A scary side-effect of catching feelings is the urge to continually show tangible affection, even with the possibility that the other party may not reciprocate on the same level. The art of convincing can be arduous, but on her latest single, “For You”, Ibadan-based singer Jola Bello flips the risky situation into a honey-eyed bop. Although she admits disappointment at her interest’s aloofness to her declared affections, she flips the jitters in those opening moments into a starry set, unabashedly professing her love and even offering to move mountains as proof. Conveying the urgency of her yearning lyrics, her siren-like falsetto elegantly floats over the buoyant mid-tempo instrumental arrangement MarleyDigital produces.
Listen to Jola Bello’s “For You” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/jola_bello
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Even though he currently occupies the more obscure parts of the Nigerian music space, Timzil is slowly building a reputation for bringing profundity to whatever he’s singing about. Following the release of his impressive 2018 EP, ‘WiFi and a Dream’, the singer-songwriter has just shared his first single of this year, “On My Way (Run)”, reflecting the improving hallmarks of his abilities.
Echoing the popular sentiment that it is how we rise from adversity that defines us, Timzil’s new song is a stirring anthem of resurgence, and by extension, of hope for a brighter future. “Wan wa mi, wan le mi [they are looking for me and chasing me], but dem no fit break me”, he passionately sings, his elastic melody and raspy voice simply adorned by sombre piano keys and strings. “On My Way” isn’t narratively focused for embellishments, rather leaning into Timzil’s pointed declarations for striking, poignant effect.
Listen to Timzil on “On My Way” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/timzil_
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The DMW gang continue to take advantage of the strength in their numbers, releasing joint tracks that celebrate their artistic kinship and diversity. Their latest collaboration, “On God” featuring Davido, Mayorkun and Dremo, sees them bragging about their recent accomplishments, making money, taking their music international.
But the rather than shot a flashy music video, the video Twitch directs for “On God” has a gritty look that focuses on the comrade between the DMW squad as we watch Davido, Mayorkun and Dremo perform their verses in the company of tough-looking men dressed in all black. While the cameos, Perruzi, Barry Jhay, Ehis, Lyta and others all wear mean mugs to fit the grim mood, the artists are seen bearing arms like AK47s and baseball bats, the video never gets violent.
Watch the music video for Davido, Mayorkun and Dremo’s “On God” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Davido Adeleke
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This year’s FIBA World Cup kicked off in China last week with a game between Japan and Montenegro. Nigeria’s national basketball team, D’Tigers was unsuccessful in their first two games at the first group stage. Despite these initial losses, the team has now gone on to beat host country, China 86-73, earning them an automatic ticket to the 2020 Olympic Games which will be held in Tokyo.
During their first quarter of the game against China, D’Tigers were down 21-19 but powered through and went on to defeat China in the other three quarters. This will be the team’s third consecutive appearance at the Olympics. The President of the Nigerian Basketball Federation, Eng. Musa a Kida had this to say about the team and their qualification for the 2020 Olympics.
Watch the video below:
NBBF President, Engr Musa a Kida speaks on the victory of the D’Tigers and qualification for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Afropop beat maker, Krizbeatz is responsible for some of the biggest Nigerian songs of the past few years. Though he has his signature on hit records from Lil Kesh, Skales and Seyi Shay, his most prominent impact came through the catchy composition he produced for Tekno’s “Pana” which became a template for several other hits imitated, tagged under the ‘pon pon’ wave. His latest offering, “Hit”, finds him partnering with Tekno and Teni to celebrate their knack for making commercially successful songs.
The opening lyrics “Physically I’m bad, musically, I’m better/ Anything I do, they like/ Every of my song na hit”, express his pride in his work while Tekno and Teni join him to perform their verses and hook toasting to their own successes over the catchy beat Krizbeatz produces to the rock-steady groove of African dancehall.
Stream “Hit” by Krizbeatz, Tekno and Teni below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/krizbeatz_
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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
The recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa have highlighted the negative impression South Africans have of Nigerians. The graphic videos of violent attacks on Nigerians circulating on social media provoked horror and street protests, while also inspiring Nigerian celebrities to use their platforms to condemn the hate crime against fellow humans. YCee, however, upped the ante through his twitter thread pointing out the subliminal xenophobic sentiments expressed in the South African rapper, AKA’s tweets after South Africa lost to Nigeria at the Nations Cup football competition.
