Watch 9ice relive his days as a megastar in his striking music video for “Mercy”

Posted on by The Native

It has been quite some time since 9ice was considered for any major award, but music fans will always remember his unmatched penchant for tapping into angst introspection to make radio hits. For his latest single, “Mercy”, he laments the woes of his present and past stay in the industry singing, “Awon Omo Inu Mi Lon Gba BET (Younger Cats Are Winning The BET)”, in reference to his promise to win a Grammy a couple years ago on “Street Credibility”.

Though his Grammy aspiration is more unlikely now than ever, “Mercy” is a testament that he is still willing to put in the work, singing “I Dey Hustle, I Dey  Lamba/ I Dey Do 8-5, Enter Traffic Every Morning” over a mid-tempo beat Olumix produces with sweeping synths, percussion and traditional drums. In the face of all his struggle for acclaim, he turns to God and pleads for blessings. Clarence Peters directs the video for “Mercy“, set in a studio where 9ice is made to reenact his superstar lifestyle with the press and paparazzi clicking away at their cameras, while he seats on a throne surrounded by beautiful women. Cuts of videos from the times when he was more dominant on radio and television are also spliced into the video as if to highlight the humbling effect of 9ice admitting his tough run.

You can watch the video for “Mercy” below.

Featured Image Credits: Caution TV

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ICYMI: The video for “Basiri Mi” establishes why you can’t rule out a 9ice comeback

Yemi Alade, Davido and Wizkid bag awards at AFRIMMA 2018

Posted on by The Native

Davido and Yemi Alade emerged winners of the “Best Male West Africa” and “Best Female West Africa” categories respectively at the just concluded AFRIMMA 2018 show. Wizkid however, took the award of the night, taking home the award for Song of the Year” with “Soco”. Eryka Badu however stole the show when she graced the stage to perform cuts from her renowned catalog. You can see the full list of winners at the 2018 AFRIMMA below.

Best Male West Africa

Davido – Nigeria

Best Female West Africa 

Yemi Alade – Nigeria

Best Male East Africa

Eddy Kenzo – Uganda

Best Female East Africa

Sheebah Karungi – Uganda

Best Male Central Africa

Fally Ipupa – Congo

Best Female Central Africa

Daphne – Cameroon

Best Male Southern Africa

Nasty C – South Africa

Best Female Southern Africa

Ammara Brown – Zimbabwe

Best Male North Africa 

Ihab Amir – Morroco

Best Female North Africa 

Souhila Ben Lachhab – Algeria

Best African Group

Toofan – Togo

Crossing Boundaries With Music Award

MHD – Guinea/ France

Best Gospel

Papa Dennis – Kenya

Best Newcomer

Ykee Benda – Uganda

Artist of The Year 

Fally Ipupa- Congo

Best Live Act

Flavour – Nigeria

Best Video Director  

Godfather Productions- South Africa

Best Dj Africa

Dj Dollar – Senegal

Best African Dj USA

Dj Ecool – Nigeria

AFRIMMA Video of The Year

Wizkid – Soco

Music Producer of The Year

Masterkraft – Nigeria

Best African Dancer

Diddi Emah – Nigeria

Best Rap Act

Khaligraph Jones – Kenya

Best Collaboration

Diamond Platnumz ft Neyo – “African Beauty”

Song of The Year 

Wizkid – “Soco”

Best Lusophone

Kyaku Kyadaff – Angola

Best Francophone 

Toofan – Togo

Best African Dancehall/Reggea Act

Burnaboy – Nigeria

AFRIMMA ACHIEVERS AWARD

Bismack Biyombo – DRC

HONORARY CATEGORIES

AFRIMMA HUMANITARIAN AWARD

Flavour

AFRIMMA SHINING STAR AWARD

Semah

AFRIMMA BEACON OF HOPE AWARD

Queen Julie Endee

AFRIMMA EXCELLENCE AWARD

Erykah Badu

AFRIMMA LEADERSHIP IN MUSIC AWARD

Fally Ipupa

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/afrimma

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ICYMI: See the full list of nominees for AFRIMMA 2018

PatricKxxLee talks breaking barriers for sad kids on “The Stir Up” interview with DJ Cosmo

Posted on by The Native

After releasing “H3llywood Blvd” and “Hurts To Feel” in September, teasing a new project cooking in the pipelines, PatricKxxLee has continued to sit on the release of his anticipated ‘Nowhere Child’ album. But not one to leave his fans hanging, he has been on radio, offering some insight for what to expect and where his mind was while recording the album. He recently released the audio from his feature on “The Stir Up” with Ms Cosmo, where he talks about his growing fan base, the challenges recording the album and breaking barriers for sad kids in Africa.

