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
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_
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.
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:
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
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
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_
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.
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’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
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.
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.
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
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
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!
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
To commemorate Women’s History Month this year, we will be spotlighting a new 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.
In 2018, Marvel Studios released its 18th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ‘Black Panther’ to rave reviews and historic box office sales, grossing over $218 million in its opening week internationally. The film was a cultural phenomenon and a love letter to black culture. Accompanying it, came a soundtrack helmed by Kendrick Lamar.
The lyrics thrust listeners into the fantasy world of Wakanda where Kendrick Lamar enlisted the talent of African artists, pairing them with his TDE label-mates, in a bid to bring the film to life through rap. Amongst these artists was South African rapper, Yungen Blakrok, a Johannesburg-based artist who has proven to be a defiant and formidable MC. Over the bass-thumping “Oops” featuring Kendrick Lamar and Vince Staples, Yungen raps ‘Flowers on my mind, but my rhyme style sinister’ giving listeners a glimpse into her world where she disregards the status quo and forges her own path as an alternative rapper within the South African music scene.
This collaboration isn’t even half of what Yungen has achieved since she started her rap career. Her 15-track debut album ‘Return of the Astro – Goth’, channeled mystical afro-futuristic sounds as Yungen dealt with themes like astrology, spirituality, ancient world cultures, space and astronomy. On “House of Ravens” she takes on a dark and sinister stance, rapping about death, her clever wordplay and the darker traits she possess like anger.
Yungen’s influences are deep spitters from the 90s American hip-hop era like Organized Confusion, Def Squad and Wu-Tang’s RZA and GZA. It’s no wonder her style of rapping is terse and covers wide complex matters that she define her very quirky personality. Last year, she released a follow up to her debut, ‘Anima Mysterium’, staying true to her knowledge and fascination with travel, space and time. Standout cut “Morbid Abakus” sees her continuing her poetry-style flow as she raps ‘I’m silent-bomb-type, exit like Houdini you couldn’t see me’ boasting about her mastery of her flow and slippery tongue bars that are laced with complex allegories.
Earlier this month, to celebrate International Women’s Day, British-Ghanaian singer, Kwaku Asante released a live version of one of his most popular songs “Sunday”, as an ode to black women all over the world. Thanks to his strong vocals and the generally chilled vibe of the entire video, this version of the song quickly became a favourite, and now, he’s released an audio version for everyone to enjoy.
Kwaku is a storyteller, who is vividly narrating his journey to self-discovery through music. “Sunday” was originally released on his 2019 EP, honeycomb, and is without a doubt one of the project’s standouts. On “Sunday”, Kwaku narrates an ideal Sunday with his lover, whilst professing love for her and showering her with compliments. His raspy voice stands out against the live band’s impeccable arrangement, which makes for the perfect serenade while you’re in self-isolation.
The 6-track EP which housed this soulful song has many others of the like, where Asante’s vocals are the star of the show. He belts out melodies which hit you at the core, singing relatable lyrics that will definitely keep listeners interested in the entire project. Ranging from topics about self confidence to romance, there’s a song in there for everyone and you should check it out if you haven’t already.
Zamir’s bestsongs compel you to run them back one more time, until you lose count of how many times in a row you’ve played the particular song. The rapper and ex-L.O.S member uses drilling as a potent tool, repeating and reciting his lyrics in a hypnotic manner which blurs verses and hooks into strangely alluring music. “Ordre Du Jour”, his newest single, is an instantly catchy piece of chant-rap that immediately stamps itself into the listeners’ recall sheet, for all the right reasons.
Performed in a mix of French and English, “Ordre Du Jour” obscures some of itself from those of us who never took our French classes serious when we were younger. The trip of it, though, is that it feels like a big flex by Zamir, as his turns of phrase between both languages are seamless. With a title that translates into “Order of the Day”, and lines like “rolling with the same guys since like five/never told no lies”, the song feels like a reiteration to one of his most important guiding principles: keeping the circle tight while enjoying rockstar lifestyle.
