Our first impressions of Falz’ ‘B A H D’

Posted on by The Native

Three years between albums is a long wait in Falz terms. After debuting with ‘Wazup Guy: The Album’ in 2014, Folarin Falana spent the half-decade filling up his discography with new projects. During that period, he not only scaled great commercial heights, he also expanded his persona. Within years, the Nigerian public came to appreciate the full breadth of his entertainment-based skillset, including being a rap artist, a comic and an actor, and while that played a key role in his prominence, it’s how he’s adapted those abilities into being a slyly complex personality.

Specifically on the music side of things, Falz is a deceptively rangy rap artist, with the ability to craft pop-rap hit songs and also effortlessly lace his way through a cypher verse. His thematic range is also admirable, as he’s capable of turning in straightforward dancefloor fillers, socially resonant songs, confident personal statements, and fiery—if heavy-handed—political tirades. During that prolific run of projects, even during the brief controversial times, Falz’s willingness to make music that cuts across different facets of the human (and Nigerian) experience consistently made him one of the more relatable rap-fusion artists around.

In the three years since the politically-charged ‘Moral Instruction’, Falz hasn’t been idle. There’s been new hit songs, while he’s increased his stock as an actor and has been very vocal about the social injustices Nigerians face. Today sees the release of his fifth solo studio LP, ‘B A H D’, named after part of his (previous) full moniker and part of that infamous 2015 hit song with Davido and Olamide. The 12-song project is briskier than his first three albums, and it has more features than his last album, including guest spots from Tiwa Savage, Timaya, BNXN, The Cavemen. and more.

The NATIVE’s editorial staff has gone about its first few listens to ‘B A H D’, and here are our first impressions.

 

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Best Song

Tela:  “All Night” has to be the song that stands out for me. The upbeat tempo and Falz’ soft delivery complements the love song directed towards his muse. Definitely a dancefloor number the song is hypnotic from the first key and he serves the best opener, “…Raindrops falling on me.” The honeyed chorus has a magnetic effect that is undeniable. 

Moore: B A H D is an album that is filled with great songs, but the song that takes the number one spot for me has to be “Gentleman.” The opening guitar riffs immediately give an incredibly upbeat feeling. The repeating riffs throughout makes the rhythm feel quickly familiar and catchy. The lyrics are sweet in their directness, as they’re aimed towards someone Falz is trying to court. Overall it’s a song that is pleasantly simple in a lot of ways, and a wonderful song to listen to.

Emmanuel: Falz does a very admirable job throughout this album. Its considerable number of 12 songs renders every song levity, making you want to listen with all you’ve got. That said, a number of songs on here can easily challenge as the best song but right now I’m leaning towards “Knee Down.” The title phrase has strong connotations in the average Nigerian’s mind and Falz along with guest Chike impressively parlays its dramatic qualities into a song bearing the pomp of a romantic thriller. Falz’s rapping is some of  his most experimental yet, fully succumbing to the Western references he’s channeled throughout his career. Chike on hook duties must be a cheat code for rappers; between A-Q’s “Breathe” and this, his price ought to have tripled.

Best Verse

Dennis: I like the final verse on “Gentleman.” Falz has never really come off as the type of rap artist that focuses too much on technical brilliance, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. There’s the obvious end rhyme scheme on this verse, which doesn’t get in the way of stacking devotional quips. There’s a few internal rhymes there as well, but beyond my nerdy brain digging into all of those semantic, there’s an alluring simplicity to how the whole thing plays, which is a perfect encapsulation of Falz at his very best.

Chibuzo: While brilliant penmanship is a thread that’s woven across the project, I think Falz’ verse on “Woman” is something special. It’s not just about how vivid and palpable the lyrics are or how witty the lines are, it is a culmination of all these factors, coupled with how his verse fits snugly with the rest of the song. Shout-out to The Cavemen. for that super duper hook. 

Tela: Falz has amazing penmanship and it shines all through his verses in the album. The second verse of “Knee Down” has sterling delivery and writing. Portraying the dark sides of relationships—“you don’t  have to curse I’ll back off”—Falz explores the challenges of relationships. Lines such as, “Please don’t throw that bag, it costs way too much,” has me smirking cause no one wants their expensive stuff mismanaged.

Best Produced Song

Emmanuel: The production on this album is wonderfully executed. Falz’s natural role as executive producer gives a credible account of his curatorial talents. One aspect he’s really successful is the combination of several producers who’ve made notable contributions to the current soundscape of Afropop. Among many, Dukktor Sett on “Inside” does something to me. His signature neo-Highlife flourishes are matched with glistening vocals reminiscent of Fela Kuti. The vibe is immediately distinct, setting the musicians for memorable performances which is lyrically inspired by the romantic suggestions of the beat. It’s likely to be the song that grows on its own terms, slowly but almost surely. 

Chibuzo: The trifecta spanning from the album’s opening track to the third track boasts of sterling production. I was so taken aback on my first listen, I’ve spun the album a couple of times now and I’m still enraptured by the quality of the production and by effect the songs in general. These songs check all the boxes for what makes a brilliantly produced record — incredible melodies, a healthy dose of experimentation, clean post production, amongst others. But I’d say “Beautiful Sunflower” scores the home run. The beat is insane, ethereal melodies layered on a luxuriantly expansive primordial 80s RnB beat. It captures a palpable nostalgia for the breezy ethos of the 80s. The mixing of the vocals is incredible. On all fronts the production of that song pulls its weight. Amazing amazing record. Given a commercial nudge, I see this record taking off the same way Adekunle Gold’s “Something Different” coloured the summer of 2020.

