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  • In 2022, Falz was arguably one of the hardest-working Nigerian rappers alive.

    At the time, he already had five albums and an EP with Simi in his catalogue, two African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) for his performances in Jenifa’s Diary (2016) and New Money (2018). But he took a breather after that—a necessary cool-down.

    He could have made music like many of the coterie of musicians we had at the time, but he chose conscious music. Like his father, Femi Falana, a long-time human rights activist-lawyer, when it became time for Falz to become an activist, he embraced it.

    In 2018, he released his viral freestyle “This Is Nigeria,” based on Childish Gambino’s “This Is America,” where he poked holes at the vices that have stunted the growth of the country. A year later, he released Moral Instruction, the album where he rapped on the eighth track “E No Finish”: “Corruptions and indiscipline / With no regard for the life of a citizen / Mtcheww, so sickening.”

    When #EndSARS protests broke out in October 2020 with his countrymen, he took to the streets of Lagos to protest police brutality, something he knows well, having been harassed by the police himself.

    So, it’s instinctive to think that, in his latest album, The Feast, which he dropped on Friday, May 30, 2025, Falz would launch another commentary on Nigeria’s problems—but his goes back to the subject matter from his heydays in songs like “Soft Work” and “Squander” where he sings about soft life, blending it with the new Falz who has waged war on moral decadence in the country.

    The 12-track album opens with “Round of Applause,” where Falz rhymes briefly about man and woman matters, his safety around the Nigerian police, and an administration that finds speaking to the public beneath them. “Me, I be citizen and I must see the president / Na me put am there,” he spits on the track. He also reminds us that no one can escape Nigeria’s bad governance; it touches both the rich and the poor. “Round of Applause” is the starter that deserves the resounding gesture it asks for.

    As he moves to “Old Soja” featuring Majeed, he raps about perseverance as we speak truth to power. Majeed’s chorus can be likened to Moses screaming at Pharaoh to free the Israelites from slavery, with “You for let my people go” blaring on repeat.

    Falz assumes the role of the “Old Soja” that never dies in his verse and stubbornly affirms he won’t back down in the face of oppression. It’s a personal statement in which he synthesises metaphors and scenarios to restate his political standing.

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    On “Anything Goes,” where he features OdumoduBlvck, one of the hottest Nigerian rappers of the moment, he comes knocking with the invincible attitude that one would expect from a revitalised Falz. “Dem don dey kill us…but we no be idiot,” he declares.

    On “No Less,” he leans deeper into his culture, joining a long line of Yoruba musicians, including Asake and Seyi Vibez, who have been part of the resurgence of Fuji music. He samples Sikiru ‘Barrister’ Ayinde’s “Fuji Garbage,” from which the song also derives its title.

    “Famomi” begins with DoTTi the Deity, telling his lover to draw closer to him. Whether the intent is a song a significant other could jam to while they go to sleep or wake up to, it’s a sweet cup of romance. If “Famomi” is a time-winding, cosy intimate moment tune, the next track, “Slow Down,” featuring Qing Madi, conjures the feelings that kick in when lovers are out to paint the town red with romance.

    Falz gets jiggy, flirty, braggadocious, and motivational on “Jump.” He’s in the company of women, having fun and poking at the introverts at the party. But not without subbing people who are “hating on the boy for no reason.”

    On “Wonderfully Made,” featuring twin sisters and singers Oiza and Meyi, Falz is barefaced, as he aims to tackle body positivity, but ends up dividing women into two categories, based on their body types—“Orobo” and “lepa”—one of the oldest tropes in Nigerian music. “I dey like Orobo BBW / When I see lepa, I just dey act a fool,” he sings. What he doesn’t imagine is all the bodies in between.

    The man who sang in “Child Of the World” (2019) that “Many “belle” she don get, she don terminate / Queen “Runs girl”, she no get any competition / Gomina, Senator, she’s giving every politician / Somebody tell am say the consequences no dey likely / Until she tested positive to HIV” had always been in the shadows.

    The album gets into party mode on “Dance With You,” where Falz wheedles a lady to boogie down with him and, by extension, be his lover. He resurrects the spirit of Fela Kuti on “Wayo,” which samples “Jeun Ko Ku (Chop ‘N’ Quench)” (1971). Falz borrows Fela’s “eat and die” rhetoric, which holds politicians and public officials in power who feel entitled to “the national cake” accountable. 

