Essentials: AKA and Anatii’s ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’ is exactly what we hoped for

Posted on by The Native

Rapper’s need a bit of larger-than-life confidence to pull off hard bars or sell brags about wealth and influence. Semantically this means when you put two MCs in the same room, there is bound to be friction and bruised egos. But while diss tracks have often fueled the biggest conversations in hip-hop, there is an understated appreciation for what happens when rappers decide to do the opposite of beefing: collaborate. The success of Jay Z and Kanye’s Watch The Throne and the clamour for J.Cole and Kendrick Lamar’s proposed collaborative project are prime examples of how fans react to rappers deciding to work together instead of ripping each other apart. South African rappers, AKA and Anatii, have seen both sides, with a beef in the past and the recent release of a collaboration album, Be Careful What You Wish For .

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXaTx57lckR/?hl=en&taken-by=akaworldwide

The journey to the Be Careful What You Wish For may have begun back in 2015 when they recorded “The Saga”, a song that established Anatii in South Africa’s hip-hop scene when it peaked at #1 on iTunes. But AKA’s call-out single for rappers from the South “Composure”, came shortly after, debunking beliefs that all was well between both rappers. However, saner minds have prevailed and you wouldn’t guess there was ever any rivalry between them from listening to the 10 track album.

Releasing “10 Fingers” in January and “Don’t Forget To Pray” in May, AKA and Anatii have been working on their album for quite a while but still had to shift back the album’s release date from the 14th of July to the 28th. The move only heightened fans’ expectation for the superstar team up album to almost J Cole-Kendrick album rumors level but they eventually came through confirming the spiritual theme the pre-released singles already hinted.

“Bryanston Drive” is the first track on Be Careful What You Wish For and for those who haven’t heard their previous collaborations, their chemistry might come as a shock given their solo careers. Anatii’s mid-tempo production allows both rappers to shimmer as they narrate their come up from the bottom. This started-from-the-bottom theme resonates through the album like Anatii’s “Mama Used To Tell Me Take Your Feet Off The Couch/Now They Look At Me Like The Man Of The House” line on “How You Like Me Now” and AKA’s “Elevated To My Dollar Suite” on “Holy Mountain”.

The scriptural nature of BCWYWF feels almost unplanned as their lyrics on most of the tracks only scratches the surface of the religious theme. Singing, “Do You Know That God Is One The Way?” on “Don’t Forget To Pray” and using biblical metaphors and imagery on “Angelz”, the religious underlying listens more like a commercial gimmick than any sort of message. “Jesus Plug” highlights their ruse when their showy gags drown out the attempt at giving praise to God.

AKA and Anatii branch out to dancehall on the 5th track, “Camps Bay” where they embrace Afropop in all of its whine-friendly wholeness. Confident in their vocal dexterity and Anatii’s synth based production and its Caribbean harmonies, they perform the love song without any assistance from established Afropop artists. And while they manage to pull it off, one can’t help but imagine if the track would be more memorable with a Wizkid verse or chorus.

Be Careful What You Wish For is a light-hearted and fun album, presumably released on demand by fans who requested both rappers work on a joint project. Though the absence of features might leave a little to be desired from a superstar team-up, there’s plenty to enjoy nonetheless.

Listen to the album below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/akaworldwide

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: A possible wedding between Matheba and Forbes? Watch AKA’s music video for “Caiphus Song”

The Meaning of Birth according to Lagos singer-songwriter, Falana

Posted on by Damilola Animashaun

Photography: Omowunmi Ogundipe

Falana: the singer-songwriter winning over new fans, one electrifying performance at a time

What drives you to create music: the process or the final creation in itself?

Definitely the final creation. The idea of arriving at a finished body of work, especially in the creative world, is just so amazing to me. I love sitting back and enjoying something that I have just created. However, I also believe that the process is key because you can only discover and evolve as an artist by going through an artistic process.

You are revered in Nigeria for your gripping live performances. How did your time in Cuba birth the spectacle we see today when you take the stage? 

My time in Cuba improved my skills as a musician and exposed me to different kinds of sounds and rhythms that I might have otherwise not been exposed to. I think however that my live performance has more to do with me being myself, and letting myself be free on stage than anything else.

What do you do to get yourself out of the inevitable lows of the creative process? 

I’m learning to enjoy the creative process – both the highs and the lows, to the point where I even celebrate the lows. They are equally as important in the creative process. When I have writer’s block for example, I might write something silly, or playful, or I’ll try writing poetry or a story – anything that will get my mind off the specific project I’m working on, and that might help me come at it with a new perspective. When I am stuck on melodies or harmonies etc, I just walk away without judgment, trusting that I am closer to where I want to be. It is still a challenge, but I think the key is to genuinely enjoy what you are doing!

Do you feel the need to nurture your music once it is released? Or would you rather let it grow on its own?

