Revisiting Wande Coal’s Evergreen Album, ‘Mushin 2 Mo’hits’

Posted on by Wonu Osikoya

When I was 13 years old, I fell in love with Wande Coal. Well, not literally. I was not in love with him, but his music catalogue which revealed a new world to me with each new listen. At the time, I had an older cousin who used to work at Mo’hits records at the early stages of his career so he gave me a physical copy of each album that was released under Mo’hits at the time, including the ‘Mushin 2 Mo’hits’ CD. I listened to the album on my way back home from his place that evening and remember being extremely impressed by the first few tracks. On my way back from school the following day, I gave the album another listen and I immediately knew this was something I was going to be listening to for a long while.

Soon, it became routine practice to spin his debut album ‘Mushin 2 Mo’hits.’ Car rides back home from school usually lasted longer than the journey to school, due to the rush hour traffic on Third Mainland Bridge but I never fretted. Car rides home were a time to dig deep into your favourite record. The rush hour traffic in Lagos made getting home at an early hour an impossibility, so I would sit at the back seat and listen to replays of my favourite songs on what I consider Wande Coal’s magnum opus.

As months would pass, my obsession with the album only thickened and I became so invested in the album. Soon enough, I decided that I needed to meet the mastermind behind the project — Wande Coal. This was not impossible as I come from a family of music heads and music industry job holders but how it was going to happen was what was lost on me at the time.

 

I had mentioned to my mum and my cousin who had been involved with Mo’Hits Records, at that time, that my 13th birthday wish was to meet Wande Coal. They both promised to make this happen but on the day of the event, there were many setbacks which derailed our fated meeting. Still I prevailed and got the opportunity to meet him later that day. To my 13-year-old self, nothing else mattered to me for the rest of the year. I was happy. He graced me with his presence and with his heartfelt and honest vocals.

It’s only now that I am much older that I understand what his music meant to a younger me. It changed my life and this was because it was the first time I remember being able to translate someone’s music into actual feelings. ‘Mushin 2 Mo’hits’ is undoubtedly one of the most impactful Afropop albums out of Nigeria till date. From the album title, the artist has told his story in just three words. I could relate to his struggles and pain on records like “Jehovah” and “Se Ope”,  and I could also understand his words of affection on records like “Bananas” and my all time favourite Wande Coal record “Ololufe.”

Wande Coal’s story was a typical example of a grass to grace story. On track 13 of the LP “Jehovah”, he was able to tell the story of the life changing opportunity given to him, over the fast paced Don Jazzy-produced beat. He quips standout lyrics such as “Jehovah thank you Lord for bringing D’banj and Don Jazzy to the place wey I dey”, letting listeners into his world while showing much appreciation to those who helped him get to where he was at the point. In terms of impact on the general public, ‘Mushin 2 Mo’hits’ was one of those albums that had multiple hit records. Songs such as “You Bad”,  “Bumper to Bumper” and “Taboo” easily became party bops almost as soon as they were released.

Storytelling was a large part of music in the early 2000’s. Artists such as Styl Plus displayed storytelling at its finest on their debut album, ‘Expressions’, and ‘Mushin 2 Mo’hits’ is also a masterclass in storytelling and songwriting. I remember how I would write the lyrics to his records down in a song journal and I would sit and think about the thought process behind each song. I vividly remember wondering half of the time how one person was able to tell multiple stories at the same time, from telling the story of his life to telling love stories and delivering romantic numbers while still single-handedly dishing out party bops, he was my very own Einstein. Going back into the archives has also helped me understand better what was happening.

While other artists at the time may have been chasing hits, all the collaborators on ‘Mushin 2 Mo’hits’ were creating something that would stand the test of time.  On “Ololufe,” which the artist performed switching between his Yoruba dialect and English, the promises he made to his love interest, at the time, made me believe that love had no complications. While he chants lyrics such as, “To omo ba de, sho ma bami to, iwo ni mo fe ni aye me,” which translates to “when our children come, will you help me take care of them? because it’s you I want in my life,” it’s impossible to believe as a young impressionable teenager that love isn’t perfect. The romantic number was so good that after its initial appearance on the Mo’hits all stars debut album in 2007 when it was initially released, it still came into sight on Wande Coal debut album. Of course at the time, I did not understand why this was so but now, it’s only fair to say “Ololufe” is a beautiful piece of art. 

Now, as a music writer I understand that the music from back then was made for us to appreciate now and the music that’s being made now is more for the people coming behind us to appreciate in the near future. At the time, it did not exactly make sense to me but I knew I enjoyed listening to it. Now, with more seasoned ears and experiences along the way, I recognise and value all the effort put into that body of work because it was stellar. I’m also still displeased that it’s not on streaming platforms. It has been 13 years since its 2009 release but none of the songs on that album have lost any momentum when they come up on the DJ’s rotation. 

Today, his ever-evolving persona has brought the “You Bad” singer this far, and that has kept me as a fan more than a decade after. The hitmaker has not changed much over the years, as he is still doing what he’s been known for for years now; delivering hits. Experiencing ‘Mushin 2 Mo’hits’ definitely shaped my view on music today and it is the album’s evergreen quality that has made him such a respected veteran in the game.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Wande Coal (@wandecoal)

Featured Image Credits/NATIVE

What’s Going On: Rebel attack in DR Congo, reduced bail for Ugandan opposition leader & more

Posted on by Moore Wright

“What’s Going On” Tallies Notable News Headlines From Across The Continent — The Good, The Bad, And The Horrible — As A Way Of Ensuring That We All Become A More Sagacious African Generation. With This Column, We’re Hoping To Disseminate The Latest Happenings In Our Socio-Political Climate From Across The Continent, Whilst Starting A Conversation About What’s Important For Us To All Discuss. From Political Affairs To Socio-Economic Issues, ‘What’s Going On’ Will Discuss Just That.

Armed attack on Catholic Church in Owo

In the middle of the morning of  Sunday mass, a tragedy occurred at St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, a city in Nigeria’s southwestern state of Ondo. Several gunmen descended on the church in an attack that wound up killing men, women and children. The attackers reportedly set off explosives, which forced churchgoers to flee outside, where they were then gunned down.

As of now, It’s still unknown how many people died. Reports from several sources say that as many as 50 people were killed.  It is also unknown who exactly carried out the attack, or if they were associated with any particular group. As of now, no group has come forward to claim responsibility for the attack.

Photos and videos from after the brutal attacks have been circulating on the internet, with graphic imagery of blood soaked floors on the floor of the church. Members of the public have been shocked by the attack, especially as it comes during a time of rising insecurity in the country. Nigerian authorities have reported the deployment of a specialised police force to the surround area “to restore normalcy and fortify the entire community”. The Ondo police force have also deployed an anti-bomb squad.

 

South Africans oppose Ryanair language test  

In order to face an allegedly “high prevalence of fraudulent South African passports,” Irish low-cost airline Ryanair has announced a new policy to prove the citizenship of its passengers. This policy will involve passengers taking a questionnaire in Afrikaans.

While this may seem like a simple request to make, many South Africans have pointed out that the policy has racist implications. Afrikaans is only the third most spoken language in the country, with Zulu and Xhosa being the first and second. Afrikaans is a language that is heavily associated with the apartheid regime and eras of white Afrikanar nationalism. Many black South Africans were forced to speak in Afrikaans during apartheid. There have also been complaints that the questions themselves don’t do anything to prove if the passenger is a citizen.

Since this announcement, there have been calls to boycott Ryanair, made more intense by the airlines other controversy. Recently, British-Ugandan author Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi  was not allowed to board a Ryanair flight back to her hometown Manchester, although she had a leave-to-remain card. Ryanair’s CEO has also been criticised in the past for saying that muslim men should be profiled as potential terrorists at airports. This South African situation is the latest controversy, and it’s even more incensing considering the airline doesn’t operate any direct flights to or from South Africa.

Rebel attack in DR Congo   

On the 5th of June, there was a deadly raid in the village of Bwanasura, Irumu territory, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, that reportedly resulted in at least 18 casualties. The reported number of deaths has also gone much higher, with the head of the Red Cross in Irumu, David Beiza, saying that his volunteers “have counted 36 bodies.” The attack is believed to have been carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamist rebel group.  The attackers also reportedly torched up to 30 houses in Otmabert village, in the southern part of Irumu territory.

The ADF originated in Uganda in 1995. The United Nations reports that the group can been blamed for killing more than 1,300 people between January 2021 and January 2022. They have also been held responsible for massacres, kidnappings and lootings dating back to 2013. In 2021, Uganda 1,700 troops to DR Congo to assist with fighting the ADF. The group has been targeted in this joint operation since last November, after attacks on the Ugandan capital. In spite of this, attacks by the ADF have continued, with multiple casualties. The operation was set to end in May, but has since been extended by two months.

Ugandan opposition politician granted reduced Bail

Last month, Former Ugandan presidential candidate and long-time opposition politician Kizza Besigye was arrested in Kampala while calling for protests on the government’s seemingly dull response to the country’s inflation problems. Charged with intent to cite violence, a magistrate at the Buganda Road court set his bail at Shs30 million, an egregiously huge amount that has now been reduced to Shs3 million.

The bail was reviewed by High Court judge Micheal Elubu after the initial bail was opposed for being too high. Besigye appealed the initial bail decision, with his lawyer citing malicious intent due to his client’s standing against the current Ugandan regime, led by perennial president Yoweri Museveni. Besigye acts as the leader of the political pressure group, People’s Front for Transition. The arrest was made as he was addressing a crowd in Kampala about the rising costs of living in Uganda, which have been defended by the government as being due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Besigye has run and lost four times for president against the current Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. The results of these elections have been contested, with suspected rigging. Besigye’s prolonged detention has been protested by many. Six female activists were arrested for demonstrating in support of Besigye, and are still yet to be released. They will have a bail hearing on the 7th of June.

NATIVE Exclusive: The Vulnerable Art & Heart of Simi

Posted on by Emmanuel Esomnofu

Simi has always said her mind. Since earning her first act as a gospel singer 14 years ago, she has since retained her knack for emotional honesty as a pop star. If anything, her almost clinical sense for observation and exhilaration have blossomed with time. Those have been the defining qualities of her trajectory which has seen the 34-year-old power her way into a slew of classics and transcendental hit songs, and placing Simi in a sweet spot as one of Afropop’s most important figures. 

That’s why her fourth studio album, the recently released ‘To Be Honest,’ was received with such praise. Simi has been working on her fourth studio album since she got pregnant with her first child. During her pregnancy, she had to postpone its creation, and only now–three years later–is it being released. “I don’t think the story itself changed,” she shared with the NATIVE a few weeks before the album’s arrival. “It was more of the energy that I wanted to tell the story with. I kept feeling differently about it, I kept changing my mind.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Simi (@symplysimi)

When she announced that her album was titled ‘To Be Honest’, she shared it alongside a handwritten note detailing the journey from uncertainty to utmost confidence in the album she wanted to create. “I paused my impatience, listened to only the voices in my head, trusted in only the instincts I was born with,” she wrote. “Now, when I listen in the dark, or in all the places the sun likes to shine, alone or with everybody else, it just feels right”.

On first listen, the album’s direction is masterfully distinct and lean. There are just three features, with Simi’s writing remarkably reminiscent of a carefree poet’s. The album offers vignettes into her life’s trajectory, from growing in Surulere to getting her idols to hear her music, a detail which colours the warm assurances of “Story Story”. She’s defiant and positive on “Born Again”, flexing her famed versatility over electric Dancehall-paced production. Elsewhere, she’s typically vibrant and vocal, enunciating deep-seated desires with unvarnished honesty. 

“I wanted to tell my story about coming up in the industry,” she says of “Story Story”, which was the first song from the album she recorded. “I remember when I first got my break, a lot of people were saying ‘wow, she just came from nowhere’ [laughs]. A lot of people think that you start singing when you blow but there’s a lot of work that has gone into the craft, you know? And I just felt like it was a good opportunity to tell my story; I know it doesn’t have everything, and there were some lines that i had in there and people on my team were like, ‘just take it out, this is too controversial’ and so I kept revamping the song till I finally got the feel I wanted”. 

A similar sense of detail went into the other songs, most especially “Loyal”. Simi reckons it was the most difficult she had to make considering it had featured a different singer initially. “That song has been through fire and water,” she recounts with a knowing laugh. “I didn’t want to bring the same energy, and I wanted someone I knew would sound amazing on the song. So I changed my verse, the beat is different.” It was Simi’s team who then recommended Fave, the Nigerian singer who is no stranger to internet virality, a fated pairing to which Simi says: “She came through for me last minute and I sent the song to her and she just killed it.”

Speaking about the dearth of female artists she has collaborated with, across her music catalogue, a detail which many fans and detractors have picked up on, she says: “I don’t think it’s that deep, I work with who I vibe with. I don’t work with someone because of [gender]; if the vibe works, it works. She later continues, “I’m very vocal about women’s empowerment, and I think that’s the angle people come from when they say ‘oh, you don’t put women on’ but there’s so many ways I’m supporting women. It doesn’t have to be when I’m singing. I don’t sing to prove a point”. 

Simi has undoubtedly had her share of social media vitriol. Even with its relative gains, social media is still a breeding ground for toxicity as much as it’s been a tool to check against problematic opinions. Simi has been on both sides of the divide, most frequently the former. Yet she’s still present there. “To be fair, I don’t really share as much as I used to,” she admits. “When I’m on socials, I mostly just vibe and share my work. I’m not as vocal as I used to, and it’s not even necessarily about the toxicity. People talking about what you’re saying and all–I feel social media has its pros but it also has lots of cons if you’re not careful. I can’t remember the last controversy [I was involved in], even me I’m tired”, she says, laughing. 

Simi speaks with the wisdom of one that has been through the wringer and come out on the other side. Motherhood has invaribly had some effects on her life. To this, she says:

“I think the older you get, the less you just–I mean, like if I have something I need to say, I will say it. I know myself.”

Still, Baby Deja colours the fluttering happiness of the album. “Easy” features the adorable gibberish of the soon-to-be two-year-old child, literally the last vocals on the song after a scintillating performance from her superstar mother. The latter months of Simi’s pregnancy coincided with a pandemic, and rather than go the typical route of taking time off, she released “Duduke”, a ballad named after the melodious beats of her expectant mother’s heart. 

