Straffitti’s experimental vision for Nigerian Hip-hop reached impressive heights when he released “Kuronbe”, blending his trap cadence with mainstream rap and indigenous rap through his enviable guest list of features, Prettyboy D-O, Ice Prince and Zlatan Ibile. He follows up the release with a music video directed by Shauneweni films and Eke David in monochrome shots that highlight the gritty bars from the artists.
While a cast of masked men and women and people dressed in what seems to be the NYSC uniform depict some of the lyrics, Straffitti, Prettyboy D-O, Ice Prince and Zlatan get the most facetime with the camera, delivering the energetic performance fitting of their violent and provocative bars addressed at opposition and anyone unfortunate enough to try to bring them down.
Watch the music video for Straffitti, Prettyboy D-O, Ice Prince and Zlatan Ibile’s “Kuronbe” music video below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/STRAFFITTI
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
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
Jidenna’s newly released album, ‘85 To Africa’, is a personal document of his growth through a more vivid embrace of his African roots, and a tacit pan-African manifesto. All his intentions coalesce on the stumping opener, “Worth the Weight”, where his bruising raps about everything from personal ambition to pro-Black declarations, canon off a rambunctious Trap beat. Grammy-nominated Afrobeat royalty, Seun Kuti lends more credence, with the addition of a voicenote contribution in the song’s dying seconds. Leaning into the song’s unrelenting essence, the music video for “Worth the Weight”, shared on the same day as the album release, is a frenzied collection of shots, showing Jidenna rabidly performing his lyrics alone and in the company of a keen crowd. Psychedelic filters are also added, increasing its haunting nature to compelling effect.
Watch the video for “Worth the Weight” here.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Jidenna
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
AYLØ takes pride in being a unique creative. “Fusion”, the oldest song on his SoundCloud, was a catchy lampoon against the homogeneity prevalent in Afropop, as well as an implicit declaration of his nonconformity. He’s spent the last three years continually assembling the mosaic of his patented ‘Soul Fusion’ sound, releasing two splendid projects in the process; ‘Honest Conversations’ EP in late 2016, and the career-defining ‘<insert project name/>’ tape in mid-2017.
Preferring to work in spans, AYLØ’s latest project, ‘dnt’dlt’, is his first major release in two years, following a sparse run of dropping new material, and an ample amount of feature work. As much as it preserves his mystic and plays into his ethos of ghosting until it’s time for a tape, the relative silence was unfortunately assisted by a robbery, his laptop—filled with new material—and other recording instruments being part of the items taken.
“This oxygen is priceless”, he added in the tweet detailing the incident, pushing out a positive attitude, despite going through the kind of traumatic event that could derail entire careers. For profound effect, the resurgence motif plays a substantial role on ‘dnt’dlt’, hitting a crescendo on the final track, “Alive and Breathing”. Assisted and co-produced with Abuja singer/producer, Cheso, who adds a moving layer of relatability with his impassioned singing of “I know I’m a champion, just because I’m alive and breathing” on the hook, AYLØ basks in the glow of self-acceptance on a rapped first verse and a sung, zen-inducing second verse.
On “Alive and Breathing”, he elucidates on the importance of the ride-or-die relationship with his parents, as well as the impact of meditating and rolling gardens, a call back to the intro of his previous project. In contrast with the linear unfolding of that coming-of-age tape, the narrative of growth and savouring life on ‘dnt’dlt’ is both explicit and apparent, because AYLØ remains an exciting artist to listen to, especially since he’s still hell-bent on levelling up.
While his catalogue is a masterclass in grandly, and effectively, presenting an array of emotions in their varying complexities, his writing and delivery multiplex have become even more potent, magnifying every pixel of every frame on ‘dnt’dlt’. On “City of Lights!”, where he is joined by an inspired Sugarbana to mourn the gloomy state of Nigeria, AYLØ mostly chants a refrain, with his high-pitched vocals establishing the aura of an elegy. Two songs prior, AYLØ and MOJO celebrate and reminisce on the death of their innocence on “Indo Smkn”, imbuing their hedonistic musings with a considerable level of seriousness so that the song listens like a deeply personal revelation.
