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
A journalist by training, Ehimenim is a lover of history, good books and Game of Thrones. For her, the real world is just another Westeros and everyone is a supporting character. Read and repeat is her motto. Give her a wave on Twitter@EAgweh.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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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
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Taking a cue from Falz’s, Peter Okoye , Reekado Banks and Olamide, who all dropped new material on their birthdays, Tekno has dropped a new song: “Only You” along with an accompanying video.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BczYaK_A6BH/
Directed by Patrick Elis, “Only You” is a 3-minute visual that weaves Tekno’s Afro dancehall musings through colorfully rendered scenes depicting friendship and love. The predominant idea of this video, just like the title is quite simple: It’s about a character who wants to be faithful , this is apparent as he goes “My girl, you’re the only one for me” on the mid-tempo tune.
However, seeing Tekno move around in a room full of girls , one would find this song contrasting with the central idea. But don’t be too quick to conclude because that’s the whole point of this: In a room full of girls, he can always single out the one for him.
Watch “Only You” below
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Barely days after Stonebwoy dropped his album “Epistles of Mama” he is treating fans to the visuals of “Hold on Yuh”. A track off this album.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcxt58lhoTi/
This laid back track plays like a promise between two lovers. With Khalia confidently dishing out some of the benefits that lie in store for Stonebwoy if he submits to her, singing, “Imma make ya feel like a winner when I put a hold on you”. Stonebwoy, for his part, cheers on his collaborator over the steady drum-led beat produced by Tony Kelly. The narrative is plain and simple. They both perform like a war has just been won and they’re the last royalties standing.
Set on a ruined temple somewhere in Jamaica and directed by Jay Parpworth, The video for “Hold On Yuh” is the perfect setting for Stonebwoy and Khalia to act like the only couple in the world. The lightning also emphasizes this motif, edited on a grey scale while the couple are adorned in soft colors.
Watch “Hold On Yuh” Below.
“Ifunanya can’t remember where she stole this bio from” Tweet at her @Iphynaya
Juls has grown to become one of the most influential Afropop producers in recent times. Since he helped Mr Eazi craft his sound for cross-over hit, “Skin Tight”, the UK based producer has debuted with his Leap of Faith EP and followed up with music videos for some of the more prominent tracks like “Early” and “After Six”. Though “Gwarn”featuring Burna Boy was among the tracks listed for Leap of Faith‘s 8th of May release date, we didn’t get the privilege to hear it till October. But with its feature on Juls’ latest EP, Ojekoo, and its short tracklist, we can assume it wasn’t an accident.
The 5-track project opens with “Agoro” featuring Adekunle Gold and Bisa Kdei. The combination of the Nigerian and Ghanaian highlife singers highlights Juls’ comfort with sounds originating from West Africa. The laidback guitar led harmonies he produces on the road-trip primed track sets the tone for the rest of the EP; easy listening lyrics that ride the beat’s feel-good vibe.
DJ Tunez, Siza and Moelogo team up on the next track, “Oshey”, a dance inclined love song complete with a footwork instructions; “Isale Ni Ijo Wa/ Oke Ni Ijo Wa”. Siza and Moelogo sing over the mellow percussions, synths, guitar riffs and trumpet harmonies that punctuate the Juls and DJ Tunez collaboration. Nonso Amadi assisted “Your Corner” is also pseudo-romantic as he sings “Girl You Got Me Wondering Why? Why You Dey On My Mind”. But as though channelling Craig David, his introspection never gets in the way of the club driven beats.
Juls’ knack for merging different sounds continues on “December”, featuring Culan Luke and Tay Iwar. The Reggae dancehall artist and the Nigerian Afro-soul singer combine to deliver a sultry Caribbean tinged Afropop number with mid-tempo drum riffs and percussions. Ojekoo ends at pre-released track, “Gwarn” which brings the EP to a brief, less than 20 minutes long listening time.