Best Guest Feature

Dennis: I’m going with Boy Spyce on “Inside.” This is probably the most arresting on-wax performance I’ve heard from him yet—and, yes, that includes his debut EP. There’s the whimsical rhyming that’s central to songwriting in Nigerian pop on his verse, there’s spots where he’s harmonising beneath Falz’ vocals, and his melodic phrasing is preppy in the way several acclaimed, new school, male Nigerian pop singers have used to gain prominence. Boy Spyce is still working his way into a singular skill set, but this feature shows there’s a uniquely cut diamond beneath all the major label gloss.

Emmanuel: This is actually a hard choice, everyone came correct. Hold a plastic gun to my head though, and the choice is between Boy Spyce on “Inside” and Chike on “Knee Down.” The former makes a Kendrick Lamar-esque “Control” showing, dazzling his older co-stars with his exuberance and lyrical precision. It’s the kind of verse which announces the arrival of a major talent, something Spyce has been working towards since being unveiled by Mavin Records. What more can I say about the Chike bit? Simply phenomenal.

Any Skips?

Tela: To be honest , I love all the songs in the album. They each show you Falz duality as an artist as he traverses different soundscapes and experiments on different sounds. The whole album is a rollercoaster of joy.

Chibuzo: Honestly, I have no skips. The project is a cohesively strung stream of consonant sounds. I’ve listened twice without skipping. So, as it stands, I can’t bring myself to pick any skip. 

Dennis: Weirdly, for me, it’s the opener. It doesn’t rope me into the project the way I would have liked, which is a shame because that beat is great. Maybe I’ll change my mind when I revisit.

Overall First Impressions

Chibuzo: What strikes me the most about Falz is his unrelenting commitment to evolution. Every Falz project marks a major career inflexion point for him. He caught the public’s eye as a deft rapper with a knack for peppering his music with whimsical lyrics, then he shed that layer and morphed into an introspective bard, spinning politically charged pop anthems, he continued on this arc in the lockdown when he unveiled his new personality as a bubbly dandy with tracks like “Bop Daddy”, a personality that served as an apt harbinger to his present musical persona. Now, on ‘B A H D’, he’s Falz the effusive romantic. 

While I think the Pop records on this project could have used more oomph, I have nothing but unflinching praise for this project. Falz is in a meadow thronged with unfamiliar sounds—lots of R&B, splotches of Rock and Soul music—yet he surfs these sounds with immaculate nimbleness while still treating us to a healthy dose of OG Afropop. Incredible! I could rave about the songwriting, cohesiveness and the overall listening experience, but I’d just sound like a broken record. 

Tela: I am in awe of Falz as I listen to ‘B A H D’. Each song is a deeper cut into him as he showcases his musical and creative range. From “Another Me,” where he is rightfully braggadocious and acknowledging his talent, to “Beautiful Sunflower,” where he employs Tiwa Savage on a love-centred single, Falz has proved the three year wait to the album was worth it. A perfect balance of club bangers and introspective numbers, the album is an emotive journey towards love, greatness and success.

Emmanuel: I truly wasn’t expecting an album like this from Falz. It’s a beautiful showcase of his pop credentials, finding new ways to stretch his voice into sounds we never noticed prior. Having emerged into the game as a rapper then cutting into a broader figure as a pop star, Falz has shown the ability to adapt. Now more than ever, the mainstream sound has slowed to a recognizable pace and Falz is again transitioning. Even better, his well-established bad boy image effortlessly plays into the suave quality of the album. His background in rap offers him an assortment of songwriting structures, while he taps up the best producers around to build a cohesive sound underneath. Without a shred of exaggeration, ‘B A H D’ just might  be one of the best albums we hear from a mainstream act all year.

HOT TAKES: BET AWARDS, WHO’S THE FOOTBALL GOAT?, HEARTBREAK SZN & MORE

Track By Track: Dice Ailes Breaks Down His Debut EP, ‘Ladies First’

Posted on by Emmanuel Esomnofu

Dice Ailes was always destined to create a project like ‘Ladies First’. It is coloured with sultry Spanish influences as much as the flavours of Nigerian experiences, presented through his R&B fusion sound and conceptualised two years ago as a bridge to his forthcoming album, ‘Waterman’. The six-track EP offers a punchy and wholesome take into the current soundscape of Ailes, the Canada-based musician who’s made an unquestionable mark on the turn of contemporary Nigerian pop. 

 

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The project arrived last week with little fuss and great intent. Bare on the cover is a closeup shot of Dice Ailes, and a “digital autograph” which signs the tape off as a piece of him. While the world dealt with the pandemic, Dice was going through the motions of unusual disassociation. He went from Togo to Nigeria and then Canada in the pre-lockdown stage, accruing a number of romantic experiences. Those converging relationships birthed ‘Ladies First’, a project which ostensibly shines with personal overtones. 

Dice Ailes is flagrant in his youth and graceful with his deliveries. Whether combining with Tiwa Savage over the stirring “Hold Me” or going the solo route on the beat-switching “Monica,” Dice Ailes continues to display mastery over a coveted section of Afropop. The tape is helmed by mostly in-house producers and Sony Music Entertainment, pairing the far-reaching record label machinery with artistic terrain which is significantly familiar. “The EP was supposed to bring my fans up to speed with the things I was up to,” he says, “and also show that I’ve grown a lot as a human being and a musician. The sounds on there are very matured, grown, sexy.”

To know more about the creation of the ‘Ladies First’ EP, dig into this track-by-track breakdown The NATIVE recently had with the musician.

“LEFTSIDE”

I created “Leftside” in 2020, here in Canada. You know, it’s just one of those songs where you’re just singing about a sexual experience with a woman. That’s basically what it is, just like a fun time – Netflix and chill, just home relaxing. And the producer – his name is Clonez, he had sent in the beat from the UK through my A&R at the time; his name is Future, and Future sent me the beat and I feel that’s one of the best vibes to put that type of content on. 

