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  • There are icons in every field. For football, we have Lionel Messi. When we speak of meals, nothing is touching yam. When it comes to music, there is no other diva as iconic as Madame Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter. This woman has consistently put out amazing music for over two decades, and the best of her work yet is Act II: Cowboy Carter.

    Highly controversial, heavily resisted, constantly understated yet undeniably innovative is who Beyoncé is. And if you’re not tuned in to Cowboy Carter yet, here are five reasons you should rinse your ears and get into the album.

    Cowboy Carter saved country music

    Your faves can attest to this. For such a long time, although the CMA and the larger part of White America disagree, country music has been gated. Artists of colour were rarely given the spotlight and had to settle for being sidelined. This racial bias was very evident at the CMAs where Beyoncé and Dixie Chicks had an unwelcoming experience during and after their performance of Daddy Lessons. The crowd visibly did not approve of Beyoncé singing country and although the performance was the most watched that year, the CMA took it off their platforms. While this moment birthed Cowboy Carter and we are grateful, it also means hundreds of black artists get this treatment regularly. The bias was very evident upon the release of Texas Hold’em and 16 Carriages which features a heavy country production, yodelling and an undeniable country twang. For such releases that were pure country, a lot of negative uproar still surfaced.

    However, since the release of the full-length album, the whole world is now listening to a new side of country music and black artists are basking in the spotlight. Black country artists like Linda Martell, Shaboozey, Willie Jones, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Rhiannon Giddens and Willie Nelson got to be a part of such a revolutionary move. That’s icon shit!

    [ad]

    Cowboy Carter made an artistic statement

    You can find country pop, bluegrass, country RnB, Country Hip/Hop, Opera, Latin and Flamenco all in one album. If that isn’t peak artistry, then I don’t know what is. We know Beyoncé already said it was going to be a “Beyoncé” album and not just country, but no one was ready for that. She managed to blend so many genres, techniques and layers of history and yet it is undeniably country. From Blackbird, Jolene, Spaghetti, Tyrant, Daughter, Just For Fun down to Riverdance. The whole album is just full of wonderful twists and turns.

    Cowboy Carter changed history

    If I asked you how it feels to be the first black woman to top the country charts, you would have no idea, but Beyoncé does. Not only has Cowboy Carter charted in countries across the world, but it also helped the featured artists secure their first chartings and massive increases in their streaming. We call it the Yonce effect. The album also became the most streamed album on Spotify within just a day of its release. Who runs the world? Beyoncé does. 

    The Production is tea

    The way Amen and American Requiem flow into each other is just ridiculous. Then let’s talk about the harmonies, cadences and adlibs. Beyoncé pulled out her full range. The vocals are so tightly locked and on point. You get to feel everything in it. Especially on Spaghetti where Shaboozey sang like it was his last song. Somehow the artist collaborations, writers, producers and even the horse used in her cover art were intentional and purposeful. All to showcase country music’s black roots. 

    Cowboy Carter saved Fashion 

    Let’s be for real: Beyoncé ate with the cowboy looks. She served cunt. From the hats to the jeans, to the platinum hair, down to the leather and iron buckle. Every look was giving slayonce. No other artist could eat like that. With Renaissance, it was a silver/chrome movement, and with cowboy Carter, everyone is getting their hats and boots ready. Who knows? Maybe the tour will be held in the stables? We can’t put anything past Beyoncé.

    Cowboy Carter is a wormhole

    The album is woven in such a way that each song tells a story that leads into the other, and you won’t want to miss out on one part of the story. It has 27 tracks, and if you start at the top, somehow, you’ll end up at the bottom. Cowboy Carter truly is Beyoncé’s best work, and that’s a lot considering she has Renaissance, Lemonade, 4, Beyoncé and Dangerously in Love as parts of her catalogue. With Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé has shown us once again, what it means to reinvent oneself and remain Queen of Music. 

    To catch up with other artists like Zoro, click here.

