6 videos you need to see this week

Posted on by The Native

Wizkid – “Ojuelegba Performance” at The Royal Albert Hall London

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hdcb0AeQ6g

Wizkid’s accomplishments are the things dreams are made of; from his Superstar debut to his SFTOS international debut, the singer has left behind a trail of successes that guarantee he’ll be a tough act to follow. But despite his stellar achievements—including a feature on Billboard’s #1 spot—he still finds new ways to impress,  the latest being his sold-out concert at Royal Albert Hall London. Credited as the first African Artist out of Africa to ever sell out the venue, he performed “Ojuelegba” which he referred to as “The Official African National Anthem”. Debateable though that might be, it’s hard to argue against Wizkid’s international claim and appeal.

Flavour – Nnekata

Flavour’s Ijele The Traveler album showed his ability to delicately balance traditional sounds with the contemporary Afropop trends. Compared to tracks like “Sake Of Love”, “Nnekata” listens like a travel through time and the recently released video directed by Nollywood director Tchidi Chikere continues with that premise. Flavour plays suitor in a the video that with the right filters, will fit into any classic Igbo film from the 90’s.

Maroon 5 – What Lovers Do Feat. SZA

Since CTRL‘s debuted at #3 on Billboard 200 back in June and helped her score her first platinum hit with “Love Galore”, the buzz surrounding SZA is yet to cool off. And with her recent feature on Lorde’s “Homemade Dynamite Remix” and Maroon 5’s new single, “What Lovers DO”, it will probably be awhile before it does. The video for “What Lovers Do” is set in a fantasy-filled world where Adam Levine and SZA go on a magical adventure, running through a field and encountering sunflowers and animals that sing, sparkly butterflies, dinosaurs, zero gravity, mermaids and other otherworldly things. The adventures however end with a badly hurt Adam Levine who has to be treated by SZA in a nurse uniform.

Shatta Wale – Haters Feat. Mr Eazi

Contrary to what Mr Eazi’s most recent twitter trend will have you believe, he’s still the most convenient bridge between Ghana and Nigeria’s metaphorical music borders. After featuring on Kcee’s Attention To Details project released a few weeks ago, Shatta Wale is fully accessing the Nigerian market with his new single, “Haters” featuring Mr Eazi. The adjoining video ushers Mr Eazi into Shatta Wale’s pseudo-violent universe on the Afropop song dedicated to their haters.

Vic Mensa – Rolling Like A Stoner

Off Vic Mensa’s The Autobiography debut album, “Rolling Like A Stoner” asides making known his anti-social tendencies, emphasizes a rockstar lifestyle that his self directed video also builds on. Set on a stage that cinematically transforms from driving, biking, flying among the stars and bedroom scenes, he uses symbolic imageries to represent the reckless abandon. The trippy video ends with a staged suicide when Vic falls into a seemingly empty pit.

R2Bees – Over

Just 2 weeks after releasing “Plantain Chip”, R2Bees surprised fans with a new single, “Over”. Though “Plantain Chips” leaned heavily on the Hip-hop sound, “Over” sees the duo return to Afropop’s dancehall flirtation—even Paedae who is more known for being a rapper sings through his lines. The video directed by Patrick Ellis follows the song’s breakup narrative and shows Paedae getting dumped by his love interest.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/wizkidayo

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Watch Darkness and sex come to play in Burna Boy’s video for “Rock Your Body”

See a list of MTV EMA nominees

Posted on by The Native

It’s almost that time of the year again when artists begin to count their losses and successes for the year. MTV EMA can add that extra distinction and the list of nominees have finally out, along with a venue, the show’s host and date. Rita Ora will be in charge of the ceremony expected to hold on the 12th of December at London’s SSE Arena, Wembley.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZkFaOwAvuP/?taken-by=mtvema

See the full list of nominees below.