She revealed her belly bump with the massively popular video. “At the end of the day, my pregnancy was part of my life,” she says. “It’s not like two months, and you just quietly hide. That’s a big chunk of your life so we tried to find a way to incorporate my life and my team was like, ‘let’s make a song about my baby’. I struggled with that a little ‘cos I didn’t know if I wanted to share that much, but I’m really glad that I did. I’m a private person and just finding that balance is an art in itself. It takes proper timing, and my husband and I were on the same page, so that definitely helped”. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Simi (@symplysimi)

Growing up in Ojuelegba, Simi was not too disturbed by the jagged edges of its popular culture. She didn’t face “much judgement” for her artsy interests, something she attributes to her being a gospel musician at the time, mostly to be found inside the church or at home. People misconstrued her petite figure and soft-spoken nature for weakness, but she has never let anyone go without correcting their perception. “Part of it is inherent, follow come”, she says of her strong sense of self. “But also I think just noticing that people respond to you the way you respond to yourself. The way that I carry myself, the way I view myself and the way I love myself. The energy I receive is closely tied to that.”

Simi definitely entered the pop scene with the right energy. Following her signing onto X3M Music in 2014, she made her presence known with singles like “Tiff” and “Jamb Question” before releasing the classic ‘Simisola’ two years later. As everyone knows by now, the album demonstrated her astounding skillset: a killer voice, vivid sense of melodies, and a poignant pen which effortlessly invoked the grand structures of an epic into personal experiences. Like her major influences Asa and Lauryn Hill, the emotional subtlety of her themes did not obscure her technical prowess as much as highlight them. R&B was her dominant playing field, but broader flourishes from contemporary Pop lined the seams of 2019’s ‘Omo Charlie Champagne’, a colourful album dedicated to the memory of her father Charles Ogunleye, who died in 2014.

2014 was also the year of ‘Restless’, her debut EP made entirely of five covers. Taking the production of songs like Rihanna’s “Man Down” and Adele’s “Set Fire To The Rain”, she gracefully incorporated the nuances of Nigerian experiences through witty lyricism. Simi released the second tape in the series in 2020, with features coming from hubby Adekunle Gold, WurlD and British-Nigerian rapper Ms Banks.

“When I made the first ‘Restless’ EP, I wasn’t signed at the time,” she explains. “I was really restless, desperate just to let out the frustration I was feeling and I was thinking, ‘how could I do this?’ Covers are really great but I wanted to put a spin on it. And at that time I think I just found my sound so I did the covers by switching all the lyrics, and kept the beat. So I feel like anytime I’m trying to do something different but I’m not sure and I feel a little restless, not having quite a concrete idea, I’m going to make a project called ‘Restless’”. 

The creation process for ‘To Be Honest’ was markedly different from the virtual exchanges she had with Sess, who produced the majority of ‘Restless II’. She was introduced to Blaise Beatz by Adekunle Gold, and have sat in a number of studio sessions with P Priime. These two, she says, were very invested in the overall process beyond just providing her beats. She’s already close friends with Pheelz. The other producers Ozedikus and AYK Beats also contributed towards the album’s lived-in atmosphere, providing flawless sounds for the personal direction Simi leads on. 

With this album, Simi moves again into the centre of discussions about Afropop. Not just commercially (she’s always had that), but with the stylistic strength of the project. The fine chemistry between the emotional relatability of the songs and their waist-turning vibes (watch out, TikTok) is helmed by some of Simi’s sharpest writing ever. Her vocals are growing fuller with luminous sheen, a natural evolution from the tinny embrace of earlier years.

Our conversation ends with me asking what she perceives as the biggest change in the music scene she emerged into and what’s possible now. “Afrobeats has become such a force, you know? Everyone can see the fire we’re capable of, and that comes with respect,” she says. “I think it’s because they just realised they couldn’t really replicate what we had, so now they have to collaborate with us to get the vibe. And that’s so magical because, you know how Nigeria is; it’s having so much of stress. So for our entertainment sector to give us as much joy as it’s giving us, it’s so amazing and I’m glad to be in the industry at this time. I obviously want to make my own contributions to the movement. I’m not necessarily the follow-trends person, but music-wise it’s important to blow and the idea for me is just not to lose my signature in the process”. 

Featured image credits/NATIVE

Best New Music: Naira Marley Showcases His Range On “Montego Bay”

Posted on by Chibuzo Emmanuel

Naira Marley is intentional about his creative output. In 2019, during his seminal breakout run, he amassed a teeming slew of vivacious fans who he dubbed as “Marlians”: an army of youths notorious for their defining bohemian ethos. In Nigeria’s conservative society, he was widely regarded as a morally bereft due to his slew of salacious song lyrics and head-turning dances. However to his core fans, Naira was a totem of freedom.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Naira Marley (@nairamarley)

This motif still trails him today. Naira Marley remains the physical embodiment of individualism. True to his mettle, he released his much-anticipated debut album ‘God’s Timing The Best’ on his terms. His debut album arrived barely two weeks after he initially announced it, without any significant roll-out strategy and to compound matters, right on a busy Monday morning.

Yet, the brazen Bohemian spirit still colours most of his work on his album. Across 14 tracks, he peppers his music with obscene lyrics and experiments with genre-bending sounds while perennially chipping away at the status quo. On rare occasions, however, he veers off this set course and reveals a different side to his persona. His debut album provides the perfect milieu for these dormant feelings to erupt. On “O’dun”, against a backdrop of salacious lyrics, he turns inwards and explores the complex tapestry of a love life in a bustling city while on “Owo”, over a serene production, he pulls apart the weighty topics of money and social status.

However, it’s on “Montego Bay”, the standout track from Naira’s debut album ‘GTTB’ that his guiding ethos shines true. On this track, these emotions unite and culminate in a crescendo. Against the backdrop of a melodious velvety instrumental, Naira grapples with the themes of escapism, love and loyalty. Much more than a breezy summer ode to escapism, “Montego Bay” is a suave melodic discourse that spotlights the different facets of his complex and sprawling personality in three prongs: the bohemian troubadour, the love-stricken romantic and the introspective bard.

In Jamaica, Montego Bay is a picturesque tourist destination christened by Christopher Columbus in the 15th century. Encircled by gleaming turquoise waters and populated by lush green palms, the city is reminiscent of a utopian vacation spot. Asides from being a veritable tourist destination, the city also moonlights as a first-choice destination for renegades seeking a fresh start. It is this side of the city that Naira taps on “Montego Bay.” Over the hook, he effusively sings “When I decide to run, I’ll run away. Somewhere far away. Go Montego Bay”, as he plays into the age-old concept of escapism and taps the familiar trope of eloping with a romantic interest to a paradise, free from the typical conundrums of everyday living.

Counterbalancing the palpable romantic aura that colours the record is an eerie apprehension that hides in the shadows and pops its head at select times. Like when he wistfully raps “Me I have God, I never panic. Dem devilish dem satanic/Always by myself, they don’t understand me” in the first verse. In the later part of the song, he bemoans being surrounded by friends who don’t mean well. As much as “Montego Bay” is a picturesque romantic ballad, it is also the musings of a man encircled by his antagonists and now celebrating triumph over enemies.

On “Montego Bay”, Naira peels back layers to his artistry and flings open the windows to his soul, shuffling between his different personalities to deliver a complex and resonant story. Hard-hitting, velvety and addictively witty, “Montego Bay” sees Naira Marley dig deep into the deepest apprehensions of the human psyche and spin them into warm reassuring melodies. The record deserves its flowers and will continue to stake out new grounds, as this sunny ballad is the sound of a world poised for a bubbly summer.

Stream ‘God’s Timing The Best’ here.

Featured image credits/

TurnTable Top 50: Ajebo Hustlers’ “In Love” Debuts On The Charts This Week

Posted on by Tela Wangeci

Four weeks after its release, Kizz Daniel’s “Buga (Lo Lo Lo)” featuring Tekno is still charting as the No.1 song in Nigeria. Its streaming rate dropped in the latest chart compilation tallying 57.5% in radio streams and 7.67 million equivalent streams. It is followed by Mavins’ “Overloading (OVERDOSE)” with Crayon and Ayra Starr featuring Magixx, LADIPOE & Boy Spyce, which is still capturing listeners as peaks at No.2 for the second week.

At No.3 is Spinall and Asake’s “Palazzo,” which descends from its previously held peak at No.2 last week. Burna Boy’s “Last Last” maintains its position at No.4 and tops the TV chart for the second consecutive week with a reach of 12.6 million while Zinoleesky’s “Loving You,” rounds up the top 5.

Across the rest of the charts, Camidoh’s “Sugarcane (Remix)” with Mayorkun, Darkoo and King Promise rises to No.6 while Omah Lay’s “Woman” drops to No.7 after debuting at No.5 last week. It is followed by Davido’s “Stand Strong” at No.8, Fireboy DML’s “Playboy” at No.9 and Young Jonn’s “Dada Remix” with Davido which closes out the top 10 for the week.

Elsewhere in the chart, Bella Shmurda’s “Fuck Off” ascends to No.13 after debuting at No.15 last week while T.I Blaze’s “Kilo” makes a new peak at No. 17. The biggest debuts of the week include Ajebo Hustlers new single, “In Love” featuring Fave which earns the No.24 spot this week and Mohbad’s “Ronaldo” at No. 25.

You can read a full breakdown of the charts here.

Songs of the Day: New Music From Namakau Star, Bensoul, Straffiti & More

Posted on by Emmanuel Esomnofu

We’re halfway through 2022, and it’s been an eventful year for Afropop. There’s been a torrent of great new music, spawning a massive stack of inventive smash hit songs. From Highlife-infused Ghanaian pop, to the unrelenting force that is Nigerian street-pop, to South Africa’s indomitable Dance scene, to tantalising Drill explorations in East and Central Africa, and much, much more, we’re living through abundant and musically expansive times.

Every week, tonnes of songs from African artists make their way to digital streaming platforms, and wading through them can be intense. That’s where The NATIVE’s Songs of the Day column comes in to help. We go through as many new releases as possible, spotlighting them here, two to three times every week. For this weekend edition, we’re spotlighting new drops from Namakau Star, Bensoul, Straffiti and more. Tap in, and you’ll definitely find new sounds for your playlist(s).

NAMAKAU STAR – “FLOATING”

This uNder alum is really one of the most creative musicians working today but we’ll allow the music talk. Over the weekend, she fronted her debut project, a 7-track EP titled ‘Landing’. On this standout her R&B qualities come to the fore, but she’s also airy in her deliveries, a rapper in the mold of Amaarae. Her strong vocals and ethereal melodies combine for atmospheric bliss, a perfect world of sound where Namakau Star is the lone goddess. 

BENSOUL – “ANOTHER”

Few musicians around East Africa can effect the mesmerising pull of Bensoul’s vocals. He’s proven it countless times, releasing each new song to credible reception among his burgeoning listener base. Given the quality of his new release “Another”, the Sauti-Sol affiliated musician would sure be extending his run. “Another” is a song about the losses of a heartbreak, packing the kind of melancholic allure you’d expect from a jilted ex-lover. The production is really competent as well, building soft layers of percussion sound underneath and using the sax to electrifying effect. 

STRAFFITI – “RICH GIRL”

Usually found in the folds of rap, Straffiti delves into colourful traipse of pop in his latest drop. “Rich Girl” sees the artist adapting the technical skills of rap into a world building exercise, and only two characters exist in that world: he and his love interest. Flowing around a bubbly beat, Straffiti sings of not having much money compared to her, portending the biggest reason why they might or might not become lovers. 

DETAILMADEIT — “UP”

The Abuja rap scene has witnessed the entry of phenomenal talents in recent years. Detailmadeit occupies a unique spot within the space, both as a rapper and a creative entrepreneur. His most recent mixtape combines those facets into affirmative records steeped in the bustle of a hustler. Likewise, his newly released visuals for “Up” pairs striking scenes of opulence into his lyrics which flit from lived-in braggadocio to societal concerns. It’s a glossy presentation for a really slick record, highlighting the poignant ways the capital city’s rappers are marking themselves out.

SIR DAUDA – “JARA”

In a career that’s close to a decade, Sir Dauda is something of a mystique in Nigerian music. He’s associated with rappers like Show Dem Camp and Falz, but also shares strong experimental tendencies which more or less marks out his brand. “Jara” is the artist’s latest drop and is possibly his most pop-sounding record. Even his songwriting unfurls more simply in the eternal message of love, carrying Dauda’s passionate singing straight into the listener’s heart. It’s a song you can’t help but fall in love with. 

ARRDEE – “COME & GO” FT. BLACK SHERIF 

British rapper Arrdee was recently in Nigeria and as far as we know, has been collaborating with continental acts during and after that time. On the remix of “Come & Go”, he’s joined by Black Sherif, both of them trading tales of their life and what they’ve had to sacrifice for their current comfort. Sherif’s verse is particularly searing, flowing impressively from his Twi language even while merging the cadences of Highlife into Drill’s recognised rhythm. The song also features in ‘Pier Pressure’, the new album from Arddee. 

Meet the minds behind PITH Africa

Posted on by Moore Wright

These days, Nigeria’s creative scene is as inventive as it is highly collaborative. In the fashion space, which continues to bubble with a new edge, collaboration is invaluable to curating great pieces and a unique brand identity. With this spirit imbued into its very foundation, PITH Africa is one of the more unique brands to have emerged in the last few years.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by PITH AFRICA (@pith.africa)

Spontaneously conceived on a night out in 2017, while in university, friends Nezodo, Ojemen Cosmas and Adedayo Laketu formed PITH Africa through common affinity and a collectively evolving vision. This shared passion seems to have only grown stronger, and broader over the years. They all have a commitment to surpassing any creative limits and instead seem to use fashion as a medium to explore different forms of their creativity.                

Part of this artistry is displayed through their poignant short films. ‘Dilly 1’, a short created by the trio was borne out of their unconventional way of releasing their collections. Since the birth of their first collection, PITH have also created ‘Dilly 2’ and ‘Dilly 3,’ which aptly serve as references to their state of mind. “The first was the inception, the second was more us digging deeper into what PITH is to us. The third collection started when we took a hiatus and came back with a more reformed focus,” Ojemen Cosmas, the brand’s creative director tells the NATIVE.

