YungBakugo’s production on his latest single, “Cloudy Maudy” is a master class in painting with negative space. Instead of crowding the song with different sounds, he leaves holes open so that his silky lo-fi compositions can breathe. The minimalist beat adds an air of mystery such that it sounds like anything could happen. The Toronto based artist compounds that enigma by switching between vocal textures, singing as well as rapping over the dreamy instrumentals.
His lyrics, “Wanna be rich, looking like I robbed a bank, Yeah”, keeps the dreamy direction of the song going and Kali Talmon-Longden follows the same mood with the surreal and colourful music video she directs. The video sets YungBakugo in the company of models and dancers (Jennifer, Tyra Templesmith, Katie Over, Alexandra Gimbert) who also add more colour to the video through their performance.
You can watch the video for “Cloudy Maudy” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/ Yung Bakugo
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Hip-hop has always had the reputation of being aggressive if not a little violent, but the drive to rage has seemed at an all-time high since rappers like Xxxtencion and 69 took hip-hop by storm and became icons for the new generation of rappers. Maison2500’s latest single, “Choppas on Deck!” keeps the energy going, striving under the youthful recklessness of punk and hip-hop’s competitive spirit.
“Choppas on Deck!” opens with distorted synthesizer riffs before ad-libs and abrasive drum machines are layered in to spark the aggression from Maison2500’s voice. It quickly becomes apparent that the exclamation point in the song’s title isn’t just for aesthetic as he threatens opponents and practically anyone who stands in his way; “Hit my label, told them I need a raise!”. Though he lands every boast and punchline with gusto, painting himself reckless rockstar, the brand of chaos he exudes is inspiring as he rages confidently about his acclaim.
The new single is expected to feature on Maison2500’s coming project, ‘Mase World‘, scheduled for a yet to be announced release date.
You can stream “Choppas on Deck!” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/maisonvendetta
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Ajebutter22 and Falz excel at making lightweight songs that toe the line between raunchy tributes and mockeries of our pervy instincts. While their previous collaboration, “Bad Gang” was craftily narrated to question our society’s moral compass, their latest collaboration on DJ Java’s new single, “Tight Jeans (Remix)” doesn’t bother with such politicking as they create a raunchy song destined for dance clubs.
Over the catchy drum led beat mixed with synth and percussion harmonies from “Tight Jeans” released last year, Falz and Ajebutter22 rap about their lustful feelings for their love interests; “I’m in love, I go wife this one”. “Tight Jeans (Remix)” is expected to feature on DJ Java’s coming project, ‘Sounds Of The Ladies Man (Volume 1)’, which is scheduled to be released on Friday, the 14th of June.
You can stream Falz and Ajebutter22 assisted “Tight Jeans (Remix)” and pre-order the project below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/djjavaofficial
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For his new release, “Freedom Riddim”, Toye Aru approaches Afropop with the curiosity of an alien observer as he mixes techno dancehall sounds with tribal African chants. The result is a stellar exercise in the groovy and wild sentiments that soundtrack nightclubbing to metaphysical extremes.
His production on the song invades the natural world, building the rattling samples, synth lines, percussion and drum riffs around a melodic chant that listen like a call to dance, mate, fight or some other carnal activity. Though there are no actual words asides the song’s “Freedom Riddim” title to determine Toye Aru’s intentions, the lull of the synth harmonies and animalistic texture of the chants build into a euphoric, swirling groove to fit DJ sets at outdoor concert parties or in the dimly lit dance clubs. It’s a mad experiment that finds Afropop sounding more abstract and thrilling than ever before.
Stream Toye Aru’s “Freedom Riddim” below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/toye.aru
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One of the most intriguing things about Afropop, like all pop genres, is how little the severity of the song’s subject does to dampen the merry mood. Teffy’s new single, “Girate”, for instance, describes the harsh reality of unrequited love saying “That Girl Put Me On A Strong Thing”. But his distress is concealed beneath the groove of the Toye Aru’s instrumental that GMK mixes and masters. BOJ’s slurry vocals only add to the lightweight mood of the song.
