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  • On the 25th of March, one of Nigeria’s biggest music stars of the moment, Rema, dropped his highly anticipated debut album, Rave and Roses. After three years of back to back EPs and hit singles, everyone was itching to listen to a full album from the Mavin wunderkind. While the album offered hits, some people debated whether it was a cohesive album or just a collection of singles. 

    This had me thinking, “What exactly does it mean for an album to be cohesive?” but most importantly, “Is it even necessary?”. To answer my burning questions, I reached out to three music lovers who also happen to be in the business as well, and this is what they said. 

    Ogagus — Music Executive and A&R 

    What does it mean when people say an album is cohesive? 

    For an album to be cohesive, it has to be beautiful to listen to from start to finish. Even when it’s a bunch of songs thrown together, there’s still a feeling you get that gives the perception that the artist and their team put a lot of thought into creating a central theme and arranging the songs in a sequence that flows. For instance, when we recorded Chike’s Boo of the Booless, we went in with love being our central theme, so most of the songs were created with that in mind. And then we arranged our final songs so people listening felt like they were listening to a story. Cohesive albums are the best to listen to. 

    But does an album need to be cohesive for it to be successful? 

    Not really. I’ve seen a lot of albums become hits without cohesiveness. But it’s always better when you have both — a cohesive album that’s also commercially successful. 

    What’s a cohesive album that really worked? 

    Mehn the most recent one has to be Boy Spyce’s self-titled EP. It’s supposed to introduce him as an artist, and it does the job well. From the first track Dreams to the last track Destiny, everything tied in perfectly. Then there’s Burna Boy’s Twice as Tall and Ayra Starr’s 19 and Dangerous. They all felt like complete projects. 

    RECOMMENDED: The Song That Made Me Fall in Love With Nigerian Music

    As A&R, you help artists select the songs that make their albums, how does this work? 

    Like I said, some artists record with a theme, while others just record however their emotions lead them. What I do is listen to everything and help them select the songs that can tell an actual story. The songs that work together. Some artists already have a sense of what will work and that makes the process easier. Then there are times when halfway into making an album, the picture gets clearer and we finally have an idea of the sound we want. Then we make sure everything else follows that sound. 

    Do you think the fans notice whether or not an album is cohesive? 

    Artists feel like fans don’t, but trust me, they do. The albums that get award recognition and dominate conversations are albums that are cohesive. It’s a fact. 

    Belema Iyo — Writer and Afrobeats Enthusiast 

    What’s a recent album that you felt was cohesive from start to finish? 

    This one is hard, but an album that worked for me recently was Asa’s V. That album does things to me and it was very well thought out. 

    How about an album that wasn’t cohesive but still worked? 

    I can’t think of a recent album, but I went back to listen to Wizkid’s Superstar and that album does nothing when it comes to having a theme or even mixing and mastering. It’s just an album of jams that introduced us to Wizkid and I think it did that well. 

    But does every album have to follow a theme or be cohesive? 

    I mean it won’t guarantee that your album will be a hit but honestly, isn’t it better to put out good work than something mediocre? If an album is not cohesive, people will move on fast. I always feel like artists should put out projects that will live well past the three singles they put out. Make sure every song has the potential to be that song. 

    ALSO READ: We Listened and These Are the Biggest Songs of 2022 So Far

    Nathan Shaiyen — Artist and Producer

    What goes into recording an album for you? 

    A lot. LOL. I start with conceptualising the whole album by narrowing down the topics I’d like to touch on and the album’s general theme. I do this so I don’t go in blind without a sense of direction. The next stage is figuring out the overall sound of the album. How do I want to move from track to track? Will I put breaks in between? Et cetera. Once this is done, I start writing and I try to stick to the theme I decided on. 

    Do you always know the number of tracks you want to put out? 

    Nope. I record as much as I can, and then I look at my concept and select all the songs that’ll tell the story from start to finish. I tend to have leftover tracks that I later release as singles. 

    So in all of this, is cohesiveness important to you? 

    I’ll say yes, it’s necessary for me. But it depends on what I’m trying to get out of the album as well. For albums that are cohesive, there’s probably a lot of replay value because it’s a story. When it’s not cohesive, fans just tend to pick and choose whatever they like. And I believe artists make projects so fans can listen to it holistically and get something out of it. When it’s not cohesive, I run the risk of people not understanding what I’m going for. 

    So fans notice these things? 

    Speaking as a fan myself, I do. We’re in an era of appreciating artistry a little bit more. We’re more conscious now and tapped into what our artists are putting out. While you may never fully get an artist’s intention, you can tell when everything is connected. And that’s important. 

