow of Camp Mulla to finding out who she was. Her soft-spoken vocals shine through on this project, where she offers a contemporary blend of alternative r&b and afro-soul. On “Finally” she appreciates her journey so far, and admits that her time has come to finally able be her authentic self and show it off to the world.

Karun is not a stranger to working with groups, and she later joined the music collective ‘Cosmic Homies’, which spanned across a slew of genres from jazz to funk to hip-hop. The collective gained a performance slot at the annual SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.

She takes influence from r&b/soul artists such as SZA, Kelela and Flying Lotus, and she channels this same dream-pop alternative take on modern life and love on her sophomore release ‘Indigo’. On the project’s titular track, she addresses a love interest directly as she sings ‘this was meant to be a temporary love/but yeah we got this far’, offering up her take on situationships. Elsewhere on “Need U The Most” she exchanges gentle croons about long distance relationships with Tanzanian artist, Joseph Kiwango.

Karun is also one of the artists benefitting from Mr Eazi’s emPawa Africa programme, last year the Kenyan-based artist was one of the crop of fresh young talents from around the continent who submitted entries to the music and mentorship programme.

You can watch her entry video “Glow Up” below.

Featured image credits: instagram/karun.i.verse

Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

For the Girls: Abuja-based artist Emosé is making psychedelic pop songs a thing

Here’s what young Nigerians are doing to take the edge off in these uncertain times

Posted on by Tami Makinde

2020 has been one hell of a year – literally. From natural disasters to the loss of legends, things have taken a ridiculous turn each month, with the current pandemic leaving little certainty about how or when things will get better. The reality of Coronavirus is setting in, and the entire world seems to have been put on pause, leaving room for not much else than hysteria and panic.

Social media is allowing us all experience the worldwide panic together. Whether it’s a fun and lighthearted Tik Tok challenge, or intense news about number of cases spiking up, it’s clear that we’re all out of our elements and most are ridden with anxiety and/or boredom. At the NATIVE, we have been practicing social distancing advised by working remotely for the past week, given that the virus is coming closer and closer to home.

So in a bid to lighten the load for our readers, we’ve spoken to a few young Nigerians living in Lagos about what they are doing for relief in these super stressful times. We found that a lot of our community are seeking out old habits, to ground themselves with something familiar for a sense of stability. From rewatching classic tv shows, to revisiting their favourite albums, here’s what a bunch of 20-something year olds are doing to alleviate the stress that the ‘rona is bringing. Who knows, you might pick up something new from this to help with your stress.

Remember to wash your hands!

I’ve been rewatching ‘The Sopranos’ & ‘Breaking Bad‘, also revisiting Donli’s masterpiece, ‘Enjoy Your Life’. I’m mostly doing these to recenter myself and prepare for the road ahead.

S, 24, M.

I’m watching ‘Zombieland’ and ‘World War Z’ at the moment. It’s a cute take on the zombie apocalypse: falling in love, fighting zombies, funny jokes and tips on how to survive (needed). It’s feel good but also scary lol.

D, 24, M.

I’m still a bit too anxious to focus, so I haven’t been watching a lot of TV. I started ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ again though, and it’s nice to see other people royally screw up cause everything is screwed up out here too. Also they always make it in the end, so maybe it’s hope we’ll get through this too.

A, 21, F.

I have a watch list of movies that I’m blowing through at the moment. They are mostly stuff I missed in cinema last year like ‘Parasite’, ‘Bombshell’, etc.  There’s no deeper reason behind them, I’m just very bored.

N, 21, F.

I was actually just watching ‘Lost In Translation‘ and I’m going to watch ‘In The Mood For Love’ later today. Also might watch the godfather. I just enjoy watching older films so I have them in mind as references.

B, 23, M.

I’ve actually been to a lot of One Direction recently and Florence and the Machine as well. For tv, I’m rewatching friends but I what I really want is to get into old Korean classics. Definitely revisiting these cause of nostalgia and with the corona setbacks, I’ve been feeling uncertain about the future. The songs and shows have not only been a distraction but also a reminder of when things were stable and better. So I think I’m holding on to the calm.

F, 20, F.