While Leap of Faith showed the many mutations that have occurred in Afropop over time, Ojekoo is less critical and far-reaching. Juls’ narrows down on the minimalist beat arrangements and its lightweight variations for a project you would wish had a longer runtime.
It may be too early to announce Nonso Amadi as Nigerian’s Prince of pop, on my way to work this morning, I received an email newsletter from ride-sharing service Taxify, announcing their support for the singer’s homecoming concert, an indicator more or less of the artist’s growing influence in the past two years. Following up his “Long Live The Queen”, the singer took to Instagram to announce a new single titled “Aika”, released with an accompanying lyric video.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcvFhCLBhsF/
Nonso Amadi is known for the guitar-heavy instrumentals, “Aika” tries to play like a standout. Opening with a drum key, but it eventually gets swallowed up by the guitar strums. Produced by the artist himself, “Aika” is about lost love. The kind that makes a sane person do stupid shit, but this artist doesn’t care “Call me disturbed or call me crazy , I don’t mind”. Singing about his willingness to accept the position as a second option, “I’ll take shifts with your man but I can’t keep track of time”.
Stream “Aika” on Soundcloud below
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Since his introduction to mainstream audience, Wande Coal’s releases seem to arrive without warning while resisting any narrative pegs. His last huge song, the summer driven “Iskaba” of late 2016, was rinsed and put on repeat all through this year despite Afropop’s year-long summer themed music releases. “Tur-Key Nla” has only been out a few days, but it already has the markings to make it 2017’s biggest christmas song with enough air to carry it well into next summer.
Dapiano produces the instrumentals for “Tur-Key Nla” with cascading synths and mesmerizing drum beats. Wande Coal reached deep into his array of vocal ranges and dishes out the beloved falsetto from his memorable outro on “Bumper To Bumper”. Interpolating “Iskaba” as adlib for the hook, Wande Coal is not above riding his own wave. But the familiar melody takes a new shape around the street savvy vocals; “Okayyy, Dengepose, Popone”.
Though the “Tur-Key Nla” title gives off Christmas vibes, Wande Coal makes sure to avoid such frivolities with lyrics fitting for any sort of turn up; It’s your classic pseudo-romantic song that’s raunchy in the way only Afropop stars can pull off without being insulting.
Listen to “Tur-Key Nla” below.
https://soundcloud.com/user-391678699/tur-key-nla
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/wandecoal
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Demons, we all have them. The addictions and insecurities we persistently try to subdue, but they always come back. Following “Mami Water” and “Lagos On My Mind”, PayBac has dropped a new track in anticipation of his debut album “The Biggest Tree”.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb40YcagoMb/
Imperfections, insecurities and flaws. Judging by the evidence of the third single off his album, PayBac’s life is more complicated than most. But on the song he juggles the vices just fine. Tackling the issue of accepting and integrating your flaws into something positive, yet the song feels perky. “Me and the greed, roll the weed and puff, The gluttony eating up at my thoughts“. But PayBac isn’t joking, his demons are actually friends “Dancing with my demon, One day I’ll be Fine”.
Produced by OG, there isn’t much going on with the synths, played up by drums and guitar melodies. However, it’s the virtuosity of the singer’s performance: his nimble melodic flow that makes this a great one from an artist, who uses truth telling as a tool on his songs.
Stream “Demons” on iTunes below
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The New Haervest Pop-up this weekend is one of few events this tightly packed holiday calendar that we’re really excited for. It’s unique mix of vintage clothing carefully curated clothing and great experimental music, all in an inclusive space. What’s not to love.
We tracked down Natalie Adeola Akingbaje, created the New Haervest idea and has carefully curated the offerings for this weekend’s shopping experience to pick her brain and find out everything we could about the pop-up, why she’s doing it and what we can expect this weekend.
It was amazing.
You could have chosen any name for your pop-up; how did you decide on New Haervest?