    ALSO READ: 5 International Afropop Collaborations that Were Totally Meant to Be


  • These days, “Afrobeats to the world” has moved from a saying to an actual movement. Nigerian artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Fireboy DML and Tems are topping the charts and having fun with stars like Drake, Rihanna and Beyoncé. But while the world has taken notice of Afropop, it wasn’t always like this. Thinking back to when I fell back in love with Nigerian music thanks to Tay Iwar’s 2013 song The Box, I decided to talk to other Nigerians about the time they finally realised that Nigerian music is the shit. 

    “Listening to Davido’s Fall for the first time in an Atlanta club changed everything for me”

    — Koye

    As a second-generation Nigerian in the US, I never really connected with Nigerian music. My family raised me on the classics like Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey, but in trying to fit in with white kids, my taste shifted to rock and metal as I got older. In 2017, I eventually moved to Atlanta — a predominantly black city — and that’s how I got re-introduced to Nigerian music. 

    On a night out with some of my co-workers, I heard Davido’s Fall for the first time. To see everyone in the club, including non-Nigerians and non-blacks singing along to this Nigerian song changed everything. I still love rock and heavy metal, but that hasn’t stopped me from knowing all the words to Davido’s Fall and Jowo. 

    “I didn’t connect to female Nigerian artists until I saw the video for Kele Kele Love by Tiwa Savage”

    — Nicole 

    Before seeing the video for Tiwa Savage’s Kele Kele Love in 2010, I just didn’t feel like Nigerian women made music for girls like me. I love and respect all the women that were making music at the time, but seeing that video and hearing that song made me go, “Whoa! That’s a no-nonsense, sexy, bad bitch like me.” 

    She wasn’t afraid to be sexy and to sing about whatever she felt like — I loved that. She blazed the trail for all the new girls and that’s on period. 

    “I don’t think I remember life before Asa’s Awe”

    — Lolu

    I know it’s cliché, but Asa’s Awe changed my life. Before I listened to Asa’s self-titled album, my idea of Nigerian music was songs I could dance to in the club and not songs I could listen to for great storytelling. And to be honest, it was fine that way. It wasn’t until I went on a road trip with my brother from Lagos to Ibadan and he played that album over and over again that it clicked for me. It wasn’t just the melodies or vocals for me; it was the deep, rich stories she told with every word and every sound. Now I listen to other artists like Bez, Lindsey Abudei and The Cavemen (even though I don’t get what they’re saying, I feel super connected to the music. 

    By the way, Awe is the reason I started writing short stories. So when I say that song changed my life, I mean it. 

    RECOMMENDED: Thriving and Killing It: 12 Times Nigerian Women in Music Made History

    “Cruel Santino, Amaarae and Shane Eagle made something magical with Rapid Fire”

    — Hassan 

    I didn’t even know alté was a thing until my friend dragged me out for a show in 2018 and Cruel Santino and his crew came out to perform Rapid Fire. My memory of it is the feeling that came with seeing the whole place turn into a mosh pit of people jumping and screaming at the top of their lungs. For someone indifferent to Nigerian music at the time, just seeing all of this sent shivers down my spine. Every time I listen to Santino’s music now, it just takes me back to that moment.

    I wasn’t into Nigerian music before because of what I was hearing on the radio, but Cruel Santino introduced me to a new type of Nigerian sound. 

    “Niniola’s Maradona changed the game for me”

    — Uchenna

    I remember hearing Niniola’s Maradona for the first time and just knowing that this song was going to be the sound of the future. And lowkey, I was right. It was around the time I was falling in love with South African club sounds from artists like Bucie and Black Coffee, so it just worked perfectly. Niniola and Sarz took a huge risk with songs like that and now we have a lot of artists making songs like Maradona. It wasn’t like I didn’t like Nigerian music, I just didn’t care until I heard this bop in 2017. 

    “Temi Dollface’s pen game on Pata Pata made me pause, listen and go ’Who is she?”

    — Sammie 

    This chick came, dropped like two hit songs and disappeared. Why? When Pata Pata dropped in 2013, a lot of artists were doing the same thing, using the same producers and adopting the same formula. We didn’t have variety and then this girl came in singing, “Pour me a drink and I’ll tell you a lie. Baby what would you like to hear? That I’m in love with you and all the things you do. You know that wouldn’t be sincere.” 

    Ladies and gentlemen, that’s how you open a song. That is songwriting and the song that made me go, “Oh shit, Nigerian singers dey write o!” 

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

  • Olamide has proven to us that he’s a certified hitmaker and star-maker. He’s been in the music scene for over a decade and has constantly delivered hits of his own and with others. If there’s something we know without a doubt, having Olamide on your song almost automatically makes it a hit. 

    We ranked his top ten features in no particular order. 

