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  • It’s easy to remember 2013 as the year Instagram became a thing, while Blackberry, Ama Kip Kip shirts and carrot jeans faded away. But can we take a second to big up the music that dropped that year? From Tiwa Savage to Burna Boy, the hits flowed like unlimited Abacha funds, and we all had a good time. Somebody, please, take me back. 

    Baddest Guy Ever Liveth — Olamide 

    Remember when Olamide gave us albums yearly, and they all slapped? Good times. Baddest Guy Ever Liveth was Baddo’s third album in three years, and omo, it had zero skips.

    Looking for owambe songs? Olamide gave us Eleda Mi O, Durosoke and Anifowose. Looking to scatter the club? There was Turn Up, Baddo Love and Yemi My Lover. This was one of the best albums of 2013 and one of Olamide’s best albums of all time. 

    Underrated song that should’ve been a hit: Dope Money with Phyno. Listening to two of Nigeria’s greatest rappers go back and forth on a sick beat will always do something for me. These two have such great chemistry it’s no surprise they’re still making songs together ten years later. 

    Leaving an Impact for Eternity (L.I.F.E.) — Burna Boy 

    If you think this Burna Boy’s African Giant thing started with Coachella, then you clearly haven’t listened to his debut album, L.I.F.E.

    After blowing up in 2012 with the smooth Like to Party and his round vintage glasses, Burna put his baby giant foot down with this album and hits like Run My Race, #YawaDey and Tonight. Even though he was just stepping into the spotlight, Burna moved with the confidence of an artiste who’d been doing this for over a decade. 

    Underrated song that should’ve been a hit: Jah’s Love is True with Wizkid. Forget BD’OR and Ginger. This is Burna and Wiz’s best collab. Argue with yourself, please. 

    Once Upon a Time — Tiwa Savage 

    No one was doing it like Tiwa Savage when Kele Kele Love dropped in 2010. The good sis came in, served us looks, vocals, choreography and ate everything up. No crumbs left.

    Going toe to toe with the guys in the industry at the time, Tiwa dropped Once Upon a Time, and this album was fire. From the controversial Wanted to the Don Jazzy-assisted Eminado, Tiwa gave us left, right and centre. We need to give Ms Savage her flowers, please. 

    Underrated song that should’ve been a hit: Folarin. This song gave us a glimpse of Tiwa’s IDGAF attitude popular on songs like Koroba, 49-99 and Tiwa’s Vibe. 

    Blackmagic Version 2.0 — Blackmagic 

    Talking about alté music without mentioning Blackmagic should be a crime in Nigeria. This man did not drop Rainbow in 2011 to be forgotten by the new generation. Not many people got Blackmagic’s style of music at the time, but everyone can agree Repete was pure magic. Other songs like Confam with Sasha P and Pass You By with Oritse Femi helped position Blackmagic Version 2.0 as one of the best albums of 2013, no cap. 

    Underrated song that should’ve been a hit: Amnesia with M.I. This song was popular-ish, but the truth is, it should’ve been massive. Come on, guys, Blackmagic and M.I dragging their real and imaginary haters for filth? Inject it into my veins.

    RECOMMENDED: These 10 Tiwa Savage Songs Are Also Gospel Songs, Let’s Explain

    R&BW — Banky W 

    By 2013, Banky W had already claimed his position as the king of baby-making R&B music with 2008’s Capable and 2009’s The Banky W Experience — I know y’all remember Strong Ting. But as the generous king he is, Banky gave us another classic album in 2013, aptly titled R&BW. Extending his reign, the album had bangers like Yes/No, To My Unborn Child and Good Good Loving. Whew, what a time. 

    Underrated song that should’ve been a hit: Lowkey. This slow seductive song will remind you of the time Pastor Banky was deep in the world like the rest of us. 

    Desire — Iyanya 

    Iyanya finally hacked the Nigerian music industry in 2013, five years after winning the first edition of Project Fame and trying to win us over with vocals and romantic grammar. Kukure had everyone and their grandma doing the etigi dance, but Desire fully revamped Iyanya’s career with songs like Flavour, Sexy Mama with Wizkid and Your Waist with Emma Nyra. 

    Underrated song that should’ve been a hit: Somebody with Tiwa Savage. These two are vocal powerhouses, and it shows in this song. Iyanya even stops Tiwa at some point while she’s singing her ass off to remind her that vocals don’t sell in Nigeria. 

    Take Over — KCee

    Considering how much I heard Limpopo in 2013, I’d be happy if I never listened to that song again. Kcee, the taller half of the early 2000s group, KC Presh, came back with a vengeance as a solo artist towards the end of 2012, and by 2013, he’d dropped an album, Take Over, and started his own label, with Harrysong as one of the artistes.

    While Take Over didn’t follow up with hits as big as Limpopo, we got to know what Kcee and Wizkid would sound like as road safety officers on Pullover. 

