While some fans felt cheated by the distance of YCEE’s “Juice” from his traditional hip-hop roots, the song grew to become one of the biggest songs from Nigeria in 2017. Also from last year, the singer released his First Wave EP, showing his adaptability infusing varying music styles; trap, RnB, grime, Afropop and rap. The rapper is kicking off the year with “Say Bye Bye”, Eugy.
A couple years ago, this might have seemed groundbreaking or exceptional. But it’s 2018 and Kanye and Drake already made a killing off the ambidextrous flow pattern. On “Say Bye Bye”, YCee features Ghanaian rapper, Eugy who also has a reputation for harmonizing and rapping from singles like “Dance For Me”.
Their combination on the mid-tempo beat highlights the versatility of hip-hop in the right hands.
You can stream YCee and Eugy’s “Say Bye Bye” below.
The songs off Ajebutter22’s debut album, What Happens in Lagosall have striking stories that capture the Lagos lifestyle from the artist’s perspective. Over the 14-track tape (with two pre-released singles), he gives a detailed description of “What Happens in Lagos”, so it’s only right that the first video off the project will continue in the same narrative.
The video for “Wayward”, the 3rd track on the album is directed by San who retains Ajebutter22’s comedy and party themes in the visuals. To achieve this, popular social media comics, Frank Donga and Ebiye are featured. The pair play the role of party crashers at a Lagos high-society party where Ajebutter22 performs with models in their elements.
The video also contains high-contrast primary colour filter overlays on the sky portraying a surrealist world obsessed with youth, beauty, and feeling good. The celebrity cameos featured in “Wayward” video also reflects Lagos’ experience where music stars like BOJ et al make appearances at parties
You can watch the video for “Wayward” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Ajebutter22VEVO
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For our first mix of the year, DJ Femo delivers a blend of 2017 gems cut from the underground as well as everything over and in-between. This mix features selected picks from certified hitmakers like Burna Boy, Kiss Daniel and Ajebutter22, as well as tracks from Odunsi, Santi, and Fasina amongst others on-come-up, who we will definitely be seeing more of in the coming months.
Stream NATIVE Mix 014 and see our tracklist below.
Get U by Krs.
Tyrant by Kali Uchis ft. Jorja Smith
Nobody by Wizkid
Cancer by Odunsi ft. Santi
When You Feel Lonely by Mavado
Ready Now Interlude by Genio Bambino ft. Santi Ghana Bounce by Ajebutter 22
Wys by AYLØ
Navajo by Masego (Meek remix)
Footwork by DO
Love by Konshens (Meek remix) Gwarn by Juls ft. Burna Boy
Only You by Bobson
Faraway by Ade ft. BBJN Yeba by Kiss Daniel
Mo Ni by Tiqeu ft. Minz
Coco by Juls ft. Odunsi & Santi
Wayward by Ajebutter
Don’t Let Me Go by DJ Spinall ft. Simi
Gbe Fun by RVGE ft. Ade Freaky by Fasina ft. Minz
XnOs by Oma Mahmud ft. Fasina
Last year, M.I released “You Rappers Should Fix Up Your Life”but his brash tone failed to prompt a resurgence with more rappers turning to pop to score radio hits. Though M.I’s scolding bars were aimed more at singing rappers (think YCee and Dice Alies), sadly even the rappers on the street could use some fixing-up.
Since DaGrin’s success at indigenous rap laid the blueprint for Olamide-esque rappers to spit bars reflecting the street’s ethos, we’ve enjoyed a diverse take on the lyrical art. But lately, indigenous rappers all sound the same. Reminisce is only the latest in the staggering list of rapper ditching the conventional rap melodies for gqom house music.
On his latest single, “Problem”, Reminisce performs a laid-back set with his street-inclined vocals. Once you strip away the hip-hop narrative and focus on just the music, Reminisce gets a lot of things right on “Problem”. It is the perfect song for today’s pop climate and retains some of the truth-speak expected in hip-hop. As soon as the dust settles on the dancefloor driven vocals, he touches on street culture saying “Wo Ni Pon Pon Len Se Tele Sugbon Tempos Change/ Shaku shaku Lo Wa Ni Igboro Bayi, E Wo Chain”.