  • Beyoncé’s been an icon, THEE MOTHER and a legend for decades now. 20 years after her solo debut in 2003, she’s managed to reinvent herself and her music over and over again without losing what makes it all unique — herself and her drive. In 2022, Beyoncé gave us the Renaissance album. And seven years after her last tour in 2016, we got the “Renaissance World Tour”. Two months after the sold-out tour ended, she released the concert docu-film, “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé”, worldwide.

    For once, “worldwide” included Nigeria, and the film came to cinemas near us on the 1st of December. This is what some Nigerians have to say about their viewing experience.

    Tunmise, 23

    Watching the film felt like a reward. 

    When “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” was announced, I wasn’t so sure Nigerian cinemas would screen it, so I and a couple other fans in Nigeria put together a proposal and started to email different Nigerian cinema chains. Then the international territories were announced, and Nigeria wasn’t on the list. I was so defeated, but I’d been following this tour since the beginning, and I’m no stranger to Beyoncé documentaries, so I knew I needed to experience this with the hive. We intensified our efforts until the movie was announced for release here.

    I don’t know if all our efforts had any part to play, but that’s what the movie embodies — resilience. Whether it’s Beyoncé performing with a knee injury or Blue Ivy’s commitment to doing better regardless of the online bullies, watching the movie with the hive was liberating. I’m thinking, “Oh, we really are a cult, but I don’t give a fuck.” In the movie, Beyoncé said, “The Beyhive, they got me,” and everyone screamed because that’s so real. We really felt like a hive, fawning over our Queen. 

    We shared booze and popcorn with people we didn’t know. We danced together, and it was amazing! I’ve watched it three times already, and every time, I get something new from the film and the viewing experience.

    Osaz, 26

    I wasn’t a stan, but after watching “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé”, the woman deserves a standing ovation. My friend and I went to Ebonylife Place to catch the 7:10 p.m. showing, but tickets were sold out, so we had to wait for the 9:10 p.m. slot, which meant it would end after midnight. 

    It was worth it. 

    Most of my fellow watchers were repeat viewers. The hall turned into a concert; it was sickening. Beyoncé was an embodiment of perfectionism, professionalism, and thoughtfulness. Just thinking about the transitions, costumes, stage designs, sound, programming, edits, everything that went into making the tour and film, it was history being made before our very eyes. “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” is a huge lesson on dedication and work ethic.

    Everyone — including the haters — needs to watch it, so they can give Madam her coins and at least, get a full magnitude of how much they need to hate.

    Angelica, 21

    Walking into the theatre, I knew I was in for a good time. 

    The experience was nothing short of magical. I got to watch her perform live on tour, and that was insane, but seeing everything that went on behind the scenes, and getting to watch Beyoncé do her thing so closely, made me love and respect her so much more — something I didn’t even think was possible. The collective joy and admiration in the theatre made the whole experience even more exciting and inspiring.  

    Mrs Carter did not disappoint. She is MOTHER.

    Feyisayo, 25

    “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” was a 10/10 experience for me. It was fun to watch and sing along with everyone in the hall. I haven’t been to a Beyoncé concert before, but watching the film felt like I was watching her perform live. Beyoncé is such a phenomenal artist, and seeing her put in all that work behind the scenes and on stage was inspiring. I am inspired to work as hard to achieve my dreams. 

    Conrad, 29

    After watching  “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé” on Netflix, I thought I was ready for this. But I kid you not, when she came out in that black dress from her birthday show and started singing Dangerously in Love, I actually started tearing up. I haven’t watched her perform live before, and God forbid this is her farewell tour — like people have been saying — but watching the film felt like I was in the stadium. With the big screen, everyone screaming and singing in the hall, it was like a “bend down select” tour experience. But as with everything Beyonce, it was grade “akube”. 

    Something about Beyonce just makes you want to be the best you can be. I was watching the show and thinking, “Damn, if someone can be this passionate and good at their job 27 years later, why am I not that curious and dedicated to becoming better.” The film highlighted the importance of family and community but reminded me that being on top of everything around me is important. Like, your happiness and fulfillment are in your hands, and you must prioritise it.