    But what’s Afrobeats without some smug brags and raps about ass. The production is fiery, and American rapper D Smoke is zealous like a Black Panther ready to get to work on the streets of Selma.

    “Eat” is the second-to-the-last track, and it speaks to the hunger for everything desirable, from money to women, to the soft life. But he cautions moderation and common sense. Good advice, but it’s a filler. If not for its bouncy logdrums and head-bopping flows, it’s a skip straight to the closing track.

    The album ends with “Story Time,” the closest we come to knowing Folarin Falana as he takes us to the creation story of Falz TheBahdGuy. Growing up, he dreamed of being a footballer. In his university days in the icy city of London, he began to nurture his love for music, which ultimately led to the birth of TheBahdGuy. We come to learn that his hit, “This Is Nigeria,” was meant to be just a freestyle. But it offered the momentum which he wisely grabbed to release Moral Instruction.

    Though it’s still celebrated as a classic in contemporary Nigerian conscious music, Falz presents it as an opportunity grab. 

    The Feast is a return to old fire but with new flames. Falz burns with the zeal that solidified him as one of the best rappers in the land. It’s a lively project. In the soundscape in which The Feast exists, no musician should dare initiate a claim about being the most delightful Nigerian rapper without cooking captivating, fun, and relatable tunes like Falz has done with this album.

    This album isn’t exactly ”a thorough playlist cleanse” as he described in a tweet, but it’s an enjoyable rap album, a banquet for his fans. The guy who made those “Ello Bae” skits is gone.

    Now that he has stripped away his comic alter-ego that brought him to fame, from his music, he might need something strong enough to keep him unforgettable. For Falz to rise again, he will need to pull his music even further into the mainstream, or, like he did before, pull the centre to him.

    Falz may not be the hardworking rapper he was five years ago, but he’s far from done.

    ALSO READ: 5IVE: Another Chapter in Davido’s Psalms

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  • On March 30, Nigerian rappers Folarin Falana (Falz) and Olanrewaju Ogunmefun (Vector) released a new hit single, “Yakubu”. 

    The song targeted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu, over the alleged manipulation of the 2023 election results.

    The song’s lyrics captured some reasons INEC gave for the February 25 presidential election results not being posted in real-time on the INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV). Amongst them were the technical glitches in the system. 

    It also spoke on the massive election violence witnessed by voters in many polling units across Nigeria, to which Falz had been a victim.

    The song has been met with positive remarks on how the song reflects the poor credibility of Nigeria’s elections. Many Nigerians have also used the song to express their political feelings on the elections and Nigeria’s governance.

    However, this isn’t the first time Nigerian musicians have spoken up for citizens using their creative skills for political activism. 

    Since the 1970s, musicians have called out the Nigerian government for its actions and inactions and requested better governance and accountability. Let’s list them out here:

    1970s

    Fela Kuti’s “Zombie”

    Even though most songs in Fela’s discography are known to be widely anti-governmental,  “Zombie” would always stand out as one of his most acclaimed songs.

    Released in 1976, “Zombie” speaks on Nigerian soldiers and their trait of following orders from their superiors blindly and inhumanely. This later led to the military attack on the Kalakuta Republic, Fela’s creative commune, in 1977.

    The attack on Kalakuta Republic [Yorubaness]

    1980s

    Majek Fashek’s “Prisoner of Conscience”

    In the 1989 hit song, “Prisoner of Conscience”, reggae artist Majek Fashek speaks to the police brutality in his time and how they tend to cut short the lives of future leaders violently. 

    It is interesting to note that police brutality reared its ugly head again three decades later with the #EndSARS protests.

    RECOMMENDED: 9 Old Songs About Nigeria That Proves That Nothing Has Changed

    1990s 

    Daddy Showkey’s “Fire Fire”

    In 1998, John Asiemo (Daddy Showkey) released “Fire Fire”, a song that likens Nigeria to being “on fire” with its many political troubles.

    2000s

    Eedris Abdulkareem’s “Jaga Jaga” (2004)

    The singer’s most famous hit song is “Jaga Jaga”, which speaks to political assassinations, the rising cost of living, fuel scarcity and many more.

    This led to then-president Olusegun Obasanjo banning his song from radio airwaves, but that didn’t stop the song’s popularity. 