Both rappers have yet to publicly squash their dispute but Hip-hop is no stranger to beef with the genre running on the exaggerated egos of rappers. Despite the heightened competition between rappers, HHP and Naeto C are the shinny examples of the friendly relationship Africans need to aspire to on their “Boogie Down” collaboration in 2010. While the South African and Nigerian rappers were at their prime, they teamed up to deliver a groovy number, reminding us all of our unity and interdependence, “S-A to the N-I-G/ And I don’t think they can do it like we (Naeto C)/ Naeto C is part of my team, We open doors/ Make doe green, with one another we win awards (HHP)”.
The lighthearted song is just what the doctor ordered to wipe out the bad taste the attack left in our mouths as it comes with a pleasantly cheerful music video reminding us of happier times when the continent was in harmony, united in celebration of our freedom and our appreciation of good music.
Watch the music video for HHP and Naeto C’s “Boogie Down” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Justin Campos
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Megan Thee Stallion – “Hot Girl Summer” Feat. Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign
Megan Thee Stallion has had a dominating run this past couple of months since “Big Ol Freak” announced her an artist to look out for. She became a household name after she captured popular zeitgeist with her ‘Hot Girl Summer’ phrase and then went on to release the song, “Hot Girl Summer”, featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign, defining summer 2019 for lots of music fans. Munachi Osegbu directs the music video for “Hot Girl Summer”, highlighting Megan’s trendy influence on the shape of summer 2019 through Jaimesha Thomas’s opening skit asking, “what would Megan do?” before we see Megan at a pool party, encouraging ‘hot girls’ to have fun.
Lil Frosh – “Davido”
Lil Frosh hasn’t quite crossed over into the mainstream, but he has come a long way from making freestyle videos on social media after one of his videos went viral and put him in the conversation for the recent resurgence of street-rap in Nigeria. He just put out a new single, “Davido”, a rap song celebrating his drive and ambition. Director Sweet directs the music video for “Davido”, highlighting some of the lyrics’ social commentary with people in traditional attires turning up their noses to the hip dresses of the youths.
YungBakugo – “LOCKED”
YungBakugo’s follow up to “Cloudy Maudy”, “LOCKED” continues his fascination with airy production as he sings and raps over a lightweight synth-led beat he produces with backing vocal samples that make the song eerie. The ghostly beat fits the song’s narrative, built around feeling stuck in a problematic relationship, and the music video Kali Talmon-Longden directs also stays in line with the sinister theme as we watch a straightfaced YungBakugo performing his verses while being tied up, shoved around and threatened with a knife.
Lil Nas X – “Panini”
After time travelling from the wild, wild west to the present day for his “Old Town Road” video, Lil Nas X is going a little further ahead with the futuristic setting of his new “Panini” music video. The video directed by Mike Diva is set in a Cyber Punk esque world where a hologram of Lil Nas X follows Skai Jackson around, serenading her while she tries to escape.
Lil Kesh – “Nkan Be” Feat. Mayorkun
Lil Kesh just put out the music video for his new single, “Nkan Be”, where he teams up with DMW singer, Mayorkun, for a romantic themed Afropop song Rexxie produces. The music video features cameos from Zlatan, Naira Marley and a model who plays Lil Kesh’s muse while he tries to charm her with his BMX skills and heartfelt street-inclined rap bars, “I go like to give you legbegbe ati centre”.
“Bad Boys for Life” Trailer
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are reviving their “Bad Boys” movie franchise and taking it for another spin as they announce the third installment in the sequel, “Bad Boys For Life”. The action-packed film debuted in 1995 and grossed $141 million worldwide, while the 2003 sequel earned $273 million at the global box office. Anticipation for the third film hit an all-time high with the recent release of the trailer for the movie Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah direct, starring Vanessa Hudgens, Charles Melton, Alexander Ludwig, and Joe Pantoliano and DJ Khaled who is also releasing the film’s soundtrack under his We the Best Records. The trailer features some of the gun-blazing action sequence and funny one-liners the action-comedy franchise is known for as Will Smith and Martin Lawrence continue playing their roles as detectives. Sadly, we have to wait till next year, January 17th before the film shows on the big screen.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Megan Thee Stallion
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The NATIVE has followed girl-next-door, GoodGirl LA since her breakout single “Faraway” which cemented her as one artist emerging Afropop star to watch out for. Over the last year, the singer-songwriter has steadily been releasing a trickle of singles such as her spiritual performance on “Bless Me” and “Pina”, the P.Prime-produced single off her EP released with an accompanying music video.
