Enzo’s “Black And Beautiful” Is The Most Inspirational Song You’ll Hear This Week

Posted on by The Native

Music is one sure way to ease out the bad vibes that tend to come with the struggles of getting through the week. With a well curated playlist, you can set the exact mood you want to feel at any given time of day. Enzo’s “Black And Beautiful” is written primarily for feminine audience but the concept isn’t restricted to any gender.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUC8qxNg9aI/?taken-by=enzobobbies

One of the best things about “Black And Beautiful” is that like most EDM numbers, there are still traces of dancehall despite the somber melodies. “Black And Beautiful” has a dark, haunting piano baseline that builds till drums and soft synth notes up the tempo just enough to get heads bumping. Enzo gets into the vibe spinning uplifting romantic lyrics but his vocals do nothing to brighten the mood.

The song’s message of beauty is bathed in a broody sense of loss with lines like; “Your beauty ever lasting, I’ll love you till I die/You don’t need nobody to tell you you’re fine/You Gotta Know/I heard voices ruins the silence/It’s so sad” .

Enzo’s “Black And Beautiful” pushes the boundaries of dance pop in terms of lyrical content and musical arrangement.

Listen to “Black And Beautiful” below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/enzobobbies

Ditweni delivers an ode to his mom and her high standards on “Mama Got No Chill”

Bella Alubo is cool as funk on new music video for “Radio” ft Ycee

Posted on by The Native

Words by Fisayo Okare

For a hip-hop artist who has been focused on creating, distributing and promoting her music, Bella and her team understand just how crucial the concept of branding can be. There are different key components in a brands toolbox, which includes what your music sounds like, how you shoot your video, how you dress and most importantly, it’s about how you put all those things together in one holistic image. It’s good to see as this fits in neatly in Bella’s music video for her debut single, “Radio” featuring her fellow Tinny Entertainment signee, Ycee.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUOmXJalChW/?taken-by=bellaalubo

From the cover art, to the setting and scenery of the video itself, everything is really cool and Pop-art-y. And as they say, when a girl tries to go gangster, it’s cute. It seems Bella is ready to fully represent her brand.

Watch Bella’s “Radio” featuring Ycee below.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/bellaalubo

Read up: Bella And Ycee Are Surprisingly Good Singers On “Radio”

The Voice Nigeria returns for Season II

Posted on by The Native

Words by Ehimenim Agweh

If you were entranced by Chike’s looks, dazzled by the booming of Cornelius’ voice and held captive by Brenda’s charms, then you are in luck because “The Voice Nigeria” is coming to your screen on the 18th of June, 2017

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUOq6rbhmYE/?taken-by=thevoicenaija&hl=en

After A’rese took home the crown last season, the M-Net organised show began auditions around the country from April in the search for the next contestants and possible newcomers into the entertainment industry. Across its 17-episode run last year, the show garnered hundreds of viewers and diehard fans who have been waiting for the next season to commence.

The Airtel and Coca-Cola sponsored show will be seeing a departure in the judge’s section as Tuface will not be returning due to personal projects. His replacement has been confirmed to be Yemi Alade. The show’s regulars, Waje, Patoranking and Timi Dakolo will still be on the red chairs. “The Voice Nigeria” will air on AfricaMagic Showcase DSTV Channel 151.

Feature Image Credit: Instagram/thevoicenigeria

Incase you missed it: Nigeria’s Mo Adeniran Emerges Winner of The Voice UK

Listen To DJ Yin And Vic Sax On DJ Java’s “Lady”

Posted on by The Native

DJ Yin’s cross from spinning records to making music led to her debut release, “What You Started”, an Afro-house single produced by Bankyondbeatz. Her new effort comes via a feature on DJ Java’s “Lady”. DJ Java has worked with Ajebutter in the past on “Bisola Coker”, “Lady” is his first official release of the year.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUMSGCmlSUV/?taken-by=djjavaofficial

“Lady” has a similar Afro-House beat with “Bisola Coker” but with a slower tempo and a lighter bass. The romantic theme of “Lady” might have influence the decision to opt for a more subtle Afro-drum pattern and EDM piano riffs but it blends just right for DJ Yin. Vic Sax’s influence is felt at the end of “Lady” the with a jazz solo.

DJ Java has put together a very groovy mixture of EDM and Afro sounds without sacrificing one at the expense of the other. “Lady” has all the right features to help boast the popularity of Afro-house and with enough radio play, the genre might begin to rival the mainstream Afropop.

Listen to DJ Java’s “Lady” featuring DJ Yin and Vic Sax below.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/djjavaofficial

DJ Yin and Bankyonthebeatz choose to honor Marley with a tribute “I Wanna Love You” cover

Watch Korede Bello’s new video for “Butterfly”

Posted on by The Native

Words by Fisayo Okare

Korede Bello’s music is aimed directly at the heart of his fans. With his debut album, Belloved he needed us to know that as the name implies, it is dedicated to his fandom, Bellovers, who are key to the Korede Bello Brand. The 11-track album generally fares in the mid range category quality-wise but it’s easy to notch up “Butterfly” as an instant fave.

