Nobody could have predicted how returning back to basics would have played out for Davido following the breakdown of his relationship with Sony in 2017.
A 7-year wait (since the release of OBO: Genesis), one failed EP, a three-year-long roll out, and now fans finally have a project, that feels worthy of Davido’s uncompromising artistic vision. The new project, hit the internet earlier today sating the appetite of eager fans who have been anticipating its arrival since Davido started dropping hints, during his US press rounds.
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Sonically, A Good Time, emblemises Davido’s resolute Africa-first creative gaze while expending a wide-range of collaborators as homage to afropop’s expansive inspirations and influences. Featuring already tested smash hits, like “Fall”, “Assurance”, and “Risky”, A Good Time also packs additional heft with guest appearances from Summer Walker, Naira Marley, Gunna, Zlatan, A Boogie With A Hoodie, Wurld, Popcaan, Peruzzi, and Yonda. With the exception of “D&G” featuring Summer Walker, where American producer, London On Da Track’s tag can be heard, production work for A Good Time is mostly helmed by usual suspects, Kiddominant, Shizzi and Speroach Beats.
With Burna Boy’s Grammy nomination, Afropop assenting to global reverence in 2019, has become a misnomer for the genre itself. Especially for afropop firebrands like Davido for whom creating an international presence is both a personal agenda and an altruistic campaign for the greater viability of African music. After selling out the O2 Arena earlier in the year, charting on the Billboard Hot R&B with “Fall” then headling festivals over the summer, A Good Time is already poised to easily be another win on the belt Africa’s biggest popstar.
Stream all tracks from Davido’s A Good Time via Apple Music below:
Toye is Editor-at-Large at NATIVE Nigeria. Tweet at him@ToyeSokunbi
MHD’s Wizkid-assisted “Bella” already highlighted afropop’s proficiency on dancefloors around the world when it was released last year. The fanfare it enjoyed seems to have whet France’s appetite for more Nigerian songs as French singer, Dadju, features Davido, Wizkid and Burna Boy on three different songs on his new album, ‘Poison Ou Antidote’.
Burna Boy’s contribution comes on the 20th track, “Donne-moi L’accord”, a lightweight afropop bop produced by Kel P. The romantic lyrics from Burna Boy confirms the song’s romantic direction, but the smooth mix of rattling samples, horns, percussion and Dadju’s French lyrics already carried the sultry quality of romance. The 24th track, “Nous” features a verse from Davido who performs a confident set to charm a love interest. Kel P also produced the Wizkid assisted “Danger”, but this time he flexes the range of his sonic palate with the Caribbean fueled synth-pop beat he produced for the romantic number.
Stream “Donne-moi L’accord”, “Nous” and “Danger” off Dadju’s228-track ‘Poison Ou Antidote’ below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/dadju
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The street-hop scene’s knack for making songs to serve dancefloors while driving conversation with edgy lyricism has made it one of the most entertaining parts of the Nigerian music scene. Idowest’s new single, “Set Awon”, makes sure he’s not left out of the conversation as he spins the viral “Set Awon” joke Small Doctor started on his Instagram for a party song produced by Vstix. Fast-paced drum locks the song in a groovy ambience while Idowest lays down confident bars bragging about the strength of his clique; “Ose David, ninu Bently be set awon Brizzy”. Idowest’s charming sense of humour helped him breakout with “Shepeteri”, and it comes into play again to make “Set Awon” a potential club hit.
You can stream “Set Awon” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/officialidowest
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After a long waiting period, Davido album SZN is finally here. In October, the singer announced his sophomore LP, ‘A Good Time’, to be released on November 22nd (tomorrow). He’s been driving up the hype in the last few days, unveiling the star-studded tracklist as well as its stunning cover art. For his latest public appearance, the singer performed stripped-down renditions of his hit singles, “Fall” and “Risky” for Audiomack’s Fine Tuned live sessions.
Accompanied solely by a piano, Davido sings the romance-themed set of both songs, smoothly transitioning from one song to the next for a mini-medley. In this minimalist setting, Davido’s gruff vocals get all the shine, emphasising the infectious quality of his memorable lines and catchy melodies. Davido’s “Fall”/”Risky” set was recorded for Audiomack’s ‘Fine Tuned’ series, where select artists perform their hit songs backed by a single instrument. Davido is the second Afropop act to feature on the series, following Mr Eazi’s appearance back in August.