In the wake of the media confusion surrounding the purpose of Sounds From The Other Side as an album or mixtape, many wondered and even hoped Wizkid had plans for another project to truly call ‘the album’. This belief was further stoked by the album’s packed guest feature list and the apparent package for foreign ears. And though it was loved both at home and abroad, Nigerian fans couldn’t help but ask for more.
@wizkidayo what should we expect from the real STAR BOY this year????
Twitter might get a lot of bad rap for being an unedifying peephole into the dark private crevices of people we respect, but Wizkid’s chummy online attitude poises him as a well-adjusted celebrity. The Starboy’s conversations with his cultish fandom come off as musings of like minds many a time. Recently, during one of such exchanges with a fan, Wizkid confirmed that he’s recording a new album here in Nigeria, in response to a fan asking about his plans for 2018.
Well, i'm recording a new album in Lagos Nigeria…and ….eeehhh.. we'll see… https://t.co/XgqFdRsABG
Fans have expressed delight at the subtle hint at of getting a ‘more Nigerian’ album, but reactions are still mixed as others feel slighted that their favourite songs from SFTOS will get sidelined so quickly. We still have 11 more months before the year ends and we wouldn’t bet against Wizkid releasing the album before the year runs out. While we wait for a more official album announcement and a release date, Wizkid’s recent tweet suggests that we can expect a new single from the Starboy soon.
Maleek Berry’s debut with Last Daze of Summer was rendered with just the right amount of breezy Caribbean influenced harmonies to keep it in circulation through the whole of last year. After watching him step out from behind the producer booth to become one the most rotated Afropop artists of this era, we wondered if perhaps his penchant for taking risks could turn around and bite him in ass when he promoted his new FirstDaze of Winter EP saying “Time To Flip The Script”.
Fortunately, his statement was less literal than we thought.
Despite the wistful theme hinted by the project’s name, Maleek Berry is able to clear doubts with pre-released singles, “Been Calling” and “Pon My Mind”. Though their lyrics aren’t the most optimistic, he made a note to retain his dancefloor viability with catchy instrumentals. Fusing his competence in melody with an earnestness to tell a story, ‘First Daze of Winter’ makes up for where ‘Last Daze of Summer’ may have been lacking with the more emotionally-set narrative.
On the third track, “Own It”, Maleek Berry continues with themes already heard on the previously released tracks. Over the mid-tempo piano-led beat with synths, tin-pan drums and vocal samples, Maleek tries to win the heart of a love interest singing “Girl I’m Here To Stay/ Gimme A Shot Make I Calm Down/ You Got Me Drunk On Your Love Now”. This romantic melodrama continues on “Sisi Maria” where he gives a more vivid description of his love interest and the romantic plans he has for her; “E Be You Wey I Wan Marry/ Na My Pikin Wey You Go Carry/ I Go Buy You Plenty Diamond/ Oluwa Provide I Go Dash You Mansion”.
On “What If”, he strays farther than ever from his familiar dance-inclined melodies to perform what is probably Maleek’s first ‘traditional’ R&B ballad. The track delivers the heart-wrenching punchline of ‘First Daze of Winter’; “Now The Summer Is Over”. Perhaps spurred by the absence of the dancefloor-ready beats, the lyrics on “What If” are a lot more expansive than on the rest of the tracks, and this allows him to fully address his unrequited love.
But before conspiracy theorists start spinning tales that Maleek Berry is transitioning to R&B and leaving his Afropop fans behind, the last track on First Daze of Winter, “Pulling Me Back” places him firmly within Afropop territories. He admits that “No Matter How Hard I Try I Can’t Ignore” and though it’s obvious he’s referring to his said love interest, fans will be glad to know that even when Maleek Berry is feeling blue, he can still make dance music “For The Gyal Dem”.
Stream First Daze Of Winter via Apple Music
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/maleekberry
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Despite the immense popularity of our Bumplists, we’ve had to pause its weekly updates while working on a better way to present this uniquely curated picks of the best songs from across the world.
As part of NATIVE’s big plans for 2018, we’re rebooting the Bumplist exclusively on Apple Music, in line with our recently announced curatorship for the same streaming giant.