BEST AFRICAN ACT
Babes Wodumo – South Africa
C4 Pedro – Angola
Davido – Nigeria
Nasty C – South Africa
Nyashinski – Kenya
WizKid – Nigeria

Best UK Act
Dua Lipa
Ed Sheeran
Little Mix
Stormzy
Louis Tomlinson

BEST SONG
Clean Bandit – Rockabye ft. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie
DJ Khaled – Wild Thoughts ft. Rihanna, Bryson Tiller
Ed Sheeran – Shape of You
Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee – Despacito (Remix) ft. Justin Bieber
Shawn Mendes – There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back

BEST ARTIST
Ariana Grande
Ed Sheeran
Kendrick Lamar
Miley Cyrus
Shawn Mendes
Taylor Swift

BEST LOOK
Dua Lipa
Harry Styles
Rita Ora
Taylor Swift
ZAYN

BEST NEW
Dua Lipa
Julia Michaels
Khalid
KYLE
Rag’n’Bone Man

BEST POP
Camila Cabello
Demi Lovato
Miley Cyrus
Shawn Mendes
Taylor Swift

BEST VIDEO
Foo Fighters – Run
Katy Perry – Bon Appétit ft. Migos
Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE.
KYLE – iSpy ft. Lil Yachty
Taylor Swift – Look What You Made Me Do

BEST LIVE
Bruno Mars
Coldplay
Ed Sheeran
Eminem
U2

BEST ELECTRONIC
Calvin Harris
David Guetta
Major Lazer
Martin Garrix
The Chainsmokers

BEST ROCK
Coldplay
Foo Fighters
Royal Blood
The Killers
U2

BEST HIP HOP
Drake
Eminem
Future
Kendrick Lamar
Post Malone

BEST ALTERNATIVE
Imagine Dragons
Lana Del Rey
Lorde
The xx
Thirty Seconds To Mars

BIGGEST FANS
Ariana Grande
Justin Bieber
Katy Perry
Shawn Mendes
Taylor Swift

BEST PUSH
Hailee Steinfeld
Jon Bellion
Julia Michaels
Kacy Hill
Khalid
KYLE
Noah Cyrus
Petite Meller
Rag’n’Bone Man
SZA
The Head And The Heart

BEST WORLD STAGE
Steve Aoki – Live from Isle of MTV Malta 2016
Kings of Leon – Live from Oude Luxor Theatre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 2016
Tomorrowland 2017
DNCE – Live from Isle of MTV Malta 2017
The Chainsmokers – Live from Isle of MTV Malta 2017
Foo Fighters – Live from Barcelona, Spain 2017

 

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And here is why Wizkid and Davido won’t have a face off

Best New Music: Jeff Akoh’s “Shokolokobangoshe” satire and showmanship all wrapped in a neat package

Posted on by The Native

If there’s anything that the churn that is Nigeria’s slew of music themed reality shows have done for our industry’s  pool of extra-talented upstarts, is providing them a ready made fan base. It certainly did for 20 year old Jeff Akoh, whose bubble gum pop affectations and excellent voice catapulted straight to the top of 2015’s Project Fame Cycle and helped him winning the damn thing. We worried for a while that he would fall to the wayside like of the ex-Project Fame finalists who either fall off entirely or end up with middling careers that never go anywhere. But in February 2017, Akoh signed with the newly established talent management firm, Temple Management Company, as one of their flagship artists alongside Big Brother Nigeria’s Bisola and Iyanya.

In September Jeff Akoh released “Water and Fire”, his debut single under TMC and the first from his upcoming album Lokoja (to be released late October). Even with a feature from agency mate Bisola didn’t do much to help the single top mainstream charts, so it’s an interesting twist that Akoh has chosen “Shokolokobangoshe” as his second single.

It is rare to see an artist, especially a Nigerian popstar find a way to marry satire, self awareness and feel good pop and present it in a non-threatening way. With a pop instrumental that shifts into afrobeats and a riff that segues into trap, Akoh craftily shows us just how versatile he can be as an artist and how easily he can crossover between genres while expressing his dismay at an industry that forces artists to shrink themselves into the tiny mold of success that Afrobeats has become. “Shokolokobangoshe” has a relentless pulse that carries no matter when Akoh takes the song and his hooks are earworms that will have you humming along before the song is over.

Akoh is destined for the big leagues and we hope he doesn’t have to eat his words and “Shokolokobangoshe” his way there.

Listen to “Shokolokobangoshe” here.

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Danagog tags Davido and Mayorkun for “Bambiala”

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Danagog came into the year with a mixtape, Datway Playlist Of 7 showing off the extent of his network in the Nigerian soundscape with his guest features. The 7-track playlist boasts of contributions from artists like Burna Boy, Davido, Stonebwoy and Mayorkun. And though his latest offering, ” Bambiala” doesn’t expand his list of A-list features, it flaunts Davido’s endorsement of former HKN label and its affiliation with his DMW through Mayorkun’s feature.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZjwkxTFl5L/?hl=en&taken-by=danagoghkn

Produced by Fresh, “Bambiala” is a mid-tempo Afropop number with flute samples, synths, piano harmonies and drums. Danagog takes the first verse and chorus, setting the pace for the rest of the song. He explores Afropop’s dancefloor antics as he sings of a love that’s so sweet, it’s unhealthy. Mayorkun and Davido come in on the second and third verse respectively giving the song more attitude and perspective.