Watch Davido’s Fine Tuned set below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Audiomack
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Yemi Alade’s newest album, ‘Woman of Steel’, dropped back in September, and she’s ensured attention remains on the project by dropping accompanying musicvideos. For her latest release, Yemi delivers a set of visuals for the Duncan Mighty-assisted “Shake”, the project’s third track. Both singers deliver sensual come-ons to their love interests, the Paul Gambit-directed video is focused on Yemi’s sex appeal, while Duncan Mighty is sparingly featured. The video opens with Yemi, spotting seductive poses on a bed, she’s joined by dancers styled in leather outfits and flowing garments inspired by the old Roman Empire.
Watch Yemi Alade’s “Shake” here.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Yemi Alade
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The nominations for the 62nd Academy Awards were announced earlier this evening, with many international acts like Lil Nas X and Billie Eilish leading the pack with the most nominations.
However, the most notable nomination for us, was Burna Boy’s latest album ‘African Giant’ being picked up for its first-ever Grammy nomination under the category Best World Music Album. Burna Boy now joins the growing list of Nigerians like Seun Kuti, Kah-Lo, Wizkid and King Sunny Ade who have previously been nominated for the Grammys. Although none of these artists went on to win a Grammy, Burna Boy is a sure contender for the category which he competes in alongside one of his inspirations, Angelique Kidjo.
The self-titled African Giant has one of the most prolific runs as an artist this year, and it’s everything he predicted for himself in our Birth issue coming true. Also nominated as part of the production credits are producers GMK, Kel P, P2J who are some of the powerhouses behind the record.
Featured image credits/Michaeltubescreations
Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_
21-year-old survivor, Olive Nnorom first heard that celebrity photographer, Busola Dakolo was allegedly raped by her pastor as a teenager, during one of her group therapy sessions back in June. “At that time, I didn’t know who she was or what they were talking about. So, I went on Twitter to read about it and I was shocked,” Nnorom said, explaining that the story hurt so much she immediately became outraged.
Earlier on in the year, Busola spoke in an interview about being defiled as a teenager by her pastor, Biodun Fatoyinbo, founder and head pastor of COZA. The allegations, detailed and dreadful, sparked conversations, much like the one in Nnorom’s therapy session, on Nigeria’s rape culture in a way that previous allegations haven’t before.
Since the news broke, Fatoyinbo has been accused of rape by other women. Today, he’s a free man who continues to deny the allegations, “I have never in my life raped anybody,” he wrote in a statement released June.
Nigeria’s rape culture
In the weeks following Dakolo’s interview, social media was flooded with doubts and questions asking why she took so long to come out and why she felt the need to ‘expose a man of God.’
Ours is a deeply patriarchal society, which has normalised abuse such that women are blamed and questioned, while their perpetrators exonerated. UNICEF says 1 in 4 Nigerian girls are victims of sexual violence before they turn 18, and according to a national survey carried out in 2014, only 38% of those who experienced sexual violence as children told someone about it, and only about 5% sought help.
These numbers point to a harrowing reality that many survivors don’t talk about their experiences in fear of being chastised for it. In spite of her on-going therapy, Olive Nnorom reiterated this too, buttressing the mark of disgrace attached to being assaulted. In her case, it contributed to her long silence, and lack of why she didn’t feel comfortable sharing her story. “The first time it happened, it was a family friend. Other times were strangers and a coursemate,” Olive told The NATIVE.
A new generation of women
But it’s possible, that in the wake of the global #MeToo movement, things are slowly taking a different turn. Nigerian women are sharing their stories and starting movements that speak against sexual violations and the many ugly forms it rears its head.
26-year-old women’s rights advocate, Fakhriyyah Hashim is one of them. Through #Arewametoo, Hashim is trying to change how Arewa (a collective name for the north of Nigeria) sees cases of sexual abuse.
It can be argued that Nigeria’s north is the most conservative region in the country. Women there don’t traditionally discuss sexual or physical abuse openly, but this movement, co-directed by Hashim, is opening doors for more women to share and seek psychosocial help.