The same visceral improvements apply to songs about women and relationships; admiration-filled sets like pre-released singles “Paris!” and “Sassy”, and pro-Instagram anthem “Pretty Mama!” are basically rituals extolling the divine energy of women; and “xozhu”, a vindictive, alcohol-fueled voicemail to an ex, is realistically messy both in writing and delivery.
Also a marker of his progression, AYLØ is omnipresent behind the boards, picking up production credits on seven songs here, as compared to three on his previous tape. Even with outside contributions, there a sense of overall direction, considering how the project mostly deals in immersive flourishes and subdued grooves. There’s an abundance of nocturnal piano chord motifs, harmony inflexions from bass and electric guitars, as well as lightly knocking percussion patterns. Throbbing EDM instrumental, “IMWTWOTF”, sticks out, but not negatively since it is sandwiched by slow-rolling banger “Nintendo”, and the bouncy amalgamation of reggae and folk that propels “Alive and Breathing”.
Despite the temporal temptation to call ‘dnt’dlt’ a return to form, it is more of re-emergence, for an artist that has hurdled over a grim, uncertain situation, to now wielding his ability with more certainty than he has shown till date.
Stream ‘dnt’dlt’ via Apple Music here.
Featured Image Credits: Twitter/arkhonellz
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
The steep prices of internet data in Nigeria currently limits the average Nigerian’s possibilities of endlessly streaming content, but there is still a global audiences still up for grabs. With that outlook, streaming companies have been able to see the potentials of investing in and exporting the myriad of enjoyable and compelling content, made in Nigeria. A few weeks ago, YouTube announced their partnership with the Mr Eazi-led Empawa initiative, for a program that will assist ten upcoming Nigerian artists. Visual streaming giant Netflix are currently developing a library of Nigerian movies, from Abba Makama’s ‘Green White Green’ debut feature to Genevieve Nnaji’s directorial debut, ‘Lionheart’.
Adding to their list of new school Nollywood blockbusters, Netflix will be bringing ‘The Wedding Party 2’, ‘King of Boys’, and ‘Merry Men’ to ubiquitous electronic devices around the world. By acquiring the rights of these three movies, Netflix will be showcasing the variedness of Nollywood to a wide array of viewers. Comedian Ayo Makun’s ‘Merry Men’ and the Niyi Akomolayan-directed ‘The Wedding Party 2’ lean into humour-filled plots, while Kemi Adetiba’s ‘King of Boys’ was praised for its ambitious and timely storytelling upon last year’s original big screen release.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1gc-9BBrqY/
There is no set date for their Netflix arrival yet, but going by the announcement made by FilmOne Productions, the distributor of all three films, they will be available on the prominent streaming platform “soon”.
Tomi Akin’s “Lemon Curd” concert is reputed as one of the markers of the tangible growth in Nigeria’s music industry where festivals and concerts happen more regularly than ever before. But with that being said, Lemon Curd isn’t your average run of the mill jam fest where some of your favourite artists show up for karaoke night type performances. The show is seemingly curated to serve Gen-Z millenials who tend to have short attention spans and thus, offers a variety of things to indulge in, musically or otherwise.
The importance of providing a platform to spotlight up and coming talents has never been lost on the show since it debuted in 2016, featuring artists like Santi, Odunsi, Lady Donli, Prettyboy D-O, Wavythecreator and others on the big stage before their recent growth to acclaim. But with global conversations about new artists discovery from Nigeria becoming more pronounced, it’s perhaps more rewarding now with artists like Buju, Veen, Merry Lynn, Loti, Gigi Atlantis and Mojo expected to make their Lemon Curd debuts at the Muri Okunola venue of Lemon Curd 4 this Saturday.