For “Butterfly”, Patrick Ellis directs with shots of actual butterflies, Korede Bello serenading his love interest with a guitar and beautiful scenery from California.

“Butterfly” is one of those songs when played, that you gradually slip into moving shoulders to the rhythm of the music. You can hear the tempo and expressions of “Butterfly” lightly tap into the mood you’ll get out of Flavour N’abania’s highlife.

Watch Korede Bello’s video for “Butterfly” below.

Featured Image Credit: koredebello/instagram

Incase you missed it: Listen to Korede Bello’s reworked “Do Like That” featuring Kelly Rowland

NATIVE Mix 006: featuring SMOKING INDOORS

Posted on by The Native

SMOKING INDOORS is back again hosting the sixth instalment of the NATIVE Mix. Seamlessly mashing up genres in his trademark style, he drops a new cut from Yonda and Burna Boy, a Lil Uzi Vert deep-cut and a hilarious Chris Rock skit.

However, the runaway scene-stealer in the mix is his edit of Ozzy B and Odunsi The Engine’s “Gangster Fear”. Blending the 2016 standout song with Smoke E. Digglera’s “If U Say, Say U Scared” (famously sampled on Drake’s “Look What You’ve Done”) is a work of art.

Have a listen, and peep the tracklist below.

 

There is Hope for you Still – Misogi
No Sex – Chris Rock
Bad – Adey
Love and Death (feat Uhuru Yenzu) – Ebo Taylor
Danfo Driver – Mad Melon & Mountain Black
Boom Bye Bye – Rens
Yawa – Tekno
In the morning – Mr Eazi
Las Vegas Remix feat Burna Boy – Yonda
Chronic Sunshine – Cosmo Pyke
Lost – Kasien
Overdose – Da-P
Deixa Ela Envolvida – DKVPZ
Doe Je Dans – Ft. Adje, Jozo – Bizzey & Young Felix
Ronda – Lil Uzi Vert
I Cant Leave Drank Alone – Z-ro
Jiggle – Slow Thai
Big Ben – Donaeo
Iskaba – Wande Coal
Pattern -One Acen
No swag – Caleon Fox
Gngsta Fear – SMOKING INDOORS
Aqui No Baille – DKVPZ
Venus – Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
Gonna Change – Focus The Truth

Listen to the Native Mix 005: Featuring Addy Edgal

Kenyan electronica and Ghanaian spoken word combine on Poetra Asantewa’s “Round Pegs”

Posted on by The Native

Some really great things are coming out of Ghana, especially from its crop of feminist spoken word poets; women who are challenging social convention and accepted social stereotypes with their poetry and spoken word performances. Ghanaian spoken word poet Poetra Asantewa is a huge part of this vanguard of women musicians, her work earning her a spot in the 2016 Beat One fellowship and bringing her music to the global stage. Since then, she’s used the exposure the platform gave her to elevate her craft, exploring other genres and re-imagining the genre in which she’s made her name.

For her new single “Round Pegs”, Asantewa goes all the way to Kenya, collaborating with Ghanaian producer KMRU who is exploring electronica as a sonic medium. He creates a transcendental platform of shimmery synth melodies, punctuated with a simple piano riff, and tribal percussions, subtle under the wall of sound he creates for Asantewa. She is never one to shy from a challenge and she switches between spoken word and a chorus filled with haunting three part harmonies, weaving stories of young people struggling to find their identities in a world where societal and parental pressures bury talent and force promising young people into life trajectories they don’t want for themselves. It is a time-worn social commentary, but no less relevant today.

Collaborations like this are the next phase of African music, and it is rad to see spoken word poets first embrace the wave.

PS: It’s a nice touch that the album art is a portrait of Jake The Kid, who became an internet sensation last year because of his keen interest in writing. There is much to unpack here.

Listen to “Round Pegs” below.

Watch 5 of the finest spoken word performances by poetra asantewa

Hear “Best In You”, another single expected to usher in Jesse Jagz’s upcoming album

Posted on by The Native

New releases continue to roll in from Jesse Jagz as we await his third studio album titled Odysseus. He released “New World” last month mentioning that the new project will be out soon but so far, we’ve only heard pieces of it. The latest piece, “Best In You” was released yesterday with an accompanying video directed by Graimmy theSOH.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUHarl8AYpQ/?taken-by=jessejagz

Jagz is predominantly a rapper but we’ve seen him do a lot of reggae style singing over the course of his career. “Best In You” sees the rapper explore the booming Afropop genre with reckless abandon. He does this at the risk of losing his rap fans but he retains his reggae flows on the romantic number with Afropop drum patterns. Jesse Jagz confesses his love for his girl on “Best In You”, drawing inspiration from 90’s Lighthouse Family’s “Ocean Drive” for the hook.

The video for “Best In You” has a blues-themed-concept, showing the sunset in Lagos and silhouettes of Jesse Jagz singing his heart out on an unsuspecting roof. Jesse Jagz’s exploration of Afropop suggests we can expect to see other experimentation from the rapper when  Odysseus finally comes out.