See the breakdown and playlist for this week’s Bumplist below:
Legbegbe (feat. Idowest, Obadice & Kelvin Chuks) – Real Self
You have heard songs like “Legbegbe” before, many times, everywhere. These songs literally live by the code of the infamous ‘Blades of Glory’ interlude from The Throne’s “Niggas In Paris”; ‘No one knows what it means, but it’s provocative’ . Like Small Doctor broke out of the streets with “Penalty” last year, Real Self is expected to come up next, thanks to this viral number released at the tail end of last year. “Legbegbe” is an EDM-set shoutout to cellphone dealers on the streets of computer village, Ikeja. It’s exactly the kind of meaningless song you can expect to rise into oversaturation from complete obscurity.
2/11 (feat. Jable) – Lady Donli
To really put “2/11” in perspective, you’ll need to check out the remaining five tracks off Lady Donli’s latest project Letters To Her. The 6-track tells a story of lost love, “2/11” is fitted into the midpoint of tracklisting as a jarring ode to the particular date a great love walked out of her life. The intimacy of “2/11” makes it perhaps one of the saddest songs on Letters To Her, thankfully, it’s also one of the best off the project.
In The Morning – Odunsi
Curiosity and high expectations trailed the promotional images for Odunsi’s “In The Morning” after the corner edge of the artwork revealed the track would be released under Universal Music Group. Luckily, Odunsi has never been the type to devalue expectations with a subpar output, especially for a major label debut. “In The Morning” thrives in simplicity, thanks to a combination of Caribbean drums glossed with acoustics, it’s the strongest artistic indication thus far of Odunsi’s gradual but eventual coming of age.
Night Rain – Tomi Owo
For fans who loved Tomi Owo’s debut single, “Versus”, “Night Rain”, her latest single is the reward for the singer’s year-long silent spell with nothing but a handful of live session performances uploaded via her SoundCloud account. “Night Rain” is a soulful tribute to new emotions and cleansing from old pain.
One Hit – Cohbams Asuquo
“Give me one hit, let me blow like Olamide” Cobhams sings on this power ballad every artist on the come up can relate to. “One Hit” is a longing for immense growth and for the fulfilment of potential. Though unintentionally, “One Hit” underscores the overarching desperation to do as they say and to ‘blow’, even if it comes at the cost of your soul.
Like – Reekado Banks
Against all odds—Wizkid clone accusations and all—Reekado Banks has been here and he’s still here; making earworms that snake into airplay and remain there. Occasionally his gems go somewhat unnoticed but they are simultaneously distinct and familiar when DJs shuffle them onto the deck at clubs and parties, “Like” exemplifies this unique ability. Reeky simply references some of his contemporaries’ buzzwords and melody on the Del B-produced beat. It’s almost corny, but your replay button will be locked on nothing else for a minute once you get past the third listen.
Melanin (feat. Patoranking) – Sauti Sol
When you consider how ingeniously talented Sauti Sol is, it feels as though Africa is yet to fully fall in love with the group. This may not be unrelated with the ‘boy band curse’: an inevitable potential for a mass fan heartbreak, because even blood is not enough to keep boy groups bound together in these parts. But Sauti Sol has not let up its foot off the gas, in the last two years the group has increasingly leveraged West African Afropop for a truly pan-African appeal by collaborating with Yemi Alade, 2Baba amongst others. Save for its corny title (and premise, if you’re also tired of hearing every other song about the black woman’s skin), “Melanin”, is a dancefloor slow-whine bop with enough core dynamism of subject matter to easily slip into heartbreak and romance playlists; essentially the perfect pop song.
Best Man – Quavo and Travis Scott
Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho dropped in the dead of night, after months and months of hype from all parties involved. As you’d expect from anything involving Quavo and Travis Scott, there were more than enough hits – to last us till Culture II and Astroworld, at least. What they also both brought from their solo endeavours was the propensity for a deep, introspective outro (see: “Apple Pie” on Rodeo, “Out Yo Way” on Culture). “Best Man” is a vulnerable ode to your bredrin who have your back for life.
Party Here – Octavian
A co-sign from Drake means a lot in any country these days, and no two countries know this better than Nigeria and the UK. So when Drake is seen signing along to your track, you must be doing something right. On “Party Here” (a re-released single from the London rapper Octavian), he floats effortlessly on a track ready for the dance.
The Weekend (Funk Wav Remix) – Sza, Calvin Harris
A perfect remix to an already perfect song.
Bartier Cardi (feat. 21 Savage) – Cardi B
Cardi snapped. 21 Savage is the year’s unlikeliest bonafide pop-star.