I’ve been listening to Roddy Ricch’s ‘Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial’ because it still slaps and helps when I’m feeling extra anxious. My sisters and I are also playing a lot of board games and trying (well, failing) to do the choreography we made up to songs like “Love Don’t Cost A Thing”, “Lose My Breath”, “When I Grow Up” etc when we were younger.

D, 25, F.

I’ve been reading manga like 21st Century Boys and Vagabond. I’m also watching a lot of interviews from people I respect and making music as well. These are mostly coincidental, but it does help me appreciate how far human beings have come.

D, 24, M.

I’ve been catching up on ‘Love & Hip-Hop’ and also listening to my playlists. I might start getting into old movies as well, cause I’ve already watched everything and anything on Netflix.

M, 22, F.

I haven’t really been watching any movies recently, because it’s really my first day practising social distancing. I have been listening to old Meg on Soundcloud and her earlier EPs. It’s been fun and a great way to get me dancing.

L, 22, F.

I have been listening to old PARTYNEXTDOOR, just because I am so geeked for his new album so I’m looking back at his old work in anticipation. I’m also catching up with series like ‘Jenifa’s Diaries’ and old Nollywood films on YouTube. They’re mostly funny, and it’s a great way to still find some humour with everything going on in the world.

T, 20, F.

Featured image credits/Sekyii

Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

ICYMI: We asked a few millenials what songs they listen to when they are sad

Songs of the day: New music from J Balvin and Mr Eazi, DJ Maphorisa, Kabza De Small, Nxwrth, Aussie and more

Posted on by The Native

The fast and furious pace of new music releases makes it hard to keep track of all different new sounds coming out of Africa, as the music scene grows more and more expansive. We’ve decided to help out, by sorting through all the new songs from across all the sub-genres around the continent to curate a column with all the best “Songs of the Day”, to highlight all the new releases you absolutely need to hear.

Last Friday, we brought you new releases by a diverse set of African artists, including South African rapper, Dope Saint Jude and Nigerian rappers, Naira Marley, Dremo, YCee, Sinzu and Blaqbonez. We kick off today’s Songs of the day list with Mr Eazi’s “Arcoíris” feature on J Balvin’s new ‘Colores‘ album then move to Ghana, where Nxwrth has shared a new single from his anticipated ‘NASA: Thanks for Flying’ project. You can update your playlists with these new songs and more below.

J Balvin – “Arcoíris” Feat. Mr Eazi

Mr Eazi first melded the afro & Latin pop audiences with his feature on J Balvin & Bad Bunny’s “Como Un Bebé” last year. The “Skintight” singer continues to push the global narrative for African music as he contributes another verse and hook on “Arcoíris” off J Balvin’s new album, ‘Colores’. While J Balvin sang in Spanish, Mr Eazi also included Yoruba lyrics to give the song a truly international perspective over the electronic beat.

Aussie Maze – “Arya” Feat. 808Vic

The cover art for Aussie Maze’s “Arya” shows the singer holding a landline phone to his ear. The sense of nostalgia the picture conveys is also echoed on the song, where he sings about missing his love interest over a soulful beat. Standout lyrics, “I look away, you’re out of sight/ And just like Arya/ I’ll look for you”, draws a “Game of Thrones” reference, that will resonate with listeners who are familiar with the series’ heroine, and also the feeling of wanting to be with someone who isn’t around.

Nxwrth – “Oh My Days” Feat. KwakuBs, Hama, KiddBlack, Darkovibes, Kuvie

Nxwrth’s debut project, ‘NASA: Thanks for Flying’ is set to drop next week, on the 3rd of April, and the Ghanaian producer’s contribution to La Meme Gang projects have built anticipation for his debut solo project. He just released “Oh My Days”, ahead of the project’s release, featuring Ghanaian singe, Hama; producer, Kuvie and other members of his crew. The self-produced trap beat inspires confident sets from the featured artists, who take turns bragging about their team spirit and accomplishments.

DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small – “Lorch” Feat. Semi Tee, Miano & Kammu Dee

DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small have updated their hit single, “Lorch” with a party-themed music video. Last year, the South African production duo teamed up for ‘The Return of Scorpion Kings’, the 14-track sequel to “Scorpion Kings”. For the track, they enlist Semi Tee, Miano and Kammu Dee for a verse each on the eerie house beat. For the new video, we see clips following Semi Tee, Miano and Kammu Dee as they perform their impressive vocals and join DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small at the party.

 

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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: These are all the songs you missed from last week

For the Girls: Abuja-based artist Emosé is making psychedelic pop a thing

Posted on by Tami Makinde

To commemorate Women’s History Month this year, we will be spotlighting a different female artist every day of the month. Some of these women you may know, others you may have heard of and some will be entirely new discoveries. The aim is to shine a light on the remarkable young women from around Africa, who are finding their feet through music and giving women a voice of their own. 

Emosé is probably one of the artists who will fall into the ‘you may have heard of’ category. Last year, the singer/songwriter & producer gained a lot of attention after she shared a video on her Instagram combining a drum-heavy Fela beat with Travis Scott’s auto-tuned vocals on “Antidote”. The result was a ‘chopped anecdote’ coined by Emosé herself and landed her the seal of approval from artists like M.I Abaga.

Being the daughter of a bass player, Emosé has always been drawn to music and has a deep appreciation of it. She describes her style of making music as “deep blues”, and likens her vocals to artists like Asa’s. Having released only a handful of songs, the Abuja-based artist is constantly working out her emotions and experiences through her music, where she infuses psychedelic rock with afro-pop influences.

The first single on her Soundcloud “Moses Acoustic Freestyle” dates back over a year ago, and sees her reaching for biblical allegories, while beautifully working through themes of fear and unworthiness. ‘We want the ones that will never love us’ she sings, also releasing her own part to play in her past failed relationships.

Emosé’s work is very DIY. Her fiercely independent nature led her to teach herself how to produce her own music, in order to maintain autonomy. This led to her picking up instruments like the guitar, which allows her the room to craft out an entire song through trial and error. In a recent podcast interview with Rodney Omeokachi, Emosé revealed that she considers herself a musician by mistake, because before anything, she’s making music to inspire herself through her day-to-day. She documents her little bursts of inspiration as she goes about her day-to-day, and she finds that they often turn into fully-fleshed songs.

https://twitter.com/emose__/status/1186946776483405824

Emosé’s songs always seem to have a religious aspect behind them. Just over a year ago, she released an acapella titled “Hail Mary” where she delivered a soulful plea calling for protection and love from God against an intriguing beatbox. This is what made us so excited for her latest single, “Goliath” which is a good starting point for getting into Emosé’s buttery-smooth vocals.

Over the guitar-led beat, she offers up more of that biblical imagery we have come to expect from her, as she vulnerably works through conflicting feelings about dealing with her fear. ‘Am I going to fight this Goliath’ she sings, offering up a timely song for anyone who has been crippled by their fears before embarking on a new job, or project or goal. Emosé explicitly states on her Soundcloud that this is not gospel, but rather a more modern afrofusion-inspired take on life, faith, and love.

Now more than ever, you should listen to “Goliath” below.

Featured image credits/emose

Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

For the Girls: Get Familiar with Yungen Blakrok, the South African rapper who traded bars with Kendrick Lamar

Naira Marley shows off the depth of his Marlian fandom in video for “Aye”

Posted on by The Native

When Naira Marley thrust himself into the mainstream last year with his impressive run of hits songs; “Illuminati”, “Am I A Yahoo Boy”, “Opotoyi (Marlians)” and “Soapy”, we knew the game was about to be changed. While we were all entranced by the back to back hits, he was busy cementing his position as the president of the Marlians, who are currently revolutionising stan culture in afropop. Last week, he dropped his first single since his 2019 EP, Lord Of Lamba, and to keep us interested has now released the video for “Aye”.

Danielle Mbonu made her directorial debut with the new video, which starts off with shots of Naira Marley driving around in a convertible ride, living lavish. We also see shots of skaters and dancers mirroring the lyrics Naira performs in Yoruba, “Aye Yi O Le(Life Isn’t Hard)/ Aye Lo Mu Aye Le(People Make Life Hard)”. At the end of the video, Rexxie’s street-hop beat is right at home in the party scene, where we see street-hop tastemakers such as Rexxie himself, Davido, Snoop Savage, Pocolee and others enjoying their drinks, and partying with no worries like the song instructs us to.

