musicblog

October 20, 2017

[The Music Blog] Chocolate City suing Nas is proof of how much work goes into international cross-overs

The global takeover for African music has been documented in an almost sensationalist manner but a lot is not being said about the efforts artistes are making in landmark crossovers to the international stage. Big label deals are being signed by many artistes today, but very little is known of the sort of deal and... Read More

Chocolate city, M.I., Nas

October 20, 2017

[The Music Blog] Buzz Review: Set the mood for your weekend with Juls and Burna Boy on “Gwarn”

An impressive record originating from prior success Mr Eazi is all anyone needs to know about British born Ghanaian producer, Juls. And for his collaborator on “Gwarn”? You decidedly get an artist inherently set on an Afrobeat and Caribbean music style he dubs as ‘Afro-Fusion’. “Gwarn”, the track title, is a contraction of the word... Read More

Burna boy, Gwarn, Juls

October 17, 2017

[The Music Blog] What the negative media around Davido and his dead friends says about all of us

The headlines are almost becoming forgettable now, but the narrative created following the death of Davido’s associates Tagbo Umeike, DJ Olu and Chime, will linger on for longer. First came an Instagram call out by actress Caroline Danjuma (who was later revealed to have been in a relationship with Tagbo prior to his untimely demise),... Read More

Caroline Danjuma, Davido, Tagbo

October 6, 2017

[The Music Blog] Stop! This is not another one of those Davido Vs Wizkid things

Later next month, one winner will be selected from a nominees list of Davido and Wizkid, Angola’s C4 Pedro, Kenya’s Nyashinski and Babes Wodumo and Nasty C from South Africa, for MTV EMA’s Best African Act. Fun fact, this is the first time that both Davido and Wizkid have been nominated in the same category... Read More

Africa Category, Davido, MTV EMAs, wizkid

October 6, 2017

[The Music Blog] Tiwa Savage and Gender Politics: We need to stop expecting celebrities to know sh_t

Tiwa Savage’s 2-hour long tell-all interview with the journalist, Azuka Ogujiuba, following a series of emotional social media posts and an alleged suicide attempt by her husband Tunji Balogun, marked a historic moment for African pop culture, but it would seem the pop diva is now intent on re-writing the narrative that followed the presumed... Read More

Gender equality, Gender Roles, misogyny, tiwa savage

October 1, 2017

[The Music Blog]:Get a first taste of pop Poe on “Are you down” featuring Tiwa Savage

Historically, there is a thing in music that has been associated with artists changing sound. That public glare at an artist willing to forfeit all critical abandon to be sold as a cheap commodity instead. For an artist like Poe who came from being part of The Collectiv3—one of the strongest progressive subset of the... Read More

Don Jazzy, Ladipoe, mavin, tiwa savage

October 1, 2017

[The Music Blog] Remembering King Sunny Ade’s call for unity, “Lift Nigeria”

It’s hard to tell the mindset of the average Nigerian on ‘Independence Day’ as Nigeria marks its 57th year as a sovereign state. Beyond the customary public holiday and national television broadcasts for the celebration at the capital, Nigeria’s birthday does not carry any of the cultural value or importance many nations have attributed to... Read More

independence, King Sunny Ade, Lift Nigeria, Unity

September 27, 2017

[The Music Blog] Buzz Review: Omagz and Wavythecreator close summer playlists with “What You Like”

‘I think me and you can start a fire/ burn the city down with our desire’, Omagz sings as an opener to follow a brief melodic intro by WavytheCreator. Omagz is a rapper naturally, but auto-tuned singing has surfaced across his catalog in the past with relative smoothness and “What You Like” is no less... Read More

Omagz, Wavy, WavytheCreator

September 26, 2017

[The Music Blog] Nobody has an actual clue of what’s really going with the Psquare

The sense of deja vu that washed over fans in 2014 when Psquare first hinted the possibility they could be going their separate ways is in the air again. That year marked the first time in the group’s history that all parties involved in the Psquare seriously considered taking separate routes for the rest of... Read More

fight, PSquare, rumour

Tiwa Savage

September 25, 2017

[The Music Blog] If you ever wanted a Tiwa Savage project worth your time, here’s “Sugar Cane”

The low staying power for Tiwa Savage’s Once Upon A Time album required Mavin to follow-up the debut with R.E.D, a heavily marketed sophomore album that still didn’t give her artistry the oomph of a culturally relevant LP. It also didn’t help that R.E.D‘s release came after her marriage and childbirth hiatus and was followed by... Read More

mavin, Roc Nation, Sugar Cane, tiwa savage, wizkid

September 25, 2017

[The Music Blog]: Hear former EME boys Shaydee and Wizkid on “Make Sense”