I think the nurturing process actually happens while I am creating music. I am nurturing my music as I go through all the stages of writing it, bringing it to life, letting it breathe, and coming back to finish it. Once music is released, it is free for people to relate to and connect with. It begins its new life as a fully matured creative work.

 You haven’t released a body of work since your 2014 EP Things Fall Together. Do you feel the release of music is always necessarily the final step for an artist? 

If I am not making music to be shared, then technically I am only an artist to myself. I also believe that artists go through phases, and I think the phase I have been in is one of rediscovery, developing my sound in new and different ways. Performing live is also a huge part of that; many of the songs that will be coming out on my album were first performed live at my concerts. It helps me get a feel of whether the song is fully formed, or if I still need to take it to another level.

For you, is a release a cathartic experience or is it just the natural end to a process?

I think releasing new music can be both or none of those things, depending on the artist. For me, it feels more like the natural end to a process, while songwriting is more a cathartic experience where I get to throw myself, and my emotions, into song lyrics or chord progressions.

Do you ever feel like the process of creating trumps the eventual release of your material? 

The two aren’t really comparable in my opinion. Creating music allows me to vent, express all kinds of emotions, learn about myself, improve as a musician, and dig into my creative self in ways that expose my strengths and weaknesses as an artist. This process is extremely necessary, but I do not think it is any more or less important than sharing music with fans and letting it influence people and the world around you in real and positive ways.

Your next release is highly anticipated, if not just for the length of time since your debut. How do you feel about putting this out into the world? 

Haha…well, I feel good. I feel like I am blessed because I am doing what I LOVE to do, which is write, share and perform music. So I’m excited and when it’s ready, I hope the world will be too!

Finally, what is the meaning of [creative] birth to you?

The act of bringing life – an artistic light – into the world that will influence, impact and change everything around it.

Read Up: Stars from our first print issue showed out while we sipped on Martell

Olamide’s video for “WO” is all you need to be pumped up this week

Posted on by The Native

10 days ago, Olamide released “Wo”,  a quintessential street song with little or no narrative but with very catchy beats that cuts across street playlists to those of average listeners’. The power of Olamide’s “Wo” is in moving body parts to a sundry of dance moves. Knowing this, Olamide began the #Wochallenge as a build up to the official video, promising to give three remarkable entries in the competition N1 million each. And so did he. Asides giving the winners monetary value for their efforts, the dancers also made the official video, which Olamide has just released.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BX2xOGXDMAa/?taken-by=baddosneh

“Wo” ticks all the boxes for all that it’s intended: it’s the perfect song, shot in the perfect location for the perfect video. Guided by Unlimited L.A, Olamide takes to the streets of Bariga, where he spent a significant part of his life growing up and thinking of the future. Perhaps he saw (or may not have seen) this coming that one day, he’ll release a music video dedicated to the streets that will have people clamouring for him and his sound, transcending lives beyond the streets to the boundless regions of the internet. But here we have it, “Wo” produced by the wicked producer, Young John –he makes a short cameo in the video as well.

Featured Image Credit: Youtube/Olamidevevo “Wo!!”

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

ICYMI: Olamide is cleaning the street and raising awareness

Roots: The Meaning of Birth according to Six Creatives

Posted on by The Native

Birth is simultaneously the most frightening and the most beautiful phenomenon that occurs on the planet. The journey from conception to inception is rarely without trials and tribulations but perhaps this is what makes it so rewarding. Whether it’s the early morning eureka moment that births the infectious lyric to a track, or the slight brush of paint that brings out the character of a masterpiece: the process is just as essential as the product.

We spoke to creatives from different fields about how they circumvent creatives, how to nurture your work, and what the meaning of birth is to them. Over the next week, we will be sharing our conversations with these multi-disciplinary artists, for an in-depth account of the work it takes to produce art.

Thumbnail Image: Bai Joiner

Read Up: Stars from our first print issue showed out while we sipped on Martell

Nonso Amadi is missing out on all the fun in Juls’ “Early” video

Posted on by The Native

Having produced Mr Eazi’s career defining single, “Skin Tight”, DJ Juls could just have easily retired to count his money, but appears instead to be adopting a laudably frontal approach to his career. He put out his own releases with guest features on the vocals, apparently unsatisfied being a mere DJ and a hype man.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BX0yRGQglrO/?taken-by=julsbaby_

While “Early” isn’t Juls’ biggest song, it’s fair to say it’s the best cut from his recently released debut project, Leap of Faith. Featuring Maleek Berry who’s fast becoming a commercial force in Afropop and Nonso Amadi, the poster kid for modern Afropop, the single was always going to leave a mark. And with an adjoining video, we can expect the mid-tempo dance number to be around awhile.