The artist is not ready to take a backseat anytime soon, her debut EP titled LA Confidential is an eight-track project that she believes reflects her life and where she is, musically. We caught up with LA, ahead of her EP being released on other streaming platforms to get the low down on her EP.
NATIVE: You took to social media earlier to detail how this EP is a reflection of yourself and where you are musically. Who would you say GoodGirl LA is and what can fans expect from this EP?
LA: GoodGirl LA is a daring and very unique artiste. I hope that everyone who listens to the EP, more than being entertained, gets a stronger sense of self-belief and empowerment.
NATIVE: This is your debut EP, what was the selection process like for which songs made the EP?
LA: It was such a learning process for me. I recorded at least 30 songs for this EP, working with different producers. I wanted the EP to reflect all of me, my first album, I wanted it to tell some of my stories. We first selected 15 tracks as the best fits for the EP and toyed with the idea of making it an LP. “Inspire You” and “Greatest (God of Shutdown)” were selected as the first and last track on the project, right from the moments I turned them in. We actually wanted 7 tracks only, but after about 5 weeks of listening and sharing with tastemakers, we knew the 8 tracks were the best fit for LA Confidential.
NATIVE: This year we have got to hear more of GoodGirl LA, how has the year been for you?
LA: It has been my best year yet, every goal I set out to achieve, so far, I have achieved them and even more. I’m so blessed to have a team who believes in me, teaches me about the business, encourages and empowers me to be the best I can be.
NATIVE: Apart from Britney Spears, which other artists influence your sound?
LA: I would say 2baba, Beyoncé, Brandy, Tekno and Wizkid. I learned and learn a lot about stage performances from Britney Spears, Michael Jackson and Beyoncé.
NATIVE: You grew up in a religious home and some of your songs are spiritually inclined. Would you ever create a gospel album?
LA: I haven’t thought about that, but it’s not impossible. Let me point out something, when I made “Bless Me” and “Greatest (God of Shutdown)”, the plan wasn’t to create a Gospel song, it was just how I felt in that moment. I make music, purely inspired my experiences and feelings in the moment
NATIVE: How have people responded to your more spiritually inclined music?
LA: Just like my other songs, each one connects with different people, in different ways. “Bless Me” is actually my biggest now. I’ve got over 400k views and 500 comments on YouTube, with a majority of the audience coming from the Caribbean – Jamaica, Haiti, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago and more. I have two remixes for it, dropping after the EP.
NATIVE: Tell us about “Pina”.
LA: “Pina” was a song I made in my home studio setup with my producer P. Priime. We were vibing, he was creating the music, I was creating melodies, then I got the first words, “I no fine like Kardashian”. I said, okay that’s the first line I’m going to talk about insecurity, how you meet someone, and you think you’re not good enough for them and that was how we made the song. The moment my team heard it; we all knew it would be the lead single for the EP.
NATIVE: Will you ever return to university to complete your nursing degree?
LA: I most definitely will not. I will, however, keep taking courses and hopefully a degree in music and music business.
NATIVE: Which artists in Nigeria would you like to collaborate with?
LA: I would love to work with 2Baba, Tiwa Savage, Wizkid, Tekno and Asa.
NATIVE: Last time you spoke to the NATIVE, you told us your single “Faraway” was based on a true story. Do any of the songs featured on your EP come from true experiences? Which? And could you detail on this?
LA: Yes, it was, actually all the songs on the EP come from true experiences, how I have felt at some point in my life, how I was feeling in the moment I made the song and so on.
NATIVE: What has been your biggest challenge working on this EP?
LA: The biggest challenge to be very honest, was funding.
NATIVE: Can you tell us what the biggest cost you’ve had to pay since your music became so commercial?
LA: Personal time, mostly.
Stream “LA Confidential” below:
Featured Image Credits: Prince Meyson
Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_
African artists have made us proud through their placements on big festival line ups like DJ Spinall’s Glastonbury set and Mr Eazi and Burna Boy’s Coachella debuts. But the success of Afro Nation in Portugarl was particularly fulfilling because it showed we no longer need to rely on predominantly-white festivals to host big music events around the world.