    Underrated song that should’ve been a hit: Give It to Me with Flavour. If Limpopo had you whining your waist in 2013, best believe this Flavour collab would break your waist in 2023. Godspeed. 

    Words Aren’t Just Enough — Waje 

    Words Aren’t Just Enough, Waje’s debut album, came in 2013. This was five years after her vocals helped P-Square turn Do Me into a major hit, and three years after she made her mark with For a Minute. Whether it’s doing vocal harmonies with Tiwa Savage on Onye or reminding us that men are trash on I Wish, Waje made an album that deserved a lot more than it got back then. 

    Underrated song that should’ve been a hit: Grind with Burna Boy. I didn’t see this collaboration coming, but somehow, they made it work thanks to Leriq’s sick production. Add this song to your sex playlist, and thank me later.

    ALSO READ: 8 Upcoming Albums That’ll Make 2023 Bang Like Today’s Bread

  • At just 22 years old, it’s safe to say T.I Blaze is living his best life. 

    When he dropped his breakout single, Sometimes, in August 2021, with lyrics like “Steady grindin wan tire me” and “When no one to ginger me, I ginger myself,” TI Blaze put into words what most Nigerians were feeling after a global pandemic, the #EndSARs protests and daily struggle to beat the weapon fashioned against us AKA Nigeria.

    Getting a remix with Olamide barely six months after the song’s release shot T.I Blaze into the stratosphere of fame. What followed was The Fresh Prince of Lagos EP and a couple of hit singles. 

    With the release of his debut album, El Major in November 2022, T.I Blaze is looking to cement his position as one of Nigeria’s biggest rising stars. He talks to Zikoko about going into music to impress a crush, meeting his idol and why he doesn’t see himself as just another street artist. 

    First off, congrats on the new album. But, bro, how did you run an EP and an album in the same year? 

    Bro, thanks man. I don’t think I’m the first to do this EP and album thing, though. Ayra Starr did it in 2021 when she came out. I’m always working, and it’s good to feed the fans with music back-to-back. Who am I singing for? I can’t let them rest. 

    Does it ever get tiring? 

    More than 80 per cent of my life is spent between the studio, interviews, shooting a video or a photoshoot — but it’s the life I wanted. I knew that’s what I was signing up for when I decided to become an entertainer. 

    Plus, I recorded some of these songs early last year. Alone was recorded in March, and then, I called Bella Shmurda to be on it. I just held on to the song. 

    How do you know it’s time to drop a song, EP or album? 

    I track streaming. For instance, let’s say a song used to get one million streams before, and now, it’s doing 25k, then I know it’s time to drop something new. 

    Serious monitoring spirit vibes. But before we get into the album, how did Akintunde Abiodun Timileyin become T.I Blaze? 

    If we’re starting from the beginning, then I’d say I had a very rough, no, mid childhood. I lived in a one-bedroom with my parents and younger brother in Agbado, Ogun State. My mum and grandma were choir mistresses, my dad played a lot of music in the house, and my older brother played instruments in church, so music was there, but no one took it seriously outside of the church. 

    It all started around 2014 when I was in secondary school. I wanted to be a rapper like Lil Kesh, but I didn’t get the chance to enter a studio until 2018 when one bros allowed me to record my first song, Asiko, in his studio. 

    What was that like? 

    Man, I was so happy. I didn’t even mind that I had no money and had to trek for two hours back home. That was the first song I played for my parents, and I remember my mum praying for me. Nothing serious happened until I moved out two years later, when I turned 20. 

    Moved out ke? To where and with what money? 

    It was 2020, and I didn’t have anything. I moved out and started crashing with one producer I knew. I couldn’t even ask my mum for money because she’d warned me about moving out, but I did it anyway because I wanted to be independent. I was recording and doing backup for artists who came to the producer’s studio. I even wrote songs and sold them without writer’s credit for quick cash because I needed to eat. 

    I lived like that until August 2021, when I met Shocker (producer for Small Doctor and Portable). This was the first time I was meeting a big-time producer, so I was nervous AF. We were freestyling when I sang that “Sometimes food no dey give man joy, but Canadian loud the feeling is different” line, and the studio went crazy. We recorded Sometimes that day, and even though they all thought it’d be a hit, I didn’t believe them. 

    Why? 

    I’d been recording songs, but nothing was happening. They were right sha because the song got like 300k streams in five days. But I was still on the streets looking rough until December that year, when I got to do some shows and earn enough money to support myself and family. 

    How did the remix with Baddo happen? 

    Mehn, I was on my own in January 2022, when my phone started blowing up that Olamide had posted my song on his story with a heart emoji. I actually started crying when I saw it. Even though I wasn’t verified, and he wasn’t following me, I got the ginger to DM him to say thank you. And as soon as he responded, I sent him one long message, begging him to be on the remix. 

