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

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

Posted on by Tami Makinde

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.

Featured image credits/bandcamp

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

For the Girls: Nigerian-American rapper Chika is not new to viral success

Listen to Kwaku Asante’s live rendition of his 2019 single, “Sunday”

Posted on by The Native

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.

ICYMI: Chika Oranicuh has a lot to say and you should listen to her

Rap Song of the Week: Zamir’s “Ordre Du Jour” absolutely slaps

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

Zamir’s best songs 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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ICYMI: BYLWANSTA’S “HOW ‘BOUT NOW?” IS A PERSONAL CONFLICT CREATIVES KNOW ALL TOO WELL

Songs of the day: New music from Rema, Naira Marley, Dope Saint Jude, Oxlade, Blaqbonez 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 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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ICYMI: Catch up on all the songs from this week

Zlatan & Obesere team up for new version of “Egungun Be Careful”

Posted on by The Native

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.

ICYMI: Obesere and his influence on the alte culture as we know it today

We should be giving more props to sound engineers in Afropop

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

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

ICYMI: ALPHA OJINI CONTINUES HIS STEADY GRIND TOWARDS MAINSTREAM PROMINENCE WITH ‘CHVMELEON’

What Nigeria’s Proposed Social Media Bill Means For The Internet and Free Speech

Posted on by The Native

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.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5LEwZ6ArLX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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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ICYMI: COULD THE WEST AFRICAN ‘ECO’ PROVIDE A LIFELINE FOR NIGERIA’S ECONOMY?

Manny Norté brings Rema, 6lack and Tion Wayne together for “4AM”

Posted on by The Native

The sense of community sweeping through the globe in the mess that 2020 has been is far from surprising. Multinational corporations have successfully navigated our interconnected world, and now afropop is starting her own journey, globetrotting through international distribution deals and collaborations like Manny Norte, 6lack, Rema, Tion Wayne and LVRN’s “4AM”.

“4AM” is a marker of how connected the world is today, featuring Rema from Nigeria, 6lack from America and Tion Wayne from UK. The song is British DJ/presenter, Manny Norte’s debut single as a music curator, and the engaging song shows the range of his music taste. All three artists combine their unique sounds over the minimalist pop P2J produced beat, with catchy drum riffs and synth harmonies. The beat makes for the perfect beach party setting, and also manages to fulfil the sensual needs of Rema’s dancehall melodies, 6lack’s R&B vocals and Tion Wayne’s romantic rap bars.

Directed by JM films, the video for “4AM” with a similar summer theme as the song, shows Manny Norte, 6lack, Rema and Tion Wayne enjoying themselves out in Ghana. Just as the song is relaxing, the video also conveys a sense of a tranquility, before it The video closes out at a beach party surrounded by the locals who play football and dance to the song.

See the video for “4 AM” by Manny Norte, 6lack, Rema and Tion Wayne below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/tionwayne

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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

For the Girls: Nigerian-American rapper Chika is not new to viral success

Posted on by Tami Makinde

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 spotlight the remarkable young women from around Africa, who are finding their feet through music and giving women a voice of their own. 

Nigerian-American rapper, Chika is not new to viral success and fame. Back in 2017, she made her first hit when she flipped Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” into a heartfelt pride anthem titled “Proud”. ‘I will not be ashamed/this is just who I am’ she sang over the chorus, winning over the hearts of many listeners within its release and even gaining her the attention of Ed Sheeran himself.

A year later, she struck again when she delivered a spoken-word diss aimed at Kanye West, following his open support of Donald Trump and controversial comments about black people and slavery. ‘When your check clears don’t forget that your children is still black’ she spits, taking straight jabs at the Yeezus rapper. The video which racked up over 300,000 views on social media, at the time, and also lead to several nods from top artists in the music industry including other female rappers like Cardi B, Missy Elliot and many more.

Chika Oranika has actually been making music for a long time before she became a viral successful, her Soundcloud page dates as far back as 5 years ago when the artist was releasing covers to a number of popular artists from Drake to Wale. Growing up in Alabama with Igbo parents meant that a young Chika had to keep her rapping abilities to herself for a few years, before finding her voice through diss tracks she would write for herself and her friends to ward off bullies. She later dropped out of university to begin pursuing her music career.

This month, the Alabama-native released her debut EP, ‘Industry Games’, a 7-track tape where she works through her personal feelings about the life as a queer Gen Z women the naysayers who did not see her star power. She’s even graced the famous NPR Music Tiny Desk stage like our faves Burna Boy and Koffee before her.