    African China’s “Mr President” (2006)

    On this track, the Nigerian singer pleads for presidents, governors, senators, and even the police to lead well and perform their responsibilities with a conscience. 

    Timaya’s “Dem Mama” (2007)

    In 1999, 900 civilians were killed in Odi, Bayelsa State, by the Nigerian Armed Forces in an attack known as the “Odi Massacre”. 

    A native of the ill-fated town, Timaya expressed his sadness about the tragic events and his concerns about Nigeria slipping into chaos from a fresh democracy in his song, “Dem Mama”.

    Sound Sultan’s “Light Up” (2010)

    Before 2010, a huge political expectation from the government was the implementation of Vision 2010. 

    Inaugurated by the then-military president Sani Abacha in 1996, the committee’s terms of reference were to “forge a plan which will ensure that Nigeria is en route by the year 2010, to becoming a developed nation in terms of economic prosperity, political stability and social harmony.” But their promises never came to fruition.

    In this song, Sound Sultan, together with M.I, criticizes their lack of accountability on the project while calling attention to the corrupt practices and money-grabbing antics of Nigeria’s political class.

    2018-2020

    Falz’s “This is Nigeria” (2018)

    Made as a freestyle to Childish Gambino’s “This is America”, “This is Nigeria” speaks to more modern problems on the rise of armed militia such as Boko Haram and fraud.

    Burna Boy’s “20.10.20” (2020)

    “20.10.20” is a sobering memoir of the Lekki Toll Gate Massacre on October 20, 2020. In this song, Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy, seeks to pay tribute to fallen comrades of the attack while reminding everyone who was to blame for the massacre – the Nigerian Army.

    Why is it important for musicians to be involved in politics?

    • It can serve as a means of preserving important events in a country’s history
    • It acts as a catalyst for political awareness
    • It can spark conversations and change in governmental policies.

  • If there’s one Nollywood movie that had everyone talking in 2022, it’s Brotherhood. The action thriller, which follows twin brothers (played by Falz and Tobi Bakre) on different sides of a massive heist, took over the cinemas in 2022, reminding us that Nollywood doesn’t have to make a rom-com to grab the audience’s attention. 

    With Brotherhood coming to Amazon Prime in 2023, I went digging for some cool random facts you probably don’t know about this banger of a film. 

    Brotherhood was the highest-grossing Nollywood film of 2022

    In a year that big Hollywood movies like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, The Woman King and Avatar: The Way of Water occupied Nigerian cinemas, Brotherhood still came out strong as the highest-grossing Nollywood film with ₦328.9M. As a loyal fan, is there anything for the boys? Just asking. 

    Brotherhood has the largest ensemble of BBNaija housemates in one film

    Show me which other Nollywood film has five ex-Big Brother Naija housemates playing serious roles, not waka pass or cameos? From Brotherhood’s leading man, Tobi Bakre, to Dorathy Bachor, Dianne Russet, Boma Akpore and Seyi Awolowo, the film was packed with BBNaija star power. Ebuka should be proud of his people. 

    The writers of Brotherhood knew it was almost impossible to film in Nigeria 

    According to Abdul Tijani-Ahmed, who wrote the TV show Ricordi and co-wrote Brotherhood, he had a running joke with his co-writer, Jade Osiberu, that they’d write whatever worked for the story no matter how outrageous it sounded, and leave production to figure out how to shoot them. Fun fact: Jade was the film’s producer, so she was setting herself up. Luckily for the audience, they made that magic happen. 

    Brotherhood’s director is Ugandan 

    While many people assumed Jade Osiberu directed Brotherhood, the film was actually directed by a Ugandan filmmaker, Loukman Ali. Loukman is also responsible for The Girl in the Yellow Jumper, a gripping thriller anyone who liked Brotherhood should see ASAP. 

    This is the first time Falz is playing a non-comedic role 

    Falz speaking regular English without an exaggerated Yoruba accent? I’m here for it. While the rapper has proven himself as one of the funniest comedic actors of the moment with Jenifa’s Diaries, Quam’s Money and Chief Daddy, taking on Wale Adetula in Brotherhood marked the first time we’ve seen him play a serious role, no jokes. Hopefully, he takes on more roles like this for the culture. 