Watch Jesse Jagz’s video for “Best In You” below.

Feature Image Credits: Instagram/jessejagz

Check out Jesse Jagz’s debut single, “New World”

Mayorkun refixes Nonso Amadi’s “Tonight” with a whole different story

Posted on by The Native

Words by Fisayo Okare

Mayorkun’s new release, “Tonight”, a cover of Nonso Amadi’s hit single of the same name, is another proof that the mainstream industry is ready to bridge the gap between them and the avant-garde. Of which Maleek Berry and Tekno have already assisted in changing Afropop into a genre that can serve other purpose beside dancehall. Mayorkun’s songs are usually those kind of Afro pop hits presumably intended for the dance floor, but with this “Tonight” cover, he meets the new wave sound just half way through what they do.

Mayorkun’s delivery of “Tonight” tells a slightly different storyline from the original. While Mayorkun is leaving his lover instead by singing that “Tonight I’ll do away with you”, Nonso croons on the same beat that “Tonight just go all the way with me”.

A bit goofy but regardless, Mayorkun demonstrates that two opposing emotional extremes can be tested on the same sound wave. Usually, deep longing songs could be made about true love while fast paced songs with pop elements could easily be about heartbreaks. However, both concepts are done on the same tempo produced by Hills Music Group. Sorta genius, perhaps?

Fan’s who loved “Tonight”’s original may be just a tad disappointed that Nonso Amadi’s love song is now a pre-break up anthem. But well, you never can tell when love hits you differently.

Watch the video to Mayorkun’s cover of Nonso Amadi’s “Tonight” below.

Feature Image Credit: Instagram/Mayorkun

Watch Davido and Mayorkun in “Prayer”

“Banana Island Ghost” might just be our very own paranormal James Bond movie

Posted on by The Native

Words by Ehimenim Agweh

Just when we thought we were stuck with Old Nollywood action movies, Biola Alabi Media and Nemsia Films are blessing us ‘This Rainy Season a.k.a. Summer’ with 007’s Nigerian rival in “Banana Island Ghost” a.k.a. ‘B.I.G.’

The story follows a just dead ghost (Paul Diabuah) and his soulmate, Ijeoma (Chigurl)as they run into hilarious scrapes and firepower in the quest to reclaim Ijeoma’s father’s Banana Island property in three days. They pull a host of characters along with them including Baba God and (Surprise surprise) an Indian ninja. I bet Bollywood didn’t see that one coming.

“Banana Island Ghost”’s cast includes Uche Jombo-Rodriguez, Ali Nuhu, Saidi Balogun and others who will be adding their own bent to the action packed sequences the trailer promises.

See the trailer for “Banana Island Ghost” below

Feature Image Credit: Youtube/B.I.G -Banana Island Ghost Trailer

AV Club: Uche Aguh deifies the Nigerian woman in “Azuike | The Strength Of Your Back”

Listen To Ditweni’s Ode To His Mom And Her High Standards On “Mama Got No Chill”

Posted on by The Native

All the dedicated Mother’s Day in a calendar year will never be enough to appreciate what mothers do for us. We literally won’t exist without them and as if that’s not enough, they look out for us and do their best to protect us from harm—physical or emotional. Some methods darker than others, Ditweni’s mom is no exception and his new single, “Mama Got No Chill” is his ironic way of saying thanks.

Like most upcoming rappers with music producing skill, Ditweni usually can do without any external assistance on his songs. No one got credit for the production of “Mama Got No Chill” which suggests he produced the Blues-Hop-hop fusion himself. Inserting horns, negro spiritual melodies and brilliant beat samples, Ditweni makes good of the beat all without mucking up the heart in the middle of his lyrics. He uses his experience with his mom and past love interests to describe how his mom’s high standards have rescued him from settling for the wrong one.

Ditweni sings the catchy hook for “Mama Got No Chill” with the same dedication that brings to mind Kanye’s “Hey Mama”. Whether this means we can expect a classic album from Ditweni in the near future is yet to be confirmed but “Mama Got No Chill” has caught our attention.

Listen to “Mama Got No Chill” below.

https://soundcloud.com/user-730859702/mama-got-no-chill-mp3

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/ditweni

Theblackboyjohn reminds us that Nigerians in diaspora still respect the culture on “Chiefs Don’t Run” freestyle

Wizkid takes another Win, with 7 Billboard Music Award nominations

Posted on by The Native

Words by Fisayo Okare 

If you need a reminder on just how big a year Wizkid’s been having, just take a look at all the nominations, features and interviews he has racked up for himself on the international scene alone. His interviews on Channel 4 News and BBC radio 1 xtra, has seen him in the spotlight airing his views on Afro pop taking over the world and he has undoubtedly been at the forefront leading this vanguard.

Wizkid has worked with international artists like Skepta, Tinnie Tempah and R Kelly. But more recently, he had a feature on Zara Larsson’s Album, So Good and his more popularized feature with Drake on “Come Closer”, breaking streaming records in Nigeria. His feature on Drake’s Views album, “One Dance”, has earned him a total of 7 nominations for the 2017 Billboard Music awards.