    1. Omo Ope  —  Asake ft Olamide

    Asake on his own is a star and no one can dispute that. However, having Olamide on Omo Ope took it to levels Asake couldn’t have achieved on his own. Asake can do bad all by himself, but we’re grateful he let Olamide do Omo Ope with him.

    2. Sometimes (remix) — T.I BLAZE ft Olamide

    If you put Olamide on your remix, it’s simply because you know the power he possesses. You know he’s going to take your song from an 8/10 to a 20/10 and that’s what he did on Sometimes (remix). We already know that “Sometimes food no dey give man joy but Canadian loud, the feeling is different” and we’re still grateful for Olamide’s extra pizzazz.

    3. Vision 2020 remix  — Bella Shmurda ft Olamide

    Omo, 2020 didn’t really get the vision sha, but that’s not the point. The passion in Olamide’s part of this song is intense. Olamide is a really good storyteller and he does that so well when on his features. Sometimes thirty seconds or longer. 

    4. Zazoo Zehh  —  Portable ft Olamide

    Portable needed Olamide on Zazoo the same way we need oxygen to survive. Olamide carried the song more than Twitter Ng is carrying the sanity of Nigerian youths. I often side-eye Olamide for being on that song, but I guess he did what had to be done. 

    5. Issa Goal  — Naira Marley ft Lil Kesh and Olamide

    This song came out during the 2018 World Cup and worked for morale. Ehyaa to Nigeria this year sha. Everyone and their mums knew this song when it came out because we were all interested in Nigeria’s performance at the World Cup. 

    RELATED: Olamide, the Musician Who Has Ruled the Streets for 5 Years Now

    6. Hate Me  —  Olamide ft Wande Coal

    Olamide had his decision on lock when he selected Black Diamond to be on this song with him. Michael Jackson has been mad quiet since Wande Coal bodied him in Hate Me. Wande Coal really said, “Michael who?” Inject it. 

    7. Jagaban (remix)  — Ycee ft Olamide

    Putting my personal dislike for the term “jagaban” aside to admit that this song slapped then and still slaps now. By the way, where’s this YCee? We need more of him.

    8. Bahd Baddo Baddest  —  Falz ft Olamide and Davido

    Asides from the fact that this song is bop, it also has all my faves on it. Bahd Baddo Baddest was a necessary evil back in the day and we still bop it till date.

    9. Believe (extended remix)  —  Ric Hassani ft Falz and Olamide

    My theory is that Ric Hassani extended the remix of this song to have Olamide on it. Olamide’s feature here once again proved how versatile he is as an artist. 

    10. Shoki (remix)  — Lil Kesh ft Olamide and Davido

    Everyone in Nigeria could do the Shoki — except me. This song was everywhere and will still make the crowd go crazy if it came on at a party or a concert… even for us girls who don’t know how to shoki.

    Bonus Point: Every song Olamide and Phyno have ever done together 

    Their bromance makes all their songs sound so good when they make music together and I’m glad they continue to tap into the power they have. Long may they reign.

    ALSO READ: Asake’s “Sungba” Is the Best Song in the World and Here’s Why

  • When I heard the name Asake, I was quite intrigued. Everyone was talking about Omo Ope and I hadn’t listened to it, and I honestly couldn’t be bothered to give the song an actual listen, even though I found the artiste’s name interesting. But FOMO eventually won, and when I did listen, it got my attention at once. Then he released Trabaye and I knew that Asake is clear and here to stay. 

    But when Sungba came out, I stopped listening halfway into it. Trabaye was my song — I loved it, I woke up every morning screaming, “Mo fe trabaye,” and let’s not lie, that’s actually really great morning motivation. “Mo fe trabaye” means “I want to be elevated”. 

    I saw multiple reactions to Sungba, most of it was love and I was quite confused because I was sure it wasn’t the same song I’d heard. The song wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t Omo Ope or Trabaye. 

    I can’t remember the day Sungba changed my life or what I was doing when the light bulb suddenly switched on. But I remember joking on my company’s Slack channel, that, “If I’ve not listened to Asake’s Sungba when I’m working it simply means my day hasn’t started. Chill music? I don’t know what that is.”

    RELATED: We Listened and These Are the Biggest Songs of 2022 So Far

    What does “Sungba” mean?

    Sungba means to spread yourself with reckless abandon”. To sungba, you lie down and have your legs spread out like a pillow princess who’s about to be pleasured and give back no pleasure in return.

    So why is Sungba the best song on the planet right now?

    1.  It makes you feel empowered

    I’m sharing trade secretsssss! Listening to Asake’s Sungba first thing in the morning is the best way to start your day. When you hear, “Sh’on whine mi ni?  Mr. Money no dey waste time,” you just know it’s time to get up and get ready. At that exact moment, you see yourself as Mr Money who has no time to waste.