Festivals like Lemon Curd are the perfect analogy for how consumers interact with music in 2019. Our relationship with the industry is more fragmented and there are more pipelines for consumption than ever before thanks to the access social media and streaming provides. We discover new artists and music through the internet where distractions abound and Lemon Curd doesn’t spare any expense with the extra-musical entertainment featuring a setlist of sports tournaments, food stands, Tarot card reading, cook-offs and the chance to get acquainted with forward-thinking organizations such as “We Will Not Be Silent”, “Man Up Initiative” and “Inspire Lagos” who have worked on publicising and raising sexual assault awareness as well as youth empowerment. The offline interaction with artists and other influential players in the Nigerian media space serves as social currency that exceeds the 3,500 gate fee.
You don’t want to be told how great an experience this was so don’t miss it. Get tickets here.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/_thelemoncurd
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
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
Having impressed with the open-eared production and staggering range of musical influences on his project debut, ‘Expression’, Djaji Prime continues to build on his reputation for exploring different genres for beats to soundtrack his rap verses. He’s on a roll of new releases that began with a free-verse, “Gold Roses”, which kicked off his challenge to put out one new single every week to put him in conversation with other prolific rappers.
The first single, “P is 4 Palava” is a socially charged song that references Fela’s “Trouble Sleep Yanga Wake Am” as he raps about the problems of society from his unique perspective as a rapper; “Tell me dumb it down/ Kill myself for the country”. With Illgod’s “P is For Palava II” providing the soothing beat he raps over, “P is 4 Palava” highlights Djaji Prime’s attention to detail, picking a beat that’s striking enough to fulfil his political agenda without losing his musical intentions. “Mi Apollonia” on the other returns to the familiar Trap sound where he flexes his vocal range, opening with a melodic flow before switching to a 50 Cent-esque voice to establish his changing mood from vulnerably sweet to sore as he reflects on his failed romance with an ex.
Listen to “P is 4 Palava” and “Mi Apollonia” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/djajiprime
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
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
LA, the girl next door, released her debut EP ‘LA Confidential’ exclusively on Boomplay last week. While we wait for the project to be made available on other streaming platforms in September, the rising star is taking no breaks as she releases the music video for “Pina”, one of the tracks from the tape produced by P.Prime. She already flaunted the range in her music from spiritually-inclined “Bless me” to the true-life heartbreak rendition in “Faraway”; she expands the range to fit more indigenous influences on “Pina”.
“Pina” is an upbeat Afropop number where GoodGirl LA promises to love her love interest forever. She is unwilling to entertain other suitors, and demands exactly what she wants: “When I ask for money, make you give oo”. Mirroring the same confidence as she exuded in the “Faraway” music video, LA has her eyes set on the man of her dreams and can successfully be seen dancing intimately with him at the club.
Vividness and steaminess are two integral traits for a song to fit perfectly into a sex playlist. Loti’s new single, “Some Love”, packs both qualities in abundance. It is very unsurprising, considering the singer’s back catalogue shows his penchant for matching mood and imagery, including his first single of this year, “No Souvenirs” with Tim Lyre.
For “Some Love”, Jesse Alordiah and Tochi Bedford put together a mix of softly bumping 808 bass, ticking hi-hats, piano twinkles and a rumbling bass guitar riff, creating a charged ambience of Loti’s vocals to float across. Between salacious depictions of hair grabbing/pulling, nonsense whisperings and goosebumps, there’s little room for imagination; only imagery to soundtrack an evening of sensual shenanigans.
Listen to Loti’s “Some Love” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
The chemistry between Mr Eazi and Simi has already proven adequately suited to fit the steamy dancehall requirement for Afropop with “Surrender”, one of the highlights from Mr Eazi’s ‘Lagos to London’ tape last year. The pair have however returned for seconds, collaborating on yet another romantic themed pop song, “Doyin”, designed to meet the needs of club DJs at parties.