As the media circus around Wizkid’s explosive Twitter showdown nearly two years ago made rounds, I insistently thought of what will become of Banky W legacy as the man who jump-started their careers. More so, if EME like Chocolate City and MoHits amongst other label crews would be missed, especially after a compilation album as... Read More

Make Sense, shaydee, wizkid

September 25, 2017

[The Music Blog] Safe to say, Mr Eazi is trolling us at this point

For what seems like the umpteenth time since he kicked off the year by claiming Ghanaian music has influenced mainstream Nigerian sound and incurring the wrath of Nigerians, Mr Eazi is back in the news again for another reckless and probably inaccurate statement on the spread of Afropop in the UK. Speaking to MTV Base... Read More

Choc Boys, Mo Hits, Mr Eazi

September 25, 2017

[The Music Blog] Here’s the winning strategy that got Yemi Alade a video game feature

Last week, video game company Ubisoft revealed some of the titles for tracks that would feature on the upcoming edition of motion-based dance video game, Just Dance 2018. The video game is inherently set on getting the player to try and keep up with the onscreen choreography by pressing the keys that appear on the... Read More

Ariana Grande, Bebe Rexha, Big Freedia, britney spears, bruno mars, Clean Bandit, Daddy Yankee, DNCE, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Efyyzziee, Katy Perry, Luis Fonsi, Mama Africa, Shakira, Tomska, Tum Bum, Ubisoft, Yemi Alade

September 24, 2017

[The Music Blog] Buzz Review: Sammiecolt’s “Ibadan” does just what it was intended for

There is no question that Lagos’ active music industry gives her an inherent chokehold on all things urban culture. The city’s cosmopolitan nature creates resource platforms as well as glitz and glamour for artists to springboard their careers. However, this no man’s land advantage, gives everyone coming in from out of town, near or far,... Read More

September 22, 2017

[The Music Blog]: The death of Nigerian labels, dearth of hip-hop crews and Tinny Mafia

It’s the year 2017 and the foretold death of labels adjunct to the rise of streaming and self-publishing is finally becoming a reality. The independent success of Chance the Rapper and Frank Ocean last year became a benchmark for how artists can best reap the benefits of the digital age without a record label acting... Read More

Chocolate city, D'banj, Don Jazzy, M.I., Mohits, Olamide, Ycee

September 22, 2017

[The Music Blog]: Get a feel of Aylø’s finest album yet, ‘Insert Project Name’

It doesn’t take long to get into Aylø’s new mixtape, Insert Project Name. Taking in a full minute of nothing but the sombre and wide-open groove harmonies on opening track “Gardens”, before Aylø eventually starts singing with his warm, strained and conversational vocals, the first thing that clicks is the unhurried feel. But as soon as the lyrics and ideas... Read More

AYLO, Insert Project Name

September 22, 2017

[The Music Blog] Buzz Review: Tipsy comes in a little too hard on “E Dakun”

“If I be boy, every girl go wan blow me”, Tipsy rumbles on “E Dakun”. Her presumption of what a change in gender could do to her sex life, albeit crude, is also a deep reflection of how much easier it is for a man to succeed in the hip-hop game. “E Dakun” is not... Read More

Buzz Review, E dakun, JJC, Olamide, Tipsy

September 21, 2017

[The Music Blog] This Wizkid clickbait led me to mindblowing music

When Google programmers were working on the algorithm to line related videos on YouTube’s side-bar, they probably never imagined the same algorithm intended to merely recommend similar interests to users would come with a major loophole. Amidst calls for streaming giant, YouTube to pull down re-uploaded versions of original content from unofficial, the platform continues... Read More

Clickbait, Juju Boy, wizkid, youtube

September 20, 2017

[The Music Blog] Davido and Orange Culture are crossing new landmarks with the Capsule Collection

It has long been the dream of music industry players to be beneficiaries of the wins of a functioning ecosystem of adjacent industries that create value, and Davido and Orange Culture are bringing that dream to life. Since it’s debut Orange Culture has been one of the most promising brands in urban wears and youth... Read More

Davido, fashion, Music, orange culture

September 19, 2017

[The Music Blog] Buzz Review: There is a naughty secret on Niniola’s new single “Sicker”

Through sleeper hits and cheeky Afropop that wouldn’t be so distinct if it was any other singer, Niniola has leveled her brand of Afro-house in the class of unambiguously playlist-worthy pop music. Being the only woman to have pulled off a summer hit for 2017 with “Maradona”, is worthy of mention considering much has been... Read More

Afropop, Music, Niniola, Niniola Sicker, Sarz, Sicker

September 17, 2017

[The Music Blog] For her birthday today, we’ve made a 14-track playlist of the best of Asa