The thing is, on a visceral level, “Ordre Du Jour” absolutely slaps. Zamir has always known how to pick beats that compliment his positively haunting voice and deadpan delivery, and the production on his new single does that to full effect. A dramatic violin string riff, buzzing piano strings and bombastic house synths accompany Zamir’s set, giving the song its fun-inducing tone. You may or may not understand everything Zamir is saying, but one thing we know is you’ll be staying for everything else.
Listen to “Ordre Du Jour” here.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/kingzamir_los
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
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 platforms and subgenres 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 Timi Dakolo, Olamide, Kwesi Arthur, Efya, Tulenkey and more. Today, we’re recommending new music from South African rapper, Dope Saint Jude and Nigerian rappers, Naira Marley, Dremo, YCee, Sinzu and Blaqbonez. We also have the new Major Lazer remix for Rema’s “Dumebi” and new music from Oxlade who has announced that his ‘Oxygen’ EP will be available on the 27th of March. You’re welcome.
Dope Saint Jude – “Go High Go Low”
South African rapper, Dope Saint Jude uses her music to preach the much needed gospel of racial and sexual equality. Her newly released “Go High Go Low” is an activist anthem which finds her celebrating her passion and drive; “I am committed to finding my bliss and for this, I am willing to die”. Fakear, Pouvoir Magique and Einki produced the catchy hip-hop beat, which adds an extra bounce to Dope Saint Jude’s empowering message while the accompanying video directed by Peri also buttresses her confidence through the marching band outfits, religious imagery and car drifting scenes.
Naira Marley – “Aye”
Since they first linked up on “Japa”, Naira Marley and Rexxie have become quite the pair. The duo have now teamed up for “Aye”, a new street-hop jam that embodies Naira Marley’s ‘no-mannerz’ attitude. Singing his Yoruba lyrics—“Aye yi o le(Life isn’t hard)/ Aye lo mu aye le(People make life hard)”—with a melody that gives the impression that he’s drunk, he is able to speak uninhibitedly against society and those who have falsely accused him; “Ni gba ti mi o jale(when I haven’t stolen)”. It makes “Aye” the perfect song to play at clubs where intoxicating drinks are sold.
Oxlade – “Away”
Oxlade is finally set to release his debut project, ‘Oxygene’ on the 27th of March after building fans’ anticipation since he broke into the mainstream nearly 2 years ago. Collaboration with Juls, DJ Tunez, Melvetto, Blaqbonez and others have made his endearing falsetto a familiar guarantee of quality Afropop, as he built a notable following despite only having a handful of singles. His catalogue just got updated with “Away”, the first song from the 6-track EP which finds Oxlade professing love for his muse over the lightweight highlife beat produced by Spax.
Blaqbonez – “Haba”
Blaqbonez’s personality as an internet troll doesn’t take anything away from his reputation as a rapper. In fact, he marries both attributes successfully with campaigns like his ‘Best Rapper in Africa’ where he intentionally makes inflammatory statements to trigger people and steer conversations. In a similar fashion, his new single, “Haba” capitalises on the reaction to the video he shared on Twitter confessing his addiction to watching twerk videos on Instagram. “Haba”sounds like the soundtrack to nights spent at the strip club, as he gives a graphic description of his experience with an enthusiastic dancer; “Say make she calm down/ But she say she wan whine until man die”. The accompanying video directed by TG Omori sticks to the script from his lyrics as we watch Blaq get several lap dances.
Dremo – “Faaji” Feat. Sinzu, Ycee
Sinzu, Dremo and Ycee are some elite rappers who have ensured that the Nigerian rap scene doesn’t live in the shadow of Afropop’s mainstream acclaim. Each artist has had commercially impactfully hit songs and have now brought their efforts together for “Faaji”, a rap song with all the alluring attributes that make up Afropop. Vstix produced the flute-led beat for “Faaji” and the groovy beat inspires confident rap verses from Dremo Sinzu and Ycee who rap from their perspective as celebrities trying to pick up women in the club.
