It’s been almost six months of self-isolating to flatten the curve of COVID-19, and things haven’t become any easier. The one constant through these bleak times is the vast array of new music we’re getting from all our favourite artists, which definitely help make the world a bit brighter considering everything. In a bid to […]
It’s been almost six months of self-isolating to flatten the curve of COVID-19, and things haven’t become any easier. The one constant through these bleak times is the vast array of new music we’re getting from all our favourite artists, which definitely help make the world a bit brighter considering everything. In a bid to constantly highlight the best music from this period, we’ve scoured through the continent and selected our Top picks of all the best songs released today.
Our selections for today includes new music from The Cavemen, the collaboration between Sugarbana, Bella Shmurda and Barry Jhay, Marv OTM, Zlatan and Tiwa Savage‘s new music videos and more. Enjoy.
Browny Pondis has come a long way from back when he had to tag musicians on his weekly Friday freestyles, and his latest single, “Again” details his grind to score that elusive hit song that’d shoot his career into acclaim. Browny feels no shame about his struggles and boldly paints a painful picture of his reality, wearing the hardship like a scar; “We put in work in everything but nothing show/ I don tire for this kind life.”
While the frustration is palpable in his voice and the melancholic piano harmonies of the beat, he remains optimistic that he’s just one song away from nationwide acclaim. The down-to-earth approach to songwriting might not have the finesse to make him into a showy pop star, but “Again” deserves endless replays for its catchy melodies and Browny Pondis’ confidence-inspiring performance.
Everyday on Twitter, there is a picture or video floating around the timeline to remind us about the past, when things were simpler and we could go out without needing protective masks. The Cavemen have been providing nostalgic highlife music for fans before anyone could even imagine there’d ever be a lockdown and their latest single, “Anita” continues their retro style music.
Here, they narrate a romantic tale over catchy live-music instrumental arrangements-highlife guitar riffs, horns, percussion, drums, rattling samples and backing vocals-that accent their nostalgic poise. With more focus on music rather than the lyrics, “Anita” is mood music, and The Cavemen sound very at ease over the colourful backdrop of highlife instrumentals.
It might interest you to know that falling in love did not fall off in quarantine. Tiwa Savage’s latest single, “Dangerous Love” emphasises this as she expresses her feelings, singing: “I’m deep in love with you/ oh I’m deep in love with you”. With her usual soft yet present vocals over the laidback Afropop beat produced by Cracker Mallo, Tiwa seems to be sceptical about her “Dangerous Love”. In her self-directed the video in collaboration with Ibra Ake, starring Adesuwa, she offers an intimate look at her process whilst getting ready to go out on a date, in between trippy cuts of Tiwa performing her emotive lyrics.
To say the news headlines for 2020 have been stressful would be putting it lightly. We normalised watching the rising death-toll of Coronavirus victims and now it seems like everything could potentially be a cake. Being in self-isolation means we’re relying on news updates to know what’s going on around us and Zlatan’s “The Matter” depicts a comical narration of our attempts to make sense of what’s going on with the world. He just shared the Visionary Pictures directed video for the song and it’s set in a courtroom where’s he’s dressed as the judge, who has to solve cases arising like “I order shawarma, I see akara”. With cameos from social media comedians like Brother Shagi and Poco Lee, the video for “The Matter” is fun way to spend 3 minutes of your afternoon.
Sugabana, Bella Shmurda and Barry Jhay have dedicated their music careers to being illustrators of the streets, and on “Shalaye” all three come together to take turns narrating their experience with women who took advantage of them. Singing “You know me I gangsta, I don’t care”, they also admit their role in the crime-ridden community. Sugarbana’s flows standout over the mid-tempo beat produced by Timmy/Badass while Bella Shmurda and Barry Jhay contribute their melodic Yoruba-fueled sets to add more flavour to the song.
Elmina just released her debut EP, ‘No Drama’, a 4-track tape that introduces her unique blend of r&b and afropop, while she navigates her emotional struggles with love and romance. Stand out track, “Done With You” is a potent breakup anthem influenced by early 90s’ R&B songs that soundtracked our high-school relationships. After describing the bright sparks from the initiation of the relationship on the initial tracks on the project, she finally admits everything wrong with their romance on “Done With You” as she sings “If we’re being honest, we both know we got no connection” over the lightweight piano-led R&B beat. The music video Avalon Okpe directed also taps into the nostalgic r&b elements as we watch Elmina walk around her glamorous apartment in slow-motion while she sings her heartfelt lyrics explaining why she’s over the relationship.
