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King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation might’ve come and gone, but everyone is still talking about Tiwa Savage’s performance, particularly her song choice.
Keys to the Kingdom from Beyoncé’s The Gift is a song about black men remembering they’re kings no matter what, and Tiwa performed it for a white man whose ancestors discussed our slavery over tea and crumpets. And whether she should’ve sang or not is still up for debate.
However, if I had to pick Nigerian songs for this coronation, these would be my choices. You’re welcome, Charly Bomboy.
Koroba — Tiwa Savage
I love me some Tiwa Savage, but she should’ve performed Koroba instead of Keys to the Kingdom. After all, Camilla can totally relate to “I no come this life to suffer. If I follow politician. You go hear am for paper.” While Charles can relate to eating money he didn’t work for. This choice was staring our African bad gyal in the face, for god’s sake.
Waymaker — Sinach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4XWfwLHeLM
Do you think it’s easy to be the heir to the throne for over 60 years while your mother, the Queen, holds on to the last thread of life? This coronation is a thanksgiving service, dear. After all the waiting Charly Bomboy has done, he needs Sinach to lead a full-on worship session, starting with Waymaker.
Terminator — Asake
Charles should’ve hit Asake up to perform Terminator at the coronation because when you really look at it, the British people have signed a contract with him that can’t be terminated unless he dies. This will be Charle’s love letter to his people.
Dami Duro — Davido
Davido was ready to take over the Afrobeats throne when he dropped Dami Duro in 2012. Now, Charly Boy can confidently sing this song about being unstoppable as he occupies the throne and gains access to the billions and stolen jewels of the British monarchy his baba (and mama) olowo passed down to him.
Yes, we all love Princess Diana; after all, she’s our mums’ BFF. But can we get into Charly Bomboy and CamCam’s love story? This man said, “I’d rather become the most hated man in Britain (or a tampon) than end our adulterous affair”. If this isn’t true love and loyalty, I don’t know what it is. No song captures this love like Teni’s For Your Case.
Who’s Your Guy — Spyro
Spyro should’ve performed his smash hit because whether the people of Britain like it or not, Charly Bomboy is their guy. He’s the one they’ll have to hail every day.
Bumper 2 Bumper — Wande Coal
From being the crowned prince for decades to finally becoming king? Just like Wande Coal, Charles’ level has changed. Not quite from Mushin to Mo’Hits; more like from one wing of Windsor Castle to another, but still. You go, boy.
All of Us (Ashawo) — Fireboy DML
This song will be a special dedication to all the Cha-milla haters. Yes, they cheated on their spouses. Yes, they did Diana dirty. But in the end, we’re all ashawos too, so why are we throwing stones in glass houses? Charles, ashawo. Camilla, ashawo. You, ashawo. Me, ashawo. All of us, ashawo.
Kilometre — Burna Boy
I’m personally surprised Burna Boy didn’t perform at the coronation. The whole “being the only Nigerian to perform at the coronation” thing seems like his vibe. And Kilometre would’ve been the perfect song if he’d been there because Charles has truly seen shege waiting to become king.
Ever since Tiwa Savage came out and told us Somebody’s Son is a gospel song, I haven’t listened to any of her songs without thinking long and hard about what they might actually mean. So when the video for Stamina dropped, a light bulb went off in my head, and I finally knew this was what the song was REALLY about.
The beginning of the video looks like what you’ll see while trying to pick your Mortal Kombat character.
“She’s a runner, she’s a track star”
The song starts, and it might feel like Tiwa Savage is going on about someone needing stamina and asking them to come closer, so she can know they’ve got her.
But just take a look at her,
Her eyes are shining like that because she’s trying to use her hypnotic powers on her enemies
She’s actually telling them they’ll have to be really strong to fight her, and she can deal with them, but she won’t do it without their permission. Which is why she says, “oya raga mo mi now”.
The god of strength,Young Jonn, responds to her, but instead of addressing the issue at hand – Tiwa asking to beat the shege out of him – he tells her to clap for herself, because all her threats sound like goody-goody to his ears.