Rema – “Dumebi Remix” Feat. Major Lazer
Rema has released a new remix for “Dumebi” as we approach the first anniversary for his self-titled ‘Rema’ debut this Sunday. The song already enjoyed a dominating run in African music charts, playlists and radio through most part of last year, but now it seems to have grown more wings as it travels to the rest of the world on the back of international remixes. Becky G initially jumped on the first remix last month before Norwegian Dj and producer, Matoma made the EDM remix that came out earlier this month. It’s hard to improve on a great song but Major Lazer’s “Dumebi Remix” upgrades the Ozedikus produced beat with vibrant Caribbean dancehall drums and synths that highlight Afropop’s harmonious attribute.
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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
Three years ago, we reminded you guys that Obesere did all of it first, in terms of outlandish behaviour that seems to get members of the alté community in trouble with Nigerians today. Now in 2020, his career is seeing a renaissance of sorts, which has led to a series of interviews, a possible tour (if our oga at the top right now, ‘Rona permits), and now a remix to “Egungun Be Careful” featuring Zlatan.
Where Obesere’s original 3-part song, will thrive at owambes all over the country, this remix with Zlatan is set for mainstream success, following his out-of-the-blue resurgence in our generation. The Fuji veteran caught everyone’s attention this year, with clips of the quirky accompanying video for “Egungun Be Careful” littering the streets of Twitter.
The focal point of Obesere’s original song, simply aims to let everyone know to watch out for unexpected obstacles as they go about their activities, otherwise you’ll run into trouble like the egungun who ran into the expressway. You won’t even notice that you’ve been listening to for 20 minutes – it’s a 3 part song spanning over 28 minutes and many different beats – regardless of whether you understand what he’s saying.
The much shorter remix with Zlatan is more suited to today’s mainstream audience. While Obesere does most of the heavy lifting with a newer version of the original, Zlatan adds a catchy hook and sparse ad-libs to give the song a special 2020 flavour.
Since he broke out two years ago, Zlatan has showed off his range and lyrical dexterity through his collaborations with heavyweights from Naira Marley to Burna Boy and debut album ‘Zanku’. Being the current bridge between the streets and mainstream, his talent is a good mix of everything we need: sound rap, humour, catchy melodies and let’s not forget his inimitable ad-libs.
We’re excited to see how this pans out for Obesere’s career, and to see who else he collaborates with over the next few months.
In a three-part series, The NATIVE breaks down the different unseen facets that go into making a song: songwriting, song sampling and sound engineering, in a bid to pronounce their place and importance in creating a functioning ecosystem in the music industry.
When it comes to music, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and how everyone feels about quality is quite subjective. In this murky territory, the sonic basis of the song is probably the closest thing to an empirical factor in determining the quality of the music. It’s easy to debate things like the efficacy of the melodies, lyrics, vocal performance and instrumentation, but the argument dials down a bit when considering how well the music is polished off and finished.
This is where mixing and mastering comes in – an oddly and sorely underrated part of the music making process. Usually, the vocal artists get a significant amount of the praise when a song comes out, followed by the producers. Sound engineers, however, who are entrusted with making sure the moving parts are fused together to ensure listeners get an acceptable song, are far less recognised.
“Some people might not see where sound engineers come in, but the thing is, the volume where an artist records a song is not ideal for commercial listening”, Alpha Ojini—rapper, producer and engineer who’s mixed music for M.I Abaga, Blaqbonez, Ycee, Bella Albubo and more—explains to me over the phone.
You’d be wrong to think that mixing and mastering is just about increasing or decreasing volumes. In the early parts of our enlightening conversation, he breaks down the basics of what this stage is, explaining that it involves synchronising the vocals and instrumentals, taking note of the direction the artist and the producer were aiming for while making music.
You might think this all sounds very simple, but there are a bunch of technicalities involved in taking a newly recorded piece to a full-fledged song, especially in the era of easy access to mobile, makeshift equipment. Before the technological advancements that enabled artists to record their music wherever they wanted to, properly set-up studios were the go-to places to record, with the resulting song depending on the quality of equipment. These days, there’s a convenience and spontaneity to making music, since more people can buy and set-up gears in the comfort of their homes, however, the downside is that recording music in an uncontrolled environment complicates turning a demo into a commercially ready song.