The BBMA is an honour given by Billboard, a publication in the US covering the business of music & popularity chart and has been held since the 90’s. The award is given to the hottest names in the music industry, so there is a whole lot to look forward to in the future of Wizkid’s career.

In case you missed it, Wizkid is also on the line up to perform at Jay Z’s Made in America music festival in September, alongside Maleek Berry and Tiwa Savage. You can read the article on that here. And Check out the full list of nominees below via Billboard. The Awards will air 8PM  on the 21st of May.

 

Top Artist:

Adele

Beyonce

Justin Bieber

The Chainsmokers

Drake

Ariana Grande

Shawn Mendes

Rihanna

Twenty One Pilots

The Weeknd

 

Top New Artist:

Alessia Cara

Desiigner

Lil Uzi Vert

Lukas Graham

Zayn

 

Billboard Chart Achievement Award Presented by Xfinity:

Luke Bryan

Nicki Minaj

The Chainsmokers

The Weeknd

Twenty One Pilots

 

Top Male Artist:

Justin Bieber

Drake

Future

Shawn Mendes

The Weeknd

 

Top Female Artist:

Adele

Beyonce

Ariana Grande

Rihanna

Sia

 

Top Duo/Group:

The Chainsmokers

Coldplay

Florida Georgia Line

Guns N’ Roses

Twenty One Pilots

 

Top Billboard 200 Artist:

Beyonce

Drake

Prince

Twenty One Pilots

The Weeknd

 

Top Hot 100 Artist:

The Chainsmokers

Drake

Rihanna

Twenty One Pilots

The Weeknd

 

Top Song Sales Artist:

The Chainsmokers

Drake

Prince

Justin Timberlake

Twenty One Pilots

 

Top Radio Songs Artist:

Justin Bieber

The Chainsmokers

Drake

Rihanna

Twenty One Pilots

 

Top Streaming Songs Artist:

The Chainsmokers

Desiigner

Drake

Rihanna

Twenty One Pilots

 

Top Social Artist:

Justin Bieber

BTS

Selena Gomez

Ariana Grande

Shawn Mendes

 

Top Touring Artist:

Justin Bieber

Beyonce

Coldplay

Guns N’ Roses

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

 

Top R&B Artist:

Beyonce

Bruno Mars

Frank Ocean

Rihanna

The Weeknd

 

Top R&B Tour:

Beyonce

Lionel Richie

Rihanna

 

Top Rap Artist

J. Cole

Desiigner

Drake

Future

Rae Sremmurd

 

Top Rap Tour:

Drake

Future

Kanye West

 

Top Country Artist:

Florida Georgia Line

Blake Shelton

Keith Urban

Chris Stapleton

Jason Aldean

 

Top Country Tour:

Luke Bryan

Kenny Chesney

Dixie Chicks

 

Top Rock Artist:

Coldplay

The Lumineers

Metallica

Twenty One Pilots

X Ambassadors

 

Top Rock Tour:

Coldplay

Guns N’ Roses

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

 

Top Latin Artist:

J Balvin

Juan Gabriel

Los Plebes Del Rancho De Ariel Camacho

Maluma

Nicky Jam

 

Top Dance/Electronic Artist:

The Chainsmokers

Calvin Harris

Major Lazer

DJ Snake

Lindsey Stirling

 

Top Christian Artist:

Lauren Daigle

Hillsong Worship

Hillary Scott & the Family

Skillet

Chris Tomlin

 

Top Gospel Artist:

Jekalyn Carr

Kirk Franklin

Travis Greene

Tamela Mann

Hezekiah Walker

 

Top Billboard 200 Album:

Beyonce, Lemonade

Drake, Views

Rihanna, Anti

Twenty One Pilots, Blurryface

The Weeknd, Starboy

 

Top Soundtrack/Cast Album:

Hamilton: An American Musical

Moana

Purple Rain

Suicide Squad: The Album

Trolls

 

Top R&B Album:

Beyonce, Lemonade

Bruno Mars, 24K Magic

Frank Ocean, Blonde

Rihanna, Anti

The Weeknd, Starboy

 

Top Rap Album:

  1. Cole, 4 Your Eyez Only

Drake, Views

Kevin Gates, Isla

DJ Khaled, Major Key

A Tribe Called Quest, We Got It From Here…Thank You For Your Service

 

Top Country Album:

Jason Aldean, They Don’t Know

Florida Georgia Line, Dig Your Roots

Blake Shelton, If I’m Honest

Chris Stapleton, Traveller

Keith Urban, Ripcord

 

Top Rock Album:

The Lumineers, Cleopatra

Metallica, Hardwired…To Self Destruct

Radiohead, A Moon Shaped Pool

Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Getaway

Twenty One Pilots, Blurryface

 

Top Latin Album:

J Balvin, Energia

CNCO, Primera Cita

Juan Gabriel, Los Duo 2

Juan Gabriel, Vestido De Etiqueta: Por Eduardo Magallanes

Los Plebes del Rancho de Ariel Camacho, Recuerden Mi Estilo

 

