Reminisce is in cruise control on his new EP, ‘Vibes & Insha Allah’
Finely-tuned that aggregate a lot of the rap veteran’s best strengths as a songwriter and hit-maker
At the beginning of his new EP, ‘Vibes & Insha Allah”, Reminisce’s kids ask him why he has to record and make music. On the surface, it’s a very innocent question from children with fleeting curiosity, but if you fixate a bit longer, it’s a weighty inquisition for an artist who’s achieved so much and can pivot to other endeavours with little to no regrets.
After spending the better part of the last decade as a key figure in reiterating the creative legitimacy of non-English rap music in Nigeria, and helping to solidify street-bred music as an unimpeachable commercial force, the last few years has seen Reminisce diversify his portfolio to include an impressive debut feature on the big screen and hosting the last edition of the Headies. While he’s continued to drop music, some of them going on to become big hit songs, this period coincided with the end of a prolific four albums in five years run. On ‘Vibes & Insha Allah’, his first project in four years, Reminsice shows he still carries a burning flame for making music, curating his version of a “30+ vibes” set list.
Between JAY-Z’s now obsolete claim that “30s is the new 20s” and the hyperbolic banter on social media that pretty much equates 30s with being the new 60s, artists within that age bracket are finding ways to embrace and express what it means to be grown in what is generally deemed to be a space for young people. Although with varying approaches and levels of success, colleagues like Olamide, Show Dem Camp, M.I Abaga and Vector have settled into veteran roles, and Reminisce joins that set in a manner that’s less literal in the topical sense but more evident in its seasoned execution.
‘Vibes & Insha Allah’ is finely-tuned and aggregate a lot of Reminisce’s best strengths as a songwriter and hit-maker, resulting in an EP where he’s more or less in cruise control. Centred on reliability, the short tape largely forgoes inventiveness in favour of recognisable elements like big beats and bold hooks. On the chest-pounding lead single, “Ogaranya”, Reminisce raps over a chunky beat laid down by frequent collaborator Sarz, with his vanity bars sitting perfectly on either side of Fireboy’s snarling hook. Like most of the EP, the song doesn’t set any new precedents for Reminisce, but it’s serviceable enough to highlight the traits that have brought him longevity.
Where he does mix things up is the beat selection for ‘Vibes’, a collection that is steeped in his preference for maximalist, swinging production but with enough variation to keep things interesting. Set to a marching bassline, interlocked guitar rhythms on the Krizbeatz-produced “Gbedu” echoes Afrobeat inspirations, while Reminisce’s dismissal of rap purists on “Jogodo” is given added weight by a serpentine flute riff and rumbling 808 bass. On a rare occasion, he’s overshadowed by TMXO’s booming, dance-inducing beat on “Over 2.5”, a light-hearted but bland song where his bit about sports betting feels a bit too perfunctory. It’s not a wild misstep, but the song falls short of Reminsce’s proven ability to sound commanding, whether he’s being profound or not.
On the other TMXO-produced song, the intro cut “Vibes”, Reminisce puts in a more compelling shift, letting his narrative raps flow in loose, conversational cadence over rippling bass guitar and horn flourishes. In what is undeniably the EP’s most personal and wistful moment, he documents the balancing act of being productive and living in the house with boisterous kids, in isolated conditions no less. Although the song doesn’t dig deep into the opening question from his kids, Reminisce’s appreciative tone indicates he’s in a great place – creating stress-free, enjoyable music – as is the case on ‘Vibes & Insha Allah’ – is a product of that.
Listen here:
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ICYMI: BOD AND REMINISCE’S “SHENK WHO SHENK YOU” EMBODIES ALL THE ALLURE OF STREET-HOP
Maya Amolo Is Committed To Giving You The Sweetest Time
There’s undoubtedly more to come from the talented singer as she looks to solidify herself as one of the...
“Sweetest Time,” Maya Amolo’s latest single, is a soothing, lovesick confessional that mixes intimate, heartfelt lyricism with wistful production courtesy of Ugandan musician and producer SOULCHYD aka MAUIMØON. Alongside fellow Kenyan singer Ywaya Tajiri, the self-acclaimed sweetest girl delivers a lustrous duet that sees her soft vocals, which perfectly complement Tajiri’s more robust voice, skip and flit across moody synths, intensifying the spotlight on her wholehearted delivery. “I can feel you rushing through my system / Every single day it’s my religion,” she sings passionately halfway into the record. The whole thing sounds like the aural equivalent of a warm blanket; a truly affectionate record that immerses and envelopes its listeners in its warmth. This is the brand of vulnerable, understated R&B music that has been helping Amolo gain significant attention since she debuted in the pandemic year.
Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Amolo always had an affinity for music. The singer and producer, who took on piano and guitar lessons as a child, has previously credited acts like Brandy, Erykah Badu, Prince, and Kenyan musical icon Eric Wainaina as her early influences – and it’s easy to see how Amolo’s style draws from this strong lineage of musicians whose music is equally expansive, soothing and vulnerable. After years experimenting with different styles, recording covers to beats she ripped from YouTube and posting them on her Soundcloud page, Amolo released her debut project ‘Leave Me At The Pregame’ in 2020.
The EP, which quickly soared up the charts in Kenya, served as a brief but emphatic introduction to Amolo’s minimalistic take on R&B. Standouts like the emotive opener “Puddles,” “Lush Green”, and “Jokes” showcase her clever and poignant lyricism that reflects on themes of love, depression, and self-healing. Along with sparse, melancholic production and the icy sensuality of her voice, Amolo delivered a remarkable debut that made her one of the most promising figures in Nairobi’s alternative music scene. Two years after ‘Leave Me At The Pregame,’ the Kenyan rising star released her debut album, ‘Asali.’