    IzzyBelle, 24

    When I think I have the highest respect for Beyoncé, she does something new, and my respect goes unthinkably higher. I was at one of the “Renaissance” live shows, and believe me when I say it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Nothing could ever compare to that, but watching the film comes pretty close. I loved every second of the film, and I’m still in awe. Her attention to every detail is unmatched. The transitions between performances were sickening, and as usual, she performed the hell out of every show. 10,000 out of 10!

    Kelechi, 26

    Watching the film has to be the highlight of my year. I haven’t watched her perform live before, and I hope I get to before she eventually retires, but watching the film felt like I was. It made me cry, laugh and dance. I spent the entire film speechless and in awe of Beyoncé’s work ethic, talent and beauty. It felt like a spiritual experience. I was at home with other members of the Beyhive, screaming along to all the songs. I left the cinema FULL — filled with love, inspiration, satisfaction and happiness. I’ll definitely watch it again.

    Ruméh, 29

    I attended one of the Renaissance World Tour concerts live, but I still went to see the film, and it gave everything it needed to give. I honestly think she’s one of the best filmmakers on Earth. “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” deserves an Oscar. Beyonce is really who she thinks she is. She’s the best at everything she does, and it was incredibly beautiful and inspiring to see her work, piece things together and stand on business. The editing, the music, the attention to detail, everything was seamless, and I’ll definitely go see it again.

  • Do you deserve to watch the Queen Bey perform live? Prove it.

  • Tems wasn’t playing in 2019 when she told us not to try her. 

    Tems first caught our attention in 2019 with her defiant hit, Try Me. Since then, she’s blown up big time, moving from an underrated alté artiste to one of Nigeria’s biggest afrobeats exports.Whether it’s dropping songs of the summer back-to-back, with Essence in 2021 and WAIT FOR U in 2022, or becoming the first Nigerian singer to be nominated for an Oscar, Tems is the leading vibe right now, and no one can deny it.

    Here are all the times she’s had us calling on the “God of Temilade Openiyi”. 

    When she wrote Lift Me Up 

    You just had to have been there the day the first Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer dropped. We were all happy for Letitia Wright and co., but it was Tems singing a cover of No Woman No Cry that turned Nigerian Twitter upside down.

    Not long after, she took another trip to Wakanda to write the film’s main song, Lift Me Up, for Rihanna in honour of Chadwick Boseman — not to be confused with BBNaija’s Herve’s Chad Boswick. 

    When she got an Oscar nomination for writing Lift Me Up 

    It was cool enough to write the official soundtrack for Black Panther and have Rihanna sing it. But just like BNXN, Tems refused to stop. She had to go ahead and get a nomination for Best Original Song at the Oscars, making her the first Nigerian singer to achieve that.

    It always takes one person to cross the invisible line, and now that Tems has done it, more Nigerian singers can work towards it too. I love a ceiling-breaking history-making queen. 

    The time she became the first Nigerian female artiste to win the BET Award for Best International Act 

    After years of the Best International Act at the BETs rotating between Wizkid, Burna Boy and Davido, Tems pulled up in 2022 and said, “Guys, it’s enough. Even God rested on the seventh day.” Taking home the award alongside another for Best Collaboration for Essence, Tems broke the yoke of the three GOATS. Hallelujah!

    The time she told everyone to “move out di way” so she, Grace Jones and Beyoncé could party

    Beyoncé is officially Tems best friend in my head, and that’s on period. After years of making the world wait for a new album, Queen Bey AKA Iya Ibeji AKA Mummy Blue finally dropped her seventh album, and guess who was one of the only three artists to feature on the album? Yes, sis, Tems baby. 

    Not only did Tems co-write the song Move, but she also dropped vocals alongside Grace Jones. Who run the world? Sorry, I couldn’t help it. 

    The time she got more Grammy nominations than the African Giant himself 

    Tems is no stranger to the Grammys after being nominated back in 2022 alongside Wizkid for Essence. Even though she lost that Grammy, our girl returned Daft Punk-style, harder, better, faster and stronger, with three nominations in 2023 for the inescapable WAIT FOR U alongside Drake and Future. 

    Dear Grammys, don’t play with us this year o. We will riot if Temilade leaves that place empty-handed. Shalom. 

    RECOMMENDED: Do Nigeria’s Biggest Artists Really Need the Grammys?