In Afropop, artists like Davido and Zlatan are known for sharing videos of their recording process, some of which happens in makeshift spaces rather than in studios. While recordings from both places need to be mixed, one requires more effort from the sound engineer.
“Usually, engineering is garbage in garbage out”, Alpha says. “Your work is easier as an engineer if the recording was done in a studio area that is closed off to external noise; most of the problems we get is people recording in less than ideal spaces”.
Fittingly, the same technology that enables artists to record in places that aren’t studios, is coming up with tools to help deal with complications from initial recordings. But Alpha makes a point that the engineer needs to be on top of their game and new updates to make sure they can work with whatever they get. “For someone like me who does this as a hustle, it’s up to me to rise up to the challenges, ‘cos the problems are even more than people recording in less than ideal spaces”, he says, adding that artists and producers will demand that you pull out your best tricks, to ensure that their flawed recording becomes a glossy song.
Alpha Ojini mixing in studio (picture provided by artist)
In addition to clearing background noise and adjusting volume levels, sound engineers have to be specific with their mixing and mastering efforts, with respect to the genre. Midway through our conversation, Alpha mentions the Red Book Code, which specifies the standards engineers work with to ensure that their loudness volumes is appropriate to the music they’re working on.
“For example, there’s a level at which the bass and the snares have to knock, in order for a hip-hop song to be considered dope, and there’s a level for the percussion to slap on an Afrobeats song for it to be standard” Alpha says.
He, however, makes the point that all of this is really subject to listeners’ reception. With that caveat, the code isn’t nearly as absolute, as much as it is a loose guide for engineers, allowing for flexibility and a creative licence that is underpinned by the level of equipment they have. “There are different tools that help some engineers have an edge over others”, Alpha explains. “There are engineers that have thousands of dollars of analogue equipment, and they will be able to crank out more loudness on their mixes than someone who works entirely on a laptop”.
Even after landing the preferred ballpark, though, engineers need to ensure that their mixes fit into the artist’s vibe. Alpha uses the pop sensation, Billie Eilish as an example, noting that her punk-meets-ASMR aesthetic might be totally ruined if an unfamiliar sound engineer was entrusted with mixing her music. This instance pushes the notion that sound engineers are important in helping artists project their voice, and by extension, their distinct personas.
Considering their significance, it’s a shame that sound engineers are not always accorded the same level of reverence as their responsibilities, and Afropop is a special culprit in this case. In places with more developed music industries, sound engineers are respected by fans and celebrated by artists. For his work with heavyweights like Kanye West and Travis Scott, producer and engineer Mike Dean is widely regarded by hip-hop fans as an essential pair of hands in shaping the current sound of rap music. JAY-Z has shouted out his engineer, Young Guru, several times on wax, explicitly immortalising him as an important part of his illustrious career, and the same goes for artists like Future, whose late friend Seth Firkins, helped shape his sound before his tragic passing.
Even when the recognition isn’t outward, sound engineers can gain validation for their work through awards. Every year since 1959, the Grammys have given out awards for Best Engineered Album, in classical and non-classical categories, and they are presented to the engineer(s) rather than the recording artist. It’s an acknowledgement of their huge role in making sure the best music possible is being made. From Nigeria’s Headies to South Africa’s Mzansi Viewer’s choice awards, there’s no dedicated category to mixing and mastering, a portrayal of how undervalued these facets are by fans and stakeholders.
“We actually have people in Nigeria who have been mixing for years”, Alpha offers when I ask him who should judge a mixing and mastering category, since we’re mostly ignorant. “We have people like that in the Gospel music space, you’d definitely find in the alternative space—that’s people who’ve worked with legendary producers like Cobhams Asuquo. These people are living in this same Lagos, and when you go to their studios you’d think you’re outside the country, but it’s just ‘cos they’re super low-key”.
In his opinion, finding those people and convincing them to take the responsibility of judging an engineering will go a long way in improving recognition for engineers, and even raise the standards substantially since there’s a high-valued prize attached.