Now, I don’t know if he’s being serious or calling her bluff. Either way, I just need to know, when will the gidigbo I came for actually start?
I want to see Tiwa sending thunder to strike somebody while Ayra Starr runs circles around another person, but at this point, I’ll take them arm wrestling. Someone sha needs to make an actual attempt to squash this beef.
Like me, Ayra Starr is tired of dancing around the matter on ground and starts her verse by making it very clear; she’s been checking her calendar and can’t wait forever. They should jiggy jagga, engage in gidigbo, have a 1-on-1, anyhow they want to put it, let the fighting start.
But she doesn’t stop there. She’s been waiting ages for this fight, so when she starts mentioning all the fighting techniques she has in her arsenal, like the sexy Kung Fu and the tango for two, I can see where she’s coming from.
Young Jonn sings the chorus again, but this time he’s in Hades mode and now I fully understand it.
Remember how he was dressed in white the first time, and was trying to flirt his way out of a war?
Honestly, I too would succumb to similar tactics if Tiwa Savage AND Ayra Starr threatened to drag my ass to war.
Well now it’s his turn to threaten the two goddesses as per, don’t think because I’m smiling with you, I don’t have strength, things can turn left real quick.
The video ends with Tiwa Savage in the Garden of Eden.
They look like flamingos
Please, don’t let this confuse you. Just know she’s showing off her army to her enemies and reminding them one last time that although she’s a soft-life goddess, if they make her leave her garden, they will see the back of their heads.
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
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.
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.
After years of “Are they friends?” or “Are they beefing?” Wizkid and Davido are finally working together. And no, it’s not a song; it’s a freaking tour. What God cannot do does not exist for real.
With two of Nigeria’s biggest stars burying the past under a concert stage, it’s time for other “beefing” celebrities to take the high road, reconcile and work together. Nigeria is tough. We need this, dears.
Burna Boy and Davido
Only God knows when the beef between these two started because it’s been on since Mary Slessor stopped the killing of twins in Calabar. From throwing shade on Fem and Way Too Big, to throwing hands in a Ghanaian nightclub in 2020, this beef has been messy AF.
With Big W and OBO entering the BFF zone, I hope he helps mend the fence with Odogwu so their tour will have three GOATs, not just two.
As two of the biggest new acts in the game, BNXN and Ruger’s beef has been mad entertaining and educative — remember the streaming farms gist? But you know what would make this beef sweeter? A joint tour. Imagine getting to watch Asiwaju and Kilometer live in one night.
2Baba and Blackface
Is it me, or should we have an age limit for beefs? Like, no one should be nursing a beef and pushing 50 at the same time. Our daddies, are you guys not tired? 2Baba and Blackface’s beef is older than some Gen Zs, and it’s high time they squash it, hit up Faze and head out on a Plantashun Boiz reunion tour. Trust me, millennials like me need this.
Naira Marley and MohBad
Even though MohBad had been hinting at trouble in paradise for a while, his public beef with Naira Marley in 2022 still had most of us shook. The situation between MohBad and his record label boss was so serious they had to involve a couple of “My lord, May I?” to settle the issue. With the wounds still fresh, and MohBad out with his diss track, Tiff, there’s a high chance we’ll have to wait like three more years for a reconciliation tour. But fingers and wallets crossed sha.
Imagine going to a salon to get your edges laid, only to watch two of Nigeria’s biggest acts drag themselves by their edges? That’s the live show some people got in 2021 when Tiwa Savage went ham on Seyi Shay because she dissed her in a Kizz Daniel #fuckyouchallenge.
Even though these two have been real quiet about the incident for a while now, I’m sure the fans would kill to watch Tiwa Savage’s take on Irawo and Seyi Shay’s version of Kele Kele at a joint concert.
Ladies, what say you?
