Bleakness meets beauty in Burna Boy and DJDS’s “Thuggin/Darko” short-film

Posted on by The Native

“Thuggin/Darko” is the follow up to Burna Boy’s ‘Steel and Copper’ joint EP with American producer duo, DJDS. As the title suggests, the 4-minute long clip combines two songs from the tape, “Thugging” and “Darko”, exploring the gang-violence themes from the songs for a thought-provoking short-film.

Burna Boy has never shied from channeling his gritty reality on his songs, but the video for “Thugging/Darko” is a visual introduction into the Ye singer’s world, where bleakness and beauty meet—aggressively, subtly, devastatingly. Daniel Regan directs the music video, depicting Burna as a caretaker and gang banger who loses a dear one as a consequence of the gang violence he’s involved in. While he mourns the loss, the video ironically goes from the black and white filter it began with to a colorful frame, celebrating the African burial rites as we watch dancers performing enchanting rituals.

You can watch the Burna Boy’s “Thuggin/Darko” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Burna Boy
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ICYMI: Essentials: Burna Boy x DJDS’s ‘Steel and Copper’

Listen to Straffitti feature Zlatan Ibile, Prettyboy D-O and Ice Prince for “Kuronbe”

Posted on by The Native

Hip-hop in Nigeria has taken several diverging routes from conventional mainstream rap to local indigenous rap and sometimes, something too experimental to fall within either category. Straffitti’s latest single, “Kuronbe”, however bridges all the rap sounds we’ve heard out of Nigeria in the last decade with his feature from Zlatan Ibile, Prettyboy D-O and Ice Prince.

Johnsonip and Gclef provide the trap beat for their vindictive performance as they remind listeners of the harsh past they’ve worked hard to get out of. Though the bars comes across as aggressive, aimed at people undermining their hustle, “Kuronbe” is really a declaration of their breakthrough into a high status and a warning a shot at the haters that stay lurking. All four rappers deliver captivating verses, but Prettyboy D-O’s verse stands out for his vivid imagery, describing the violent end that awaits any opposition in the way of his grind.

You can stream Stariffitti, Zlatan Ibile, Prettyboy D-O and Ice Prince’s “Kuronbe” below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/straffitti
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ICYMI: Essentials for Straffitti’s ‘Vanilla Sky’ EP

Watch the romantic music video for Mayorkun’s “Tire”

Posted on by The Native

Mayorkun’s latest release, the music video for “Tire” is a charming display of affection for his love interest. While the entire music industry seemed to have caught the slut-shaming bug from Kizz Daniel’s “Fvck You” single, Mayorkun reminds everyone of the allure of good ol’ romance with the glamorous display of love in the video Twitch directs for the third track off his ‘Mayor of Lagos’ album debut.

Set in the UK, the music video for “Tire” highlights the passionate lyrics Mayorkun performs, reassuring his lover of his affection. Singing “I Would Lie for You. Fit Die for You/ To Stay With You, I fit buy 30 Acres/ If Nah To Buy 30 Acres”, his lyrics are just as convincing as his catchy melody. But the music video elevates his persuasion even further as we watch him serenade a lover to convince her to ignore the tabloid gossips about his infidelity.

You can watch the music video for “Tire” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Davido Adeleke
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ICYMI: Check out the Essentials from Mayorkun’s ‘Mayor of Lagos’ album debut

Homecoming is returning to Lagos this Easter

Posted on by The Native

Homecoming has announced the second iteration of its cultural festival. Last Easter weekend saw the debut of the BBK Homecoming concert and a two-day pop-up shop featuring international brands such as Patta and Off–White, paired with Nigerian outfits like WAFFLESNCREAM and Vivendii. However, this year’s Homecoming promises to be more exciting than the last.

Asides the fashion pop-up showcase for local and global brands, the three-day cultural exchange festival will also feature the HOMECOMING CUP; a 5-aside football tournament hosted by NATIVE. There’d be another NIKE football jersey customization pop-up and of course, the second installment of the BBK Homecoming concert. Tickets are already available for the event scheduled to hold from the 19th to the 22nd of April, 2019.