    2. It reminds you that you don’t have time for nonsense

    “Omo aje butter lofi mi gapa (gapa) I no like nonsense, oya, ko bo’ta (ko bo’ta). I no like nonsense, oya, ko bo’ta, bo’ta (ko bo’ta).” Ko bo’ta means” to carry your load and get out”., If anyone tries to “gapa” to (raise shoulders — or in this context — waste your time), you tell them to carry their load and get out. 

    3. It teaches you the right things to say when you’re toasting a babe

    Asake the lyricist and musician, doing it better than Anthony Bridgerton with the sweet mouth. “This your skin just dey glow, glow, glow. Baby, make we chill oh. Make we chill oh,” he sings. The way to a woman’s heart isn’t through pasta; it’s by telling her how beautiful she is and her skin is glowing. Asake the poet!. 

    4. It makes you stay ready

    “Kerosene no dey sleep, I no dey sleep at all” — the wise words of someone who knows they can’t be trampled on. With you, there’s nothing like “you snooze you lose because you can never be caught snoozing. 

    WO a Twitter: "@ablacktan Governor Comrade MC... Loving it already. At least we'd finally have a catchy Lagos mantra. Enough of 'Itesiwaju Eko' & 'Eko oni baje'. 'Eko, ija wa, ija osi,

    Sungba’s remix didn’t really do it for me though, but I’m still going to “sungba la jaja” and not get tired. 

    ALSO READ: Love It/Hate It: Rema and AJ Tracey’s “FYN”

  • Can you believe we’re already three months into 2022? It feels like just a few weeks ago, we were making New Year resolutions and plans to conquer 2022, and now, we have nine months left. As we crossover into a new quarter of the year, we’ve decided to look back at some of the hits that had us in a chokehold from January to March. 

    1. Omo Ope — Asake and Olamide 

    Arguably the biggest song of the year, Asake came out of nowhere and totally turned 2022 on its head with his smash hit, Omo Ope. Featuring the hardest working Nigerian rapper, Olamide, it’s hard not to fall in love with this song on your first listen. The backup vocals singing “Mo saare f’owo mi sh’aye” blows our minds every single time. 

    2. Finesse — Pheelz and BNXN 

    We’ve begged Nigerian musicians to leave Folake alone, but they’ve put cement in their ears. Pheelz and BNXN continue the Folake train with Finesse and honestly, we’re not mad at it. This song reminds us that it’s okay to be broke. As a matter of fact, it encourages you to own it with your chest. If you think this song is a smash hit, wait until you hear the live version with this sick backup choir. 

    3. IDG — Asa and Wizkid 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKiEIHp_Kt8

    Years ago, Wizkid tweeted about wanting to do a song with Asa and now we’re here. Manifestation is real, folks! This is one collaboration (and version of Asa) we didn’t see coming, but now that it’s here, we can’t help but wonder why it took so damn long. Can we get Asa on Wizkid’s next album? 

    4. FINAL CHAMPION — Cruel Santino 

    You know a song is a banger when you forget your morals and start screaming the lyrics “Werey touch me” out loud. Dropping the follow-up to his alté classic, Mandy & The Jungle, Cruel Santino pulled up with a new name, new album and updated sound on Subaru Boys: FINAL HEAVEN. Even though several tracks stand out from the long-ass 21-tracked album, we doubt any of them come close to this rave starter. 

    RECOMMEND: We Ranked the Best Wizkid Songs of the Decade

    5. Don’t Call Me — Lil Kesh and Zinoleesky

    We love a good comeback. Remember when Lil Kesh had us all in a shoki-hold back in the day? This guy was the reason Olamide banned Don Jazzy from the mainland and then he just disappeared for a while. He’s finally made a big comeback with the Zinoleesky-assisted, Don’t Call Me and we’re currently rinsing this song like there’s no tomorrow. 

    6. Hate Me — Olamide and Wande Coal 

    Olamide and Wande Coal take another stab at collaborating after killing us with Who You Epp and boy oh boy does this joint work. Olamide pulls up with angst and flows, while Wande Coal taps into his inner Michael Jackson for a chorus we’re sure we’ll be singing for a very long time. 

    7. Obsessed — FAVE 

    How do you follow up a song that becomes a national anthem? Well, if you’re FAVE, you go ahead and drop an EP filled with bops. After stealing our hearts and vocal cords with Baby Riddim, FAVE makes a comeback with Obsessed and it may be corny AF to say, but the truth is we’re totally obsessed with it.  

    8. Baddest Boy (Remix) — Skiibii and Davido 

    One thing about Skiibii, this man will always rise from the de—never mind. Scoring an OBO feature always guarantees a hit, and his song Baddest Boy has become a fixture on our playlists, IG stories and dancefloors. But wait, what is special about Nigerian koboko straight from Magodo? 