Indeed it feels like PITH is a brand that is still in the middle of a great journey and transformation. Through talking to them, it feels as though we’ve taken a peek beneath the chrysalis to observe a unique metamorphosis that is taking shape right here in Lagos, Nigeria.

Their different roles within PITH also allow them to contribute to its unique growth in their own ways. Adedayo, Nezodo and Ojemen work as the Artistic Director, the Head of Operations and Creative Director respectively. While their roles may be varied, they all coincide in prioritising the expression of the artistic vision of the brand. 

Operating any kind of business in Nigeria is not an easy task, but running a fashion brand is particularly difficult. Getting consistent access to the necessary materials has been a struggle for them and is something they need to deal with frequently during their day-to-day. However, all three co-founders and friends seem to be taking these challenges in stride.

Their goals for their brand seem to have only strengthened, as PITH aims to compete with large fashion houses with international recognition, while still maintaining sustainable practices. Through their success, they aim to prove to other young Black creatives that their dreams are within reach. Their focus on cultivating their community is what allows them to be so determined–as gleaned from an Instagram account titled ‘peoplewearingpith’ which has featured notable faces such as BOJ, Blessing Ewona, Matthew Blaise and more. It certainly seems that with the strong backing of their community and the drive of its core team that PITH Africa aren’t slowing down anytime soon.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by PITH AFRICA (@pith.africa)

NATIVE: Could you please tell me a bit about yourselves and how you all met each other?

Ojemen: We actually met in university. I think this was 2015, I actually met Nez first. I think I met Ade through Nez, it was on a random night. We had this wild conversation about fashion in Nigeria and our influences, we shared similar perspectives. At that time Virgil Abloh was pushing the Off White movement and it was an idea we all related to, shifting narratives using streetwear. It was something within the black community and how streetwear is not seen as luxury. His narrative of breaking down that idea was something we all vibed to. We ended up having this conversation about fashion and how we wanted to make an impact on the fashion community in Nigeria. By the next day we just founded PITH. It was like you know what let’s just do this now, let’s just start a company and see how it goes. There was no name but we were like let’s just do this.

NATIVE: Speaking of the name, I don’t think a lot of people know what PITH means. What does PITH mean in a general sense, and what does it mean to you as individuals?

Ojemen: PITH is actually an English word. I think there are two meanings. One is essence and the other one is the innermost layer of the plant, the part that lets it grow. So from a general standpoint you can see that PITH is a fashion company that is connecting the world to Africa using clothes, fashion style and community building. Aside from what we’re doing with the brand, for me PITH was like our personal awakening. Being able to explore different ideas using fashion has helped me develop myself.

Adedayo: For us there weren’t so many brands when we started as kids. Now you have Vivendii, Kenneth Ize. In 2015, there weren’t so many subcultures like if you grow up in America, as a skateboarder you rocked with Supreme. We didn’t have subcultures that tapped into the individualism of the youth. That was where we really connected with Off White, they were identifying with people in fashion that luxury didn’t identify with.

We felt like our generation was changing, there was a new era of young people coming up. With that new era, there’d be a new style taking shape. We weren’t all going to wear traditional clothes and it’s not every time you’d want to shop on ASOS. We wanted to build a brand that was African but eventually could cater to our generation and individual expressions, but also have the culture of a brand like Nike. In this generation, we’re dreaming to build companies that can rival the Western conversation. The name is very organic because we wanted to express something that had a high quality. 

 “We ended up having this conversation about fashion and how we wanted to make an impact on the fashion community in Nigeria. By the next day we just founded PITH.”

NATIVE: What role do each of you play at PITH and how do you ensure that everyone’s creative vision is represented in the final output?

Adedayo: I’m the artistic director. Our roles are kind of intertwined, but I mostly help with the artistic vision and how the vibe comes out. We don’t really see ourselves just as a fashion company, but a company that creates products and experiences. We have a joke that we eventually want to be able to just put PITH on a brick and have people still buy it. Like how people are obsessed with the latest iPhone, to create that enthusiasm for our product.

Nezodo: I work as the Head of Operations and as the Style Director. I’d like to say we consider ourselves designers first, that’s how we’re able to come together with this idea. I basically ensure everything that makes a good product down to its quality control.

Ojemen: I work as the Creative Director. Like Ade said our roles intertwine. Basically focusing on our products and how it influences how the brand is perceived.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by PITH AFRICA (@pith.africa)

NATIVE: Has streetwear always been something all the founders have been interested in?

Ojemen: For me, yeah. I vibed with streetwear. But on the flip side, I’m a womenswear designer. PITH is not even a streetwear brand. I feel like the phase we’re in right now, we’re here because this is the way that we know how to interpret our ideas. In the next few years, there could be multiple fronts on which we explore fashion. As we grow as people the brand also grows. I don’t know if you’ve seen our collaboration with Kkerelé but it isn’t streetwear. But regardless of that, streetwear has really informed our ideas of fashion.

Nezodo: My first advent into fashion was actually streetwear. It informs our design ethos but that doesn’t make us a streetwear brand. We want to play around in the four walls of fashion. We’ll always want to make anything that can be considered a product for us. The end goal is creating something more elaborate.

Adedayo: This is why we love Virgil. He expanded the idea of streetwear. For us, streetwear is not about jeans or T-shirts, it’s an idea and a narrative. Our first call of action when we started PITH was to communicate directly with young people. The easiest way to do that was to use a subject that everyone could relate with. Everyone wears T-shirts, jeans and trucker hats. But we’ve made things that are not streetwear. For us, the basic Nigerian fashion outside of traditional wear is streetwear. That was one of the things we were trying to tap into, the fact that even when you want to buy basic clothing, you have to go online to ASOS. WAFFLESNCREAM have started making boxers now. That shows a lot for the community because before them, I didn’t know any Nigerian brands where you could be like ‘Mom I want to get their boxers’. For us, it was about filling certain gaps. The young person now just wants clothes they can wear from a brand they trust. When the next generation grows up, they can say ‘I want to get PITH’ for anything they want.  

NATIVE: What was the first collection you created?

Nezodo: The first collection was called ‘Dilly.’ Before making clothes, we wanted to make something that we felt more comfortable in. ‘Dilly’ to us meant acceptance. We wanted to accept our own identities first. We’re Nigerians, we’re from Africa, we’re black. We wanted to tap into that essence by making clothes that tap into our personalities. We used brown earth tones. We wanted people to know you can wear your own skin, clothes that are comfortable.

Ojemen: The collection is actually ongoing. When we started we didn’t want to use the conventional seasonal collections, we don’t really have winter here. When we first started  our plan was not really to shape globally, it was more focused on the environment around us. We also wanted to create an ongoing conversation. If you check our story so far, we’ve released three Dilly’s. The first was the inception, the second was more us digging deeper into what PITH is to us. The third collection started when we took a hiatus and came back with a more reformed focus.

We’re focusing on sustainability a lot, which is a core part of the third chapter. We see Dilly as a book that is ongoing. The plan is as we grow we release each chapter. At a point we’ll finally stop Dilly. The real conversation is when we stop it, we’ll have finally graduated as a company. We’d have reached a certain stage where we can play on a more solid global level. Until then, we want to keep telling this ongoing story. As we’re graduating and reaching more boundaries we’re touching more Dilly’s. Each Dilly shows a new light of PITH. We’re very big on communicating to young boys ‘this can be you, you can start a brand’. That’s why the collection is called Dilly, which means remarkable. 

Nezodo: The idea for Dilly was also to deconstruct the idea around dropping collections. At the end of the day not every brand can sustain a full collection. It gives us a space to curate.

Ojemen: The fashion scene is having a conversation about how collections are kind of irrelevant. Like Jacquemus, he’s been doing pop ups and unconventional ways of release. It’s funny because we just did that because of vibes but the fashion scene is catching up. So I guess we’re ahead of our time! 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by PITH AFRICA (@pith.africa)

NATIVE: In your Instagram bio, you mention that PITH is “art” created through fashion, imagery & experiences which are inspired by Africa’s evolving identity. Let’s unpack that a bit. Can you tell me a bit more about why each PITH clothing item is seen as an art piece?

Ojemen: We’re taking layers of emotions and embodying it with the clothes. Our first ever strap bag we dropped, it was because at that time, we were going through a lot and we felt that this was something everyone could relate to. The basic idea of the bag was to extend ideas to the bag. It comes with a marker for you to scribble on it. In that you’re extending part of you to the bag. It becomes more than just a bag, but an extension of yourself. It also applies to a lot of other products.  

Nezodo: For every product we release, there’s a narrative that comes with it. We’re trying to make people understand why they should buy this product. At the end of the day, anyone that owns a PITH product, is indirectly communicating with us.  

NATIVE: What are some of the factors that contribute to Africa’s evolving identity?

Ojemen: Our main focus is a new generation of Nigeria. 60% of the country is under 30. It’s basically a new age that has a different mentality. When I was growing up, I didn’t know a brand like PITH, but there are more brands doing what we’re doing. We’re laser focused on connecting with this generation and asking them questions like ‘What does it mean to be a skateboarder in Nigeria? ‘What does it mean to be gay in Nigeria?’ ‘What does it mean to be yourself?’. Those are the conversations we have about being a company that is new age and caters to this new generation.

NATIVE: Has owning a brand changed your views on fashion in any way? In regards to the industry, or your personal style?

Adedayo: For us, it has opened conversations about what is going on in Nigeria. If there’s anything we’ve complained about, it is that the supply chain in Africa is really non-existent.  Like every other thing in Africa, there’s no real structure coming from a third world nation. It is very difficult trying to compete with a brand like Supreme or Balenciaga when you can’t even guarantee light to produce your clothes. Other than that, we’ve not really changed in how we create because PITH is like an extension of ourselves, so we’ve never deviated from making what we f– with.  

Nezodo: For me I don’t think it’s changed. I think it just makes me more informed. The only thing I’d say has changed is how we create our products and how we interpret everything that goes on within our creative space. For me, I think creating in this space made me even more informed about my personal style. At the end of the day, fashion should be a mood, a feeling or an emotion. 

Ojemen: Owning a fashion brand has definitely made it easier for me to have more clothes. It’s also helped in exploring my personal style. I feel like I’m more in tune with myself now because I have more access to a variety of ideas and access to ways to execute them. In terms of how it affects the brand, it has given me more of an insider perspective into what owning a fashion brand should be. Definitely, you’re making clothes but also conceptualising what you are making those clothes from. I feel like because I own a fashion brand now, it’s important to use that to voice emotions and communicate, sort of like activism. It’s not easy to create from here, so I feel like if you’re someone with any influence you should be able to use that to better where you’re coming from.

NATIVE: What is the most challenging part about running PITH’s operations in Nigeria?

Ojemen: Access to supplies. That’s one of the reasons why we moved into sustainability. When we were trying to make clothes, getting fabric from the market was so inconsistent. You could not go to say ‘I want this specific fabric in this specific way’. Access to capital is also another thing and we’ve been bootstrapping for a while.

Adedayo: It all boils down to where we’re from. We’re from a third world country. At the end of the day, accessibility is something quite far fetched. We’re leaning backwards a bit to figure out our supply chains because that’s where our major problems come from. Where to source things we require. That has taken a toll on us. Even down to artisans. There is no database.  Being able to figure where to source these things would take us to a whole new level in PITH.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by PITH AFRICA (@pith.africa)

NATIVE: Could you tell me more about showcasing PITH at Homecoming. What did that experience mean to you and your community?

Nezodo: That means a whole lot of guerrilla marketing. It allowed more people to come into our space and we were able to continue our conversation about what’s going on in PITH offline. It gave us a lot of exposure and the opportunity to connect with likeminded people, who are trying to create multi-billion dollar companies. We keep looking forward to more because at the end of the day it’s free PR.

Ojemen: It’s just about having that accessibility. What pop-ups do for you, they allow you to be shown to a different audience.  Alara is a luxury store that is used to seeing Kenneth Ize, so it gave us access to that market. Homecoming did the same thing, obviously its a more diasporan, leading to a global conversation. In the long term, we want to have direct conversations with these brands we’ve showcased alongside but at least now, PITH is also part of the conversation. We also did P’s & Q’s which is our own party or pop-up experience.

We believe creating experiences is very key. We don’t only want you to communicate  with the clothes online, we want you to feel like you’re a part of the community which is a strong word we use a lot. The first edition of P’s & Q’s we did, we did it with Quacktails, the bartending company. It was a safe space for members of the LGBT+ community, skaters, musicians, creatives, people that didn’t feel at home in the conventional mainstream space. They felt at home in our own curated environment. Experiences like those are our own way of having a conversation with our audience, asking them ‘how are you feeling? Come and unwind with us. Come and interact with us more intimately than just online. Anyway we can put that into the world, be it by pop-ups, or curated experiences, we will do it.

NATIVE: A lot of  brands grow and stray far away from their community. Do you feel like you need to amplify your community to have longevity in the game?

Ojemen: We have never felt limited in our community. We’ve always had a direct conversation with young people. We’re one of the few brands that used an LGBT+ film as a way of conversing with our audience. We’ll never just make T-Shirts, we’ll never just make jeans. As long as we feel like the people we communicate can relate to what you’re doing, we can always find a way to implement that in PITH. As long as we feel it’s something that calls to the youth in us, we’re always going to keep stretching and expanding our views on what we can and can’t do. 

Adedayo: I think we’ll never go astray because at the end of the day PITH is an extension of who we are, we’re a storytelling brand. We always want to engage more people. By every product we release, by every experience we have, by every space we walk into we want our presence to be felt. You should not be able to define exactly what PITH is. Clothes don’t define us. We aren’t just a fashion company. We’re a product’s company. We want to be able to release products and let people tap into the idea of why we released them in the first place. 

NATIVE: What are your hopes for the future of African and specifically Nigerian fashion?  

Ojemen: One thing we hope is that going forward we embrace the idea of collaboration. I think Nigerian are still trying to be like ‘i’m trying to build my own thing.; i feel like for the industry to really go, collaboration is where it’s at. I think that’s something PITH is trying to do more of.  It does a lot for visibility, for ideas, for community building. That’s what Nigerian brands should look to. It doesn’t even have to be with another African brand.  