    RECOMMENDED: Seyi Vibez Misses the Trenches But Doesn’t Regret Leaving

    LMAO. How long was this message? 

    It was long o. I was nervous, so I just kept typing. He responded, “Okay”. He then sent an address and number and asked me to come to his place the next day. 

    Just like that? 

    I thought I was dreaming. I almost fainted when I got there and saw him in person. I introduced myself, we gisted for a while about my career and the things  I wanted to do before entering his studio to record the remix. I asked him when we should drop it, and he was like, “Are you a joke? Omo, drop this thing tomorrow.” 

    That remix changed my life. 

    I have a feeling Akintunde from secondary school never saw this coming 

    I swear! I knew I had what it took, but I didn’t think I’d get this far. I thought I’d just blow on an “Omo Adugbo” level where people on my street or two streets after that know me. 

    Why didn’t you think it was possible? And when did it hit you that you had the talent? 

    Coming from the streets, I didn’t allow myself to dream too big. As for talent, I started singing because I had a crush on a girl when I got into SS1. I wrote a song for her called Long Time. 

    Okay, lover boy

    I remember the lyrics: “Long time, long time, ti mo ba e soro.” I sang it in front of the class, and they didn’t believe I wrote it. All my classmates kept saying the song sounded like it was already out. That was the moment I realised I had something. If these guys in my class thought it was a hit song, then maybe this is what I’m meant to do. 

    You have an album now, so I guess you were right. 

    LOL. 

    Talking about El Major, you have a couple of collaborations with Ladipoe, Bella Shmurda, Camidoh, Skibii, FAVE and Backroad Gee. But I’m curious to know which collab took the longest and why? 

    I would’ve said Omah Lay, but he had stuff going on and didn’t make the album in the end. Play with FAVE took a lot of time to set up because of scheduling. I love her music, and she was one of the first people to post my song on her socials and tag me. I wanted her on the album, so I’m happy we both got to work together with Rexxie. 

    Of all the 13 tracks, which is the most personal to you? 

    The second track, Benefit. I listen to it over and over again because it gingers even me, the artiste that sang it. But there’s also Alone, Far Away and Play. Don’t make me pick one, abeg. 

    Fair. Panic and Fire Down show a more romantic side of T.I Blaze. In a time when everyone is singing about “chasing the bag”, what inspired these songs? 

    Have you forgotten my first song was a love song for the girl in my class? Romance has always been a part of me. I love Burna Boy’s music and how he’s able to find that balance between singing about the craziness around him and how he feels. I’m not copying him, but I don’t want to box myself as a street artiste. I sing about my experiences and life — love is a part of my life. 

    I can’t be chasing the bag every time. 

    About love and the bag, Try and Lock Up talk about women who only love you when you have money or access. Is there a breakfast story here? 

    That crush from my secondary school ended up leaving me for my teacher.

    I’m dead. 

    That was my first breakfast. When a girl leaves you for another guy, it’ll pain you small. But a teacher? Haba. The teacher knew I liked her and kept using me as a scapegoat for everything, but I chested it. I managed from SS1 to SS3, and this teacher frustrated me throughout.

    That’s messed up. Do you and this girl still talk? 

    Bro, she texts me. I still have the same number I used before I blew, and I’m still on my secondary school’s WhatsApp group. We say hi once in a while. Nothing can happen between us. 

    But how is the relationship thing going now that you’re popular?

    I’m dating people, but I’m too young to be in a serious relationship. 

    That makes sense. So what did El Major teach you about yourself as a person and as an artist? 

    Making this album showed me how much I enjoy making music that ginger people. I want people to hear my stories and say, “Yeah, I can do it too.” I could make music about booty all day, but I want to talk about my life. 

    What’s next? 

    I don’t know what’s next. I need the album to have a significant impact, and from there, I’ll figure out where I’m going as an artist. 

    ALSO READ: Psycho YP Doesn’t Know How to Drop a Mid Song

  • 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

  • This year alone, we were met with an overnight Twitter ban and also threatened with another ban that almost prevented our fave IJGBs from spoiling us with foreign currency this Christmas. Through all of these things, music has held us up together in one piece, helping us think, connect or just whine our waists. From the artists we discovered by ourselves to those we stole from other people’s playlists, this has been a good year for Nigerian music. Looking back, we decided to rank some of the albums that gave us good vibes (some made us cry sha) this year. 

    20. SGaWD – Savage Bitch Juice EP

    The rap girls are making an entry into the scene and honestly, we’re here for it. Since she started popping up on our radar with features on songs with Dusten Truce and Sute Iwar, this fearless and unapologetic rapper has demanded our attention. Featuring Princess Mami and Somadina, on her debut EP, SGaWD reminds us that she’s the shit and the rest of us are just playing catch-up. 