Well, we wanted the name to mean something, we wanted it to be powerful. So we waited for God to give us a name. For you to collect a harvest, you have to sow something, you have to work hard and invest to reap benefits. We want the people who are coming to the pop-up to feel like they’re coming to get something that has been invested in, and carefully worked on just for them. We wanted a timeless name that would transcend trends and fads and the kitschy influences of our time.
How do you think New Haervest intersects with the new ecosystem of fashion and music in Nigeria?
We as a team really feel like there is a new, up and coming generation of musicians, designers and audiences that need to be tapped into. You have youths listening to Afro-Swing from the UK, artists like JHus, Abra Kadabra, Burna Boy and Wizkid, all exploring new and different sounds. The success of these artists suggests that young people want to get into that new sound that takes inspiration from vintage music and aesthetics but puts its own spin on it. This is where New Haervest comes in; we want to create a scene where these artists to intersect with these audiences.
When I came to Nigeria in the summer, my nightlife seemed to compromise of the same kind of people, pushing the same kind of sound and aesthetic as the mainstream. People were getting denied entry to events for not looking a certain way and that didn’t sit well with me. So I decided to create a more inclusive space that encourages young people who want to experiment with fashion and music to do so. Anyone who follows fashion and music knows that musicians have to indulge in fashion as part of their brand aesthetic and many go on to become fashion icons. So it makes sense for us selling vintage pieces and engaging underground artists to play up both sides.
New Haervest is ultimately a safe space, for up and coming musicians, for outcasts, for the adventurous in fashion, music and life. We do not turn anyone away, provided what their personal choices do not harm anyone else.
You have a number of Nigerian artists performing at New Haervest. Why did you choose this specific crowd?
We chose some artists, but also some of the artists performing this year at New Haervest actually reached out to us, and chose us. When we were singling out our setlist, we listened to their music and tried as much as possible to choose artists who were experimenting with a fresh sound and a new aesthetic.
We have focused this much on diversity in sound and fashion choices because we want our crowd of Nigerians to adopt us as their safe space as the event and the team that understands them and provides the kind of entertainment that they want at this point in their lives and the merchandise to boot.
Who is New Haervest trying to reach with this pop-up?
We are trying to reach everyone. We know this sounds ambitious, but yeah, this is how big we think New Haervest can become. We want to reach all kinds of young people; the mainstream, the fringe guy/girl, the rebel. We are kind of done with scenes trying to reach a particular ‘somebody’.
We are here to get everyone into New Haervest.
We know there’s the Pop-Up and the performances, what else can we get excited for on the 16th?
It is very important to us to create a vibe, as a person who understand the true power of the right ambience and the right environment, I am excited for the opportunity to create one of my own. So more than anything else for us we want people to feel so comfortable around the crowd at New Haervest, that they are their true selves. So we are very excited for the networking opportunities and the new connections that everyone will make. We want people to leave the New Haervest pop-up with their phones full and hopeful for all the new possibilities that the connections they made will bring.
But of course, we’ll also have other activities, like a polaroid photo booth and a Henna stand, just little ways to have fun while you shop and jive to the music. We even have a live DJ, who we found ourselves on a night out in town. So its going to be really dope.
So why vintage? Everyone has a personal journey into fashion, what is yours?
I went to university in the UK in the city of Kent, and when I moved to London after I graduated, I was introduced to a lot of scenes, many of which expressed themselves through their dress. I enjoyed thrifting, because it was a cost effective way to find my own place as I explored myself through fashion. I am Nigerian, so much of you childhood and adolescence was very restricted, my parents had a very limiting point of view on how I should live my life and growing up and gaining some independence from them really allowed me come into this.
I got so into fashion that I began to study it, interning at Rocket Vintage.
Will we see more of New Haervest in 2018
Definitely. We really want to make New Haervest a movement. There are definitely going to be a lot more pop-ups in 2018 and we certainly want to take the New Haervest idea around Africa in 2018. We also want to invest in social good by crowdsourcing funding and creating spaces where young people can get involved in philanthropy.