As if to celebrate the feet, the urban music beach festival is returning to Africa this December. They announced the “Third Wave” festival will happen between the 27th to 30th of December in Accra, Ghana while listing 6lack, Alkaline, Burna Boy, Davido, J Hus, Olamide, Shatta Wale, Stonebwoy and Wizkid as they headling acts. Akala, Eddy Kenzo, Kidi, Kuami Eugene, La Même Gang, Medika, Naira Marley, Not3s, Rema, Rotimi, Santi, Teni, The Compozers, Tion Wayne, Wendy Shay, Yxng Bane and Zlatan are also billed on the festival’s lineup, while Distruction Boyz, DJ Obi, DJ So Good and DJ Vyrusky will have DJ sets for the 4-day event.
Safe to say Ghana is the place be between the 27th and 30th of December. Book your tickets for Afro Nation in Ghana here.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2EAtiSJFjP/
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/afronationghana
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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
At the beginning of the year, Reekado Banks left the supportive confines of a traditional label system to set up his own eponymous imprint. Since then, he hasn’t hugged the spotlight too tightly, dropping two loose singles, “Maria” and “Yawa”, and making a sparse amount of guest appearances. However, the ex-Mavin singer is turning things up a notch; he very recently wrapped up a quick U.S tour, and he’s now put out a groovy new single, “Rora”, just in time for peak concert season.
Seemingly enchanted by a bodacious muse, Reekado’s lightweight set on “Rora” goes beyond suggestive, with his salacious lyrics playing out his own side of an aggressively flirty conversation, made even more explicit by a line linking Ghanaian dish, Shitor, with his carnal urges. Supporting his impassioned, catchy melody progression, Tuzi and Altims lay down a bewitching groove of thumping percussions and highlife guitar riffs, with additional electric guitar scratches by virtuoso Femi Leye. “Rora” is the first single off Reekado Banks’ upcoming sophomore album, which makes for a great lead off since it is obviously primed to become a mainstay on DJ sets and at parties.
You can listen to “Rora” here.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/reekadobanks
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On every other week, Abuja-based rapper Psycho YP seemingly has new material out, anything from singles, to features and even group music videos. But instead of causing a feeling of unnecessary inundation, his unrelenting work ethic plays to his advantage, highlighting the myriad of ways his skillset comes across as both well-worn and inventive. Prior to dropping the music video for his Zanku adherent bop, “Be Like You”, he recently combined with producers Jaylon and ILLYTHAGREAT for new joint single, “Whoa”.
On “Whoa”, YP puts on a flexing clinic, complete with unabashed boasts and hedonistic quips. While the song’s form and content is very far from novel in YP’s packed catalogue, it is underscored by his delightful ability to spin plain, braggy one-liners into catchy punchlines. “Niggas say I’m way too young for this rap shit/funny how we know how you niggas chat shit”, he raps with a commanding swag, over the serpentine glockenspiel riff, explosive bass guitar and groovy, reverbed drum synths Jaylon and ILLY put together.
Listen to Jaylon, Psycho YP & ILLYTHAGREAT’s “Whoa” here.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/psychoyp
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
Tiwa Savage has lived up to the Savage in her name countless times, but most memorably through her daring music videos gimmicks. The singer-songwriter has never shied away from owning her body and encouraging women to do the same through her statement fashion choices in her music videos.
Her new single “49-99” is no exception. In the Meji Alabi directed music video, the artist is clad in revealing pieces, showing off her body while dancing on a table full of older men who are ogling at her while she ignores the lustful male gaze and keeps dancing on the table, unapologetically. Other scenes in the music video show the artist nude, only covered by flowers and surrounded by her long hair. Tiwa is the king pin at a boxing competition and while she’s also seen working in a textile factory with other women, who join her in subverting the gender stereotypes with cigarettes being smoked as they work for their pay. The two scenes are juxtaposed as the singer goes from the one calling the shots to having to work to earn her wages.
Heartfelt romantic songs no longer have the gravity they used to. With every last pop singers milking their relationships for sentimental value, it has simply become attrition. But given the template’s accomplished track record, delivering hit songs spanning hundreds of decades, Cyprian Alakija has no trouble adding to the infinite catalogue of songs inspired by cupid’s arrow. He just released his 5th song this year, “Isabella”, following up on “Let Me Know” both numerically and thematically as he continues in his quest to win the heart of a lover with romantic lyrics and catchy melodies.