    19. Buju – Sorry I’m Late 

    Buju is everywhere these days. Providing hooks for artists like Ladipoe, Blaqbonez, and Timaya, you can hardly go through a full day and not hear Buju’s voice somewhere. Buju released the EP Sorry I’m Late to a lot of anticipation. Does it match the energy we expected from the guy whose vocals carried the year? No. But we also can’t deny that this was quite an interesting record. 

    18. Kizz Daniel – Barnabas

    Kizz Daniel is a certified hitmaker at this point. Since Woju attained wedding anthem status, he has switched record labels and changed his name. But despite all these changes, Kizz Daniel has remained reliable, pushing out earworm after earworm. On Barnabas, he maintains the same relatability that has made his songs slap over the years. While we’d like for some artistic evolution, the project carries enough weight to land itself on this list. 

    17. Ajebo Hustlers – Kpos Lifestyle, Vol. 1

    If there was one song that soundtracked the #EndSARS protest of 2020, it’s Ajebo Hustler’s Barawo. Highlighting most of the issues young Nigerians were talking about in their demand for better, the song immediately catapulted this group to the top of the charts. But how do you follow up a song — no, a cultural movement — like that? The result is their debut album, Kpos Lifestyle, Vol.1, which sees the duo create standout moments while maintaining the same in-your-face Port Harcourt energy that made them popular in the first place. 

    16. Psycho YP – Euphoria EP 

    Psycho YP is in a league of his own when it comes to making trap and rap in Nigeria. Breaking out of the “Abuja-based” tagline to become a formidable force in his own right, Euphoria shows the artist at his best — hyper expressive, intense and confident AF. 

    15. Ladipoe – Providence EP

    After years of mind-blowing guest appearances and some standout solo moments, Providence EP introduces one of our favorite rappers to a new, larger audience. Songs like Love Essential and Law of Attraction are sure to make it to your bedroom playlist, but it’s on the title track, Providence that Ladipoe reminds us who’s boss. Is this the same Ladipoe that gave us Can’t Forget and the iconic rap verse on Show Dem Camp’s Victoria Island of Broken Dreams? No, but that’s okay, the change here is a welcome one. 

    14. Prettyboy D-O – Love is War

    Prettyboy D-O may just be to this generation what artists like Baba Fryo, Danfo Drivers and Daddy Showkey were to listeners during their time. Drawing from the late 1990s and early 2000s, Prettyboy’s influence goes beyond his multicolored hair and fashion choices; his music is brash and convoluted in a way that keeps you hungry for more. Love is War, his third album in four years, explores love (obviously) and what it means to be a young Nigerian navigating a country that keeps moving mad. 

    13. Show Dem Camp – Clone Wars Vol.5 – The Algorhythm 

    When discussing Nigeria’s rap or alternative scene, Show Dem Camp is sure to come up at some point. A decade after releasing their debut album, The Dreamer Project, Tec and Ghost have continued to remain relevant fixtures on both scenes. While their Palmwine series might bring them a lot of commercial attention, it’s the Clone Wars series that binds real SDC stans together. And in this installment, they don’t disappoint either. 

    12. Teni – Wondaland

    After making a major break into the industry with the fuji-inspired Askamaya in 2019, Teni finally put out her debut album this year, and it was worth the wait. Covering afropop, trap, highlife, R&B and yes, house music, Teni gave us bop after bop with songs like For You and Injure Me. But it’s songs like Hustle—which sounds a lot like Uyo Meyo—that remind us that our sugar mummy is an intentional storyteller. 

    11. Blaqbonez – Sex Over Love 

    Blaqbonez is to Nigeria what Lil Nas X is to American pop culture. Self-marketing his way into our playlists and hearts, Blaqbonez not only understands the power of the internet, he has also mastered the art of sharing authentic and relatable content. This same authenticity is evident on his album Sex Over Love. While a lot of questions have been raised about the strength of Nigeria’s rap scene, this album proves that rap doesn’t always have to be a monolith; it could be many things all at once. 

    10. Cavemen – Love and Highlife 

    In a year where GOATS like Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy and Davido all dropped albums, one album that stood out from the pack was Roots by The Cavemen. Continuing their two-man mission of introducing highlife to a new generation, Love and Highlife is an expansion on the story they started last year. Featuring appearances by Made Kuti and legendary producer Cobhams Asuquo, this album has “modern classic” written all over it. 

    9. Joeboy – Somewhere Between Beauty and Magic 

    You have to have been living under a rock not to have heard at least four or five songs off this album. Focus was a regular on TikTok and Instagram stories, while Show Me was playing literally every time we turned on the radio. If there’s something we’ve learnt this year, it’s that this is Joeboy’s world, and the rest of us are just squatting in it. 

