Tomi Adeyemi’s Debut Novel “Children of Blood and Bone” Scores A Publishing And Movie Deal

Posted on by The Native

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSM9U6bhbJ8/?taken-by=tadeyemibooks

Words By Fisayo Okare

Tomi Adeyemi is a 23 year old Nigerian-American writer whose debut Young Adult novel, “Children of Blood and Bone” a West African fantasy book was recently acquired by Fox 2000.

“Children of Blood and Bone”, the first of a trilogy has been described as “‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ meets Black Lives Matter”. What we know of the story so far is minimal but it’s focused on Zélie, a girl who at six years old watched the king’s guards hang her mother on a tree outside her home. Set in a kingdom where dark skin is loathed because of the magic inherent to the Orishans (who are dark skinned), Zélie sets off on a quest to end the senseless violence and oppression by the lighter-skinned royal class. Danger lurks in this west-African inspired world, where lionnaires and cheetanaires roam, and the beautiful villages built over oceans, out of sand or forged in iron hide a dark underbelly of slavery and corruption.

On the “Pitch Wars” conversation Tomi had on Brenda-Drake.com last September, the novel was further described as follows: “From the West African-inspired world, to Tomi’s painstakingly layered characters, and her ability to crush you with heart-shattering *FEELS* bombs… how she uses magic and the monarchy to illuminate privilege and connect with Black Lives Matter… is nothing short of ingenious!”

In addition, Tomi’s bio on her official website states why she wrote the book. “I want a little black girl to pick up my book one day and see herself as the star. I want her to know that she’s beautiful and she matters and she can have a crazy, magical adventure even if an ignorant part of the world tells her she can never be Hermione Granger. I want to give something to the world that I feel I missed out on as a child, and I want to help people of all races, ethnicities, and orientations understand that no matter what differences we may think we have, everyone is a human and everyone deserves to be respected and valued. I also write because I refuse to believe I will never have any magical powers and if I keep writing YA Fantasy I can keep that delusion up.”

In a remarkable pair of deals for a debut author, Fox 2000’s preemptive acquisition of Children of Blood and Bone, landed at or near a seven-figure sum and a publishing deal. Temple Hill’s Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey are producing the Fox 2000 film adaptation with Karen Rosenfelt. So far, there’s no news about when the novel “Children of Blood and Bone” will hit the bookstores but it’d be published by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers.

Featured Image Credit: Tomi_Adeyemi/Twitter

Luvvie Ajayi’s “I’m Judging You” Set To Become Shondaland’s First Comedy Series

Listen to Wizkid’s “Come Closer” featuring Drake

Posted on by The Native

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Following a controversial leak earlier in the year, Wizkid and Drake’s “Come Closer” belatedly sees the light of day in the early hours of Friday morning, per official single releases. Having previously collaborated on the remix to “Ojuelegba” and on Drake’s smash-hit “One Dance” respectively, Starboy and The Boy finally trade verses on an official release.

Despite the various false-announcements and unexplained delays, it seems the ball is finally rolling for Wizkid’s major label debut, Sounds From The Other Side. While “Sweet Love” and “Daddy Yo” received mixed reviews, “Come Closer” will undoubtedly be dominating the dancefloor this weekend, helped by a truly memorable Pop-Drake verse filled with instagram captions to-be.

Listen to “Come Closer” on Apple Music.

Tiwa Savage and the curse of the groupie effect

Is “Give Me Love” The Worst Song Released By Skales

Posted on by The Native

Skales’ Empire Mates Entertainment (EME) deal looked like the start of the success story for an artist who desperately needed a big break. This didn’t quite pan out as the label seemed to be more focused on pushing its cash cow, the Star Boy himself, Wizkid. His rumoured debut album languished for years in development, while he was forced to abandon his very promising rap career for an incarnation as a jollof singer, kept in the wings as a subtle threat to keep Wizkid in line.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSEiBnHj6Hx/?taken-by=youngskales&hl=en

In the years that followed, he went on to sign a recording deal with Baseline Entertainment, cash out with catchy but forgettable songs and bag an endorsement with MTN despite a drab 2015 debut, Man of The Year. Over the years, former rapper, Skales has tried everything; auto-tuned singing, sing-song rapping, Afropop and even a bit of reggae that only added up to a mediocre but moderately successful pop relevance.

Skales new incarnation as the premier act in his new record label takes away his excuse of being poorly publicized and he finally got the resources to work with, but that’s pretty much all we can expect from Skales these days. For his latest single, “Give Me Love” he features Tekno, in a half riff “Pana”, half riff something completely corny single that neither does anything or goes anywhere.

“Give Me Love” is produced by Spellz who settles for a comfortable clap rhythm drum pattern that is droning at best. Skales layers on a repetitive hook that did nothing to elevate the boring beat. Tekno easily has the best verse because Skales’ verse, hook and bridge are all dead on arrival.

The video for the pre-released single was released on Skale’s Official VeVo but it did nothing to help the ease the song into the ears. Tekno adlibs a melodious string of unrelated words, oddly enough, his tactless cut is one of the few moments to look forward to on replays. The elaborate shoots of a grand piano on a roof that no one plays is kind of a metaphor for Skales’ outsize talent that is never, ever really put to use.