What If – Maleek Berry
When Maleek Berry threatened to “flip the sound” as part of the promotion for Last Daze of Winter, fans wondered if this new sound will measure to the old one. Fortunately, as the pre-released singles, “Pon My Mind” and “Been Calling” already suggested, the singer knew better than to flood the 6-track EP with strange sounds. While most of the tape remains rooted in Maleek Berry’s Caribbean tinged Afropop melodies despite their somber themes, on “What If” he lets go of the familiar dance inclined melodies to sing a somber R&B ballad that delivers the project’s heart-wrenching punchline; “Now The Summer Is Over”.
Stay – WavyTheCreator
Crafting a sound after just one single takes some doing, but WavyTheCreator seems to have it figured out off the bat. On her latest single, “Stay” she continues her melody building antics with Tay Iwar’s backing vocals to unfolds the songs layers like an origami, with intimacy and enigma at its core.
The Bumplist is The NATIVE’s official weekly playlist – what we love this week, in no particular order
Given the amazing year Maleek Berry had in 2017, it’s hard to believe First Daze of Summer, his debut project was released back in 2016. Like all classics, the project is a gift that keeps giving as he continued adding to his catalogue of accomplishments such as his two nominations at last year’s MOBO awards. Fans have anticipated his follow up project since he cheekily hinted at it on twitter while releasing the EP’s lead single, “Pon My Mind”. And finally, we can listen to the next chapter in Maleek Berry success story, FirstDaze of Winter.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/maleekberry
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I randomly ran into Lady Donli in Abuja last year and we quickly got talking about her prospects and her upcoming project. She spoke of the then-unreleased, Letters To Her EP, with the feverish anticipation of an expecting parent. Understandably, even without offering me a first listen to litmus-test my reaction, Lady Donli was very confident about the amount of work and dedication she’d put into the preparation of Letters To Her. Her quagmire for the tape was, however, rooted elsewhere.
According to Donli, from a personal and professional standpoint, Letters to Her is her first for many things, to paraphrase her: “I’ve never done anything like this before”. Though her ambivalence was hoisted by the obvious optimism for her recent upward career trajectory, Donli wavered between the eagerness to see how fans will react to Letters To Her, and the reluctance to release such an experimental project to the public.
Upon release, Letters To Her itself provides some context for Lady Donli’s initial quandary about the EP. Across the 6-track serving, Donli bares skin-deep emotions, melodically mourning the loss of a once great love on acoustics and atmospherically-set moodboards.
“Roses For K”, one of the most exciting standouts on the project, suggests a narrative built around the final gesture to a love heaving its final sigh. Following the story Donli tells on the EP, it’s the perfect succeeding track to “2/11”, the tribute song to the grim November day the same muse chose to walk out of her life. Donli is dutifully sending ‘roses’ with the Letters to Her—who must not be named; the former lover, who she still fondly reveres as the sun to her moon despite being broken-hearted amidst it all.
Because of its personalised title, “Roses For K” almost screams at you from Letters to Her‘s tracklisting as a potential tearjerker. But Lady Donli manages to indent enough confidence and sass into the composition to ease out of those playlists dedicated for the lows. “I don’t need undercover love/ I said it right before/ This is another song” she sings, self-referencing her own earlier released single “Poison”, about the quality of love she wants.
Even when removed from the context of Letters to Her, “Roses For K” is both an ode to the end of a certain kind of love and a refusal to settle for less; especially if the love we want, doesn’t want us back.
Stream Lady Donli’s “Roses For K” via Apple Music below
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Because Afropop like any Pop sound often relies on cliches and predictability (for relatability, ironically), occasionally Sauti Sol stylistically tends towards radio-friendliness to the point that the music could pass for any other bubblegum pop song on Billboard charts. But no, this doesn’t mean that they make bad music, Sauti Sol does the opposite of that in fact. However, it does mean that perhaps due to self-censorship for wider acceptance, there is a limited range of themes to expect from the group. But as Maleek Berry’s signature opens into a guitar riff and slow finger snaps on “Girl Next Door”, the mellowness somewhat implicitly hints the track as a sexy oddball from the group’s catalogue.
Lyrically, however, “Girl Next Door” fits comfortably into Sauti Sol’s romantic and cheesy discography. With Tiwa Savage as muse, the three singers perform convincing sets targeted at the hearts of fans. Over the mid-tempo Caribbean-influenced harmonies, “Girl Next Door” unfolds into a sensual number that sets a steaming mood to make you want to take your clothes off.