    8. Tiwa Savage – Water and Garri EP

    When Tiwa Savage announced a new EP barely a year after dropping the best album of her decade-long career, we were shocked but excited. Water & Garri proves yet again that Tiwa is great at creating cohesive sounding EPs (Sugarcane, everybody?). While the album opens with Nas and features a collaboration with her vocal role model, Brandy, it’s the songs with alternative acts Amaarae and Tay Iwar that carry the heavy punches on this EP. 

    7. Tems – If Orange was a Place 

    From cracking the Billboard Hot 100 to securing a Grammy nomination and hanging out with Adele and Rihanna, there’s no denying that we all want to be Tems right now. If last year’s For Broken Ears found Tems asking existential questions while telling madmen not to call her phone, If Orange was a Place shows a more confident artist, one who finally understands, but still doesn’t buy into the hype around her.

    6. Femi and Made Kuti – Legacy +

    Does being a Kuti automatically translate to being super talented? We have a lot of questions about this because why did Femi and Made Kuti snap so hard on this cross-generational album? Already a Grammy contender, this album is a beautiful nod to the past and a clear sign that the Kuti clan can step into the future without losing the ethos of what made them iconic in the first place. 

    5. Lojay and Sarz – LV N ATTN EP

    Sarz has told us time and time again that he’s not our mate, and while we already believe him, every year, he drops something to make sure we don’t forget. LV N ATTN finds Sarz working with Lojay to create a record that soundtracks a wild night out in the city. From the strip club on Tonongo to the dancefloor on Monalisa, this EP is filled with bangers. We can’t stop listening, and to be honest, it’s not like we want to. 

    4. Tay Iwar – Love and Isolation 

    Inspired by the lockdown, Tay Iwar’s sixth project is an elite body of work that will make you want to give someone your mumu button, eat hot breakfast and still fall in love again like it’s jazz. Minimalistic and burning with intensity, we didn’t even know how much we needed this EP until we started listening to it. 

    3. Ayra Starr – 19 & Dangerous 

    This time last year, less than a handful of people outside the Mavin headquarters could identify the name “Ayra Starr”. Fast-forward to today and Ayra Starr has cemented her spot as Nigeria’s first teenage female pop star and one of the most in-demand artists of the moment. With confidence way beyond her years, Ayra owns every track on this album. Not all of us are 19, but we can totally relate to wanting to be a bad bitch every day. A rare no-skips project, 19 & Dangerous was one of our musical highlights of the year. 

    2. Olamide – UY Scuti 

    This is Olamide’s 11th album. Yes, not one, not two, but 11 whole albums, and we’re not disappointed. While Carpe Diem was filled with hits like Loading and Infinity, this album replaces crowd-pleasers to show an evolution in his lyricism and approach to story-telling. He also reminds us of the importance of fighting for our lives by avoiding broke niggas. Talk about life nuggets. 

    1. Wizkid – Made in Lagos (Deluxe Version) 

    Yes, we know the album originally came out in 2020 but was Anoti, Mood, or Steady on the old one? No. If Wiz drops deluxe plus next year, best believe it would make our end-of-the-year list again. Periodt. 

  • 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.

    Timi Dakolo — “Take” ft. Olamide

    With all the songs being released now, it’s pretty easy to miss some gems. That was almost the case with Timi Dakolo’s incredible new love song, “Take”, which features Olamide.

    On the Pheelz-produced track, Timi sings about giving everything he has to the woman he loves, whom he also credits with making him happier than he’s ever been.

    Olamide, who is always a welcome addition to any track, delivers one of his strongest guest verses in a while, helping make the already solid song that much better.

  • 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.

    Olamide — “Wonma!”

    After Olamide went a whole year without dropping a project — an unprecedented move by the hard-working star — he’s finally come through with a new EP, 999.

    While the project leans more into Olamide’s hip-hop roots than anything he’s dropped in a long while, he still makes room for a radio-friendly banger, “Wonma!”.

    On the Cracker Mallo-produced track, Olamide sings about how difficult it is to satisfy a woman. Granted, it’s not the most thoughtful song on the EP, but it’s certainly the most fun.

  • 2019 was the first year in almost a decade that Olamide didn’t drop a project. He chose, instead, to focus his energy on pushing Fireboy DML — the breakout star we first met on the rapper’s 2018 mixtape.

    Now, with Fireboy’s position in the afropop scene solidified, Olamide has come through with a new EP, 999, which, like his last body of work, seems to be less about him and more about the rising stars he’s assembled.

    On the 9-track project, Olamide introduces his fans to a new generation of rap talent, two of which he simply discovered on his Instagram Explore Page (Sosa-E and Jackmillz on the fantastic “Dancing With The Devil”).

    The only other big-name star on 999 is Olamide’s frequent collaborator, Phyno, who is given a chance to flex alongside his gifted new signees, Rhatti and Cheque on the standout “Warlords”.

