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If you’re in the mood to party with the cool kids and creatives this March, the Alté Culture Festival 2024 is the yard to stomp.
It’s another year, another Easter period, and the Alté Culture Festival is back in town. Since 2022, the festival has brought cool millennials and Gen Zs in the Alté community together, curating unforgettable fun experiences.
Here’s all you should know about it.
What’s the Alté Culture Festival?
A festival for the non-conformist, people who aren’t boxed into the conventional ways of life and expression. Now, imagine a festival where these cool folks come together to interact, party, showcase diversity and support innovation. That’s what the Alté Culture Festival is all about.
The 2024 edition
After two successful editions, the festival returns on March 30, 2024, live in Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island. To those outside Lagos, if you love the Alté community, you’ll find your way here, dear.
Behind the festival
If you’re wondering what cool force is behind the Alté Culture Festival, it’s Q21 Solutions — a Nigerian corporate event planning and management firm who have worked on the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), Jameson Connect, Martell House and many more. With Q21 Solutions, you already know the standard to expect at the Alté Culture Festival — exceptional.
Activities to expect
Alté Culture Festival embodies entrepreneurship. Creatives, big and small businesses get to showcase their products. People in photography, fashion, arts, music, food, are all welcome to showcase their uniqueness.
Music performances
At Alté Culture Festival, you get to experience live performances (no backtracks) from the performing artists who are masters in their craft and not bound by style or genre. Artists such as BOJ, OdumoduBlvck, Lady Donli, Somadina, Jeriq, Made Kuti, Prettyboy D-O and more. TGarbs’ DJ set will entertain the crowd with hits, and Sheye Banks will hype them up.
Tickets are out
Be the last one to know about the Alté Culture Festival? No way. Be the last one to get to this cool-ass party? No way! Get your tickets ASAP, and let’s make Lagos cool again.
Ajebutter 22 is not your mate when it comes to this alté music thing; that man is your daddy. Way before artistes like Cruel Santino, Odunsi the Engine and Tems helped make alté music and culture popular, Ajebutter was dropping bangers people didn’t quite get but still loved.
With his new album, Soundtrack to the Good Life, featuring collaborations with Oxlade, Ajebo Hustlers and Ladipoe, I decided to look through Ajebutter’s collab discography and rank these songs based on how alté they are
Omo Pastor featuring BOJ
Eight years before Beyoncé made a song for church girls on Renaissance in 2022, Ajebutter 22 and BOJ dropped Omo Pastor, a hilarious song that describes the adventures of a pastor’s daughter they know. While Beyonce’s church girl can drop it like a thotty, Ajebutter’s omo pastor is the superior babe here, downing four bottles of beer in one sitting right after choir practice and prayer meeting.
Alté-ness of the song: 9/10. This was Ajebutter and BOJ’s first major hit, and even though many people weren’t used to the sound, it crossed over into mainstream culture big time. Shoutout to Seyi Shay for flying that fence in the video.
Serenre featuring Taymi B
You just had to be there when Ajebutter’s Serenre first hit the streets. No one knew what the song meant, but it was provocative, it got the people going. I remember hearing it for the first time on Ndani TV’s Gidi Up back in 2012 and going, “Whoa, who TF is this?” The sound was fresh and groundbreaking if we’re keeping it 100.
Alté-ness of the song: 8/10. This is Ajebutter 22’s Like to Party, his Dami Duro, his Ojuelegba — his game changer.
Damiloun featuring Show Dem Camp and BOJ
You know it’s a vibe when you see Show Dem Camp’s name on a track that opens with the line, “classic”. Teaming up with my fave rappers and his music husband, BOJ, Ajebutter 22 delivers a romantic bop that’s perfect for trad weddings. You can’t listen to Damiloun and not think of firewood jollof rice and aunties asking you when they’ll be coming to your own wedding.
Alté-ness of the song: 7/10. This song has all the OGs of alté music. Chelsea, come on now.