“As long as we feel it’s something that calls to the youth in us, we’re always going to keep stretching and expanding our views on what we can and can’t do.”

What’s the future like for PITH?

Adedayo: Becoming a multi-billion dollar company.

Nezodo: At the end of the day, we’ve been inspired by brands like Off White, Louis Vuitton, Yeezy and Balenciaga. We want to be able to create these brands from these four walls of Africa, Nigeria, Lagos as Black people. We want people to realise you can create a sustainable brand that can represent taste levels like brands in the Western world. We want people to understand that if we can do this, you can also do this.  We want to change the whole narrative. 

Ojemen: On a more short term basis, we’ll be looking to strengthen our conversation within sustainable practices. Building systems that enable us to properly implement some of these things. We’re looking at even collaborating with more sustainable brands such as This Is Us which is based in the UK. We have something coming with another sustainable brand called R&R collective. Most importantly, we’re really passionate about pushing the message  of care and preservation to our community. It’s a simple idea but if you care more about simple things like your environment, it goes a long way. We are trying to push that narrative with the clothes and our sustainable movement.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by PITH AFRICA (@pith.africa)

Featured image credits/NATIVE

Report: Here’s what we know about the fatal attack in Ondo State

Posted on by Damilola Animashaun

This year, several grave injustices have taken place across the African continent, throwing into the limelight the sheer disregard for human life that pervades our societies. In Nigeria alone, there have been a number of terrorist attacks across school campuses in the country’s Northern region, leading to the inhumane loss of life of many of the nation’s young people and a widespread lack of accountability from the perpetuators and our inept leaders.

Today, the news coming out of the Owa-luwa Local Government Area of Ondo State continues to highlight the exacerbated lack of security in our country. According to sources, early on Sunday morning, while the St Francis Xavier church congregation gathered for their Sunday service, armed terrorists descended upon the church and opened fire on the unsuspecting crowd leaving several dead and many others fatally injured.

Horrific images of the deceased and the injured have flooded social media timelines, serving as a painful reminder that justice is not enacted until every member of society is safe and free from harm and violence. According to further reports from the Tribune Online, eye witness reports stated that there may be several more recorded casualties as those severely injured were rushed to the hospital with some later pronounced dead on their arrival.

Reports also state that the gunmen made us of dangerous explosives in the church compound which further compounded the attack and injured several more church-goers in Owo. Currently, there have been no official reports from the federal or state government in Ondo State and no reports from the state police command. However, currently there are several calls for blood donors in the Federal Medical Centre in Owo, Ondo State.

This is a developing story and will be updated regularly.

ICYMI: State of Emergency Lifted in Sudan & more notable headlines from the African continent

Darkoo taps Mayorkun for summer-ready bop, “There She Go”

Posted on by Wonu Osikoya

In November 2019, Darkoo released one of the biggest Afrobeats songs of the year “Gangsta”, which immediately fixed the UK-based, Nigerian-born singer and rapper in people’s faces. The record, which was produced by AJ Productions, featured a stellar guest verse from UK rapper One Acen and emerged as one of the most notable songs in UK Afrobeats history, earning Darkoo a crown by ​​the Official Charts Company as the Afrobeats track of 2020.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Big Drippo🦇 (@darkoo)

Since then, the singer has remained in the faces of fans and listeners, as she followed up with massive hit songs such as “Juicy” and “Cinderella.” In February, she kicked off her year with the smash hit “Always,” assisted by Asaaka driller and global superstar Black Sherif. The song topped charts in the UK, Nigeria and Ghana, and it eventually earned Darkoo a spot on the billboard US Afrobeats chart. Now for her second release of the year, Darkoo has teamed up with Afropop sensation, Mayorkun for the summer bop “There She Go”, making it the second time the pair would make an appearance on a record this year—the first being the hugely popular remix to Ghanaian singer Camidoh’s hit single “Sugarcane.”

Produced by Enzo, “There She Go” sees the pair setting the mood for summer time as the mid tempo upbeat record sees Darkoo speaking to her love interest and showering her muse with romantic compliments. She quips lyrics such as “she got the body I never seen, lemme crack in your loving like I’m a fiend/Your body flow like water, coming in the shape of soda”. Mayorkun taps into the existing topic of the record and delivers a one-of-a-kind verse. On his verse, he chants standout lyrics such as “See your face card e no dey decline/I have a feeling I’m your desire, I no dey rest I no dey tire.” In true Afropop heritage, the song sample’s the 2014 smash hit, “Jack Sparrow,” by Nigerian singer Rayce.

Alongside the record, the official visualiser directed by Darkoo has also arrived today. The set, which is a vibrant and colourful video, matches the upbeat nature of the track. It sees a number of fast cars, boats and both artists with friends seeing a great time.

Watch the visualiser for “There She Go” here

Dice Ailes Returns With Exciting Debut EP, ‘Ladies First’

Posted on by Emmanuel Esomnofu

It’s been a minute since we got new Dice Ailes music, but not anymore. Earlier today, the Nigerian musician released ‘Ladies First’ under the auspices of Sony Music Entertainment. The six track EP is his debut body of work, and is ostensibly inspired by his love for women. Slick with vivid production and salacious entries into Dice’s famed catalogue, it’s an admirable return for a man who holds a revered position in the hearts of Afropop lovers.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Waterman (@dice_ailes)

The project features Tiwa Savage (“Hold Me“) and Spanish rapper Kaydy Cain (“Rosalia”). Elsewhere, Dice Ailes takes his strong songwriting abilities into the encompassing theme of romance and its relative affairs. On “Zombie“, he displays  his range, interpolating the Fela Kuti classic of the same title in a sultry song about the vulnerability that comes with being in love.

Ever since breaking out with “Telephone” almost eight years ago, Dice Ailes has continued to be a point of reference for new school Afropop acts. He’s also accrued an impressive catalogue of hits over the years, from “Miracle” to “Otedola” and most recently, the Olamide-featured “Pim Pim“.

With deliberate presentation backed by actually great music, Dice Ailes’ ‘Ladies First’ EP will surely be in circulation for a lot of listeners throughout the year.

 

Asake, BNXN & the widespread adoption of snippets as a marketing tool

Posted on by Chibuzo Emmanuel

By now, if you’re up to speed with Pop culture, you should be all too familiar with the current de facto music rollout process: previewing snippets on social media just before the record drops. Everyone is on this train, from Travis Scott who previewed a slice of his impending track on the just held BBMA’s, to BNXN who sent seismic ripples through the the country with a snippet of his track with Pheelz, “Finesse”, to Asake who released a snippet of an imminent track last Thursday. Like it or not, the global music industry has embraced snippets as the de facto music promotional tactic. The pertinent question is, “What’s the right way to roll out a song via a snippet?”

Given the widespread prevalence of snippet culture, it’s hard to imagine a time when this was not the standard practice. However, dial back time ten years ago, and this would have been unimaginable in that era. Artists were incredibly guarded against letting the public into their creative process, instead, songs were spun out as fully formed art pieces that were to be consumed only after the set release date. From a marketing standpoint, there were barely any incentives for such a process.

Today, social media and the indelible presence of digital streaming platforms have aided the widespread adoption of this fairly recent marketing strategy. During the stay at home-induced lockdowns of 2020, when artist-listener interactions were strictly limited to peering at phone screens, artists would take to different social media spaces—Instagram Live mostly—to preview unreleased songs and receive immediate reactions. While snippets are nothing new, given that they were a thing before then, the lack of physical engagements heightened its use. Even down south, DJ’s would play mixes featuring some of their unreleased songs, fuelling the rise of leaks and drumming hype before their official drop.

Snippets are a cheap and easily executable strategy, and when done right, it can slice a marketing budget by a significant margin. But snippets come at a significant tradeoff, they take away the experience the listener gets from experiencing a song or a project brand new. This is not necessarily a negative thing, sometimes the cultural impact a snippet can galvanise prior to the release of the actual song, can make it worth it. Pheelz and BNXN’s “Finesse” culminated in one of the most significant moments in Nigerian pop culture this year, making the trade-off worth it by almost all conceivable standards.

The biggest product brands in the world spend millions of dollars in a bid to fabricate the best onboarding experience for their clients. The quality of the experience of interacting with a product for the first time is almost as important as the actual quality of the product itself. Apple spends millions on creating an unboxing experience that evokes a special moment with the client. Balenciaga holds elaborate rarefied fashion events to onboard their new product line to rapt followers of the brand. Surely, music can also be viewed as a product and the experience of presenting a song to fans should be treated with the utmost importance. Snippets are here to stay for a long time, so what then is the best way to pull them off?

The first and most important point is that not every song needs a snippet. Some songs are meant to be consumed fresh by the listener. With that out of the way, the music industry can learn a lot about snippets from their adjacent entertainment sibling: The film industry. For decades, trailers have been the de facto promotional materials for movies. Trailers are essentially a cohesively packaged series of snippets, which function to get the viewer interested in the movie without giving away key parts of the plot. A trailer gives you a sense of what the movie is about and piques your interest, but after watching a trailer you can’t say you’ve seen all parts of the movie, can you?

In the same vein, snippets should serve a similar purpose: offering an introduction to the song without giving too much away. However, when snippets run on for several minutes, can they still be regarded as teasers? The answer lies somewhere between the snippet’s run-time. If a snippet is more than half the length of a track, it defeats its very purpose. The term snippet literally translates as “A little piece.” As such, an ideal snippet should tease a record without letting the entire cat out of the bag.

For purists, the idea of a future where snippets continue to set the pace may not be welcome but when pulled off right, purists and marketing aficionados can come to a common ground that snippets can do a lot of good. The biggest takeaway, however, is how technology constantly forces every facet of human existence to evolve, from the financial industry to the entertainment industry. An absurd strategy a few ago has now become the standard practice. As new technologies, such as NFTs continue to crop up, it’s worth wading through the fad to see what musicians do with them. 

ICYMI: NATIVE EXCLUSIVE: YOUNG JONN DETAILS JOURNEY FROM PROLIFIC PRODUCER TO ALL-ROUND ARTIST

Identify: It’s Khaid’s World And We’re Just Living In It

Posted on by Wonu Osikoya

When Khaid was just 14, the rising star was certain of his path in life. Coming from a strong musical background, he was exposed to music at a young age and grew up transfixed with the way it made him feel. “I knew music was what I wanted to do when I was 14 but I wasn’t writing full songs at the time,” he shares with me on a Zoom call, a few days before his debut EP’s release. “I was just freestyling and I knew music was something I could use to fend for my family but I was waiting for the right time,” he continues.

At only 17, Khaid is now living out his dreams. The Lagos-based artist is among the new vanguard of Afropop stars who are changing the game and re-inventing the status quo. In the last three years, he’s been able to master his art which landed him a recording deal with Neville Records, a new record label owned and managed by internet sensation and comedian Sydney Talker.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kay kay🕷 (@khaidxr)

With no gimmicks to his game, Khaid continues to attain new levels in his career. After gaining the attention of music lovers and industry heavyweights alike, following the release of “With You,” the singer/rapper continued to peel back the layers to his artistry and seal his position in our hearts and ears. His second release, the Mage-produced Afro-trap record “Ski”, put on display his rapid-fire abilities. Over the song’s catchy production, Khaid recounts real life tales and sings about his arduous come-up before the fame.

There’s no denying that social media has also played a huge role in Khaid’s career. The choruses and hooks of his songs have populated social media timelines from Instagram to TikTok, taking Khaid on a journey from relative obscurity to full-blown superstardom. It was the release of his first-ever single, “With You” that landed his music land in the right hands and earned him his record deal. Now, after giving us a solid introduction into what he has to offer, Khaid is preparing for his next level: the release of his debut album ‘Diversity.’

The 6-track project finds Khaid operating within different sonic planes, while broaching on coming of age themes such as romance, the circumstances of his upbringing, self-assurance and more. With his debut, the rising star is on a mission to convert more people to Trap believers. Speaking about this, he shares: “The music I make and everything I do is to inspire more people that are making trap music. I’m not saying I’m the pioneer or anything, I just want more trap artists to do more and believe in the sound.”

Following its release, we caught with the singer/rapper to learn more about the process behind making his debut EP, his early stages of his career and his plans for the future.

Our conversation, which follows below, has been lightly condensed and edited for clarity.

NATIVE: Can you talk to me a little about your background and what growing up was like?

Khaid: Well, I’m actually from a family of 8 children. My parents have always been music heads as well and they both listen to different genres of music. My mum has always been into Rock music while my dad was more into Fuji. At first it was a bit of a hassle but overtime, they realised music was something I wanted to do so they had no choice but to support me. 

NATIVE: What is your earliest recollection of making music?

Khaid: I can’t honestly remember but I remember my first full song and that was when I was in secondary school about two years ago. I knew music was what I wanted to do when I was 14 but I wasn’t writing full songs at the time. I was just freestyling but I knew somewhere in my mind that music was going to become a career but at that time, I was just vibing. I knew music was something I could use to fend for my family and still find happiness doing it but I was waiting for the right time.

NATIVE: What other genres were you exposed to growing up?

Khaid: I was exposed to Rap music. I listened to a lot of Rap because my brother used to listen to a lot of it. I fell in love with it. My mum loved Michael Jackson a lot too so I used to listen to that unconsciously. I actually also started out as a rapper just based on the music I was listening to and that was the easiest way for me to express myself. However, as time went by, I started putting melodies into my music.

NATIVE: How has the industry been treating you since you signed to a new label?

Khaid: First of all, I feel blessed because it’s been a good and long journey for me. “With You” is my first song ever in my life. I’ve never released a song ever, so for the song to be this big and go this far, it only gave me some sort of motivation that I can do anything. Going by my first, I’m certain the next ones will definitely be better. The love I’ve been getting has really made me so grateful.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kay kay🕷 (@khaidxr)

NATIVE: Will you say having a label backing is important? And why?

Khaid: Having a label backing you is important but what’s more important is having matured minds behind you. If you don’t have people that believe in your video, it’ll be difficult to progress. My label isn’t just a label to me, it’s family. I know a lot of people say this a lot but my label is very special to me, I see them as my older brothers most of the time because to me it’s more of a family than a record label.