Watch the video for Naira Marley’s “Aye” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Naira Marley
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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: Naira Marley debuts ‘Lord of Lamba (LOL)’ EP

Essentials: Remy Baggins marries vulnerability & sensuality on ‘Sakura (EP)’

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

On his well-received 2019 project, ‘Hentai’, Remy Baggins anointed himself the patron saint of casual situationships, where steamy sex and other virtual substitutes wasn’t just the endgame, but also a way of life. Across the nine tracks—all of which scream “add me to your sex playlist”—the singer/producer documents and dreams up escapades, bringing collaborators like Dami Oniru, Ladipoe and Funbi into his sex-positive(/crazed) universe.

For his newly released follow-up, ‘Sakura’, Remy switches things up a bit. Unlike the straightforward and transactional narratives he put together on his previous project, there’s some complexity to the new, short but sweet EP that makes it a far more lived-in and relatable project. If ‘Hentai’ was all about the pursuit of sex, ‘Sakura’ highlights the complications of finding and falling into a committed relationship after bottoming out from all the meaningless sex.

While he still keeps the carnality going, the songs on the EP exude a genuine ache to fall and stay in love. Across the four tracks, Remy impressively marries vulnerability and sensuality, telling far less simple stories and evoking deeper emotions. On lead single and opening song, “As Friends Tho”, Remy fantasises about getting it on with a love interest, but the potential wrench is that she’s only interested in a friends with benefit-type situation. “Let me be the one to show you off and treat you right”, he pleads without getting the positive reply he desperately craves.

The rest of the songs on ‘Sakura’ are similarly open-ended, with Remy laying out his intentions and feelings in the open. Perhaps the clearest upgrade from this pining approach, is the sharper and less indulgent writing on the tape—thankfully, there are no “blade”-inspired innuendos or unsubtle phone sex references. On “No Games (Interlewd)”, he lays his affections out and seeks a reciprocal level of love and trust with lyrics that are heartfelt and sincere, while “Show Me the Signs” seeks consent without piling on too much about his sexual prowess.

In addition to thematic continuity and growth, ‘Sakura’ exclusively focuses on Remy’s vocal abilities as a singer, especially his ability to communicate vigour through gently soaring melodies. His production also continues his flair for maximalist palettes, like the stunning closer, “U”, which features fuzzy electric guitars, shimmering piano chords and thumping drums.

Hitting as many right notes as possible within ten minutes, ‘Sakura’ is the work of a polymath who’s in better control of the elements of his craft.

Listen to ‘Sakura’ here.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/remybaggins

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

ICYMI: LISTEN TO KWAKU ASANTE’S LIVE RENDITION OF HIS 2019 SINGLE, “SUNDAY”

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

Posted on by Damilola Animashaun

Kemi Adetiba has begun promotion for the ‘King Of Boys’ sequel, and as you can imagine, everyone is super excited. Following the well-deserved critical and commercial success of her directorial debut, ‘The Wedding Party’, expectations for her second film were high and she managed to exceed them with ‘King Of Boys’. The film instantly received rave reviews from cinema goers, had the highest opening week in 2018 for a non-comedy film, and the second highest ever by a female director. This is what made it even more exciting when it was premiered on Netflix a few months later, giving viewers all over the world access to the fantastic film.

King Of Boys follows Alhaja Eniola Salami (played by Sola Sobowale), a businesswoman with a promising political future, who made her way to the top with a checkered past. As her ambitions see her outgrowing the underworld connections responsible for her wealth, she’s drawn into a power struggle that threatens everything she holds dear. Alhaja Eniola is one of the most important female characters in Nollywood history, as we rarely ever see a woman in as much control as she is, daring to cross as many boundaries as she did.

From the way she rose into her position of power, to the way she handled male opposition who constantly undermined her, her character flips the damsel-in-distress cliché on its head. Even though she was in distress, she wasn’t presented to viewers as such, even at her lowest points. From her regal clothes to the way she switched between loving and evil, Eniola Salami is nothing like we’ve ever seen in Nollywood before.