By many definitions of a what a “good” Afropop song is, “Give Me Love” may still slink into playlists and DJ mixes. His label, Baseline Music may have arrested him last year, but going by the numbers, they have also done a fair job of steadying a career EME left for dead. Understandably Skales would not be the first nor the last rapper to choose Afropop over bars, but his current form is starting to glimpse an apparent lack of innovation. “Give Me Love” is Skales’ second single of the year and would perhaps remain nothing but a shell of the Skales that swore he was heading for a Grammy many years ago.

Listen to the Skales’ “Give Me Love” below.

Featured Image Credits: Youtube

Watch Cassper Nyovest Stunting With Money Bills On ‘Tito Mboweni’

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Cassper Nyovest isn’t the first rapper to brag about all the money he makes and the cars in his garage. If anything, he slips right in with nearly every other rapper in history who has attempted some sort of braggadocio rap. However, Cassper isn’t just going on about having the bills. His latest single “Tito Mboweni” is a salute to the former South African Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni, the first indigenous black man to have his signature on the Rand.

Clearly inspired by legendary Tito, Cassper isn’t just talking about having a couple thousands in his bank account. He’s surrounded by high-end sports cars, wearing Versace and wiggling across the floor because who gives a fuck? He could get more clothes. As a true friend who understands the need to make sure his friends don’t get left out, his crew isn’t excluded from the narrative. Everybody’s balling. Hard.

Watch ‘Tito Mboweni’ below

Featured Image Credit: CasperNyovest/Instagram

Kweku Collins talks jet-setting and change on “International Business Trip”

Have A Glimpse Of Lakin Ogunbanwo’s Installation For Galerie Lafayette’s Africa Now

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Lakin Ogunbawo’s use of vibrant flat colour and bold compositions in his photographs marked his place at the confluence of fashion photography and classical portraiture in Nigeria. His art often marked by his use of shadow play, drapery and foliage, is reminiscent of the ’70s minimalist trend of African studio photography.

His interesting perspective coupled with his penchant for highlighting sensuality, has gone past the borders of Nigeria, earning him numerous accolades and features on New York Times and Vogue. Following his recent Alara Lagos project, Lakin Ogunbawo just unveiled his special commission for the Galerie Lafayette’s Africa Now season.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSJw–0jyqW/?taken-by=lakinogunbanwo

The photographic installation and film went up recently, gracing the windows of the legendary Parisian department store. This special commission is a part of Galeries Lafayette’s extensive programme of events, pop-ups, exhibitions and retail offerings celebrating the creative energy of Africa set to run till June 10th.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSLldUZjLsL/?taken-by=lakinogunbanwo

Keeping in line with the theme, he called on a cast of his favourite models, utilising textiles that captured the irrepressible energy of Lagos such as local sponges, gallon cans and wax prints.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSL8MrFjDjH/?taken-by=lakinogunbanwo

Upon its unveil, Lakin revealed how important it is to capture the essence of Africa with his vibrant hues and sensual images. “It’s important to me to show a multifaceted Africa by speaking about my Africa,” Ogunbanwo says. “Drawing from the colours and vibrancy of my city serves as a metaphor for the continent, where many people, cultures and realities all mix and interweave to make one beautiful whole.”

 

Creative direction and photography – Lakin Ogunbanwo
Styling Oyinye – Fafi Obi
Make-up – Odiri
Models – Uju Marshall, Toyin Oyeneye, Mannie Be, Gabriel Kas and Dami Oni
Production – Funmbi Ogunbanwo
Film direction – Wale Davis and Lakin Ogunbanwo
Film editing – Kewa Oni, Seun Opabis
Assistants – Bolaji and Uche

Featured Image Credit: A Whitespace Creative Agency

You’ve never seen Mayowa Nicholas and Uju Marshall like this

Paradise Motel debuts strong with EgoSex

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Paradise Motel, a Spanish rock band with a Nigerian lead singer released “Holy Ghost”, their debut single last year igniting a wave of interest from genre fans and music lovers alike. The single portrayed the band as a bluesy rock band drawing heavily from gospel soul and religious references but the song’s music video featured cuts that helped to clarify that the metaphors were only traces of the indie rock band’s dark and haunting narrative.

Their first body of work, Ego Sex features “Holy Ghost” and 4 new tracks that streamline the band’s aesthetic, and properly introduces us to the musings of Jibril, their lead singer. Ego Sex is through and through a breakup album, exploring the deepest depths of obsessive relationships and the dark places heartbreak can take a man. It is intensely personal stuff.

Listen to Paradise Motel’s Ego Sex EP here.

https://soundcloud.com/paradisemotel/sets/egosex

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Paradise Hotel

Lady Donli’s “Kashe Ni” Is A Glittery Sliver Of How It Feels To Be In Love

Posted on by The Native

Love is inexplicable. It’s especially difficult to describe the strange sentiments that come with the urge to please and cater to someone else’s needs. These emotions inspire numerous songs, all describing what it feels like to fall in or out of love and how to deal with the heartbreak that follows. Lady Donli’s “Kashe Ni” plays on this classic trope but hers is a deeply personal declaration.

https://twitter.com/LadyDonli/status/847176021841514496

Temporarily shedding the perpetual ambivalence that defines the characters she pupeteers in her music, Lady Donli as a woman in love is bolder, unashamed to own her desire to escape with her love interest and ‘make out’ like the kids do. She reveals how she isn’t the type to wear her heart on her sleeve and express how she feels but the freedom that comes with being with her lover makes it hard to keep her emotions suppressed. Her new-found confidence reflects in her music as an uptempo beat, declaring how much they don’t care.