    READ: How to Make a Badass Nollywood Action Film, According to “Brotherhood” Scriptwriter, Abdul Tijani-Ahmed

    Brotherhood is Jade Osiberu and Tobi Bakre’s second film together 

    Are Jade Osiberu and Tobi Bakre the Nigerian version of Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese? This and whether or not my soulmate has already married someone else are the two questions that keep me up at night. Before Brotherhood, Tobi and Jade worked on the 2019 action comedy Sugar Rush. They also have a third film, Gangs of Lagos, coming later in 2023. 

    OC Ukeje, is that you with dreadlocks? 

    We’ve seen OC Ukeje rock different looks and play complex roles before, but something about his character, Izra, stands out. Yes, it’s the dreadlocks (and maybe all the times I wanted to kill him myself while watching the film). This hair on OC is a major slay, and I’m here for it. 

    Brotherhood is the highest-grossing Nollywood action film of all time 

    Move over romantic comedies because action films might be coming for the Nollywood crown. Brotherhood currently occupies the sixth spot on the list of highest-grossing Nollywood films of all time, including The Wedding Party, Omo Ghetto: The Saga and Chief Daddy in the top five. Remember, this film literally came out months ago and is already this high up the list.  

    Brotherhood started showing in 14 African countries at the same time

    It’s one thing to open your film in Nigerian cinemas, gauge the response and then start showing in Ghana or something. But when you’re big, you’re big — and Brotherhood was big. The film opened in 14 countries, a ballsy move mostly associated with big Hollywood franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Twilight. 

    ALSO READ: 20 Crazy Questions Everyone Who’s Seen “Shanty Town” is Asking

    Coming to you next week

  • Remember when Nigerians didn’t celebrate Halloween for fear of demons? Well, I guess those days are over. 

    With Halloween parties, haunted houses and dressing up quickly becoming a thing in Nigeria, I’ve ranked 13 (inspired by the iconic, Friday, The 13th film series) memorable and not so memorable celebrity Halloween costumes. Hopefully you can find some inspiration (or not) for next year. 

    13. Wizkid 

    We all know Wizkid doesn’t like stress, but please, what is this look? It feels like he was going for a cross between Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Michael Myers from Halloween, but the mask just ends up looking like a primary school fine arts project with small finesse. 

    Level of Creativity: LOL

    12. Pretty Boy D.O 

    The Ruger vs. BNXN beef has been one of the funniest things to happen this year, and while PrettyBoy DO is funny in this video, all he has is an eyepatch trying to look like Ruger and it’s not giving at all. At least Blaqbonez dyed his hair. 

    Level of creativity: 0.5

    11. Ebuka 

    I get that the look is inspired by Money Heist, but it’s so boring I can’t deal. Ebuka always kills it when it comes to looks, so disappointment doesn’t even cover how I feel right now looking at his La Casa De Papel: Lekki Branch costume. 

    Level of Creativity: 2

    10. Mercy Eke 

    Girl, this is just a jumpsuit and a nice darling yaki weave. I get she’s trying to channel the late Selena (not to be confused with Selena Gomez, please and thank you), but it just feels very low effort and I know my girl is capable of more. The pictures slap, though. 

    Level of creativity: 2

    9. Ms DSF 

    This French costume is super sexy on DSF, but I feel like somewhere along the line, we’ve forgotten that Halloween costumes are meant to be either scary or based on iconic people. It could be scary sexy or iconic sexy, but just sexy-sexy is a miss. Love the face beat, though. 

    Level of creativity: 3

    8. Yemi Alade 

    Ms Alade, I love you, but is this Storm from X-Men or Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty. You have to pick one because both of them are not the same person. E for effort sha.

    Level of creativity: 5

    RECOMMENDED: Halloween Costume Ideas For the Girls

    7. Kaylah Oniwo 

    Come through Disney Villain!! While Kaylah Oniwo’s Cruella De Vil look comes off as a modern adaptation of the classic character from 101 Dalmations, she still gives off that old school vibe with the cigarette holder and thin eyebrows. By the way, can we get into the wig? The wig is wigging, dears. 

    Level of creativity: 7

    6. Toke Makinwa

    Now, this is how you pull off a sexy Halloween look. The dress is making a statement, but it’s not taking anything away from her horns, which reminds us that she’s Maleficent from Ikoyi. The make-up also goes hard. TM for the win. 