Listen to “Bambiala” below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/danagoghkn

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: Yonda and Mayorkun’s “Bad Girl Riri” is not the Rihanna tribute we expected

JazzZ and Myme give us warm fuzzy love on new single, “You”

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Soul music has always concerned itself with the heartfelt and the passionate and JazzZ Atta has long been an advocate for Soulful Music-as-fairytale romance. Her recently released EP, Practice contained tracks like “Sugar” that portrays love as a fantasy but just three months into the tape’s release, she’s already working on a new one; this time with a producer, Myme. The first single from the Made In Lagos project, “You” continues JazzZ’s soulful and dreamy discography with her romantic narrative over the somber instrumentals.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZk9JTZnTbr/?taken-by=whobejazzz

Myme produces the piano-led single with jazz guitar chords and a handful of synth loops and samples. But it’s JazzZ’s vocals that steals the show as she embraces the expressiveness of Alicia Keys and Jamila Woods at her most atmospheric and reflective. Her lyrics are upfront about her restrictions and rough spots; “There’s Not Much I Can Do/ Don’t Know How To Rock Heels With Great Flair”. However, the honesty helps magnify the love she confesses for her muse.

The combination between JazzZ and Myme’s production listens like a sonic representation of fuzzy love with the somber percussion that humbly underpins the haunting drama of JazzZ’s performance. Though JazzZ is still at the beginning of her career, “You” points to great things ahead.

Stream “You” below.

https://soundcloud.com/madeinlagos/you

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/whobejazzz

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Revisit: Adomaa muses on love gone wrong on “Gone”

Listen to DJ Dimplez’s “What A Night” featuring Tellaman and Kwesta

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Earlier this year, DJ Dimplez featured Ice Prince, Reason and Royal Empire on “Fuck Up Your Day” before collaborating with  Maraza and Red Button for “Usabani”. His latest single, “What A Night” sees him team up with South African singer, Tellaman and rapper, Kwesta for a soulful trap number.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZk6_PuFm-F/?hl=en&taken-by=djdimplez

Over the fusion of synths and flute harmonies and throbbing bass drums, Tellaman recounts the details of a particularly eventful and glamorous night on “What A Night”. He sings with a Drake-like confidence as he stunts on his “haters” with brags and promises that he’ll “Do It All Again”. Kwesta shows up on the last verse which though doesn’t continue in the reporting narrative of Telleman’s hook, is gutsy enough to leave a sense of camaraderie between them.

Listen to “What A Night” below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/djdimplez

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

Revist: Nasty C’s “Bad Hair” shortfilm

Soul takes his love triangle to the extreme on “Bermuda”

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The raw emotions described in love songs  are both relatable and aspirational but usually, it’s the angst-filled ballads that captivate those who have watched love leave as it often does. If painfully doomed romance is its own genre, Soul rehabilitates it on his latest single, “Bermuda” following a similar fated “Space Girl” released earlier this month.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZhNJlsjFwh/?taken-by=soul_blacksheep

However, unlike  “Space Girl” featuring Rock, “Bermuda” finds Soul taking a more assertive posture towards his fading romance. He lucidly dissects the love triangle between himself, his love interest and her partner over a somber synth-heavy instrumental that slips into dreamscape territories with the waterfall samples and laidback drum riffs. The lyrics, “Can’t Be Wrong To Fight For Love” shows a boy no longer satisfied being in the friendzone and is ready to do anything—including murder—to get out of it.