Between Ms Cosmo’s top songs on radio count down, she plays voice notes from fans who had called in to congratulate PatricKxxLee on his rise to fame and thank him for inspiring them and helping them get through their depression with his emotionally gratifying music. Ms Cosmo also asked PatricKxxLee about his album to which he replied “It’s like my most brutally honest piece of work. I have put all the secrets and all the answers on the table.”

He admits later on the show that he tries to represent people who are dealing with mental health, explaining that “Topics that are linked to mental health, we aren’t really touching those as Africans. I’m Zambian first of all, so when I say this as an African. No (African) man will ever be like ‘yo let me go and get myself mentally evaluated’ We don’t really believe in that type of stuff and it’s like taboo. So I really want to break that barrier down. Because believe me, kids are sad here.” 

Check out the rest of the interview below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/patrickxxlee
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ICYMI: Listen “H3llywood Blvd”, PatricKxxxLee’s irresistible tribute to finding your happy place

Listen to ‘The Benz” by Spotless and Tekno

Posted on by The Native

Built around a Caribbean influenced Afropop beat Phantom produces with percussion, mid-tempo drum riffs, rattling samples, flute and string harmonies, “The Benz” is tailored for parties where being reckless is encouraged. It also teams up Spotless and Tekno, two brothers who have become household names in Afropop conversations through their ability to coin sensual melodies that caress the ears. On “The Benz”, they use this penchant to convince their lovers to dance for them, singing “If You Want My Loving, You Go Shake Your Body/ You Go Twist and Grind it For Me/ You Go Shake Your Bumbum” for the chorus. Both of them sing, mixing English, pidgin English and an indigenous eastern Nigerian dialect that adds to the exotic ambiance the beat already creates. While Spotless sings his lover’s praises on his verse, Tekno spends his verse promising the things he’d do for his lover’s affection like a silver tongued sales rep.

You can stream Spotless and Tekno’s “The Benz” below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/spotless360
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ICYMI: Listen to “Bia”, Terri’s debut single with Starboy

In the making: “The Bling Lagosians” by BAP, the boss behind 93days, Fela and the Kalakuta Queens

Posted on by The Native

Bolanle Austen-Peters (BAP) is set to mark her debut as a director with The Bling Lagosians, which will be her second movie production, after co-producing 93 days in 2016.

This insightful revelation, made through the The Bling Lagosians‘ new Instagram account page, comes on the heels of many solid works BAP has been involved in. She has been steadily building Africa’s reputation through media, entertainment and culture. As a lawyer and business woman who founded the popular Lagos arts & culture centre and restaurant, Terra Kulture in 2003, she has serially hosted several exhibitions of one-of-a-kind Nigerian art and theatre plays under her cultural institute. This includes sold-out musicals, SARO the Musical, Wakaa the Musical, and Fela and the Kalakuta Queens, alongside her first movie, 93 Days, under the eponymous production company which she founded in 2013.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bor8Y3DHWV9/?taken-by=theblinglagosians

Evidently, BAP is the perfect partner and platform for Nigerians to continue entertaining their global audience in a disruptive way. The Bling Lagosians‘ will feature the ever dapper fashion consultant, model and TV-presenter turned actor, Denola Grey, and other beautiful honourable actors including Battleground‘s Gbenga Titiloye, Ndani TV‘s Sharon Oja, Jara‘s Helen Paul, the honourable Toyin Abraham, Monalisa Chinda Coker, Osas Ighodaro Ajibade, Alex Ekubo, Bisola and others.