“Girl Next Door” is the second release from their anticipated AfrikanSauce project which they promise will be released monthly till November 2018. The video for “Girl Next Door” is directed by Unlimited LA, who portrays the song’s racy themes in a ghetto and a party scene with slow whine dances. On track and music video, Sauti Sol continues to show appreciation for African women and Tiwa Savage reminds us that love is very reciprocated with the same affectionateness.
You can stream the video below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Sauti Sol
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There are lots of reasons why “The Avengers: Infinity War” has fans of the Marvel universe so psyched. With the sheer number of feature film Marvel heroes expected to be in the first part of the Avenger’s series finale, it’s already being reputed as the most anticipated Marvel movie in this or any other galaxy. In fact over the past two years, series of developmental information about the characters and actors have made major headlines, sending fandoms into frenzies. The latest news to hit the press about Avengers: Infinity War, is the casting of Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele for a role in the film.
She is listed to play the role of a Dora Milaje; a warrior tribe in “Black Panther”‘s fictional Wakanda universe. Though her character’s specific name and role in the movie still remains unknown, we can tell from the comic that the Dora Milajes are the Hausa speaking personal bodyguards of the Black Panther led by Teela. She could potentially play the role of Teela, Ayo, Aneka, Okoye or any of the other unnamed Dora Milaje who according to ancient tradition in Wakanda, are assembled as potential queens for the unmarried king.
For years now, Nigerians like myself have dreamed of a deserving representation in a top tier comic like Marvel or DC, but with Funke Akindele’s role on the big screen, we can finally begin to dream bigger. Though her role might not be too significant in the grand scheme of the star-studded summer blockbuster, we’ll take this for now.
You can stream the trailer for “Avengers: Infinity War” below.
Featured Image Credits: marvelcinematicuniverse
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Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault scandal has caused BBC to make some changes to the production of its mini-series adaptation of “Les Misérables”. The Weinstein Company had been initially slated as partners for the TV Adaptation of the pop culture phenomenon, but not anymore. With Weinstein out, a couple things are changing, one of such changes is the inclusion of British actor David Oyelowo to the cast of the six-part series expected to kick-off production in Belgium and Northern France by February.
Writer and producer, Andrew Davies who believes he can do the classic novel “real justice at last” has confirmed that unlike the 2012 movie adaptation, the BBC mini-series won’t be a musical. His script, based on Victor Hugo’s classic book, will tell the story of Jean Valjean, a former convict struggling to escape the shadow of his past life. And his relentless pursuit by the chilling Inspector Javert character David Oyelowo is expected to play in “Les Misérables” adaptation.
Other cast members joining David Oyelowo on the set of the BBC drama include Lily Collins as Fantine, Dominic West as Jean Valjean, Adeel Akhtar as Monsieur and Olivia Colman as Madame Thénardier. With a 6-hour long series, we can expect that some of the depth of the story which doesn’t fully come to light on stage will be revealed by Andrew Davies, David Oyelowo, West and the rest of the crew for the BBC “Les Misérables” mini-series.
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/davidoyelowo
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Against the backdrop of a world where Western leaders are signing into law, immigration bills that can only parse as Islamophobia, Abu Dhabi-based Barajoun Entertainment couldn’t have picked a better first feature film title than “Bilal”. The film will be a first for an animated movie made in the region and they have put top-class artwork to use in telling a story on the Muslim faith; preaching inclusive and non-discriminatory themes to younger audiences.
The story is loosely based on the thousand-year-old true-story of Bilal Ibn Rabah; a freed slave of Ethiopian origin who converted to Islam and became a trusted companion of the Prophet Muhammad. Using themes of freedom, the story’s emo should provide kids with a real human superhero to inspire to become while also emphasising the just origins of the Islamic religion.
British-born Nigerian actor, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jacob Latimore, and China Anne McClain are voice-starring in “Bilal: A New Breed Of Hero” which is set for official release in the USA on February via Vertical Entertainment.
You can watch the official trailer below.
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/barajoun entertainment
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If anyone knows about making artistic statements with music videos, it’s the Ghanaian collective, La Même Gang. Usually, many artists are aware music videos asides being marketing tools for promoting albums and singles, can also be impressive works of arts in their own right as a vehicle for making an artistic statement.