The pair just released the music video for “Girate” directed by Shaun Eweni and TSE and it follows them as they perform their impassioned verses with the presumed muses featured in the frame.
Watch the music video below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/teffytefff
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After last year’s impressive trickle of singles, singer-songwriter, Omawumi is set to release a new project, ‘In Her Feelings’, on June 14th. The upcoming 7-song project will be the follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2017 album, ‘Timeless’. The singer has also put out the project’s lead single, “Without You”, for fans to get a taste of what’s to come.
Set in the same sophisticated yet modish Afropop stylings prevalent on her previous album, “Without You” features mid-tempo percussions and appergiated guitar melodies, embellishing the charming set Omawumi performs to express her romantic feelings to a significant other. The song certainly hints at return to wedding DJ playlist for Omawumi.
The singer has just put out the Fome Peters-directed video for “Without You”, featuring shots of her performing her lyrics in a dress, as well as in more comfortable tights, performing choreographed dance routines with backup dancers.
You can watch the video for “Without You” below.
You can also pre-order ‘In Her Feelings’ project below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/omawumi
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WafflesNCream took charge of the skating community in Nigeria when they pushed for a skating holiday to celebrate the International SkateDay with their two-day skate jam in 2017. This year, WafflesNCream continues the tradition with a new edition of “Go Skate Boarding Day Lagos” expected to hold on the 21st and 22nd of June.
Similar to the debut instalment, Go Skate Boarding Day Lagos 2019 is going to kick off with a screening of legendary skate films at the WafflesNCream store in 234 Muri Okunola Street, VI. There will also be activities like merch sales to promote the Lagos skateboarding community. The Skate/BMX jam will hold the next day at the Zenith bank car park in Plot 87 Ajose Adeogun Street, VI followed by the afterparty at Hfactor, 26 Maloney Street, Lagos Island.
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Featured Image Credits: Instagram/wflsncrm
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The race to release the biggest song that will dominate charts and clubs deep into the months of summer have officially begun. Mayorkun and Kizz Daniel, two of the best hitmakers around, have teamed for a new single, “True”, a catchy bop and a potential contender for Song of the Summer.
Young John and Lussh Beats co-produce the beat for “True”, mixing an undulating piano harmony and a boisterous Afropop drum riff, while Mayorkun and Kizz Daniel deliver their romantic lyrics, reassuring their lovers whose trusts are flailing. By leaning into the reliable mix of romance-inclined sentiments and production revealing their club hit intentions, “True” is exactly the type of collaboration that can last on DJ rotations deep into the summer.
Aje Films directs the semi-dramatic music video for “True”, and it features both singers performing their lyrics of reassurance to their love interests.
You can watch the video for “True” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/DavidoAdeleke
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Olamide’s latest release, the music video for previously releases “Oil and Gas” single finds the YBNL label executive returning to his familiar dance video trope. As his music has gotten more and more club party driven, so has his video’s direction, known for making the Shaku Shaku dance viral with his #Wodancechallenge in 2017.
Though the video for “Oil and Gas” isn’t reaching to create a new dance wave, it does make a cultural statement as the dancers mime to Olamide’s lightweight social commentary over the catchy beat Pheelz produces for dancefloors fascinations. While Olamide’s lyrics toe the line between praising and mocking the rich, the video TG Omori directs also emphasizes, Olamide’s claim to the streets as we watch children in school and on the streets, having fun and dancing in the rain while the older kids run into some money and go shopping.
Like the song, the video for “Oil and Gas” offers some commentary on our society but is more focused on ensuring viewers have a good time while watching. You can see the music video below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/OlamideVEVO
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Released earlier this year, “Mayaa” continued UK based Ghanaian producer, Juls’ fascination with highlife inspired harmonies. With contributed vocals from Tiggs Da Author and Santi, the song takes a romantic direction which has now been brought to life in the black beauty celebrating music video Marco Grey and Jeremy Cole shoot and direct for the song.