If not anything else, next year will certainly be interesting for us.
What is it about Yemi Alade’s style that makes her the perfect companion for a commercial Afrobeat. Is it because she fluently delivers her verse no matter the language? Is it because her videos exalt the African culture in a sensual light? even Shell agrees she’s that good. From Nyanshiki to Sauti Sol and now South African duo Mafikizolo, Yemi has made her Afro dance collaborations a notable highlight of her career.
Directed by Garth Von Glehn, the central idea behind the “Ofana Nawe” video is simple: Designed for those who have no idea what house music is about but still want to dance. In action, however, a group of people are together in what looked like a house party, while Yemi Alade and Mafikizolo sing behind the screen to this excitement of the fashion-forward gathering. This video doesn’t get more African than the electric current cutting off halfway, partly ruining the fun. But the crowd carries on singing, With no instrumental accompaniment, because The. Party. Must. Go. On.
Watch “Ofana Nawe” below
“Ifunanya can’t remember where she stole this bio from” Tweet at her @Iphynaya
Sarz’s “Get Up” was a smash on impact after its release last year. Though the lead singer, Flash revels in relative anonymity, the Sarz produced beat made the single irresistible on dancefloors. Flash’s harmonious melody over the catchy beat helped make the pseudo-romantic club banger even more pleasing to the ears and yet no one knew what he looked like. Well it may have taken over a year, but we can finally see his face and his lines “The Only Time Wey You Dey See Me Na For TV” can come to life thanks to the video for “Get Up”. There could potentially be a ton of reasons for the late release of the video, but the colourful video with models, dancers and neon lighten could see the song go viral all over again.
Migos – MotorSport Feat. Nicki Minaj, Cardi B
Even before the release of the video, “MotorSport” had all the features of hip-hop pornography; Trap beat produced by Murda Beatz and CuBeatz, swanky chemistry between the Migos trio and a potential rap battle between Cardi B and Nicki Minaj. The video takes a futuristic theme which finds Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset decked out in racing gear, their blings and some foreign cars. But if you were hoping to see Cardi, “The Trap Selena”, square off with Nicki, you’ll be disappointed. Cardi performs in front of a red Ferrari while Offset sits in the driver’s seat. Nicki is shot in a sexy solo scene with a white Lamborghini before she is seen riding with Quavo. “MotorSport” is a pre-released single off the Culture II album expected to be released by January.
9ice – “Love You Like Kilode”
9ice had a great run this year thanks to “Living Things” off his Id Cabasa album released last year. The controversial song saw him reclaim some of his street credibility and even feature on one of the hottest songs on the streets in 2017—Junior Boy’s “Irapada 2.0”. The Alapomeji boss has released two new singles with videos; “Love You Like kilode” and “Tonight” with hopes that he continue to remain on airplay even next year. “Love You Like Kilode” is produced by Young John with synths, allowing 9ice show off his vocal range albeit aided by auto-tune. The video directed by Alexander The Great depicts the pseudo-romantic theme of the song as it shows 9ice singing to a love interest at a party where hot girls try to distract him.
Skepta – Ghost Ride Feat. A$AP Rocky, A$AP Nast
Skepta’s long -running bond with the A$AP Mob continues on “Ghost Ride” off the British rapper’s 6-track EP, Vicious. Skepta featured on the American rap group’s Cozy Tapes Vol. 1 and had A$AP Nast on his “Ladies Hit Squad” single. “Ghost Ride” is his third collaboration with the group and he takes them through grime’s hardcore rap niceties; Liquor, violence, and crime. The helter-skelter clip mashes static, smoke and distorted imagery over shots of the trio in the streets performing the song. Images of skulls, gunshots, and skeletons pop out unexpectedly for off-kilter effect.