No release date has been announced for The Bling Lagosians. Judging from all posted Instagram pictures and movie title, it will be a dramedy, reflecting the conversations surrounding relationships between the high-class elites and society.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@theblinglagosians

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Knock Out Blessing will represent another growth spurt from one of the successful filmmakers of our generation

Genevieve Nnaji signs with Hollywood’s UTA, joining Angelina Jolie, Kevin Hart & other clients

Posted on by The Native

Genevieve Nnaji has been on a roller coaster ride that only goes up. Riding on the back of Netflix’ acquisition of her movie, Lionheart, she has just signed a film deal with Beverly Hills, California-based private company, United Talent Agency (UTA); one of the largest in the world, with an estimate of 300 agents representing actors, producers, directors,  writers, artists, and other professionals in the creative field.

This is the home of many who have worked/ are working at the height of their career including Angelina Jolie, Kevin Hart, Gwyneth Paltrow, DJ Khaled, Chris Pratt, F. Gary Gray, Peter Morgan, even Professional wrestling company, TNA, amongst a host of other professionals.

Like these professionals, Genevieve who recently got every media publication in talks about her first directorial debut which Netflix has purchased, Lionheart, keeps flourishing with new heights in her career. From starring in Nollywood classics like Blood Sisters and Ijele to more recent Nigerian feature films like Ijé: The Journey, Tango With Me, Doctor Bello, Half of a Yellow Sun, and Road to Yesterday —a film that marked her first work as a producer—  Genevieve has been one of the highest paid actresses in Nollywood. Netflix’ acquisition of Lionheart made it one of the first original features from Nigeria to debut on the streaming service.

But this new deal with UTA puts herself and production team on a larger world stage, yet again. As Uche Jumbo says it, Nollywood to the World.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@genevievennaji

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Watch the trailer for Genevieve’s directorial debut “Lionheart”, here

Olanrewaju’s Nigerian tech start-up, Babymigo, is one of TIME’s 50 genius companies, 2018

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“There are 10.4 million babies born every year in Nigeria, and every one of those mothers is hungry for the kind of information we provide.” _Adeloye Olanrewaju (TIME, 2018)

TIME’s 95 years of groundbreaking weekly reports that have amassed over 3 million circulation of content worldwide (the largest for a weekly news magazine) makes any recognition from the New York based publication reflect the prospect of a pot of Gold. It is no wonder the recognition of Nigerian tech start up company, Babymigo, amidst Kenya’s BRCK and Ona, Ghana’s Bitland, and South Africa’s AgriProtein, for TIME’s  “50 Genius Companies of 2018”, feels like a validation of an imminent blessing for Adeloye Olanrewaju.

But to say that TIME’s acknowledgement of Olanrewaju and his good works is the first of its kind, will be speaking with tunnel vision in all matters concerning Olanrewaju’s life. In 2016, Olanrewaju was crowned Young Leader by Queen Elizabeth II. In 2017, he met with Mark Zuckerberg, who described him as an entrepreneur strengthening African communities and creating opportunities at large. He also holds a certificate in “Leading Change” from the University of Cambridge and a certificate in social sector management from EDC, LBS, Pan Atlantic University.

The struck-match genesis for Babymigo was “to help alleviate the problem of pregnancy and childbirth”, which kills “830 women every day, with 99% of them in developing countries such as Nigeria”, Aryn Baker writes for TIME. The short article begins with such striking figures that immediately spark curiosity for accuracy. Nonetheless, the resulting solution to the enormous problem was an SMS subscription service, which Olanrewaju created “for pregnant women, to inform them of prenatal appointments and their babies’ development”, Baker continues.

With Olanrewaju’s authentic idea, Google offered his team a grant of $10,000 through its Africa Launchpad Accelerator platform, earlier this year. This made Olanrewaju financially capable of bringing Babymigo.com to life, co-founding it as an online community that connects mothers-to-be with information, medical experts, services and other parents. Baker adds in the TIME-article that “Babymigo’s app has been downloaded 30,000 times and its mobile-friendly website has 90,000 registered users —most from Nigeria, with the rest from Sub-Saharan Africa”.