 

Stream Soul’s “Bermuda” below.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/soul_blacksheep

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ICYMI: Listen to “Space Girl” by Soul and Rock

Iyanya summons up all our lost famed heroes for “Not Forgotten” featuring Poe

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Iyanya has been on a steady row releasing videos off his Signature EP released in April. The last time Iyanya released a video for a track off his EP was for “Bow for You” on the 8th of this month. More noteworthy however, is the last time Iyanya saw his mum, 7 years ago. He partly dedicates his song “Not Forgotten” to her, his personal heroine and to all the fallen heroes of our time. For this, Iyanya teams up with Director Ogo Okpue who has been directing his other videos as well, and it now feels like a long-term partnership. And a good one at that, as each video constantly delivers, falling creatively far-away from the previous. For “Not Forgotten”, they create an ideal scene to capture the sombreness of the track, with an ethereal scenery that’s framed with picture frames of popular late Nigerian media industry stars —both the movie and music sector.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZn-kEVgPFZ/?taken-by=iyanya

“Not Forgotten” is reflective and it’s the sort of song artists spend years trying to write —pained and poised— tapping into a vein that’s definitely there but difficult to find and pierce. As Ladipoe aptly puts it “he was scared to jump on this song cause I thought I didn’t have the words, when you speak about the pain is when you realise how much it hurts”. It’s a stretch of introspective thinking and this video captures the depth with which people will feel the song, remembering those that Iyanya and Ogo prompt us to with texts that reads Fela Anikulapo Kuti, pictures of late Eagles coach Stephen Keshi, artists Dagrin, Nomoreloss, OJB Jezreel, famed Nollywood Producer Amaka Igwe and Veteran actors Ma Bimbo Ajayi and Justus Esiri who all told the story of a generation, and indeed, “Not Forgotten” summons up our own loved ones too.

The song shows its full, swollen-hearted height when Iyanya recalls a conversation in 2010, touching a picture of his mum on the wall while a heart to heart conversation of an acting young Iyanya and his mum are shown.

Watch the video for Iyanya’s “Not Forgotten” featuring his fellow label mate, Poe below.

Featured Image Credit: Youtube/Mavinrecords “Not Forgotten”

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ICYMI: HERE ARE ALL THE ESSENTIALS FROM IYANYA’S ‘SIGNATURE’ EP

Darkness and sex come to play in Burna Boy’s “Rock Your Body” video

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Over and Over again, Burna Boy careens past his music peers and social convention. “Rock Your Body” had been the perfect soundtrack for the club after Burna released it in May. He had put to halt the follow up video a while back but he’s finally released it for public viewing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZmHYvQnKF8/?taken-by=burnaboygram

The backbone of his new video mines the psyches of people through sexual and horror-movie-esque scenes that can unlock a new part of the brain. With scenes that have a girl in a bloodbath, men and (barely dressed) women with Vampire eyes, it calls to mind humanity’s sexual fantasies, thoughts and perhaps nightmares and fears. The hallmark of a great pop song is its ability to inflate the most unassuming feelings into towering sound. And Burna Boy achieves this through the video along with his singing and Juls production —which are perhaps the only two things relaxing the listener here. The video opens with bronze skulls and two men opening doors with faces that suggest the presence of danger and it ends with Burna seated in the confines of a cautionary tape, two girls guarding him, making “Rock Your Body” the ideal soundtrack for the scene Burna sets from the beginning —a reckless Sanctum club for would be Christian Greys and well-heeled females looking to cross boundaries.

Check it out below.

Featured Image Credit: Youtube/BurnaBoyVevo “Rock Your Body”

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ICYMI: BEST NEW MUSIC: WITH “ROCK YOUR BODY” BURNA BOY PROVES THERE’S NO GENRE HE CAN’T OWN.

Dammy recreates arrest and trials in “Prayer” music video

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Just as we weren’t certain how much of the rumour mill concerning Dammy Krane’s arrest back in June was true and how much wasn’t, his recently released video continues with the mystic. Released last month, “Prayer” carries optimism within, a jubilant cry from prison following a temporary acquittal from fraud charges made laid against him by TapJets, a private airline company.

Over beats heavily influenced by Afrobeat, Dammy Krane shows his gratitude towards family, friends and fans who stood with him through his trials. His defence was strong enough to ensure he walked away from the scandal with nothing more than a stain on his reputation and as it turns out, the perfect backstory to play the victim.

The video directed by Ola Faronbi tries to recreate Dammy Krane’s arrest and cross-question in a cinematic light. Backed with videos shot while in the supposed TapJet aircraft and tough looking cops, the video for “Prayer” is a highlights some of the hardship Dammy Krane went through.

You can watch the video below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Usual Suspekt TV

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ICYMI: Listen to Dammy Krane’s “Prayer” from jail

Maleek Berry comes through with “Magic” medley

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Unsurprisingly, music as an art form takes inspiration from life as much as itself. For Afropop which often infuses pop elements, it makes sense that some of the finest acts will pay homage to their counterparts from around the world. Maleek Berry’s latest serving from the beautiful Bali island of Indonesia, fuses some of the best local and international hits into a medley aptly titled, “Magic”.

