Big Brother Naija: Who has been the best DJ on the show?

In this season of Big Brother Naija, one of the things I always look forward to are the Saturday night parties. As an outlet for housemates to unwind and get their groove on, we have seen them dress up according to themes, enabled by the show’s chief sponsor PayPorte. Also, we have noticed Alex to be a dance revelation, but this wouldn’t have been possible without the service of the DJs. The last party on the show was without one, though: a live band that riffed on Afropop songs and the oldies. It was spiritless and had no funk, and it made me think of DJ Consequence and his exuberant mixing at last week’s party. To that effect, this is looking back on other DJs that have graced Big Brother Naija, and turned the dance floor into a pulsing, familiar, Naija-tinged spectacle.

But first, let’s get the worst DJ out of the way. In February, off-brand, South African-based disc jockey DJ Toy helmed party proceedings in the house, and let’s just say it was close to being a mess. Trust Nigerians to react accordingly, DJ Toy infused his set with unnecessary scratches and abruptly switched songs that were crowd-pleasing. “DJ Toy should pack his toys and leave already” reads a comment in this Nairaland thread.

On deciding who the best DJ is, I’ll be using parameters like turntable dexterity, creativity, brand appeal, and appearance (fashion and style and how they align with party theme). A week before DJ Toy’s near-disasterous show, Cool FM’s official disc jockey DJ Xclusive dished out turntable magic by delightfully mashing up club bangers. He had housemates dancing to Patapaa’s outrageously viral song One Corner, which looked like a spell had been cast on them.

Furthermore, he even made Lolu cry. OK, not because of how he deftly handled the party, but because DJ Xclusive gave him a shout. For long, industrious years, powerhouse brand DJ Jimmy Jat has been very much in the game, releasing mixtapes and performing at his annual Jimmy Jump Off music show. So when he was brought to pilot the all-white-themed party, I could only expect a top-notch delivery. Good points, for making Alex twerk on Tobi.

Last month, DJ Sose blended a mix that included the names of all the housemates residing in the house at the time. The mix also featured tracks from Teddy A and Rico Swavey, which shows that the Nigerian-Hungarian disc jockey did his homework. On fashion, Sose shimmered in a gold kaftan designed by South African designer David Tlale, and styling was done by in-demand, Nigerian celebrity stylist Swanky Jerry. The theme had been tagged “Away from Africa,” which saw housemates dress in Middle East fashion and aesthetics.

DJ Sose’s mixing style had a precision and timeliness, lean and packing enough punch to keep housemates rooted to the dancefloor. But it was DJ Consequence that had social media talking, especially for his creative wink at Big Brother’s signature “freeze” command.

Resident DJ at Club Quilox, and turning tables for urban radio station Soundcity 98.5FM, Consequence lifted the party night into a different stratosphere. His set exquisitely incorporated pop bangers and dance mixes, but his haircut was questionable, fresh off the barber’s chair with a kind of unsettling, stomach-churning sharpness. Big Brother Naija host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu isn’t the one that can don an agbada, as we saw award-winning DJ Neptune wear a royally black one while on turntable duties. The party theme drew inspiration from 70’s and 80’s fashion: bell bottom pants, vintage colours, platform shoes, and larger-than-life wigs.

The agbada is a timeless Yoruba fashion staple, and in alignment with the theme, Neptune’s wardrobe choice is still on point. His mixes had a pan-Africanism that was catchy and exotic, ranging from East African classics to North African rhythms. Joining Urban 96.5 FM as the station’s official DJ in 2016, Neptune operates with a more eclectic taste in music and has crafted his own unique brand in an overpopulated disc jockeying landscape. Because I was never good at maths at school, I’ll not try to sum up results of this contest in numbers. Evidently, Dj Sose and DJ Neptune aced their fashion, and while DJ Consequence had good social media reception and tipped as the new turntable messiah, he flunked on appearance. Heavyweight DJ Jimmy has got solid brand appeal, making the portfolios of others feel inadequate.

I never included social media reception in the parameters, but it appears DJ Consequence is running away this one. His outstanding skill was mixing without headphones, which takes incredible accuracy and timing. It will be interesting to see which DJ will be invited next, and I won’t be surprised if Consequence makes a second return.
 

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