The truth is sound engineers do the most without really getting their due props, which is quite unfair. With the onus that’s placed on them, and the amount of skill that’s required to pull their job off, it doesn’t seem out of place to equate sound engineers to magicians—or maybe make-up artists, except they don’t post before and after snippets. Regardless of the analogy you prefer, they important thing to know is that they are an indispensable part of making music, and we need to treat them accordingly.
Respect the sound engineer.
Featured Image Credits: Web
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
We might all be a bit distracted by Miss ‘Rona and all the complications she’s bringing, but let’s not forget that it’s possible in the very near future, that social media may become a less safe avenue for free expression if the Nigerian Senate passes its proposed ‘Social Media Bill’.
Introduced on the 9th of November 2019, the bill titled ‘Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulations Bill 2019’ was sponsored by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, representing Niger east senatorial district, with the aim of regulating the menace of hate-speech and fake news.
Hate speech is regarded as any public statement that ‘expresses hate or encourages violence towards a person or group based on something such as race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation’. Following the rise of the far-right across parts of the industrialised West, and social media granting access to billions of people around the world to share their thoughts in real time, concern has grown with regards to limiting the dissemination of fake news, and the propagation of hate speech.
With the general public calling on social media platforms such as Facebook & Twitter to be more robust in identifying and removing such content from their websites, governments around the world have also tried to introduce policies to combat hate speech. In Singapore for example, it’s a criminal offence to communicate a false statement of fact, and you could get a penalty of a jail term of up to 10 years, a fine of up to $100,000 or both. The bill also levels penalties on social media platforms which fail to emove content or display prominent corrections at the government’s direction. Observers believe that Singapore’s bill was the likely inspiration for Nigeria’s proposed ‘Social Media Bill’.
Senator Musa’s bill, would make it a punishable offence for an individual to transmit a false statement as fact, with prejudice to Nigerian society whether you’re within or outside of Nigeria. This covers the health and safety of the country’s citizens, influences the outcome of an election in Nigeria, amongst many other things. The punishment for this crime being “a fine not exceeding N300, 000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both”.
Many analysts are concerned that this bill, should it be passed through the senate would greatly infringe on people’s rights and could possibly be used as a tool for internet censorship, raising concerns that the bill’s true intentions may be to stifle political commentary and anti-government scrutiny in light of cases against journalists and publications like Premium Times.
A public hearing held on the 10th of March at the National Assembly saw most speakers, ranging from civil groups, government agencies and average citizens, on the day in opposition to the bill, highlighting the fact that the bill could be abused by authorities, essentially violating the Human rights of average Nigerians.
Speaking at public hearing, the executive chairman of the National Communications Commission (NCC) noted that the bill gives unconscionable power to the Police to be the judge and jury of proper internet content. The NCC and the broadcasting organisation of Nigeria (BON), amongst others agreed that most of the bill’s provisions were already captured in previous legislations such as the Cyber Crimes Act of 2015. Speaking further Sa’a Ibrahim, chairman of BON, remarked that the bill is “undefined and misleading”, adding that its purpose was not necessary.
Other groups have also voiced concern and resistance a the bill, a recent exhibition by Terra Kulture was held, showcasing artworks from various Nigerian arts with large social media presence, and encouraged participants and visitors alike to sign a petition against the bill. Protests also held in Lagos and Abuja, in opposition to the bill.
On our part, we can combat fake news by verifying information we receive online, before sharing it to other people.
While it’s important for us to take a definitive stand on fake news and hate speech, especially in a culturally diverse country such as Nigeria, we must ensure that the principles of free speech, and open discourse remain sacrosanct. Nevertheless, conversations such as these are vital to entrenching the values of democracy in our society. The bill has passed through its second screening, and with little public support, it likely will not become law, however we should not rule out a potential resurgence of the policy down the line.
There is an online petition against the social media bill with close to 100,000 signatures. The target is 150,000, you can sign the petition here.
Featured Image Credits: Web/ NATIVE
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Djaji is a creative Vagabond, send me your takes on music and African culture @djajiprime