Opening with Maleek Berry and Juls’ happy-ending night stroll, the video for “Early” confirms what every Afropop follower already knows by now, which is Maleek Berry’s uncanny charm. His soft spoken vocals and endearing word play are matched by his comfortably showy wardrobe and surprisingly non-threaten dark shades. He swaggers up to two unsuspecting girls accompanied by Juls and they all have a good time dancing to the song’s melodies while Nonso Amadi only flickers across the screen occasionally.

Tshisz Nelson directs the video for “Early” and while it’s subject to different interpretations, it reminds us what it’s like to miss a good night out and be told about it later. Nelson tries to make up for Nonso Amadi’s absence from all the fun with a faint projection of the singer, and while the staging may be minimalist, his performance is far from perfunctory. He remains animated embellishing the video for “Early” through his vocals.

Watch Juls’ Video for “Early” below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/DJ Juls

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: Check out all the essentials from Juls’ ‘Leap of Faith’ EP

2Baba still knows his way around the dance floor in this video for “Gaga Shuffle”

Posted on by The Native

2Baba’s widely acclaimed discography shows an artist with the presence of mind to confront both society’s big problems and the everyday struggles of individuals, while also serving up songs meant for the DJ turntables. His last video, “Holy Holy” may have stepped on a few toes with his pseudo-conscious narrative but this time around, he’s going for a lighter touch on his latest offering, “Gaga Shuffle”.

With a title like “Gaga Shuffle”, you can almost picture 2Face bogeying down to some 80’s style funk beat but instead he sings over a mid-tempo Brain On The Mix beat with tin-pan drum and snare drum riffs, piano and synth harmonies and a piano imitating trumpet sound on bridge. The effect is however still the same as 2Face encourages listeners to join him on the groove through his ganja induced metaphors; “As You Get Fire, Light Am Make Them See You”.

Unlimited LA directs the video for “Gaga Shuffle” reflecting the song’s dance emo. The video has a house party set where 2Face’s childhood friend, Larry Gaga features along with several other celebrity cameos like Timaya, AY, P Square and more. Larry Gaga gets credited in the video but he only seems to be making sure 2Face doesn’t forget he’s a married man as the party gets more turnt as the lights dim.

The “Gaga Shuffle” dance looks like an hybrid baby of Galala and Shoki. Watch the video below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/2BabaVEVO

You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: Listen to 2Face’s new dance number, “Amplifier”

Here Are The Best Shots from The NATIVE’s Birth Issue Lagos Release Party

Posted on by The Native

The NATIVE and Martell celebrated the release of The NATIVE’s Birth Issue on Sunday, July 31st at famed vinyl/bookstore The Jazzhole in Ikoyi, Lagos. DJ Wayne shuffled between our favourite summer hits like Small Doctor‘s “Penalty” and Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow”, while partygoers took in our tv monitor installation featuring clips ranging from Goku vs Cell fight scenes, to Jay-Jay Okocha highlight reels. DAP The Contract rolled up with Ajebutter22, and they performed summer banger-to-be “Special”, which DAP says will be out “very soon” under the Contract Thursdays umbrella. Santi and Odunsi [The Engine] took to the stage backed by Slysticks and his band to perform a raucous rendition of “Gangsta Fear”, watched on by crowd that included alternative-pop darling Kaline, rap supergroup Show Dem Camp, and TRYBE x Roots alumni, Minz and Falana respectively.

DJ Wayne warmed up the crowd in anticipation of cover star Burna Boy’s arrival, while we sipped on special Martell x NATIVE cocktails. Before an impromptu signing/photo session, Burna Boy took over the decks to debut a trio of unreleased songs. Check out the pictures below.


Image Credits: Censodd For The Native

Burna Reborn: Read the cover story of THE NATIVE’s Birth issue

Loti continues his drugged-out romance on new single, “Addicted”

Posted on by The Native

Since debuting with “Hold Me”, Loti has shown himself to be as prolific a writer and an expert at milking his life for material. While “The Culture”, his follow up single plants no flags in the realm of traditional powerhouse balladeers, it proves his impassioned vocals and a knack for tackling risky subject matter. And though he still only has a handful of releases to back up these claims, his latest release, “Addiction” establishes a sonic template of drug-drenched, sex-dungeon R&B and his brooding persona.

Dedicating the song to “Every Woman That Has Given Their Man The Best Type of High There Is”, Loti’s trap-soul melodies resonates well beyond the confines of a diary of a deeply in love suitor’s recording booth. He sings of a love so deep that it drowns all other thoughts on his mind—including his drug addiction. Confident that he’ll be better off managing his romantic addiction, he describes his love interest with psychedelic metaphors like; “You Get Me So Lucid And High/ Your Body Just Like A Bottle Of Liquor”.