You can get your tickets here.

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ICYMI: 6 Nigerians tell us why Homecoming 2018 was so important

Tay Iwar’s highly ancitpated ‘Gemini’ album is here

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Tay Iwar announced his anticipated ‘Gemini’ album would be released this Friday, 29th of March. Now that the promised project has finally arrived, you can now stream all 16 new tracks from the much-hyped studio debut of one of Nigeria’s most visceral song writers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BveaYB9gWPS/

The previous glimpse into the project, “How” and “Sidelines” addressed his failed attempts at love, but it doesn’t seem to have numbed his fascination with romance in the least as he aims to charm a new love interest on his new single, “Stranger”. Le Mav sets the romantic mood with the lightweight piano-led instrumentals, opening with bird chirping samples that lead to a satisfying base drop. The laidback production lets Tay Iwar channel early 2000s R&B sentiments, performing a convincingly sultry set that highlights his vocals range as well as his clever songwriting. His blunt lyrics, “Stranger in My Head/ Can I Get My Hands in Those Jeans” is an unabashed throwback to the seductive genre with a possible homage being paid to Ginuwine’s “In Those Jeans”.

Gemini also packs features from Santi, Odunsi, Sute Iwar and others. You can stream Tay Iwar’s Gemini below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/tayiwar
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ICYMI: You can listen to Tay Iwar’s “How” here

David Oyelowo makes directorial debut with ‘The Water Man’

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Since his breakout as Martin Luther King Jr. in 2014’s Selma, David  Oyelowo has appeared in films like Disney’s Queen of Katwe, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Lincoln, Jack Reacher, and Lee Daniels’ The Butler. More recently, the Nigerian born British actor starred in The Cloverfield Paradox, Gringo, and the thriller, Relive. Now the Golden Globe-nominated star has set his first feature directorial outing with  ‘The Water Man‘, a drama written by Emma Needell. The actor is pulling triple duty with this new film; directing, starring and producing with Oprah Winfrey who is executive producer of the montage.

Originally set up at Disney, The Water Man centres on precocious young boy Gunner who, in order to save his ill mother, runs away from home with a local misfit Jo, to find the legendary figure called the Water Man who has been said to have the power to cheat death. While extremely close to his mother, he and his father Amos (played by David Oyelowo) are forced to learn about each other as Amos goes on the search for his son.

According to him, “The Water Man as written by Emma Needell is that rare, beautiful script that can touch your heart and challenge your mind while also lifting your spirits and I feel blessed to be entrusted with bringing this imaginative and moving story to life.” and we’re also excited to see what he does with the film.

David Oyelowo is expected to appear in Sony’s Peter Rabbit 2, a sci-fi film- Chaos Walking, and star alongside Angelina Jolie in the fantasy drama, Come Away.

Nnedi Okorafor and Wanuri Kahiu are the scriptwriters for Amazon’s new film “Wild Seed”

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Nnedi Okarafor writes amazing science fiction and she has the laurels to show for it. Her work is acclaimed for pushing the boundaries of the fantasy and science fiction genres to include an enthralling world of African based fantasy and magical realism.  Binti snagged the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Novella, The Book of Phoenix  was a finalist for both the Arthur C. Clarke Award and John W. Campbell Memorial Award and her Akata Series won the 2018 Locus Award and the 2018 Lodestar award for the World Science Fiction Society Award for Best Young Adult Book.

With her novel ‘Who fears Death?’  being developed at HBO as a series with George RR Martin, Nnedi is writing the script for the new Amazon film “Wild Seed” with Wanuri Kahiu, the Kenyan director whose LGBT film “Rafiki” was banned in her country last year.

Wild Seed is a love (and hate) story of two African immortals who travel the ages from pre-Colonial West Africa to the far, far future. Doro, a killer who uses his power to breed people like he would livestock, encounters Anyanwu, a healer who forces him to reassess his millennia of cruel behaviour: for centuries, their personal battles change the course of our world as they struggle against the backdrop of time.