Omah Lay and Victony
BNXN and Ruger couldn’t just fake beef with each other in peace, they decided to help launch another beef between Omah Lay and Victony. While trying to defend BNXN in 2022, Omah Lay called Victony a child, and let’s just say it really made him kolomental. This beef ended up undercooked, as it didn’t even last up to a week.
But when you think about it, the best way to show all is forgiven is by collaborating, so I’ll need Omah Lay and Victony to cook up something for the emo-lover boys this year.
Zlatan and DJ Cuppy
Bold of DJ Cuppy and Zlatan to assume I’d let them beef after they gave me my number one guilty pleasure jam, Gelato.
This beef went public when DJ Cuppy revealed that Zlatan had blocked her everywhere after they worked together. And to make matters worse, Zlatan denied Cuppy like Peter did Jesus when he was asked about her on a show. Ouch.
They’ve settled now, but we still need a follow-up to Gelato before the end of 2023. Please, do it for the culture, Florence.
At a recent concert, Tiwa Savage, revealed that her song, Somebody’s Son featuring Brandy, is a gospel song with the “son” being Jesus Christ. For most of you, it was a surprise, but for fans like me, we been knew.
Just like Somebody’s Son, here are some other Tiwa Savage gospel songs you may have missed due to lack of focus.
Sugarcane
There’s nothing like the love of God, and Tiwa gets it. That’s why she sings, “Sugar, Sugarcane. Something wey sweet like sugarcane,” in the intro of her song, Sugarcane. By the time we get to the bridge, Tiwa is in full gratitude mode singing about how God lights up her world like the “Fourth of July” and scatters her medula with His sweet, sweet love.
Eminado (feat. Don Jazzy)
Tiwa was probably deep in the spirit and speaking in tongues when she recorded Eminado. I don’t know what it means, but something about it feels spiritual.
I need Dr. Tiwa Savage to come tell us who 'Eminado' was for cos I don't want to hurriedly assume it was for Emmanuel. May God be with all of us o.
One of Tiwa’s biggest hits, Koroba, is about knowing who you are and not letting the world’s opinions distract you from fulfilling your purpose on earth — enjoyment. Please don’t ask me how I know these things. If you listened with a heart willing to receive, you’d get this message too.
All Over
Remember that old Sunday school song that goes: “Bend low, bend low, bend low and see what the Lord can do”? Yes, that’s the inspiration behind Tiwa’s All Over. A song about understanding the importance of thanksgiving, All Over is the perfect song to play when you get that job or alert you’ve been praying for.
Wanted
Real fans like me know Tiwa’s Wanted is a gospel song about defeating the Devil. She literally sings, “When he started to beg, I left him there,” at one point, and then in the chorus, she goes, “By the way, nothing you fit do. Because by the way, I’m badder than you.”
The Devil is the person she’s obviously “badder” than. So the next time you secure victory over principalities and powers of the underworld, play Wanted as a middle finger to the Devil.
It takes someone who’s suffered at the hands of Nigeria to really get the powerful meaning behind 49-99. Unlike Wanted, which is a victory song, 49-99 is a prayer request for when you’re in the trenches. Do you think Tiwa was just vibing when she sang, “Omo, no be so me I want to live o”? No, dears, it’s the prayer of a sister seeking God’s face.
Another angle: The song might actually be about the virgins in the bible waiting for their bridegroom. Tiwa probably missed the maths, but something tells me “49 sitting” is for the virgins that stayed, while “99 standing” is for the virgins that went to buy kerosene.
Love Me x3
Love Me x3 starts with, “Sometimes I’m up, sometimes I’m down. But ara mi bale, when you’re around.” What does the bible say about the peace of God again? Well, it passes all understanding for sure. Amen?
Save My Life
To be fair, any song with the word “Bere” automatically falls into a praise and worship playlist. If you’re not bending down to dance for Jesus, who are you doing it for, Satan?
Temptation
Even the self-proclaimed African Bad Gal knows it’s hard out here for a Christian sister with temptation flying everywhere. Tiwa sang Temptation because Wizkid was tempting and leading her astray. My good sis didn’t want to be derailed from her heavenly race, so she called out for help.