TIME’s seems to always know a torchbearer before anyone else, even Google too —shinning the light on Natives from our very own country and continent before we even deem it fit to skyrocket them further towards the gate of stratosphere. Yet, as people related not by blood, but by one motherland, we immediately take great pride in Adeloye Olanrewaju’s achievement for Babymigo.

Featured Image Credit: LinkedIn/Adeoye Olanrewaju

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Fisayo is a journalist in search of words. Tweet at her @fisvyo

2018 Nobel Peace Prize: Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad, helping victims of sexual violence

Nathan Araya’s “Growing Up In America” explores mental health in minority communities

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In 2014, Ethiopian-American TV-film producer and digital storyteller, Nathan Araya, was nominated for Best Documentary of the year by the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for  “Sincerely, Ethiopia”; he was up against four other documentaries from Mali, Nigeria and South Africa. His documentary manifestly shun a positive light on Ethiopian peoples and culture. And as someone whose “parents migrated from Ethiopia to the US with hope for education and opportunity” —as he wrote on ShadowandAct in 2017— Araya has developed an unshakable optimistic attitude towards his native country, dedicating his life’s purpose to improving lives around the world through his compelling stories of life and culture.

It’s been five years since that AMAA nomination and five years of documenting stories as a single film—including “The Diaspora Journal” (2017)— now Araya is looking towards releasing a documentary series, which will express more in a number of events with many different people in a related context. It is titled “Growing Up In America” and it will dissect the minority communities in America by showcasing their cultures and filming conversations within their own communities.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BohymjEnrhX/?hl=en&taken-by=natearaya

As seen in the one minute trailer for the first episode, Araya visits a local barbershop in Austin, Texas, engaging young adults about mental health. The episode will also feature an interview with Psychiatric Nurse, Ledet Muleta, from the National Institute of Mental Health, who will highlight the plight of the black immigrant’s mental health. Araya is set to release the series on his website and YouTube page soon.

Araya writes beneath his Youtube page, where the trailer for the first episode resides,

I created this first documentary episode on mental health hoping that it would accomplish three things. 1.START A CONVERSATION on mental health, 2. RELEASE THE FEAR around mental health care within minority communities and INFORM THE COMMUNITY on opportunities for therapy, counseling and self-care through resource sharing.

While we are on the look out for the full episode of “Growing Up In America”, check out the trailer below.

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Fisayo is a journalist in search of words. Tweet at her @fisvyo

See Odunsi, WavyTheCreator and Santi in Beats 1 Homecoming Documentary

Teffy is paranoid about lying to women on new track “Everything”

Posted on by The Native

To follow up the release of “Girate”, Teffy’s collaboration with BOJ, the rapper has dropped “Everything”, a trap-based new single mastered by GMK.

“Everything” is a personal record about Teffy’s dealings with women in this life. In the rapper’s words: “Can’t lie to my Mama, I swear she knows everything” , a sentiment that extends to his “girl” and other women who can already piece together tell signs about his personality and lifestyle. Elsewhere on the track, Teffy talks his father not living to see 60 and his laser-focus on grinding despite the many apparent distractions that could sway him from this path.

Stream “Everything” here

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Fisayo is a journalist in search of words. Tweet at her @fisvyo

See Odunsi, WavyTheCreator and Santi in Beats 1 Homecoming Documentary

Hear Soft pair up with Yemi Alade for new single, “Killa”

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The beat Trendz produces for “Killa”, Soft’s new single featuring Yemi Alade, uses mid-tempo synth harmonies, nodding bass and drums to speak to the moment when lovers become one on the dance floor, with their movements matching in fluid harmony. On the track, Soft and Yemi Alade spin a romantic tale, making unrealistic promises to their lovers over a catchy spacious beat with a lean bounce that lends itself exceptionally well to dance.

Singing “If Na To Tiff I Tiff/ If Na To Wound Person/ Baby I Go Kill Person/ Cause You’re My Fantasy/” and later promising that “Girl Mosquito no Go Bite You”, Soft makes it clear that there are no limits he won’t go for his lover. Yemi Alade’s verse shares similar sentiments as she verifies Soft’s over-imaginative words saying, “This Love is Dangerous/ Dem Just Dey Envy Us/ Odo You Dey Do Me Well/ Odo You Dey Make My Head To Swell”.