    The most exciting new discovery, however, is Jayboi, who Olamide met at a hotel in Abeokuta. After freestyling for hours, he earned himself a spot on the EP, and he quickly shows why on the sexually-charged “Mojo”.

    Bolstered by eclectic production work from Pheelz, Cracker Mallo and more, 999 solidly tackles themes around fame (“Rich & Famous”), generational wealth (“Billion Talk) and hustling (“No Time”).

    While a lot of the songs on the EP are really impressive, the track that feels destined to be the biggest is “Wonma”, a radio-friendly banger that allows Olamide to reach his one-hit-every-other-month quota.

    All in all, 999 is a solid and essential project from Olamide — one that serves double duty, both reminding us of his versatility as a rapper and his penchant for putting people on.

    Rating: 7.5/10

  • It should be obvious why collaborations are a big deal, especially on this side of the world. Every collab is a two-for-one deal. How many times have you fiddled with ideas of which of your faves would sound great on a song? (I still have fingers crossed for a Burna Boy and Tomi Thomas song.) When two A-list musicians join forces, the combination of styles can result in some truly evergreen music. Some may come to mind like King Sunny Ade and Onyeka Onwenu’s “Wait For Me” and MI’s “Nobody” with 2baba.

    Sometimes, though, we get assaulted with music that should never have left the studio it was created in. You see two big names on a cover, only for your expectations to be dashed by music that sounds like multiple road accidents.

    As a tribute to the times when Nigerian artistes have let their bad friends (“This one na jam, David”) get the better of them, here are 5 of such collaborations that no-one needed to know about.

    • Olamide & Davido – Summer Body

    Despite emerging with the celebrated class of 2010, Olamide never really reached the international acclaim that his peers, Davido, Burna Boy and Wizkid are currently enjoying. Some would say the language barrier is the reason. “Summer Body”, in retrospect may have been an attempt to rubbish those claims. Unfortunatly, Olamide reinforced them.

    Instead of creating the summer hit he was aiming for, Olamide reverted to his 12-year-old self and adapted a nursery rhyme for his hook. If you thought Davido would help, you thought wrong. Probably encouraged by Olamide’s (lack of) direction, Davido pretty much recorded what sounds like a loud conversation with himself, sent it as a verse and that was it.

    • D’Banj, Slimcase & Mr Real – Issa Banger

    Every time this song comes on, I can’t shake the feeling of someone reluctant to let go of their youth. Just as Slimcase and Mr Real were coming off the crest of the shaku-shaku wave, D’banj tapped both for this 2018 single. Whether he was trying to evoke his youth or he just thought a collab with an artiste who repeats verses over 3 songs was a good idea, we’ll never know. Issa Banger sounds like what happens when you invite your funky landlord over to hang out with your cousins from Agege. 2/10; absolutely do not recommend.

    • Olamide & Skepta – Sheevita Juice
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHPv0s4LYEs

    What better way to prove that you can hold your own as afrobeats continues its journey across the world than to tap a UK rapper who is evidently proud of his Yoruba roots? Right? Right? So why does Sheevita Juice, an otherwise smooth collab between two rappers who are essentially two sides of the same coin, sound like something they recorded to settle a fight?

    The song starts with the glee and abandon of a typical Olamide single. It continues until Skepta comes in with a verse that sounds bent out of its original shape. On some days, the bounce on “Sheevita Juice” is a strong enough distraction to get you nodding. But most times, you can’t help but notice how out of place Skepta sounds on the canvas Olamide created.

    • Wale, Davido & Olamide – Fine Girl

    Everyone gets what Wale meant to do by putting Davido and Olamide, his Naija brothers, on one of the main singles off his 2017 album, “SHINE”. What we don’t get is the series of bad decisions that made the song what it is. Despite having two of Afropop’s best hitmakers, Wale forces them to make sense of a generic reggae beat. You can’t blame them for giving him what he asked for. Olamide decides it is a good idea to suggest he’d like to apply his tongue to a woman’s rear end for no real reason. Davido’s verse is the song’s only saving grace, but by then the damage has already been done. Oh, and in the music video, Chief Obi makes an ill-advised stereotypical cameo in the first few seconds.

    • Yemi Alade & Rick Ross – “Oh My Gosh”

    Yemi Alade gets a lot of slack and a lot of it unwarranted. In the case of her collaboration with Rick Ross, it isn’t. Sure, she’s developed a massive fanbase in francophone Africa and she has the numbers to show. But festivals of monotony like the one she created on “Oh My Gosh” are weapons for her very active army of haters.

    “Oh My Gosh” starts with all the flash and luxury you’d expect when any artist, even P-Square, joins forces with a Miami rapper. But barely 10 seconds in, Yemi lifts the veil and shows you it’s a scam. This is just another typical tungba song from the one-dimensional ministry of Miss Alade. Even Rick Ross’ flossin can wipe the highlife off this song. If you’ve heard any Yemi Alade song since 2014, you’ve heard this one too.