    This cute moment when dog owners found out their dogs had Rebel Gang ID cards

    @your_vine_plug

    This thread of dogs singing “Free mind by Tems” is beyond hysterical🤩. #dog #dogs #dogsoftiktok #funnydog

    ♬ original sound – Your Vine Plug🔥

    I thought I’d seen it all in this life until I bumped into the TikTok trend where dogs try to harmonise with Tems on her hit record, Free Mind. Now, Free Mind is an Instagram reels and TikTok fave for all those influencers pretending to wake up in front of the camera. But who knew Bingos around the world also loved homegirl, Tems? The power of good music. 

    When she became the first Nigerian artiste to debut at number one on Billboard Hot 100

    It’s one thing to get onto the Billboard Hot 100; I mean, Wizkid, CKay, Rema and Burna Boy have all done it, but to have your song enter at number one? That’s a feat few international acts can add to their LinkedIn. Debuting at the top of the charts in 2022 for WAIT FOR U with Future and Drake, Tems became the first Nigerian to get this major win. 

    When she also became the first female Nigerian artist to enter the Billboard Hot 100 with no features 

    When Tems dropped her debut EP, For Broken Ears, in 2020, everyone was obsessed with the song, Damages. Fast-forward to 2022, and Free Mind, a cult fave from the EP, blew up out of nowhere on TikTok, turning Tems into a social media queen. The same song ended up being her first solo entry onto the Billboard Hot 100, and she’s avoided putting out a pointless international remix to keep it on the charts. A true queen with dignity. 

    Back-to-back lewks on magazine covers, because why not? 

    Look at the material, and you be the judge of it. We don’t have to say much here. 

    The times she had Adele and Rihanna fangirling over her 

    It’s one thing to have fans — shoutout to the rebel gang — but to have Adele singing your song back to you, and Rihanna telling you you’re the shit? Girl, Tems is on another level, and I can’t help but stan. 

    ALSO READ: T.I Blaze is Not Just a Street Artiste, He Wants to Make Love Songs Too

  • Can your popularity level be compared to that of Ronaldo, or does no one know who you are?

    Take this quiz to find out.

  • Every track on Renaissance was a hit, but only one song on the album reflects your true personality. Take this quiz to find out.

  • Beyoncé is back and the internet is freaking out. After a six-year album hiatus, Queen Bey is back with a new album, Renaissance, on the way, and a new single out, Break My Soul. On the house-heavy song, Beyoncé complains about capitalism — despite charging an arm and a leg for merch — and asks us to forget our jobs, go outside and have a good time. 

    But what will you do after you quit your job for Queen Bey? We’ve got you. 

    Become a tech founder

    This is one of the most straightforward jobs in the world! All you need is a cool name, cool headshots in a black t-shirt — or turtleneck if you really want to make a statement — a MacBook, a couple of hot takes on Twitter, some tattoos or interesting piercings and a company that ends with “cash” or “pay”. If all these tech bros can do it, so can you. After all, they don’t have two heads. 

    Start a Beyhive branch on your street and collect registration fees

    Members of the Beyhive are rich! Don’t take our word for it, look at all the people that paid over $100 in these Buhari times for a box when they didn’t even know what was inside. So imagine how much they’d pay monthly to be a part of a Beyhive club? You’ll be swimming in money doing what you love. 

    Start doing runs 

    They won’t break your soul — just your back. 

    Become a dancer because why not? 

    Since you want to dance to Beyoncé during office hours, you might as well become a professional dancer. The career options are broad and flexible (from strip clubs to dressing up as Barney at children’s birthday parties).

    Start selling akara or Titus sardines 

    We’ve said it before, and we’ll repeat it, akara is the new tech. With people making over ₦30k daily from selling akara and Titus sardine prices now rivalling crude oil, these sound like good investments you can make once you obey Beyonce’s command.

    Become a TikTok influencer 

    This might be a bit tough if you’re a millennial or older, as those transitions and dance moves can be complicated AF! And if you fail, the internet will definitely turn you into a meme. But don’t lose hope. Keep pushing and one day you’ll make it.