    9. Streets — Dwin The Stoic and Rhaffy 

    Not Dwin The Stoic out here trying to get us booed up at the very start of a new year. Do we agree with Dwin’s message about wanting to leave the streets? No. But does Streets and Dwin’s voice make us want to slow dance and do cute lovey-dovey stuff? Well, yes, definitely yes. 

    10. WITH YOU — Khaid 

    The Gen Z era of Afrobeats is fully thriving and taking over social media and one of its biggest stars of the moment is Khaid. You may not know the title of this song or the artist’s name, but we’re sure you’ve heard WITH YOU before — the song is everywhere.

    ALSO READ: We Ranked the Best Adekunle Gold Songs

    12. Commander — Blaqbonez 

    Is it really a Blaqbonez song if it’s not about fornication? The rate at which this man is going, our sex playlist will be 70% Blaqbonez, 20% Rema and 10% Boyz II Men (for variety). Commander once again proves to us that Blaqbonez has found his niche as an artist and we can’t wait to see what R18 song he drops next. 

    13. No Wahala (Remix) — 1da Banton, Tiwa Savage and Kizz Daniel 

    Artists often turn to remixes for two reasons: to make a song blow or to make an already blown song blow harder. Yes, we know that’s a mouthful (no pun intended), but it is what it is. After blowing up on TikTok thanks to these James Brown videos, 1da Banton enlisted the help of Tiwa Savage and Kizz Daniel for a remix of his song, No Wahala. Could Tiwa’s verse have been a little bit longer? Yes, but that cute dance she did at the end of the video lives rent-free in our heads. 

    14. Calm Down — Rema 

    After the release of his debut album, Rave and Roses, now more than ever, we’re convinced that no one is doing it like our boy, Rema. Serving as the second single ahead of his album, Calm Down is Rema at his peak, making us swoon with his melodies. This guy doesn’t play when he says, “Another banger”. 

    15. Italy — BNXN and Blaq Diamond

    At this point, we’re fully convinced that BNXN has washed his mouth with the help of one baba because why are all his songs back-to-back hits? Since Feeling and Outside dropped last year, BNXN has refused to take his foot off our neck. And to be fair, we don’t mind a little choking ear and dear. Do we understand all the lyrics? No. But the song is still on fire regardless. 

    CONTINUE READING: We Ranked the Best Nigerian Albums/EPs of the Year

  • The Nigerian music scene during the mid 2000s and into the early 2010s was truly a special moment in time. Gen Z’s might not get it, but women were dropping bops left, right and centre. To celebrate women’s history month, we decided to look at some of the women who dropped hit songs and left us wanting more. These female Nigerian artists need to make a comeback like yesterday.

    1. Soty 

    Port Harcourt, stand up for your girl! If you say you don’t know Soty’s boppity bop, Malaria, You’re  either GenZ or must have been living under a rock in 2006.. This girl was so down bad, she compared her man to an Anopheles mosquito. Girl! We can’t deny that the song was ahead of its time though, she’s actually the blueprint for women shooting their shots. Ladies, be like Soty; write mandem love letters — not every time, “Hey big head,” up and down. 

    2. J’odie

    We can’t prove it — yet, but we strongly believe that streaming Kuchi Kuchi religiously three times a day like paracetamol, could lead to pregnancy. Back in 2010, J’odie had us considering diaper and creche money because of this hit song she dedicated to her baby. Kuchi Kuchi and Duduke will go down in history as the two greatest baby love songs of all time. Let’s bet on it.

    3. Weird MC 

    Remember when Ijoya hit the streets? Someone needs to take us back to 2006 when the national grid was alive, fuel wasn’t this scarce and all we wanted to do was shake our booties to this iconic Weird MC song. Those were really good times and this song will remain for years to come.

    RECOMMEND: 5 Nollywood Actors Who Actually Made Pretty Good Songs

    4. Di’ja 

    Dorobucci, Jantamanta and Adaobi are certified hits, but when you really deep it, Di’ja showed us she was a true star when she dropped her one solo song: Awww. This mushy love song was so inescapable, it had Nigerians in a romantic chokehold. Are we the only ones who can’t get over how cute Ladipoe looks in the video as her love interest?  

    5. Niyola

    Niyola has been around for a long time, but her best era was definitely Toh Bad. At the time when record labels were finally investing in their token female signees — Mavin had Tiwa Savage and Iyanya’s Made Men Music Group had Emma Nyra — Empire Mates Entertainment (EME) promoted this song like crazy and we can’t blame them, it was that good. While our girl was last seen battling Kunle Afolayan wigs in Swallow, we just want to remind her that we need new music.