    Level of creativity: 7

    5. Stephanie Coker 

    I’m sorry, but that big doll from Squid Game still haunts me till this day. Big shoutout to Stephanie Coker for pulling this look off, down to the photoshopped red eyes. Something about dolls and children in horror films makes me very uncomfortable, so having her daughter in this picture takes the creepiness to another level.

    Level of creativity: 8 

    4. Oddity 

    You don’t have to be an anime lover to recognise Naruto from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Working in her signature bald look into her costume, Oddity’s Halloween look is iconic. Quick question from a non-anime-watching Nigerian: Abeg, where is this arrow pointing to? 

    Level of creativity: 9

    3. Falz 

    Anyone who nails the Joker’s terrifying smile is a rockstar in my book and Falz does it well. 

    Level of creativity: 9.5

    2. Elozonam 

    I don’t know who Elozonam is channelling; all I know is that he needs to keep this scary shit away from me. The burn looks so real, I’m actually in serious distress just looking at it. 

    Level of creativity: 10

    1. Toyin “Tiannah Styling” Lawani

    No one can take the best halloween costume crown away from Toyin “Tiannah Styling” Lawani. This woman dresses everyday like it’s Halloween, so I expected nothing less on the real day. 

    Level of creativity: 10000. Look at the receipts!

    ALSO READ: What Were They Thinking? We Rank the Most Chaotic AMVCA Looks

  • Everyone you know is probably talking about Brotherhood. The crime action film, which follows Falz and Tobi Bakare as brothers on opposite sides of the law, has taken over African cinemas, with people hailing it as one of the best Nollywood films ever made. 

    You know who to meet if you didn’t enjoy the film

    As someone who wants to make movies one day, I had to hunt down Abdul Tijani-Ahmed, who co-wrote Brotherhood with Jadesola Osiberu, for all the gist on what it takes to create a world as entertaining as the one I saw in the cinema. Take out your pens and start jotting things down. 

    Make sure your characters have cultist names 

    Having an action film with boring character names is a big no-no. If you were thinking in that direction, you better start unthinking now. Pick the scariest names you can find — like Shadow, Poison and Kalashskinov, so your character sounds like a Russian villain — even though the film is set in Nigeria.

    Confuse the audience by making the good guy and bad guy brothers 

    Action films usually have the good and bad guys, with audiences always rooting for the good guys. But where’s the fun in that? We decided to make picking a side hard by making the chief opponents brothers. But e no still do, so we made them twins! 

    Shut down Third Mainland Bridge for a major shootout scene 

    How many films can say they shut down the Third Mainland Bridge like it’s their backyard? Action films need high stakes, and what’s higher than shutting down the Third Mainland Bridge? It’s either you go big or go home and drink Ribena. 

    The choice is yours. 

    Sam Dede, because why not? 

    Are you really a Nollywood stan if you don’t know Sam Dede? From Die Another Day to Igodo and the legendary, Issakaba, Sam Dede is one of the OG Nollywood action stars. Having him in Brotherhood felt like a homage to the past, and he killed his role. 

    If you can’t find Sam Dede, hunt down Saint Obi. 

    Plenty of confrontational scenes to give the audience high BP 

    You can’t give your audience rest of mind. It’s not allowed. They came to the cinema to watch an action film and be thrilled, which means they woke up and chose violence, so give them that violence. Anytime they think everything is over, throw in another confrontation scene to surprise them like NEPA bill. 

    RECOMMENDED: We Checked, and These Are the Best Nollywood Films of 2022…So Far

    Throw in some romance and intense kissing to calm everyone’s nerves

    Characters can’t be fighting and shooting guns every time; they need to enjoy themselves too. Plus, a little mouth meet and greet here and there is necessary to help cool the audience down. It also gives everyone relationships to ship — should I go with #Wamsi (Wale and Kamsi) or #Aldie (Akin and Goldie)? 

    Make all the characters relatable — even the bad guys

    It’s always important for the audience to see themselves or someone they know in your characters. From the guy who wants to live a responsible life but that black sheep of the family won’t give him peace of mind, to the friend who’s just a mad person in every situation, your characters have to feel real. 

    Plenty of car chase scenes because Tom Cruise doesn’t have two heads

    If Hollywood can do car chase scenes, make cars summersault and blow them up, then what’s stopping you? Tom Cruise and Marvel don’t have two heads, dear. Look for kerosine and blow that car up today.