The 3-minute long video plays out like a photoshoot session with black models dressed in their traditional attires while the lush music soundtracks their beautiful expressions. Though the stars of the song are missing from the video, you’re not likely to get any complaints from fans and certainly, none from this writer as their absence allows the song’s muse take all the spotlight.
Watch the music video for Juls’ “Maayaa” featuring Tiggs Da Author and Santi below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Juls Baby
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The flooded roads, submerged slums and destroyed homes have turned rainy season in Nigeria into the stuff of nightmares. The obvious culprit is the trash clogging waterways and floating to the surface to turn the main roads into swamps. Though after the rain, the water eventually subsides, the plastic trash remains ever threatening.
The Nigerian Government has joined the fight against plastic, becoming one of the 32 countries that have passed laws to manage and control the amount of plastic used by its citizens. According to the new legislation made in April, any store found giving plastic bags will either pay a fine of N500,000 or face a 3-year jail sentence while manufacturers will pay a 5 million fine.
On the surface, this new law is fantastic as the nasty impact of plastic bag pollution are clear: Plastic bags are one of the most common items collected from the world’s oceans (along with cigarette butts and plastic bottle caps). When they’re not piling up in landfills emitting awful smells and dangerous gasses, they’re littering streets, clogging drains, and contaminating oceans, where fish eat them and they eventually end up in humans. We might not have the exact figure for how much plastic waste is affecting Nigeria, but according to a UN report, banning plastic bags can cut litter down by more than 60%.
However, the Government seems to have neglected to take the nature of the country into account while making the law. The poor state of the country might pose a problem for the ban on plastic because the cheapest form of (potentially) safe water is sachet water and there’s no provision or discussion for a more suitable alternative to reduce the breakout of waterborne diseases.
Secondly, waste management systems in Nigeria are almost nonexistent so people can’t really tell the implication of irresponsible waste practices. In Rwanda, one of the first countries to successfully ban plastic bags, citizens’ sense of responsibility toward waste management and awareness about its implications was one of the leading factors in their successful implementation. Nigeria will have to match that level of dedication to implementation strategy, building awareness and enforcing responsibility.
The legislation suggests paper bags as a replacement for plastic, but that’s not a sustainable solution given the dastardly effect paper production has on the environment. For the Rwandan government, they were able to successfully ban plastic by encouraging manufacturers to recycle their bags and create a market for eco-friendly bags and practices in the process. For Singapore, they imposed extra charges on bags from grocery stores and, in Indonesian, they created organic biodegradable bags out of cassava rootsthanks to innovation hubs.
Since the bill was passed into law in April. no store seems to give a hoot about this ban (everyone still raises their brows when you turn down their plastic bags), so it’s not clear how the government intends to knock this nail in and enforce the law. While we wait for the government to back the law, we can take the initiative and reduce our use of plastic. Taking a reusable tote bag with you rather than the complementary single-use-plastic bag means one less person is contributing to the traffic jams and flooding caused by plastic pollution. Telling a friend (and tell that friend to tell a friend) about the plastic apocalypse.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/karikaturalv
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Last year, Earl Jon Doe’s trap collaboration with Criostd, “Way Back”, highlighted his accomplished chemistry with the American based producer. This year, the two who bonded over conversations on the internet have come together for a new single, “Run Through”, this time owned by Criostd, while Earl Jon Doe only gets a guest verse.
Though “Run Through” has a trap beat with the signature mix of ambient synths and 808 drum machines, the electronic pop compositions make for a distinct sound. But the distinct sound doesn’t rescue Criostd’s catchy hook from listening like it was inspired by Travis’ hook on Young Thug’s “The London”. While the familiar sound could be totally accidental, the subject matter, trying to charm a love interest with showy lyrics is certainly something we’ve heard or even tried ourselves.
You can stream “Run Through” by Criostd and Earl Jon Doe below.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/earljondoe
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Timz announces his signing to a new label, Anonymous Music, with the release of the music video for his previously released single, “Check and Balance”. The singer is expected to share new music under his new management in the coming weeks but first, he launches the partnership with a colourful video that celebrates love and steamy summer-time parties.