    RECOMMENDED: The Zikoko Guide To Building Your Own Billion Dollar Tech Business

    Onlyfans? 

    Nollywood said it best: “Use what you have to get what you want.” In this case, all you need to do is show a little nakedness and charge people dollars to watch. Think about it this way, Adam and Eve were naked before the devil showed up, so technically, we were all supposed to be naked. Plus, you can dance naked to Break My Soul for your subscribers and get even more money. 

    Work for Zikoko 

    Hmmm. We won’t break your soul, and you even get to write articles like this. It’s also not a conventional 9 to 5, and you get to go on leave every time Beyoncé drops a new album, which is like once in every six years. The only downside is that Nigerians will always assume you’re on crack. Smh.

    Seduce a rich Nigerian man

    If all fails, find a rich man and settle down. Being married to a rich man is a career. Don’t let these basic bitches tell you otherwise.  A note though: competition is stiff. 

    ALSO READ: 13 Things Everyone Who Has Been Unemployed Know to Be True

  • What does it mean to be a man? Surely, it’s not one thing. It’s a series of little moments that add up.

    “Man Like” is a weekly Zikoko series documenting these moments to see how it adds up. It’s a series for men by men, talking about men’s issues. We try to understand what it means to “be a man” from the perspective of the subject of the week.

    The subject for today’s “Man Like” is Chuuzus. He’s a social media manager, content god, and all-around baddie. He talks about being bullied for being different, his male role model, leaving Nigerian Twitter, and some of his biggest fears. 

    It’s been a tough week. How are you? 

    I’ve generally felt angry and helpless with the whole #EndSars situation. I’ve gone through a lot of emotions — pain, anger, shock. I was so angry that people were not talking, and that some people were unfollowing me because I was tweeting about the #EndSars movement.

    I think I lost over 100 followers in one day just for tweeting #EndSars alone. Maybe it’s the fact that most of my followers are white people, so they’re not interested in this type of thing. I’m just here thinking that didn’t we say that Black Lives Matter? Why is everyone unlooking? 

    Pause. Your followers are what? 

    [Laughs]

    A little backstory — I love pop culture. I love talking about Beyoncé, Rihanna, Viola Davis, Quentin Tarantino, Kid Cudi. Like a lot. It also helps that I have friends who also enjoy this. So, when we discuss Quentin Tarantino, I’ll post something on Twitter about Kill Bill. Sometimes, it’s Viola Davis, so I’ll post something from How To Get Away With Murder. Over time, I realised that foreigners interact more with this content, so I focused on them. With time, I found myself slowly moving out of “Nigerian” Twitter. 

    To be honest, I like it because I’m seeing what I really love, which is pop culture. 

    Interesting.

    People drag me that I don’t talk about Nigerian pop culture, but I find it boring. Only a few people excite me, like Burna Boy, Santi, Odunsi, Deto Black, Lady Donli. Then, of course, Genevieve because she’s a queen. If you expect me to talk about the “other “people, I’m sorry it won’t happen. 

    Lmao. I’m curious about how you can talk about pop culture so well.

    I remember being different growing up. I also remember being treated differently in secondary school, and I swore never to allow any of my children to go to boarding school. It’s crazy how people bully you for being different.

    Because I didn’t like football and preferred talking about Beyoncé, Rihanna, I was called different names. I remember the popular kids called me names like faggot, dead guy. Apart from the names, I also faced a lot of discrimination. The fact that I don’t like football doesn’t give you a right to call me names. Who TF do you think you are? 

    I was just a child who enjoyed these things and loved to talk about them. I don’t understand why they had to be mean to me. 

    I’m so sorry. Do you want to share any incident?

    One time, I remember gisting with one of the popular girls back in school and one of the popular boys came by to meet her. He was like, “Why are you talking to this dead guy?” That statement shook me. When I got to the hostel, I was crying. It was normal to them, but I kept asking myself why someone would think it was okay to look down on someone. 

    I was like, “Do these people really think I’m a dead guy?”

    To be honest, I used to be concerned about the opinion of the popular kids. Some people will say that they didn’t care about their opinion, but the truth is that most people did. 