Backed by the mid-tempo beat Baad produces to the lightweight guitar-led swing of highlife music, Cyprian Alakija sings to his love interest in a charming mix of English and his indigenous Yoruba language. Singing “You know that me never gonna let you go/ So dance for me”, he trusts in the catchiness of his melodies as much as his lyrics to convince his lover and even passive listeners.
Stream Cyprian Alakija’s “Isabella” new single below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/cyprianalakija
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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
Viveeyan first captured national attention after making the top 8 of the first season of the Voice Nigeria, in 2016. Shortly after her talent show run, she’d release “The Bull’s Eye”, a statement track declaring her unwavering intent to express herself through her music. In the over two years since that song, she’s been very quiet in new music terms, until recently, with the release of two new singles, “Your Lover” and “Taya Me”.
As a (re-)introductory singles, she uses both singles to display her much improved song-making abilities, melding her delightful, punchy vocals with impressive and slightly catchy writing. Fixed on the lightweight side of the thematic spectrum, Viveeyan delivers charming sets on both songs, aimed at appreciating an immaculate lover. “My world got better when you came into it”, she sings over the slinky pianos and thumping 808 drum pattern of “Your Lover”, while acoustic guitars and EDM-type drum breakdowns adorn her fawning lyrics on “Taya Me”.
Listen to Viveeyan on “Your Lover” and “Taya Me” here.
Featured Image Credits:
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
Fans have always wondered if Drake would ever return to the theatres since he left the teen show, “Degrassi”, to chase his rap ambition with Lil Wayne’s YMCMB label. His return is however not as many predicted with the Drake buying the rights to “Top Boy”, a gritty series based in London, and playing the role of executive-producer for the show’s third series.
Ronan Bennett’s “Top Boy” already gained cultural acclaim after the first two seasons before it was cancelled by Channel 4 in 2013. But with the co-sign from Drake who has been a long time fan, the show seems to have grown new wings, debuting the trailer at his show at the O2 Arena in London where new additions to the cast, Little Simz (Simbi Ajikawo) and Dave(David Omoregie), were announced. The rappers are sure to amp up anticipation for the East London street culture promoting series ahead of the re-issue of the first two seasons and the 10 new episodes on Netflix.
The trailer keeps in line with the haunting image of London’s violent streets the previous series already established surrounding the characters of Dushane and Sully in Summerhouse. Their return from exile and prison respectively to find a new gang leader, Jamie, played by Micheal Ward will certainly lead to some drama haven been described as young, hungry, and ruthless gang leader. The crimes motivated by drugs, money and power is on full display in the Netflix trailer ahead of the official release on Friday, the 13th of September.
Burna Boy is on a roll. In addition to the release of his marquee ‘African Giant’ album, he’s remained an omnipresent figure in music conversations this summer, with a slew of cross-Atlantic collaborations, including a solo spot on Beyonce’s “Lion King”-inspired album, and features on summer bops by Mahalia, DJ Snake and Jorja Smith. His latest guest appearance is on DC rapper IDK’s “December”, the ninth song on the rapper’s newly released, star-studded major label debut, ‘Is He Real?’.
Mainly known for his unrelenting wordplay and picturesque storytelling, IDK spends a significant portion of his new album untangling doubts and his relationship with God through vivid raps. However, IDK’s collaboration with Burna is one of the more lightweight moments on the album, as he slips into a flitting falsetto, cherishing his lover and reminiscing on the early encounters that helped him fall in love with her. With its integral interpolation of Chaka Demus & Pliers’ Dancehall classic, “Murder She Wrote”, and the bouncy tropical house beat, Burna finds a familiar, immaculate pocket, sharing the same heartfelt sentiments with a vulnerably charming performance. “December” is clearly IDK’s move at scoring a mainstream hit, and with all factors considered—the combination of a major label machine backing, the undeniable fanfare around Burna, and the song’s summery vibe—it has the right makings.
You can listen for IDK’s “December” here.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/IDK & burnaboygram
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
Trill Tega titled his latest album ‘Sound Exploration’, a pleasantly diverse rap project backed up by the 18-year-old rapper’s outspoken personality and his knack for blending different hip-hop influences from Drill, Grime and trap. He just released the music video for one of the album’s standout tracks, “In Peace”, and while the rapper’s love for diverse cultures doesn’t make its way into the lyrics, the TG Omori directed video highlights his different influences and rebellious nature.