The film is adapted from Octavia Butlers’ acclaimed Patternist series, which depicts the transformation of humanity into three genetic groups: the dominant Patternists (humans who have been bred with heightened telepathic powers); their enemies the Clayarks  (disease-mutated animal-like superhumans) and the Mutes (ordinary humans bonded to the Patternists). Octavia Butler is an African-American woman who received a MacArthur “Genius” Grant and PEN West Lifetime Achievement Award, in addition to Nebula and Hugo awards, given for the best works in the science-fiction genre.

Viola Davis is producing the film which she says is as epic, as game-changing, as moving and brilliant as any science fiction story ever written. She, like Nnedi and Wanuri think of Octavia Butler as a visionary whose scope of work they look forward to honouring and sharing with the world.

Essentials: WurlD’s ‘Love is Contagious’ EP

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WurlD makes his electronic pop anthems both slow-burning and urgent, pairing delicate verses with bursts of cinematic production. The America-based singer-songwriter collaborated with Walshy Fire and Shizzi on “Show You Off”, detailing his leisurely romantic intentions. True to his words, it has taken nearly three years since before the eventual release of his anticipated ‘Love is Contagious’ EP, containing the three other pre-released singles and five new tracks.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu26LO4nCD9/

The project’s pre-released singles “Paranoid”, and “Contagious”, asides establishing WurlD’s fascination with romance, also laid the foundation for his genre-bending antics, fusing indigenous African beats with his R&B influences. However, the third track on the EP, “Gbemisoke”, finds him embraces his Yoruba roots as he has never done before as he sings a catchy hook in Yoruba to match the Afropop beat Shizzi produces.

Swerve produces a mid-tempo beat for “Feel Right”, creating an ambient pool of harmonies, mixing synth percussion, drum machine riffs, vocal samples, and bird chirping samples. Over the atmospheric beat, WurlD coos with a deep serenity that adds to the calming mood the beat already hints, singing “I Just Want To Be Right/ Make You Feel Right”. WurlD’s songwriting prowess is however the highlight on “Candy”, wielding his soft voice like a poet’s quill, all swift strokes and vivid imagery, using the sweet treat to describe his romantic relationship with a love interest. WurlD’s googly-eyed romance continues on “Drown”, singing “You’re My One Obsession/You Get My Full Attention”, channeling a melodic Afropop flow over the groovy beat Leriq produces with mid-tempo drum riffs, rattling samples, electronic guitar harmonies, and percussion.

‘Love is Contagious’ closes with the sultry groove of “So Good”, set to the folk instrumentals Mike Best produces, mixing guitar strum licks, rattling samples, traditional drums and percussion. While performs his heartwarming tribute to the pleasant effect of being in love, singing “Sometimes It Looks Like We’re Losing/ I’m Feeling new Cause She Keep Me Alive”. The lightweight rhythm of the intricate but amiable playful style of simple chord strums guides the momentum along while WurlD offers warmth with his playful melody. “So Good” is the musical equivalent of the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

All 9 tracks on ‘Love is Contagious’ highlight WurlD’s ability to recreate the delightful feeling of being in love, expressing even the paranoia from being in a relationship in a charming light. It’s a true testament to his virtuosity.

You can stream ‘Love is Contagious’ below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/thisiswurld
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ICYMI: Watch the music video for “Contagious” here

Watch the music video for Niniola and Sarz’s “Designer” hit single

Posted on by The Native

Niniola always seems to be having the most fun. According to her music videos, her life is a non-stop party with colorful outfits, strobe lights, and hunk men to match her ever raunchy lyrics. Take the music video for “Designer”,her latest collaboration with Sarz for instance. Sesan directs the music video expressing just how lavish Niniola is as we watch her eating Louis Vuitton amala and drinking champagne from a Versace glass cup.

While Niniola explains her love language over the AfroHouse beat Sarz produces, the music video follows her encounter with a suitor she meets at a party. His attempt to buy her love, however, doesn’t move Niniola and she has fun, pointing out the Ferreri she has parked in the drive away among other things to emphasize she doesn’t need her man to buy her things. With the endless curves her suitor gets and her flaunting of wealth, the music video for “Designer” feels like the response to every Afropop singer, promising to win the affection of their love interest with money.