“ROSALIA”

This was made around the same time with “Leftside”. Rosalia was produced by my in-house producer Brym, here in Toronto. In “Rosalia” I’m pretty much singing about having mixed emotions and not knowing for sure if to embrace a certain feeling that you’re feeling, wanting to let it go and still wanting to have it. That’s what I’m basically describing on there. The instrumental sounded very Spanish and I felt it would be nice to have a Spanish influence on that. 

So I featured Kaydy Cain, and at the end of the song I felt it was only right to have the actual Rosalia do like an outro, and do a response to what I was singing on the hook. In 2019, me and Kaydy had done a song called “Hasla el Piso”, we shot it in Madrid and we just sort of built a relationship ever since then. ‘Cos he’s a huge fan of Afrobeats so we thought it’d be nice to have him on the record as well. He’d also played the record for Rosalia and she really liked it, and she sent in the outro. 

“MONICA”

I think it was the last addition to the tape. We had different versions of it, but that was the last song I recorded. I recorded that this year in Nigeria, before I came back (to Canada). So uhm “Monica”, I’m just dealing with a lot of stress and pressure from the world and from the industry and just having that one thing–you know everybody has like a coping mechanism when it comes to whatever we’re going through in life. You know, for certain people it’s objects, for certain people it’s substances, for certain people it’s actual human beings that help you go through hard times. That’s what I’m basically singing about, having that person, my Monica, helping me get through those tough times. The first part of it was produced by Brym, my in-house producer. He had some help with production by a guy called Mykon, in Nigeria. And then the second part is produced by my other in-house producer, his name is Sarmy Fire. That’s how “Monica” came about. 

“ZOMBIE”

For every one, there’s those times when you fall in love with people of a certain kind and you’re just enslaved to your relationship. To the point where you just wanna do anything and just be there at any point in time for them. And I felt like the best word to describe that type of emotion is like a zombie, where you’re just following and doing whatever it is your emotions tell you to do, not even thinking about it. I had experienced something like that during the pandemic and I felt it would be nice to share that with my fans and bring them closer to my personal life. 

I’m a big fan of samples. I feel like the fans connect to things that are nostalgic, things that they’ve heard before. I had that on “Telephone” with Ebenezer Obey, on “Ella” we had Majek Fashek and on this one we have Fela. Growing up, I listened to a lot of different genres of music. My uncles put me on to Fela and a lot of African music. I listened to a lot of gospel music; Don Moen. I listened to a lot of rock. I listen to every type of music so when I write music my brain is like a sponge, it just soaks everything from the past and just brings it back to me when I’m creating. 

“PRAY AS YOU GO”

On “Pray As You Go”, it’s very self-explanatory. We’re just talking about lost love, the beginning of an end to something that was built over years. Just letting it go and not holding on to the hurt that came with the entire situation. The song was produced by Brym and the interesting thing about “Pray As You Go” is, the intro we hear a lady saying, ‘oh my God, I love Dice’ and on the song I’m talking about lost love. What happens there is, while I’m singing about the lady that’s leaving, I have the actual lady that I’m in love with in the moment do the intro. It just balances out for me in my head. 

“HOLD ME”

It was just one of those moments where like–I was Atlanta, I was working on the ‘Waterman’ album still. I think that was in 2021? Yeah, I was in Atlanta 2021 working on the album and we had gone to a party, me and my DJ, DJ Yankee. We’d gone to this party, such a fun time, crazy night. I met this one girl that really inspired me and I hit the studio the following day – I thought it would be nice to sing about it. So I made that song, and I just felt like it needed a female perspective to work. The conversations that me and the girl had, I think the fans really need to know it from a female perspective so I thought Tiwa would be the best person to sing that back to me. Tiwa and I had worked on a song on her ‘Celia’ album. We had planned to do another song together and we put together “Hold Me” and the world loves it. It’s also interesting working with her because she was very open to direction, and open to working collaboratively. And that was produced by my producer, Don P. He’s based in Atlanta. 

TRACK BY TRACK: VICTONY BREAKS DOWN HIS SOPHOMORE EP, ‘OUTLAW’

PsychoYP & Odomodublvck combine on new drill song, “Bando Diaries”

Posted on by Damilola Animashaun

The burgeoning ascendance of Drill music from the coffers of Abuja to the rest of the country and, by extension, the world, has been a steep and increasingly rewarding one. “Bando Dairies,” the new single from PsychoYP which features fellow Abuja trap/drill stalwart Odomodublvck, is a crowning moment of sorts, as it sees two of the scene’s leading voices bounce of each other for a high-octane gritty anthem.

 

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Last month, more eyes and ears were attuned to the creatively boundless rap scene in Nigeria’s capital city, by way of Atlanta-based rapper dndSection’s seeming slight against PsychoYP. The ensuing on-wax tiff spilled beyond its immediate participant, with several Abuja-based rappers taking dnd’s Best Rapper out of Africa claim personal, backing YP with scathing diss tracks that inadvertently roped in the English rap scene in Lagos. Regardless of how you viewed situation, and the entire efficacy of beefs in Nigerian rap, those disses culminated into a timely statement from a rumbling scene.

Rather than let the controversial high fade away, two of Abuja’s most notable voices are backing their claim up with “Bando Dairies,” a high octane slapper that’s equal parts menacing and intoxicating. In typically unflustered and sublime form, PsychoYP employs a flow that contorts, dovetails and engages the jagged beat, proving once again his uncanny knack for finding ear-holding pockets with his agile and malleable voice. Proving a complimentary counter point, Odomodublvck continues to define his mystique, painting vivid images of his gritty times in the bando.

Its accompanying video, helmed by long-time YP collaborator Kuddi is Dead, is a supercut of energetic performances from PsychoYP and Odomodublvck, always in the company of a menacing posse. Overall, it matches the fervent and aggressive tenor of the song.