NATIVE: Now let’s talk about the music itself. What themes and topics do you consider when creating your music?

Khaid: My story, the struggles I’ve faced and all I’ve been through most times are some of the topics I draw from when I’m creating music. The mood, my environment, everything around me at that point becomes a topic to me but most times, it’s my past stories. 

NATIVE: How would you define your sound? And what inspires your sound?

Khaid: I honestly cannot define my sound right now because I’m still exploring different sounds. I don’t want to box myself into anything and end up doing something different in the next months or years to come but right now, I’m sticking to the afro-trap genre which my team and I are trying to create and take forward in this part of the world but I’m surely going to expand, the change is inevitable so the sound will definitely evolve.

NATIVE: You broke into the industry with the record “With You”.  what are some of the things you learnt about landing the perfect hit song? Did you expect the song to blow up this much?

Khaid: Nah, I didn’t. I had a little bit of anxiety about what if people don’t like my song, what if people don’t vibe with me, what if people don’t think it’s a good song. I’ve never released a song before so doing this, it’s my first song and now I’m gonna be releasing it to a wider range of people, not a small range of people but I don’t know how they’re going to accept it. I have faith and I know that as long as I have faith everything will work out just fine. We had to do the promotion right, the melody and the lyrics right, that’ll make people vibe with my song. That was enough for me to feel calm about releasing the song. 

NATIVE: Would you say that song has built your confidence a lot

Khaid: Yes definitely. “With You” breakthrough gave me a type of vibe that now I have my stuff together and I can actually show people what I’m capable of in terms of music. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kay kay🕷 (@khaidxr)

NATIVE: You’re currently working on a project. How has creating your debut project been in such a stressful and uncertain time

Khaid: Creating songs is always fun. I’ve never had a sad time making music. The process of writing lyrics to the recording and mastering. There might be times where someone doesn’t like it or some people just have opinions. You might feel a bit down but you have to go harder. You can’t just believe only in your own thoughts, it’s good to have people around that can correct you. Sometimes i might be feeling a song that is not nice but i think it’s nice but having the right people around me they tell me the truth. Having people in the studio makes the creating process fun for me. 

NATIVE: Your debut EP is out next month, what is the story behind the creation of this album. 

Khaid: Yes. Love. The EP is filled with love songs and groovy songs. Emotional trap songs too. 

NATIVE: What is a defining motto in your life and in your music?

Khaid: Believing that life is spiritual. I believe that it is spiritual in the sense that everything you’re doing you can find God and peace in it. It’s going to pay off and become something that everybody will want to imitate one day. 

NATIVE: How does it feel to be a part of the new vanguard of afro pop superstars right now 

Khaid: I feel really blessed and I feel really happy. It’s a dream come true for me. This is my first single so I wasn’t thinking I would be everywhere. I was limiting myself. I was scared mostly and I didn’t think I was going to make it this far. It’s a blessing and I thank God. 

NATIVE: How do you see your career evolving in the next few years 

Khaid: I see myself making amazing music, a bigger version of what I am now. I see myself dominating, learning new things and unlearning some things. 

Featured Image Credits/NATIVE

Essentials: Zilla Oaks & Makama Are An Unstoppable Force On ‘MMXXII’

Posted on by Wonu Osikoya

In recent years, Rap music in Nigeria has grown to become a diversely creative form. While online conversations are mostly didactic, mirroring the lack of attention and value from the listening audience, Nigerian rap artists are still pushing out captivating work and finding ways to make meaningful impact regardless of the current conditions. Within the vanguard of new era searing lyricists and versatile stylists, Apex Village’s prodigy Zilla Oaks has placed himself among the prolific rappers in Nigeria, representing the possibilities of rap music out of the country.

Zilla Oaks officially began his hip-hop journey in 2016 via SoundCloud, where he released his debut EP ‘NE:GRO’, a boisterous introduction that also saw him embrace his south-eastern heritage and proclaim his indelible affiliation with Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja. In 2018, he followed with his first full project, ‘No Zzzz’, a 13-track set with a burning grind mentality, using a predominantly trap soundscape to bring listeners into his world. He followed with the sequel, ‘No Zzzz 2’, last year, a more self-assured statement by a rapper who has found his footing in the industry. A more musically expansive effort than his previous projects, ‘No Zzzz 2’ underlined the rapper’s undeniable skill-set as a music-maker, a distinction that earned him a spot on The NATIVE’s best rappers list for 2021. 

For his new project, ‘MMXXII’, Zilla Oaks has teamed up with Abuja producer and rapper Makama to deliver a breezy 5-track EP, and unlike his previous, guest-laden project, this joint tape sees just one from rapper and former LOS member, Bris B. The brisk, 15-minute long project sees both collaborators in their most braggadocious forms as they dish out to listeners their obsession with their grind, delivering a wonderful intersection between bars and vibes. 

On the EP’s opener “11:11”, the production of the record carries the song and draws the attention of listeners to the track. It is immediately obvious that this is a more different approach from the usual Zilla Oaks trap records. Makama opens the track chanting “wish, wish, wish”, referring to the lucky 11:11 number. He goes on to sing “I wanna make a wish/I wanna live forward”, stating his wish. Zilla steps in with a more stern approach to the record, making his own wishes and spelling out what he really wants — to make money and all the good things that come with life. With a subtle fade out and fade in to the next track, the record  “MMXXII” is a more firm and clear statement by the collaborators. The record sees the both artists stating their goals for the year 2022. Makama takes the lead on this record as he makes his goals clear over the bouncy production of the track. On the chorus, he quips “I’m on tour this year, I want more this year/When I talk, listen”.

The sonic and thematic progression of the tape has listeners right where they need to be. On the record “Slap$” , which is a personal favourite and touched down as one of the NATIVE’s best songs this year, both rappers blend energies seamlessly over the production of the record. With the psychedelic feel emitting from the track, the production of the record seems to be the most important takeaway from this trippy number. To close the EP, Zilla Oaks and Makama team up with Bris B for the special number “O$He!.” The trap tune sees all the artists on this record in a braggadocious and unapologetic mood. As all three collaborators make their respective claims, Bris B takes the lead on the record as he brings in a laid back and relaxed energy while still making his points. He quips on his verse, “rapid fire, fire burn these niggas/broke niggas take your whole squad a bunch of old niggas”, proving to opps that he’s all the way up. Zilla and Makama tap into the already existing energy Bris has set as they both maintain a smooth pace throughout the record.

‘MMXXII’ sees a fine combination between sonics and themes that still never feels edgy. The body of work sees the duo in agreement through the short run as they flow flawlessly without obstacles. Produced largely by Makama, multiple emotions are evoked from records such as “Slap$” and “11:11”. All round, the project is a laid-back experiment by two young and powerful rappers who want to get things off their chest through rapping and trapping.

Listen to ‘MMXXII’ here

AV Club: ‘Ayinla’ Blends Portraiture Into A Stirring Cultural Commentary

Posted on by Emmanuel Esomnofu

Tunde Kelani occupies a monolithic space in Nigerian film. Four decades of cinematic brilliance elevated him to that position, yet the 74-year-old remains dedicated to the documentary leanings of his artistic ethos. Last year he released ‘Ayinla’ to credible reception, inspired by the life of Ayinla Omowura, the great Apala musician whose reign of ubiquity across South-West Nigeria came in the seventies.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tunde Kelani (@tkelani)

The greatest strength of ‘Ayinla’ is that although the film is about the musician, the Itoko landscape and the film’s supporting characters are as important to the storyline. When others speak of him, their eyes blaze with the recognition that his story is also their story. The red quaint corners of Abeokuta are masterfully paired with props which evoke a natural feel of how the area must have looked in the 80’s. The entire film reads almost like a love letter to Ayinla and the place which birthed and made him, showing the colourful ways culture seeps into physical spaces and how they inform the resident’s identity.

On ‘Ayinla,’ viewers are immersed in the tale of a man on the ascent to becoming a global musician. His competence rests in Apala, a genre with regional and religious affiliations. Yoruba musicians explored the forms of Fuji and Juju not long after Omowura’s death decades to wide acclaim, but they had the benefit of being popular around urban areas. Apala’s viability outside the South-West was doubted a lot of the time but the film shows that this was far from the case.

Situated at that point of interest, the plot kicks off when an event promoter named Ajala (Kunle Afolayan) organises a concert that will take Ayinla to London. He goes to great lengths to convince the sceptical, illiterate musician that the deal is real and profitable. A consultation with his spiritual guide affirms Ayinla of safety during the trip, and the band begin a promotional tour of Abeokuta before they leave for the English capital.

It’s a simple enough premise but a lot unfolds in between. Central to ‘Ayinla’ is the musician’s relationship with his manager Bayewu played by Debo Adebayo. We are able to see what Bayewu represents to the entire band as manager, most importantly the crucial link he forms between Ayinla and society at large. In his act, Adebayo sheds the humorous tendencies of his Mr. Macaroni comic character, providing a humane contrast for Ayinla’s flaws to come into light.

On his part, Lateef Adedimeji who plays Ayinla is a perfect conductor for the musician’s abrasive character. He is usually disrespectful of Bayewu and others around him, requesting their respect at every step of the way. When Ayinla does not get something he wants, he lashes out in the Egba dialect which makes his curses even more searing. When the London event materialises however, we see a more playful side to him. A particularly joyful scene happens in a bar where he’s presented with a promotional poster bearing his picture. He confirms from Bayewu what the words say, and when told it’s ‘Apala in London’, he declares drinks for everyone in the bar. As the days pass, the London event becomes a myth of its own; everyone wants a taste.

Among those who want a taste is the editor of Iwe Iroyin, played by the veteran Bimbo Manuel. He is a no-nonsense man in the typical way of editors, eager to get a definitive piece on Ayinla by following him as he moves around the country and into England. For this task, he assigns Jaiye (Ade Laoye), a quirky staff writer who is taken by the intellectual movements of the era. This distinction is immediately gleaned from her fashion and flagrant use of English. In a particularly poignant scene, he speaks words that could easily have come from Kelani when he advises Jaiye to ground herself in the philosophy and cultures of her local residence. That is the practical way for one to emerge as an active influence in their society.

Jaiye indeed gets her head in the game and that builds on the layers of this essential subplot. When she meets Ajala to request access to Ayinla, the man calls her bluff. Her superfluous praises cannot hide the fact she hasn’t actually listened to the musician and afterwards, we see her becoming more immersed in his music and the Fuji genre. When it comes to interviewing the star however, she struggles to secure private time with him. This was the actual case of Omowura, who was infamously averse to the media in his days. The limitations of having very sparse first-account material makes Kelani’s movie even more applaudable. It also sketches the detriments that could come with a lack of proper documentation. In the back of a tour bus, when the band members begin to speak to Jaiye about Ayinla there is an almost personal sense of triumph.

The cast were also engaged in their roles. You would hardly find a single performance that is out of place here. Most of the conversations flow in Yoruba, and the translations give an astute leeway into the humorous leanings of the language. Adedimeji in the lead role is a masterclass in acting. He expresses Ayinla’s mannerisms to the tee, right from his pompous walking steps to how he shuffles a handkerchief from hand to hand when performing. He is able to reach diverse spectrums of emotions so seamlessly that sometimes you forget he is not really Omowura.

As the minutes wind down and Ayinla’s death becomes imminent, the tone shifts from the boisterous flourishes of earlier scenes. Kelani condenses the multiple accounts of the singer’s death into that final scene. But, even then, the ebullient personality of the man renders it some unbelievable quality. Just as Egba lost one of its most illustrious sons in a senseless brawl, so does the film carry the undeniable limitations of that trajectory.

The importance of a film like ‘Ayinla’ exceeds mere artistic quality. It has that in plentiful folds, but it is also a signifier to the wealth of stories embedded in the tightly wrought fabric of Nigerian popular culture. Tunde Kelani also has a similar film planned for Fuji pioneer Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, one which he suggests might be a series. It is widely known that African music has a documentation issue with many of our iconic figures’ stories still untold till this day, and even when that happens, they aren’t always wholly represented. ‘Ayinla,’ despite all its shortcomings and successes is a remainder of why proper, critically tight documentation is urgent and important.

Watch ‘Ayinla’ on Netflix Naija here.

Featured image credits/Netflix

Oroko Radio & WATWomxn Present NNWOMEN, A DJ & Production Workshop For Women

Posted on by Wonu Osikoya

Last year, Oroko Radio, an independent radio station founded by friends and creative professionals, Ruseye, Kikelomo, Nico Adomako and Naëmi Ada launched in Accra, Ghana. The community station was set up with the aim of providing a platform for Ghanaian, African and diasporic voices to be heard, by those who look, talk and sound like them.

Similarly, Where Are The Womxn, a female collective based in Ghana and the UK was created with the initiative to promote and celebrate creative femmes and their industry pathways in West Africa. United in a similar goal, the two brands teamed up together alongside Pioneer DJ to host an intensive DJ workshop in a bid to inspire more women in the Ghanaian DJ/Production space to see a bigger picture in these career paths.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by WHERE ARE THE WOMXN? (@watwomxn)

The workshop which kicked off earlier this year, on the 19th of March and ran through until the 10th of April was also created with the idea to encourage more women to take on more male dominated roles in the music industry. The month-long workshop  included a series of introductory workshops focusing on DJ’ing and production. The collaborative programme also closed out with a ‘Movements into Music’ discussion on the 9th of April, providing a platform to discuss, network and better support women within the music industry.

Speaking about the value of the female-focused DJ workshop, Ceceilia Adjei shared:

“I think it’s so important – a safe space for women to just be free to learn through trial and error. The music industry is so male-dominated, particularly in the DJing space, so to have [ some of the best female DJs] in Accra running these workshops makes all the difference.” 

Over a Zoom call a few weeks after NMWomen closed out in Ghana, The NATIVE got the opportunity to speak with one of the co-founders of WATWomxn Carina, who shared some ideas behind the DJ workshop, the success of the outcome and their plans for the future.

Our conversation which follows below has been lightly edited for clarity.

NATIVE: Who is Oroko radio, what do you do and how was Oroko Radio founded?