Top Dance/Electronic Album:

The Chainsmokers, Bouquet

The Chainsmokers, Collage

Flume, Skin

Kygo, Cloud Nine

Lindsey Stirling, Brave Enough

 

Top Christian Album:

Casting Crowns, The Very Next Thing

Lauren Daigle, How Can It Be

Joey + Rory, Hymns

Hillary Scott & The Family, Love Remains

Skillet, Unleashed

 

Top Gospel Album:

Tamela Mann, One Way

Kirk Franklin, Losing My Religion

Travis Greene, The Hill

Tasha Cobbs, One Place: Live

Hezekiah Walker, Better: Azusa – The Next Generation 2

 

Top Hot 100 Song:

The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer”

The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”

Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance”

Justin Timberlake, “Can’t Stop The Feeling!”

Twenty One Pilots, “Heathens”

 

Top Selling Song:

The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer”

The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”

Drake Featuring, WizKid & Kyla “One Dance”

Justin Timberlake, “Can’t Stop The Feeling!”

Twenty One Pilots, “Heathens”

 

Top Radio Song:

The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer”

The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”

Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance”

Sia Featuring Sean Paul, “Cheap Thrills”

Justin Timberlake, “Can’t Stop The Feeling!”

 

Top Streaming Song (Audio):

The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer”

Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance”

D.R.A.M. Featuring Lil Yachty, “Broccoli”

Rihanna, “Needed Me”

The Weeknd Featuring Daft Punk, “Starboy”

 

Top Streaming Song (Video):

The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer”

Desiigner, “Panda”

Zay Hilfigerr & Zayion McCall, “JuJu On That Beat (TZ Anthem)

Rae Sremmurd Featuring Gucci Mane, “Black Beatles”

Twenty One Pilots, “Heathens”

 

Top Collaboration:

The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer”

The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”

Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance”

Sia Featuring Sean Paul, “Cheap Thrills”

The Weeknd Featuring Daft Punk, “Starboy”

 

Top R&B Song:

Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance”

Bruno Mars, “24K Magic”

Rihanna, “Needed Me”

Rihanna Featuring Drake, “Work”

The Weeknd Featuring Daft Punk, “Starboy”

 

Top R&B Collaboration:

Drake Featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance”

PARTYNEXTDOOR Featuring Drake, “Come And See Me”

Rihanna Featuring Drake, “Work”

The Weeknd Featuring Daft Punk “I Feel It Coming”

The Weeknd Featuring Daft Punk, “Starboy”

 

Top Rap Song:

Desiigner, “Panda”

Drake, “Fake Love”

D.R.A.M. Featuring Lil Yachty, “Broccoli”

Migos Featuring Lil Uzi Vert, “Bad And Boujee”

Rae Sremmurd Featuring Gucci Mane, “Black Beatles”

 

Top Rap Collaboration:

D.R.A.M. Featuring Lil Yachty, “Broccoli”

Zay Hilfigerr & Zayion McCall, “JuJu On That Beat (TZ Anthem)

Machine Gun Kelly & Camila Cabello, “Bad Things”

Migos Featuring Lil Uzi Vert, “Bad and Boujee”

Rae Sremmurd Featuring Gucci Mane, “Black Beatles”

 

Top Country Song:

Kenny Chesney Featuring Pink, “Setting The World On Fire”

Florida Georgia Line, “H.O.L.Y.”

Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw, “May We All”

Little Big Town, “Better Man”

Keith Urban, “Blue Ain’t Your Color”

 

Top Country Collaboration:

Dierks Bentley Featuring Elle King, “Different For Girls”

Kenny Chesney Featuring Pink, “Setting The World On Fire”

Eric Church Featuring Rhiannon Giddens, “Kill A Word”

Florida Georgia Line Featuring Tim McGraw, “May We All”

Chris Young Featuring Vince Gill, “Sober Saturday Night”

 

Top Rock Song:

Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa & Imagine Dragons with Logic & Ty Dolla $ign Featuring X Ambassadors, “Sucker For Pain”

Twenty One Pilots, “Heathens”

Twenty One Pilots, “Ride”

Twenty One Pilots, “Stressed Out”

X Ambassadors, “Unsteady”

 

Top Latin Song:

Daddy Yankee, “Shaky Shaky”

Enrique Iglesias Featuring Wisin, “Duele El Corazon”

Nicky Jam, “Hasta El Amanecer”

Shakira Featuring Maluma, “Chantaje”

Carlos Vives & Shakira, “La Bicicleta”

 

Top Dance/Electronic Song:

The Chainsmokers Featuring Halsey, “Closer”

The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”

Calvin Harris Featuring Rihanna, “This Is What You Came For”

Major Lazer Featuring Justin Bieber & MO, “Cold Water”

DJ Snake Featuring Justin Bieber, “Let Me Love You”

 

Top Christian Song:

Lauren Daigle, “Trust In You”

Hillary Scott & The Family, “Thy Will”

Skillet, “Feel Invincible”

Ryan Stevenson Featuring GabeReal, “Eye Of The Storm”

Zach Williams, “Chain Breaker”

 

Top Gospel Song:

Jekalyn Carr, “You’re Bigger”

Tasha Cobbs, Featuring Kierra Sheard “Put A Praise On It”

Kirk Franklin, “Wanna Be Happy??”