    6. Kween 

    Real music OG’s remember Kween, her massive kinky hair and her song, Jebele. Back before we had the slang IJGB, Kween was part of a clique of artists like Don Jazzy who moved back to Nigeria from the overseas in the mid-2000s. While some of her peers are still working today, Kween drooped this true “I don’t have time for men and their nonsense” feminist bop and decided to leave Nigeria behind. Do we blame her? No. The country is tough dear. 

    7. Kel

    Do you remember Wa Wa Alright? Do you remember the female rapper that dropped it? Kel was a big part of the a female-led rap movement that also included Bouqui, Sasha, Blaise and Chemistry. Now that we think about it, how many female rappers do we have in Nigeria today? Kel, sis, do you maybe want to help us with an album or two?

    ALSO READ: Thriving and Killing It: 12 Times Nigerian Women in Music Made History

  • Before he drops his debut album and resumes as a Unilag student this March, self-proclaimed rave king, Rema, returns with his second single of the year, FYN, featuring UK rapper, AJ Tracey. With hot takes and fan arguments taking over the internet, for Love It/Hate It,  we asked Nigerians what they thought about the new song, FYN, and this is what they had to say. 

    “Rema hasn’t missed since 2019. How many other Nigerian artists can say that?”

    — Ehi

    It’s wild to me that all Rema has to do is hum on a beat and that shit is going to bang for real. I didn’t know what to expect — this being his first proper feature and all, but, mehn, mind blown. The best part is, even if you don’t like a Rema song when it drops, dem no born you well, the chorus or melody will follow you around like NEPA bill, and before you know it, you’ve crammed all the words. People say he doesn’t have lyrics, but how come they end up learning all the “gibberish” he’s saying?  Just look at yourselves. LOL. 

    “Can you imagine what would happen if Ayra Starr sang about sex the way Rema did?”

    — Phidelia 

    I don’t know if it’s just me, but why is no one concerned about how suggestive and vulgar Rema’s lyrics are? I get that he’s like a day over twenty, but you can’t tell me everyone would be this calm if Ayra Starr sang about “doing it raw” or “doing something from behind”. I like this song and honestly, most of his songs, however, a part of me feels very uncomfortable listening to them. He’s talented and can sell without trying to become some sort of sex symbol too soon. Even Wizkid took time before he started singing, “She tell me say,” up and down. 

    “The confidence Rema has is unmatched! Who is his dealer abeg?”

    — Zayad 

    Can we get into the insane confidence Rema has? This guy starts his songs with, “Another banger!” meaning that he’s already had bangers, and this song will be a banger in its own right. Ever since I discovered him on Bad Commando, I’ve been watching him get more confident with each project, and why shouldn’t he be confident? Back-to-back hits is not easy my guy. The part where he said, “Chat nonsense to me, imma go offline,” had me hyped AF because that’s me for the rest of the year. No time for rubbish.

    RELATED: On “Bad Commando”, Rema’s Superhuman Range is on Full Display

    “Rema is doing what these other guys think they’re doing, only better”

    — Kufre 

    When Rema said he was the future, no caps were seen in the vicinity. This guy has been carrying a new generation of Nigerian music on his back since he stepped out with Dumebi and he hasn’t dropped the ball. Nothing has been mid or bad, and this song with AJ is pure flames. Just two baby GOATS dropping major heat from Nigeria to Queen Elizabeth’s backyard. I like that Rema isn’t riding on some fake alté “you have to connect with the universe and Y2k fashion” vibe. He’s making music that’s different, yet accessible to everyone. Let that sink in. 

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    “So it’s only melodies we’ll eat? What happened to the lyrics? ”

    — Josh

    Once again we’re met with a song and an artist that has vibes but lacks actual direction and substance. Nigerians are so used to the bare minimum that we step back in shock when fishes swim. Maybe I should wait for his album to drop before I share how I truly feel. That being said, I’m not moved by this song at all. Not one bit. It’s just like watery stew — lots of potential drowned by the need to pander to social media’s idea of good music. 

    “Peer pressure is the only reason most people pretend not to like Rema’s music. Grow up!”

    — Adaugo 

    Rema’s range is crazy mehn. This guy gave us Dumebi, Woman, Lady, Ginger Me, Soundgasm, Calm Down and now, FYN with AJ Tracey. He’s eating up every genre and sub-genre that lands on his lap. No one is catching up with the replay value of a Rema song, but some of you want to compare him to the other kids? I have to laugh in Mexican because it must be crack. Not liking Rema’s music is a serious character flaw in my opinion. 

    ALSO READ: We Ranked Some Of Rema’s Best Songs

  • Have you all noticed how Nigerian artists like to shout, “Folake!” unprovoked? Wizkid kept disturbing her to Pakurumo, Tekno kept begging her to love him like an annoying Old Nollywood campus pest and now, Pheelz and BNXN have turned her name into a national anthem in Finesse. Does every artist know a Folake or are they just on a mission to stress everyone with that name? We may  never know. But so that this babe can rest and the lyrical breakfast can reach everyone, here’s an interesting list of names our favourite artists should explore.