Carina: The initiative for female DJs is between two organisations, the first is Oroko Radio which is non for profit, its an internet based radio station that broadcasts from Accra and pulls together local sounds and then there’s the other organisation which is the one i’m from Where Are The Women — a collective of creative women based in Ghana and the UK and we came together to promote and further creative careers specifically women in creative careers, discussing visibility for women based in Accra.

NATIVE: What was the idea behind setting up this workshop? What was the initial plan and how did you hope to take this forward? 

Carina: I met Kikelomo, one of the founders of Oroko Radio and a globally renowned DJ last year. We got talking about how there’s a lack of female DJs in the Accra music scene and we didn’t think that was due to the lack of talent but the lack of opportunities and access. We wanted to provide DJ’ing as a platform for anyone who took interest. Oroko radio has a partnership with Pioneer since last year and last November, we decided to do a little women’s focused DJ sessions so we did a set of three and they were a great success. So when International Women’s Day came around, Oroko Radio reached out to WATWomxn again to put together a short video that showcases what’s going on here and the lack of female DJs.

We also spoke about hosting two face to face workshops for DJ’ing and production. What is important for Oroko and WATWomxn is that we help DJs to be able to be paid well. So a problem we face in Accra is that female DJs are given the intro slots or gigs are for free. So while we’re trying to raise the number of women in the scene, we’re also making sure they’re getting paid well and it’s seen as a career. The takeaways from that were that it’s not easy and doors are going to be shut on your face, you’re sometimes going to be uncomfortable within environments you sit in but you have to believe that if you keep pushing, you’ll achieve it. 

NATIVE: How did the partnership with WATWomxn and pioneer DJ come about? 

Carina: So Pioneer DJ were initially partnering with Oroko Radio and Pioneer have a very intentional plan to raise their focus in West Africa. Accra is one of their cities and so we were lucky enough to combine our strategy with their ambition within this region because it’s quite new for them.

NATIVE: Who are WATWomxn and what role does each member play within the organisation? 

Carina: We are a collective of different creative women with different creative skills. For example, I work in a more curatorial role. Emma Korantema Hanson is a DJ among many other things but our focus is on the music industry in Accra. Emma and I have been working on events in Accra for many years now and just trying to make a difference in our community. The whole focus of our organisation is to try and make a difference in the existing initiatives and where there are gaps and to try and fill them.

NATIVE: The African music industry is growing daily and more women are taking on more male dominated roles. What was it about DJs that caused you to take interest and set up this workshop? 

Carina: Women are taking on more roles, I have to agree. Especially in management, I’m seeing more women taking the lead there but DJ’ing just seems to be kind of forgotten. Kikelomo and Nico are both DJs and they started up Oroko Radio which has led to a bit of a change as this the first time I feel like it’s just going to be just young creative energy on-air. Women artists can be seen globally making a change like Amaarae, Tems but we don’t have globally known DJ’s that come out of Accra. In 5 years time, we want to be able to have globally known DJ’s. We went to the streets and asked what they thought and people made comments like we don’t want to do that, women want to stay at home, they don’t like partying and these aren’t true, these are misconceptions.

NATIVE: What goals were set before this workshop and were you able to bring this to life?

Carina: Yes, so the goals were to provide about 10 DJ’s between the ages of 16 and 35 with the basic skills to be able to decide if they want to be between the DJ”ing space. The production workshop was similar but with slightly smaller numbers and it was to try and build momentum for a long term program to get more women into production. Now we’ve been able to do that and there are people that are ready for what’s next. Doing International Women’s Day and doing events around that is great but it’s not enough. DJ’ing is an expensive hobby and some people may fall off not because they don’t have the talent but because they don’t have the money so we want to bridge that gap.

NATIVE: Are there any plans to train more female producers, sound engineers and other female creatives in the music space?

Carina: Right now, we’re in talks with Pioneer, so it’s kind of watch this space thing right now. However, the whole point is to have something maybe not permanent but regular. For example, have a couple of sessions this year and then also support with online training where possible. So by this time next year, I would hope that with the result of these workshops and initiatives, we’ll have at least 10 DJ’s playing out and have at least 3 producers. 

NATIVE: Is this a movement you’re looking to expand across the continent? If yes, how? 

Carina: So Oroko Radio are global, anyone can tune into their stations as they’re currently running from Wednesday through Sunday but they have a global reach and I know they’re in talks with different organisations and festivals throughout Africa to see how they can have a wider reach in impact. So right now, it’s Ghana but for WATWomxn. The current plan is Ghana then West Africa then throughout the rest of Africa. It gets forgotten that Accra is not the only city in Ghana so it’s important we run these workshops through Ghana first before taking it forward.

NATIVE: How impactful would you say the training was in the lives of the participants? 

Carina: I think it was amazing. Lots of people have wanted to do it but this was the first opportunity they had had to be able to do it, the first time they had actually had the confidence to step up and at the end of the training, everyone had the basic knowledge so I believe it was impactful and people went away with tangible things 

NATIVE: So what’s next? any more collaborations from you all? 

Carina: What’s next is the collaborative partnership and hopefully something long term. We’re speaking with Pioneer DJ and we have a suggestive module for how we can work over the next 12 months which we’re hopeful that they might be interested in. Oroko Radio are expanding rapidly and that means expanding the number of resident DJs they have, WATWomxn are hoping to do an event  in London this summer, focused around diasporan creatives, so yeah that’s what’s next.

Kikelomo: Oroko Radio has a whole host of events, workshops, partnerships, and community initiatives in the works for the rest of the year. We’re working closely with the likes of Nyege Nyege, Asa Baako Festival, Resident Advisor and more to put together some unique programming, as well as very special showcases around the world, featuring Oroko’s very own residents. Last but not least, by the end of summer Oroko should be moving into a new studio in Accra which means we can host live broadcast shows, interviews and mixes from our community. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Oroko Radio (@orokoradio)

Featured Image Credits/NATIVE

Hot Takes: Fenty’s Launch In Africa, Black Creators On TikTok, BBNaija Reunion & More

Posted on by Tela Wangeci

It is evident that Gemini Szn has done its worse. Currently, there’s been a wealth of bad news from the spread of monkeypox, to the tragic school shooting in the USA and even the death of 31 people in Nigeria due to a stampede in a church event. There’s no denying that it’s been a gloomy news cycle. Despite this dose of depressing news, the sun has been giving rays of hope and joy as we approach hot girl summer preempting the warmer days are definitely coming with greater.

On top of that we are getting done with the Mercury retrograde period which means everything is about to be aligned this Gemini season. This week I take you through the hottest topics getting keyboard warriors vexed, from Fenty’s beauty launch to the death of Dora the Explorer and Yara Shahidi finally making it out of Harvard College. Stay with me as I take you through the latest happenings in pop culture.

What I’m watching

Since the lockdown period, I got myself into the rabbit hole of Korean Dramas and since then my imagination of life has been more fictional. At the moment my eyes are glued on Studio Phoenix latest series ‘My Liberation Notes.’ The drama follows three siblings who reside in the outskirts of Seoul trying to find love, money and get liberated from their mundane lives. Their lives change when a mysterious man named Mr Gu moves into the neighbourhood and joins the siblings’ father’s sinks business. The highlight of the series is its writing. Taking a detour of K-Drama approach towards love as love oriented, cute and fictional, the show tackles in depth issues affecting the community including alcoholism, violence and mental health.

What I’m listening to

Recently I came across South African songbird Monelle on Spotify and I have been listening to her joint Hip-Hop project ‘Security Clearance’ with IORDN and Masilo the Healer. Drawing inspiration from Rock, Drill, Jazz, Neo-Soul, Gospel, and Funk it is a carefully curated project thematically touching on social injustice, spiritual decline, as well as expressions of joy, passion, courage in the face of adversity. The 16 tracks on the project take you through 58 minutes of sonic explosions and poetic writing.

Big Brother Naija makes its return

After the conclusion of BB Naija ‘Shine Ya Eye’ last year, fans can expect to see their favourite housemates on screen once again after it was officially announced that the reunion starts on 2 June. The show will precede the 7th season which is set to premier in July on DSTV and Showmax.

Hosted by the long-time host, Ebuka Obi Uchendu, the reunion show will see the former 26 housemates discuss their lives after BB Naija and clear the tensions that existed between each other since the series stopped airing last year. The Shine Ya Eye edition was characterised by drama including the shocking fight between White Money and Pere.

Promising to be the hottest reunion Ebuka Obi Uchendu who will be hosting the show for the 5th consecutive season will expose the ex housemates relationship status, career, projects, life successes, disloyalty cases, and unresolved misunderstandings, among other things. The reunion has fans on the edge of their seats as tension is already in the air after a viral clip of housemate Angel Smith claiming a fellow female housemate doesn’t have sense.

TikTok clamps down on Black TikTok influencer, Ehiz

For anyone with a TikTok account, Ehiz is a popular face and name that floods our timelines. Whether he’s teaching you how to get over your ex or busting some crazy dance moves, he’s been able to garner a loyal following all while being himself. However, last month, the rising star came under heat for racist remarks made in a viral TikTok video. On May 14th, he posted a video of him lip syncing to a South Asian religious verse which deeply offended members of the community who arduously followed his TikTok account.

On seeing the negative reactions he was receiving, Ehiz went live on TikTok apologising for the video but adding that he was only attacked because they don’t want to see a black man thriving. “If I am apologising, everyone using the sound should apologise..” he shared on live. Since then, he’s been continually hounded by fans who expected him to do better, and had his account deleted by TikTok. Although his account has now be re-instated, the incident raises the question about how Black influencers are held to a higher standard of scrutiny for committing offences than their white counterparts.

In the internet age, there is a thin line between comedy and being offensive. While what Ehiz did and his approach was certainly off, we cannot fail to notice Tik Tok’s bias when it comes to community violations. Taking down Ehiz’s account is an extreme move since TikTok has been in numerous conversations due to promoting white supremacists, and now it seems the platform’s “community violations” are often targeted to mostly people of colour. If you take a closer look at the racist trend, 3 out of 10 most popular videos were viewed 3.5 million times. The trend was originally produced by Paul Miller, an extremist known as “Gypsy Crusader” who spreads racist and antisemitic rhetoric on social media which still remains on TikTok till this day.

One way or another Tik Tok contributes in spreading hateful content to users on the platform and Ehiz is just a scapegoat to show the “proficiency” in ensuring all its users rights are respected. TikTok needs to find better ways to deal with community violations in this time and era. While banning an account might look like the better option, anyone can open a new account with a new username and continue with their content. Not forgetting that social media has become a livelihood for so many young people, new regulations need to be put in place to prevent such drastic measures that affect people psychologically. If they took down Ehiz’s video for cultural misappropriation, they should do the same for white extremists and people spreading hate against people of colour irregardless of their race and cultural importance.

Fenty Beauty’s lacklustre launch in Africa

Late last month, Fenty Beauty announced its entrance into the African beauty space. The announcement was received with excitement from beauty influencers and Rihanna fans all across the continent. However, it also sparked polarising conversations on the timeline as many recounted sordid details of Western brands previously launching and leaving no impact. Many believed that the launch would fail to connect with the African audience by relying on age-old marketing tactics, missing out on an opportunity to champion those in the beauty and makeup industry and in connection, failing to connect with audiences with any buying power.

In Kenya, the launch sparked online discussions on Twitter and Instagram after the invitations were only sent to a specific crowd of established influencers. To worsen the matter, beauty gurus, beauty influencers and content creators were notably left out of the roster as organisers sought out internet personalities with huge followings. All across Africa, the reactions seem to be the same.

In Nigeria, similar complaints were made about the launch event which opted to invite media personalities more than it did about inviting the professionals in the beauty and makeup industry. The event which was hosted by Livespot 360 overtly disregarded those who should be at the very heart of a Fenty Beauty launch, given that the brand has established itself as a modern disruptor in today’s industry. Right now, I think I’ll be waiting to see how last week’s launch has an impact on sales or what Fenty plans to do long term to sustain their audience on the continent. A big part of me wants to trust that our girl Ri has us covered but I’ll be waiting with bated breath.

JK…Dora The Explorer Is Alive

The internet keeps kill our childhood joys. Five years ago, people were spreading deep rumours about ‘Winnie the Pooh’ representing various mental illnesses and all the kids in the ‘Rugrats’ actually being dead. Now it seems our sweet dear ‘Dora The Explorer’ is facing similar conspiracy theories. Earlier in the month, a TikToker posted a before and after video of herself after searching how Dora died ultimately creating a tTkTok trend that’s now gone viral. Some of the answers include ‘Dora was killed by Boots’ which we all know is impossible since he was her loyal comrade. If anyone was killing anyone it had to be Swipper.

However, at this point I have to ask, what’s this obsession of killing off child hood characters? To me, this all reflects a frustrated community that won’t let people enjoy things. Anyways, I’ve done the investigation so you don’t have to. It seems all these viral trends originated from a fan-made music video called ‘Dora No More’ in 2012 posted by TheStringiniBros. The video which has been viewed over 8 million times shows all the different ways Dora escaped death on her adventuring show with the caption reading: “Exploring can be dangerous kids.” Come on guys it’s just an animation, it’s never that serious.

Yara Shadidi is all grown now

Watch out world she’s grown now. Yara Shadidi has grown in front of the public eye and her graduation from Harvard College had to be a public affair. She took to instagram to share her photo wearing her graduation gown over her custom Dior suit in after penning a 136 page thesis concentrating on Black political thought under a neocolonial landscape.

It’s exciting that not only a person of colour but also a woman is on the forefront breaking the gender stereotypes. Yara managed to graduate while having a busy schedule and still taking on active acting roles as Zoey on ‘Grown-ish.’ It is inspiring that despite her position and success in the theatre, she still gears towards defending equality and equity in the man’s world. Showing the future generation you can make a difference, Yara is pushing Black girls into achieving their dreams and getting good grades. This comes months after Megan Thee Stallion graduated from Texas Southern University. Looking from a bird’s eye view this inspires the hot girls in a couple of ways. One, hotties gotta finish their degree as if their life depends on it and two you gotta strive to make a difference.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Paul Mardy (@paulmardyphotography)

Lil Nas X is the crowned prince of the Internet

As we enter pride month today, good news follows with announcement of new collaborations. Whether its releasing pregnancy photos and a baby registry for his debut album or giving satan a lap dance in “Call Me By Your Name” music video we know Lil Nas is unafraid to champion LGBTQIA+ rights. That’s why the collaboration between M&M and Lil Nas is a welcome and monumental moment for the LGBTQ community.