To tell the story of Bukola “Asa” Elemide to one who hasn’t heard of her Herculean legend, would be to somewhat spell out the decade long history of modern Nigerian music itself. Of how she came to the industry in the era when up-and-comers, could either make radio hits off gimmicks like the D’Banj, strive... Read More

Asa, Beautiful imperfection, Bed of stone, birthday

September 17, 2017

[The Music Blog] Buzz Review: Major Lazer and Mr Eazi give “Leg Over”, a do-over

There were many signs that Major Lazer would eventually foray into the Nigerian soundscape since front man DipLo dropped by Nigeria earlier in the year for GidiFest. Fast forward a few weeks later and the International DJ-ing group already worked with Ice Prince, Nasty C, Jidenna and Patoranking for “Particular” off an an extended playlist... Read More

French Montana, Major Lazer, Mr Eazi, Ty Dolla Sign

September 14, 2017

[The Music Blog] The future of music storage and consumption comes to the now with Apple’s Watch Series 3

Over this past few years it has become customary for Apple’s 2-hour long keynote event to introduce a new expensive line of Apple products, then spawn memes and viral tweets mocking the new ridiculous price tag for a product that will still rake in billions of dollars in sales. Personally I have been fascinated by... Read More

Apple Music, Apple Watch

September 13, 2017

[The Music Blog] What the return of Camp Mulla could possibly translate

https://twitter.com/CampMulla/status/906783380313919488 Nearly twelve years ago, the widespread popularity of terrestrial broadcasts like MTV started the Nigerian music renaissance that spread across the continent. Over the next few years, the continent witnessed the rise of more terrestrial broadcasts with programming aimed at grooming young Africans with Western urban culture. By the end of 2000s, Afropop had... Read More

Camp Mulla, LOS

September 12, 2017

[The Music Blog] Nostalgia is an effective tool for nothing on Jesse Jagz’ “Alright” featuring Styl Plus

The release of Jesse Jagz Odysseus came as a follow-up to a series of events that have happened over the past week. After M.I’s public confrontation with Pulse’s Osagie Alonge, Chocolate City seems to be re-energised towards remaining on playlists. Some of the work put into achieving that goal has come by way of C-Kay’s... Read More

Chocolate city, Jesse Jagz, Odysseus, Styl-Plus

September 12, 2017

[The Music Blog] Uncovering Simi’s incredible album stand out “Take Me Back”

The suspicious first breaths (and breadths) of dramatic Latin guitar riffs that open “Take Me Back” should have been enough indicator of where Simi was going with this track off her new album, Simisola. For fans of Simi who have trailed tales of the singer’s alleged relationship with Adekunle Gold, “Take Me Back” is another piece... Read More

Adekunle gold, Simi, Simisola, Take Me Back

September 8, 2017

[The Music Blog] The day Osagie Alonge and Jude ‘M.I.’ Abaga made Nigerian hip-hop history

It may be hard to take Nigerian hip-hop seriously these days because the hottest rap song on the charts, is a street hop song by Olamide, who is often criticised for his commercialisation of rap for pop hits. But, the culture thrives at the core of the industry, forward-thinking in innovation and perhaps the most... Read More

Ayomide O. Tayo, Loose Talk, M.I., Osagie Alonge

September 5, 2017

[The Injustice Blog] Lagos waterfront communities in the eye of the storm

In Lagos, waterfront communities were the earliest form of habitation for Lagosians centuries, a situation which exists till date. The community is majorly made up of fishermen due to their closeness with the Atlantic Ocean. Some build their houses on water and others alongside the water. Waterfront communities in Lagos are found across all major... Read More

Counter Culture Blog

lagos, Lagos Waterfront communities

August 31, 2017

[The Music Blog] Buzz Review: Timi Saurse reinvents the ethos of Afropop and RNB for “Tangerine”

With the incursion of UK’s crisply produced Afrobeats, much of what used to be Afropop RNB seems to be evolving into the fringe, incorporating more of Afro-Carribean rhythms and hip-hop’s pacing. Artists who do not follow this style of making music are doing even more experimentation, Tekno and Runtown have tapped from Ghana’s guitar-infused hiplife,... Read More

Afropop, Music, newcomer, RnB, Tangerine, The Music Blog, Timi Saurse

August 31, 2017

[The Music Blog] YCee’s explosive Twitter rant and how middlemen are still gaming the industry

A digital era of online stores and streaming is expected to usher in new transparency in music sales and distribution. The days when the full benefits would be reaped however are still soon to come, but even the changing times still have rough edges that need to be worked out. Historically, middlemen between the artist... Read More

Michael Ugwu, Micheal Ugwu, Sony, The Music Blog, Ycee

NEWER POSTS 1 2 3 … 6 OLDER POSTS

15 49.0138 8.38624 arrow 0 arrow 0 4000 1 0 horizontal https://ynaija.com 300 0 1