Marv OTM has been producing and rapping as a member Abuja-based collective, Apex Village and last year, he put out one of his strongest solo offerings yet, “How You Feel”, which he’s now accompanying with a music video. The psychedelic trap beat and Marv’s druggy lyrics on “How You Feel” already sounded ready for a dystopian sci-fi movie and Ben Ankobiah followed in similar direction with the video he directed. The video shows Marv OTM in a neon-lit garage with a spot car and a white model to highlight the rapper’s cocky brags; “I just pulled up in a Merc’/ It ain’t no lease/ Foreign lil biddy that’s imported from overseas”.
The rapper’s decision to embark on a local university tour of this nature could go on to become a...
There’s no denying that OdumoduBlvck’s 2023 mixtape ‘Eziokwu’ established his musical genius. While the half dozen projects that preceded ‘Eziokwu’ almost served as target practice, largely showcasing the early iterations of Okporoko music – his unique melodious rap fusion – it was his major label debut that truly grounded the rapper in Nigeria’s rich Hip-Hop lineage. The album’s far-reaching success culminated in a historic joint tour with fellow 2023 breakout star Shallipopi, which saw the two share the stage across 9 cities in the United States. Similarly, riding the high of his latest mixtape, ‘The Machine Is Coming,’ the Anti-World Gangstar head huncho recently announced a new tour. This time, however, instead of taking his new collection of infectious bangers to stages abroad, the rapper decided to visit different universities across the country for what he calls the ‘Greatest School Tour Ever.’
Touring in Nigeria is a subject that has become somewhat controversial over the last few years, splitting opinions amongst many fans, industry experts, and artists themselves. Back in the mid-2000s to early 2010s, local touring was very much the norm. Platforms like Star Music’s ‘The Trek,’ as well as a few prominent local promoters, enabled some of the biggest names like 2face, Olamide, and M.I to hold annual nationwide tours. These tours included stops in cities like Warri, Makurdi, Owerri and many other places that artists are less likely to visit today. University tours were also popular as they presented an avenue for these artists to connect with their younger audience, who mostly served as the bedrock of their fan base.
The rise of digital streaming platforms, which has partly informed the industry’s rapid evolution over the past decade, coupled with other economic and infrastructural issues, has, however, forced a sharp decline in local touring, making it an almost altruistic endeavour in today’s Nigeria. Afropop gaining global exposure meant that the international market immediately became more viable and lucrative to our biggest stars, and this reshaped their priorities. The extensive, multi-city shows became reserved for diaspora fans, while the local audience, in most cases, are treated to a solitary annual show.
OdumoduBlvck looks to buck this trend with the ‘Greatest School Tour Ever,’ prioritizing his primary audience before tending to those abroad. In truth, the Lagos-born rapper is not the only one who has embarked on this type of tour in recent times. A couple of years ago, UK-based rapper Kida Kudz and Ckay also went on similar campus tours, with the latter making stops at 10 different universities across the country. Llona, one of the breakout stars from last year, is also currently on a nationwide tour coming off the success of his impressive debut album ‘Homeless.’ The ‘Greatest School Tour Ever,’ is however, peculiar and momentous because of its timing and OdumoduBlvck’s standing as one of the biggest names around.
At the recent 17th Headies Awards, the rapper became the latest recipient of the Next Rated award, a highly coveted plaque that’s historically reserved for standout acts whose music defines the zeitgeist at a given period. He received the award just two days after he gave an electrifying performance at Afe Babalola University. His latest mixtape, ‘The Machine Is Coming,’ a precursor to his highly anticipated forthcoming debut, currently sits at the No. 2 spot on the Turntable Top 50 Album charts. It is unheard of in recent times: that the Headies Next Rated act, who has one of the top projects in the country, is on a local university tour. The Abuja-native has, however, shown on numerous occasions that he has never really been one to abide by existing standards. The famous opening lines from his breakout single “Declan Rice” (I can do without their Policy I Know), did not only serve as a message to gatekeepers and naysayers but also as a manifesto that declared his mode of operation going forward.
At the time of this writing, the rapper has only made two stops on his ongoing tour, but his decision to embark on a local tour of this nature already looks to be paying dividends. The first two shows have produced viral clips that capture his star power, the hysteria of his headline shows and his rapidly growing influence, especially amongst younger listeners. The viral clips have already created an increased demand for shows, with many young fans harassing the rapper to add more dates to the tour. With the release of ‘The Machine Is Coming’ and his recent crowning moment at the Headies, it’s safe to assume there’s more attention on him now than ever. While it is, of course, still early days, the rapper’s decision to embark on a local university tour, especially given that he’s currently experiencing a career high, could go on to become a significant moment, one that potentially inspires a shift in the touring landscape in Nigeria.