“There has been a shift. You look at the conversations and how people viewed sexual violence 5 or 10 years ago to now, it is very different,” Hashim told The NATIVE. She’s convinced that now, more than ever, women have washed away the shame associated with calling out sexual violence, “You can see from last year to this year that women are saying ‘this happened to me, I am not ashamed of it and I am not responsible for this heinous crime that happened to me.’”
According to her, all it takes is one person to shatter the glass of silence, and others follow. This is why it’s important to highlight the wave of protests and conversations post-Dakolo’s #MeToo moment, challenging the role of the church in trivializing sexual harassment. Like Busola Dakolo, in Northern Nigeria, Khadijah Adamu’s voice, gave many northern women the strength, under #ArewaMeToo, to take off the masks they previously used to discuss gender-based violence. Beyond publicly sharing stories, these women have created specific tools for other women to use. There are mental health organisations that provide mental health support to women who have been abused, and not-for-profits dedicated to filing police reports and assigning lawyers to survivors who want to take their case to court.
It is not just Nigeria. Women from all over the continent have had enough. In June, CNN reported that three women accused Gambia’s former president, Yahya Jammeh, of a series of rapes and sexual assaults while in power. A month earlier, a former presidential adviser in Sierra Leone spoke on being assaulted by a church leader and how that impacted her life.
Awareness is victory
While more women are bracing the odds to challenge Nigeria’s widespread rape culture, it is not without challenges. Dakolo’s allegation, for example, earned her a visit from the Nigerian police who claimed she was being investigated in a case of criminal conspiracy. She also had to contend with trolls on social media and whispers on the streets that was lying about being assaulted.
Maryam Awaisu who co-directors ArewaMeToo with Fakhriyyah Hashim was arrested in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria by men of Nigeria’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a notorious branch of the Nigerian police. Awaisu, 29, was picked up in February after a political aide filed a defamation petition against her for calling him out on a series of allegations of sexual abuse.
These societal pushbacks are not limited to Nigeria alone. It has hit women in many countries including the United States and Uganda. But survivors in Nigeria say they feel a different kind of fear, “Women are not and may never be safe in this country,” Olive Nnorom said, sullenly. It is why those who are damning the possible consequences and creating awareness about the dangers of abuse are winners; It takes immense courage to constantly work towards breaking a system that was built to break women.
Last week, Busola Dakolo put out a statement on her Instagram page after a high court in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, dismissed a case she filed against Biodun Fatoyinbo. In September, she drew up a civil suit against him for intentionally inflicting her with emotional distress. She wrote that she is fine with how things have played out so far because awareness is victory.
“I set out to ease the hurt, the sense of shame and abuse, the nightmares and traumas not by securing judicial victory only but by boldly sharing my story and calling out my transgressor robed in the vestiges of clerical power and pretence. I understood and accepted that by voicing out I was silencing the screams in the night.”
When matched against an even more recent case involving two artists, DJ Rico (real name, Segun Rasaq) and Don Chima George, who were accused of raping an unconscious girl, the pattern seems familiar. First came the social media uproar, then the parade of arrest, leading up to a series of adjourned court cases. Last anyone heard of the ‘suspected’ rapists, was that they were both free men.
Still, it would be defeatist to deem the demand for justice null, because the system failed the victims. For Busola Dakolo, part of her healing was confronting her abuser, and that itself is a win. Awazi Angbalaga, 25-year-old women’s rights advocate and radio personality told the NATIVE that Dakolo has done more than just healing from the trauma she experienced as a teenager, “She has helped other women in similar situations heal too.”
Angbalaga works for Standtoendrape, a not for profit with a focus on providing psychosocial support to survivors of gender-based violence. She strongly maintains that having the strength to confront trauma from abuse is worth celebrating. “Busola went to court and more people, now more than ever see the need to hold their religious leaders accountable. I have personally seen it in my church in Abuja. How is that not victory? It is because a lot more people are checking, they are asking the right questions, they are not quiet,” she said.
Beyond awareness, however, it is clearer than ever that a lot more needs to be done. Law enforcement, for example, is still a major challenge as perpetrators often get away with acts of violence. The acknowledgement of a problem is a step in the right direction, but perhaps the new war to be waged by civil society and other interest groups is against the patriarchal instruments that prevent justice from being served. Until then, the hope is that naming names and having conversations about the experiences of multiple women, will tilt us in the direction of minimizing sexual violations.