Paul Gambit directs the video for “Killa”, shot in a colorful neon lit set, where Soft and Yemi Alade perform their verses, accompanied by models and dancers. The two artists engage in a dance off that does not necessitate any declaration of winners, as they are in essence, lovers not competitors.

You can watch the video for “Killa” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Dagogo Records
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ICYMI: Watch this delightful video for “Oh My Gosh” by Yemi Alade

Yung L upends Kanye and Lil Pump’s “I Love It” with a dancehall cover

Posted on by The Native

Kanye West fans are very conflicted these days. Since Yeezy’s TMZ rant a few weeks ago, the rapper has moved from strength to strength with one publicity stunt after the other. When he is not fueling the coal to a feud between Pusha T and Drake, he’s tweeting pseudo-conscious one-liners with faulty logic. His latest stunt by way of being “Kanye” is a collaboration with rapper, Lil Pump who joins him on “I Love It”, a seemingly satirical single and corresponding video he premiered at the inaugural edition of the Pornhub awards.

It’s hard to tell if “I Love It” is currently charting a #6 on the Billboard because people understand the message behind the track, but thankfully all of that ambiguity is needless on Yung L’s latest cover. His deep husky voice rumbles on the “I Love It” baseline as he fuses clever wordplay with patois. Yung L isn’t one known to be subliminal though, the last few moments of the track where he upends Lil Pump’s “You such a fucking hoe” with “You know, your girlfriend is a hoe”, tells you all you need to know.

Stream Yun L’s “I Love It” cover below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnEScxprgWM

Hear Earl Jon Doe make a convincing case for putting money first on “Way Back”

Posted on by The Native

Contrary to our college convictions, the compadre we felt so strongly about did not stay for too long in our lives. And with each friend lost, sometimes it got even harder to make any real connection with other people. Fortunately, it turns out the void their absence leaves can be filled with inanimate objects and on “Way Back”, Earl Jon Doe makes a compelling case for money’s reliability.

Over the trap beat Criostd, DJ psychotune and Galactic Beatz produce, Earl Jon Doe sing raps about his lack of trust in people on his catchy hook, emphasizing that only the money has stayed with him since day 1.

His lyrics give such a vivid description of his money trusting lifestyle that while he brags about the bonuses that come with rolling with money, “You Know These Bitches Gon’ Be at Your Neck When You Got a Million Naira Chain on”, he unwittingly gives away the price that comes with it, singing, “Not Sorry If I Catch a Body”. The effect is that “Way Back” listens like a yelp review of a lifestyle founded on a trust for money, but rendered as a vivid trap song.

You can stream Earl Jon Doe’s “Way Back” below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/earljondoe
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ICYMI: See the short film J Molley released for his ‘Dreams Money Can Buy’ project

DND Section releases debut video for “Georgia Peaches”

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Atlanta based Nigerian rapper, DND Section has released the music video for “Georgia Peaches”, a tribute to the ATL lifestyle and its inspirational summer nights. His rap bars laid over the mix of synths, percussion keys that listen like bell chimes and scatting drums, give a vivid description of all of his favorite things about the city; the accent, the fast cars, the 5-star meals, and of course, the boujee women. The video finds similar inspiration through the aerial shots of the city and tightly composed frames, burning DND Section’s Atlanta lifestyle onto the lens.

He takes center of nearly every frame as we watch him playing 2k with a male friend, out by the pool with a model then partying with female friends with a bottle of champagne in his hand. Though the most of these shots are cliches, they are made tangible thanks to DND Section’s picturesque lyrics on “Georgia Peaches”. The video serves as his on screen debut as an artist.