Nollywood typically portrays women in that age bracket as either inherently good (making ridiculous sacrifices as a labour of love) or inherently bad (wicked stepmothers/wives who poison men). Nigerian films tend to translate the way women are viewed in real life to the screens, and all the things society imposes on women are heightened in film. At this point in society, we’re shedding these imposed beliefs, and Instagram pages such as Yungnollywood and Nollybabes offer us different perspective from what we were taught when these older films were being made.

This is a result of women taking charge of their own narratives and breaking away from what’s considered as the set norm, and Kemi Adetiba’s female anti-hero, chucks a middle finger up to what society dictates that a woman should be. Alhaja Eniola defies the idea that women in film and TV are either inherently ‘good’ or pure evil, by being a mix of both. Outwardly, she’s loving and caring to her children and other women in her community, whilst in secret, is evil to those who step on her toes or attempt to interrupt her grinding.

Toni Tones as Young Eniola Salami

– SPOILER ALERT –

While she’s still punished for her diabolical ways, by losing her two children, her entire dynasty and position as the official King Of Boys, the end of the film suggested that even though she’s been ostracised from society, she’s still in control of affairs. Even though at this point, we were aware that she was a murderous villain, we still stan, and this is because we are finally seeing women on the big-screen presented as real, multi-faceted characters. In the early noughties, television in the States was turned on its head with protagonists like Don Draper and Tony Soprano: completely deplorable characters who constantly did terrible things, but you still cheered them on. Not long after, we were finally given female anti-heroes to both love and hate, such as Claire Underwood and Cersei Lannister.

What’s interesting about all these women, and Alhaja Eniola included, is that their characters don’t deny their femininity and womanhood, in fact, that’s what their strength as villains is. It’s revealed in King Of Boys that a lot of Alhaja Eniola’s motivation came from trying to provide a good life for her adopted daughter, Kemi (Adesua Etomi), after promising her late mother that she would. We also see her helping other women out of troublesome situations, like when she bought a hawker’s entire stock, after noticing that she was pregnant again and clearly wasn’t doing any family planning.

While presenting the notion that not all female villains have to be femme fatales, a young Eniola Salami – excellently portrayed by Toni Tones – gained her wealth and status by seducing a married man, before she killed him and his entire family off and inherited his wealth. Again, women like this on television typically get ‘their due’, and are eventually punished for their actions, however, a young Eniola, built a dynasty through this evil act, and remained on top even though she seemingly lost everything.

Her methods are totally diabolical and definitely questionable, but there’s definitely a thrill in seeing her manoeuvre this role, mostly because it’s nothing like we’ve ever seen on Nigerian television. A few months ago, we learnt that we’ll be seeing more of Young Eniola, in the sequel, which director, Kemi Adetiba has already started teasing with flyers and a teaser video. While the recently released clip doesn’t give much of the sequel away, the smoky effect, loud footsteps and ominous figure appearing out of the smoke is enough indication of where the film is headed, and we can’t wait.

Since we have all the time to, thanks to the ‘rona, you should watch ‘King Of Boys’ and all the other original African content on Netflix!

ICYMI: Pearl Thusi shines in first-ever African Netflix Original, Queen Sono 

How Rema has changed the afropop game in only one year

Posted on by The Native

It feels like a lot longer, given his meteoric rise, but today marks one year since Rema was introduced to the Afropop world with his self-titled EP. Less than a week after he dropped this era defining project, I sat with Rema for his first-ever interview, and looking back at that conversation, it has been a monumental year for the afropop star.

After 3 EPs, several coveted awards such as Next Rated at The Headies, and Best New Artist at the SoundCity MVP Awards, his growth in every area is palpable. He came into the scene with hit song, “Dumebi” on his hands, and over the past 12 months, has continued to cement his status as a prolific and versatile artist, thanks to a genre-bending catalogue of hits.

The 4-track EP was short and sweet enough for listeners to take note of every song, which led the entire project to dominate radio playlists and music streaming charts across the country. When I spoke to him for the TRYBE section in our last print issue, he had the poise of a teenager on the brink of success and offered context about how he’s able to appeal to mainstream afropop, while still channelling the familiar angst of next-gen hip-hop artists such as Lil’ Uzi Vert and Juice WRLD.