While Timz serenades his love interest over the laid-back beat Ozedikus produces, the music video Qudus Badmus (Director Q) directs for the song channels the dance-floor themed melodies and sets a photoshoot scene for the video with dancing models in their season conscious and fashionable costumes. The 3-minute long video is the first release under Anonymous Music, launching the label’s dedicated YouTube channel as the singer and models move to the rhythm of the groovy single. And with the flags of African nations made very visible in the cut, it’s apparent that the label push will earn Timz new fans from across the continent.
You can watch the music video for “Check and Balance” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Anonymous Music HQ
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Once upon a time, movies, music and even tweets were escapist fares designed to take you away from your troubles and paint a rosy picture of the world. But since the #MeToo movement became a viral trend, social causes have sipped pop-culture and become an ever-present theme, subtext or marketing tool if you’re a more cynical type.
Yesterday, Dorcas Shola Fapson shared a poetic and thought-provoking short film, “I Got Flowers Today” on her social media platform and got thousands of likes and retweets within the first 24-hours of its release. The film addresses abusive relationships, telling the graphic tale of how much lover’s violent impulses cost from the 6-feet depth of the grave. Her poignant performance, narrating tearfully is made even more compelling by the video where she and supporting act, Mawuli Gavor, play out some of the traumatic scenes of the abuse that leads to her character’s death.
While “I Got Flowers Today” offers a hard-hitting reality check for abusive relationships, it doesn’t quite put enough emphasis on cautioning or reprimanding the actual abusers. In fact, it almost seems to absolve them of the crime of murder; “I guess he’s sorry though cause I got these flowers today”.
Unsurprisingly, “I Got Flowers Today” has been trailed with mixed reactions since the video surfaced online. Perhaps a sustainable legacy for the flick would be spawned conversations around cautioning men from harmful and abusive behaviours. It’s great that she’s using her platform to share compelling work, imploring victims to take steps—no matter how small—that can save their lives from abuse, or even death. But the backlash for “I Got Flowers Today” is a cautionary lesson many storytellers can take a cue from; in the face of sensitive topics, execution is just as important as messaging.
You can watch “I Got Flowers Today” below.
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Featured Image Credits: Instagram/ms_dsf
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PatricKxxLee’s music paints him in two extremes; A self-loathing wreck and a narcissistic savage. He often balances both extreme personas on songs but for his latest release, “Achoo” featuring Willy Cardiac, he primarily operates in the latter, ditching somber introspection for a freewheeling song that celebrates his accomplished psyche.
The South African based artist just shared the music video for “Achoo”, his first release since parting ways with his former management, but that doesn’t seem to have affected the fanfare as the video already earned thousands of views within the first 24 hours after its release. The video is set in monochrome, standing at a sharp contrast to the elated mood of the song which PatricKxxLee produces mixing bass-heavy 808 drum machine riffs and catchy synth samples. Thematically, however, the video Motion Billy directs seems to offer some interesting commentary on PatricKxxLee’s mental health as we watch him being pushed on a wheelchair by an old lady till he’s later seen moshpit-ing with Willy Cardiac and his angst crew. Cuts showing drug dealing, deliverance sessions with a spiritual leader and a girl dancing are also featured in the 3-minute long video. But while it might all fit to form a narrative about how he deals with depression, each clip is aesthetically satisfying.
Watch the music video below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/PatricKxxLee
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Getting discovered as an artist has gotten more convenient in 2019 with the growing number of artists who owe their fame to the recognition they gain on the internet. However, for Emediong Uduak, the 19-year-old Nigerian whose painting made history in the Cyprus Modern Art Museum last month, she had the luxury of being discovered first in person, then on the internet. “The museum thing is random enough to be luck but I believe it was in God’s masterplan”, she tells me before gleefully giving a dramatically detailed recount of how she went to the museum to appreciate the art and met “this lady in a black suit” who recognized her for an artist before they had even exchanged words.