You can watch the music video for “Designer” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/OfficialNiniola
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ICYMI: You can watch the colorful music video for Niniola’s “Bana” here

Listen to Boyewa’s latest single, “by reason.”

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Boyewa’s enigmatic persona is mirrored in his music, boasting of a mysterious discography filled with singles with ambiguously inaudible vocals. His warped, chopped and screwed vocal cadence leaves listeners with traces of words, merely hinting at romantic intentions. But for his latest single, “by reason.”, he coos with a deep sincerity that bears no trace of his typically elusive lyrics.

But you’d be wrong to assume Boyewa is aiming to create a conventional song. “by reason.” still carries markers of the singer’s DIY flair for the unexpected as the nearly 3-minute long song sees him repeats the same lines, “uh Girl, No Be Small Thing Wey You Dey Do Me Oh/ Uh Girl, No Be Small Thing, Thing You Dey Do Me Oh” over and over. His melodious confession is enveloped by a beat he produces, mixing gritty hi-hats and bass, layers of synths and bell samples, rattling samples and percussion. Though distortion throbs rumble in the background of the beat, his soothing chant blends smoothing into a velvety embrace with the beat. “by reason.” is an unexpectedly lyrical addition to Boyewa’s small but growing catalog.

You can stream “by reason” below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/scattta
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ICYMI: Check out Boyewa’s ‘Best New Music’ feature

Ayodeji Osowobi’s “Stand To End Rape” initiative to create Nigeria’s first federal Sex Offenders Registry

Posted on by The Native

Since surviving her rape incident in 2011, Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi has remained dedicated to raising awareness of violence against women and girls. She founded the “Stand To End Rape” initiative with the aim to support victims of sexual assault, as well as to advocate against and prevent it.

In addition to training healthcare providers on sexual violence response mechanisms, donating HIV test kits to community health care centers, and developing an app for victims to map and contact police stations and healthcare centres, She just announced the initiative’s latest project, explaining that they’re seeking to create Nigeria’s first Federal Sex Offenders Register and lobby for the Government to mandate its use as a statutory requirement.

The absence of a system to hold assaulters accountable only straightens them to keep predating on girls and women. With the high rate of sexual violence crimes in Nigeria, it’s time to effect a change to discourage predators. The creation of a Sex Offenders Register can assist law enforcement officials to put restrictions in place to deter citizens from being exposed to the dangers posed by known predators and thus reduce sexual offense in the country; “The primary goal is to prevent sexual violence and reduce sexual re-offending”.

Recognizing degradation doesn’t work as well as reintegration, she stressed that the list won’t be made available to the general public but for law enforcement authorities, employers of people who work with children or vulnerable adults, authorities responsible for licensing institutions who care for children or vulnerable adults, and those responsible for approving foster care and adoptions. Her Instagram post explained that the drafting of the policy brief is still ongoing but Stand To End Rape’s partnership with Harvard Black Law Students Association (HBLSA) holds a lot of promise for the initiative.

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

Earlier this month, a similar preventive measure to sexual violence was initiated by The Consent Workshop who asked for people to sign a petition mandating a sex offenders registry in Nigeria.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/ayodejiosowobi
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ICYMI: You can sign the petition, mandating the sex offenders registry in Nigeria here

Watch the cinematic music video for Fireboy DML’s “Jealous”

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Fireboy DML may not have gotten the same fanfare as the rappers, Picazo and Yomi Blaze when Olamide formed his YBNL Mafia team last year, but the singer is quickly catching up with the release of the music video for “Jealous”.

“Jealous” featured as a standout track from the self-titled ‘YBNL MaFia Family’ album Olamide released last year. The lightweight vibe of the beat Pheelz produces, fusing rattling samples, guitar riffs, traditional drums, percussion, and vocal samples inspires a romantic set from Fireboy DML. Over the earworming beat, he addresses a love interest, expressing how much he wants to be in an exclusive relationship. Though his performance is charming enough to convince any lover of his feelings, the music video Director K directs shows his struggle to reconnect with his lover doesn’t sway her away from her new lover.