“Addiction” is produced by Ocho with a laid back piano harmony layered with ambient spacey synths and throbbing 808 machine drum patterns. The cloudy production openly challenges Loti to evolve and live outside the lines of R&B and on the alternative edge where artists don’t play it safe and genre borders don’t exist.

Listen to “Addiction” by Loti below.

https://soundcloud.com/user-799570473/addiction-prod-ocho

Featured Image Credits: Twitter/lotiicansing

You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: The New Age needs to throw away the outdated rule book

Adomaa soundtracks love on “BRA”

Posted on by The Native

Adomaa is a diverse artist, she’s proven strength across different genres of music including a rare form you wouldn’t expect from her: rap, a la “April Fools” four months ago. But with her subsequent releases, she assures us she isn’t going far away by returning to singing.

On her last track “When It Swings”, Adomaa opened her heart and mind to us, letting us feel the same tension and sadness she does as she sings of mood swings that result from ‘people who act and think for her’. Her latest “BRA”, shows that Adomaa has moved on from that state, she’s now found love. A love that makes her glow. Over drum thrums, the Ghanian singer sings promises of love to her man in a country pub: “I’ll be your ride or die, I’ll be your one and Only”. But even as she’s now found a lover, Adomaa still seems to think about what those ‘people’ on “When It Swings” think of her present relationship: “People they think say I dey play”, “wey dem dey say it just be phase” she sings on “BRA”. Even when she thinks it though, she assures him she doesn’t care, because all that matters now is him.

The video of “BRA” uses suspense as a technique to keep our interest locked. Her lover is made mysterious even when she holds his hand and lures him to a front seat. He isn’t shown to us until half way into the song.

“BRA” plays like a tad vintage song and even the video reinforces this too. She is resplendent in natural hair, orange shoes, blouse and shorts (perhaps a playsuit) made with African prints. Her ensemble comes together in a way that reminds of just a decade past. The way the instrumentation ebbs and flows together, reminds of old days as well.

“BRA” is an uncomplicated beauty and it’s structured like a simple love tune: sweet and melodic. Have a go at it below.

Featured Image Credit: Youtube/Adomaa__

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

ICYMI: “When It Swings” by Adomaa is an understated but impressive debut.

Nnedi Okorafor is collaborating with Marvel for a comic book and we are here for it

Posted on by The Native

If destiny were a lottery, then Nnedi Okorafor has hit the almighty writer’s jackpot. 2017 is the famed sci-fi writer’s year, from her book getting adapted to the next Game of Thrones style saga (Read the story here) to getting to work with Marvel for a comic set in Lagos.

That’s right.

Marvel. In Lagos.

Can we get a hallelujah?

Nnedi Okorafor will be collaborating with Marvel to write an eight page comic for their upcoming Venomverse collection. The story titled ‘Blessing in disguise’ is set in Lagos with a female lead, Ngozi alongside characters within that particular universe. Spiderman’s symbiote, Venom and other Marvel big shots will be hitting Eko and probably making a mess of Third Mainland Bridge in the process. The comic will be illustrated by Tana Ford, the illustrator behind Marvel’s Silk.


 Photo credit: animalia.com

September is the month to look forward to this year because Nnedi Okorafor is going to be doing justice to showing the Lagos that we know not the one the movies like to throw at us (looking at you, Captain America). Nnedi’s fans are so excited and so are we.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@nnediokorafor

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.

Read Up: Nnedi Okorafor’s “Who fears Death” gets the greenlight from Game Of Thrones Creators

D’banj releases more album art ahead of new release date

Posted on by The Native

If D’banj thinks he can get away with blindsiding everyone with his album release, he couldn’t be more right. A month and 5 days have gone past since the Kokomaster promised that he will have the King Don Come album out in early July. What happened instead was a switcheroo involving thin air and no explanations for why a highly anticipated album failed to come out on its expected due date. It’s a shame really that so much hype had gone to waste over this.

Perhaps, in his own way he is trying to apologise and give the people what they have been waiting for as he releases the art for the album’s back cover and the complete tracklist attached.

The cover which shows a still dragon loving Dbanj, channels the themes of fire and fury with the main subject sporting a black fur jacket and a red armband, perfect matches for the Targeryen image he has been putting out since he first released his album art. Behind him, his baby dragon spits fire on the blackened mound on which they stand. The background is dark and smoky, a story of destruction with only D’banj as the ruler of the ashes. But this modernist take on A Song of Ice and Fire doesn’t distract from the unexplained trick D’banj played on his fans.

In addition to the back cover art release, he also announced the move up in the release date. On August 25th, D’banj will finally give us his fourth studio album. Hopefully. As he released the video for the second single off the album, Be with you as well as the accompanying lyric video for “Comment ca va”, we can only hope that D’banj will deliver this time and if not, explain why.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@iambangalee

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.