Simi’s IG post announcing the release offered some backstory to the creation of the song saying, “Soo what had happened was I went to say hey to Mr Eazi and some of the boys in LA and then he was getting his hair cut and he was also vibing to this beat that Killertunes had made and then I threw my backpack on cos I had gone there from school and I was about to leave and he was like ‘Simi you get any idea’ or something like that and I was like ok ‘yada yada yada’ and I was like ‘peace I’m out’ and then weeks later he was like ‘make we shoot video for that our jam now.’ and I was like ‘our jam? lol’ because you see I didn’t know it was our jam, I thought it was his jam and now Doyin is out”.
“Doyin” comes with an accompanying music video that sets Simi and Mr Eazi at a tropical mansion where they perform their romantic lyrics side by side. Watch the music video for Mr Eazi and Simi’s “Doyin” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Mr Eazi
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
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
Taking a deviation from his joint duties as one-half of Afropop duo Mars & Barzini, Mars Eze recently put out his debut EP, ‘King Solo’, a breezy collection of merry records. Embellishing his ongoing solo run, the singer has just released the music video for “Queen Sheba”, the second track off his tape. Visualizing his wanton, romantic set, the video TG Omori directs leans into Afropop’s cliche of blending glitz and seduction, highlighting Mars performing his lyrics in the company of beautiful models, in various crisp backgrounds.
You can watch the video for “Queen Sheba” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Mars Eze
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
Since releasing “Tequila Crush” and “2020”, Gigi Atlantis earmarked herself as a singer who infuses sultry bedroom pop with lyrically frank R&B. Though she only started releasing music last year, she has already accrued an enviable fan base that includes producers like GMK who added his signature producer tag as a seal of approval on “Tequila Crush” and artists like Fasina who features on her latest release, “Wahala on the Rocks”, where she exudes the confidence of one who is finally embracing herself for who she is.
Over silken melodies and the head-nodding 808s IKON co-produces for “Wahala on the Rocks”, Gigi Atlantis uses her self confidence as fuel, painting a hazy yet luminous picture of a woman coupled with some liquid courage. “I’m looking good yeah, I got dressed for myself/I’m feeling good yeah, I’m impressed with myself” she sings, balancing her empowering message with a keen assertiveness. Fasina sings the closing verse, seemingly responding from the perspective of the sub of a controlling lover while adding Lagos tributing lyrics; “She’s in the back getting jiggy, doing something freaky/ If you no know, this is gidi/Girl want take what she came after”. With Gigi Atlantis’ light and airy vocals reminiscent of a breezy summer’s night, “Wahala on the Rocks” sets all the right moods for partying.
Listen to Gigi Atlantis’ “Wahala on the Rocks” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/gigiatlantis
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
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
After a month of build-up, Jidenna has finally liberated his sophomore album, ’85 To Africa’. Late last month, the Wondaland signee detailed the album title and its release date with a psychedelic trailer. He also concurrently debuted two singles off the album, “Sufi Woman” and “Tribe”, releasing the video for the latter a few days later. More recently, he shared two new singles, “Sou Sou” and “Zodi” with Mr Eazi, emboldening the potential for a diversely influenced, genre-blending full-length.
Including the four pre-released singles, ’85 To Africa’ contains eleven tracks, mainly produced by close collaborator Nana Kwabena. Joining Mr Eazi on the guest list, Jidenna recruits Afrobeat Acolyte Seun Kuti, DC rapper Goldlink, Ethiopian-American singer Mereba, and R&B/Soul duo St. Beauty. ’85 To Africa’ follows his 2017 debut album, ‘The Chief’, and last year’s EP, ‘Boomerang’.