La Meme Gang’s latest video release is for “GODZILLA” off their collaborative project, La Même Tape. Their shenanigans capture the hallmark of suburban adolescence propped with party vibes and artistic frame filters. And while points could be deducted for the tame number of ravers in the video, there’s a warm, almost affectionate ‘gang’ authenticity about their small circle.
Each La Même Gang member is seen in a photo booth surrounded by cool party decors; Nxwrth hides behind a mask, $pacely is washed in lights with a neon chain around his neck, RJZ talks into a classic gold-plated telephone, Darkovibes carries balloons and a Polaroid camera while Kiddblack poses behind an array of magazines. The fanciful visuals for “GODZILLA” is a fun amalgamation of short clips that support the generally upbeat nature of the song.
L.A.X can attribute much of his success in from last year to the cameras. In 2017, he released videos for “Big Daddy”, “Run Away” and “Gwara Gwara”. The singer is kicking off the year on the same visual note with the video for “Call My Baby”, a single that has been in airplay since last year.
The video directed by Aje Films captures tension in L.A.X’s life after his parents disapprove of his love interest because of her tribe. This happens amidst temptations by other girls but he remains faithful until his parents give in after seeing her teaching at her NYSC workplace. The romantic motif for “Call My Baby” is heightened by a rural setting, committed to a narrative that follows through with the story of love against all odds and the relatable theme of ‘Nigerian parents’ and their conservative worldview.
Watch the video for “Call My Baby” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Rasaki Music
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Last year, Wavy The Creator made her debut with “H.I.G.H”, launching what is currently projected to be a deliciously creative artistry. Riding off the success of her debut feel-good single, she has scored a number of guest features and appeared on a handful of concert stages for brief but remarkable sets. Perhaps at the risk of overexposure for brand and style but not enough for her own actual work, the singer is kicking off 2018 with an emotive new single, “Stay”.
“Stay” is essentially a mood-setting EDM-based single bearing the same prevalent style of vocal-layering that can be heard across Wavy’s brief catalogue. Wavy knows how to build melody, you can tell this from how “Stay” unfolds its layers like an origami, with intimacy and enigma at its core, thanks to backing vocals from Tay Iwar. There is an honest hue to Wavy’s swagger as she sings “Now I’m All Alone” over a blend of lo-fi synth keys, prickly guitars and chillwave samples. She bares her insecurities with a sassy shin, asking a love interest “You Say You Love Me, So Why Are You Not Here?”.
Over 12 months, Wavy the Creator has balanced music, art direction and an impressive stage presence, a steady stream of material releases is all that’s left to turn Wavy the Creator into Wavy the Superstar.
You can listen to “Stay” below.
https://soundcloud.com/wavythecreator-music/stay
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/wavythecreator
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WavytheCreator is considered in many circles as one of the most creative modern Nigerian musicians today; a reputation the singer has garnered by bridging the gap between art and music without skewering either. “H.I.G.H” is her debut single and the accompanying video is the latest in Wavy’s growing collection of artistically satisfying mood pieces.
The video for “H.I.G.H” incorporates retro themes with grainy filters and costumes. It’s an artist’s dream that their work will stand the test of time, and to do this, SAN and Falomo use 90’s nostalgia as a gloss for “H.I.G.H”. Wavy opens the video by lighting up a blunt, setting a lightweight tone that continues through the video. The rest of the cast sustain the jovial feel of the video, drinking and partying to the Genio Bambino produced the number.
Though the video doesn’t follow any particular narrative, the use of film filters allows various actions to unfold at different frame rates, adding a creative touch to a rather simple concept. Plus given Wavy’s cool and artsy aesthetic, sometimes the obvious concept could turn out to be the best.
Watch the video for “H.I.G.H” below.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/wavythecreatorVEVO
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In recent times, the pop music machinery has witnessed a series of changes in a manner that almost indents a decline of traditional pop. But Bruno Mars has always been ahead of the curve; somehow managing to annually hitch-hike on the back of nostalgia into the Billboard charts. Even now, at a time when hip-hop is becoming a mainstay for pop music, Bruno Mars smartly taps Cardi B for a guest verse on “Finesse”, off his 2016 album 24K Magic .
The retro motif of the self-directed video is inspired by 90’s sitcom, “In Living Color”, with the similar stage set. The video shows Bruno Mars is in his elements, looking dapper and dancing with a grin on his face as he gets his groove on. The choreography incorporated some moves from the “Bodak Yellow” rapper, but unless we are mistaken, he actually starts with a Dotman inspired move, Akube.