With videos for Olamide’s “Motigbana”, Picazo’s “Macaroni” and Yomi Blaze’s “Ika” already out, “Jealous” is the fourth track from the 13-track project to get an accompanying music video.

You can watch the music video for “Jealous” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Fireboy DML
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ICYMI: You can listen to all 13 tracks from the ‘YBNL MaFia Family’ album here

Listen to Tekno’s new single, “Uptempo”

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After releasing his admirable “Woman” single where he advocates for women’s rights, Tekno is returning to his partying ways for his latest single, “Uptempo”. Like its title, “Uptempo” is set to the buoyant groove of the beat Tekno produces, mixing pacy traditional drum riffs, Spanish guitar riffs, horn samples, and percussion harmonies. Over the catchy instrumentals, he encourages listeners to get into their dancing mood, saying “If You Want To Shake, Shake Oh/ If You Want To Whine, Whine Oh”.

The mix of Tekno’s upbeat instrumentals and his lively lyrics is compelling enough to get dancefloors jumping, but it’s his penchant for indigenous melodies that gives “Uptempo” its alluring quality. His recognizably eastern vocal cadence incorporates some Yoruba influences as he infuses Yoruba phrases, “E Gba Mi”, “Mi no Want To Pariwo” to make for a charming partying experience on dancefloors across the country.

You can listen to “Uptempo” below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/teknoofficial
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ICYMI: You can watch the music video for Tekno’s “Woman” here

Essentials: Rema’s self-titled ‘Rema’ EP

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After fostering an alliance with D’Prince and getting signed to Don Jazzy’s very commercially accomplished Mavin Records, Rema finally put out his debut project, ‘Rema’. The self-titled 4-track EP showcases the 18-year-old’s diverse array of sonic influences, ranging from trap, Afropop and Bollywood soundtracks. His liking for Indian inspired melodies was first established on “Turn Up”, where he reported contributed the vocals for the bridge of the DJ Tunez, Wizkid, and Reekado Banks single.

“Iron Man”, the opening track on ‘Rema’, however, builds on the melodies from Hindi film scores to deliver a romantic love ballad. The next track, “Why”, takes a detour into trap territories, embracing the hip-hop subgenre’s ability to find the uneasy middle ground between dire circumstance and party boy antics. Rapping “You Ain’t Got No Cash / You Look So So Razz/ I Am Not Your Type/ Damn I Almost Cried”, his heartbreaking story is one of the highlights of EP.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvTwN40DmRg/

On the next track, “Dumebi”, his search for love leads him to an Afropop dance party bop with piano-led beats Ozedikus produces. In true Afropop fashion, Rema’s intention here is to provide a catchy groove for the dancefloor while his lyrics swing aimlessly between smug brags and his love interest’s attractive body. The EP closes with “Corny”, pushing his pop sound to mature sensual extremes with the romantic number, addressed at a love interest but destined for the dancefloor.

Despite the loose romantic plot, ‘Rema’ introduces Rema as a promising prospect for Afropop’s future with the display of the 18-year-old’s ability to distill entire subgenres of pop into an earwormy soup. His songcraft, knack for catchy melodies, hooks and an understanding of how Auto-Tune best suits Afropop is a rare combination that is pushing the envelope for what we know now as pop music from Nigeria.

You can stream ‘Rema’ below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/heisrema
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ICYMI: You can watch the music video for Rema’s “Iron Man” here

Listen to Limerick, Yomi Blaze, and Picazo on “Asibina”

Posted on by The Native

The viral success of “A Milli” made Lil Wayne into a rap legend whose beats were prone to get sampled by other rappers trying to prove their punchline mettle. Though Louisiana raised rapper hasn’t been quite as dominant on mainstream radio lately, you’d be wrong to assume his impact has waned (no pun intended). The YBNL Mafia boys, Limerick, Yomi Blaze, and Picazo just shared a cover of “Uproar” off Lil Wayne’s ‘Carter V’ as their latest release, “Asibina”.