The strong emotions Donli expresses so strongly right now might fade, the only thing that matters in the moment is that what she feels is true.

Listen To “Kashe Ni”

Featured Image Credit: LadyDonli/Instagram


Watch Lady Donli On Bankyondbeatz’ ‘Fale Comigo’

Paradise Motel’s “Boys Hurt Too” Reminds Us How Fragile Masculinity Is

Posted on by The Native

Before “Holy Ghost”, Paradise Motel to me was just an elaborate name for a lodge. The howling voice of the band’s Nigeria lead singer however made Paradise Motel a band I wanted to watch perform live but their one hit single didn’t hold much promise for my dreams. So you can imagine the gratification when they announced that their debut EP, Ego Sex was in the works and when my nights spent stalking the band’s official Soundcloud account got rewarded with the release of the EP last night.

The real draw of the band for me wasn’t just the pride in seeing Nigerian lead singer, Jibril Wekafore, successfully carry an indie rock band but how their song was able to strike a connection with my personal struggles. The quasi-gospel lyrics on their “Holy Ghost” was easy to relate to and just two songs into the new Ego Sex, the band’s haunting theme already struck a cord in my mind. “Boys Hurt Too” is the second track on the 5-track EP and it speaks on the struggles of being in love as a broad-chested male with all the beard to match.

“Boys Hurt Too” plays like a stand alone pop song from the rest of the indie punk-rock EP though the fourth track, “You Can Be Bad” sounds nearly pop till the heavy guitars drown out the bubblegum rhythm. Artists like Taylor Swift have made this switch to pop to increase their appeal and it is expected to work just the same for Paradise Motel. “Boys Hurt Too” however stays true to the band’s profound despair and darkness narrative with the wailing voice of Jibril and a brief guitar solo at the end of the song.

“Boy Hurt Too” shows the dark side of relationships from the boys angle and effectively shatters the notion that only women get scarred when relationships end. This theme reverberates on the EP with songs describing dealing with pain and conquering it (sorta).

Through ringing themes of wreckage and loss of self, Pradise Motel reminds us that though cultural norms speculate otherwise, men are capable of feeling deep-cut hurt.

Listen to Paradise Motel’s “Boys Hurt Too” below.

https://soundcloud.com/paradisemotel/boys-hurt-too?in=paradisemotel/sets/egosex

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Paradise Motel

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

Best New Music: Patrickxxlee is drunk in the woods and looking for “Pocahontas”

 

The Internet Is Going Nuts Over #KeepTheChangeBae

Posted on by The Native

The internet obsesses over a new paramour every other week. Over the last couple months, Turkish meat chef, ‘Salt Bae’, American female arsonist, ‘Prison Bae’ and the infamously broken-hearted ‘Hurt Bae’ have served as premium entertainment for the internet. Now, Nigeria has one of such of its own Bae(s) in a story of a date gone wrong, a self-entitled prick and an ultimate clapback that has spawned a trending topic.

Twitter user, @PabloAyodeji became the butt of memes and internet jokes after a thread of rant tweets he made about a date with a ‘#brokeasshungrybitch’ backfired. According to his account of events, his date’s greatest sin was showing up to enjoy a movie, hotdog and yoghurt with no intentions of getting into a relationship with him.

 

But the said date, Ore (@Missmoshiku) surfaced online after seeing Ayodeji’s tweet with a clapback of the date’s expense breakdown, attaching a screenshot of a refund in excess and imploring him to keep the change.

I won’t go into an angry rant about the male sense of entitlement, but for those that don’t know, Ayodeji’s post-date twitter thread is why women invented the concept of ‘vex money’, a loose fund usually kept in case your date is an immature fucker who thinks a meal and a drink is a hall pass to be an idiot. As it is, Ayodeji is only 18 years old and it’s quite appalling to see how deeply ingrained his misogynistic beliefs already are.

The real hero of the day however is our new #KeepTheChangeBae who Rubbing Minds host, Ebuka, has also aliased #RefundBae.

Call it silly but Ore is already in my book as a feminist icon. Women have secretly kept their vex monies tucked in their purses in the past, hoping the date doesn’t go south. If anything, her experience proves intuition is never wrong and men really are scum.

Featured Image Credit: BeyonceLemonade/Weheartit.com

Tiwa Savage and the curse of the groupie effect

Justice League, Spiderman Homecoming And 5 Other Trailers You Should See

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Spider-Man Homecoming

Spider-man is getting a reboot from the Andrew Garfield’s Amazing Spider-man universe. Captain America’s “Civil War” introduced the newest edition of New York’s favorite neighborhood hero as Tom Holland who would be swinging into the cinemas from the 7th of July. The trailer released earlier didn’t focus so much on the hero’s mundane school and romance life but the updated trailer shows the plot as well as the human side of the hero. Tony Stark is seen mentoring the teenage hero and Vulture is shown as the villain. Though the hero’s uniquely human characteristic aren’t really emphasized in the trailer, there are all the elements you’d expect from a Spider-Man movie: a sweet fight sequence, a smooch scene and a classic beat down with his mask off.

