by Wilfred Okiche In 2010 Panshak ‘Ice Prince’ Zamani debuted with ‘Oleku’, a hit so huge it catapulted the Plateau state born dude to instant superstardom and placed him right up there- second only to MI- as the biggest name in rap. He titled his 2011 debut album ‘Everybody loves Ice Prince’ even though critical... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche ‘Dark side’ is a suspense thriller starring Bayo Alawiye, Nobert Young, Joseph Benjamin and Uru Eke. It begins with a supernatural twist as a young man (Bayo Alawiye) driving in his automoblie accidentally knocks down a blind man attempting to cross the road. After helping the stranger to his feet, the young... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche LKT found mainstream fame when he collaborated with Olu Maintain for ‘Yahooze, that relentless party popper that had former U.S Secretary of state Colin Powell dancing along. Post-Yahooze, he worked with everyone fom eLDee to P-Square before putting out his own album. ‘The Journey’ isn’t much. Well, it is much in terms... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche “You start jor, I no get time” Omawumi yells at me as she takes a break in between rehearsals with her No Time Band. She offers to hold my recorder and speaks English that could make the queen jealous. But she remains Omawumi, raised in Warri and reverts to her comedic pidgin... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche For years now, the Nigerian attempts at capturing the Broadway cultural experience have mostly been imported recycles from South Africa (Umoja) or the United States (Fela!). Then 2013 birthed ‘Kakadu’, the first indigenous musical. In an entertainment industry currently enjoying a resurgence in movies and music, the local theatre scene has for... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche It does not take a perceptive music critic to pick up on the obvious flaws of Sound Sultan’s 6th studio album, ‘Me,my mouth and eyes’. Like his ageless looks, they assault you at first listen, then become exacerbated with multiple spins. First off, it is too long. 20 tracks long, about half... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche Wizboyy has not enjoyed the smoothest ride of it on his way to commercial success. His valiant efforts at creating a genuine music career have been checked repeatedly by a contemporary scene that has whole-heartedly accepted another Wiz as the poster child for all round music domination. Then he has had to... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche The June 12 saga remains one of the country’s most indelible political dramas, the biggest event of national strife since the civil war. The struggle for a return to democratic rule and one man’s quest to be administered his due brought the country to a standstill, resulting in the loss of many... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche Damini Ogulu, the Rivers state born phenomenon better known as Burna Boy probably gets a life pass for his first major single, ‘Like to party’ a refreshing 90s anthem that calls to mind Will Smith in his Fresh Prince heyday. Quietly creeping into mainstream consciousness, the song was so good. It made... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche Tope Folarin is the current winner of the Caine Prize for African writing. We caught up with him via a telephone chat and got him to talk about his writing, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and the meaning of the term ‘African writer’. Enjoy excerpts from the interview. Congratulations on your Caine Prize win... Read More
Nollywood/Ghollywood faithful that follow Ghanaian director Frank Rajah-Arase’s work are aware of his antecedents. Nobody shows up for his films expecting an original AMAA winning spectacle. Helmer of previous productions like ‘Forbidden fruit’ and ‘The Game’, the man just wants to entertain you, thrill you and maybe even shock with a rough scene or two... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche There are two distinct but inter related personas at the core of Jesse Jagz’s belated sophomore disc, ‘Jagz nation volume 1: Thy nation come’. There is the rap maestro, rhyming and spitting bars like no one else has been able to commit to this year and there is the ragga afficionado, deluded... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche It is The Future Awards season and recently nominees of the Future Awards Africa Young Person of the Year were hosted to an exclusive reception by Tony Elumelu, serial entrepreneur and CEO, Heirs Holdings. We sat down with 3 of the nominees, representing a cross section of Africa’s finest young minds. Kenya’s... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche It is difficult to describe ‘A husband’s wife’, the domestic drama by prolific writer and filmmaker Tyrone E. Terrence but we’ll try. It is all at once a character study on the strain that the years take on a marriage, a battle-of-the sexes treatise on what side is responsible for the gradual... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche Remember when you thought May D was going to be pop music’s next big thing? It was back in 2011. Psquare had just released album number 5, ‘The invasion’ to tepid reviews and May D was instantly cited as the best thing on it. He made a couple of bubbly solo videos... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche She endeared herself to us as a member of Lagbaja’s band where her soaring vocals easily distinguished her and set her apart for future stardom. Her appearances in his music videos were a joy to behold and she became as much a star as the masked one himself. The inevitable cries for... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche At various points in his life he has been a teacher, journalist, public speaker, business man and presidential aspirant. In the conclusive part of the no-holds barred interview, Dele Momodu speaks more on the troubles bedevilling the nation and what can be done to remedy it. Enjoy. [READ: “When I say I want... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche Dele Momodu runs a pretty tight schedule. For 17 years, he has been the show runner of Ovation international magazine, the publication that changed the face of lifestyles in the country. At various points in his life he has been a teacher, journalist, public speaker, business man and presidential aspirant. YNaija sat... Read More
by Isi Esene She’s back! And already, she is taking no prisoners. Omowunmi Akinnifesi, who was Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2005, has just returned from a 2-year public break, armed with a Master’s degree from King’s College, London and already busy working on policy for the Lagos government. And with beauty, and smarts, and... Read More
by Wilfred Okiche Iwe is a fitting tribute to the late MC, one brother honoring another. ‘Iwe’ is a popular chant among the Igbos of the South Eastern region of the country. It connotes feelings of rebellion, anger, grief, and sadness and it is to this chant that crossover highlife rave-of-the moment, Flavour N’abania turns... Read More
Recent Comments