Mashing Coldplay’s “Magic” with Wande Coal’s “Super Woman” and Mario’s “Let Me Love You” to form a comprehensive whole, he pays tribute to the songs which he confesses are “Some Of (His) Favorite Songs”. Over the mid-tempo atmospheric percussion and classic boom-bap drum riffs, he harmonizes all three songs expertly. Save for the slight language change during his Wande Coal cover, Maleek Berry seamlessly transitions between the three songs.

You can stream “Magic” below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/maleekberry

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: Go behind the scenes with Maleek Berry on Tidal short film, “Where I Come From”

Nonso Amadi’s “Long Live The Queen” expands his famed discography

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Given that each genre has its own nearly infinite potential, genre-bending takes talent, skill and ambition to experiment with unfamiliar genres. Fortunately, Nonso Amadi has proven to have all it takes and then some as he pulls off a monumental cross from acoustic R&B to EDM on his latest single, “Long Live The Queen”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZkHhGFBAdr/?taken-by=nonsoamadi

While the guitar-heavy instrumentals aren’t new on Nonso Amadi releases, the lyrics are a lot more weighted. The mellow tune that the single opens with reflects the numbing feelings of being lonely and despite words like “I Never Loved You” ringing through the course of the song, the tempo remains somber for the most part of the song.

Synths give “Long Live The Queen” a much needed upbeat atmosphere that forces the song into EDM’s groovy soundscape. Though the bass drop doesn’t come till the latter part, it’s fun enough to be worth the wait. You can stream Nonso Amadi’s latest single below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/nonsoamadi

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Hear Nonso Amadi’s refix of Daramola’s “Traffic”

Watch Davolee venture further into street pop in “Cirocing” video

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Judging by the success of Lil Kesh under YBNL, Davolee was presented with big shoes to fill after being advertised as the new future of Olamide’s street dominance. And though most self-proclaimed music analysts criticised Olamide for letting Lil Kesh off the label, Davolee’s impressive “Festival Bar” debut vindicated the move. “Festival Bar” is sold with storytelling that sets Davolee apart from Lil Kesh who like him, raps in Yoruba but is fixated on danceable melodies to bother with expanding conceptual plots.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZQY7rzD8aS/?hl=en&taken-by=eminidavolee

Davolee’s follow-up single, “Cirocing” however levels the playing field as he explores the dancehall wave over an upbeat tempo produced by  Young John. The club inclined number is a dancefloor ode to drinking and Davolee’s slurpy vocals accentuates the fact. It’s hard to imagine “Cirocing” becoming a staple for karaoke singalong sessions in the club but the melody is repetitive enough to be catchy.

And while there’s a chance it could grow on listeners, the lack of any memorable line hurts the song’s replay value—a negligence Lil Kesh ironically won’t commit. The recently released video highlights the song’s dance motif as Unlimited LA directs the video featuring energetic dance performance on a YBNL platform.

Watch the video below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Davolee

This post was been updated for the music video.

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

Listen to Davolee’s cimenatic story about “Festival Bar”

South African Actress, Thuso Mbedu becomes International Emmy Awards nominee

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Because Emmy Awards are given in different sectors of the American television industry, they are presented in different annual ceremonies held throughout the year. The just-concluded Emmys that happened about two weeks ago (Where Donald Glover and Lena Waithe bagged awards) is presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. While the one South African Actress, Thuso Mbedu has been nominated for is presented by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The International Emmys, which annually takes place in November, are awarded for excellence in TV programming produced and initially aired outside the United States.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZi0OJRDn86/?taken-by=thuso.mbedu

The International Emmy Awards will take place in New York, where it has been held in the past years and the nominations, announced on Wednesday afternoon, spans 18 countries. The 26-year-old actress Thuso Mbedu, is a nominee for the “best performance by an actress” category for her sassy teenage role as ‘Winnie’ in Mzansi Magic drama series, Isthunzi. She’s the only one nominated from Africa, this is her first serious acting gig, her first Emmy nomination and hopefully be a first win too. She took Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to show gratitude to her cast and crew, and Mzansi Magic channel for the opportunity and support.

She’s already considered a heroine by many and will compete against Brazilian actress, Adriana Esteves, British star, Anna Friel and German star, Sonja Gerhardt for the same category.