On the EP’s “Intro” she acknowledges her past and where she’s come from, showing her gratitude for her viral success but determined to let her music speak for her. On the EP’s titular track, “Industry Games”, Chika’s clever wordplay and laser-precision flow take focal as she makes sense of two-faced industry mates, snakes and gives a nod to sampling songs. Elsewhere on “Songs About You” her focus shifts, and she raps about being her endearing persistence and her abilities to silence the naysayers despite not having an ‘hourglass figure’.

Listen to ‘Industry Games’ below.

Featured image credits/instagram: oranicuhh

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

For the Girls: Kenya’s Xenia Manasseh is making relatable heartbreak bops

Rexxie to release debut project, ‘Afro Street’

Posted on by The Native

The Nigerian music scene is constantly evolving. While Afropop finally heads for global acceptance, a new generation of artists and producers are taking to the underground phenomenon, street-hop right into mainstream appeal.

Hits like Mr Real’s “Legbegbe”, Junior Boy’s “Irapada”, Small Doctor’s “Penalty” and Olamide’s “Wo” gave us the first tase of this sound’s potential back in 2018, however, these days, artists like Zlatan and Naira Marley are at the forefront of the street-hop revolution, with their songs dominating mainstream Nigerian music and even capturing the attention of international audience. Rexxie has played a key role as the producer who provides them with the canvas for their Yoruba rhymes, ad-libs and street-informed slangs, and now he’s giving us a body of work to cement himself as the architect of street-hop.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B91MmW0Bg_8/

The producer announced on his Instagram that his debut project, ‘Afro Streets: The EP’ is ready for release. Having already secured hit songs like “Japa”, “Able God”, “Zanku (Legwork)” and “Bum Bum” with Naira Marley, Chinko Ekun, Zlatan and Davido respectively, Rexxie isn’t pressed for impressive collaborations. In fact, the pictures on his timeline suggest that Davido, Naira Marley and Zlatan are regular features at his studio. Though the black and white cover art he posted to promote the album didn’t provide a tracklist or list of features, fans expect at least one of the street-hop tastemakers to make an appearance on the EP.

Subsequent posts have also left trails to build fans anticipation as he shared a video of himself and Teni the Entertainer working together at the studio. She performed a spiritually-inclined set over the quirky, yet infectious mix of percussion, hi-hats and traditional drum samples. However, on the off chance that ‘Afro Street: The EP’ is tailored after Sarz’s ‘SINYM (Sarz Is Not Your Mate)’ which featured mostly instrumentals and barely any vocals, Rexxie has proven adept at crafting vibrant grooves that carry all the quirks of street-hop.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B96INarh_zT/

Rexxie has dominated popular zeitgeist by delivering an array of production to everyone from Lil Kesh, to Naira Marley, Zlatan and Davido; His infamous “Rexxie pon this one” tag has been everywhere. Not a bad record for someone who admits he started learning how to produce because he lied to a friend that he could and didn’t want to be caught in the lie. His fusion of purposefully catchy traditional drums and synth percussion has however grown a reputation for filling dancefloors and inspiring new dances that bring a much-needed playfulness the gritty-street.

We still haven’t gotten an official release date for ‘Afro Street: The EP’ but either way, odds are, Rexxie has some great songs in the work that we can look forward to.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/rexxiepondabeat
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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: Stream Sarz’s ‘SINYM(Sarz is Not Your Mate)’ tape here

Essentials: Harmonize links East & West Africa on debut album, ‘Afro East’

Posted on by Dennis Ade Peter

Even before the streaming era improved access to music from across the continent, African artists have always sought to gain popularity all around the continent. For Nigerian pop stars, East Africa has always been a receptive zone, and there’s a common narrative among industry types about the high receptiveness of the audience to Nigerian pop music. Mimicking their western colleagues, these days, East African acts are working to improve their prominence on the opposite side of the continent, through continued collaboration.

Like Sauti Sol and Diamond Platinumz, Tanzanian singer Harmonize is a prime example of this phenomenon, and he’s becoming quite the familiar name with his growing list of collaborative efforts with Nigerian artists. In February 2019, Harmonize put out his debut EP, ‘Afro Bongo’, a 4-track project that featured Yemi Alade and Mr Eazi, and spawned “Kainama”, his hit single with Diamond Platinumz and Burna Boy. In addition to the features on his EP, he’s also collaborated extensively with Skales, and has worked with Seyi Shay and Falz. On his debut album, ‘Afro East’, all aforementioned Nigerian popstars, with the exception of Ms. Shay, reprise their assisting role, as the singer continues his quest to link East and West via his music.