Travis Greene, “Made A Way”

Hezekiah Walker, “Better”

 

Feature Image Credit: Instagram/Wizkidayo

Read up: How Billboard’s Latest Chart Changes Will Switch Up The Game For African Artists

Phyno taps M.I And Burna Boy For the “Link Up”

Posted on by The Native

Stereotypes are often misleading, but going by what we hear on gritty rap songs, it is easy to conclude that if a musician were to rob you, odds are it’s going to be a rapper. Whether it’s for the extra money to  show off in their videos or just for the street credibility. 50 Cent’s Get Rich Or Die Trying album and tons of other Hip-hop videos set right in the middle of bank robberies, emphasize rap music’s inclination to aggression. This premise is presumably the inspiration behind Unlimited L. A’s video direction for Phyno’s “Link Up” featuring M.I and Burna Boy. Well, in addition to that, maybe he too has heard of the saying that when you find three grown men linking up, they are often up to no good.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUJvthwliNn/?taken-by=phynofino

But maybe we are taking it too far. After all, the only indications of violence in the video are the face masks, M.I’s trigger finger signs, burning tires and lyrics with gunshot onomatopoeia. That being said, “Link Up” brings Phyno who is rendering raps in his native Igbo language as usual, Burna Boy’s verse doubles as the hook and he easily delivers the best performance while, M.I is on board for a veteran touch that never falters.

Although “Link Up” had been under-appreciated from Phyno’s The Playmaker album, this hard but simple video may just be enough to spark interest in the LP once again.

Enjoy Phyno’s “Link Up” video with M.I and Burna Boy below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/PhynoVEVO

Phyno takes us to church for his “So Far So Good” video

AV Club: If Kuddi’s “Codename 1.0” is anything to go by, we should expect great things

Posted on by The Native

Nigerian filmmaker Kuddi has come a long way in his craft, and he is eager to show us what he’s been up to. His newest short film ‘Codename 1.0’ takes on the hard to pull off action genre, and makes light work of it. The entire film doesn’t dwell too much on backstory or character development focusing instead entirely on a superbly choreographed fight scene between a female protagonist and an armed assailant who trails her in the woods trying to immobilize her.

I loved that the entire sequence was gritty and visceral, and Kuddi doesn’t make any excuse for his protagonist just because she’s female. She gives as good as she gets and literally beats the shit out of her armed assailant. Won’t spoil the ending for you, other than to say, you have to see it through to the very end. If this is indicative of the kind of work that Kuddi intends to bring to Nollywood, then we’re more than ready.

Nollywood is definitely due for an action film done right.

Watch “Codename 1.o” here.

Av Club: Watch Uche Aguh’s Fashion film, “Azuike|The Strenght of your back”

Ayuu’s “Murderer” is a dream pop experiment that soars

Posted on by The Native

It’s easy to fall for the assumption that all the great music coming out of Nigeria is restricted to mainstream genres like afro-pop, Afro-trap and jollof music. But artists are well and truly experimenting with genres and expanding the outer limits of what constitutes Naija music. Multi-genre singer Ayuu is definitely not limiting his explorations of music to these genres. His last single released in March was a dancehall hit, and now he’s crossing the pond to the very apex of dream pop with his new single “Murderer”.

Enlisting the help of Odunsi The Engine (whose career as a producer, though not as prominent as his incarnation as a singer but just as established), who replicates the ambiance that characterized his own debut EP Time Of Our Lives is a huge boon to the single. Distorted organ notes, and an electronic-y, melody create this textural sensation of lightness of mind, with the bass heavy percussion working like a ballast to keep the listener from becoming too taken with the atmospheric dreaminess that the miss the story that Ayuu weaves entirely. And man, does he weave a yarn, switching between decent vocal work and rapid fire bars, confessing to us his dalliance with a femme fatale whose wiles prove much to powerful for him.

Many will come to “Murderer” for the mood it conjures, and will stay for Ayuu musical dexterity. And who looks down on a twofer. Definitely not us.

Listen to “Murderer” here.

Watch Wizkid pick which is better between Nigerian Jollof and Ghanaian Jollof

Falz makes a random and hilarious appearance on Arsenal Fan TV

Posted on by The Native

Robbie, host of the Arsenal Fan TV had Nigerian rapper, Falz The Bahd Guy on his YouTube vox pop. The host didn’t realise who Falz was at first, but a Nigerian in the small crowd introduced Falz (to Robbie) as one of the biggest artists in Nigeria in the presence of other Arsenal fans exiting the home stadium after a 2-0 victory against Sunderland.

Falz however, didn’t seem as excited because he immediately switched to serious questions about the game, asking “To What End?”. Clearly he was not impressed by the scoreline as it wasn’t enough to secure the fourth League position Arsenal has become synonymous with. When asked how he feels about playing in the Europa League, he blamed Wenger for Arsenal’s woes and discussed on other comical Arsenal troubles, including how he’s finding it hard to remain an Arsenal supporter.