Stream ’85 To Africa‘ via Apple Music here.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/Jidenna
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
It’s been a sparse spell for Lynxxx in the last few years. The rapper captured the zeitgeist with his patented “Jollof music” at the top of the decade, and although he’s released a sophomore album and a fewsingles since peaking, he’s yet to hit the same level of acclaim. However, his latest single, “She Likes”, bears all the hallmarks of a sleeper hit that could seep into frequent radio rotation and party set lists. Assisted by Spax’s warm, groovy beat and an infectious, lightweight contribution by hook specialist, BOJ, Lynxxx’s loosely constructed verses are doused in the trademark swagger that characterized his most popular works, with boast-filled one-liners aimed at wooing a love interest, like “you left them other jokers, now you’re with the right guy”.
You can listen to “She Likes” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
Since The NATIVE last spoke to singer/songwriter Daramola, the artist has tied the knot, signed to Sony ATV and announced a new album titled “It’s a Double Pleasure to Deceive a Deceiver”. His previous project, “The Last Time I Tried” was home to lead single “Lotto”, where the artist interfused Afro-R&B with Yoruba folklore on an EDM-inspired refrain, setting himself out as one to watch. Now, back from holiday with his wife, Daramola is ready to let fans in on his growth. His sophomore project is here, ‘It’s A Double Pleasure to Deceive a Deceiver’ features Nonso Amadi and Karen Inder. Before it’s release, The NATIVE had a chance to discuss with the star about the vision behind the new album and the effect of marriage on his songwriting.
NATIVE: It’s been two years since your last album release? How much has changed for you since then?
DARAMOLA: Yes it has. Two long years. So much has changed. The most obvious being, I got married, I got signed, and I did a lot of maturing and growing up.
NATIVE: The pre-released single “DWMT” introduces your fans to a new sound inspired by the vocals contributed by Karen Inder. In what other ways has getting married influenced your sound and songwriting for the new project?
DARAMOLA: “DWMT” is actually a one-off sound on the album. It was an experimental Latin/Naija mash up on an EDM/POP inspired Latin beat. Sounds like a whole lot but that’s basically the premise of the song from a sound/genre perspective. For the most part, the album is very much true to the sound I started out with on my last album. The only difference is that this one is an even balance of the old and the new, one of the reasons’s being, I live in Miami and this place has so much culture. As far as getting married and its influence on my sound, you can say it’s been a strong contender. On this album I’ve been able to identify and sort of sing about emotions I’ve never experienced. So you’ll definitely get new sounds inspired by new emotions, new stories, and an overall perspective switch on love and life’s happenings.
NATIVE: Can we expect your wife to feature in more of your music going forward?
DARAMOLA: Oh yea. “DWMT” is the only song she’s officially featured on, but you get to hear samples and other spaces she lent me her vocals all through the album. As far as music outside the album, absolutely.
NATIVE: Will your new album be a linear continuation from your last project or the start of a new journey for yourself and fans?
DARAMOLA: Yes and No. Yes, in that I continue with the overall message of finding myself and reconciling the many emotions I expressed on my last album, and No in that I have infused a more aggressive and afro-leaning sound to it. You can say I’ve found the right balance between being a Nigerian Musician and being heavily influenced by music from around the world.
NATIVE: “It’s a Double Pleasure to Deceive the Deceiver” is a very descriptive album name, what was your inspiration?
DARAMOLA: Yea, it’s a mouthful but I love it. “It’s a double pleasure…” is actually a quote by Niccolo Machiavelli. The inspiration for the title came to me while I was watching the movie “Atomic Blonde” – It just made sense with the stories I was telling on the album. It also made for a very good description of my emotions at the time.
NATIVE: Are there any artists or songs that have particularly influenced the direction for this album (or your sound?)
DARAMOLA: Yes. Kanye, Bon Iver, Lady Donli, Angelique Kidjo, Burna Boy, Banks, to name a few.
NATIVE: How has the entire process of creating the album been for you and how has it been different from previous projects?