Read Up: Breaking Down D’banj’s Game of Thrones Inspired Album Art

Timaya links up with Phyno and Olamide for “Telli Person”

Posted on by The Native

If you’ve ever heard 2013’s “Baddest Guy Ever Liveth”, 2014’s “Street OT”, “Ghost Mode”, or collaborative album Two Kings, then you should know Phyno and Olamide go together like fries and ketchup. Timaya knows this as well and he’s leveraging on it by tapping them both to shimmer on his new single “Telli Person”.

Timaya releases “Telli Person” to mark his birthday today and on it, he kicks off with a witty remark “Yetunde, every night and day you like to Samankwe”, which is understandably suggestive through Clarence Peter’s visual direction: the text message between the two partners, spiralling into unwanted pregnancy and a fight. Albeit, it seems paradoxical for Timaya to consciously sing “Telli Person”, a song distilled in lessons learnt and advice to restrain from sexual shenanigans.“Telli Person” thrives on drum thrums and guitar strums that hint towards the highlife and Afropop genre, worked by Kenny Wonder’s production.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXQJef2FeUO/?taken-by=timayatimaya

Phyno raps and sings the second verse in Igbo and pidgin English, Olamide begins his verse by sampling Shakira’s 2010 sleeper hit, “Waka Waka” chorus with quirky humour. Ultimately each of them sing of pretentious living and reaping the fruits of labour.

Clarence Peters weaves each shot with fancy African prints, parasols and other aesthetic elements to bring the video alive.  Take a moment to appreciate it below.

Featured Image Credit: Youtube/officialTimaya

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

ICYMI: Davido, Timaya Feature In Official Video for “Ajaga” by Skales

Edwvn aims for the stars on new single, “Sprung”

Posted on by The Native

Since Skrillex screeched his way into earshot a couple of years ago, EDM has crept ever slowly into the African soundscape. Though the over-oscillated squeals and skull-cracking drops that clutter the mainstream and drive many away from the genre are synonymous with the more internationally commercial end of the genre, Africa artists have no trouble embracing the subtle, innovative and funky dance genre. Dancehall’s boom has encouraged more African artists to explore the ambient pool of electronic house and Edwvn’s new single, “Sprung” places him firmly in that category.

The Ghanaian singer’s chanting praise of his love interest’s beauty causes “Sprung” to listen like driving a convertible at a comfortable speed on the open highway. Heavy baselines builds a chord progression with echoing melodies and haunting bass-heavy synths that create an ethereal atmosphere for your cruise through space. This is all set on a tightened Atlanta style hip-hop influenced beat with snares drums and double-timed running high-hats that force a funky 80’s groove.

Edwvn liberal application of auto-tune notwithstanding, “Sprung” gives the perfect vibe for partying like the 80’s. He manages to serve up equal measures of dark, contemplative and melody on a single that focuses on the dubbed out end of trap music—think shattered hip-hop beats, jagged baselines and plenty of atmospheric space.

Listen to Edwvn’s “Sprung” below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/edwvn

You are meeting Debola at a strange time in his life. He wandered into a dream and lost his way back. Tweet at him @debola_abimbolu

ICYMI: Listen to Ayuu’s “Murder”, a soaring dream pop experimentation

Watch Wale’s “My Love” featuring Major Lazer, Wizkid and Dua Lipa

Posted on by The Native

Despite underwhelming sales, Wale continues on attempts to keep his album, Shine, in rotation. The latest on the string is visuals for the sleek track with Major Lazer, Dua Lipa and Wizkid, “My Love”. The track has been one of the most successful on the Detroit rapper’s fourth album, tapping the Caribbean vibe that Wizkid and Drake have successfully taken advantage of. “My Love” has snow balled into a slew of remixes on Youtube. And in the lead up to the official video, Wale released a lyrical 3-D animated video to keep it relevant on video and audio playlists.

“My Love” begins with the brittle strumming of the Hawaiian guitar, as the Acrs-directed video is established on a colourful beach side. Each of the artists sing on chrome coloured background, asides Major Lazer of course, the production trio remain behind the booth as usual, working the tracks production. The video is woven into a vibrant whole reminding us that summer shine isn’t over yet for Wale.

Check out Wale’s “My Love” featuring Major Lazer, Wizkid and Dua Lipa.

Featured Image Credit: Youtube/Wale “My Love”

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

ICYMI, Watch Wale’s “Fine Girl” featuring Davido and Olamide

The Shuffle: Revisit “Molowo Noni” from Samklef’s Nonilizing years

Posted on by The Native

Though often understated, Wizkid’s ability to thrive on diverse range of instrumentals is a direct influence of working with producers like DJ Klem, J.Sleek and Samklef, who have a similarly wide breadth of range and different soundscapes. Less than six years ago, Samklef alone became an instrumental part of the Starboy’s rising. The producer is credited to a considerable chunk of Wizkid’s career-defining 2011 Superstar debut. Their collaborations were often founded on the inherent chemistry between two artists intent on re-focusing Afropop towards a progressive contemporary global sound (See: “Don’t Dull”, “Tease Me”, “Ori Mi”). While a collaboration album may have sufficed as an embodiment of their creative bromance, together Wizkid and Samklef still managed to etch a permanent collaborative legacy with titles like “Molowo Noni”, the lead single off Samklef’s first studio album, Nonilizing.

