Phyno and Olamide are a team again for “Augment”
This time more indigenous than ever
Phyno and Olamide’s first collaboration, “Ghost Mode” marked the start of the most electric supergroup Nigeria has ever experienced. Their seemingly unlikely bromance was so uplifting that they went on to release a slew of singles and a 2 Kings joint project to cement their positions at the top of Nigeria’s indigenous rap hierarchy. And though the album didn’t have the same impact as Kanye and Jay Z’s Watch The Throne, they have at least managed to continue their affections, releasing a new single, “Augment”.
However, both artists have grown from their strictly Hip-hop debuts to accommodate more indigenous and pop sounds. While Phyno on his The Playmaker album stripped away most of his foreign influences and focused on his indigenous folk music and highlife, Olamide has taken his self-proclaimed “Voice Of The Street” status to deliver the jollof music popular on the streets.
Though both still retaining their credibility as good emcees, “Augment” is a laidback highlife influenced Afropop number with very little reference to their hip-hop origins. Masterkraft produces the piano led beat with layered guitar riffs, gongs and tinpan drums that provide ambience for Phyno’s singing in his indigenous Igbo language and occasional English lines—so he doesn’t lose non-Igbo listeners. He sings of people hating on his success while also praying for more success before Olamide joins on the last verse also singing but in English. He references 50 Cent’s similarly themed “Many Men” on the catchy number.
Listen to Phyno’s “Augment” featuring Olamide below.
https://soundcloud.com/afrosongs/phyno-augment-ft-olamide
Featured Image Credits: Instagram/phynofino
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Revisit: Phyno and Olamide are uniting naija one bad ass collaboration at a time