Aisha Salaudeen is a multimedia journalist at CNN, with experience telling and helping people tell stories. She has worked in full time and freelance journalism, using videos and text to report diverse human interest stories. Tweet at her @aishasalaudeen
Tiwa Savage has had a great year since signing with Universal Music Group and releasing her debut single “49-99” under her agreed global recording agreement. She has teamed up Saweetie and Wale for “My Type (Remix)” as well as featured on dancehall king, Sean Paul’s single “When It Comes to You” with DJ Spinall.
Now afropop’s bad girl is back with two new singles just before the year ends, titled “Attention” and “Owo Mi Da”, both sure to resonate with girls everywhere and become a sure anthem. In Black Jheerze-produced track “Attention”, Tiwa Savage speaks directly to her love interest, admonishing him for the lack of attention he is putting into their relationship. ‘If you no give me quality attention, I might get it from somebody else’ she warns, while showing off her vocal range over the mid-tempo beat.
Elsewhere on “Owo Mi Da” which was produced by Pheelz, Tiwa Savage does not care for niceties as she explicitly calls out her debtor. ‘Mr Lavida, Lavida Loca why you want to play me?’ she sings, questioning her affluent debtor who cares more about appearances than coming good on his debt. Tiwa Savage is not afraid to deliver cut throat remarks at this unnamed borrower, as she lashes out over the catchy piano-led beat.
Stream “Attention” and “Owo Mi Da” below.
Featured image credits/Ibrosnaps
Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_
Nigerian and Ghanaian collaborations are at an all time high, with BOJ’s standout single “Awolowo” featuring Darkovibes, Kwesi Arthur and Joey B going on to become a fan favourite and sure contender for best singles this year. Now, Ycee and Ghettoboy join the ever-growing list of collaborations with their new single “Humble” which was released on Ghettoboy’s debut project ‘Me vs You’, a 7-track offering packed with high quality authentic afropop songs from Ghana.
The music video for “Humble” is simple at best, featuring both artists being appreciative of the women in their lives, who stood by them in their earlier modest days.“Those days when I no get money for my account…I go dey for you I go be humble” Ghettoboy sings on the hook, admiringly delivering his set while looking into his lovers eyes. The music video was set in London, and Ghettoboy secured this Ycee feature through shooting the artist a direct message and hoping for a response. The end result is “Humble” a catchy bop that is sure to feature on many playlists and DJ sets.
Watch the music video for “Humble”.
Stream ‘Me vs You’ below.
Featured image credits/ghettoboygram
Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_
It’s been over seven years since Davido released his debut LP, ‘Omo Baba Olowo’. After a number of false starts and dashed expectations, the afropop superstar is finally releasing a sophomore album, ‘A Good Time’, three years after his EP, ‘Son of Mercy’. The wide gap between both full lengths has been packed with all kinds of positive activity for the singer, a testament to how he’s been able to fashion himself into the quintessential Nigerian pop star.
In the Nigerian music terrain, the prominence of an artist is mainly judged by success of their singles, and the ability to move a large crowd in concert. Since breaking out with his instant smash hit, “Dami Duro”, it’s a given that a Davido song is in widespread rotation upon release, both on the radio and in the clubs. With this track record as one of this decade’s perennial hit-makers, Davido’s immense popularity has barely ever wavered.
The closest thing we’ve had to a Davido drought was in the short-lived ‘Son of Mercy’-era, due to the lukewarm reception the EP generated amongst listeners. In his 2018 cover story for NATIVE’s issue 002, the singer was pointed in his own criticism of the EP, calling it “shit”. By his high standards, Davido’s self-effacing honesty made sense, even though the project still spawned its own hits, like the General Pype co-written “Gbagbe Oshi”, and “Coolest Kid in Africa”, his collaboration with South African rap ascendant, Nasty C.
However, Davido returned to unquestionable popularity in the following year with a slew of back-to-back hit records, culminating in one of the most dominant runs we’ve seen in contemporary afropop. The singer powered through 2017, starting off with the Tekno-produced “IF”, then following up shortly after with “Fall”, eventually closing out with fan favourites, “Like Dat” and “FIA”. Despite formidable competition from his main competition of the decade, Wizkid, who had put out his Billboard charting major label debut, ‘Sounds from the Other Side’, Davido emerged as the clear leader for MVP of 2017.