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  • 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.

    It was 2011 when Wizkid and Olamide – seemingly predestined to be Afropop’s next torchbearers – made “Omo To Shan”, a rap/sung collaboration that embodied the nuances of that year’s popular hit songs.

    Eight years later, the duo’s reunion on “Totori” – while not their first since the days when Wizkid slept and woke in snapbacks – is the perfect representation of just how much the sound they helped build on and export throughout their respective careers has evolved.

    “Totori” is not remarkable for the reasons that superstar collabs often are; instead, the two, now icons with the numbers and cultural impact to show for it, emphasise the traits that have given them their longevity.

    All Wizkid needs is a mid-tempo beat with the right pre-hook pause and he will have your body dancing while your mind works overtime trying to figure what he’s talking about. Olamide is deep in his pocket on this one – he’s always willing to vividly describe his antics with women, real or imagined.

    The real stars of the show are behind the scenes. ID Cabasa – the iconic producer who introduced Olamide to the world – delivers an evergreen, reggae-inspired beat that both artists find a home on, years after he did the same on “Omo To Shan”.

    In the music video for “Totori”, Director T. G Omori builds a restrained portrait of Nigerian street culture – complete with colours, references to style and scores of kids gathering for a night’s entertainment in front of a lone TV screen.

    Together, the four seem to capture 10 years worth of evolution in the space of three-odd minutes. Take it all in. It took a lot to get here.

  • There’s little to say about Olamide that hasn’t been said already.

    As the protege of a class of indigenous artists that defined the Coded Tunes era, Olamide was an outlier.

    But he picked up where 9ice left off by taking the music and culture of the streets to the mainstream.

    On his day, he is a trans-generational genius.

    Other days, he is stereotypical to the point of frustration – as the entirety of 2017 had us feeling.

    If there is one Nigerian artiste that stretches opinion across the spectrum, it’s Baddo Sneh, First of His Name.

    What better way then to gauge the dins and highs of Olamide’s long career than going through the main benchmarks of an artist’s career; their bodies of work.

    Here are Olamide’s albums, ranked from ‘least favourite’ to ‘absolute classic’.

    “Lagos Na Wa (Wobey Sound)” (2017)

    Lagos Na Wa Olamide

    We do not speak of this one – even though it’s easy to understand the motive for this project.

    After such a storied career, Olamide may have felt an understandable desire to capture the ethos of the city he represents. And fairly so.

    Blessed by the city’s elite and masses alike, Olamide has managed to make himself the poster boy for Africa’s cultural nucleus.

    But if his persona reflected the spirit of Lagos – grind, opportunity, hustle and connect, the album fell far short.

    Instead of drawing on multiple sources as most fans expected, Olamide created a self-contained project.

    There are lessons to be learned here in letting upstarts learn before throwing massive projects on them.

    There are also very few people who still listen to this album.

     

    Stand-Outs: “Wo”
    Should Never Have Happened: EVERYTHING ELSE.

    “The Glory” (2016)

    The Glory Olamide

    Somewhere between YBNL and Street OT, Olamide had decided that his calendar would be dominated by one thing; his annual late-in-the-year release.

    And while it would notably crash and burn on his tribute to Lagos, “The Glory” was where the folly of his approach began to show – and it was not for lack of inspiration.

    In the years since his rise, life had happened. His long-standing partner had their first child named Maximilliano or “Milli” for short. He had become the face of indigenous music in the mainstream – and stretched out helping hands to emerging talents in that sphere, most notably Phyno.

    He had become the spokesman for street culture, often recycling inner-city trends and watering them down for the mass audience. This sense of greater responsibility came through on the album in spurts.

    “Letter To Milli” is a honest letter to his son, written from the point of view of a father who wishes none of his struggles on his own. “Oluwa Loni Glory” is a typical acknowledgement of a higher power and his role in his success.

    But where the album reached for greater heights, it was pulled to earth by a slew of unfinished pop singles, hasty collaborations and songs that could have used a month or more of thought and effort.

     

    Standouts: “Oluwa Loni Glory”, “Letter To Milli”.
    Should Never Have Happened: The Burna Boy collabs.

    “Rapsodi” (2011)

    Rapsodi Olamide

    To understand the impact of Rapsodi, one needs to appreciate the song that is “Eni Duro”. With an exercise in chest-bumping and a nifty music video, Olamide managed to put himself on everyone’s radar.

    The song’s success carried it the impression of Olamide as an artist coming to appreciate his ability as much as we were, and Olamide delivered in the same vein on his album.

    Made under the guidance of his mentor, ID Cabasa, the album followed a template that 9ice had created for indigenous music on ‘Gongo Also’. It was confident in its identity and the core influence of indigenous street culture – but it also touched other bases.