Dotman struck gold in 2016 with his hit single, “Akube”. Though the song had readily carried the hallmark of a hit, the accompanying dance move helped the track become a viral sensation. Popular American dance group, NewGeneration916 led by child dancer, Kida The Great among others choreographed to the song and included some of the steps, giving it international exposure.
Coincedentally, Bruno Mars has been in social media conversations recently for appropriating black culture since the release of his latest music video. Now, we could pretend to be upset that Dotman wasn’t given credit being the originator of the dance move and all, but let’s face it, Bruno Mars’ smoother take on the sleek step is just hard to hate on.
At its most memorable, 2017 had many surprising twists and turns for local and international pop culture, and boy did NATIVE ride that wave all year long. Coming off the goodwill from NATIVELAND ’16, headlined by Skepta, NATIVE officially launched in the first month of 2017, marking the beginning of a year-long curation and coverage of pop-culture. This culminated the summer release of our ‘Birth Issue’ at an exclusive party hosted at Jazzhole, Ikoyi, and of course, NATIVELAND ’17.
You won’t hear this anywhere else, but NATIVE took a gamble announcing Tekno, Not3s, Mayorkun and Yxng Bane as the headliners for NATIVELAND 2017. In contrast to the previous edition with heavyweight headliners like J-Hus, Skepta and other international acts, our 2017 line-up almost seemed like a hard left turn. Fortunately, a few tricks were hidden from plain sight for a bigger payoff.
Tekno’s inclusion on NATIVELAND ’17 came as no surprise, being one of the most consistent Afropop artists since 2015. The SlimDaddy rocked NATIVE’s stage with some of his signature eccentric dance moves supported by two clone-like hype men. The highlight of his set, however, was a surprise appearance by DJ Cuppy, who joined Tekno to perform their collaboration, “Green light” to a rousing crowd reaction.
This set tone for a new atmosphere at NATIVELAND 2017, one where fans in attendance were only certain of having a good time, though it was nearly impossible to tell who was coming on stage when. The most unexpected guest performance perhaps was Odunsi bringing on Blackmagic for a miniset that infused the nostalgia of “Repete” into an already eventful night. As if to thank Odunsi for the generosity of sharing his set, Blackmagic was rewarded by the ecstatic audience that formed an active part of the set.
Mayorkun’s headlining set for NATIVELAND 2017 was a litmus test more or less for something bigger to come. After performing a few crowd pleasers off his growing discography including “Che Che” and sleeper hit, “Mama”, Mayorkun was no doubt having a great set until the DJ cut the beat and he began lip-synching “Agogo koro”. At first, the audience was startled by the singer’s choice to perform Davido’s “Like Dat”, but that was before loud screams tore through the night air as Davido himself bounced into the spotlight with a mic in hand. The crowd went nuts immediately, raging alongside the OBO as he gave a thrilling performance of the rest of the song and perhaps the coolest stage exit in the history of stage exits. First he asked the DJ to cut the beat, choosing to do an accapella encore of “FIA” instead, then the OBO simply dropped the mic and walked off the stage, with the audience chanting behind him.
Not3s’ performance followed, sustaining energy levels to preclude our special guest’s set. NATIVE had suspiciously obscured said special guest’s name from the promotions for NATIVELAND ’17. The move paid off exceedingly as energy levels hit an all-night high when Burna Boy was unveiled from the shadows. Burna’s set opened with “Pree Me”, easing into some of his more recent releases like “DeJa Vu” and“Streets of Africa”. Midway through his performance, the beat is cut and Burna asks the audience if he could bring on one of his “Brethrins”. The crowd cheered loudly once again, perhaps sensing that NATIVELAND still had a few more tricks for the night. As fans waited eagerly Burna to bring his ‘bretherin’ on stage, a cut of Wande Coal’s “Amorawa”, played for a few seconds, throwing off the crowd from Skepta’s sudden appearance on stage, out of nowhere. Together Burna and Skepta, performed “It Ain’t Safe” draining the crowd of much of whatever energy they had left.
Yxng Bane, Nonso Amadi and Maleek Berry were up next in that order. They got the late shift but the crowd remained active through their delightful sets. We may have been one time lucky with NATIVELAND 16, but luck had nothing to do with the success of NATIVELAND 17. This is just what we do. See you at NATIVELAND 18.