In the two years since then, Davido has been riding even higher, becoming one of the bonafide superstars of the ‘Afropop to the world’ movement. While he continued his run of infectious hits in 2018, including NATIVE Best New Music entries “Assurance” and “Wonder Woman”, his star power has only shone much brighter this year.
To kick off the year, the singer headlined a filled-up concert at the prestigious O2 Arena in London. It is a massive feat that has only been matched by his steady rise to popularity in the U.S. After becoming one of the most Shazam’d singles in January, Davido’s 2017 hit “Fall” became a phenomenon, stateside, landing on the Billboard Airplay charts and peaking at number 13.
The renewed success of “Fall” opened up an avenue for aggressive promotion, and the singer took the opportunity with both hands, pulling up at a handful of popular media spots in the U.S, including the highly-rated morning show ‘The Breakfast Club’. During this period, Davido also went on a mini U.S tour in support of his buzzing single, followed up by appearances on high profile stages, like New York’s Summer Jam Festival in June, and a cameo at the renowned Madison Square Garden in August.
Strengthening his crossover potentials, Davido collaborated with Chris Brown, for his summer slapper, “Blow My Mind”. Although the Shizzi-produced song caters to the R&B inclinations of its guest artist, it still contains the groovy flavour of made in Nigeria afropop. Being a direct product of the back-to-basics campaign in 2017, the song underlines Davido’s main intention to make music that represents his abilities as a Nigerian artist.
Emphasising the singular nature of his artistic vision, Davido’s most recent single, “Risky”, flips his hilarious and embarrassing freestyle on Shade45 into a banger. While its minimalist, dancehall-inclined production plays into Jamaican singer Popcaan’s wheelhouse, it’s the type of song that was clearly crafted with Lagos clubs in mind. This leaves no doubt that Davido’s soon-to-be-released album, ‘A Good Time’, will be one Nigerian audiences will identify with. He might be reaching further across the Atlantic but his roots are firmly planted at home.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B47dB6gBjs8/
Amping up excitement for his sophomore LP, Davido finally unveiled the star-studded tracklist over the weekend. Naira Marley, Zlatan, WurlD, Peruzzi, Dremo and Yonda make up the Nigerian contingent, while there a handful of mouth-watering international collaborations. In addition to the high-profile features on pre-released songs, R&B star Summer Walker, and rappers Gunna and A Boogie With Da Hoodie complete the list of guests from across the pond. From already laid out precedents, these variety of guests should be coming into Davido’s musical orbit, adding their own bit of colour to the vibrant playhouse the singer has been constructing for a long minute.
In a new Instagram post debuting the album’s eye-catching cover art, Davido referred to ‘A Good Time’ as the “album of the century”. Part of that lofty claim comes down to the anticipation that followed the announcement of an upcoming album back in September. While fans were expectant, there wasn’t an active clamour for a new Davido full-length, since the singer has held the scene in chokehold with mostly singles and features. Less than 48hours to the album, it is apparent that Davido is only looking to strengthen that. With that, it seems fitting to project that Davido’s good time will only continue, even if it takes another seven years to get a third album.
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Back in June, Stormzy made history as the first UK rapper to headline the longstanding British festival, Glastonbury. The top billing showcased Stormzy as a leader of the UK’s thrilling rap scene, and as a nod to that historic feat, the rapper has just announced a new album, ‘Heavy is the Head (H.I.T.H)’. The cover art sees him wearing a crown and looking down at the Union Jack stab-proof vest he wore during his triumphant set.
While the album is set to feature high-profile guests like H.E.R, Headie One and Tiana Major9, one of the more anticipated tracks is “Own It”, Ed Sheeran and Burna Boy. With the combination of Stormzy’s prominence, Ed Sheeran’s prestige as a commercial behemoth, and Burna Boy’s status as a crossover star, the cut could very easily soar up the charts quickly.