Watch the video for “Bando Dairies” here.

 

ICYMI: INSIDE THE EVOLUTION OF DRILL MUSIC IN NIGERIA’S CAPITAL CITY

Hot Takes: BET Awards, Who’s The Football GOAT?, Heartbreak SZN & More

Posted on by Emmanuel Esomnofu

A lot of stuff has happened in the past week, no doubt amplified by the frenetic pace of social media. And though I think it’s a bit unhealthy to have your head wrapped around every bit of news as it drops, it’s still our responsibility to keep our ears and minds open. That’s why I’m able to do this Hot Takes column—which is really one of our most important packages all through the week. 

So dig in as I stop by various places in the world, entering their most discussed and entertaining news topics and, yes, giving my two Nairas on what I think. From the final ruling of the Johnny Depp – Amber Heard trial to the ever-running saga of who’s the football GOAT (Ronaldo or Messi?), stay with me as I take you through the latest happenings in popular culture. 

WHAT I’M WATCHING

I was recently staying over at a friend’s place and I wanted us to see some of my favourite films on Netflix. So you could say the past week has been spent revisiting old loves with a new heart. Two films that were particularly striking had such polarising ideals that thinking of it now, I can’t help but marvel at the power of art. How vast one could travel, no visa.

Anyways, the movies were ‘Uncut Gems’ and ‘The Lost Okoroshi’. We’d first seen the former, a fast paced thriller about a man who can’t stop betting. Adam Sandler in the lead role is everything you’ve never seen: restless, smart, conniving. He’s also a winner, slugging it out in New York City and then, the film ends with a breathless scene, and suddenly we’re in a rural part of Lagos. Raymond has dreams about masquerades and he even turns to one, but Abba Makama’s film isn’t experimental just for the sake of it. He’s telling an important story of the clash between spiritual and physical, and it’s no wonder why I can’t stop thinking of such topics anytime I watch the film. 

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO 

Not long ago, I saw a tweet about the no-feeding-visitors culture of Swedish parents and how it contributes to the strength of their pop music. The comments really made for an interesting thread, and one thing led to another and I discovered a phenomenal Swedish musician named Tove Styrke. And she’s just released a new album titled ‘HARD’ and that’s really a sick project. I’ve been bumping it in bits and pieces, while using my Tidal algorithm to check out similar artists within the same genre. 

JOHNNY DEPP & AMBER HEARD CASE

Many have eagerly followed the proceedings from Johnny Depp’s defamation suit against Amber Heard. Sometime last week, the Fairfax county, Virginia court ruled in favour of the star actor, awarding him $15 million, including $5 million in punitive damages, which is capped at $350,000 legal limit in Virginia. That means Depp is entitled to $10.35 million, while the Heard was also awarded $2 million in damages, after the jury found that Depp’s former attorney Adam Waldman defamed her.

The ruling immediately came with a long trail of reactions and, of course, a lot of the takes have revolved around Depp being condemned in the court of public opinion. While the merits of that focus is understandable, it flattens a domestic abuse situation into an avenue for petty gender wars and “male solidarity.” A lot of people are treating Depp’s win as an exoneration of the accusations levelled against him by Heard, that he abused her repeatedly throughout their relationship and 1-year marriage. In fact, this trial win is basically the carryover of an anti-defamation campaign Depp has been on for a few years now.

In 2018, he sued the publisher of the British newspaper publication, The Sun, for libel after it ran a story that labeled him a “wife-beater.” Depp lost that case. In a do-over, he sued Heard directly this time around, for writing an op-ed that was published The Washington Post, where she advocates for stricter measures in domestic abuse accusations against (in)famous people. Depp wasn’t mentioned by name in the op-ed, but Heard’s referencing of her lived experiences made her liable in his case.

As the trial unfolded, it seemed to show enough compelling evidence that the both people were abusive to each other. The trial showed that the pair were in a messy relationship, however, Depp’s win seems to  have exonerated him from the accusations that he was abusive toward Heard. The truth is, cases of domestic abuse should be treated uniquely. If there’s no background into the intimate details of that family, judgement should be left for the adequate personnel to investigate. 

This is no hot tea but it’s tea, in fact, that many men used the Amber Heard case to suggest most women lie in such situations. Well, nuance—that’s the key word here. While Depp is no doubt smiling to the bank and getting his mental health checked, why don’t you try to exercise a little more patience when news like these pops up again? Why not wait for parties with enough access to give a bit of verified information? Interestingly, Amber Heard has a countersuit which she file around the time of Depp’s defamation suit. The trial will likely start later this year, so it’s worth wondering what will happen if Heard goes on to win that trial. Will people suddenly believe her again? Will they have the gall to go at Johnny Depp?

WHO IS THE FOOTBALL GOAT? 

The club football season might be over, but the game never stops. In the past couple of weeks football stars have been turning up for their national sides, some with a chance to prove they’re the greatest with any freaking side. That ‘some’ is just two men: Messi and Ronaldo, who recently scored goals and made continental records for Argentina and Portugal respectively. 

Messi was first to make his mark, netting FIVE goals against Estonia on Monday. Shortly after on the same day, Ronaldo scored a brace against Switzerland, the first being a clinical finish after a sweet attacking move which included his Manchester United teammate Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva. On Twitter, fans on opposing sides made their longstanding arguments about who was better. Though I had no part in those trolls and discussions, I surely have a say in the matter. 

Ronaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldo. Argue all you want about how Messi is a better player than CR7 (he truly is), but Ronaldo’s GOAT status lies in how he reminds us of being the possibly best human you can be. In Ronaldo, there’s no sentiment, no godly air that needs supernatural choristers to pull off, he’s just one man who needs to do the job. He’s done the job since I was a primary school enthusiast who hated his guts and he’s still doing it now, almost twenty years after. There’s no bigger inspiration for me than a guy like that. Messi is cool, though. 