Phyno – Obiagu
The only criticism for Phyno’s Playmaker album was that he sang a few notes too many and rode the Afropop wave a little too hard. Though there were tracks like MI and Burna Boy assisted “Link Up” that showed he can still step in a booth and spit intense bars with top Nigerian rap acts. The highlife direction the album took seemed like a way to reinforce his local support in the eastern parts, and “Obiagu” did just that. For the video, Phyno takes to the streets and shows just how popular he is with shots of people donning his Obiagu shirts on the streets. He performs the song in Igbo with chant flow that could easy be mistaken for rapping but the indigenous drums and flute harmonies say otherwise.
Alita: Battle Angel Trailer
James Cameron has been been trying to get a movie adaptation of the “Alita: Battle Angel” anime since as far back as the early 2000 and he seems to have gotten his wish. The first look we are getting of the movie shows that his patience may prove to be worth it given the advanced technology that allows him portray what might be the best anime adaptation movie. The special effect portrays the titular Alita, a cyborg warrior, with big eyes—a trademark for many manga and anime classics—and it’s a decent enough look. However, next to the normal sized human heads, some have criticized the eyes for it’s odd look in the live-action film populated with live-action human beings.
Featured Image Credits: YouTube/SKEPTA
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
Following last year’s electric premier edition featuring J Hus, Skepta, Burna Boy and many others, NATIVE has worked tirelessly through the past 12 months to top that success. This year, NATIVE is setting up not one, but two stages to showcase what we hope would be the most diverse setlist ever put on a festival, on this side of the setting sun.
NATIVELAND 2017 is coming to Muri Okunola Park on the 22nd of December and it promises a more inclusive experience with your best selection of food vendors and festival gear. We’ll be announcing our headliners in the coming days as well as ticketing options.
Skepta performing at NativeLand
Watch this space for more information.
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
Burna Boy has steadied his deck with a row of releases ahead of his upcoming Outside mixtape, expected in early 2018. “Sekkle Down”, his latest single and collaboration with JHus, follows “Koni Baje” and “Streets of Africa”, two singles the singer has rolled-oui in the last four weeks.
“Sekkle Down” is produced by Jae5, who has been responsible for much of J Hus’s summer debut, Common Sense. Speaking on the collaboration on Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 radio show where he premiered the song, Burna expressly declared his appreciation for J Hus and his music. The Afro-fusion singer also talked about his upcoming project and working with British singer, Lily Allen.
“Sekkle Down” is easily another one of Burna’s signature slow-whine minimalism. J Hus brings some of that effortless but reassured common sense, in a manner that compels you to consider giving his debut album another listen.
Stream Burna Boy and J Hus on “Sekkle Down” via Apple Music
Fisayo is a journalist who thinks writing is hard and reading too. But her journey somewhere reveals, words are like pawns on chessboard when writing. She wants to see, create and share with the world, experience & communicate these experiences. Tweet at her @fisvyo
Switching positions or careers is an unavoidable occurrence for every human. Even the strongest of us can’t turn away “change” when it comes knocking. Just ask Okuneye Idris aka Bobrisky, who couldn’t resist stepping outside his “Internet Sensation” status to tap into the movie and music industry. While there is still no official release date for when we get to see Bobrisky the movie star, Bobrisky the singer is already a reality. Thanks to a feature on Mr Shaa’s “Barbie”.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BccHTcHDQwR/
“Barbie” is interesting the same way a friend getting a really bad hair cut is interesting: you’re shocked but still gotta look them in the eye and deal with it.
Five seconds in, you can tell Mr Shaa is not a very good singer and his inarticulate lyrics makes it hard for us to pin point what direction his verse is headed. With the hausa grounded in his ‘’Wakiya kiya, Maza Maza” and an interlude that curls into awkward Davido impersonation, it’s apparent even he (Mr Shaa) has no inkling where this entire song is headed. It’s tough to guess the motives of someone who commissions Bobrisky to wedge painfully out-of-rhythm skits in between a song about wanting a fake life.
Stream “Barbie” at your own peril
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