Over the upbeat production delivered by Swizz Beatz, Limerick, Yomi Blaze, and Picazo perform rap verses in a blend of English, Pidgin English, and Yoruba. Though the track aims to highlight their acclaimed street-rap sensibilities, their playful mood allows them to reference Davido’s funny freestyle in America from earlier this month. “Asibina” is the first release from the YBNL Mafia members since they debuted the ‘YBNL Mafia Family’ album last year.

You can stream Limerick, Yomi Blaze, and Picazo’s “Asibina” below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/picazo_rhap
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ICYMI: Check out the Essentials for YBNL’s ‘YBNL Mafia Family’ album here

Watch Naira Marley and Zlatan flexing in their music video for “Illuminati”

Posted on by The Native

The last couple of years has seen the street-pop genre grow into a major force to in the Nigerian music industry with the innovative dance and slang helping the sound go viral. Naira Marley and Zlatan are two of the new faces pushing the local sound into the mainstream and they team up for “Illuminati”, a song celebrating their passion and drive to be successful.

Over the laid-back mix of synth harmonies and traditional Afropop drum riff, Naira Marley and Zlatan spin cocky brags into a charming song, convincing listeners they’re motivated by honorable goals; “Do It For The Fam/ Nah Man, I Do it For My Mother/ Nah Man, I Do it For My Sister/ Do it For the Gang/ We Can Do This Shit Together/ Lets be Rich Gang Forever”. Scilla Owusu directs the music video for “Illuminati” in a photoshoot session where Naira Maley and Zlatan are bathed in the glow of makeup, flashing lights, pretty models, and pouring cash.

You can watch the music video for “Illuminati” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Naira Marley
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ICYMI: You can watch the music video for Naira Marley’s “Japa” here

6 videos you need to see this week

Posted on by The Native

Teni – “Tim Westwood Freestyle”

Teni began her Teni Live world tour in February, scheduled to perform in 9 countries and 20 cities, spread across 3 continents. Asides her exciting performance on stages across the globe, Teni has made the most of her travel experience, making notable pit stops to record funny skits for the Gram. While she was in London, she paid a visit to Tim Westwood TV and recorded this freestyle session, tapping into her Yoruba folk, Hindi film soundtrack and gospel music influences.

Kehlani – “Butterfly”

Kehlani has shared the music video for “Butterfly”, off her recently released ‘While We Wait’ mixtape. The video is surreal take on Kehlani’s seductive performance on the track. While the video starts out dark with dancers choreographing to the sultry instrumentals, “Butterfly” becomes a colorful celebration of growth when Kehlani is shown experiencing a metamorphosis in the stunning clip, directed by 20-year-old Trey Lyons.

Joel Prodigee x Shaurel – “All The Time”

After collaborating on tracks like “Lean On Me” in 2017, Joel Prodigee and Shaurel have finally released a joint project titled, ‘Sunset Vibrations’. The music video for “All The Time”, the second track off the 7-track tape finds both of them expressing their romantic feelings for a lover over a guitar led beat that conjures a sunny beach vibe. Dir. Willkings channels the relaxing ambiance of the beat for the music video, showing Joel Prodigee and Shaurel at a bar where they meet two pretty women they serve as their muse.

Lil Baby – “Global”

Since his “Yes Indeed” feature with Drake, Lil Baby has grown into an internationally renowned rapper. He was in Nigeria last year, performing at the Beat FM show that held in December. The Atlanta raised rapper has since followed up with releases of music videos from his latest project, ‘Street Gossip’, and as you’d expect, features clips from his visit to Nigeria in his music video for “Global”. Directed by Estwst.photos , the video follows Lil Baby in his signature white shirt and iced out jewelry as he performs a tribute to how much he’s grown with the last year. The video contains clips of him speaking to an elderly man in Ankara at the airport, walking on the streets, riding through the third-mainland bridge and of course, the hyped reaction from the crowd when he took the stage to perform to his adoring fans in Nigeria.