Tungba featuring BOJ
Another Ajebutter and BOJ record? Hell, yes! These two work so well together they’ve dropped two EPs over the years — Make E No Cause Fight in 2018, which had Tungba, and Make E No Cause Fight 2 with Falz.
Alté-ness of the song: 8/10. The fact that the word alté became a thing after BOJ mentioned it on Paper is enough to have Ajebutter’s BOJ features occupy the top 5.
A song that finds Ajebutter 22 threatening his lover with an overdose of enjoyment? Inject it, please. In a collaboration destined to happen (Ajebutter 22 and Ajebo Hustlers, get it?) Ajebutter reminds his babe that the butter in his name isn’t there for decoration. My guy is really about that soft life.
Alté-ness of the song: 5/10. This might not be an alté song, but it’s my song for sure. I have an Ajebo Hustler bias.
Lekki featuring M.I Abaga and Odunsi the Engine
M.I Abaga’s 2017 EP, Rendezvous, was a big creative risk that paid off. After years of wearing Nigeria’s rap king crown, M.I pushed himself by working with artists like Nonso Amadi, Cruel Santino and Tomi Thomas, who were growing the alté scene at the time. But if there’s one track that stood out on that EP, it’s Lekki with Odunsi the Engine, Ajebutter 22 and Falz. Powered by a house-inspired beat, these men spend over four minutes coming for girls who prefer men who live in Lekki.
Alté-ness of the song: 4/10. Outside of the runs girl obsession, this song actually works. MI was able to curate a sound that appeals to his core fans and the alté crowd. None of the artistes sounded out of place, but maybe it’s because they were talking about something they seemed to be super passionate about.
Bad Gang featuring Falz
Remember when Ajebutter and Falz made themselves the morality police with Bad Gang in 2017? From those who love wearing all black and taking shots to those who don’t comb their hair (I’m bald, can’t relate), no one was safe from Falz and Ajebutter’s stray bullets. Bad Gang also started Falz and Ajebutter’s unnecessary obsession with runs girls.
Alté-ness of the song: 3/10. While Bad Gang is a bop, Falz was never an alté artist, and don’t get me started on that “body count going way up” line. We do not slut-shame in this house, dears.
Amapiano x Shisha featuring Toby Shang
Ajebutter 22 making amapiano music is shocking but still very much on brand. His signature baritone skates so seamlessly over the amapiano beat that I can’t imagine him doing anything else. This is one Ajebutter song that has the clubs in a chokehold.
Alté-ness of the song: 2/10. It’s not an alté song, but it slaps harder than pounded yam and efo riro. Something about Toby Shang shouting, “Amapiano is the rave right now” just sends me. Not him saying what we already know like it’s brand new information.
Alté fashion is main character fashion. So if you’re looking to channel your main character energy, disguise as a Gen Z or just generally kill it at an alté party, here’s what you need to do.
Heel up
Nobody ever got hurt by adding some extra inches to their height. So throw out your slides, Moses sandals and flat shoes, and invest in platform shoes and booted heels.
Small tops are in
The smaller the top, the better. Next time you go to a party, just throw on a crop top or mesh tops with your mum jeans, cargo or leather pants, and you’re ready to go.
Oversized clothes too
Depending on the alté aesthetic you’re going for, you either wear small or baggy clothes — there’s no in-between.
Invest in leather
Leather gives bad bitch energy like nothing else does, so why not?
Don’t be scared of colours
Most people think it’s about wearing neon, but it’s more about being ready to try different colours. You could spot mismatched pastel colours and still kill it.
Have interesting hair
Be as creative with your hair as you are with your clothes. So whether it’s locs or dyed hair, go for it. And don’t forget to accessorise with beads, cowries or trinkets.
Rings and heavy accessories, always
Accessories add an edge to your outfit. And if you’re trying to absolutely kill the party, you need to come prepared. From knuckle rings to bracelets, chains and earrings.
Bucket hats or scarves? Both!