The lady turned out to be a curator for the museum and requested that she created a piece for the museum. “I was going to replicate the art I showed her and she liked but then I changed my mind because I thought the viewers need to know it came from somebody that wasn’t a local”. American artists like J Cole and Kendrick have featured as muses for her previous paintings, but she chose to channel her African roots, establishing her Nigerian origin by painting a portrait of Afro-juju singer, Lagbaja, wearing his signature mask.
She credits her new found fame on the internet to the Nigerian Instagram blog account, Instablog, explaining that “The first ‘blow-up’ was from Instablog”. Nigerians back home were able to connect with the story she portrayed in the painting and were quick to show their support, helping her grow a notable following on Instagram and spreading the news of her accomplishments across media platforms.
“I feel like the style in which we Africans express ourselves has always been a very rich part of our culture, although every now and then it could be mistaken for a trend. And so I admire how the rest of the world is seeing this ‘Africa’ of ours through the regal and artistic lens as opposed to the preconceived caustic notions they must have had”.
Her rather word heavy response to my question about the growing global appreciation for African art in recent times was quite shocking till she revealed that she comes from a background of writers and has always considered herself an author. “I actually started a book but I never got to finish it”. Her parent’s love for books and music built her interest from childhood, writing stories and painting pictures inspired by the things around her. “I wasn’t really the social type. Sometimes I would paint the stories in the music and the emotional reactions people got out of listening to the music”.
The duality of her identity as a visual artist and writer is also reflected in her life, balancing being a creative with being a medical student. Emediong Uduak moved to Cyprus for her studies but it has also given her the opportunity to express her artistic intentions. “I did a year of University in Florida, US before I came here. You never really identify as African till you’re in America. But in Cyprus it’s different, I mean even the locals here speak pidgin English”, she jokes as she describes the harmonious atmosphere she enjoys on the island country in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“A very typical day for me would be to wake up, shower, rush to school and get back late in the evening because being in medical school is tasking. Usually, I’d wake up and get on my phone but I’ve been researching on YouTube about Alpha Wave brainwave and some other weird shit like that so I’m trying to reshape the first things I do in the morning”. Like any curious teenager, Emediong Uduak is unafraid to explore and learn new ways to improve on herself. Even her creative expression mirrors this as she tells me she tried the whole 9 yards of art media before settling for acrylic paint because, like her, it’s fluid.
“Lately, I’ve delved into textured oil paint or 3D art like we saw in the ‘Lagbaja’ piece for a more realistic feel to the touch. I dare say that in as much as my art is seen, it is felt on a much larger scale. My technique and style is subject to change, but the experience and journey every painting brings to the viewer can’t be duplicated”. Though her confidence in her art has certainly gotten a boost with the exposure she now has, she admits she’s still not yet ready to have her debut exhibition and won’t be till 2020 when she has better structure, resources, time and a message to pass across. “In the meantime, I’m working towards having an auction in Abuja this August. I know every exhibition has to have a message the artist is trying to pass across and that hasn’t come to me yet”.
And yet, you’d be wrong to assume her art currently has no message. She knows exactly what themes she wants to cover, listing mental health and spirituality as recurring themes that drive conversations around her.
NATIVE: What Message Do You Hope To Get Across With Your Art?
“I strongly urge all who sojourn through my art to get inspired to tell their story. We are in a time and generation where, as African youth, we create our own rhythm, our own identities. Each story’s strength and weakness lies in the hands of the one bearing it. Also, I make each piece with the intent of getting viewers out of their robotic daily cycles to think- or the exact opposite; to feel”.
NATIVE: Music Seems To Have a Big Influence on Your Art. Can We Get a Hint of What Shapes Your Preferences And the Type of Music You Enjoy?
“Oh wow. My music taste is eclectic. As a matter of fact, it’ll probably show you how multifaceted I am. You can’t easily track my personality from my music. My musical preferences are shaped by emotion (generically speaking) and that’s anywhere from Fela to Indie Rock Bands”.