    Scenes in dark bars with snooker and smoke 

    Every action film has those scenes set in dimly lit bars with people smoking like no tomorrow, playing snooker and making shady deals. For maximum effect, we have more than one. Bit of advice: the more smoke, the better. 

    A dramatic death scene 

    You need a death scene that’ll make the audience cry. Think Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame or Mufasa in The Lion King. If the audience isn’t plotting revenge on behalf of your character, then your film hasn’t started yet. 

    Disclaimer: All of this is bants, so take my advice at your own risk. LOL

    ALSO READ: Collision Course is not the Deep Police Brutality Film Its Pretending to Be


  • The last time Falz dropped an album, we hadn’t experienced a panini or the life-changing #EndSARS protests. It was 2019, Miss ‘Rona was still preparing for her tour, and all was relatively alright with the world. Back with a six-pack, Falz is ready to make a surprising statement with his new album, Bahd. 

    Considering 2019’s Moral Instruction and the significant role Falz played during the protests, you’d immediately think Bahd would be drenched in social justice anthems. Choosing the soft life instead, this album finds Falz in his most chill era yet, avoiding stress and being a baby boy. While we’re here for his obvious sonic growth and much-needed dive into escapism, we’re not sure everything slaps. 

    The Breakdown

    Bahd opens with the smooth and simple Another Me. Carried by a super seductive bass guitar, we’re also introduced to Falz doing his best Don Toliver impersonation (spoiler alert: it works). Another Me kicks things off early on, on a positive note, managing to blend both the nostalgia of 90s baby-making R&B and the mumble rap that kids on TikTok fuck with these days. Listening to the past and the future in one song is always welcome experience.

    Falz does well to deploy some of the album’s best tracks to the front in a five-song stretch. Another me is followed by All Night, the album’s first potential radio hit and a romantic bop that needs its video like yesterday. Tiwa Savage lends her in-demand vocals to Beautiful Sunflower, the album’s third track and first collaboration. It’s a cute song, but there isn’t a lot of meat on the track, which is slightly disappointing considering what both stars are capable of. 

    RECOMMENDED: Do Nigerian Music Albums Need to Be Cohesive?

    Parampe is the second standout track on the album and an obvious nod to the work of the Kutis, but without the gragra of a certain African Giant. It borrows from these icons without drowning out Falz’ identity in the process. Knee Down marks the first collaboration to make a statement, with Chike deep in his Nollywood “I will die for you” lover boy bag on the track’s chorus.

    These songs are unfortunately followed by the uninteresting Pull Up, which sounds like a 2017 Runtown or Mr. Eazi bonus track, and Gentleman, where Falz frustratingly does his best to make a song out of every rhyming word in the dictionary.  

    Highlife brothers, The Cavemen, help Falz find his groove again on Woman, before we’re introduced to Tender Love, which packs a tender punch. The last three songs are features, with Timaya and new Mavin signee Boy Spice making an appearance on the Duktor Sett-produced, Inside — a highlife “let’s groove” banger that works on it’s own, but fails to tie in with the overall production vibe of the album. 

    L.A.X and BNXN round up the album with Roger Milla and Ice Cream respectively. Roger Milla feels like an album filler, and for someone who’s last album had just nine tracks, this feels unnecessary.  BNXN continues his winning streak with the infectious line, “I scream, you scream, we scream for ice cream.”  What do you all know about being a lyricist? 

    Our Verdict

    Falz has built a reputation for making digestible rap with a pendulum that’s swung between conscious and overly playful. But with Bahd, we see the rapper leave both identities behind for something more laidback. He’s not out to make a major statement with this album, but we can’t complain. Not all the songs on Bahd are winners, but the ones that hit? They really hit.

    Highs: Another Me, All Night, Parampe, Knee Down, Woman, Inside and Ice Cream

    Lows: Pull Up, Gentleman and Roger Milla

    We don’t know: Beautiful Sunflower and Tender Love

    ALSO READ: Forget the Music, Why Is Everyone Still Obsessed With Naira Marley?

  • Nigerian rapper and actor, Folarin Falana aka Falz, is returning to the silver screen in December 2020 in the movie, Quam’s Money. The movie’s full trailer was recently released and showed that the action-comedy is going to be a major movie event. Here are 5 things we know about the movie so far.