BET AWARDS 2022: TEMS & WIZKID SCORE BIG NODS, LIL NAS X FOR THE SNUB

Ahead of its June 26th ceremony, BET announced the nominees for this year’s BET Awards last week. According to the announcement statement, “this year’s nominees reflect an abundance of creative expression and Black excellence across music, television, film, and sports.” Versatile superstar singer and rapper Doja Cat leads all nominees with six nominations, including nods for Album of the Year and Best Female Hip-Hop artist. She’s followed by singer Ari Lennox and rapper/singer Drake, both with four nods.

Interestingly, and very notably, global Afropop superstar Wizkid is nominated in the Best Male R&B/Pop artist. Usually, non-American artists are often nominated in the Best International Act category, lumping together acts from across the black diaspora, regardless of genre differences. Wizkid’s nomination in a ‘main’ category is clearly down to the impact of “Essence,” but it also speaks volume of the growing stateside impact of Nigerian Pop. In addition to that, Tems is also nominated for Best New Artist, another wondrous feat in her awe-inspiring career trajectory. Tems also has a nod for Best International Act, with Fireboy DML and South African twin DJ/producer duo Major League DJz repping for Afropop.

In all of this, it’s also impossible to not ignore the online raucous Lil Nas X has been causing since the nominations were announced. The rapper and singer was nominated for a grand total of zero awards, prompting a tirade on Twitter, ostensibly linking the lack of nods to “the bigger problem of homophobia in the Black community.” Last year, Lil Nas X released his debut album, MONTERO, to warm critical reception, and his Jack Harlow-assisted single, “Industry Baby” was a smash hit. At the last Grammys, he was nominated for five awards, even though he didn’t win any.

In a tweet, he complained of being ignored by “my own people,” when the biggest award show clearly recognises him. His choice to call out deep-seated homophobia in the Black community as a reason for the snub is curious to a lot of people, and even though I’m over artists being aggrieved by award shows, Lil Nas X clearly needs a pointed target for his vitriol, and his choice angle isn’t exactly unwarranted. He’s since shared a snippet of an upcoming song dissing the BET awards and, honestly, I won’t mind the drama being prolonged if the song slaps.

 

LORI HARVEY & MICHAEL B. JORDAN BREAKUP 

Burna tried to warn us it’s breakfast szn but we didn’t listen. Was that why the breakup between Lori Harvey and Michael B. Jordan was so surprising? Still, it’s typical that we’d lose our absolute shit for two seconds whenever such news comes out. 

And so far, from what I’ve noticed, Michael is being targeted the most. Not outright ‘targeting’ but the actor, who wasn’t his typical self when he was seen courtside at Game 2 of the NBA Finals with rapper Cordae, was made fun of in most of the comments. It makes me think people don’t believe that men’s processing of heartbreak can be very obvious. We get too comfortable with the hard guy archetype, and think anything else is just too funny to cut him some break.

Still, people do what they do and I’m wishing Jordan a good time out in the streets. Coming from someone in the trenches, it’s never ideal. But then again there’s really no manual to life and if you survive long enough to learn from your experiences, you won’t remember much of the sadder nights. Here’s the reaction of Steve Harvey to make it all lighter. 

Featured image credits/NATIVE

ICYMI: MEET THE MINDS BEHIND PITH AFRICA

NATIVE Exclusive: Producer/DJ Jinku talks new project with Karun, ‘Passenger 555’

Posted on by Tela Wangeci

Jinku got into producing music at a time when Swedish House Mafia was all the rave. Understandably, that meant an inclination towards fast-paced electronic music, but years of self-discovery meant he was able to define his preferences, incorporate broader sonic choices into his palette, and find his own musical identity. “I learnt the more I produce the more, I understood what I liked and what I wanted to work with,” he recently told The NATIVE. “With time I noticed I liked slow and downtempo music like R&B, Hip-Hop, Electronica and the likes. It was a process of elimination to get where I am now.”

These days, Jinku has carved out a lane as a curator of fusion sounds, a pioneer within Kenya’s alternative music space. Hailing from Nairobi, the producer’s keen attention to experimenting and making delightful yet idiosyncratic music has brought about timeless projects, ‘Amadeyo’ and ‘Vagabond’, which have stamped his name in Eastern Africa’s thriving electronic music scene. For Jinku, it is more than just music. It is about communicating with his fans on a personal level and creating a timeline of events that resonates with them.

 

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Officially entering into the scene in 2015, Jinku made it a priority to align with the unorthodox, having been inspired by previous alternative Kenyan artists. Alongside Ukweli, Hiribae and Nu Fvnk, he formed EA Wave, a music collective that champions inventiveness within Kenyan music, partly by collaborating with artists that uphold the tenets of musical uniqueness. In that spirit, ‘Passenger 555’, Jinku’s new collaborative project with Kenyan R&B-fusion maverick Karun, is something of a monumental feat. It is a meeting of two cutting edge artists to create a singularly compelling body of work.

Telling a parallel story of broken love and re-ignited love, ‘Passenger 555’ is a fluid storytelling project, an immersive fusion of R&B and downtempo Afro-house with Karun as the vocal lighthouse, and Jinku as the madcap yet composed orchestrator. Cobbling together ambient keys, moody R&B melodies, soulful guitar riffs and distinctly textured African percussion, the producer weaves sonic sound-beds to earworm effect. The title track “Passenger 555” and “Passing Through” served as precursors to the album, giving a sneak peek into a two-way chronological project that cumulatively mirrors change, while showcasing pure technical brilliance from its curators.