Earlier this year, Burna Boy collaborated with Dave on “Location”, a smash hit off Dave’s debut album, ‘Psychodrama’, which quickly rocketed up the UK singles charts. He’s followed up by collaborating with UK singers Jorja Smith and Mahalia, for infectious summer slappers, and he recently made a standout appearance on Wretch 32’s “All In”, off the rappers recent album, ‘Upon Reflection’. The reception and successes of these songs point to another 2019 win for Burna in the UK.
‘H.I.T.H’ is Stormzy’s sophomore album, following his 2017 debut, ‘Gang Signs & Prayers’. It is scheduled for release on December 13. You can take a look at the cover art and tracklist below.
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It was always only a matter of time before Mr Eazi scored an American feature, given the international trajectory his music has charted from ‘Accra to Lagos’ to‘Lagos to London’. His newest release, “Tony Montana” features American rapper, Tyga, for a cocky afropop bop that tributes his growth in the industry so far.
While Mr Eazi sings his melodic set, reminding everyone of how far he has come—from the days where he needed a Starboy co-sign, to putting others on through his emPawa campaign—the Killertunez-produced beat shows afropop’s ability to create a lightweight mood with synth percussion, guitar harmonies and bouncy drum riffs. One would think the singer and rapper switch lyrics books as Tyga’s verse gives a romantic spin to the confident ethos Mr Eazi’s opening verse and hook inspires.
The music video for “Tony Montana” is set in a studio, following the direction from Mahaneela. The black and white edits and shots of the artists smoking cigars gives the song more heft as they brag about their accomplishments while dancers move to the tune of the drums. Mr Eazi appears to have released “Tony Montana” as a birthday gift to Tyga who celebrates his birthday today.
You can watch the music video below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Mr Eazi
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Burna Boy and M.anifest have contributed to the ever growing list of solid Nigerian/Ghanaian collaborations. We already saw how well they work together on the politically inclined cut from‘African Giant’ , “Another Story”, and now, they have teamed up again for “Tomorrow”, a more lighthearted track where they both confess their love.
Earlier this year, the Ghanaian rapper told Tim Westwood that his coming project, ‘the Gamble’, will feature tracks with Simi, Kwesi Arthur and Burna Boy, so it’s safe to assume that “Tomorrow” is one of the lead singles released ahead of the project. M.anifest gets in his sultry elements as he delivers witty lyrics addressing his love interest. Burna Boy’s chorus and closing verse amplify the song’s romantic intentions, as he confesses his own sultry feelings, over the groovy highlife beat produced for the song.
You can listen to “Tomorrow” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/manifestive
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Last month, Lupita Nyong’o released her debut children’s book “Sulwe”, which tells a heartwarming story about a young girl who is learning to love her dark skin; a true coming-of-age movie that explores colourism, self-love and self-esteem.
Earlier on in the year, Beyonce’s Wizkid-assisted “Brown Skin Girl” referenced Lupita’s darksin to praise other brown skinned girls, and now, the actress has followed suit, as she shared her first-ever song titled “Sulwe’s Song” celebrating young dark skinned women.
She describes the song as ‘an ode to Sulwe’, and the song definitely serves it’s purpose as the lyrics serenade the book’s titular character, and every other little girl ike her. ‘Never thought I would find the key inside me’ she sings, as she strips societal norms, affirming that black is beautiful and has been all along.
Listen to “Sulwe’s Song” below.
Featured image credits/instagram
Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_
A few days ago, Simi returned with “Selense”, her first solo single since the release of her sophomore album, ‘Omo Charlie Champagne’. On the track, the singer channels her appreciation for older afropop subgenres, specifically highlife and juju, while also echoing the message of Mike Okri’s classic record, “Time Na Money”.
Over the groovy Vtek-produced beat, she advises listeners against procrastination, and speaks about the importance of working on your dreams in earnest.
She’s just updated “Selense” with a fitting music video, which captures the song’s upbeat nature and retro-inspired feel. In the video directed by Adasa Cookey, portions of Simi’s lyrics are aptly paired with colourful scenes featuring the characters she uses as relatable examples. In the other parts of the video, we see Simi performing alongside a live band, with all members styled in nostalgic fits, while the video closes out with shots from a party scene, displaying the song’s suitability for celebratory settings.