Work Fada
On Work Fada, Tiwa speaks against laziness, calling on her brother and sisters to get up and work. Does that sound familiar? If you’ve read Proverbs 24, verses 33-34, you’d understand where Tiwa is coming from.
What says fashion and technology if not this wonderful merger between smartphone giant TECNO and the African Bad Girl herself Tiwa Savage. The smartphone giant announced Tiwa Savage as the latest ambassador joining their family on the 21st of June 2022.
In reaction, Tiwa Savage also replied on her social media pages, where she confirmed herself to the family and referred to the company as the coolest brand in the history of all brands. On that particular assertion, we definitely agree.
Tiwa Savage is a walking fashion statement; everything she says, wears, or promotes becomes popular as a result of her influence. On the other hand, TECNO is well-known for producing smartphones that are fashionable, sophisticated, cutting-edge, and reasonably priced, all of which provide its customers with complete delight.
If you need more evidence of this, consider the fact that the camera functions on all TECNO smartphones are state of the art and have enabled content producers to make films and photographs that are clear and crisp. It should come as no surprise that these two entities Tiwa Savage and TECNO can work together to give their fans the best.
Following the debut of TECNO’s most recent smartphone, the Camon 19, at the Rockefeller centre in New York City, this statement has been made. The Camon 19 series has upgraded features that are distinct from those of its predecessor, and it introduces TECNO’s first 64MP camera, which offers remarkable features for taking photographs in low light conditions. To summarize, the Camon 19 is a phone that is packed with incredible features that would provide any user with a creative boost in their lives.
One of the reasons why the most recent brand ambassador described the brand as “cool” is because the brand makes sure that it meets the desire for innovation that its customers have.
Everyone is really happy about this, and they cannot wait to see the new and exciting things that she will bring to TECNO.
Ever listened to an artist and immediately thought, “They should totally collaborate with so and so?”. Some international collaborations come as a surprise, but there are some we could’ve seen coming from a mile away. With international collaborations and remixes flooding the streets like party jollof rice, we’ve compiled a list of mergers we saw coming from the start. We’re not claiming to be prophets or anything, but look at the material and connect the dots yourself.
1. Peru Remix — Fireboy DML and Ed Sheeran
When Fireboy DML announced Ed Sheeran would be on the remix of his hit song Peru, a lot of you were shocked, but not us. While the collaboration sounded a bit off on paper, true Fireboy stans could’ve seen this from a mile away. Apart from being resident musical lover boys, Need You, the opening track to Fireboy’s 2019 album Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps sounds almost exactly like Tenerife Sea.
We saw this thing coming since.
2. Somebody’s Son — Tiwa Savage and Brandy
When it comes to vocals in Nigeria, Ms. Savage is in a lane of her own. Announcing Water & Garri, the follow-up EP to her 2020 album, Celia, a lot of people were excited about one name on the tracklist, Brandy. While Somebody’s Son has become quite the earworm, some of us saw this collaboration coming years ago. Remember when Brandy came to Nigeria in 2014 right after Tiwa dropped Once Upon A Time and mentioned that she’d like to work with her? Ehen.
3. Essence — Wizkid, Tems and Justin Bieber
Essence was the biggest Nigerian song of 2021, no cap. So when it became time to enlist another artist to hop on the remix, we weren’t surprised when Wizkid went with Justin Bieber. The parallels between both artists are obvious AF: Usher discovered Justin and turned him into a star, Banky W discovered Wizkid and turned him into a star. Both artists started pretty young, became household names, struggled with controversies and remained consistent with their music over the years.
Wizkid is Justin and Justin is Wizkid, periodt.
4. Every song Yemi Alade has with Angelique Kidjo
Over the past few years, Yemi Alade and Angelique Kidjo have collaborated on not just one, but two hit songs. Yemi featured Angelique on Shekere and the favour was returned when Yemi made an appearance on Angelique’s song, Dignity. These collaborations didn’t come to us as a surprise because they have the same vibe. While Yemi Alade might get a lot of backlash for her lyrics — or lack thereof — her songs are slapping in other African countries. They’ve slapped so hard, even Mummy Blue noticed.