‘Asali,’ which translates to “honey” in her native Kiswahili, showcased Amolo’s progression as both an artist and a human being, as she swapped out the sad-girl tunes that filled her debut EP for more vibrant and intricate records – thanks in part to Sir Bastien and Kenyan producer and rapper Lukorito – that explore themes of growth and the complexities and rich luster of love. The album’s lead singles, “Foundry” and the self-produced “Can’t Get Enough,” found relative success on streaming platforms, placing Amolo as one of the continent’s most exciting new R&B voices. About a year after the release of ‘Asali,’ Amolo updated the album with 8 new songs on a deluxe version that featured Kenyan stars like Bensoul, Xenia Manasseh and Zowie Kengocha.
In August 2024, a few months after she delivered a splendid Colors performance, Amolo released a new project titled ‘What a Feeling.’ The 5-track EP, which essentially serves as an ode to Amolo’s home city, Nairobi, sees her experimenting with an array of dance sub-genres without straying too far from her R&B roots. While the project still retains much of the melancholy and elegance that defined her earlier work, there’s a hypnotic and pulsating energy that courses through ‘What A Feeling,’ that highlights a shift in the singer’s sensibilities. Amolo’s honeyed vocals gently seep through subtle Dancehall, Electronic, R&B and House-inspired production and the accompanying visualizer, a mashup of camcorder footage of her and her friends in Nairobi, also adequately captures the charming and nocturnal vibe of the tape.
The project produced standout tracks like the sensual “Let It Flow,” the title track and “Take It,” which later got remixed by Ugandan singer Soundlykbb and rapper SGawD. With Amolo’s latest release, “Sweetest Girl,” the Kenyan rising star continues her intricate exploration of R&B music, merging it with varying styles to produce her own distinct and refreshing variant. There’s no telling what Amolo might do next, but with only a handful of releases to her name so far, there’s undoubtedly more to come from the talented singer as she looks to solidify herself as one of the genre’s most prominent faces across the continent.
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T.I Blaze Updates ‘Shakur’ EP With Deluxe Version
Following the success of “Trenches Luv,” the street-pop star is back with seven new songs on the deluxe...
Over the last few years, street-pop, a guttural version of afropop, has surged to mainstream popularity, birthing stars like Asake, Seyi Vibez, and Shallipopi. On the homefront, a generation of younger stars also put unique spins on the sound. Singer, T.I Blaze, has been a notable star in the sub-genre since his 2021 single, “Sometimes,” and a subsequent remix with icon, Olamide, launched him into a different stratosphere.
Since “Sometimes,” Blaze has established his profile as a reliable source for songs that reflect the pulse of the streets while archiving his come-up story across a debut album (‘El Major’) and three extended plays like ‘The Fresh Prince Of Lagos’ and ‘Dangerous Wavy Baby.’ His 2024 EP, ‘Shakur,’ further underscored his evolution as an artist, featuring slippery numbers about escapism, his thoughts on life in the fast lane, and brotherhood with features from rising stars like Tml Vibez and BhadBoi Oml.
In 2025, the singer has picked up where he left off last year, releasing “Trenches Luv,” a balmy February release that examines the dynamics of romance from his point of view as a young adult moulded by the hard realities of life on the street. The success of “Trenches Luv” has led to a deluxe version of ‘Shakur’ with the singer adding seven new songs to the original version of the project. Impressively, on the new version of the project, TI Blaze taps up Ayo Maff and Ghanaian star Arathejay on “My Brother” and “Mario Remix,” respectively.
Led by a galala-inflected opener, “Track 1,” ‘Shakur (Deluxe)’ is both raw and complex with the singer sounding refreshed on songs like “My Brother,” “Dodge,” and “Introduction.” In many ways, this project is an invitation for listeners to explore the many facets of T.I Blaze’s artistry as well as a portent to celebrate his roots and offer a glimpse at his evolution.
Listen to ‘Shakur (Deluxe)’ here.
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NATIVE PREMIERE: Rigo Kamp Runs Ahead Of The Pack With The Visuals For “Marathon”
Rigo Kamp’s Marathon video is an intimate Afro-juju revival that pays homage to Sir Shina Peters and stamps...
Last Friday, Rigo Kamp, a NATIVE uNder alum and one of the architects of an equal parts nostalgic and refreshing sound released his self-titled debut EP, delivering a propulsive fusion of Alte, R&B, Funk, and Soul-infused rhythms.
Featuring previously released singles “Morning Sun” and “Summer”, the six-track eponymous EP executively produced by Odunsi The Engine sees Rigo lean heavily into his element as a sonic alchemist, jumping from silky falsettos to gritty grooves without losing an ounce of cohesion, and ultimately stamping the Abuja-born, Lagos-based singer-songwriter as a mad scientist of sound.
Just last November, Apple Music named Rigo Kamp as its Up Next artist, an acknowledgment that underscored his potential and confirmed what the tastemakers and underground scene already knew. Weeks later, he delivered an exhilarating live set for Spotify Fresh Finds in Lagos, proving he’s just as compelling live as he is in the studio.
On “Marathon”, the refreshing opener to the Rigo Kamp EP, Rigo borrows the bounce and swagger of Afro-Juju legend, Sir Shina Peters’ golden-era, fusing nostalgia with re-imagination to birth a vintage performance that feels like a private party for two, where it’s just Rigo, and you.
Get an exclusive first look at the video for Marathon here:
Listen to the Rigo Kamp EP:
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