    It’s sad because nobody knows where the popular kids are today. I want to ask them: “What did you gain by being a bully?” They gained nothing. 

    Preach sis! 

    It’s wild that back then they used to call me Beyoncé, and I’d be angry. But now, I’m like what??  I can’t believe there was a time I was angry because people were calling me Bey. That’s like the greatest performer of our time. The most celebrated artist of our time. Why was I angry? I guess it’s because I was small and didn’t know what I was doing. Today, if you call me Beyoncé, that means I’m doing something right. It means that my work is exceptional, and I’m doing amazing.

    LMAO. I’m dying. How would you define masculinity?

    I like not being afraid to try new things. Some people think if you’re doing manicure or pedicure as a man, you’re gay. And these people are usually homophobes.  My idea of masculinity revolves around doing things without caring about what people will say. I’m not threatened to do things people consider as “woman-like.” For example, why can’t I like pink? Is it not a color? 

    Energy. Has anything ever threatened this belief?

    No. However, someone has threatened my life. 

    Wait. What?

    Yes. Threatened my life.

    Wow. 

    Back when I was on Nigerian Twitter, I was chaotic and always fighting with people. I blame it on the fact that I was very young. 

    I got into a fight with someone, and the person was like I know where you live and I’ll deal with you. The person dropped my address, my street name, my bus stop. See, I was so scared. After that incident, I’m just in my own lane tweeting about Rihanna. Before somebody will come and kill me because of Twitter. 

    I’m sorry but I laughed. Do you have male role models you want to be like? 

    OMG, Kid Cudi. The type of music he made when I was growing up wasn’t something considered “masculine.” He was singing about being depressed and back then, Hip-hop was all about drugs and women. Kid Cudi was there for me. He was there to address issues that black people look down on. Things like depression, loneliness, feeling lost. 

    I remember being depressed, listening to his album Man On The Moon 1 and 2 and thinking to myself that everything would end up being fine no matter what. 

    Did everything end up being fine though? 

    [Laughs]

    Does anything scare you? 

    I’m scared of not achieving my goal of being a filmmaker and an actor. I’m scared that there’s no time with the way things are going. I’m in my 20s, and this is the time I’m meant to start acting and stuff. But wtf is going on? I’ve also not figured out what I want to do with life. 

    I’m scared of not being well-loved. In fact, I never knew I’d like a relationship until my heart got broken like last month. I used to look down on all these couples in love until it happened to me. Now, it’s something I actually want. 

    Then there’s also the fear that I’ll never get a banging body. I’ll be sad if that doesn’t happen because I must rock a crop top before I die. 

    E for Eneji.

    Lmao.

    I was hoping to ask: when was the last time you cried?

    Yesterday. 

    The past week has been so so difficult with the #EndSars protests and all, then I now heard that a young man named Oke got killed. This is someone that was very young, and you could tell that he wanted to achieve something with his life. He had dreams just like any young person, and Nigeria killed him. That was extremely sad to me because no one deserves to go like that. 

    When I heard the news, I cried and cried.  Everyday, I pray that his soul rests in peace. 

    Me too. Me too.

    Check back every Sunday by 12 pm for new stories in the “Man Like” series. If you’d like to be featured or you know anyone that would be perfect for this, kindly send an email.

  • There’s so much music out there that it’s hard for even the most loyal fans to stay up with their favourite artists or what’s new and hot right now. That’s why we’ve created #BumpThis – a daily series that features the one song you need to listen to, every day. Don’t say we never did anything for you.

    Songs basically become hits when musicians craft a great message that sounds good. When Beyonce makes a song extolling dark-skinned women, and taps Wizkid, Saint Jhn and her very own brown skin girl, Blue Ivy Carter, you’re talking about an anthem.

    Packaged as Beyonce’s love letter to African Music, “The Lion King: The Gift” has hit fans and listeners like a tidal wave, supported and inspired by the live-action reboot of the mega-hit franchise, Lion King. The bevvy of Nigerians on the song – from Tiwa Savage to Burna Boy – has inspired a new wave of Nigerian Pride, as anyone can see from the thousands of excited takes on social media.