‘Rema’ arrived as a blend of all the diverse sounds dominating popular culture in Nigeria. The lead single, “Iron Man” pulled influence from Bollywood score melodies while traces of Wizkid’s rhythmic songwriting are unmistakably evident on “Dumebi”. He also demonstrated his global influence with the emo-trap “Why”, which showed that Nigerian music can be just as inventive, weird and expressive as something you’d hear anywhere else in the world. Though these foreign influences already existed in Nigerian rap, ‘Rema’ managed to take what would be categorised as an underground sound into Nigerian mainstream.

Rema also represented everything Nigerians often berate the alté community for, from his strange gimmicks (masks and teddy bears) to his undefinable sound. Beyond bridging this gap, he also stood as a reflection of afropop’s global appeal. This put him in conversations about being one of Nigeria’s biggest exports, allowed collaborations with superstars from all over the world like Becky G; Major Lazer & 6lack. He also earned the seal of approval of The Obamas (more than once), and a spot in Rolling Stone’s list of the best 50 songs in 2019.

On his first project, which is a year old today, Rema tackled love, life, nature and neglect against an eclectic range of beats, these struggles he sang about coincide with joy and youthful exuberance with a bravery that made it even more enjoyable. Thematically, the EP played out as a voyage through a Nigerian teenager’s emotional rollercoaster, and was the first of the sort to do so. Young Nigerian boys could look at him and see themselves like never before, and young Nigerian girls were finally given a teenage heartthrob who they could actually crush on.

His command of the spotlight—whether he was flirting (“Baby come and sing my song/ You dey make me wan dey give you more”), boasting (“It’s a Miracle/ Oya Come taste my money oh”) or talking glorious nonsense (“Kakara/ Make I give her the pon pon pon”)—presented a popstar manifesto with something for everyone, young or not. The Ozedikuz -produced “Dumebi” took off instantly for being a mosh-pit inducing heartbreak anthem, whilst also being the perfect party anthem.

It’s impossible to erase the mark Rema has left on afropop history in the last year, and it comes as no real surprise that his rise to the top has been trailed with comparisons to Wizkid. Both artists attained mainstream success almost immediately, and grew their fanbase with the flashy allure of being teenage heartthrobs. Wizkid throughout the decade has delivered constant hits and is without a doubt one of the biggest artists today, and beyond the hits, we’re seeing him inspiring the next generation of hitmakers, and it’s clear that he’s one of Rema’s sonic influences.

While Wizkid captured the popular zeitgeist and built homegrown support before taking on the bigger responsibility of representing the continent on the Billboard charts, Rema built his buzz on the global stage right from the start. Where Rema’s breakout song has 17 million YouTube views, Wizkid’s racked up 1.9 million over the years, which is a testament to the times both artists came out into.

Over the last year, Rema has become a prominent figure in regional and international scenes, and he performs Afropop songs on prestigious global stages like his half time performance at the NBA All-Star Weekend. While international fans vibe with his lyrics with so many international remixes for “Dumebi”, fans at home appreciate the angst-filled trap songs they can relate to. Rema might take influences from the Afropop sound Wizkid popularised, but he’s using it as a tool to tell his own stories.

Rema embodies the entirety of Afropop’s evolution in one moment, benefitting from the changes the industry has seen over the years and drawing influence from those who walked the same path before him. Gen-Z  music stars all over the world from Megan Thee Stallion to Roddy Ricch have also benefitted from this, and seen very similar success to Rema in a short time frame. What they all have in common also, is that they’re using their music and position as a tool to inspire their peers all over the world, which immediately sets them apart.

Beyond the jams, and whether he intends to or not, his position on the global stage serves as a beacon of light for other young Nigerians, whose dreams are limited by just being a product of this society. Rema presented himself to the world as he is, and continues to tow his path on his own terms. We’re looking forward to seeing what the next year with him looks like.

Featured Image Credits: TSE
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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: Meet Rema, the kid from Benin with the world at his feet