Dead Men Tell No Tales

The fifth installment of the Johnny Depp’s sea adventures, “Pirates of the Caribbean” is expected to be released at the end of the second quarter of the year. With impressive CGI and live action sequences the Pirates of The Caribbean series have become synonymous with, the new trailer for Dead Men Tell No Tales’ reintroduces a younger Jack Sparrow facing off his rival, Captain Salazar. The origin story to their long standing feud may hint a possibility for a near end to the Pirates of The Caribbean universe as the trailer indicated the beginning of an end. Dead Men Tell No Tales is expected to drive towards an eventual final battle between Sparrow and Salazar.

Ghost In The Shell

Despite the initial back lash at Scarlett Johansson’s white casting for the adaptation of Japanese anime, Ghost In a Shell, the DreamWorks movie would be hitting cinemas at the end of this month. And we have to admit from all we’ve seen in the two trailers released, It’s going to be hard to ignore this one at the box office. Scarlett Johanson reanimates femme-fatal personas we’ve seen in Lucy and her Black Widow character from the Avengers series for a half human cyborg, Mokoto Kusanagi. Hollywood has failed at manga adaptations in the past but Ghost in a Shell’s cyber-punk universe seems to have been well in the upcoming flick. It immediately brings to mind sci-fi masterpieces like “Matrix” and “Total Recall” but with more elaborate world building and cool CGI concept shots. “Ghost in a Shell” will be available in 2D and IMAX 3D from March 31st.

Guardians of The Galaxy. Vol 2

The unanticipated success of the first installment of Marvel’s Guardians of The Galaxy has ensured that the obscure heroes get a second installment. For the crew’s new adventure, all members of the original crew are accounted for including a baby-sized Groot who sacrificed his regenerative body to save the team in the first installment.The trailer features Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 classic, “The Chain” as we get a glimpse at cuts of the new space adventure. The Star Lord’s past seems to be the central focus of the film which would answer the pending questions on the characters past. The trailer also promises a unique combination of humor and action that the Marvel universe has built its film franchise around.

Despicable Me 3

While some fans are begging for Universal Studios to pull the plug on the Despicable Me franchise, other factions have welcomed the third installment of the series with glee. The upcoming flick of everyone favorite anti-hero dad will see him facing off an 80’s inspired villain, Bratt whose purple costume seems to be straight out of Prince’s closet. Gru is broke and bored of his new life as a family man and accidental hero when a newly discovered twin named Dru surfaces in his life and attempts to drag him back into his old life. Dru convinces Gru to work together with him for an heist. But while Gru insists the job would be a one off thing, the rest of the trailer hilariously details the siblings meeting as a premise for a new adventure.

Wonder Woman ‘Origin’

While debates on the success of DC’s Batman Versus Superman and Suicide Squad were divided along franchise loyalties, DC has given a first look at the upcoming Wonder Woman ‘Origin’ movie with two trailers. A Wonder Woman movie puts DC ahead in terms of representation of female characters on the big screen given that Gal Gadot’s debut as Wonder Woman in BVS  was criticized for not showing enough of the Amazonian princess. The trailer shows a movie set in World War I and it gives DC a chance to attempt the same historic film with a superhero twist that worked well for Marvel’s Captain America: The First Avenger movie. The super powered Amazon warrior is seen through her flashback to her early days as Diana, discovering her powers and leaving the comfort of the paradise island to fulfill her destiny by saving the human race from the destruction.

Justice League

After Marvel Studio’s success with an expanded universe of interwoven movies, the DC universe began works towards its own similar universe. Hence, it was no coincidence that the events from 2013’s Man of Steel spilled over into last year’s Batman Versus Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad respectively. The next in line for the DC Universe is the long awaited Justice League movie. With positive fan reception to tie-in movie, Wonder Woman, an official trailer for JL itself has surfaced online to build further anticipation for the upcoming movies from the DC Universe. Save for Superman who supposedly died in BVS, all popular characters from the DC Universe get screen time including Cyborg, Flash and Aquaman who are all new to the big screen. Though there’s a call to action and cuts of Ben Affleck’s Batman rounding up the team, no central villain has been identified, building fan’s speculation that the have surrounded Superman’s death since Zack Snyder’s BVS last year. There are also cuts of all the comic relief sorely missed from last year’s gloomy Batman versus Superman. Werner Brother would be looking to win critic and fans alike over after failing to impress with BVS and Suicide Squad, two movies that should have served as perfect appetizers for this year’s big budget flicks.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/Marvel Entertainment

Read the first issue of “Anikulapo”, a new comic by Vortex Inc

Badsam’s “Alright” Is The Pick-Me-Up Song You Need To Get Through The Day

Posted on by The Native

Words by Fisayo Okare

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSJbz_EBPWn/?taken-by=djbadsam

It is no easy feat to finally get your dreams. But happily-ever-after only lasts a short while. Soon the realisation that it’s not so easy to keep the dream sets in, leaving room for self-doubt. But challenges, as they say, are meant to be conquered and this is how Badsam’s “Alright” explores the anxiety and doubt that come with such situations. The ringing theme, however, is recovery when faced with trying challenges.