    The song that unites Nigerians most is the album’s potential classic. “Brown Skin Girl” is a sunny celebration of African beauty that features Beyonce alongside Afropop’s most famous voice, Wizkid, emerging trap sensation, SAINtt JH and Beyonce’s daughter Blue Ivy.

    The tracklist for Beyoncè’s “The Lion King: The Gift”

    Wizkid’s forays into foreign albums have offered him up as an African taste on Latino pop, and that trend continues here, only this time, it’s for the better. An artist oft-maligned for his watery lyrics, Wizkid perfectly complements Beyonce as they both worship “every single inch” of the African woman. It’s remarkable enough that it’s kicked off yet another conversation about his place on the group portrait of Nigerian music legends.

    “Brown Skin Girl” is already the most-listened song on the album, and deservedly so. Wizkid praises his urban African queens before Beyonce takes it into award ceremony range. Many Nigerian fans flipped at how Wizkid does a great job of refining the queen’s fresh attempt at Afropop.

    The song’s place on the album is reinforced by the last voice. Blue Ivy has appeared on music before, most notably on her father, Jay-Z’s 2017 album, “4:44”. Her appearance here caused a Twitter meltdown. In retrospect, it may well come to feel like a stamp of approval from the next generation of brown skin girls.

    Did you enjoy this? You should sign up for our weekly pop culture newsletter, Poppin’. You’ll get to know what we’re up to before anyone else + insider gist, reviews, freebies and more. If it sounds like your deal, sign up here.

  • The first few lines of Beyoncé’s hook on “Bigger“, the opener for her just-released “The Lion King: The Gift” tells you all you need to know about the album. “If you feel insignificant, you better think again,” she sings, “better wake up because you’re part of something way bigger, You’re part of something way bigger.” 

    The album, which she says is a love letter to Africa was inspired by the Lion King franchise.

    And as promised, the album is a celebration of African music. Beyoncé tapped the who’s who of Africa’s biggest musical movement, Afrobeats.

    The list of collaborators — Shatta Wale, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Yemi Alade, Mr Eazi, Tekno, Tiwa Savage, Busiswa, Moonchild Sanelly, Bankulli, P2J, NorthBoi, GuiltyBeatz and many more — would make any African proud. From the tidal wave of pride sweeping through social media, the album’s Nigerian pop and Ghanaian Highlife influences have struck a chord, especially among West Africans.

    It’s only fitting that we celebrate the Nigerian essence on Beyoncé’s “The Lion King: The Gift”. These are the 5 best Nigerian moments on a body of work that may be Afrobeats’ first true global moment.

    • WIZKID ON “BROWN SKIN GIRL” with Beyoncé, Saint Jhn & Blue Ivy Carter.

    When fans first saw Wizkid on the tracklist for this album, familiar fears were raised. Wizkid has always been known for his melodies than any form of poignant songwriting, especially on an album packaged as a slice of African Pride. However, our fears were allayed on listening to the track. The ease with which Wizkid slotted his vocals into the beat is the level of comfort Nigerians should aspire to in these Buhari times.

    The song is a celebration of Melanin and darker skin tones. Wizkid is not credited as one of the songwriters, unsurprisingly. But this matters only a little; Starboy focuses on his strengths and ends up nearly bodying everyone on the song, before rounding it off by harmonising with Queen B. Did you read that right? Wizkid, Baba Bolu, the patron saint of Nigerian gbedu flexed voices with Beyoncé on the best song off her new album. Wake me up. This has to be a dream. Hate him or love him, but Wizkid may have just crafted, with help, of course, an evergreen anthem for African women. What a time to be alive.