You can check out the full list of other nominees here.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/thuso.mbedu

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

ICYMI: BETWEEN TRAVIS SCOTT AND CHIEF KEEF: A STORY OF A CONCERT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Major League’s video for “Do Better” is mushy just how you like it

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Released back in April, South African duo Major League DJz’s “Do Better” was colorful and romantic thanks to guest verses from Patoranking and South African artists, Riky Rick and Kly. The recently released video also emphasizes these attributes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZX3j7ngo8C/?hl=en&taken-by=majorleaguedjz

Studio Space Pictures directs the video set at a party. The Major League twins Bandile and Banele, and their collaborators, Kly, Patoranking and Riky Rick feature in the party as guest but don’t play lead roles in the video. The starring actors do all the acting—as they should—to enunciate the song’s theme of following your heart. And though lyrics like, “I Ain’t A Player, I Just Crush A Lot” are hard to sell, the video showing the protagonist comforting his heartbroken love interest is almost convincing.

Watch the video for “Do Better” below.

Featured image Credits: YouTube/MajorLeaguedjz

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

Watch Iyanya propose to his lover in video for “Bow For You”

Essentials: Abstrakt is doing the radio friendly thing on his debut EP, ‘Radio Irregular’

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Competition accelerates innovation, especially with hip-hop where clashing egos occasionally spark flares of beef. The ‘game’, as rappers like to call it is ingrained in this motif; to be the next chart topper, outbest the most acclaimed lyricists, or tip into the hall of fame for sound progression. Funnily we can’t all be Kendrick Lamar, or Kanye West and in search of this ‘iconic’ factor to immortalise their legacy, rappers often combine a range of elements, sometimes even veering into the obscure and complex. Perhaps this is why self-proclaimed “King of The New School”, Abstrakt opts for simplicity instead, diving into the bottomless wellspring of dance and pop rhythms for an ironically titled Radio Irregular debut EP. The resulting 7-track offering gives us a multilayered hip-hop tape that despite the EP’s title, will fit right into any radio playlist—Afropop, Afrobeat, House, Trap, Rap.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY_W_schNlS/?taken-by=kingabstrakt

The opening track, “Fela Rap” featuring Otex establishes the hip-hop outlook of the tape and allows Abstrakt explore his braggadocious rapping to battle rap heights. Despite their aggressive insults and subliminals to competition over the hard-hitting base drums and electric guitar riffs that Tochi Bedford produces, they manage to avoid friendly fire.

“Angelica”, the second track finds Abstrakt abruptly switching to the groovy AfroHouse genre for a club driven number. Donny Ace produces the uptempo track with expanding and looped synth backdrops that play over the mixture of South African House music drums and horns to get dancefloors rocking even before Abstrakt’s “Start To Jinga/ Fire The Speaker/ Now Dance/ I Never Dance/” encourages listeners.

With features from Tochi Bedford and Hvas x, Abstrakt’s Radio Irregular EP turns towards Trap’s spacious synths and heavy bassdrums. Their energetic and showy vocals are playful but rather than undermine their brags, it only emphasizes their confidence. “Lagos Girls” also adds to Abstrakt’s Trap discography.

“Givvam”, a pre-released single from last year already hinted at Abstrakt’s tendency to follow the Afropop route that helped turn YCee into the superstar Jagaban that he is today. But the mid-tempo “She Wanna Dance/ U-I-WANT” embraces Afropop’s lightweight vibe more holistically.  “She Wanna Dance” has a Falz type comical narrative on pretentious good looking girls over Afropop’s piano-led harmonies before branching out to neo-R&B territories thanks to TYGM’s production.

However, final track, “2 Am Picaresque” produced by Tochi Bedford places Abstrakt back firmly within hip-hop regions with samples from Kendrick’s Good Kid M.A.A.D City. The “Sing About Me” sample allows him to focus on rapping as he delivers introspective storytelling and rhythmic bars that detail his hunger. The warm, sample-heavy production backs up his self-conscious lyrics as he tries to appeal to both mainstream and underground audiences.