Watch Simi’s “Selense” here.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Simi
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Since he released his third studio album, ‘Deal With It’, back in September, Phyno hasn’t let it slip under the radar with the release of music videos for some of the project’s standouts. The last effort was with the video for “Ojimo”, which starred Beyonce’s dancer, Didi Emah as the centre of attraction, and now in his latest video, he celebrates the beauty of Igbo women in the video for his Flavour-assisted “Vibe”
The new video celebrates the beauty of women from the Eastern part of Nigeria, features dancers performing energetic traditional routines while styled in colourful outfits. Flavour and Phyno are also prominent in the video, performing their lust-driven set with vigour, while Larry Gaaga makes a cameo appearance.
Watch Phyno’s “Vibe” here.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/PhynoVEVO
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
Burna Boy is having his moment, and his fifteen minutes have served him well all year. From his energetic performance at Coachella this year, his Billboard certified album, ‘African Giant’ to his first global tour which he’s currently on the European arm for, he hasn’t let up and he doesn’t seem to be any time soon.
Now the African Giant made an appearance on the iconic NPR Music Tiny Desk Stage, smoothly sifting through 4 tracks from his latest album. His entire run this year has solidified his self-acclaimed status as African Giant, and everything we predicted about him in our very first issue is coming true.
Tiny Desk has seen many of this year’s breakout stars from the likes of Lizzo, Summer Walker, Dave and many more, and he’s in good company. Burna Boy’s set starts off with a slowed down version of “Gbona” before delving into two of his more politically charged singles “Wetin Man Go Do” and “Dangote. He rounds up his performance by amping things up a notch as he delivers his magum opus, “Ye”. Burna Boy strips back these songs from their original energetic beat, while he offers a reflective explanation for them over a piano-led beat with synth-infused pop melodies.
Watch Burna Boy’s Tiny Desk Concert below.
Featured image credits/NPR
Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_
Though Olayinka Ehi has been releasing music since 2017, she has remained hidden from mainstream ears. Her dream-pop sound and DIY attitude could be blamed for keeping her from crossing over from indie obscurity to popular audiences, but it has also helped her build a loyal fan base that remains supportive as they wait on the rest of the world to catch on to her music’s gentle appeal with each new song she releases.
Her latest song, “Right Now”, stays true to her indie sound as she sings in a deadpan tone over a minimalist mix of looped guitar sample, crisp synth melodies and a drum pattern that moves at the languid pace of a daydream. Singing “I’m lonely right now/ Can you hold me right now”, she sells a melancholic premise that if love and fun are absent in the waking life, it can feel just as real in a dream. Her lyrics try to convince a lover of their importance in her life with a desperate plea that shows the range of her heartfelt and passionate vocals.
“Right Now” is proof that Olayinka Ehi has become an expert at making lowkey anthems you want to dance to behind a closed bedroom door.
You can stream Olayinka Ehi’s “Right Now” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/olayinkaehi
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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
Earlier on in the year, Beyoncé enlisted a bunch of Nigerian musicians for Lion King: The Gift, her compilation album for the remake of Disney classic, The Lion King. One of the undeniable soundtrack, was the Wizkid-assisted “Brown Skin Girl“, which went on to become a global phenomenon very quickly.
Following wild success and Billboard Hot 100 debut at #74, “Brown Skin Girl” has now picked up the Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s award at the BET Soul Train Awards last night.
Immediately the song dropped, it became a fan favourite due to its heartwarming message to black girls everywhere. In a world where our looks are constantly policed and measured against Eurocentric standards of beauty, “Brown Skin Girl” serves as reassurance to doubting women everywhere, pumping them full of self-confidence to be comfortable in their own skin as Beyoncé and Wizkid sing a sweet serenade.
Given this impact, we’re glad that the song is gaining due recognition and are very proud that African artists such as Wizkid and Anatii were recognised for contributing to this paradigm shift, not only for African women, but black women all over the world.
Last Friday, the iconic Motown Records released the soundtrack for the highly anticipated “Queen & Slim” film, ahead of its release later this month, and enlisted the talents of Burna Boy – one of our most politically charged musicians today. Starring Get Out’s Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith as a “black Bonnie and Clyde”, the film is set in a racially prejudiced American society, centred around black people’s fight for survival.