    • BANKULLI’s VOCALS

    You may remember Bankulli as the chubby man screaming “Burna Boy, Call Me” in that viral video of Kanye West convulsing to “Ye”. Older fans may remember him as one of the first members of the Mo’ Hits team and the man who introduced D’banj to Kanye West thus kicking off the G.O.O.D Music/Mo’ Hits relationship. Long story short: Bankulli is an OG’s OG. On “The Lion King: The Gift“, Bankulli contributed writing and vocals to three songs. He’s the man responsible for the subtle ode to fuji music on “Find Your Way Back“. His best contribution to the album is arguably the spiritual outro on “OTHERSIDE“.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B0F7Y63gmPJ/?igshid=zdkdfgyslr7s

    Sung in Yoruba, “Sokale o Oluwa, wa wonu okan mi lo” (“Descend from the heavens, Lord and take over my soul”) is a staple of Nigerian pentecostal church music that elevates just another Lion King song to a call to God. It’s safe to say that while the lineup is heavily Nigerian, Bankulli represented the culture in ways that no-one else did.

    • A NIGERIAN BEYONCÉ

    It takes a lot to curate a culture you’re not actively invested in. Sure, Beyoncé’s romance with Nigerian culture, especially the goddesses Osun and Yemoja is well documented. But what she achieves on “The Lion King: The Gift” is immense. She fits seamlessly into traditional Afropop & Ghana Highlife production on most songs and morphs into a soulful westernized Tope Alabi on “OTHERSIDE”, so well that when Bankulli’s vocals come in, she’s family.

    Beyoncé’s romance with Nigerian culture, especially the goddesses Osun and Yemoja is well documented.

    The most Nigerian version of Beyoncé comes on “ALREADY” featuring Shatta Wale. From her enunciation to how she interpolates melodies, you can almost swear she’s been listening to Yemi Alade. Queen B has delivered her love letter to Nigeria, maybe it’s time to come show that love in person.

    • EVERY TIME WE HEARD AFROPOP BEATS AND MELODIES

    For decades now, producers have been the unsung heroes of Afropop’s evolution and subsequent journey to global recognition. In the last few years, producers like Sarz and DJ Maphorisa have gotten global recognition, but these were more of sporadic cosigns than full recognition of their abilities. Beyoncé’s “The Gift” may as well be that moment. It may have taken longer than expected for Nigerian/UK producer, P2J to get his coins and roses, but with credits on multiple songs off the album, it’s fair to say the man has etched his name in history.

    NorthBoi Oracle, who produced Starboy’s “Soco” is also credited as a producer on the album and that’s not counting the back-end creatives — Michael Uzowuru, Bankulli, and more — who built what is a cinematic African experience. Much has been said of Afrobeats’ journey to global acceptance. This album, which may become its biggest moment yet, is evidence of how much collaboration and years of work behind the scenes we’ll need to make it happen.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B0BpnuelTTE/

    Who’s the only artist with his own full song on an album made, curated and executive produced by the biggest musician in the world? That’s right, our very own Damini Ogulu aka Burna Boy. Rankin’s ascent to the upper echelons of afrobeats and world music since the release of 2018’s “Outside” is one for the storybooks.

    Many have guessed that Burna refused to have anybody else on his song, others claim no-one was a good fit; whatever the case is, you can see why Burna Boy is in a class of his own, literally. “JA ARA E” is another tribute to Fela’s Afrobeat, a very apt allusion in an album about African pride. The title, which means “Enlighten Yourself” is also consistent with Burna Boy’s Pan-African ideals. This song sounds like the soundtrack to the radicalisation of Simba and is already a fan favourite. With what we’ve heard so far, we simply can’t wait for Burna Boy’s “African Giant“. 

    Speaking of evolution, one artiste who is an unsung hero on this album is Zlatan. Artists enjoying a breakout year have the capacity to do anything from changing the popular sound to creating sub genres of their own. In the year since he released “My Body” w/ Olamide and caught the attention of Nigerian singer Davido, Zlatan has done both.

    Zlatan’s friendship with Burna gave him his biggest hit yet, “Killin Dem” and stamped him in the eyes of a mainstream audience. In turn, Zlatan’s edge and energy have found a willing vessel in Burna, who dances the Zanku like he came up with it.

    Fans have hailed Burna’s loyalty to his personal sound on the Beyonce album. And the best evidence of Zlatan’s influence yet is how his ad-libs spice up Burna Boy’s “JA ARA E”. Those shouts of Kuronbe and Eh Eh are dominating Nigerian airwaves for months now. They’ve made their way to a Beyonce album. Agege must be proud.

    It’s a great time to be African.

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