Badsam’s production starts off slow as Kahli Abdu sings about going through rough patches. The tempo gradually intensifies as Kahli’s lyrics reflects his growing confidence, peaking at the chorus where he chants “I’m feeling alright”.

Badsam’s heavily synthesised EDM production coupled with Kahli Abdu’s lyrics is a combination of elements reflecting change on a personal level, marking a switch-up from being riddled with doubt to a decided assurance that at the end of it all, you’ll be alright.

Stream “Alright” below

Featured Image Credit: DJBadsam/Instagram

Ria Boss’ “Carefree” Is A Snapshot Of Self-Love From A Black Girl’s Eyes

Straff’s Debut Video, “Cherry Game Girl” Is A Trippy Hipster story

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After releasing his debut EP, Vanilla Sky with a feature from MI, Straff’s career looked to be heading in the right direction commercial appeal wise. The release of the video to “Cherry Game Girl” shows the rapper is still working on gaining more public acclaim and the least self-facing song from the EP is the right call.

“Cherry Game Girl” has a mid tempo beat held by polysynth piano tunes. He raps with a bashful swag but retains enough tinge of charm to sound almost romantic. Straff credits himself for the video’s production along with Uthman and Remy Baggins. The shots are layered with colored hues and swirl mirror filters while also showing colorful fonts and hypnotic cartoons. The visuals of the hipster romantic video are in line with Straff’s vintage nerd aesthetic. In his description of the video, Straff said, “This video is a compilation of one of the sweetest things going on in my head without restrictions, just my mind in a place full of colours.”

Watch “Cherry Game Girl” here.

Featured Image Credits: YouTube/STRAFFMUSIC

Its the smooth waves on Straff’s “Vanilla Sky EP”

Tiwa Savage and the curse of the groupie effect

Posted on by The Native

For a Nigerian public infatuated with the lives of its rich and famous, 2016 was historically earmarked by Tiwa Savage’s two-hour long tell-all, after husband Tunji Balogun allegedly attempted suicide. This was following a string of long Instagram posts giving a telling glimpse at their failed marriage and Tiwa Savage’s past relationships amonsgt other jarring details. Between pressure from fans for Tiwa to tell her side of the story and the weight of the scandal, it’s unclear why the Mavin First Lady chose to talk to the camera. But the seemingly personal interview failed to vindicate the singer’s survivor stance or stay further negative backlash despite claims of infidelity and suffering emotional abuse.

In the days that followed, social media would become rife with Tiwa vs Tee Bills inspired memes, pushing a narrative that Tiwa Savage was a failed homemaker who groupied her way to the top by sleeping with the right people. For the purpose of this argument, the former claim will be relegated to the same category of standards set by Nigeria’s hyper-sensitive patriarchal society, the latter however, highlights a broader discussion on the cause and effect mentality around female careers.

Historically, sex has always been a transactional tool for people of either gender to trade value. However, the narrative that women in Nigerian music use their bodies as a way to circumvent the natural process of career advancement, creates a pervasive presumption that their success albeit phenomenal, will always be limited to the men they slept with. Tiwa Savage’s scandal brought back rumours that have undermined her success her entire career, speculated affairs with 2face, Don Jazzy and Dr. Sid, brought renewed focus to the inner workings of how she attained her place in the industry. Similar parallels can be drawn with the media’s translation of Yemi Alade’s relationship with her married manager and business mogul, Taiye Aliyu as the hidden ace with which she curries attention from the press and industry insiders. And in how Simi’s collaborative work with Adekunle Gold and FalzTheBadGuy respectively is always viewed under the veiled lens of a speculated love triangle with both relatively more successful male artists.

The groupie effect threatens to invalidate the possibility of consensual sex between two adults with the preconception that women who come into close contact with men of influence early in their careers do so with purely of the intent to rise to fame. Scientifically however, proximity and shared interests have always been hallmark sparks for attraction, hence why it is not unlikely for creative partners to become enamoured with one another, the same way many bandmates and co-workers would. The stigma of the groupie effect survives on a false premise that subverts the hard work and talent these women put into their careers, accrediting their successes to the famous strongmen that supposedly ‘made’ them.

In coda, celebrity culture and groupie culture are the currents on which many male celebrities rise to stratospheric heights of superstardom. Female celebrities are instead forced to surmount a steep slope of negative attention, predatory mentors and a system that is engineered against them to gain even a fraction of the good will these men enjoy. The tired narrative that every female artist fucks her way to the top needs to die a swift but radical death. Regardless of context, even rockstar kingmakers need groupies for validation of their impact and therefore neither can exist independent of the other.


Featured Image Credits: Gareth Jacobs for Essays Magazine

The Shuffle: Revisit that time Tiwa Savage made a hit about a “Kele Kele” Love

AV Club: We have high hopes for Inspector K, but that trailer though

Posted on by The Native

So I’ve been stalling on writing about RED TV’s new show clone of Ndani TV’s Officer Titus  because someone discovered my Twitter and I’m not ready for any Twitter cliques and their fans to come and camp in my mentions because I had the temerity to speak about their faves. Been there, done that, twitter cool kids don’t play.