Lil Nas X did not reveal what the collaboration entails but many loyal fans are already trying to piece together what is to come. M&M in a statement revealed that there will be a series of campaigns throughout the year as music is an iconic tool that brings people together. The partnership with Lil Nas X is born out of the brand’s commitment to bringing people together and connecting them through shared experiences which is exactly what music brings to listeners.

The brand aims to inspire moments of fun and connection by encouraging a deeper sense of belonging and Lil Nas X is the perfect ambassador. Coming out to the world and owning his sexuality, Lil Nas X has been a beam of inspiration to not only people in America but worldwide. Through music and his star personality he has continuously proved that your sexuality doesn’t matter but the work you put in towards gearing a better life.

Featured image credits/NATIVE

UNDER: Best New Artists (May 2022)

Posted on by Damilola Animashaun

The NATIVE’s uNder column has one important mission: highlighting African artists we think are special. Throughout the month, members of our editorial team dedicate long hours of listening to make good on that mission, along with the conscious decision to present more variety in our choices. After fronting Fresh Meat since 2020, two months ago we repurposed this into uNder—a play on the word underground. Since then we’ve brought exciting musicians to your notice, with some making their mark on the mainstream not long after. 

This month marks the third installment of uNder, and we have  curated what is perhaps our most eclectic set of artists yet. The majority of them being African women, who have recorded exciting highs in their careers. From boisterous Trap bangers to ethereal world-building helmed by jazzy sonics, the music here reflects the versatility of young artists across the continent who are defying genre categorisation and limitation. 

Though in the nascent stages of their career, the music of each artist on our list is remarkably singular and coated with an accomplished sheen. A couple have regional deals as well, after being spotted by music executives on the search for the next superstar. With all this magic in front of us, we can’t wait for you to dive into what we’ve got in store this month. Enjoy.

ONA DEMA

 

Fast-rising Nigerian singer and songwriter Ona Dema is a refreshing voice of the new generation; a voice of gold. The storyteller fuses many different sounds and styles together in the most unique ways possible, defining her genre as Afro-EDM. The singer’s musical journey kicked off in August 2019 when she released her debut single “Calm Down,” a romantic Afropop cut which sees the singer blending sweet sensual melodies together with affectionate writing. “Mo ni ko calm down, make I love you/yes you heard right, it’s been a long time since I ever felt something like this,” she giddily declares, a mark of her expressiveness as an artist. 

Following a deal with Sony Music West Africa in 2020, Ona shared the Dremo-assisted “No Time,” a tantalising fusion of EDM with modish Nigerian pop inclinations. On her most recent release, “Krazy,” a mid-tempo afro-fusion tune from mid-last year—which was named Best New Music at the time of its release—Ona speaks on the harsh realities of deceit and rough heartbreaks, combining her emotive traits with a biting edge. “You’re calling me why, the love of your life you’re telling me lies/now you wan do me dangerous, you go see my kraze,” she sings resolutely. Even with just a handful of songs to her name, Ona’s style of music is fresh and revitalising, and we’re looking out for more from her. 

NANETTE

South African R&B/Soul siren Nanette first discovered her passion for music at the very young age of 8. In the 12-plus years since, she’s been exploring the seamlessly entrancing quality of her voice and honing her artistry, from singing in church choirs, to sharing covers, and professionally delving into making her own emotively charged music. The soulful singer’s powerful yet seamless voice is one of the reasons why fans, listeners and music lovers are drawn to her music. 

Officially kicking off her career just last year, Nanette released the debut single “Call Me,” a soul-deep, slow-paced song taking stock of a complicated romantic situation. “I really need to get over it, but you’re the drug that I really can’t quit/If I send you this text, will I regret it?/Smoking everyday when I need your presence,” a vivid encapsulation of craving someone who may be far from ideal for her but still has her attention. The song quickly established Nanette as an emergent voice within the framework of South Africa’s thriving R&B and Neo-Soul scene. Within months, she worked with Una Rams, Thando, uNder alum lordkez and more, bringing her part-smoky, part-sultry voice to bear on these collaborations.

Since the year began, Nanette has continued to strengthen the efficacy of her potential, with more relatable and immersive songs, setting the stage for her newly-released debut project, ‘Bad Weather‘. The 9-song set is a laudable showcase of her vocal range, preference for lived-in writing, and ear for atmospheric production. Nanette is only getting started, and she’s clearly curating musical experience everyone should tap into.

Namakau Star

Luscious vocals are Namakau Star’s strength as a hybrid R&B and rap artist. Hailing from Pretoria but based in Capetown, she plundered into music at an early age, but it was not until 2011 that she got into the booth as a female lead to a Hip-Hop group. She always had an interest in music as she credits the animated video for Tupac’s posthumous song “Do 4 Luv” as an early memory of her connection with music. She also counts R&B trailblazers Erykah Badu, Brandy and Sza as inspirations.

Making her official debut in 2021 with “Trance”, blending R&B, Hip-Hop, Electronic Rap and Neo-Soul. Working as a genre-bending artist, Namakau explores the boundaries and intersection of her chosen sounds, using emotionally resonant writing and assured performances as the defining factor of her artistry. Voicing ruminative lyrics like, “What is a physical body? Nobody ever knows//The word is spoken, I just watch the heavens open, words like water and a poem,” her approach to music is rooted in articulating femininity in Hip-Hop and freedom in R&B. Known as the Vibe Goddess by her growing fans, her lyricism and affirmative vocals take you on a sonic journey.

Currently prepping her debut album, ‘Landing’, Namakau has already shared three singles ahead of its June 3 release date. “Seazn Luv,” the latest single featuring fellow hybrid singer/rapper LordKeyyz, is an ethereal ode to liberation. It’s the sort of soulful premise that makes her music entrancing, and will continue to help her standout as her voice blooms and flourishes.

Riycon

Ghana is known for its knack of producing stellar African talent. From Yaw Tog, Gyakie to Black Sherif who is dominating the world with “Kwaku The Traveler,” it is no lie Ghana is playing a hand in getting Africa to the world. Cue in Riycon, a Ghanaian rapper with the innate ability to merge dizzying rhymes together that are capable of boggling the mind. This is perfectly displayed during her brilliant verbal exercise in “No Time,” delivered over an Afropop soundscape.

Starting off her music career at the age of 15 in Kumasi, Riycon perfected her art becoming an ardent student of Ghana’s vibrant Hip-Hop underground scene. Over the years, improving on her skills became a source of pride and it was not long before she began delivering music that told poignant and intimate stories.

Earlier on in May, the rising star announced an album drop apologising to the fans for the long wait. While Riycons’s songs thematically focus on making it and getting out of the hood, she takes us on an esoteric journey through the power of language as she mixes English with her native tongue. Using rap as a medium to deliver a snapshot of her life, her delivery is smooth as she wields rapid-fire lyrics to inform listeners of her undeniable presence. Currently, we can’t get enough of her dazzling catalogue and can already tell she’s in it for the long game.

Frescool

More than sunny Afropop anthems, Frescool’s songs are melodic discourses that pulsate with life, and haul the listener into his world of colours. His 2019 collaborative cut with Oxlade “Surulere” encapsulates this in earnest. Over erupting guitar riffs and thrumming drums, he lays bare his emotions and grapples with a gnawing apprehension about the trajectory of his career. “Omo I don wait, I don dey lose weight o” he sings with a palpable melding of apprehension and gloom in his voice, poking at the age-old maxim of patience being a precursor to success, before making a suave one-eighty to reassure himself that he’ll ascend to the echelons of success.

Each new release from Frescool is a snapshot that crystallises his current mental state. “I’m this person that likes making music around what’s happening around me, I need to feel a certain way before I can even record,” he says of his lived-in approach to making music. This motif bleeds into his latest release, a gratifying, sunny Afropop track, “Alone”. The rich pulsating production may upstage his lyrics but his message is as raw and poignant as it gets: “Everything I think about is money, if I no get kini moni?”

Three years since his momentous debut single, he’s at the cusp of releasing his debut EP, a cohesively strung-together voyage through his struggles in the past few years dubbed Now And Forever. His career may still be in its stage of infancy but Frescool is already a seasoned iconoclast with exciting resonant stories and an inimitable sound poised for mainstream breakthrough.

Njeri

Listening to Njeri’s music can feel like a slow drive through her world, a world brimming with vivid stories of love and longing. Like on “Love” an ode to troubled times with a love interest, or “Ecstacy,”  where she conjures a picturesque motif of a past time of bliss with a love interest. When Njeri belts out these zestful songs with her elastic voice, her stories come alive. Her latest project, ‘D.R.U.G.S: Dear Romance U Got Sweet’, is a perfect soundtrack to cold lonely nights at home and stints of distress with a romantic partner, with Njeri crooning and squealing over mutating, sombre R&B melodies to evoke palpable wistful emotions. 

Given her awe-inspiring music talents, it’s hard to imagine but Njeri describes herself as someone who always shied away from her talents. She hit an inflection point when she had a brush with Covid in 2020. Following that, she took a break from her law degree program to focus on creating music. “Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined dropping my single “Juju” let alone an entire EP,” she told Tangaza Magazine. “I contracted Covid-19 in December 2020. I contemplated feelings of regret and self-doubt and realised that when all is said and done, music is what I wanted to do with my life.” Just two years into her career, Njeri has already emblazoned her footprint on the Kenyan Music landscape and boasts of a reputation as one of the most exciting R&B acts in the country, with two solid EP’s to her name.

Written by Emmanuel Esomnofu, Wonu Osikoya, Chibuzo Emmanuel, and Tela Wangeci

ICYMI: BOY SPYCE, PABI COOPER & MORE OF THE BEST NEW ARTISTS FROM APRIL 2022

Our First Impressions of Naira Marley’s ‘God’s Timing’s The Best’

Posted on by Damilola Animashaun

Naira Marley ’s position in Afropop is remarkably singular. Packed with boisterous flourishes and hedonist intent his songs take up important space in the extensive sphere of contemporary Street Hop. And in a scene where musicians talk the talk, Marley’s reputation is akin to that of a seasoned veteran. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Naira Marley (@nairamarley)

Naira Marley has dominated conversations, due to his larger-than-life personality and his salacious song lyrics which flood social media timelines. However, regardless of the polarising conversations that trail his career, it’s difficult to refute the hit making prowess of the London-born, Lagos-based artist, whose trajectory ranks among the most powerful in the music scene today.

His debut album arrives with the pomp and flair that surrounds his inimitable character. On ‘God’s Timing The Best,’ the Marlian Records honcho dons a suit, surrounded by chess pieces and an hourglass. The stylistic features depicted on his album cover helmed by photographer and stylist, Daniel Obasi were indicative of his artistic reach. Across 14 tracks, the “Soapy” singer seamlessly integrates Nigerian pop mainstays such as Lil Kesh and Mayorkun to Busiswa and MHD, into his carefully created world.

Delivering fierce reflections of the tumultuous life on the streets to deep incursions into the body of his lover, Naira Marley delivers a body of work that showcases a unique mixture of versatility and style. Following its release earlier this week, our editorial team at The NATIVE have clocked in their listens of ‘God’s Timing Is The Best’, and here are our first impressions of the project. 

Best Verse

Moore: This album is one that is filled with significant verses. For me though, the standout verse has to be the opening verse in Montego Bay, “I decide to runa-runaway, somewhere faraway, go Montego Bay”.  It immediately brings up a feeling of longing for escapism, a feeling that comes up throughout the whole song. Each time the verse is repeated, it emphasises this feeling until it comes to a joyful conclusion in the outro. 

Chibuzo: I think Zinoleesky’s verse on “O’dun” was the hardest, some other verses are also worthy of being crowned best verse, like Jada Kingdom’s verse on “No Panties”, but Zino’s verse just does it for me. His breezy singing and laidback flows on the track are reminiscent of the songs that dominated the early 2010s era. Nothing too ambitious, just cheeky lyrics and utterly irresistible melodies. 

Emmanuel: An endearing quality of Naira Marley’s music is the seamless cohesion between his verses and hooks. He emerges as a unique pop star, not much concerned with the strict songwriting favoured by many of his contemporaries. The times he does go outside that fold though, he’s remarkably exciting. A verse that does that for me is the second verse of “Montego Bay”. Here he adopts a slightly British rap cadence, detailing feelings of detachment and the urge to fly to the famous Jamaican area. It’s one of the more tender moments in an album ravished with pomp and perhaps my favourite song on first listen. 

Best Production

Dennis: I’m going with “Happy” here. Naira and Mayorkun have worked together on a few occasions, but this is probably the best track they’ve pulled off together. Everything just works great: the swing of the percussion, the light and colourful melodies, Mayorkun’s zesty vocals, Naira’s laidback energy. Beat-wise, “Coming” is still the monster on this album, but even though it’s catchy, that song pales to the original template of “KPK,” and it doesn’t have the overall infectious performance of “Happy.” Production is a combo of everything, that’s why I’m going with the Mayorkun-assisted jam.

Maria: My pick for this is “Coming”. Rexxie was clearly trying to make a statement because he went crazy with this. The crescendo at the beginning of the song with Busiswa’s opening chant sets the tone for all the excitement in the rest of the song. There’s drums, cymbals, shakers and many more instruments scattered throughout the track but neither of them overshadow each other. They’re placed so well that even if you focus on just one of them each time you listen, it still sounds great. The energy is at an all time high throughout the song and although it’s not a new release, it’s my favorite off the album.

Tela: “Kojosese” has to be it for me. I don’t know if it’s because I have listened to it repeatedly as it was released late last year but it gets you in a trance from the first second. Combining all the elements that make a Marley hit track, the upbeat synths with a percussive background form the perfect dance floor song. Combining Amapiano and Afrobeats, Marley’s technique seems to have reached its most mastered form yet on this Leobeatz masterpiece soundbed. Perfectly balancing the instrumental filled with drums and whistles with Marley’s voice, the production transcribes positive energy just like the song. 