DARAMOLA: It was a lot longer. I typically work fast but there was so much going on between my first album and now. It made for a more thought out process, better engineering and more stories to tell. When I did my first album, I just didn’t care about anything. My only aim was “put this out and quit music” – on this album, I was settled, and I could finally tell my stories from a place of rest, peace and intention.
NATIVE:In the album pre-release trailer, there seemed to be elements of religion appearing? How has your faith influenced the music you make?
DARAMOLA: Absolutely. I am a believer in Jesus, so that goes without saying in my music. A lot of people listen and can’t really pin it but I’ll like to think that if you listen a lot closer you’ll find Jesus in the details. It’s all very metaphorical but, you’ll get it. On the album I have a song called “New Drugs” – It’s about how we are so quick to call people out for catering to their vices (drugs, alcohol etc) but we don’t really care as much about the drugs of the heart as I like to call them (anger, greed, envy etc). So New Drugs was my creative way of telling that story.
NATIVE: Can we expect more visuals off the album?
DARAMOLA: Oh yes. I just got back from a long much-needed vacation. I’m filled with so many ideas for the visuals so I can’t wait to share them.
NATIVE:How has fan reception been since you announced the new project and what sort of reaction do you expect from fans when this drops?
DARAMOLA: It’s been so good. I haven’t really dropped music in a while, so I was taken aback by the reception. You can never take these things for granted.
NATIVE:In May, you signed a deal with Sony ATV Music Pub. What role do they play in the new project’s rollout?
DARAMOLA: It’s been awesome. My Sony ATV families have been super dope. I’m also signed to Neon16 (Lex Borrero, Tainy) etc. These guys have worked on everything from Rihanna, Zedd, Bad Bunny to J Balvin. It’s been a dream to be in that circle. A lot of people may not know this about me but I’m a producer and writer first and then my artistry comes after. So these silent two years have just been on the artist front, but outside of that I’ve been working. Lord willing my production and songwriting placements should all roll out in the coming year. Been working on a lot of mainstream projects. So that’s the sole purpose of my Sony deal. They do help on other fronts with my album but I still have all the control I need.
NATIVE: Last time you spoke to the NATIVE, you shared some thoughts on pain and emotion in music. Would you say your views on this have changed?
DARAMOLA: Not at all. It is what it is. That’s how we connect to music, through emotions (happy or sad) and through the result of these emotions. You’ll get the same emotion on this album. I have this one song called “Satisfied” with Nonso Amadi, it’s pure and genuine truth and emotion – that’s the premise of the whole album.
Stream “It’s a Double Pleasure to Deceiver a Deceiver” via Apple Music:
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_
DYO is embracing the spotlight. Formerly going by the pseudonym Ms D, the Ivor Novello-nominated singer-songwriter has accumulated multiple guest appearances and writing credits on other artists’ works, since early this decade. This year, though, she’s focused on her solo releases. She’s already released her vibrant “Arena” single and a remix with Adekunle Gold, as well as separate music videos for both. Consolidating her solo run, she just shared the music video for “Go All The Way”, a new single with Afropop heavyweight, Mr Eazi.
Flaunting her trademark, expressive pen game, DYO’s lyrics are explicitly enticing, with a sensual edge. In addition to joining DYO on the song’s chorus, Mr Eazi also drops a flirty verse over the vivacious, his languid melodies contrasting and complimenting DYO’s siren-like vocals. Tapping into the song’s sultriness, the music video Mahaneela directs for “Go All The Way”, is a crisp collage of shots showing both singers performing their lyrics, as well as beautiful black faces, at a photoshoot setting. Inspired by “great African photographers”, the video also incorporates filters and props that distinctly mirror the ’70s.
Watch the video for DYO’s “Go All The Way” here.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/DYO
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
Mark Ofua is the veterinarian and conservationist from St Marks Animal Hospital, who runs a self funded animal shelter at Addo Road, Ajah. Nicknamed the snake man of Lagos, Ofua has operated the shelter for five years and rescued a number of endangered animals, such as pangolins, civets and genets. The discussion around animal conservation ranks very low in Nigeria, animals are seen as food, with reports of dwellers harming whales and turtles for sustenance. The indifference towards the lives of animals poses a threat to Lagos, as displaced animals are reintroduced in other habitats without natural checks and balances; worsening the interaction between these animals and their prey.