    Songs like “Apa Ti Jabo” assured us of who Olamide was while others – particularly “Omo To Shan” left crumbs of what he would go on to become.

     

    Standouts: “Eni Duro”, “Responsibility”, “Omo To Shan” w/ Wizkid

    Should Never Have Happened: “Dirty Rock”

    Eyan Mayweather (2015)

    Eyan Mayweather by Olamide

    By 2015, Olamide had made it to elder statesman status. With an entire team of rabid musicians in his army and a city on his back, Baddo had all he could have imagined when he made Rapsodi.

    That ethos was represented almost perfectly in the cover for his sixth album. The album itself was reflective of someone who had little left to prove.

    While his peers approached a new benchmark by scoring points on an international level, Olamide had spent his year strengthening his hold on the local market.

    Hits like “Bobo”, “Melo Melo” and “Lagos Boys” were the core of the album.

    They were surrounded by songs by pop fillers that had become his bread and butter in the years before. The man had little to prove and it showed.

     

    Standouts: “Bobo”, “Melo Melo”, “Lagos Boys”.

    Should Never Have Happened:  “Akara”

    YBNL (2012)

    Olamide YBNL
    Olamide’s sophomore album offered the first signs of his growth. Much of his career has been embellished in the years since, but if you’re interested in listening to Olamide’s most basic stumblings – YBNL is the place to be.
    In the months before, he had popularised the phrase “Yahoo Boy, No Laptop” – thus beginning a subtle affiliation with internet fraud that follows him till this day. Besides that, YBNL is where Olamide perfected the urgency and energy that has since defined his sound and put him on the throne of indigenous rap.
    As one would expect, after overcoming the jitters of a debut album in the pre-DIY era, Olamide was eager to try out new sounds and collaborations. YBNL is one of his more feature-heavy albums, with Davido, Tiwa Savage, Kayswitch and Dammy Krane.
    But what stands out the most about YBNL is perhaps “Stupid Love”, a drunken studio session with Samklef that would become his first dance hit. By the time YBNL was done, we knew exactly who we could expect Olamide would become.
    Standouts – “VOTS”, “Ilefo Illuminati”, “Stupid Love”.
    Should Never Have Happened  – “Street Love” w/ Minus 2.

    “Baddest Guy Ever Liveth” (2013)

    Baddest Guy Ever Liveth
    If all’s well at home, the typical successful artiste’s trajectory goes something like this – the debut album which introduces the artiste and makes a case for where he’s coming from. The second album offers the first signs of growth and experimentation. The third, however, is the artist’s true form.
    To be fair, even the greats have rubbished that pattern (See: MI Abaga’s polarising third album, Wizkid’s SFTOS). For Olamide though, third time was the charm. After rummaging for the best form of himself on his two previous projects, “Baddest Guy Ever Liveth” was Olamide at his most confident as shown in its rollout – one of the most elaborate of the era.
    Who can forget the gunman pose – a random photo pose that took on a life larger than the man’s music. Or better still, the music video for “Sitting on The Throne” – a delightful masterpiece created by Kemi Adetiba.
    Perhaps the most important song on the project though is “Anifowose” – where Olamide explained his fear of failure and poverty, all to a sample of a classic by Wasiu Ayinde Marshall.
    BGEL also elevated Olamide to true pop star status with songs like “Durosoke” and “Turnup” – both with music videos that saw Badoo in new territory.
    Standouts: “Durosoke”, “Anifowose”, “Dope Money”.
    Should Never Have Happened: “Position Yourself”

    Street OT (2014)

    Street OT
    If Olamide ever made a classic, it’s this one. There is nothing imperfect about this album, despite the best efforts of Pepenazi and an overeager Chinko Ekun. In the year leading up to its release, Olamide had made himself into a genuine label-head to reckon with, thanks to deals signed w/ Viktoh and Lil Kesh. Powerful, renowned and with a loyal fanbase eager to see what was next, Olamide made us a masterclass in street knowledge. Arguably no other project of his is as true to its theme and title as Street OT. From “Oga Nla” made with Fuji icon Pasuma to “Eni Suun”, Olamide captured what it takes to survive in the city of contrived excellence. He had company as well and they didn’t disappoint. Viktoh delivered one of the best hooks of his career on “100 to Million” while “Hustle, Loyalty, Respect” w/ Reminisce is as statesmanly as Olamide will ever get as he offers tips and advice to his peers and successors alike. But no song quite matches up to “Zero Joy”  – raw, exciting and menacing. Olamide had set out to capture the streets in one body of work and he did.
    Standouts – “Zero Joy”, “Usain Bolt P”, “Goons Mi”
    Should Never Have Happened – “Ya Wa”, “Story For The Gods”.