    Think outside the box for diversity sake.

    1. Igboransanjueborurulo 

    This name means “Obedience is better than sacrifice”. While it sounds like the warning principals always give SS3 students after accusing  them for being the worst senior set the school has ever seen, it could totally work in a love song as well. Our artists just need to think outside the box and experiment a little. Who’s going to go first? Davido? Wande Coal? Zinolesky? Let’s make it happen. 

    2. Kosisochukwumakasiweme

    Nigerian artists, please, I dare you, do it! Lyricist up and down but you cannot find something that rhymes with Kosisochukwumakasiweme? Please, rise and don’t waste our money!

    3. Zubaydah 

    This name is giving wealth, henna and Senator’s daughter. And to be honest, there isn’t a lot of Northern representation in mainstream Nigerian music. If musicians are not disturbing Folake, they’re shouting Amaka’s name and after that, they just jump to Vanessa. It’s time to switch it up. 

    4. Ramota 

    Have you met a Ramota that is less than 45? If you have, then, omo, you’ve come in contact with the Last Airbender. Ramota is always an aunty. So while young artists like Pheelz and BNXN can’t shout this name anyhow out of respect, I’d like to call our daddies in music: 2Baba and Pasuma to the high table to give these aunties the much-needed representation they deserve. 

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    5. Enobong 

    In his original song, Gift, Iyanya sang “Gift, put off the light”, but imagine if he sang “Enobong, put off the light” instead. Now that sound like a banger I’d be into. If you don’t get the gist by now, Enobong means “God’s gift”, so basically, Iyanya would’ve been saying the same thing. So can we get a remix or something? Iyanya and Don Jazzy, what’s good?

    6. Agamadotuigwekuwamaranamuagbaliala

    No, I’m not even playing, this is a real name. According to Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, his law school classmate went by this name and it apparently loosely translates to: “I will pull down the heavens so the world will know I tried”. The meaning alone sounds like the story of a Nigerian love song. Inject it!

    7. Esukpofo 

    Sounds like the name of someone who ties China white, puts some leaves in their mouths and goes to drop a calabash of boiled yam and red oil at the nearest junction. Don’t blame me; blame Yoruba films for giving me these scarry ass visuals. But does this mean ritualists don’t deserve love? Please and please, let’s fix this.  

    8. Odinaka 

    I sort of get why artists are afraid of shouting this name repeatedly. Folake sounds like a soft babe, while Odinaka sounds like a no-nonsense babe who consumes three bottles of stout with hot akpu in the morning. If you say one, she’d probably say two and beat you on top. Since Davido is now a gym bro, he should be the one to try this name first. Take risks and succeed sir. 

    9. Yebojinsoko

    Adding my name to the mix because I, too, would like to shake my bumbum and do low-budget Dorime while my name is blasting in the club. What happened to the representation we’ve been fighting for? 

    10. Bisola

    Bisola is simple and cute. She literally sounds like she could be Folake’s sister or roommate. With all the love and attention these artists have been pouring on Folake and she’s probably airing them, I’d advise that they refocus on Bisola abeg. One day, Folake might actually be jealous and look your way. Delay is not denial. 

    CONTINUE READING: 10 Nigerian Names That Don’t Belong to Babies

  • It’s almost impossible to talk about the history of Nigerian music without mentioning names like Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Bongos Igwe. While these men, and many like them, inspired the world with different musically-led movements, the history books tend to forget or downplay equally important contributions made by female artists of that generation. To celebrate Women’s History Month and remind us of the badass women who paved the way for artists like Tiwa Savage, Simi, Ayra Starr, Tems, and Asa, we’ve decided to honour five female artists who changed the game. 

    1. The Lijadu Sisters

    Once upon a time, Nigerians made psychedelic rock music — believe it or not — and at the forefront of this musical movement were twin sisters, Kehinde and Taiwo Lijadu, popularly known as The Lijadu Sisters. Raised in Ibadan, the twins popped up on the rock scene in the late 1960s with a fresh take on punk rock music that mixed elements of other Yoruba genres and instruments. Their album, Horizon Unlimited was a big hit that featured the song Orere Elejigbo, which was sampled by Ayra Starr in her song Sare.

    Fun fact: The Lijadu sisters are also Fela’s cousins. There’s something in that family for real. 