Anyhow with the good folks at management sitting on my neck and trailers flying left and right, I eventually decided to get over my disappointment and apprehension and watch. I am already apprehensive because of the horrific blood bath of mediocrity that was The Shade Corner, a bloodbath of mediocrity that Accelerate TV continues to churn out every week because money cannot waste. I don’t want to talk too much, so let me just quote this ancient adage.

Just because their tweets are popping, doesn’t mean you should start throwing money at them.

So ehen, on to Inspector K. RED TV has been teasing the show, and they’ve dropped not one, but two trailers to get all us hyped fo the when the first episode premieres. I’ve watched the trailer more times than can be possibly good for my health and come to a few conclusions.

TRAILER ONE

TEASER TWO

Inspector K is done in the style of classic police detective comedies a la Brooklyn Nine Nine and more importantly Inspector Clouseau of the Pink Panther films. An intensely cerebral, but painfully awkward detective surrounded by bumbling idiots who tamper with his investigation into a multiple suspect crime case. You know, an Officer Titus for IJGB’s.

Koye Kekere Ekun of K10 Videos is this show’s big lead. It is also his first proper foray into the big (small) screen after years of gathering a decent following of upper middle class, social media savvy Nigerian millennials. He seems funny in the trailer, transplanting his K10 character onto this show and dressing it up as a detective. From what I can see, K10 is intelligent enough to carry a show, though the spectacular bombing that was BollyLomo’s forgettable performance on Dare Olaitan’s Ojukokoro is a huge reminder that very few of comedians successfully make the shift from Instagram to Youtube. Too soon to tell sha.

They transplanted Makida Moka (of the questionable acting skills and boring one liners) from Shade Corner on to this one. Rigid as a pole and dishing one dimensional acting as usual. If I talk now, they will say my mouth is smelling. Girl…

I need to understand what A’rese is doing there. Homegirl can sanggggg, and has had a few decent turns on stages in Lagos and London. But not everyone makes the transition from stage to screen without losing some of that shine on the way. And A’rese’s turn as a stuffy rich woman seems rigid as hell. I want to like this show neow, people biko help me.

Oh yeah another transplant is homeboy Maurice Sam from Accelerate TV’s other bleeding trainwreck of a show On The Real. He finally gets a chance to prove his time On The Real was just a case of good actor meets terrible script. I don’t hate him on this so far, but we’ll wait and see.

The police officers are so far the funniest thing about Inspector K, Nigerian police and their incompetence and penchant for fishwife style gossiping will never not be funny and these guys are already doing a killer job of bringing that alive on the screen. I hope that this isn’t all the end up doing on the show sha.

Also guys, aerial shots of Lagos that are not of Victoria Island or the Lekkoyi Bridge!!! Haaay!

Whatever you’re going to say, save it.

 

I don’t want to believe it, but apart from Lowladee’s This Is Us, it seems these entertainment web channels by our Nigerian Banks have become a funnel by which ‘influencers’, OAP’s and instagram celebs try (emphasis on try) to make the jump to ‘legitimate’ media. Because these channels are supposed to be fresh and digging out new talent but we keep seeing the same four people rotated between the ‘networks’. Where is all the ‘innovation’ you people promised us?

Where though?

 

Anyhow sha, best believe I shall be watching. I need all the laughs I can get in this recession. Hopefully I’ll be laughing with the cast, not at them. L’oruko Jesu.

E go be.

Don’t come and disturb me on twitter oh, mi o raye.

 

AV CLUB: Lerato Serumula’s ‘Soft Burn’ is a snapshot of depression

Rejjie Snow Stays Flexin’ On His New Track

Posted on by The Native

https://twitter.com/rejjiesnow/status/846817730535833600

Following the release of “Crooked Cops”, a song discussing systemic racism; Nigerian-Irish rapper Rejjie Snow revealed how impossible it was for him to ignore the appalling reports on police brutality in the U.S. Although he wasn’t raised in the States, Snow witnessed and experienced enough from afar but his move to Georgia at 17 for an athletic scholarship exposed him more to the injustices experienced by minorities.

Barely months after “Crooked Cops”, his latest release “Flexin’” is more playful than hard-hitting political satire. Rejjie Snow gives a glimpse into his lifestyle after getting a record deal. He maintains an easy-going yet charismatic flow on an 808 layered staccato-synth riff as he describes nights spent in strip clubs with friends, cutting off negativity from fake friends and dealing with hangovers.

Produced in collaboration with Rahki, Kendrick’s past producer and longtime collaborator, “Flexin'” is a lead single off Dear Annie, Rejjie’s debut album set for release later this year.

Listen to “Flexin'”

https://soundcloud.com/rejjiesnow/flexin

Featured Image Credit: RejjieSnow/Instagram

Rejjie Snow’s “Crooked Cops” Is A Critique Of A Rotten Law Enforcement System

The LFDW Fall 17 Presentation is this weekend, mark your calendars

Posted on by The Native

This friday #HeinekenLFDW (Heineken Lagos Fashion and Design Week) will break new ground in its support of the Nigerian fashion industry with it’s debut Autumn /Winter season Presentation. This is the first time the showcase will feature fall/winter collection and this is also the first time the collections will be exclusively a presentation, allowing enthusiasts, buyers and sundry the rare opportunity to interact with the designers and their pieces up close. The presentation this year will hold at the Red Door Gallery in Victoria Island and will explore the concept of “Identity” in fashion. 