There’s no point restricting yourself to just one head covering when you can go all out and use everything.
Glasses make you bougie
Glasses with small or wide frames, black or coloured, round or rectangular, go all out. It’s never too late to wear glasses either, so feel free to throw on a pair of shades before you step out at night.
You don’t need a lot of makeup
Even though it’s perfectly fine if you go for a full-face beat with graphic liners, it’s not essential. You could simply line your lips and eyes, shade your brows and apply lip gloss or dark lipsticks.
Ladies, gents and non-binary friends, it’s another Friday. We won, guys; no capitalism for two whole days! Small victory, but a victory nonetheless. To celebrate this short break, here are some of the songs that popped on my radar this week that you should definitely add to your playlist.
Please don’t say I didn’t do anything for you.
Jaiye Foreign — Zinoleesky and Tiwa Savage
One of the best parts about Tiwa Savage’s career is her ability to serve range back to back. Are you looking for ballads? She’s got you with Olorun Mi. Are you down to get the party rocking? Best believe Koroba and Diet will be on your DJ’s setlist.
Teaming up with one of the hottest stars of the moment, Zinoleesky, for Jaiye Foreign, Tiwa shows that versatility yet again. Zinoleesky feels at home with that amapiano bassline in the background he’s known for, but Ms. Savage’s vocals steal the show for me.
Hey! — Aylø and Tera Kora
There’s nothing like knowing your sound as a musician, cultivating that sound and just killing it time after time. While Aylø might not be the most popular by-product of the alté crossover from SoundCloud to the music charts, his reggae-influenced sound and distinct tone have always gotten my attention.
On his latest single, Hey!, Aylø seems to be searching for answers, and like most Nigerians, he turns to prayer. His prayer might not be directed at any deity in particular, but his longing makes me pray they get answered soon.
If there’s one thing AV will do on a song, it’s give you a memorable opening line. On his 2021 breakout hit, Big Thug Boys, he started with, “If you get a woman, hold am tight o,” warning everyone that he’s not above scattering relationships. And on F.D.P with DJ Tunez, it’s, “How many kele man go fit knack oh?”
While AV doesn’t necessarily sing about anything new on F.D.P, it’s still about having women in different area codes, but his melodies over DJ Tunez and Kulboy’s mid-tempo beats provide the perfect party starter.
Selah — Morachi
I wasn’t the only one Morachi had in a chokehold when he dropped Hapuya Lyke That way back in 2007. Waists were whining, and backs were breaking on the dance floor — or at least in my room — every time the song came on.
However, on Selah, Morachi’s new single, we get to experience a different side of the artist. The beat has been slowed down to allow Morachi flex his loverboy muscles without distractions, and boy, does he eat up this song. I love a good rebrand or, in this case, evolution, so I’m totally here for this soft and romantic version of Morachi.
No Closure — Mannywellz
Please, if you’re the one that served Mannywellz’ breakfast, kindly step forward. Since dropping his 2020 EP, Mirage, Mannywellz has constantly sang about heartbreak, finally loving himself on A Million with Wale, and letting go of relationship baggage onPeace with Tems.
On No Closure, Mannywellz finds himself at the heartbreak bus stop one more time. While he sings about dancing to celebrate the end of a relationship, there’s a high chance he’ll be back singing about heartbreak again in a couple of weeks. Pele my dear.
Despite being another variant of 2020, 2021 was still a pretty great year for Nigerian music. With major crossovers between the alternative and mainstream pop music scene, this was a very experimental year musically and we loved every bit. As we round up the year, we decided to look back at some of the alternative songs that popped up on our radar in 2021.
Selense – Cavemen
The Cavemen stole our hearts in 2020 with the release of their debut album ROOTS. Drowning us in nostalgia, palm wine and pure enjoyment, it comes as no surprise that their second album, Love & Highlife follows the same direction. As the loverboys that they are, on Selense we find the brothers professing their undying love yet again. What would normally sound corny, ends up being so cute we can’t stop blushing. God save us from Igbo men.