Best guest verse

Wonu: Of course the Mayor of Lagos had the best guest verse, I mean who else? LOL. Jokes apart, what Mayorkun did on “Happy” is actually unmatched. He delivered a solid verse, I mean Mayorkun’s features are always very standout and this record wasn’t left untouched. The production of the track was also very uptempo and attention catching so yeah, this is certainly one of my favourite tracks on the 14-tracker. 

Tela: MHD’s appearance on this album is what I needed. Delivering his verse in French his fantastic rhythmic cadence and well blended vocals on “Excuse Moi” compliments Naira Marley’s presence over the song. Not being the first time the duo have worked together, his menacing delivery sets a pleasurable eclecticism as the unique and genuine vocals make the song a classic. He gives off a rough, happy energy creating a natural cheer that happens when two cultures interact. 

Emmanuel: The features on ‘GTTB’ did well to broaden Naira Marley’s vision. For sheer presence, I’m inclined to choose Busiswa’s verse on “Coming”. But then, you reason that it was a pre-album single and the repeated spins might have influenced its favourability. Jada Kingdom’s verse on “No Panties” was quite evocative, too. Naira turns in one of his most inspired performances on the album and is perfectly complemented by the sweet, cooing vocals of Kingdom. She makes the song well worthy of repeated listens, portending one of Marley’s most complete songs ever. 

Biggest Skip

Chibuzo: This is a really difficult question to grapple with. The songs on the project really fit well together, personally, I wouldn’t skip any track on the project. ‘God’s Timing’s The Best’  is not a flawless project but with regards to the cohesiveness of the record, you can hardly fault Naira. But gun to my head, I’d lose “Modinat Kai”. This was an incredibly hard pick to make because I absolutely love the song. 

Moore: The biggest skip for me has to be “Happy”. This is a little surprising since it’s only the second track on the album. While the opening chant that spells out the name of the song lifts my spirits in anticipation of an energising song, any energy quickly dissolves as the song begins properly. I don’t find the rhythm particularly engaging, especially as it follows the same beats as many other tracks on the album. 

Dennis: I’m going with that “Modinat Kai” song. Not only is it unremarkable, it’s the worst example of Naira Marley on autopilot.

Biggest Potential Hit

Tela: It has to be “Coming” featuring Busiswa and honestly there is no debate on that. The upbeat tempo caters to the fast life in the African streets. A definite club banger, the song holds an upper hand as it was released late last year. Busiswa’s appearance in this song catapults the song to a different level as the cross culture interaction brings Amapiano and Afrobeat seamlessly merging them into one sound. Despite my ears gravitating towards “Coming”, “First Time in America” is a great contender. Its simplicity and relative references give the song a familiar feeling. I mean he even throws in a Swahili line “Hakuna maganja” showing his language versatility and acknowledgment of his East African fans.

Moore: While I think the whole album is made of back to back hits in the making, what I think has the biggest potential is “Ayewada”. It’s a song with a very catchy hook that will likely get people playing the song on repeat. It has a very familiar rhythm while still standing out from the rest of the album. This is a song that will become very familiar in clubs over the summer. I also won’t be surprised to see many choreographed dances all over Tiktok in the coming weeks, as is often the case with Naira Marley.

Overall First Impressions

Dennis: I heard there’s been a lot of not-so-kind takes on Twitter about this album, and I get it as much as I don’t. This album is exactly what I expected from a Naira Marley project in 2022: groovy beats, madcap yet quotable humour, raunchy and self-aggrandising themes, and serviceable features. Maybe he could’ve broadened the angles he approached his music from, but there’s good marks for dependability. There’s several new songs on here that will go crazy in the streets and infiltrate dancefloors from Abulegba to Mushin to Awoyaya, which remains priority number one for one of street-pop’s most vital superstars. I’m sure Naira isn’t losing sleep if this album is not good enough to be respected by Nigerian music Twitter, as long as those that fuck with him keep fucking with him.

Wonu: For my overall first impressions, I’ll say ‘God’s Timing is The Best’ is an A-class body of work. I personally feel Naira poured his heart into creating this body of work. It gave me the ability to see the artists’ strengths and weaknesses and I think that was a very special thing, especially Naira. The production and engineering was clean, and although I’m not a fan of the album like that (It’s not something I see myself going back to listen to anytime soon), I think Naira Marley tried his best in terms of putting a project together. Kudos to him and all the collaborators on the album, you really made something special.  

Chibuzo: I think Naira could have put together a better project, especially considering how long he made us wait, but in general it’s a pretty solid project. Throughout the project, he’s in his typical element, dishing out bouncy party tunes with countless caption worthy lines. It’s what we love to see from Naira and he pulled his weight in that regard. Another interesting feature of the project is the tempo. By his standards, the project is pretty serene. The mid-tempo cadence of the project makes the project more digestible. In my opinion, it also lends itself to a higher reply value for the project. That, I think, is brilliant!

Emmanuel: As always, a Naira Marley project would have its bops. There is however a bit of a stretch in the pace of the songs. Those bops are far too often, almost obscuring the fine work he does elsewhere on songs like “Montego Bay” and “No Panties”. Still, take them to the dance floors where they’re most likely to fit in, and you’d find an album that does justice to the creator’s reputation. I will revisit a number of its songs but there’s no doubt ‘GTTB’ would have benefited from more lived-in stories. Although Naira Marley has built his legacy off being a kind of troubadour, I think there’s greater potential for growth if he squares up to showing the less flamboyant aspects of his celebrity lifestyle.  

Featured image credits/DanielObasi

Words by Emmanuel Esomnofu, Wonu Osikoya, Dennis Ade-Peter, Moore Wright, Maria Ogunnoiki, and Chibuzo Emmanuel

ICYMI: Obongjayar: ‘Some Nights I Dream Of Doors’ Review

What’s Going On: State of emergency in Sudan lifted, Nigeria records six monkeypox cases & more

Posted on by Tela Wangeci

“What’s Going On” Tallies Notable News Headlines From Across The Continent — The Good, The Bad, And The Horrible — As A Way Of Ensuring That We All Become A More Sagacious African Generation. With This Column, We’re Hoping To Disseminate The Latest Happenings In Our Socio-Political Climate From Across The Continent, Whilst Starting A Conversation About What’s Important For Us To All Discuss. From Political Affairs To Socio-Economic Issues, ‘What’s Going On’ Will Discuss Just That.

State of emergency in Sudan imposed during coup lifted

Sudan’s battle towards democracy has not been a walk in the park. After being in the hands of dictators for almost over 3 decades, the country’s transition to democracy is hopeful after a previously imposed state of emergency was lifted. Sudan Army chief, Abdel-Fatah al Burhan, imposed the state of emergency in October 2021 due to widespread protests after he headed a coup that dissolved the civilian-military government, which had been a transitional government until the next general elections in 2024.The civilian-military government stepped into power in 2019 after former president Omar al-Bashir was overthrown due to deteriorating economy and increased cost of living which resulted in civilian protests.

The military replaced Omar al Bashir with the Transitional Military Council, creating more tension between the military and civilians, which resulted in the Khartoum massacre that led to the death of over 100 people. From this point they worked with civilians in the Forces of Freedom and Change alliance agreeing on a 39-month transitional government. After the military took over the government, under Abdel-Fatah al Burhan, civilian Prime minister Abdalla Hamdok and other civilian ministers declared the coup illegal and refused to recognise the transfer of power. On October 25, pro-democracy protesters called for Abdel-Fattah to step down and the protests became violent. Abdalla Hamdok was put under house arrest after the military declared a state of emergency on the same day. Ministers opposing the coup were detained and stripped off their positions

On Sunday, seven months later, Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan lifted the state of emergency imposed. The army chief states the move is aimed at creating the right atmosphere for dialogue that achieves stability for the transitional period. The decision was reached after a meeting with military officials decided for the lift of the ban and release of all detained protestors. The military takeover which received international condemnation has seen over 98 civilians killed by security in crackdowns on the demonstrations. The military officials also recommended for the reinstatement of Qatar-based Al Jazeera network to resume operations in Sudan, after authorities banned it in January for “unprofessional” coverage of protests.

About 50 people killed by assailants in Burkina Faso

Residents of Madjoari, an eastern rural village in Burkina Faso are dealing with the crippling trauma after around 50 people in their community were killed by armed assailants. The country has been facing increased, religion-based terrorism as the country has been shaken by Al-Qaeda and Islam State Group Terrorists since 2015. The recent attack has been termed as a jihadist attack, with the Madjoari area considered under jihadist territoy. The 50 people were killed as they were trying to flee the area.

The increase of jihadist-related crime has worsened the Jihadhist insurgency, deepening the effects of the war between the rebels and the government. Despite joint efforts from national and regional security operatives, the violence has expanded and has intensified in the past decade, resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilians annually and widespread displacement of people. For the past 2 months, attacks against civilians and soldiers have taken over 200 lives. Burkina Faso, particularly the north and east, has been hit by movements affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State for seven years, which have killed more than 2,000 civilians and soldiers and displaced nearly two million.

Nigeria records six cases of monkeypox and one dead

While 2020 (and much of 2021) was held hostage by Covid-19, 2022 might have a new vicious virus outbreak. The Monkeypox which originated from the West and Central African regions, and has been spotted in clusters on different occasions, is causing increasing global hysteria, due to its mild outbreak in Europe, parts of Africa and across the world. With the trauma of the recent coronavirus still looming, there’s fears this viral disease would halt life just as we’re readjusting to normal. According to experts, however, unlike the Covid-19 which experienced several mutations, there is no mutation of the virus as it is a DNA virus.

Earlier this month, Nigeria recorded its first death from monkeypox this year, in a “40 year old patient with underlying health conditions.” On Sunday, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) announced it has confirmed 21 out of 66 suspected cases of the disease, which is usually regularly found in Nigeria. 15 of the cases were confirmed between the beginning of the year and late April, while the remaining six cases were confirmed in May. The NCDC said genomic surveillance is ongoing at its National Reference Laboratory in Abuja and so far, all of the cases have been confirmed to be caused by the West African clade Monkeypox virus. The health agency has also asked the Nigerian populace to be on high alert for symptoms of the virus, and adhere to public health and safety measures.

11 newborn babies die in a fire at Senegal Hospital

A fire in the neo-natal unit took the lives of 11 new-born babies, while only three were spared, at the Mame Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital in the western Senegalese city of Tivaouane. Authorities believe an electric short circuit caused the atrocious flame. After announcing three days of mourning, the president of Senegal Macky Sall fired the health minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr. There was a noise and an explosion that lasted about three minutes, with the fire brigade arriving a few minutes later.

Senegal’s healthcare system has been on a rocky boat due to health scandals. This incident comes over a month after the nation mourned the death of a pregnant woman after three midwives denied her cesarean, and a similar fire-based incident at the neo-natal unit of a hospital in the northern town of Linguère last year. Investigations have since been launched to find out the cause of the fire and to also improve Senegal’s health care system. The country’s president asked for a review of all the equipment and infrastructure dedicated to new-borns who need assistance with machines for their care, while rights group Amnesty International has urged the government to create an “independent commission of inquiry to determine responsibility and punish the culprits, no matter the level they are at in the state apparatus.”

Pope Francis appoints 21 new cardinals, 2 being African

Pope Francis has announced that two African clergy will be promoted to cardinals in the Catholic Church. The two he named are Bishop Peter Okpaleke from Ekwulobia in south-east Nigeria and Bishop Richard Kuuia Baawobr from Wa in northern Ghana and they will be installed during a consistory in August which means they will help in choosing the incoming pope in case he dies. In 2020, Peter Ebere Okpaleke, became the first bishop of Ekwulobia, a new diocese in Nigeria

The list of the new Cardinals includes eight from Europe, six from Asia, four from Central and Latin America, and one from North America. The last Consistory to create new cardinals took place on 28 November 2020. Pope Francis created 13 new cardinals including Archbishop Antoine Kambanda of Rwanda’s Kigali Archdiocese who became the first-ever Cardinal in Rwanda.

ICYMI: WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR ABOUT THE MILITARY COUP IN BURKINA FASO

TurnTable Top 50: Omah Lay’s “Woman” Debuts On The Top 10 This Week

Posted on by Damilola Animashaun

This week, following its 20 May release, Omah Lay’s new single “Woman” debuts on the TurnTable Top 50 at No.5. The single tallies 3.79 million equivalent streams (No. 5 on streaming), 40.3 million in radio reach (No. 8 on radio) and 1.43 million in TV reach (No. 101 on TV).

“Woman” earns a new win for Omah Lay who has recently recorded his eighth top 5 entry on the chart (matching the previous record held by Davido) – and the artist’s ninth top ten entry on the Top 50. At No.1 this week is Kizz Daniel’s “Buga (Lo Lo Lo)” featuring Tekno which tallied 9.03 million equivalent streams (No. 1 on streaming, down 27%) and 59.3 million in radio reach (No. 1 on radio, down 17%). It spends a third consecutive week atop the streaming chart and a second week as the most-heard song on radio.

Mavins’ “Overloading (OVERDOSE)” with Ayra Starr, Crayon, LADIPOE, Magixx and Boy Spyce rises to a new high of No. 2 on the chart. It tallied 5.16 million equivalent streams (No. 2 on streaming) and 49.0 million in radio reach (No. 4 on radio). The song increased in activity on all platforms during the tracking week. It is followed by Asake and DJ Spinall’s “Palazzo,” at No.3 while Burna Boy’s “Last Last” is at No.4.

Zinoleesky’s “Loving You” slips to No.6 this week while Camidoh’s “Sugarcane (Remix)” with Mayorkun, Darkoo and King Promise holds at No. 7 after peaking at No. 4 on the chart earlier. Davido’s “Stand Strong” with Sunday Service Choir falls from its 6th spot to No.8 this week. Rounding out this week’s top ten is former No. 1 Black Sherif’s “Kwaku The Traveller” at No.9 while Fireboy DML’s No. 2-peaking “Playboy” is at No.10 this week. Elsewhere on the charts, Bella Shmurda’s “Fvck Off” debuts at No.15 and Lojay and Sarz’s “Monalisa Remix” with Chris Brown re-enters at No.18 while Simi’s new single, “Naked Wire” debuts at No.32 ahead of her album release.

Featured image credits/Youtube: Director K

ICYMI: Four Takeaways From The 2022 Headies Nominations