Sneakbo – “Gang” Feat. Kwesi Arthur and Darkovibes

UK rapper, Sneakbo tapped into his African roots when he released “Gang” last month, featuring two of Ghana’s most promising artists, Kwesi Arthur and Darkovibes. While the two helped infuse the popular Afropop melodies to the airy production by Kuvie, the song finds Sneakbo weeding out fake friends from the gang. Sneakbo heads to Ghana and Jamaica to meet the gang for the recently released music video, showing the artists performing the song,  while dancers perform stunts and tricks.

John Wick – “Chapter 3: Parabellum” trailer 

If you’ve seen the last two John Wick films, or really any action sequel, then you already know you can expect some cinematic gun blazing fight scenes. However, the John Wick film franchise always seems to know how to raise the stakes higher with each film. The last one ended on a cliff hanger that guarantees there’d be more action in the coming “John Wick: (Chapter 3) Parabellum”. But the new trailer Liongate just share still manages to top exceptions, introducing Halle Berry to partner with Keanu Reeves and animals to bring more life into the fight scenes. Dogs are used as weapons and a black horse is used in the chase scene.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Lionsgate Movies
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ICYMI: You can watch the music video for Nonso Amadi’s “No Crime” here

Watch the music video for “Iron Man” by Rema

Posted on by The Native

Don Jazzy has announced Rema as the latest addition to Mavin Records after Reekado Banks left to start his own Banks Music label. Rema has been building quite a notable buzz online, sharing freestyle clips and confirming on his Twitter that he contributed vocals for “Turn Up”, the DJ Tunez, Wizkid and Reekado Banks collaboration from last year. When he’s not posting pictures with artists like D’Prince and Wizkid, he’s spiting rap bars with the popular mumble rap cadence, proving the 18-year old artists a talent to watch out for.

On “Iron Man”, his debut release under Mavin Records, he displays his ability to fuse Afropop and Hindi film inspired melodies. The result as you’d expect is a fire love ballad which the video Clarence Peters directs portrays in the sultry ambiance of smoke machines, strobe lights and pretty models. “Iron Man” introduces Rema as a passionate lover boy, singing “Anything You Want, Baby Oh/ I Go Give You Love Baby Oh” over an Afropop beat that doesn’t stop the song from sounding like the score for an Indian film.

Though the song is his first release under Mavin Records imprint, Rema already debuted “Corny”, “Dumebi” and “Why”.

You can watch the music video for “Iron Man” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/MavinRecords
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You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: Apparently, Rema contributed vocals for “Turn Up” by DJ Tunez, Wizkid and Reekado Banks

WurlD shares ‘Love is Contagious’ EP

Posted on by The Native

WurlD’s Afro-juju fusion on “Contagious” hinted at the sonic direction the Universal Music artists was heading with for his ‘Love is Contagious’ sophomore project. Subsequent pre-released singles, “Paranoid”, “Wishes and Butterflies”, and fan favorite, “Show You Off”  further established the sultry potency of his soulful blend of indigenous sounds with electronic elements.

After months of anticipation, ‘Love is Contagious’ has officially been released on streaming platforms with 5 brand new songs for fans. He explained in a press-release that “Love is Contagious is a conversation about love, from the infatuation stage to drowning in the emotion to the commitment stage. This EP is something everyone can relate to at some point in their lives. It has always been my goal to add a different range to the conversation and ‘Love is Contagious’ does that, taking my fans and family on the journey a man goes through finding himself in love”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu4LwmrnLSH/

The 9-track EP also comes with a promotional video, showing WurlD in the serene embrace of nature while his spoken word poem narrates in the background.

You can stream ‘Love is Contagious’ below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/thisiswurld
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You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: Watch the music video for WurlD’s “Contagious” here

Essentials: Burna Boy and DJDS’s ‘Steel and Copper’

Posted on by The Native

It’s been impossible to deny Burna Boy’s medusa touch lately, delivering hit records nonstop since he released his critically and commercially acclaimed ‘Outside’ album. The self-proclaimed Afrofusionist hasn’t set a foot wrong, releasing singles like “Gbona”, “Killin Dem” and “Dangote” which have resonated with his local fanbase in Nigeria, while collaboration like “Location” off Dave’s ‘Psychodrama’ EP debuted as #1 in the UK.