Stream Radio Irregular below.

https://soundcloud.com/kingabstrakt/sets/radio-irregular

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/kingabstrakt

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

Watch Falz and YCee team up for “Something Light”

If you wanted an edit button or a harassment-free Twitter, this new update is your undeserved shove it

Posted on by The Native

There’s no briefer way of expressing thoughts on any social platform than Twitter, making more matter with less; more substance, less rhetoric. And of course, helping people fire quick witted shots at others too. But for the first time in history, the corporation announced yesterday (Tuesday) that its changing character count for tweets —from 140 characters to 280 characters. Essentially, tweets won’t have to be as clever anymore, rant threads would become clunky paragraphs, attention span will depreciate even more, and the world will come to an end.

In the beginning, the 140 tweet limit had resulted from text messaging. SMS messages are limited to 160 characters before they’re split in two texts. This was part of Twitter’s founding idea, to be able to fit tweets aptly into a text message —140 characters for the tweet, and 20 characters for the username. As usual, this is still the testing period. This new change for its character limit will include only those who tweet in certain languages, including English, Portuguese and Spanish. Primarily because Twitter character counts is more of a problem for some users in specific languages.

Twitter explained in a blog post that in Japanese, Korean and Chinese, people can convey twice as much information as languages like English and Spanish. Tweets sent in Japanese use 140 characters just 0.4% of the time, while English-language tweets hit 140 characters 9% of the time. Only a small group of people will get the new limit before Twitter launches it to everyone. But all users will be able to see longer tweets.

People will definitely embrace the change but not without some reactions first.

https://twitter.com/AdamNFleming/status/912976168839761921

While some are even complaining that the new change is very trivial to what the service should actually be looking forward to. Like adding an edit button!

https://twitter.com/BillionTwiTs/status/912975528847724544

https://twitter.com/NightfallGloam/status/912974330069315584

https://twitter.com/rogue_kvng/status/912973850559881216

Users may also argue Twitter should focus more on the harassment and abuse, despite the company’s efforts to better police it. Last year, the media was flooded with a slew of think-pieces claiming Twitter had a troll problem. But Twitter’s problem really is abuse. Abuse of free Speech. Somewhere in America, where many have called on Twitter to address the President Donald Trump’s use of the platform:

https://twitter.com/Impeach_D_Trump/status/912977615803355136

All this is privy to our think piece, which we wrote earlier in August, the coolness of Twitter is now in the past and the bird is on its way out. You should absolutely read it here.

Featured Image Credit: Debola Abimbolu/@Debola_abimbolu

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

ICYMI: INSTAGRAM MAY BE ABOUT TO RUIN YOUR PERSONAL FEED FOREVER

Go My Way Will Go On No More

Posted on by The Native

What’s happening to the world? Maybe when that person had claimed it will end on September 23rd what the person really meant was there will be changes on Instagram, Twitter and now Go My Way, that may lead to their extinction.  GoMyWay, a trusted ridesharing community that triumphed way before the Uber you know in Nigeria today will sadly be going out of business, the CEO announced in an email to all users today morning. 2 years ago, GoMyWay was established by clever entrepreneurs with support from influential tech VIPs; Konga’s CEO, Sim Shagaya, CcHub and ex-Amazon executive, Bill Paladino to “connect travelers with drivers who have spare seats to share”. Smart right?

GoMyWay focused on city to city transport though also piloted for intra-city daily commute too. In an interview with Techcabal same year it launched (2015), Damilola Teidi, the CEO of the founding management had said they “are building the new African rail network…except [they] are doing it on roads” and we believe it.”

As its said by those experienced wise who sometimes speak with a gravity beyond their years, ‘a business without a funding source will flounder under the weight of its own debt’. Now it’s unfortunate that just this morning it’s the same Damilola, front-man and mouth piece of the founding management, who had to carry the burden to write the long email on behalf of the company, announcing that they are closing down. In the email, Damilola writes “We went from less than 1000 members in the first few months to 12,000+ members; 106,630 rides offered and rides shared across 16 states. However, it does take a lot of resources to run this business and the initial plan was no longer sustainable. The Shareholders/Investors came to a conclusion to shut down operations and close the business as there were no funds to invest further.”

Savings capital in funds is used to finance companies’ investments. And GoMyWay sure had this from the beginning but it appears they’ve lost it. Companies need capital to develop and by issuing shares or corporate bonds, they enable investments that allow the companies to invest in innovation and development for long-term profitability. They had a good understanding of their market and competitors too but their rivals have surpassed them.

To end the email, Damilola says kindly, “it would be unfair to leave you and other users hanging with no alternative; so, if you are resident in Lagos and in need of an affordable ride to/from work, please check out the guys at Shuttlers who run an affordable shuttle service for professionals. If interested, fill out their form.”