“Molowo Noni” taps along D’Prince and Ice Prince for an Afropop-hip-hop fusion. Though the heavy drums splintered across the instrumentation are just about as hard as what you’d hear on any rap song on the Billboard Top 40, Samklef layers synths with bandcamp trumpets. The effect gives “Molowo Noni” a certain epic-ness right from the sleek opening sequence Wizkid helms —to introduce his co-collaborators— up till closing hook after a rare killer ice Prince verse (one of the few ever perhaps).

It is agreeable that we no longer have mainstream chart toppers like “Molowo Noni”. This is in part because modern Afropop has shed it’s hip-hop influences for Carribean and traditional African genres. But also because “Molowo Noni” represents an era of big bang effects where electronic rock guitars could appear under a rap verse like Ice Prince’s without cluttering the arrangement. Part of the efforts for a defining Afropop sound at the time were decidedly focused around harmonizing as many popular sounds from the global mainstream as possible. Samklef’s Nonilizing era particularly fulfills this ethos with “Molowo Noni” as a peak representation of how well he mastered the art of genre blending — thanks to a versatile partner-in-crime, Wizkid.

Stream Samklef’s “Molowo Noni” below.

Toye is the Team lead at Native Nigeria. Tweet at him @ToyeSokunbi

Essentials: Of “Sounds From The Other Side” and the place of Wizkid in African music

Best New Music: Kah-Lo is amping up the tempo with “Fasta”

Posted on by The Native

There are some simple ticks you have to cross off the list when marking out what makes good electronic music; transitions, bass drops, melody layers and how well the harmony of synths and poly-rhythms works. For Kah-lo the purpose of the electronics is subverted for something rather ingenious: a monotonous music style that allows her voice reign supreme on the droning instrumentals her nursery rhyme rap style is built around. When it comes together, Kah-Lo’s style falls somewhere between heavy dancefloor heater and funky elevator music, either way, the full affect could have you hitting the replay button for hours on end. This composition technique already been proven to work on “Rinse and Repeat”, her Grammy-nominated collaborative work with collaborator Riton — who is also credited for her new single “Fasta”.

“Fasta” as the name implies thrives on an inherently pacy arrangement. The description of how to go ‘Fasta’ is understandably suggestive but in Kah-Lo’s uber relaxed world, even eroticism requires just about the same amount of mid energy as the way the words ‘open close, fasta, fasta’ roll off her tongue. “Fasta” is subtly tinged with feel of a folk children stepping game involving claps and quick footwork. Though a vocal refrain on the bridge insists she takes ‘de dancing serious’ , “Fasta” leans mostly into this playful theme. Ultimately, this is music intended for mood setting, you’ll come to terms with this on your nth replay. Thank me later.

Toye is the Team lead at Native Nigeria. Tweet at him @ToyeSokunbi

ICYMI: 5 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Kah-Lo

Cecilia Olong’s “Toxic” is one of the best debut singles we’ve heard this year

Posted on by The Native

It’s not very often that you find an artist who comes into the game pretty much full formed vocally, with the range and the emotional reach to take a song and push it from a rote performance to an exercise in projected empathy. It is even rarer to find an artist who has distilled their sound sufficiently that they already are distinct by the time you hear their first song. When we find one, our excitement is palpable because, we can literally see all the potential possibilities laid out before us. And as far as potential goes, newbie Cecilia Olong might be up there with the best of them.

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So we’re not quite sure, but we think Canadian-Nigerian singer Cecilia Olong is Native fave Joyce Olong’s direct relative, and if we’re right then, we might have on our hands our very own uber talented sibling duo. Cecilia Olong’s Soundcloud just became active recently and she’s already put out two vastly different singles, each equally brilliant and each distinctly her. Her debut, “Toxic” (produced by RRAREBEAR) will draw instant parallels to nu soul singers like Jhene Aiko, Nao and FKA Twigs, who have taken conventional genres and twisted them to suit their own personalities and perspectives. For Cecelia, that morphing consists of pairing smooth whisper-sung melodies with stripped down synth melodies and R&B percussion. This kind of experimenting usually takes a while to perfect, which is why Olong’s attempts are so promising; there’s a the kind of control and restraint you’d normally only see in far more experienced artists.

Cecilia Olong will soon be on your ‘to-watch’ lists. So get a head start and give ‘Toxic’ a spin.