The iced out customized chains and Nike shoes highlight his foreign-inspired style but we still see him dancing the Shaku to the beat. To portray the youthful angst Trill Tega channels on “In Peace”, we see him performing next to a bunk bed with friends, palming a baseball bat and performing in the passenger’s seat of a convertible ride.
Watch the music video for Trill Tega’s “In Peace” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Trill Tega
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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
Abba is in high spirits as he takes me on a tour of his home, cheerily pointing out the impressive art pieces and masks that decorate his home office and studio in Lekki, where we had our interview. His role as a director and filmmaker was what prompted the interview but it was hard to miss his artistic talent with most of the pieces displayed in his homemade by him. After the tour we settle down in his home office; arguably the most interesting room in the house. The walls are splattered with scribbles formed from pastels and paint; in the centre two keyboards hang side-by-side under a suspended voodoo doll, hanging by ropes attached to a samurai sword. He admits the debasing of his office wall was a product of a depressive episode prior to the nomination of his film, “Green White Green”, at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Abba’s success in the film industry came after his debut feature film length movie, “Green White Green”, which is now being streamed on Netflix. Before this, he had been releasing short films over the years like “Nollywood”, the Aljeezera documentary on the Nigerian film industry and his satire “Direc-toh”. He has grown reluctant to answer questions on why he got into filmmaking, a question he feels he has answered many times over the years. However, he indulges me and recounts the tale of leaving university in Jos for upstate New York where he found himself in the midst of music and art students as opposed to his Business course mates. “I just fell in love with film magically,” he says, narrating how his university roommate back then had an impressive film collection. It was through revisiting classics like “Reservoir Dogs”, “The Godfather” and “Good Will Hunting” that he felt compelled to be a filmmaker.
The more movies he watched, the more he was able to appreciate the distinction between a good and bad film. I ask him about his perception of the present state of Nollywood and he responds that being called a Nollywood filmmaker is almost like being called the ‘n-word’. For him, accepting this n-word description is relative; there are times he readily embraces it while there are other times he refuses to accept this label, “it leaves a bad taste in your mouth” he says, describing the condescending tone used to debase Nollywood movies in some places.
Surreal 16, the filmmaking collective Abba operates within also houses other creative minds like Mike Omonua and CJ Obasi; a group of like-minded filmmakers he considers his peers. The group was formed to forge a different side to Nollywood films, distinct from those we grew up watching. Abba admits there is no real significance behind their group title: “It’s honestly just a name we thought sounded cool”. This is not entirely true as Abba later discloses his fascination with psychologist Carl Jung and his archetypal theories of the subconscious mind.
Coincidentally, his new release “The Lost Okoroshi” originated from stumbling across the works of photographer, Charles Fréger’s Wilder Mann: The image of savage; a photo series that showcased masquerade-like creatures (Fréger dubs them ancient pagan ceremonial gods) from various European countries. Abba’s conviction in Jung’s theories and the collective unconsciousness was reinforced on seeing these images; be it a masquerade or a pagan god — the similarities were striking as they were the same supernatural creature but manifested in different ways in different cultures.
His fascination with masquerades dates long before coming across Freger’s work, Abba’s nickname “Dodorowski” was bestowed on him by his cousin. It is a play on Jos-slang “Dodo” meaning masquerade and one of his filmmaking inspirations, Alejandro Jodorowsky. As a child, Abba was immensely fascinated with masquerades particularly the unspoken agreement that whoever wears its attire is elevated to a status beyond human; a supernatural being. It was his all-round fascination for masquerades as well as his affinity for the Igbo culture that birthed his latest project, “The Lost Okoroshi”. He terms himself a ‘cultural ambassador’ who “is adding to the lexicon of cinema which later translates into pop culture”.
Abba is keen on this ambassadorial work because he feels it is his responsibility as a filmmaker to reintroduce Nigerians back to themselves through film; He divulges his distaste for how Nigerians have demonised a lot about their culture to appease to Eurocentric ideals. His vision with this movie was to debunk some myths about ancestors and masquerades, by showing them in a comical light, Abba aims to re-directing the reverence for masquerades from that of fear to that of respect. He nods to other artists using their celebrity status to make being African cool again, one of such artists he admires is Beyoncé’s and her involvement in the culture following her executive produced “The Lion King: The Gift” album. Abba is happy to be one of the custodians of a new wave of creatives spreading the propaganda that being black and African is not second best to being a member of any other race.