Featured Image Credit: gomyway . com

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

ICYMI: HERE’S SOME GOOD NEWS, MAX GO SWEARS THEY HAVE THE SOLUTION TO BEATING LAGOS TRAFFIC

Sute Iwar’s “Girl Like You” continues his exploration of 90’s hiphop tropes

Posted on by The Native

As Sute Iwar navigates a return to the Nigerian music industry’s top echelons he has slowly chosen to return to the purist origins of the musical genres he is inspired by, especially hip-hop. Starting with the folk inspired “Juno” released 9 months ago (and featuring the distinctive piano sample that popped up on Wavy The Creator’s monster hit “H.I.G.H” six months later), “Overtime”released under the now inactive Friday Cruise collective and the excellent 90’s R&B heavy bop “Get Back!”, which Iwar refers to as ‘something for the fans’, it is obvious that Iwar was making music mostly for himself. His new single “Girl like You” might be his first commercial single this year.

With production that will remind purists of Dr. Dre at his peak production wise, (think heavy synth, drum machine loops and a minimalist sound) Sute Iwar raps about a manic pixie dream girl, musing on her otherness and how her wit and reluctance to bow to anyone makes her extra attractive to him. That too was a common 90’s trope but Sute knows just how to update the idea for a contemporary audience. “Girl Like You” segues into an unexpected bridge that switches things up with afrobeats break down. It is unexpected quirks like this that throws off the listener and affirms Iwar’s talent.

We are really looking forward to a major project, if this is anything to go by.

Listen to “Girl Like You” here.

 

Edwin eats his rice and cabbages. Tweet at him@edgothboy

Sute Iwar’s “Overtime” is a jaunty little doo-wop bop

“No More” is existential musing according to Johnson IP and PsychoYP

Posted on by The Native

Not many artists can successfully integrate an audio sample of someone brushing their teeth into a one minute song and not have it suck. Fewer artists can take that sample and open a song with it. But Johnson IP has just enough tact to make it work. The rapper and producer (who has been fairly busy in the last two weeks with an informal EP he calls “I Cant Sleep” features Psycho YP on his new single, “No More”, which takes elements of trap, emo rap and a heavy dose of autotune and blends them altogether into a very enjoyable interlude.

There are many hallmarks of classic Kanye West production on “No More”; from the audio sample that starts the song, the vocal manipulations (autotune/vocoders) and the use of vocal samples in lieu of percussions and instrumentation and of course, the heavy choral harmonies that West leaned heavily on for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The lyrics however are somewhat disingenuous, referencing the West Coast and the East Side (predominantly American iconography) but Psycho YP and Johnson are convincing that it doesn’t really matter if you’re into vibes. “No More” really hits its stride when the song hits its percussive breakdown and the song transitions from aspirational Kanye West heavy hip-hop to contemporary trap heavy bass.

Ultimately, the biggest problem with “No More” is that it bows out just when things start to get really good. We could have really benefited from being at least one or two minutes more minutes of Johnson IP and Psycho YP vibing off each other. They have real chemistry.

Listen to “No More” here.

Edwin eats his rice and cabbages. Tweet at him@edgothboy

Listen to PsychoYP’s literally socially-conscious new single, “Who Dis”

Koker heads to the streets for “Okay” video

Posted on by The Native

Koker’s latest single, “Okay” attempts to uplift the the souls of Nigerians striving to make the most out of Nigeria’s socio-economic troubles. Its core message is optimistic, as Koker wishes for himself and his sundry to be ‘Okay’, the least anyone trying to survive the trying times can do. Backed with peppy synth harmonies that allow Koker punctuate the song’s somber undertone with his mellow melodies, “Okay” listens like the perfect motivation boost for particularly stressful Mondays.

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

However, the recently released video inverts some of the social consciousness of the single to show carrying life on amidst strife. Adams Gud directs the video set in an unnamed street where Koker performs in front of people carrying on with their daily lives (People playing tennis, selling fruits, a taxi driver, tailors and passers by who take time to join in the performance). The video captures the people smiling and having a good time grooving to the beat produced by Minz. Popular comedian, Saka also features in the video to further establish the lightweight motif of the video.

“Okay” portrays how music can provide an escape to help us get through difficult times. Though the beats and melodies are incredibly catchy, it’s the eerie undertone that makes it more intriguing.

Stream the video for “Okay” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Koker

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

Watch Koker’s summer music video for “Wavy”