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

We are finally getting a debut Album, “Simisola” from Simi

7th’s “Interlude of Friday” is a lucid dream put to verse

Posted on by The Native

When we first discovered Joshua Ananaba, otherwise known as 7th, we were intrigued by his commitment to shedding the layers of often toxic hyper-masculinity that has come to define Nigerian pop, hip-hop and afrobeats. As 7th, Ananaba turned his gaze inward, and trained his eye on the domesticity of every day relationship, mining them for their often overlooked beauty. This approach birthed his debut single “Tender Moments”, a piano ballad that unfurls around the theme of intimacy. As he preps to release his debut EP, he’s put out a second single “Interlude of Friday”.

In the tradition of the great ballads, 7th ditches the heavy percussion that Nigerian music traditionally uses to hook the listener and draw them in, trusting that his direction will suffice (he produced the single, as all his other music). He substitutes pianos, for a synthesizer simulated Organ, and plays a winding eerie arpeggio melody, that sneaks up on you and builds as 7th gains momentum in his story. And his story is one you’d instantly recognize if you’ve played the millennial dating game. He extols the weekend, using it as the backdrop for a short lived but incredibly emotional conversation between the 7th and a mystery girl. The dreamy synths lull you into a sense of half wakefulness, almost like a lucid dream. He gets the girl in the end, then loses her because he never expected her to want him in the first place. The familiarity and the realization is the hidden knife that guts you just when you think you have everything figured out.

Is it premature to start the 7th/The Weeknd comparisons?

Listen to “Interlude of Friday” here.

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

ICYMI: Ichaba and Davido are about to make being a “Baby Mama” a thing

Popcaan and Davido debut “My Story” video for the girls on the Snap

Posted on by The Native

Davido is easily passable as the king of 2017 already, delivering a nimble sense of melody on “IF”, “Fall”, “Pere”, all of which have been radio friendly songs and an undeniable Jam. Davido has proven he’s hardworking and enthusiastic. Except that 2017 isn’t over yet. The man still has a lot to prove. Even as the days of his 30 billion world tour is near-ending, Davido still finds time to link up with other artists for new songs and videos. The latest is the video for Popcaan’s Song released in May, “My Story”. We saw the two tantalise us with Snapchat snippets while the video was still in works in the early days of June. Now, we’ve finally gotten it into our hands to have a go and dissect.

Popcaan and Davido make a great team. The two have a remarkably charismatic character. It’s so easy to get caught up in the elation of finding the perfect groove to collaborate on. But on “My Story” the two keep an ounce of laid back cool, which permeates the entirety of the video. “My Story” doesn’t burst with the kind of Kinetic energy we’ve seen on Davido’s three previously released hit, but it’s not limiting to its capability of become a hit as the two stick to chord progressions that don’t stray from Dancehall conventions.

The thematic concerns of “My Story” are right there in the title and it’s easy to relate with as they weave lyrics and visual aesthetics relating to Snapchat Stories. Davido’s gruff male voice bids Popcaan’s Jamaican patois inflicted lines enter, spitting a verse compelling a girl to give them their time, even if it’s for 24 hours, the time it takes for a Snap video to disappear. The video is laced with actual snap stories and alludes to dem gyals who flirt their bodies and faces on the Snap.

Here’s Popcaan’s “My Story” featuring Davido, courtesy of Mini E5 records.

Featured Image Credit: Youtube/Popcaanvevo

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

ICYMI: Ichaba and Davido are about to make being a “Baby Mama” a thing

Simi is doing the flirting thing in new single, “Joromi”

Posted on by The Native

Times past since Simi’s collaborative EP with Falz and features with Adekunle Gold, we’ve admired her pure talent, her voice can turn on a dime. The youthful Nigerian singer has been in works to release an album we’ve all been deserving of and she finally announced on Wednesday that she’s releasing one, to be outed in September. This would be her debut, and she aptly titles it Simisola.  It hasn’t been long since she announced the forthcoming Simisola that she released new song, “Joromi” (yesterday, August 10th), the second lead single to the album. Already, Simi releases a bright and colourful themed video for it too.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXoYn4vnxGp/?taken-by=symplysimi

“Joromi”, begins with an unmistakable shrill of the traditional flute before a faster paced piano cuts into the ethereal airiness the flute brings with it and soon we begin hearing an electric guitar (in highlife strumming style) interwoven neatly with the the three instruments. This is Oscar’s craft. Simi’s voice is then layered across it as she sings effortlessly, shifting from a call and response of “Joromi, Joromi” into a stretched melody of “I want you to love me, why you no dey call me”. The interesting call and response makes the song very engaging and nicely punctuates the remaining body of the song. Unsurprisingly, the first two utterances of ‘Joromi’ as she kicks off, reminds of Sir Victor Uwaifo’s “Joromi”. Not to mistake it for a sample, however if you think it, see it as a unique female rendition. At her core, on “Joromi”, Simi is distinct from what you’ll get from the human living treasure, Sir victor. She flexes her inimitable flamboyance on “Joromi”, sitting right in the middle of being timeless and trendy, reminding of a movie you may have watched on African Magic —positivity intended— back in the days.