“Karun is one of the fastest writers I have come across,” Jinku says of his collaborator, adding that she’s great “at writing about abstract emotions.” Partly created during 2020’s pandemic-induced lockdowns, ‘Passenger 555’ fleshed out and tinkered with over a lengthy period, which lends itself to the project’s (partly serendipitous) thematic cohesion. The 7-track project renders a cosmic tale of love with space as the backdrop. “Imagine being in space discovering planets but at the same time you are having a quarrel with your lover,” Jinku says, describing the heady  and intoxicating premise of ‘Passenger 555’.

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

NATIVE: When did you know that music was your calling?

JINKU: I don’t know if it’s a calling but I can say it is one of the few things I am good at. I have done graphic design, writing and drawing. I started out as a graphic designer in university and eventually I was linked up with Saint Evo who does African House. I worked with him as a visual artist but at the same time grew an interest in music production. He once gave me a copy of FL Studio and that’s where my journey officially began. Apart from that it was another outlet of art that I could use. Music is the one thing I have focused on consistently. It is something that is natural to me and doesn’t feel like work.

NATIVE: How did you get into the production of electronic music?

Jinku: I got into production when Tomorrowland was at its peak. Everyone wanted to be the next Swedish House Mafia. So I naturally inclined into following the popping trends but I loved slow music better. I learnt the more I produce the more I understood what I liked and what I wanted to work with. With time I noticed I liked slow and downtempo music like R&B, Hip-Hop, Electronica and the likes. It was a process of elimination to get where I am now.

NATIVE: Who have been your inspirations? 

Jinku: Just A Band has heavily impacted my career. I am fortunate to have met Blinky Bill while still young and they gave the alternative scene a voice and showed people they can produce unorthodox music and develop a niche base. This inspired me massively because that is how our music collective EA Wave, which consists of Ukweli, Hiribae and Nu Fvnk, was made. We were random kids making music on Soundcloud but once we united we created a new movement.

NATIVE: How has being a part of EA Wave helped in your journey as an artist?

Jinku: It’s great to have a community. Especially since music can be solitary. Having a community and friends who ensure you don’t get lost as they guide you through your creative process. It’s just the comfort of being in a room with people who do the same thing as you.

NATIVE: Your new project, ‘Passenger 555’ was created alongside Karun. What was the collaboration process like?

Jinku: Karun is one of the fastest writers I have come across. I played her a beat in the studio twice and in 6 minutes she composed the whole song. Her writing is effortless and her background favours her, as she’s been in the industry for a while. She really knows how to get into a room and deliver what is necessary. Karun is very talented, especially at writing about abstract emotions and she was in a favourable headspace.

NATIVE: The curation of ‘Passenger 555’ is strategic. When you listen chronologically it tells the story of dying love but as you listen to it from the bottom, it tells the story of a reigniting love. What was the concept behind that?

Jinku: The concept came after all the tracks were recorded. The first track I did with Karun was “Fluid”, the songs were not recorded in a chronological manner. I know the last song on the tape was “Rise” and we had done a live performance for Goethe Institute and we had a few extra minutes on set and she had performed all her tracks. This was the decisive song because this is where I changed the project from an EP to an album. She quickly came up with lyrics to save the situation and the song fit perfectly with the previously recorded songs. They all told a story and that was what I needed. Above all, there was a lot of experimentation, as I constantly rearranged the songs to see how I would experience the project. I added “Passing Through” last on the tape as the mid song just to glue the first and second half of the tape together. That is why it’s called “Passing Through.”

NATIVE: There are a lot of musical instruments in the album. What sounds inspired the project?

Jinku: I really like Bonobo because he has wordplay vocals. When making the tape I was heavily consuming his music, in particular his albums ‘The North Borders’ and ‘Migration’. I really like how he warps vocals and builds songs around them and it was something I wanted to experiment with in relation to Karun’s voice, so I got a lot of vocal samples from him. Also, resampling Karun’s voice and creating textures behind it. I also worked with a guitarist, Tugi, who gave a raw feeling with guitar riffs. The whole project is actually very raw and I ensured Karun’s voice is crisp and clear so you can hear everything.

 

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NATIVE: Is there a story behind the album cover art?

Jinku: ‘Passenger 555’ is a space odyssey. That was my guiding star in shaping the album. I created a fictional story about two lovers going to the end of the galaxy in a spaceship and they are having a fight. Everything just gelled together because I wanted to portray how such a situation would look like.

NATIVE: What would you say was the peak moment when creating the album?

Jinku: Creating “Rise.” As I earlier said, it was the defining song for me as it changed the approach of the album from an EP to an album. I was in aw after she came up with lyrics while performing. I knew Karun was dope but that was the highlight for me.

IDENTIFY: IT’S KHAID’S WORLD AND WE’RE JUST LIVING IN IT

Songs Of The Day: New Music From Kabza De Small, Shatta Wale & More

Posted on by Chibuzo Emmanuel

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. On Monday, we spotlighted new drops from Namakau Star, Bensoul, Straffiti and more. For our mid-week curation, enjoy new music from Kabza De Small, Shatta Wale, Chop Life Crew and more. Tap in, and you’ll definitely find new sounds for your playlist(s).

Kabza De Small – “Khusela” ft. Msaki

“Khusela” is Kabza De Small’s latest subversive take on the billowing genre of Amapiano. He deftly melds the groovy percussion of Amapiano and velvety melodies of gospel to conjure a refreshing concoction of ethereal sounds. He taps Msaki, whose syrupy vocals drip across the poignant instrumental. Powerful, ethereal and soulful, “Khusela” is the perfect soundtrack to bright energetic days.