    1) It’s the sequel to the 2018 movie, New Money.

    New Money tells the story of Toun, a fashion designer whose biological father dies and bequeaths her his multi-billion dollar empire. Quam (played by Falz) appeared in the movie as a supporting character.

    2) Falz is reprising his role from the first movie. This time as the lead character.

    Quam’s Money will follow the adventures of Quam aka Sweet Boy Q, a security guard whose life is turned topsy turvy when he becomes a millionaire overnight and loses N500 million in a fraudulent business deal. Based on the trailer, Quam is willing to do whatever it takes to get his money back.

    3) It is Inkblot Productions 14th movie.

    Inkblot Production is the company behind many Nollywood hits such as The Wedding Party 1 & 2 (aka the top 2 highest-grossing Nigerian movies of all time), Up North, and Love Is War. Quam’s Money is a collaboration with FilmOne and the Falz-owned production company, House 21.

    4) It’s being helmed by people wey sabi the work.

    These two men are some of the hottest talents in the Nigerian movie industry right now. Kayode Kasum (director of Quam’s Money) has worked on several Nollywood movies such as Sugar Rush and Fate of Alakada. And Chinaza Onuzo (screenwriter of Quam’s Money, The Set Up, and co-founder of Inkblot) has worked on The Wedding Party series and Who’s The Boss.

    5) The film stars an ensemble cast.

    The movie stars Nse Ikpe-Etim, Williams Uchemba, Toni Tones, Michelle Dede, Karibi Fubara, and Buchi Ojieh. With Jemima Osunde and Blossom Chukwujekwu also reprising their roles from the first movie.

    Quam’s Money will be available in cinemas across Nigeria from the 11th of December 2020.

    Check out the full trailer below:

  • Nigerian music is riddled with not one, not two but thousands of songs that are sexist — objectifying and degrading women. The lyrics and videos of these songs, support or justify misogyny and sexism, yet a lot of them have such catchy tunes, we sometimes cannot resist them.

    In this year of our Lord, how are sexist Nigerian songs still a thing? Pretend we didn’t ask that. The answer is obvious: Misogyny is fire in this country.

    Anyway, since it is women’s month, we made a list of a few songs that fall under this category. The misogyny in these songs is so bad, many women will not listen to them.

    1. Falz’s Child of The World

    The song is a Nollywood trope and that’s that about that. It talks about a good girl who was raped at a young age and then becomes a runs girl. If you listen closely, there’s a load of victim blaming and very little about the abuser, an uncle who raped her. And it is for this reason women hate it. Read more here.

    Tired of sexist Nigerian songs.

    2. Kizz Daniel’s Pak n GO

    This song is on top of every woman’s list. If you do not pay attention to lyrics, you probably want to pay attention to this one because the beat is perfect for a night out with your girls. Almost everything about the song is sexist. But you know what takes the crown? This part: “O l’omoge biggy-biggy, when will you marry eh? Until your bobby touch your belle oh?”

    Tired of sexist Nigerian songs
    Makes me want to throw up.

    3. Oritsefemi’s Igbeyawo

    This song is definitely stuck in some century that is certainly not the 21st century. If you’re not Yoruba and do not understand Yoruba, you’ve probably been jamming this song and enjoying it, especially at Nigerian weddings and other kinds of parties.

    A translation of the first verse of the lyrics is enough to tell you that this song belongs in the dustbin: “Wife, listen to your husband, prepare food on time, fetch water on time, wash clothes on time, GIVE SEX ON TIME????” It doesn’t end there. In fact, he tells women that it’s what we neglect that another person will pick up.

    Tired of Sexist Nigerian songs
    Never ever want to hear that sexist anthem again.

    4. Yeba by Kizz Daniel

    Some songs should come with trigger warnings because, I don’t see the point of this line in this song: “Uncle, stop touching.” It clearly shows someone is not comfortable. Yet it is said so, so casually. While the beat of the song is delightful and upbeat, that line triggers lots of women, especially women who have experienced some form of sexual assault. What’s worse is that he was called out for this nonsense lyrics and went on to justify it with the tweet below. Kiss or Kizz Daniel, please.