It all plays like a conversation.

If this is the kind of song we’ll be getting from Simisola, then we can’t wait to have it in full. Take a moment to appreciate “Joromi”, produced by Oscar, in full below.

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

ICYMI: Let’s go back to days of Aso-oke(s), vintage records and bicycles on Simi’s “Smile For Me”

Revisit 7 underrated tracks from Burna Boy’s ‘L. I. F. E’ album

Posted on by The Native

The mixtape has long been a platform to launch artists’ careers keeping a certain sense of authenticity so they can “keep it real”. But Burna Boy isn’t most artists. The same rawness on his Burn Series mixtape in 2011 can be heard on what was released as his cult-classic debut album, L.I.F.E (Leaving an Impact For Eternity) in 2013.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXLX0hhjqLO/?hl=en&taken-by=burnaboygram

Eternity may be a stretch by  a mile from today, but what sustains as a legacy for Burna Boy’s L.I.F.E , are singles like “Like To Party”, “Tonight” and “Run My Race”. At the time, these tracks were so inherently distinct from everything else on the radio, that they nearly eclipse the equally stellar quality of the rest of the project. This is why we’ve compiled a list of sleeper classics from the album that staked Burna Boy’s legacy in today’s AfroFusion, a nifty music style genre of sound blending Burna claims to be the sole pioneer of, in our recent cover profile.

Intro: My Life

Burna Boy ushers listeners into a universe where he reigns supreme with Leriq who produces all 19 tracks on the album’s deluxe edition. Armed with the awareness of how big his pre-released singles were, Burna Boy isn’t under any illusions that the first track on his debut would be anyone’s first contact with his music. Yet, he still takes time out to introduce himself. He goes on to perform a song that explains where he has come from and how he can’t help but be great, chanting “They Call Me Burna Boy”. However, when he sings “If You Don’t Know My Name/ You Better Know Now”, you get the feeling that he never wants to introduce himself ever again. A line so similar, yet so opposite from his latest release, “Chilling Chillin” where he says, “I No Go Introduce Myself/ Na Your Fault If You No Know Me”.

Say So

Already enjoying airplay and gunning for a place among the greats, “Say So” builds on the 90’style dancehall melodies that was a hit on “Like To Party”. Leriq’s fusion of pop beats and percussion with Afro sounds wasn’t exactly new at this time, but Burna Boy’s mixture of reggae, fuji and pop melodies only made the trumpet samples and synth cuts standout next to other songs on DJ turntables.

Na So E Suppose Be

Music for Burna Boy might not essentially be political, he prefers to refer to it as a spiritual thing of feelings and vibes. But every now and then you catch him dropping wisdom on his songs. “Na So E Suppose Be”. It probably wasn’t written as a conscious song with lines like “Close My Eyes And Drift Cause I Don’t Care/ Falling Helplessly, We’re Kiss And Caress In’a Me Balcony/ Feeling All Alone, Nobody Helping Me” but message of unity resonates in his chorus and persuasive use of Yoruba lines encouraging everyone to dance and celebrate together despite being a “Port Harcourt boy”.

Smooth Sailing

While debates on Burna Boy’s hierarchical position on Afropop throne rages on, one thing that certainly goes underappreciated is his vocal proficiency. It’s amazing that the same person whose Reggae flow and patios made AKA’s “All Eyes On Me” so diverse can stretch his voice to almost paper thin texture as he did on “Smooth Sailing”. Confident in his vocals, he brags that “If Something Is Wrong Then The Fault Is Technical”. Even with a little braggadocio, the song references Yoruba folk music on the throw back song for a throw back song.

Jahs Love Is True Feat. Wizkid

Wizkid and Burna Boy are amazing artists on any given day by any standard. But on this collaboration, Leriq’s production gives them a run for their money. His spacey synth harmonies that listen like electronic guitars riffs serve as the baseline for a sharper synth loop that expands and folds but never breaks. Burna Boy and Wizkid come straight reminding us that they are more than just one hit wonders.

Outro: Remember Me

The last track wraps up the album neatly with a bow. The haunting salad of synth noise and hip-hop beats encourage hard hit bars and a rap style flow from Burna Boy who seems adept at any genre of his choice at this point. He however resorts back to his comfortable singing melodies as he establishes the fact that he’s “About To Leave (His) Mark As A Young Boy”. Burna Boy knew he had the sauce, the good people at Aristokrat knew it, and now we all know it.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/burnaboygram

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: According to Burna Boy on our cover article, Burna Boy was born Burna Boy