Shatta Wale – “Hunter”

For decades, Shatta Wale has been a mainstay in the Ghanaian pop scene, keeping fans and spectators spellbound by his alluring mystique. In “Hunter”, that mystique takes the center stage as he bolts powerful lyrics against the backdrop of a suave mix of dancehall and punk. On the record his hectoring personality is in full view as he unabashedly sings his praises and declares himself the lyrical hunter.

Wale Turner – “All I Please” ft. Reekado Banks

Only a few artists are as deft as Wale Turner with regards to combining rap and whimsical sonic elements to conjure resonant hits. In 2016, he caught the public’s eye with his seismic hit “No”, and since then, he has pretty much stuck to the template. Now he’s back with a refreshing single, “All I Please”, which sees him tap Reekado Banks. He ropes in French, English and Yoruba lines as he conjures a ballad that sees him drizzle himself with adulation.

Chop Life Crew – “Kilo Oz” ft. Finesse, Tena Tempo & LK

The otherworldly psychedelic effects of weed is a topic that typically seeps into the chatter of spirited youths, and “Kilo Oz” is a resplendent ode that captures this situation. Over a melodic undulating instrumental, Chop Life Crew and the featured artistes mull over the effects of the psychoactive effects of blowing trees in animated discourse. “You ever get so high had to ask yourself how you managed to stay low key?” they sing over the hook.

Minikingz – “New Skin Care”

North London collective, MiniKingz comprised of BenjiFlow, Oscar #Worldpeace and Ragz Originale, some of the UK’s most pioneering names in rap, R&B and grime, release a long awaited single titled “New Skin Care.” The new single is the trio’s debut song together, and finds them delivering experimental, multi-dimensional sounds. They go back to back on verses effortlessly with clever lyricism, unique flair and a humble sense of confidence that is rare to find, making “New Skin Care” an exhilarating listen.

Young Wazi – “Spaceship”

Packed with syncopated drums, sustained melodies and otherworldly vocals, “Spaceship” sees Young Wazi put a unique spin to Trap music. Over the glistening production, he toes a familiar trajectory to rappers as he raps about opulence, drugs and women.

ICYMI: PRODUCER/DJ JINKU TALKS NEW PROJECT WITH KARUN, ‘PASSENGER 555’

Ghana Is Set For NFL’s First Africa-Held Camp

Posted on by Emmanuel Esomnofu

The National Football League (NFL) has announced its first official events in Africa, beginning June 21 in Ghana. This will happen through a week-long program (NFL Africa: The Touchdown) which includes a talent identification camp, a fan event and a flag football clinic. Having broad visions of engaging with its African fanbase, these are socially-relevant ways the American franchise seeks to employ. 

 

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More than 100 players in the NFL are of African descent, and the League will highlight their contributions while bringing the word to potential talent for the sport’s future. Current NFL players who will take part on-site include Seattle Seahawks Uchenna Nwosu (Nigeria), Houston Texans Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (Nigeria), Cleveland Browns Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Ghana), and Indianapolis Colts Kwity Paye (Liberia), as well as NFL Legends Mathias Kiwanuka (Uganda), Roman Oben (Cameroon), and Osi Umenyiora (Nigeria).

“This is a truly remarkable initiative,” said Umenyiora, the facilitator of The Uprise, a football program in Nigeria that has held regional camps in Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa in recent months. “This camp is not only giving opportunities to great African athletes, it is also highlighting the incredible African athletes already in the NFL. The positive impact of this cannot be overstated.”

“We look forward to hosting our first camp in Ghana and will look to activate in Nigeria and other African countries in the future,” said Damani Leech, NFL Chief Operating Officer of International. “We want to provide an opportunity for the next generation of African prospects to showcase and further develop their talent. As we continue to look for ways to strengthen the pipeline of international players, we hope this camp, and future camps, provide a path for aspiring players from across the continent.” 

Leech also outlined the reward system for exceptional performers. “Top talent from the camp could be invited to participate in International Combines, the International Player Pathway program, and for those athletes ages 16 to 19, there’s the opportunity to attend the NFL Academy in London,” he said.

For the latest information on the NFL in Africa, follow @NFLAfrica social media channels on Twitter and Instagram.

Featured image credits/Andscape

NCVRD: How Nonso Nwangwu Created Jeriq’s ‘Billion Dollar Dream’

Posted on by Wonu Osikoya

“I’ve been drawing since I was about 6 or 7 years old,” Nonso Nwangwu tells me over a zoom call on an early June evening. From childhood, art has been a big part of Nonso’s life, sometimes taking priority space, other times lurking around as he explored other interests like chasing the dream to become a professional soccer player. These days, along with his love for music and passion for storytelling, he’s doing the art on a respectable level, with his latest marquee work being the cover art for ‘Billion Dollar Dream’, the well-received debut LP from Nigerian rap artist Jeriq. 

 

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In the last few years, the Enugu native rapper has grown from underground rap artist to cult hero to national recognition. His music, centred on a searing grind mentality, has earned him reputation as a hustler’s rapper, mixing declarative lines of personal ambitions with vivid details from his life, resulting in motivational vignettes that are deeply relatable. Rapping in a predominant mix of Igbo and pidgin English, mostly over minimalist Trap beats, Jeriq is the latest rising star from indigenous rap music, and ‘Billion Dollar Dream’ is the latest lodestar in the quest to satisfy his unquantifiable ambition.

A Jeriq fan, Nonso has always been able to relate to the stories, struggles and hustle motif the rapper embeds in his music. That ability to identify with the artist’s core message played a huge role in his work on the cover art. The illustration seems simple but the weighty message behind each element on the cover is what makes this piece of art standout. The creator also managed to tie his personal experiences into this art. “The best thing about working with Jeriq was the creative freedom,” he tells.

Being born and raised in the Eastern part of Nigeria just as Jeriq, stories which were told on most of the records, such as “True Life Story,” were easy for Nonso to personalise and convert into visual assets. As the creator of the artwork, it’s only fair that Nonso remembers every element on the cover but his ability to remember each element vividly without looking through the art stood out to me the most.