From working her way out of London’s Myatt’s Field, Tanika is now setting her sights on the bright lights...
Across a career that’s in its second decade, Tanika has proven to be a force in her own right, holding her own on collaborations with Black British stars like Stormzy and Wretch 32, as well as popular record producer Naughty Boy–working with the Grammy-nominated beatmaker on his acclaimed ‘Hotel Cabana’ album.
Following a stint as an actor, she returned to the studio in 2021, releasing a new extended play, ‘333,’ in 2023. The project carried all the hallmarks of Tanika at her tantalising best: lilting cadences, well-paced narratives, a songwriting that reaches for the heart of the matter.
On her latest song, “Fast Fwd,” she’s growing into her own and stepping into a new era. In many ways, “Fast Fwd,” a hypnotic, sultry anthem, is landing just in time for summer revelry. Produced by her longtime collaborator, Naughty Boy, her silky vocals land effortlessly on the mid-tempo instrumental and pulsates with her desire for her love interest.
Joined on the song by her fiancé, Kida Kudz, they make an interesting duo and replicate the synergy they had on “Nobody,” off Kudz’s 2021 ‘Top Memba.’ Distinctively marked by use of neon lights, the video for the song captures the effervescence of romance that Tanika hums about throughout the song.
From working her way out of London’s Myatt’s Field to becoming a star with millions of streams, Tanika is now setting her sights on the bright lights of superstardom. Ahead of the official release of the single, we had a brief chat with Tanika about her career, the influences for “Fast Fwd,” and working with KIda Kudz on it.
Her answers, which follow below, have been lightly edited for clarity.
How would you describe where you are in your career right now?
I’m just enjoying the journey.
What does the release of “Fast Fwd” signify for you?
It signifies love.
Why is Kida Kudz a fit for the song? (
To be honest, we didn’t plan to do another song together. I have worked on two records with him before (“Nobody” and “Tasty Time” ) but we never thought to shoot a video for it.. “Fast Fwd” felt like a real testimony of our present moment in the relationship.
You’ve worked extensively with Naughty Boy and he’s helped with “Fast Fwd,” what’s your relationship like and why does it work?
Naughty Boy knows me very well. We’ve known one another for over 10 years, so he knows what fits me musically. We gel. I think him knowing me and being a fan of Kida’s music made it all work. Naughty Boy does his listening before he makes a beat for you. A lot of producers don’t really understand the importance of knowing the artist musically but he does.
What were you aiming for with the video?
To be honest, I’m aiming for nothing. I’m just enjoying the journey. It’s been a very long road and I know I still have a long way to go.
Catch an exclusive view of “Fast Fwd” below.
A celebration of creativity and cultural
Dutch textile brand Vlisco recently unveiled its latest campaign ‘The Garden Of Sisterhood,’ as part of its women’s month celebration. The campaign, which looks to extend Vlisco’s rich legacy in African fashion and its ongoing celebration of creativity and cultural storytelling, takes inspiration from Congolese musical icon Fally Ipupa’s latest single, “Mayanga.” The song’s accompanying music video was shot in the Ivory Coast, and seamlessly balances Ipupa’s signature soulful Rumba music with intricate floral motifs and soft, elegant colour palettes that celebrate the strength and individuality that blossoms through community.
In addition to Fally Ipupa, Vlisco also tapped up Ivorian fashion designer Loza Maléombho and Nigerian director Daniel Obasi to contribute to ‘The Garden Of Sisterhood’ campaign. Maléombho’s unique designs and Obasi’s striking storytelling helped contribute to actualising Vlisco’s distinct aesthetic and vision of merging heritage, creativity and fashion.
In a statement discussing the collaboration with Vlisco, the Congolese superstar described it as a beautiful experience. “They understood my vision of working with talented artists and honouring the beautiful women who wear Vlisco fabrics. By creating exclusive designs for me and the remarkable women in the cast, Vlisco really brought our artistic vision to life, harmoniously fusing music and fashion,” he said.
Similarly, Marlou van Engelen, the creative director of Vlisco, expressed that it was an honour working with Fally Ipupa. “His song ‘MAYANGA’ perfectly reflects our admiration for the women who shaped us, inspire us, and mean so much to us. For us, it’s not just about fashion; it’s about the stories told through our beautiful prints. And I believe the best stories are always told together,” she said in a statement.
View this post on Instagram