You can watch the video for “Georgia Peaches” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/dndSection
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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: TRAPLANTA and Odunsi trap about leveling up on “Own That”

Odunsi shares tracklist and art for ‘rare.’ album debut

Posted on by The Native

As anticipation continues to build for Odunsi’s album debut, rare., the singer has finally shared the art and tracklist for the project. The album spans 14 tracks, including “Alté Cruise” as a bonus track and “Divine”, the album’s pre-released single featuring Davido.

rare. is set to be released on Friday, the 12th of October and includes feature appearances from Davido, Hamzaa, Nasty C, Santi, Amaa Rae, Duendita, Runtown, Tay Iwar, 234Jaydaa, Solis, and Zamir. Odunsi has come a long way from his days, building his Soundcloud fan base with hits like “Desire”, to generating more mainstream buzz through guest appearances on M.I’s last two projects among others. Now, he is finally releasing his album debut with a feature from top talents within and outside the country.

You can check the tracklist in his tweet below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/odunsitheengine
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ICYMI: The NATIVE presents: Best songs of the year so far

Yinka Oshodi falls under love’s spell on new single, “Continue”: Listen

Posted on by The Native

With only three singles out, Yinka Oshodi has shown a promising knack for turning romantic conflicts into musical journals. After releasing “Options”, addressed to an unappreciative lover, she follows with “Continue”, where she admits her feelings won’t allow her let her lover go.

Though the layers of sweeping synths, percussion, rattling samples and pacy Afropop drums Audio Monkey produces for “Continue” suggest that the story arch on “Options” and “Continue” aren’t lineal, Yinka Oshodi’s emotive vocals pick up right where it left off on “Options”: sultry, vulnerable and warm. But this time —perhaps inspired by the catchy drum riff— she seems more playful, asking “Do You Like To Chacha?/ Papi Can You Move?”.

However, in spite of the alluring grove she embodies, her loving sentiments are dipped in the dark shadow she casts, drawing parallels between her lover’s charm and witchcraft. Singing, “You Got Me Sprung/ I Can’t Explain/ I’m Down For Whatever/ Just Bring It My Way”, her romantic confession are so raw, she lets listeners decide if their love interest deserves all that power.

You can stream Yinka Oshodi’s “Continue” below.

https://soundcloud.com/yinkaoshodi/continue

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/yinka.oshodi
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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: Listen to “Options” by Yinka Oshodi and Remy Baggins here

Don EE features Davido for “Love Coming Down”: Watch

Posted on by The Native

2 days ago, British-Congolese artist, Don EE released his new single “Love Coming Down” featuring Davido, who currently has an upcoming song with Wande Coal and producer Juls in the works. As the title of the track connotes, on “Love Coming Down”, Davido and Don EE sing on the theme of love to an interest of theirs. It’s right there in the song’s opening lines: “See that’s the way, I love the way you say my name, I’m on my way, baby give me the time and place”.

Beyond the perfect mix of sounds by Alexander The Great (ATG Musick) for the dance floor, “Love Coming Down” unfurls like a sweeping vista of desire and happiness. Without saying too much, the two artists pleasantly school us on how much love they are ready to invest in their lady. Don EE once again offers us quirkiness behind his signature mask; it is funnily difficult to take Don EE serious while he tries to be an ideal romantic with that mask on, but it’s the more reason the video is fun to watch. “Love Coming Down” is also about the primal pleasure of music; a repeat collab from the two artists won’t be bad at all.

Watch Don EE’s “Love Coming Down” featuring Davido below.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@don.emusic

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2004: The Beginning of a Revolution

Haunted love and broken hearts make Nxwrth’s video for “Cupid”: Watch

Posted on by The Native

The lyrics to “Cupid” are vivid and sensual, with nods to the extremities that come with all good love stories: desire, love and tribulation. Though Nxwrth and Darko released the single nearly two years ago, the recently released video finds a similar edginess through a short film directed by BZDRKO. From the opening sequence, we get a hint of a retro film style that can be seen through the drive-in movie theme, noisy glitch edits and other 80’s filters that add to the aesthetic of the music video.

“Cupid” paints an intimidating portrait of the lovable fairy tale character, as he is portrayed as a hunter with bow and arrows terrorizing women. We see Darkovibes in the back of a Ford truck, lying next to a woman who seems fine till they have an accident. She’s then left alone with red flower petals, casting a bloody imagery against the white backdrop. A number of metaphorical imagery —such as the painting of a snake on an apple tree— show how she struggles to resist the temptation of love but fails, and pays the price for it as she’s later seen sheding tears and yelling at a phone.