Angel – Solis
While Angel is a sultry standout from Solis’ seductive new project Stairway to Heaven, SoundCloud babies like us have known this song for a while now. There’s something about Solis’ voice that makes us want to fall in love, cuddle and make babies, but omo, streets are tough right now.
Again – Tomi Thomas
Tomi Thomas’ music makes us want to travel to an island somewhere, relax by the beach and just be taken care of. One of the OGs of the alté movement, his ability to creatively mix Nigerian and Island influences is something that should be studied in schools. No one is doing it like Tomi Thomas and we’re obsessed.
Searching – Lady Donli
One minute she’s asking you to enjoy your life and the next — and without skipping a beat — she’s forcing you to examine all the life decisions you’ve been making as you embark on a journey of self-discovery. This, right here, is the power of Lady Donli and also why Searching was one of the few songs that really moved us this year.
The Tree – Dwin, the Stoic and TiwaDara
“Cos I came too far to let these naysayers get their laughs. They’re fine with the fruits, but I’m taking the tree”. On this song, we are serenaded by Dwin’s vocals as he takes us on a journey of understanding self worth, as we reclaim our time and give our haters the middle finger (but with panaché and class). This was our anthem in 2021 and there’s a strong possibility that we’re carrying it over into the new year.
Deeper – Ogranya and Brum3h
Remember when R&B men used to profess their love while break dancing under the rain? Good ole days. While Ogranya and Brum3h haven’t dropped the visuals for this song, their vocals remind us of those classic baby making music we shouldn’t have been listening to when we were young. These men can sing sha.
Crazy Tings – Tems
It’s Tem’s world and we’re all just living in it. Taking over the charts and scoring a feature on Drake’s album, 2021 was the year of Tems and she honestly didn’t need no other body. The first single from her latest EP, Crazy Tings wasn’t love at first listen for us, but now we can’t stop listening to this earworm. By the way, we are still judging all of you that sing “happening” instead of “appuning”. Tems said what she said.
Peaking – Tay Iwar
If there’s one thing Tay Iwar does well, it’s getting us deep in our feels. He could literally sing the phonebook and we’d lay down, stair into space, thinking about love and life. The Love and Isolation EP is Tay Iwar at his best — subtle, vulnerable and beautifully honest. Closing out the EP, Peaking might have inspired us to call our exes, but then again, YOLO.
Gone Girl – Obongjayar and Sarz
Obongjayar appeared on our radar right before the pandemic thanks to his incredible EP Which Way is Forward? After providing a soulful soundtrack for the lockdown, Obongjayar teamed up with superstar producer Sarz for a record that helped soundtrack our nights back on the streets in 2021. Sweetness, the EP is a fun ride, but Gone Girl is the song that gets us to our destination.
Civil War – Isah the Prince featuring Efe Oraka, Nvthy and Kabasii
2020 was a tough year for young Nigerians. Following the events of the #EndSARS protests and the serious gaslighting that followed, there was an undeniable feeling of hopelessness and confusion in the air. And while it’s still hard to be gingered about Nigeria at the moment, something about this song seems to have activated our last two brain cells to fight not just for our country, but our lives as well. With a diverse group of talents, this is one song that helped us deal with the gbas gbos Nigeria kept throwing our way.
Tycoon – Show Dem Camp
No one is touching Show Dem Camp when it comes to this rap thing. This song is just four minutes of Ghost, Tec and their guest stars flexing on us and to be honest, they’ve earned the rights. While we love their palmwine love music, we all know Show Dem Camp truly shines when they’re being disrespectful AF with hard truths and confidence on their Clone Wars series.
Jaded – Yinka Bernie
In a time where beats seem to be the driving force of most of the songs we consume, Yinka Bernie stands out with a voice that seduces and questions you at the same time. After a long hiatus, he makes a grand return with Jaded and trust us, it was all worth the wait.