In addition to its star-studded tracklist, another selling point for the album is that much of the music is instantly recognisable. ‘Afro East’ is as much a reference sheet to Harmonize’s musical influences, as it is a credit to his ability to adjust into whatever sonic route he’s plying. On the Phyno-assisted “Body”, Willis supplies a sublime mid-tempo beat, and Harmonize fits in with the same slick-mouthed, self-propping shtick as most lust-driven bops from this side of the continent. For the devotional “Wife”, he stretches out his melodies to match his impassioned delivery, a delivery form you can easily associate with Sauti Sol and former label boss, Diamond Platinumz.

Including the Nigerian acts featured, Harmonize brings together a colourful and diverse assisting cast for his debut. There’s Grammy-nominated, Jamaican reggae band Morgan Heritage, who echo the singer’s blue-eyed feel on the EDM-infused “Malaika”; Kenyan rapper Khaligraph Jones contributes a sixteen on the Wyclef Jean-sampling “Die”; while he duets with Yemi Alade over the blaring horns and rolling percussion of “Pain”. To his credit, these features only serve to compliment his fun-loving persona rather than drown it out. Even the guests that come in with an elevating presence—like Burna Boy on “Your Body” and his umpteenth collaboration with Skales on “Rumba”—have a positive effect on the songs without dampening the efficacy of Harmonize’s contributions.

For all of his musical trotting, Harmonize roots the heartfelt moments on the album back to his home. On “Mama”, his ode to mothers, 99% of his lyrics are sung in his native language—“I love you” are the only English words—but his performance echoes a deep reverence that’s quite moving. “Never Give Up” is undoubtedly the watershed moment of the entire album, as he tells his grass-to-grace story over an evocative Bongo Flava beat. Profound turns like this are far and few in-between the lightweight energy of the album, but Harmonize has always fancied himself an entertainer, and that’s standard he lives up to on ‘Afro East’. It’s an entertaining album from an artist who is guided—but isn’t getting carried away—by his crossover ambitions.

Listen to ‘Afro East’ below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Harmonize

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

ICYMI: FOR THE GIRLS: KENYA’S XENIA MANASSEH IS MAKING RELATABLE HEARTBREAK BOPS

PREMIERE: Bella Alubo is sending a clear message in the video for “Don’t Trust Geminis”

Posted on by Tami Makinde

Last year, Bella Alubo dropped her fifth project ‘Summers Over’,  a 10-cut piece featuring artists like Mr Eazi, Zlatan, Ladipoe and many others. On the project, we saw the singer work through the roller coaster of emotions she felt on the course of her romantic relationships, which in true millennial fashion is typically very complicated.

One of the tape’s standouts, “Don’t Trust Geminis” featuring Ezi Emela gained our immediate attention, which earned Bella a spot as the Best New Music in its release week. Now, under Mr Eazi’s platform, emPawa Africa, she has now released the lyrical video for the track.

Bella Alubo is currently chasing a masters degree in the UK, and amidst all of that, she went through the uncertainty of losing  management before she found a new one, that lead to the birth of the lyrical video for “Don’t Trust Geminis”. It’s a clear threat to past lovers who have hurt her, as she plays on the astrological archetype of a two-faced gemini who eventually reveals their true darker side.

Bella wields a knife as she sings, “I really can’t believe I still believe your lies”, leaning into hip-hop and r&b influences for a truly relatable bop for anyone who’s survived a toxic relationship. In conversation with Bella Alubo, she reveals to me that she doesn’t even fully believe in astrology. “I only check my horoscope when I’m super confused about something, but then my catholic guilt complex makes me pray for forgiveness right after” she admits, with a laughing emoji. A sentiment most millennials who grew up in religious families will wholly relate to.

She also reveals that the song’s inspiration came from a string of heartbreaks from Geminis, but explains she isn’t writing off the whole astrological sign completely, as there are genuinely some good ones left, like her father.

Watch the video for “Don’t Trust Geminis” below.