The soundtrack celebrates black talent and artistry with original songs from artists like Lauryn Hill, Blood Orange, Megan Thee Stallion, Burna Boy, 6lack, Syd and more. It’s no surprise that Burna Boy was chosen for this, given his current international pull and the politically charged subject matter of his songs is in keeping with the film’s vibe.
Though his latest project, ‘African Gaint‘, showed off a wide range of sonic influences and themes, cuts like “Dangote” and “Collateral Damage” stood out for their political sentiment. On “My Money, My Baby”, he samples the beat from Fela’s “Shakara” for an energetic groove that could fit in perfectly in a chase scene in the film.
Channelling Fela’s chant melodies and his jazz fueled beat, “My Money, My Baby” captures a familiar sentiment for black people all over the world to stand up against oppression. The song is yet another testament to Burna Boy’s cross-over into the international music scene with Hollywood’s embrace of the singer. The ‘Queen & Slim: The Soundtrack’ is his second feature in American cinemas after featuring on Beyonce’s ‘The Lion King: The Gift’ soundtrack album.
Stream “My Money, My Baby” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/burnaboygram
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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
Following the success of Afro Nation Portugal over the summer, it comes as no surprise that the festival will be returning to Africa this December, for a homegrown edition. This Christmas, Ghana will be hosting the festival between the 27th to 30th of December in Accra, and you can imagine the excitement it’s building up.
Pulling from the line-up in Portugal, there are numerous returning performers, such as previous NATIVE cover stars: Davido, Burna Boy and Teni. They are joined by international artists such as the LVRN golden-child 6LACK, and New-York based Nigerian, Rotimi. However, the most exciting part of the #ANG line-up for us is their commitment to shining a light on the emerging and established talent of the host country. Whilst Nigeria has dominated the mainstream Afro-Pop conversations for the majority of this decade, Ghana’s new crop of talent have been making some of the best music coming out of the continent in the last few years.
So, to prepare you for the Afro Nation Ghana experience, if the fear of missing out hasn’t convinced you enough to get your tickets, we’ve produced a starter pack to get you familiar before you land in Accra. From megastars like Shatta Wale to the sprawling Odd Future-esq. La Meme Gang, here is an introduction to all of the Ghanian artists you can catch at the festival.
La Meme Gang
You can’t talk about the new wave of music coming out of Ghana, without talking about La Meme Gang. The group has spearheaded the revival of Afro-Pop in Accra, and continues to mesh genres at will, ranging from trap to high-life, and back to pop music, without missing a beat. The dynamic group is made up of #TRYBE alum DarkoVibes, $pacely, Nxwrth, Kiddblack, Kwaku BS and RJZ, who all contribute to the creative process, from writing to producing to shooting videos.
Stonebwoy
Stonebwoy is one name that has been ever-present in the African music scene and doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. He got nominated for “Best Reggae Album” along with Timaya in 2017 for their efforts on ‘Avrakadabra’ and though they didn’t win, he continues his Nigerian partnership with “Ololo”, a catchy high-life infused song featuring Teni. We’re hoping to see the pair perform the song at the festival, given that they’re both billed. “Ololo”
Efya
Efya first gained our attention with her contribution to Wizkid’s “Daddy Yo” and then on Mr Eazi’s breakout track, “Skin Tight“. Her slick Afro-soul sound has made her one of the most prominent voices in Ghana and made a notable impact on Nigerian audiences. If you like female anthems and politically charged music for women, Efya is ya girl!
Shatta Wale
Shatta Wale has consistently released infectious dance tunes since his break out, and this is why he’s one of the biggest stars working today. This year, his feature on “Already“, one of the standouts off Beyoncé’s The Gift shot him into further prominence. He’s the biggest artist in Ghana today and will definitely get the people going once he shows up!
Kwesi Arthur
Kwesi Arthur broke out after Sarkodie jumped on his remix for “Grind Day” and it’s been uphill for him from then on, picking up a BET award, featuring on Tim Westwood and contributing a remarkable verse to BOJ’s “Awolowo”. His project, ‘Live From Nkrumah Krom, Vol. II’, was also well accepted upon release, and we’re looking forward to hearing him perform new music at Afro Nation.
AfroNation Ghana tickets are on sale now. To purchase, click here.
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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