    There are a lot of sexist Nigerian songs, but we’ll stop here. Did we miss any song? Add to the list! Let’s compile them until the government sees this and bans them.

  • There’s so much new music being released that it’s hard for even the most loyal fans to wade through the trash to find the gems. That’s why we’ve created #BumpThis – a Friday series that features new songs, by and featuring Nigerians, that you absolutely need to hear.

    Phyno — “Get The Info” ft. Phenom & Falz

    Although he rarely gets the credit deserves, Phyno is one of the most consistent and versatile Nigerian artists in the game. Last year, he reaffirmed that fact with his third solo album, Deal With It, and now, he’s dropped a video for one of its most thoughtful songs, “Get The Info”.

    On the Major Banggz-produced track, which features Phenom and Falz, we get the rappers spitting about the ills of our society — tackling everything from tribalism to poor governance. Phyno advises listeners to stay informed about what’s happening in the country.

    Phyno is fantastic on the track, seamlessly alternating between Igbo and English. Phenom is also impressive, proving yet again just how underrated he is. Falz, who is always a welcome addition, slows down the pace for a more introspective closing verse, ending things on a high note. 

  • For creators, inspiration can be found in the most unexpected places. That’s why we created #Watchlist — a series that asks Nigerian video directors to list the most interesting things that influenced their creative choices while shooting.

    A week ago, BOJ, Ajebutter22 and Falz dropped their collaborative EP, Make E No Cause Fight 2 — a worthy follow-up to BOJ and Ajebutter’s 2018 release of the same name. On the same day, they shared the captivating video for the project’s standout track, “Ronaldo”.

    So, we decided to sit down with the man behind the clip, Adebayo Fakiyesi aka The Alien, to find out what inspired the delightfully original video. From Django Unchained to Falz’s white beard, here’s everything that influenced the fast-rising director.

    On main inspiration:

    Earlier in the year, I created a video mock-up for another song, which wasn’t approved, but I’d discussed that concept with my producer, Ebuka Nwobu. On hearing ‘Ronaldo’, he reached out to me with an idea built around that pitch, and I saw that it was perfect for the song.

    On intended narrative:

    The narrative was built off the simple idea that anyone can be a baller. Regardless of what you do for a living, everyone unwinds somehow. Based on this simple idea, we thought about a random Friday evening in the life of three low-income artisans and let our imaginations run wild.

    This idea of depicting regular neighbourhood artisans living it up in their own way was based on the song’s lyrics about balling like Ronaldo. We sought to present a different kind of baller than the ones we’re used to seeing in the media.

    On visual references:

    For the earlier sequence, I referenced a Guinness documentary about the  ‘society of elegant persons of the Congo’, otherwise known as the ‘Sapeurs’. They’re a group of everyday people in Brazzaville whose way of life is not defined by occupation or wealth.

    For the barbershop scene, I reimagined a popular New York barbershop with an oversabi Lagos barber at the helm; and the Dambe fight scene was inspired by the Mandingo wrestling sequence in Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-winning Django Unchained.

    Sapeurs: A Short Documentary by Guinness

    New York Barbershop Rotterdam

    Django Unchained (2013)

    On styling:

    The Congo Dandies were the main inspiration for the looks. However, in order to make ours more relevant to our Nigerianness, we aimed for looks that felt like they could’ve been thrifted. We wanted to give our characters the sartorial edge without tending towards unrealistic.

    You had to believe these were 3 low-income artisans from Okokomaiko with an impeccable taste in fashion, balling out in the best threads they could afford. My producer forwarded the treatment and styling brief to Morinsola Hassan-Odukale of MOMO, and she did her magic.

    On casting:

    For the talent show, we went for the kind of people we would expect to see at our imaginary party, on both sides of the stage. The party cast included friends of the artists, as well as filler extras vetted by us and hired by our casting guy.

    The Dambe fighters were scouted with the help of the guys behind Dambe Warriors; the burlesque dancers consisted of some Lagos-based dancers, led by Tiwa Pearl; and we found the fire-eater and contortionist by scouring the internet. 

    Dambe Warriors

    On the oddest influence:

    Falz’s beard. Falz wasn’t originally supposed to be in the barbershop scene, but seeing his look on set and considering his comedic antics, I immediately felt like he would bring more to the scene, and he didn’t disappoint. It was hot as an oven in that scene, but Falz had us in bits.