Featured image credits/BellaAlubo

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

ICYMI: Bella Alubo’s ‘Summers Over’ is a testament of her growth

Essentials: SoulBlackSheep’s ‘It’s Just Loneliness’ EP is the self-isolation soundtrack we didn’t know we needed

Posted on by The Native

SoulBlackSheep broke into the music scene in 2018 with his debut album, ‘Ecstacy, Just Chill’. The soulful R&B tracks instantly captured the attention of music fans as he mixed English and Yoruba lyrics over minimalist lo-fi instrumentals. He got fans hooked on the rare new sound they couldn’t get anywhere else, before it became clear that he was one of those reclusive artists whose releases only come once in a blue moon. We’ve continued to anticipate his sophomore album since, but he has released a new ‘It’s Just Loneliness’ EP to ease the yearning and offer new insight into his devastatingly introverted life.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcqAGKMH4dg/

“You Are My Home” is the opening song on ‘It’s Just Loneliness’ and it’s addressed at a distant lover. His lyrics, “Sho ma pada wale oh(Would you return home)?”, over the sparse lo-fi production suggests a person in a small apartment with only a keyboard, a guitar and thoughts for company. He leans into the charming seduction of r&b to convince his love interest on the next track, “Honey For Your Cake”. While his lyrics are direct—“I love you cause I know you got cake/Pretty girl, give me some cake/You know this cute boy horny for your cake”—it speaks to his ability to wield his sensual passion with elegance.

The highlight for “Stuck in the Sky” is the woozy, chopped and screwed-down beat reminiscent of a Sango beat. His auto-tuned vocals, synths samples, 808 drum riffs and samples of video game sound effects create an otherworldly ambience that fits the astronaut in space direction of the cover art and his lyrics; “O to ojo meta(It has been a while)/ So I decided to write you a letter”. The melancholy from being alone slips out on “Stuck in a Cage” but his confidence returns on “Raised by the Internet”, where he brags about not giving a fuck what people think about the life he’s living and featured a rap verse from WeTalkSound member, VRSD.

“Monsoon” is an intimate and richly emotional love song that finds SoulBlackSheep confessing his sultry intentions for his lover. However, he returns to finding solace in sorrow on the closing track, “It’s Just Loneliness”. Chanting “Loneliness, it’s just loneliness” over the ethereal beat creates a quiet meditative space that’s perfect for the self-isolating days ahead of us while the world deals with the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Stream SoulBlackSheep’s ‘It’s Just Loneliness’ below.

Featured Image Credits: Twitter/soul_blacksheep
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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: SoulBlackSheep’s Miles From Miles’ band features Paula B for “Asteroid Blues”

For the Girls: Kenya’s Xenia Manasseh is making relatable heartbreak bops

Posted on by Tami Makinde

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 spotlight the remarkable young women from around Africa, who are finding their feet through music and giving women a voice of their own. 

23-year old Kenyan singer Xenia Manasseh is a with a pretty impressive track record: she’s sang backup for Gloria Estefan and Beyonce’s background singers, the MAMAs, opened for Rema’s first Nairobi show, dropped her debut EP and recently been selected to be part of Mr Eazi’s emPawa music program this year.

The fast-rising star, who is also a Berklee College of Music alum has actually been drawn to music since she was a child, taking up a string of musical instruments from the piano to the drums and even the guitar. But her decision to commit full time to the music did not come for several years, when a then 17 year-old Xenia gained admission to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. During her years there, she found a tribe of other Kenyan women connected by their heritage, lost all her belongings in a devastating fire and move to Atlanta to sign under The UpperClassMen music group (an indie record label of Grammy-winners producers, Ayo and Keyz.)

Now she’s moved back to Kenya and is gearing up to take on the scene out there. She’s been actively working on and releasing music for over two years according to her Soundcloud page. On “For Your Consideration”, her voice rolls out ever so softly over the guitar-led beat, which leaves room for her vocals to gain your attention. On the track, she croons about fear and doubt, and recognising your worth early before you become set in your ways. Elsewhere on “DON’T GO”, she links up with producer duo Ayo and Keyz to deliver the perfect relatable tune to any romantic relationship heartbreak.

Her 2019 debut was actually meant to come two years prior, but it was not the right time as she ran into many complications. Xenia eventually unwrapped her sonically-charged project ‘Falling Apart’ after falling into the team that would help bring it to life effortlessly after her time at Berklee. In an interview with Okay Africa, Xenia said “everything I needed for it just happened. People came into my life and were like “I really want to work with you” and we ended up helping each other out. That’s alignment.”

The 6-track tape sees Xenia work through a range of emotions as she mourns a relationship gone sour, “See Me” the EP’s opener finds Xenia at her most vulnerable as she pleads with a love interest to show just how much his affection is for her. This same longing is seen on “Don’t Go” as she regrets ending a relationship because her love interest is the only one who gets her. On “When It’s Over” Xenia’s buttery smooth vocals muse the inevitable end of her relationship, but not without acknowledging how susceptible she is to falling for his tricks again.

If you love r&b then you’ll love Xenia Manessah.

Featured image credits/instagram: diaryofjose

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

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