Globally, the world is more attuned to the cost of not protecting wildlife. The ecosystem is already suffering from indifference to environmental issues, particularly in the Amazon Rainforest where scientists deduce the rapid growing wildfires stem from drought and increased human activity. Ofua’s safe haven for animals is a call to develop new societal attitudes towards preserving animals and the environment in Nigeria. There needs to be a push beyond formulating policies to counteract these issues, public apathy for animals can be limited by well-researched education on climate change in schools and workplaces. Short-term, garnering public patronage for Ofua’s shelter will increase the number of animals being rescued and the level of care offered; from volunteering at the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, to donating to their cause, an impact can be made towards maintaining the balance in our own sphere of the world.
The Nigerian Conservation Foundation is a non-governmental organisation with a focus to nature conservation and sustainable development in Nigeria. It has been majorly involved with government policies aimed at protection of the environment. The organisation calls on support from the public through corporate partnerships, sponsorships and contributions to the annual fund through tax-deductible gifts.
Tems has a big voice and she’s getting louder. A few days after she released her new track, “Try Me” she tweeted a video of her performing a demo version of the track at a 90s Baby showcase in 2017. This was before the producer and songwriter became a runaway fave with “Mr Rebel”, one of last year’s most riveting releases by a newcomer.
Tems’ work with The Collectiv3, SDC and Poe plus her follow-up effort, “Looku Looku”, have steadied her hands, but the evolution of “Try Me” truly unravels Tems’ projected full-form as a powerhouse Afro-Pop vocalist. “Take all my mind, take all the joy now” she sings in the opening moments of “Try Me”, the start of a heart-wrenching poetic sequence about perseverance and indivisibility. The fiery pre-hook and chorus that follow are punctuated with big drums and colourful effects, while Tems roars like a thunderstorm across the arrangement.
Good pop music sometimes feels like a soundtrack to the days of our lives; because when it works, a mix of ambient feelings can be moulded into a single peripheral emotion. Taking a cue from the accompanying video where Tems and a horde of others are rescued from captivity by a biker gang, “Try Me” is a fiery anthem of triumph. As a mirror for how good things are often birthed from hard processes, Tems’ songwriting metaphors the rebirth that comes after the destruction. The perdition she faces at the start of the track slinks into a confident hip-hop-inspired second verse, leading up to Tems’ full-bloom re-emergence at the end of “Try Me” where she’s probing her persecutor: “Why you wanna try me?”. Indeed, why would anyone want to Try Tems anyway? She’s in a league of her own.
See Tems’ in “Try Me” video below:
Image Credits: Instagram
Toye is managing-partner at NATIVE Nigeria. Tweet at him@ToyeSokunbi
Teffy has been building a buzz worthy of a project release since he released the music video for “Girate” featuring BOJ and followed that up with “Upside Down”, where he shows off his dancefloor capabilities over a beat GMK engineers. He continues to grow his base with a new release, the music video for “Señorita”, building his catalogue as he expands his range to explore more confident themes you’d expect from established artists.
Granted, the DIY direction and grainy filters in the music video B directs for “Señorita” doesn’t do justice to the flashy song which opens with a jingling sample that listens like the noise from dangling icy chains, it leaves room for Teffy to shine. The music video’s narrative is driven almost entirely by his charisma as he glorifies his lifestyle as a Nigerian artist in Lagos, travelling around the city from record studios to clubs while performing his cocky freestyle-esque lyrics, “I got big stacks, baby I got big bags” in his melodic rap flow.