Darko and Nxwrth’s fusion of Afropop and trap on “Cupid” already established the eerie vibe that comes with falling in love, but the video’s composition of frames offer their own type of horror.

You can watch the video for “Cupid” below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQVP55qe1cA&feature=youtu.bee

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/ Nxwrth
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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 Darkovibes live in the moment in his video for “Stay Woke” 

2018 MTV EMA Nominees: Tiwa Savage, Davido, Shekhinah & more for Best African Act

Posted on by The Native

The nominees for the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards, which will take place on Sunday, 4th of November, have been announced. Trust that we’ve been anticipating the list to shine more light on all the African artists that have earned nominations in different categories. Six A-list artistes from the continent have been nominated for awards; this includes Tiwa Savage and Davido from Nigeria, Distruction Boyz and Shekhinah from South Africa, Nyanshinski from Kenya and Fally Pupa from the Democratic Republic of Congo. They have all been nominated for the Best African Act category, which Davido won last year beating other artists including Nasty C and Wizkid.

In the larger scope, Camila Cabello is the most nominated artist dominating the EMA in six categories including Best Artist and Best Video for “Havana” featuring Young Thug. Ariana Grande and Post Malone are next in line with five nominations each. Drake, Shawn Mendes and Dua Lipa also earned nominations in four categories each.

The 2018 MTV EMA will be broadcasted live at 9:00 pm CAT from Bilbao Exhibition Centre in Spain.

See the full list of nominees below.

BEST AFRICAN ACT
Davido (Nigeria)
Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)
Distruction Boyz (South Africa)
Fally Ipupa (DRC)
Nyashinski (Kenya)
Shekinah (South Africa)

BEST ARTIST
Ariana Grande
Camila Cabello
Drake
Dua Lipa
Post Malone

BEST VIDEO
Ariana Grande – No tears left to cry
Camila Cabello – Havana ft. Young Thug
Childish Gambino – This Is America
Lil Dicky – Freaky Friday ft. Chris Brown
The Carters – APES**T

BEST SONG
Ariana Grande – No tears left to cry
Bebe Rexha – Meant To Be ft. Florida Georgia Line
Camila Cabello – Havana ft. Young Thug
Drake – God’s Plan
Post Malone – Rockstar ft. 21 Savage

BEST POP
Ariana Grande
Camila Cabello
Dua Lipa
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BEST NEW
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Bazzi
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BEST LOOK
Cardi B
Dua Lipa
Migos
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BEST HIP HOP
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Eminem
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BEST LIVE
Ed Sheeran
Muse
P!nk
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BEST ROCK
5 Seconds Of Summer
Foo Fighters
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BEST ALTERNATIVE
Fall Out Boy
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The 1975
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BEST ELECTRONIC
Calvin Harris
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BIGGEST FANS
BTS
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Selena Gomez
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BEST WORLD STAGE
Clean Bandit – MTV Crashes Plymouth, UK 2017
Charli XCX – MTV Crashes Plymouth,UK 2017
David Guetta – Trafalgar Square, UK 2017
Jason Derulo – Isle of MTV Malta 201
Post Malone – Wireless Festival, UK 2018
Migos – Wireless Festival, UK 2018
J Cole – Wireless Festival, UK 2018
Nick Jonas – MTV Spotlight @ Hyperplay, Singapore 2018
Alessia Cara – MTV Spotlight @ Hyperplay, Singapore 2018

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PRETTYMUCH (October 2017)
Why Don’t We (November 2017)
Grace VanderWaal (December 2017)
Bishop Briggs (January 2018)
Superorganism (February 2018)
Jessie Reyez (March 2018)
Hayley Kiyoko (April 2018)
Lil Xan (May 2018)
Sigrid (June 2018)
Chloe x Halle (July 2018)
Bazzi (August 2018)
Jorja Smith (September 2018)

BEST US ACT
Ariana Grande
Camila Cabello
Cardi B
Imagine Dragons
Post Malone

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Fisayo is a journalist in search of words. Tweet at her @fisvyo

All the winners and nominees from the BRIT Awards 2018

Dare Olaitan, filmmaker of “Ojukokoro”, releases trailer for “Knock Out Blessing”

Posted on by The Native

In a NATIVE exclusive interview with Dare Olaitan back in April, we established that Knock Out Blessing will represent the culmination of yet another growth spurt for the successful filmmaker behind 2017’s Ojukokoro. Olaitan has finally released the first video teaser of the movie, which visually depicts many of what he revealed to us in the interview.