Creating the cover art for ‘Billion Dollar Dream’ has become one of the most thrilling projects the digital artist has worked on till date as he has worked majorly with artists still on the rise. According to Nonso, Jeriq’s mentality has elevated from the hood where he started from and for that reason, he’s seated on a high rise building, looking over the entire neighbourhood and looking directly at the bigger buildings, now focusing on the bigger picture.

Our conversation with Nonso Nwangwu follows below, and has been lightly edited for clarity.

NATIVE: Could you brief me on your background, where are you from and what led you to visual and graphic design?

Nonso: I was born and raised in Owerri, Imo state. I’ve always been drawing since I was very little. I’ve been drawing since I was about 6 or 7 years old if I remember correctly but I started digital painting in my first year of university in University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2017. I was always a huge fan of art but I wasn’t drawing anymore after a while, I just left it and focused on other things like playing soccer and trying to go pro, but this was between my final year in secondary school and when I got admission into university. It wasn’t until a friend showed me a sketch app on his phone one day in church in late 2017 that I decided to pick up the skill again and see what I could do with it.

NATIVE: What are your earliest memories of pursuing your current career path?

Nonso: I had tried painting in the sketch app before but I couldn’t get into it, it was too hard for me to work with so I honestly just didn’t bother like I said and this was in 2015. So I wouldn’t really say that I gave it a proper chance until 2 years later.

NATIVE: So when would you say you professionally started making your own designs?

Nonso: Professionally, mid 2018. I had spent between early 2018 and mid 2018 learning on my phone then. 

NATIVE: Had you created for anyone before Jeriq?

Nonso: Yes, I’ve created designs for a lot of people but off the top of my head right now, I can’t really remember anyone but they’re mostly upcoming artists. I also just did something recently for Lil Kesh and although it came out after Jeriq’s, I had worked on it before I rounded up Jeriq’s project.

NATIVE: So let’s talk about Jeriq’s cover art for ‘Billion Dollar Dream’. What was the scope of the work you did for Jeriq’s album art direction?

Nonso: Ok, so someone on Jeriq’s team reached out to me and commended my work and asked if I was interested in working on the art direction for the entire project and I’ve always been a huge Jeriq fan since early last year so we started talking and they mentioned the name of the album was going to be ‘Billion Dollar Dream’ and his first project was titled ‘Hood Boy Dreams’ so when I put those together, the first thing that came to mind was fixing Jeriq in a light where he had elevated, that’s why you see him sitting where he is. Yes, he’s still a hood boy but his mind has left the hood so that was the initial idea I had and that was what I then created from.

NATIVE: Did you work on this alone or will you say Jeriq had a large input? How collaborative was the process between you two?

Nonso: For the album cover itself, it was basically just me. I heard the album title, I had an idea and I just sent him a sketch which he instantly loved so there was no back and forth at all. We worked on 10 covers together, each song has a distinct cover so there was more collaboration on the individual covers but for the album, I sent him a rough sketch and he loved it so I just developed that further.

NATIVE: When you heard this project, what were your first thoughts about the music and how did that translate into the art that you made? 

Nonso: To be very honest, it was easy for me to translate his music into art. I had to go to Enugu to link up with him, listen to the project and then create something but I was already familiar with Jeriq’s music so translating that into art was not difficult. I would say I’m a hood boy myself so I could relate to his struggles, trying to get money, trying to hustle to leave the hood, so I could understand Jeriq and I just found it very easy to create this idea from everything I had listened to.

NATIVE: Can you run me through what the cover means from your own perspective?

Nonso: Dreams. We all have our dreams, somewhere we’re all trying to get to. Never stop, just keep going, no matter how hard it gets, just keep fighting for what you want

NATIVE: Can you also talk me through the elements on the cover art from the bag of weed to the neighbourhood? 

Nonso: Everything represents Jeriq in one way or the other. Jeriq smokes a lot so the bag of weed and the backwoods had to be represented there. From where he’s sitting, he can see the entire area which is his hood and right now, his mentality has matured and he’s no longer thinking like he’s in the hood, even if he still is. Now, he’s seated on a tall building still in the hood but looking at more taller buildings just in front of him, he’s now focused on doing bigger things and becoming even more successful. Jeriq is also on his laptop, he makes music from there so that also has to be represented along with his headphones which he always has with him and then there’s money, well he’s a rich man so why not. Also his brand “Iyoo Cartel” is represented on his bucket hat.

NATIVE: How long did this take you to create the art?

Nonso: It took about a week to have the cover art sorted out but there was more back and forth on the individual covers. 

NATIVE: Which individual cover did you enjoy working on the most?

Nonso: “True Life Story”, “Chukwuebuka” and “Trapping”

NATIVE: Why those three? 

Nonso: I love the story “True Life Story” tells about secondary school, teachers being wicked and basically understanding life and I could relate to that so being about to work on that art was very inspiring then with “Trapping”, i love the colours and the concept so much and with “Chukwuebuka”, I’m a christian and I love praying so translating that into art was also very interesting for me 

NATIVE: What’s the best thing about working with Jeriq? 

Nonso: Creative freedom. Jeriq has no stress at all, and he trusted me enough to allow me handle this project. 

NATIVE: Will you say you were able to tell Jeriq’s story with this art?

Nonso: Yes, 100 percent. I believe Jeriq was satisfied with my work. 

Featured Image Credits/NATIVE

ICYMI: LANRE WILLIAMS ON THE MAKING OF REMA’S ‘RAVE & ROSES’

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.

 

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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.”

 

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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”. 

 

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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”. 

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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.

 

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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.

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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! 

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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. 

 

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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. 

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