Burna Boy isn’t taking his foot off the gas yet as he shares a new project, ‘Steel and Copper’, in collaboration with Los Angeles production duo, DJDS. Burna Boy is no stranger to the electronic synth sound the duo favors, having worked with Major Lazer’s on “All My Life”. However, The ‘Steel and Copper’ EP offers 4 tracks, blending Burna Boy’s upbeat melodies with slinky trap beats that compliment his confident bars.

Opening track, “35”, sees Burna Boy laying bars he initially freestyled on his “Behind The Barz” episode on Linkup TV. Here, his tipsy and relaxed vocals, perched comfortably atop the chip on his shoulder, take a more groovy bounce, backed by the trap beat DJDS produces. The cocksure raps continue on the next track, “Innocent Man”, switching between his melodic flow to fast paced rapping, with an ever present menacing attitude. The beat eases to a breezy ideal pace for “Darko”, allowing Burna Boy room to tap into his Rastafarian influences. Singing “What You Know About Don Gorgon?”, he clever references his 2014 hit record as if to show off how much his audience has grown since.

The last track, “Thuggin”, takes a sweetly vulnerable direction as Burna Boy sings over a guitar-led R&B beat reminiscent of a church choir worship session. Burna Boy’s tough rap bars are replaced by a more honest set, but he remains as threatening as ever, singing “I Don’t Know No Better/ Just Try’na Get My Bread Up/ This Life Don Took My Brother/ But I’m Still Thuggin Anyway”.

‘Steel and Copper’ picks up from where DJDS left off on their genre-bending antics from their 2018 album, ‘Big Wave More Fire’. Having worked with The Dream, Khalid, Empress Of and other American artists, Burna Boy has proven to be the perfect artists to assist the American production duo explore the more global sound of Afropop and venture out of their comfort zone. Burna Boy’s US tour kicks off in April and the project will certainly be appreciated by fans hip-hop fans when he takes the stage in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, as well as both weekends of Coachella in California.

You can stream ‘Steel and Copper’ below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/burnaboygram
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You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: Watch the music video for Burna Boy’s “Devil in California” off his ‘Outside’ album

Dremo dedicates his latest single, “Mirror”, to victims of the recent collapsed buildings in Lagos

Posted on by The Native

Fela’s renown for using his Afrobeat genre to speak against the political injustice in Nigeria has led the jazz fueled genre to be perceived as politically charged. But hip-hop’s oppressed origins and the aggression it inspires gives politically conscious hip-hop songs a riveting quality to match the Abami Eda’s spite for the government.

Dremo’s has always understood this, blurring the line between his hip-hop influences and his mentor’s flair for speaking against the government on his breakout single, “Fela”, a cover for Desiigner’s “Panda”. His latest single, “Mirror”, however takes a more serious direction, addressing the recent collapse of building structures in Lagos.


Scenes from the collapsed 3-story building on Massey Street, Ita-Faji, Lagos, where a school was reportedly located illegally, made rounds in the media last week. The large crowd gathered to bear witness to the tragedy suggested the extent of the damage as some wept while others tried to help with rescuing trapped survivors. Though there has been reports that over 12 lives were lost in the accident, the survivors from the accident numbered up to 40. Lagosians were therefore encouraged to donate blood at designated hospitals to help with the recovery process and there was quite an admirable turnout of willing citizens.

Dremo’s “Mirror” blames government’s negligence for the accident, asking that people be made accountable for the damage. He also uses the opportunity to speak on the over-policing of Nigerian youths, election malpractice, poor electricity, economic inequality and other issues he has noticed with the Nigerian society. Though his mention of recent incidents suggests that it’s a recently recorded single, his laid back flow, riding the piano led beat Dave Mix produces gives the impression that these politically-charged bars are thoughts that have been weighing on the rapper’s mind for a while.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/dremodrizzy
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You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: The Music video for Dremo’s “Nobody” is a moving tale of strife