Unlike the Summer runway shows which features 60+ designers, the LFDW fall presentation will only feature nine designers, carefully chosen by this year’s presentation curator and creative director at Stranger Lagos, Yegwa Ukpo. Ghanaian accessories designer AAKS will be making her LFDW debut with this presentation and old favorites like Gozel Green, Kelechi Odu, Lisa Folawiyo, Maki Oh,Orange Culture and Ré  will also be showcasing. Other debut labels include Post Imperial and Shem Paronelli (who has shown at the Lagos showcase before as part of their business fairs and in collaboration with other designers).

‘Identity’  will explore how fashion and dress is expressed in the Nigerian society and how the difficulties of producing locally affects the way in which it is expressed. Each designer will be designated a space, one in which they can distill these and other themes further, engage directly with guests, be they buyers or editors and most pertinently, present their Autumn/Winter Collections 2017.

A few of the designers share their insights on what “identity” means to them.unnamed (1)

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Also look out for the screening of “Eko For Show History of Lagos Fashion”,  a fashion documentary by Bolaji Kekere-Ekun, Francesca Tiller-Gyado, and Sesu Tilley-Gyado.

The fashion film explores the origins of Lagos Fashion, the traditional fabrics such as Adire and Aso-Oke and the historical events that shaped the ever evolving Lagos fashion scene into what it has become today.

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#HeinekenLFDW (Heineken Lagos Fashion and Design Week) A/W Presentation will run from the 31st March – 2nd April 2017.

DNA Twins and why Nigeria doesn’t need another PSquare

Sound Sultan Revives All Your Favorite Childhood Hitmakers For “Ghetto Love”

Posted on by The Native

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

Sound Sultan is a singer, rapper, song writer and comedian but perhaps his finest talent lies in his ability to craft timeless melodies. His 2014 hit with Wizkid, “Kokose” was a classic match up of his 90’s sound with a modern Afropop singer without either artist compromising their impact for effect. His latest single, “Ghetto Love” reverses that concept by bringing together all our favorite artists for a nostalgic cypher-type rework of all of their old hits.

Sound Sultan’s tuneful intro reminds listeners of the legendary status of himself and The Kings Of The Ghetto who have all made timeless music despite their low budget sound productions. The classic Sound Sultan guitar strums plays over piano chords and the bouncy reggae beat rhythm 90’s Nigerian songs thrived on. He starts with a chorus that sets the melodious tone for the rest of the song and African China delivers a truly harmonic sounding verse that revives his 2011 song “If You Love Somebody”. He shares the spot for first verse with Sound Sultan who ups the tempo of the song with his quicker flows.

Marvelous Benjy gives his early 2000’s track, “New Dance” a modern reggae upgrade for his verse as if to remind us where new singers like Pantoranking get their inspiration from. Baba Fryo joins Benjy on the second verse and works his late 90’s hit song “Dem Go Dey Pose” into the reggae verse wearing his signature star eye patch.

The last verse features the Danfo Driver duo of Mad Melon and Mountain Black who pull up in their signature yellow Lagos bus. Mad Melon sings the Sound Sultan’s hook with his more ghetto voice while Mountain slightly tweaks their “Danfo Driver” hit song to fit the “Ghetto Love” theme. Daddy Showkey is given the last verse to drop his punchy wisdom tips.

Sound Sultan’s “Ghetto Love” plays like a pleasant trip to the past when self publishing street artists were able to create music the whole country could relate to. For The Kings of The Ghetto, music was a way out of the struggle but when they got out, they found it difficult to stay relevant due to the industry’s poor structure at the time. Notwithstanding, Sound Sultan’s strategic link between the two generations brings us a slew of songs that are as Nigerian as the national anthem while giving us a somewhat existential look at life after artists reach the peak of their fame then fall from grace.

Watch video for Sound Sultan and The Kings of The Ghetto’s “Ghetto Love” here.

Featured Image Creates: Instagram/@soundsultan

The Shuffle: Revisit “Kontrol”, W4’s Afrotrap before Afrotrap

Omoni Oboli, ‘Okafor’s Law’ and Intellectual Property Theft

Posted on by The Native

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSBj9vZDiWp/?taken-by=omonioboli&hl=en

Inspired by a conversation with friends on past lovers, Omoni Oboli’s Okafor’s Law is a film based on a man’s quest to prove whether or not he can still pull the women he had affairs with in the past regardless of whether they’ve moved on or not. It references the informal slang ‘Okafor’s Law’ which suggests it is easier to sleep with a person if you have slept with them before.

Following the international premiere at Toronto Film Festival, a controversial issue popped up regarding the script of the film. Jude Idada, a Nigerian writer resident in Canada, alleged that Oboli took the work he had done regarding Okafor’s Law and developed it. Omoni Oboli didn’t address the allegations at the time, choosing to ignore the issue then and continue with publicity. Turns out that wasn’t a great idea as Jude Idada was prepared to get what he alleges is his due with the help of the law. He filed a suit against Oboli at a Nigerian federal high court, citing fraud and had Oboli barred from premiering the film in Nigeria.