The trailer for Olaitan’s second movie, Knock Out Blessing shows the lead actor, Blessing (played by Ade Laoye), “who was born in the village, and comes to Lagos after a great personal tragedy with her grandpa (played by Gbenga Titiloye), who was training her to be a boxer for a competition”, Olaitan says.

After her father’s death, Blessing moves to Lagos where she encounters three prostitutes who do their work with high ranking men (politicians, senators, elites) of Lagos. They rob this men of money and possessions, but the men never take matters to the police because they won’t want to be associated with prostitutes, as a result of their status in the society.

It is expected that the movie will include a lot of VFX and CGI, as Dare said in the interview, which is the reason it has “taken a while” for the crew to conclude production. Now, all seems set for a fixed release date, which Olaitan will announce soon. With allusions to politicians (a senator) as seen in the trailer, we can only expect that it will be released in the lead up to Nigeria’s 2019 elections, —as many artists have also recently had their share prices of metaphorical expressions to approach the subject and elites in the society.

The video previews few seconds of other actors including Meg Otanwa, Linda Ejiofor, Demola Adedoyin, Bucci Franklin, Tope Tedela, Udoka Oyeka amongst others. It also previews some scenery from Abeokuta where the production crew shot some of the movie scenes.

Watch the first teaser trailer for Dare Olaitan’s Knock Out Blessing below.

Featured Image Credit: Youtube/Dare Olaitan

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Fisayo is a journalist in search of words. Tweet at her @fisvyo

Read the interview with Dare Olaitan, just before his debut screening at Metograph in New York

Grammy-nominated duo Kah-Lo and Riton release joint project, ‘Foreign Ororo’

Posted on by The Native

Kah-Lo and Riton were first introduced to the world off the strength of their Grammy-nominated “Rinse Repeat”. The duo has since gone on to release several electronic pop songs such as “Fake ID”, “Ginger”, “Fasta”, “Catching Feelings” and “Money” featuring Mr Eazi and Davido, raising the anticipation for their now released project, ‘Foreign Ororo’. The 14-track EP features several pre-released singles like “Betta Ridim”, an alternate version of “Ginger” and some new cuts that add new characters to their funky techno-house universe.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoOuuwBBkW2/?hl=en&taken-by=thatkahlo

While Riton handles the immaculately produced beats for the tracks on ‘Foreign Ororo’, Kah-Lo puts words to the partying sentiments the base evokes. Though she’s joined by featured artists, Mr Eazi, Davido and Boy Mattews, their presence don’t affect the ebb and flow of the project.

You can stream the ‘Foreign Ororo’ on Apple music below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/thatkahlo

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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: 5 Things you need to know about Kah-Lo

Ladipoe ends the long-wait for a debut album with ‘Talk About Poe’

Posted on by The Native

Considering his arrival on the scene happened over half a decade ago, saying LadiPoe’s debut is overdue, is an understatement. After years of dropping epic guest verses making music with alternative music group The Collectiv3, Poe joined Don Jazzy’s MAVIN records last year and eyes have been on the rapper for a project ever since. Talk About Poe is the debut project to finally put an end to expectations for a debut project from the rapper. Featuring an elite cast of features from Efya, Show Dem Camp’s Ghost, Funbi, Seyi Shay and more, Talk About Poe serves up 10 new tracks that blend his introspective tendencies with his penchant for laid-back rap.

Keep it locked with The NATIVE for a detailed breakdown of the essential tracks you need from this project.

Stream LadiPoe’s ‘Talk About Poe’ here