Speaking on the hardest parts of bringing his new film to life, Abba ran me through a series of anxieties. Before the conception of the film, he always worried about the costume for the Okoroshi masquerade. This fear was furthered by the costume designer taking off with the money for the masquerade costume without producing anything. He tells me how watching the documentary for Francis Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now” inspired him to continue with the film despite shortcomings with funding. The documentary details how everything went wrong during the production of the movie yet despite this, it went on to win the Palm D’or which is the highest award at the Cannes Film Festival.
“You have to be insane and almost delusional when you are creating something. You have to be like I am the shit, fuck everybody else!” he advises me on any project I wish to undertake. Before the interview ends, I am able to ask Abba his plans for the future, he tells me he is already working on his new film and a new television series based on, “Direc-toh” a satirical short film that first brought him to public attention. In the near future, Abba wants to take a long sabbatical from filmmaking and focus on growing his art as well as setting up a studio in his home for young painters. On his to-do list is also to clean up the country, he says it is the least we can do for the country if we cannot fix it.
“The Lost Okoroshi” will be premiering at the TIFF this month and is also set to premiere at the forthcoming BFI London Film Festival in the UK.
With only a handful of releases, Censodd has built a reputation for writing love songs and performing them to catchy Afropop beats that serve dancefloors audiences. Shifting pace from the Caribbean influenced beat of his NATIVE debut, “Dirty Fiona”, Censodd’s new release, “Lost”, expands his sonic palette as he conjures an intricate tribute to the lush sound of house music.
Infusing electronic guitar flourishes, sweeping synth and piano harmonies and a catchy drum riff, “Lost” unfurls with an easy-going vibe PD produces with little pockets to accommodate Censodd’s supple singing voice. Singing his inquisitive lyrics with a slightly mournful intonation, “Where do you go to find yourself?”, his verses always seem to stretch toward the release of a pop chorus. And though the beat eventually drops for a groovy chorus, his lyrics remain questioning “Ogini K’icho? (What do you want?)”. The contradiction reinforces his tortured lyrical themes of feeling lost.
Watch the Into the Spider-Verse inspired lyrics video below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/censodd
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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
While neither party of the seminal sibling Afropop duo, P-Square, have had the best of times since going on separate solo endeavours, they’ve both continued to push out an unwavering stream of new music releases. Rudeboy is the latest half of the now defunct group to put out a new song, and unlike the more romantic inclinations of his previous singles, “Audio Money” tilts toward seriousness, with its socially conscious outlook.
Clearly not fascinated with the current proclivity for presenting glossy, curated lives on online, Rudeboy uses “Audio Money” as a scathing take down of society’s double standards, fostered by the need to be seen as well-doing. Capturing the spirit of the song’s title phrase, Rudeboy’s vivid, grave lyrics personifies a smirk, its efficacy ultimately elevated by the bewitching, Igbo Folk-inspired groove Lord Sky lays down as the song’s beat. “Audio Money” is the type of nose-thumbing song that’s catchy enough to land on club setlists.
Listen to “Audio Money” here.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/
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Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
‘Deal With It’ is Phyno’s 4th studio album since he debuted ‘No Gut No Glory’ in 2014 and established himself as one of the key rappers propagating the gospel of indigenous rap in Nigeria. His latest offering continues to highlight his appreciation for rap, his Igbo culture and his pop sensibilities with the 21-track album featuring artists like Olamide, Falz, Davido, Phenom, Cheque, Ratti, Don Jazzy, Olamide, Zoro, Nuno, Runtown and Teni the entertainer.
The project’s lead single, “Deal With It”, comes with an accompanying music video directed by Clarence Peters to portray the epic influences on the beat Benjamz produces with motivational piano harmonies and energetic drums and chants that inspire confident Igbo rap bars from Phyno. With the help of some FX edits, “Deal With It” shows Phyno in a matrix esque universe where he repeatedly kills different clones of himself while rapping along to the song.
Watch the music video for “Deal With It” and listen to Phyno’s 4th studio album below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/PhynoVEVO
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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