    2. Evi Edna Ogholi

    Way before Stormzy’s Birthday Girl and Drake’s Ratchet Happy Birthday became the soundtrack to our Instagram birthday posts, one woman reigned supreme in the birthday song department: the one and only Evi Edna Ogholi. Oh, the sweet memories. Edna Ogholi’s Happy Birthday is such an important part of the Nigerian birthday culture that back then, your birthday wasn’t complete until it came on.

    But outside of this jam, Edna Ogholi had six other albums and was also famous for breaking out as a reggae artist in a time when the industry was dominated by men like Ras Kimono, Oritz Wiliki and Majek Fashek. Now that’s what we call iconic. 

    3. Nelly Uchendu

    Popularly referred to as the “Lady with the Golden Voice”, Nelly Uchendu is responsible for the song, Love Nwantinti, a popular tune that has been passed down from generation to generation, Love Nwantinti. Singing alongside Mike Obianwu, Love Nwantiti was a smash hit in the 1970s and was followed by other songs like Late Night Husband, Mamausa and Nigeria Amaka

    Fun fact: Nelly played Ikemefuna’s mother in the TV adaptation of Things Fall Apart and also played Tony’s mother in the original, but still as chaotic as hell, Nneka the Pretty Serpent. 

    4. Christy Essien – Igbokwe 

    Also known as “Nigeria’s Lady of Songs,” Christy Essien-Igbokwe is one of Nigeria’s most legendary singers — so legendary that she was honoured by Google. While she broke out in 1977 with her debut album Freedom, it was 1981’s Ever Liked My Person? that solidified her position as one of the most exciting artists of her time, thanks to songs like Seun Rere and Akwa Ibom Mmi. She was also the founder and first female president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN).

    Is it weird that Seun Rere constantly reminds us of the traumatic novel, Mother’s Choice? Hmmmm. 

    5. Salawa Abeni 

    Before Ayra Starr and Rema became teen sensations, Queen Salawa Abeni was killing it as a 15-year-old singer thanks to her 1976 debut album, Late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed — the first album by a Yoruba-singing female Nigerian artist to sell over one million copies.

    Shaking up the fuji scene and taking over its sub-genre Waka, Queen Salawa Abeni was officially crowned the Queen of Waka Music by the Alaafin of Oyo in 1992. Yes, queen! Still making music to this day, her influence can be found in artists like Simi and Teni the Entertainer. 

  • Earlier today, multi-award-winning singer and all-around rockstar of our lives, Asa, released her latest single, Ocean. While Asa has been dropping hints ear and dear that a new album is on its way, Ocean is the final signal for us to get in formation. But before we receive a new album with open hands and ears, here’s everything you need to know about her latest single and some details on what the album might look like. 

    1. Yes, that background voice you’re hearing belongs to Wurld

    It’s not every day you get to have one of Nigeria’s biggest artist providing backup vocals on a song, but when you’re Asa, anything is possible. If the background vocals on Ocean sound familiar to you, it’s probably because you’ve heard them before on songs like Show You Off, Ego and Mad — say hello to Wurld. Apart from lending his vocals to Ocean, Wurld is also credited as a co-writer. Love to see it. 

    2. Ocean was produced by the same guy that made Ozumba Mbadiwe, Gelato, Infinity, Anoti and Mayana

    Asa, Reekado Banks, Cuppy, Olamide and Wizkid all have one thing in common: producer and hitmaker, P.PRIME. From Olamide’s Infinity to Wizkid’s Anoti and Reekado Banks’ banger, Ozumba Mbadiwe, P.PRIME is the producer we should be thanking for most of the hits we’ve been jamming to lately. While a collaboration between Asa and the producer behind these club-heavy songs sounds a little bit off on paper, listening to Ocean and her single from last year, Mayana, shows the incredible range of both musicians involved. We stan a versatile queen and that’s on purrrr. 

    3. Ocean is the second single off her upcoming album, V 

    Ocean follows Mayana, which dropped last year, and it happens to be the second single off Asa’s upcoming V album — Asa’s first album in three years, and the first time she has recorded an album in Lagos. Remember all the pandemic Instagram videos? Yes, Miss. Asa went into full album recording mode as early as the 2020 covid lockdown. Can we wait for this album to drop? No. But do we have a choice? Also, no. 

    4. This album will probably have features 

    How many Asa features do you know? So far, our queen has about six Nigerian collaborations to her name: Comforter Song with Jeremiah Gyang, Share My Blessings with Naeto C, Inside You with Darey Art Alade, Pete Pete with 9ice and Somebody Great with Korede Bello. While she hasn’t had collaborations on any of her albums so far, V may just be the album that changes all of that with massive collaborations in the works. We’ll leave you to guess the artistes, but when it drops, remember we told you it was coming. 

    5. A whole new Asa and we’re loving it

    If Mayana and Ocean are any indications of the direction of this album, then omo, we’re in for a whole new Asa. It’s the musical evolution for us.