If you had thought the Dance video for Mr Eazi’s “Pour Me Water” would be the only video backing this song up, you’re wrong. Instead of allowing the record to fallow with a ‘vibes video’, a tag he had surreptitiously subtitled some of the videos off his Accra To Lagos mixtape with, Mr Eazi’s latest single, “Pour Me Water” gets a full video treatment.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcxxvZ_nt9C/
“Pour Me Water” doesn’t fall far from the kind of songs produced solely for mass consumption, so it’s not surprising that it resonates for many. Most people who have endured heartbreak understand how disorienting it feels on both physical and spiritual level. Playing like a sequel to his “Leg Over” chart topper. Mr Eazi conveys only necessary details, leaving enough room for listeners to fill the blanks on their own. Sonically, “Pour Me Water” is auspicious and also laid-back, thanks to the dulcet Afro-beat tunes produced by E- Kelly.
The visual seemingly aims for closure, and there’s a sense that the Prophet with a tank full of water [played by Eddie Kadi] the girls dancing in the room and the girl acting like a mannequin are all phases to healing.
Watch “Pour Me Water” below
” If you think Ifunanya is obsessed with Rihanna, Richard Bachman, and Joanne Rowling, then you’re absolutely right ” Tweet at her @Iphynaya
In the aftermath of Olamide’s OLIC4, fan reports have lauded the event as a well thought out first time trial for Olamide who has prides himself as being capable of pulling all of Lagos under one YBNL event. Olamide’s top level influence, however was not s ohhh to help the rapper’s actual desired goal: To sell out a stadium. Though the event was packed with a live and energetic audience (perhaps dues to the free energy drinks that were handed out during the show) in the centerfield, the stands were filled with only patches of people with a bulk of the seats left unoccupied. The longing question is how did Olamide beat down ticket prices, have Lagos state support and countless sponsorships on his roster, but still fail to completely shut down the Teslim Balogun stadium.
In a country like Nigeria, where events of such scale are a rarity or otherwise, packaged and delivered by corporations with a big marketing spend, a few things can be naturally fingered as the reason OLIC was not as successful as projected. One particular reason no one can ignore is the bad press that trailed Phyno’s Phyno Fest, a concert that held in Enugu a month earlier, with the same vision Baddo had for OLIC4. According to reports from fans who attended Phyno Fest this year, what would have been a smooth concert going experience was deterred by various claims of harassment, rape, robbery and assault. In fact, the claims were so severe that some of the victims were forced out of silence by Phyno’s seeming obliviousness to the atrocities that went on during his show.
The rapper finally took to social media yesterday to address the some of the concerns citing the availability of security forces as well as the arrest of a few who were found guilty of abhorrent behaviour at the venue. Phyno also assured that there are ongoing investigations to weed out the culprits. While all of the above sounds great, there was no comment from the rapper on reaching out to the victims nor did he apologize for the late response, even though news about the atrocities that took place started making social media rounds almost immediately after the concert.
Agreed, it might be unrelated to the fact that both Phyno and Olamide serve a relatively more indigenous crowd, but it was unsurprising that some of the bad press from Phyno Fest was reflected on OLIC4 on social media as the concert day inched closer.
Anybody arrested tonight by police On tha way to or at tha OLIC, Just know yo are on Yor Own o. No artistes will Coman bail yo. Y’all seen what Phyno has to say on tha rape allegations at his Concert!
They don’t care!😞😐
— أٓبِيمبَولا اَبِيؤوْ إِدْرِيْس (@HalaalBaller) December 17, 2017
With the increased rate of rape cases at open air festivals in Nigeria, please ladies going to olic don’t go unaccompanied.
After d rape cases reported at Phynofest & d willing inclusion of a SARS officer who supports violence against innocent citizens in OLIC….any woman who doesn't want trouble would avoid attending that concert.
Because large scale concert require public trust, artists need to show a better ability to manage the crowd while also availing security measures to protect fans who paid for a good time from experiencing the opposite of that. Phyno Fest 2017 is an indication of how far Nigerian concert organizers still have to go in terms of delivering a hitch free concert, so concerts like OLIC4, where an array of security forces from different departments were available for both crowd control and protection, do not get the brunt of concerts that did nought.
Featured Image Credits: pmnewsnigeria
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