Soon after the case was established, the court issued an injunction halting the national premiere and distribution till the allegations are addressed. Sadly, Omoni and her team were served on the evening of the premiere, effectively laying waste to all her preparations for the evening.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSCV9-BD6FB/

Though it’s uncertain how this will play out, it’s a necessary process as it seeks to address the rampant problem of intellectual property theft in Nigeria.

Featured Image Credit: OmoniOboli/Instagram

AV Club: Ojukokoro is the closest we’ve come to a perfect film

The Shuffle: Re-visit “Kontrol”, W4’s Afrotrap before Afrotrap

Posted on by The Native

W4’s “Kontrol” is an exception to many things. Unlike much of Afropop from the early 2010s, “Kontrol” is simple and near minimalist. Instead of scattered steelpan drums and overproduced backtracks, loud running synths are constant through the instrumentation, alongside bouncy bass kicks that never going of sync. W4 waxes the rhythm with a sparse lyrical melody and adlibs but it’s not without purpose or overwrought with unnecessary details. In both video and audio for “Kontrol”, Fela’s influence is unmistakable, but all W4 really lends from the late Afrobeat King is mood and aesthetic; there is neither a lazy lyrical nor instrumental sample, like many artists who have sought inspiration from the legend would have done.

Produced by moonlighting producer, JFem Beats, “Kontrol” seems to have been intended as a freestyle turned hit, hence the loose lyrics and lack of obvious subject matter. This, by the way, was in the post-Free madness years, after Wizkid, Terry G and D’banj scored hits out of first-take freestyles and perhaps also inspired W4 to put out the recording as is, without editing meme-worthy lyrics about getting used like a deodorant.

It’s a tough stretch to describe W4’s “Kontrol” as a song ahead of its years, but it gave an early indication of what minimally produced Afropop would sound like in the coming years. The eventual diffusion of trap soundscape with fringe sounds in the mid-2010s allowed entry for sub-genres like Afrotrap, Electronic-trap amongst other sounds, but it was already a couple years late to W4’s “Kontrol”. Perhaps this forerunner status is a lasting legacy for the one hit wonder, who has failed to surface on the radar ever since.

Stream W4’s “Kontrol” via Apple Music below:

The Shuffle: Revisit that time when Tiwa Savage made a hit about a “Kele Kele” love

Not that he ever left, but Tim Lyre’s back with “My Place”

Posted on by The Native

The last we heard of singer Tim Lyre was part of the compilation EP Push Good Music by Olma Records. His contribution to the EP, “Fake” which he sang, wrote and produced was one of the highlights of the EP and it seemed signalled a new phase in the musician’s career who is best known for his debut EP Circa 94. But it seems that partnership might not pan out and Lyre might be going it alone.

Lyre just put out a new single ‘My Place’, the first single from his new project, a proper debut album tentatively titled For What It’s Worth, slated for release in August. This is how he describes the forthcoming EP.

The project explores a central theme of relationships and the range of emotions that come with the territory. Much like his first project, this has an eclectic, genre-transcending feel to it, although influences are taken from R&B, Soul, Pop, Hip-Hop, and other genres, it is delivered in truly West-African fashion.

‘My Place’ seems a curious choice for a first single. It isn’t as up-tempo or contemporary afro-pop like the rest of his oeuvre, instead it straddles a slower, more chill thematic sound, with focus on complex lyrics, interspersed with pidgin and a flow that uses devices like subtle repetition to drive home the song’s hooks. Lyre is creatively in charge here as well, producing the song as well as taking credit for lyrics and composition. This ultra-independent approach to music making is yielding interesting results for Lyre and we wonder what a whole album produced independently with little outside influence will sound like.

August is five months away. We won’t have to wait too long to find out.

Listen to ‘My Place’ here.

 

Your favourite Wizkid double, Ceeza Milli just put out a new single

Nonso Amadi sprinkled some fairy dust and turned Tchella’s “Traffic” into a dance bop

Posted on by The Native

Sure by now everyone knows that Nonso Amadi’s got the pipes and owns a beat like no man’s business, but many don’t know he actually made his name first as an independent producer, experimenting with unconventional genres. Singer Tchella’s single “Traffic” must have had a bigger debut than we originally anticipated because it’s not been four days and Amadi’s already been so besotted with the single that he’s chopped and screwed it, transforming it into a barely recognizable afro-house bop.

It seems the remix which is put out under the Hills Music Group imprint came as a complete surprise to Tchella. Which means the digital manipulation of his voice and the increase in the song’s tempo are also creative decisions all from Nonso.  He digs deep into the predecessors of what has become the chillwave movement for this remix, taking the electronic-y synths of 90’s alt-pop and mid-tempo Bass thumps and liberal bass guitar riff, the very definition of having fun with it.

But more than anything, Amadi’s remix is a happy accident that shows the true range of Tchella’s voice and a clear future in electronic dance genres. Don’t say we didn’t call it.

Read the interview Native had with Nonso Amadi