Watch the full Falz interview below.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/ArsenalFanTv

Watch Falz go from Bahd Guy to Baby Boy in “Baby Boy” video

The Shuffle: Revisit the peak of modern Afropop of the 2000s with eLDee’s “Big Boy”

Posted on by The Native

After the ominous intro by Olu Mantain, eLDee’s “Big Boy” kicks in with an auto-tuned chant, allowing loud drums set in with the ambient type of synths common place with today’s trap music. You would have bopped your head to the rhythm that results for a few minutes before you realise the song you’re listening to was recorded over eight years ago and so much has changed since then.

Eventually dated references, tiring length and corny materialism give away “Boy Boy” but it doesn’t change much about the relevance of the single for its time and era. “Big Boy” was released in the later parts of eLDee’s career, after a considerable time spent in the United States. The single came in 2008, a golden era where all affirming status as a ‘big boy’ took was a show of taste in the finest things.

Of course that didn’t mean even back then such a bawdy claim can come from just anyone. To solidify his self-proclaimed status, eLDee features Olu Maintain, who was fresh off his Yahooze success from the previous year and newly signed Etisalat ambassador (the first ever actually), Banky W. From hard brags to a bouncy beat, there is very little that doesn’t work on “Big Boy”. And it gets even better with Banky W’s final verse, where he highlights celebrity realities while giving the first hint of what became a career penchant for killing hip-hop instrumentals.

There are probably a thousand and one songs from Atlanta (where eLDee was based in America at the time), that sound like “Big Boy”, but the single holds evidence of peak modern Nigerian music as the 2000s began to come to an end. And of eLDee’s place as one of the few veterans from the early noughties who pointed to the direction of where the sound was going.

Stream eLDee’s “Big Boy” via Apple Music below

Listen to the song picked as the Best New Music for this week

PatricKxxLee Wears His Heart On His Sleeve On “Broken Boys Break Toys”

Posted on by The Native

Emo artists come in all forms. Though rappers are usually too immersed in their ultra-masculine lifestyles, a few have the presence of mind to bare their hearts on their songs. The fear of being exposed as vulnerable makes confessions of feelings a daunting task but PatricKxxLee has shown in previous released single, “Pocahontas” that he’s a walking ball of conflicts and contradictions—depressed from heartbreak one moment, bragging about his carefree nature in the next. He is driven by his emotional side but like Lil Uzi Vert’s “XO Tour Life”, he makes it look gangster.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUE_Vs5lNHl/?taken-by=patrickxxlee

His latest single, “Broken Boys Break Toys” features Saint Klaus who joins PatricKxxLee on for the emo number that plays devil’s advocate, exploring Lee’s disregard for commitment. As the title hints, “Broken Boys Break Toys” is an introspective, minimal electro-pop song steeped in pain, flaunting and more confessional lyrics than we’ve seen from any African rapper. His decision as a rapper to sing through auto-tune would have been a bad one a few years ago but lately, everyone from Future to Kanye West is getting on the trendy accessory. The recent embrace of the studio aid is like pro wrestling producers saying, “Well shit, none of this is real anyway” and making more obviously scripted fights that are more popular.

Though PatricKxxLee raps as much as Saint Klaus does on “Broken Boys Break Toys”, PatricKxxLee’s singing makes Saint Klaus look like he’s doing the bulk of the rapping over the broody synths. The entire theme of the single is dismal, with cavernous production that gives PatricKxxLee’s auto-tuned vocals more of an echoing desolation than a pop sheen.

Listen to PatricKxxLee’s “Broken Boys Break Toys” below.

https://soundcloud.com/patrickxxlee/broken-boys-break-toys-feat-saint-klaus

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/patrickxxlee

Listen to PatricKxxLee search for a free-spirited “Pocahontas

Jidenna, One Africa Music Fest and how we are getting this African Time thing all wrong

Posted on by The Native

Words by Fisayo Okare

“If we truly believe it is OUR time, as Africans, we need to be ON time”

The above is a trending statement made by Nigerian-American singer & rapper, Jidenna. For a comprehensive analysis on that, it’s probably best if I back up, rewind and explain.

On Saturday, 13th May, some of the biggest names in African music gathered at Wembley Arena in the UK, for One Africa Music Fest 2017. Jidenna was set to headline the event among other mega African artists who also featured at the event including Tiwa Savage, Banky W, Cassper Nyovest, M.I Abaga, Falz and more. As the headliner, Jidenna was deliberately and respectfully held back stage before making a grand entrance to round up the day’s performances, unfortunately Jidenna never actually made it on the stage. After the event, he courteously took to twitter to air his views in a 1-minute-clip to apologize to his fans who waited to the last minute to see him perform.

But it didn’t end there, still miffed about not getting to perform at OAMF, Jidenna gave an interview to Factory78, where his statement below, has yet again begun another trend.