NATIVE: What Challenges Have You Experienced as a Young Creative in the Art Industry?
“My challenges were inward for the most part. Mostly the feeling of having to beat my own high score and the challenge of having to juggle two very demanding practices (medicine and art)”.
Emediong Uduak’s “Lagbaja: The Masked One” painting is currently in the possession of Forbes-listed Cypriot businessman, Suat Günsel, but she’s already thinking of her next moves, more concerned about her personal growth than previous accomplishments. It’s a winning mindset that can make any artist a force to reckon with.
Featured Image Credits: Break The Eyes Media – Instagram/Breaktheeyes
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In collaboration with the Zone Agency, Dapo Tuburna released a 3-song project, ‘Gingo Vibes’, earlier this year. One of the songs of the tape is the Spellz-produced “Lituation”, a bubbly mid-tempo cut on which Dapo sings about the possibility of going from zero to a hundred within a short timeframe.
The singer has just put out the official video for “Lituation”, a month after dropping a mishmash, ‘dance video’ for the song. For its official video, TG Omori puts together a colorful visual highlighting the song’s jolly disposition, setting Dapo in the midst of beautiful models, as well as cameos from black market Dollar dealers from the Northern part of Nigeria.
You can watch the video for “Lituation” here.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Dapo Tuburna
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Mapping GBNGA’s ongoing musical growth through his discography shows his penchant for quotable-laden raps, developing nous for hook crafting and overall song-making. The North London rapper continues down this path for his latest single, “Civilian”, on which he delivers ambitious raps with playful ease.
“If you wanna chase your dreams, then that’s MLK or TD Jakes/everyday mans inspired, cos I know I’m better than this”, GBNGA raps in a half-assertive, half-goofy cadence, over the minimalist bounce of flickering piano riffs, 808 bass and ticking hi-hats. The accompanying video GBNGA self-directs and edits for “Civilian” captures the vigor of his lyrics, showcasing the rapper as he performs his lyrics in the company of friends, as well as a few psychedelia-tinged frames with mystical references.
Watch the video for “Civilian” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/GBNGA
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After a 2018 campaign that saw the release of his debut EP, ‘Odyssey’, Loti returns with his first single of the year, “No Souvenirs”, with assistance from R&B artist Tim Lyre. Dedicated to love interests who are aloof to their affections, both singers deliver a heartfelt set of lyrics over mid-tempo Afropop production that helps the song double as a mellow bop. Noting the specific characteristics they fancy, as well as ways in which they can be better lovers, “No Souvenirs” is a love letter or a lengthy paragraph, written at the dead of night after an ill-advised amount of alcohol.
MOJO’s romantic debut single from last year, the AYLØ and Paula B-assisted “Sweet”, showcased the rapper’s knack for clever wordplay as well as his deadpan delivery. On his first single of 2019, “Chop Life Crew”, he continues down already laid out precedents, this time around imbuing the savage-toned quality of his lyrics with a gleaming bluntness.
Assisted by D-O, who continues his 2019 guest run tear with a stellar 16, both artists deliver vivid verses packed with lyrics highlighting the grimy details on the lengths they go to in order to attain maximum pleasure, regardless of obstacles. The murky beat is also striking, emboldening the irreverent lyrics about living to the fullest because life is short.
While the initial idea behind remixing was contrived as a way to increase or improve a song’s commercial performance, the popularity of DIY, electronic production techniques have made it easier for just about anyone to drastically reinterpret any song they wish to. Lagos-based producer, Wasalu has just put out a new song, a no-frills EDM remix of MYV’s “Gold Digger” single from last year.
While the original song melded Afropop melodies with contemporary R&B-styled production, Wasalu, in typical EDM remix fashion, increases the tempo, speeding up MYV’s vocals and the main piano riff, and throwing in a mix of heavy, fast-paced synths and percussions. With his remix, Wasalu turns a mopey love song about a lover only attracted to materialistic possession, into a dance-ready club song.
You can listen to Wasalu’s remix of “Gold Digger” below.