Watch the music video for Teffy’s “Señorita” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Teffy The Melody King
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
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
Yemi Alade has retained an impressive command of media attention since her ‘King of Queens’ debut in 2014, following up with critically acclaimed albums, ‘Mama Africa’ and ‘Black Magic’ in 2016 and 2017 respectively. She has since kept fans entertained with new releases, putting out new songs and making guest appearances such as her feature on Beyonce’s ‘Lion King: The Gift’ album to ensure she remains in relevant music conversations. Having debuted her Rick Ross assisted “Oh My Gosh Remix” earlier this year, she’s finally making the big announcement for her 4th studio album, ‘Woman of Steel’, expected to be released on the 30th of August.
She premiered two new tracks, “Home” and “Give Dem” ahead of the album’s release, hinting at the sonic direction the project could take. Vtek produces the live band beat for “Home”, adding the feel of listening to church music with Yemi Alade laying her vocals like backup singers as she sings her appreciation for her lover. “Give Dem” takes a more showy direction with the boastful lyrics Yemi Alade performs over the mid-tempo beat Krizbeatz produces. The releases come packaged along with the cover art for ‘Woman of Steel’ and the 15-track tracklist which includes the previously released “Oh My Gosh Remix” with Rick Ross and other guest artists like Duncan Mighty, Angelique Kidjo and Funke Akindele.
Listen to “Home” and “Give Dem” off Yemi Alade’s ‘Woman of Steel’ below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/yemialade
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
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
Late last year, Afropop singer Waje released her sophomore album, ‘Red Velvet’, an impressive comeback five years after her eponymous debut. Since then, she’s collaborated with close friend Omawumi on “She Is”, and featured on 2Baba’s “Frenemies”. With the singer set to headline a Lagos concert on September 1st, she’s just released the music video for “Udue”, a standout cut with Mavin Singer Johnny Drille, off her album.
Mixing groovy, mid-tempo percussions, folksy guitar riffs, and aerosol horn blasts, Johnny Drille lays down a lush ambience for Waje’s romantic set, amplified by her siren vocals and soaring melodies, to slink into. Although Johnny Drille only performs a quick bridge, he plays a prominent role in the music video for “Udue”, starring in lovey-dovey frames, with Waje’s daughter Emerald Iruobe playing the role of his love interest. Set at a getaway location, shots of Waje, tastefully styled and passionately performing her lyrics, are also scattered around the video Catalyst directs.
You can watch the video for Waje’s “Udue” below.
Featured Image Credits:YouTube/WajeVevo
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
Dennis is not an interesting person. Tweet Your Favourite Playboi Carti Songs at him @dennisadepeter
Despite his reputation as a hitmaker who serves dancefloor audiences with lightweight songs designed to keep everyone in a pleasant mood, Tekno doesn’t miss a moment to lament over the state of the country, and muse as to how we can move forward. Previously a standout single from his purple patch of 2017, “Rara” was a rallying cry to Nigerians to “forget about the big things” and “invest for your country, and make it a better place”. His latest release, “Better”, takes a more rebellious approach, calling for all men to stand up to the powers that be. It is particularly poignant, as the Lagos State Police Command managed to find the time in their extremely busy schedules to launch an investigation into Tekno’s involvement in a publicly-shot music video featuring dancers.
The catchy mid-tempo mix of sweeping synth harmonies, tin pan drum riffs, clap samples and percussion harmonies offers shelter from Tekno’s cheerless performance, lamenting the harsh reality of the average Nigerian while praying for a better tomorrow. Singing “They go do like say them no know say food no dey/ They go do like say they no see say road no good oh”, Tekno seems to blame politicians for the hardship before going on to suggest somethings that could help improve the standard of living. With the good intention of the song appealing to the basic needs of Nigerians, “Better” takes Afropop to a familiar place that’s dark and desperate, sure, but also anthemic and radiantly catchy.
You can stream Tekno’s “Better” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/teknoofficial
[mc4wp_form id=”26074″]
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