“People make jokes about African Time but the truth is that everyone is laughing at us. We are out here joking about it but every other continent is laughing at us.”

It’s been fair enough to see him give comments on his disappointment and on the substandard time management of the organizers and performers at the show, while not exactly pointing fingers at anyone in particular. But, where he really hits the bump on the smooth road is where he remarks that the world is laughing at us. Now, this can’t be generally regarded as fair. This African time thing is an old African cliché. Let’s all just first agree that anything can go wrong, anywhere in the world.

This is not to say that we as Africans do not have a well documented history of lateness but this is giving a deceptive presumption that non-African artists and non-African event organizers do not delay or even cancel highly anticipated performances. Let’s recall in June last year when an expected concert by Kanye West drew thousands of fans in Webster Hall, Manhattan, and after hours of waiting on blind faith, it never took place.

So, it’s not just anything to say other continents are laughing at us, when similar, even worse things of this kind happen on these other continents. Lets talk about the pitfalls of human beings –and not Africans.

Check out the two video’s where Jidenna aired his views below.

https://youtu.be/KNBPUNruq4U

Feature Image Credit: Twitter/Jidenna

Read up: Jidenna gatecrashes ex-girlfriend’s-wedding in bambi video

Wunmi Mosaku Wins her First BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress

Posted on by The Native

Words by Fisayo Okare

We’ll never not celebrate an African at home or in the diaspora, who is doing great things or who has been acknowledged in a grand way for their hard work and efforts. As is the case of Olu‘wunmi’ Olapeju Mosaku, a 30-year-old Nigerian-Born British actress who just won a Best Supporting Actress award at the annual British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) TV Awards. Essentially, see this as a UK rendition of the Primetime Emmys in the USA.

Wunmi Mosaku earns the Best Supporting Actress Award for her role in the BBC One movie, “Damilola, Our Loved Boy.” As it is both her first nomination and first win, there is definitely a lot to look forward to as she continues to raise the bar of her career higher.

It is especially important to note that Wunmi is winning her BAFTA for her part in the portrayal of the life and death of Nigerian born pre-adolescent Damilola Taylor, who was stabbed to death by street kids in London while he was coming back from a computer class. His death spurred stricter laws around violence against minors in the British Parliament.

Wunmi was born in Zaria, Nigeria before moving to Manchester in England. She graduated form the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2007. Since then she has appeared in a number of works almost every year. To see some of Wunmi’s recent works, she has appeared in “Playtest”, an episode of the anthology series “Black Mirror” and Showtime’s John Ridley series, “Guerrilla”. Also, for anyone who has watched the 3-hour extended cut of “Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice”, you will remember Kahina Ziri (as played by Wunmi Mosaku), an actual character from the DC Comics universe who is blackmailed by Lex Luthor to testify against Superman. Well, Wunmi’s character may seemingly be a minor, but she even has powers of her own in the superhero film.

Asides Wunmi’s recent BAFTA awards win; in 2010 she was named one of “The Seven Fresh Faces” of Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for her role in “I Am Slave”. Wunmi plays the character of Malia, a girl kidnapped from her hometown in Sudan and sold into slavery. For her performance in the movie, she bagged a couple of awards including “Best Actress at the Birmingham Black Film Festival”, “Best Onscreen performance at the Cultural Diversity Awards” and “Best Female performance at the Screen Nation Awards”.

Check out her acceptance speech at the just concluded 2017 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) TV Awards below. And you can also see the trailer for “Damilola, Our Loved Boy” here.

Feature Image Credit: Instagram/BAFTA

Incase you missed it: David Oyelowo is to star in another true-life drama after Selma, “Arc of Justice”

AV Club: Yomi Ososanya breaks down Nollywood’s new obsession with webseries

Posted on by The Native

If you follow our culture reporting on Native, then you know we are very interested in the film industry, especially its digital mediums. We’ve covered a lot of culturally relevant short films and especially web series, which have proliferated from one in 2010, to several independent web shows, series and short films from several independent ‘studios’ with big budgets and interesting ideas on what is possible in Nigerian cinema, otherwise known as Nollywood. But we’ve always wondered why digital is exploding for Nigerian filmmakers who have traditionally preferred the length and flexibility feature films give. Well, Yomi Ososanya has all the answers.

Film maker Yomi Ososanya has been exploring different concepts in cinema through a series of micro-documentaries on his personal Youtube channel and in the latest installment on the site, he turns his focus to the Nigerian Webshow. There are many reasons he posits as possible reasons for why the digital media channels have gotten so popular in the last five years. There is of course, the brevity of digital projects which less of an emotional commitment for a director/producer, the flexibility of short serialized content and the potential to find funding quicker as sponsors can easily gauge if an idea will go mainstream or not. We at Native would like to add, that you cannot ignore the upward mobility that democracy has brought to Nigeria and Nollywood, the accessibility technology has given millions to curate and consume the kind of content they want.

Ososanya doesn’t answer all the possible questions, but it is a good place to start the conversation.

Watch the documentary here.

Watch Yomi Ososanya’s break down of ‘Blocking’ as a film making tool in ‘The Encounter’