These collaborations were definitely meant to be
5. Damn Remix — Omah Lay and 6lack
While the industry was heavily focused on breezy afrobeats and amapiano-influenced songs, Omah Lay came in with this cool kid R&B vibe at the height of the 2020 pandemic and took us all by surprise. Listening to his music, especially songs like Bad Influence and Damn, it’s easy to spot the Atlanta-style R&B influence of artists like Bryson Tiller, PartyNextDoor and of course, 6Lack. Did we know it was going to be 6Lack for sure on that remix? No. But at least he picked someone on our shortlist.
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.
Nothing gets the internet going like a hot and spicy celebrity showdown. From Olamide dividing Lagos into two (one for him and the other for Don Jazzy) to Wizkid dragging Davido by his invisible edges by likening his voice to that of a frog, the internet has given us some of the most hilarious beefs of the decade.
Olamide vs. Don Jazzy (2016)
Remember the time Olamide banned Don Jazzy from the mainland and told him to #LeaveTrashForLawma? We do too! This beef which started at the 2015 Headies after Reekado Bankz (Mavin) won the next rated award over Lil Kesh (YBNL), was one of the biggest celebrity showdowns we’ve witnessed in real-time, and probably the last time people tuned in to watch that award show. The beef was so bad it got reactions from both Dangote and Obasanjo. Talk about impact! Who can forget the shady DJ who kept dropping diss tracks after each opponent made his point?
PSquare vs. PSquare vs. The Other Okoye Brother (2017)
Nollywood always hammered on the saying “Blood is thicker than water”, but in 2017, after many years of wowing audiences around the world with their love songs and dance moves, PSquare decided to break up and go their separate ways. But instead of keeping it classy, the brothers (and their other non-singing brother, Jude) dragged each other for filth on the interwebs. And in typical Nigerian fashion, their wives ended up catching stray bullets as agents of discord. While they recently reunited to post their bank account details and collect money on Twitter, fans are still holding out hope for a musical reunion.
Wizkid vs. Davido (2017)
Davido made fun of Wizkid for shooting his Come Closer video with an invisible Drake, and Wizkid called him “frog voice”. Wizkid went on to call Davido a “local artist”, to which Davido responded with a major flex, an American passport (God when?). The whole thing was so chaotic we enjoyed every single bit of it.
Tiwa Savage vs. Seyi Shay (2021)
Imagine going to the salon to get your hair done and then getting front row seats to the biggest celebrity showdown of 2021? A prime example of “maintaining the same energy offline”, the whole shebang happened when, after allegedly dissing Tiwa in a track, Seyi Shay decided to form familiarity at a salon. In a world star move, Tiwa called bullshit and proceeded to drag Seyi Shay by her edges.
Burna vs. Davido (2020)
It’s hard to pinpoint the origin of this beef. One minute, Burna Boy is attributing Davido’s success to daddy’s money, next thing, there’s a full-on wrestling match in a Ghanaian club. From Fem to Way Too Big, these two have been subbing each other for a while now. The pettiest part has to be when Davido posted a picture with Wizkid which he tagged “The two greatest of all time, no cap.” And we all know how Burna gets when his “African giant” status is not recognized. If you don’t get this, ask Coachella.
If the mountain won’t come to Osas, then Osas must go to the mountain or in this case, find the mountain. Instead of continuously singing the chorus to Somebody’s Son by Tiwa Savage, we’ve outlined 5 ways you can take the search upon yourself just in case Somebody’s son is not finding you.
1. Steal him from another woman
Somebody’s son may not have found you because another woman found him first. It is up to you to take him from her. After all, you deserve your own person’s biological offspring.
2. Pretend to be a Zikoko writer
This one is easy. Just go on Twitter and tweet: “I’d like to speak to a handsome, 6ft tall and rich man in his 30s. Please send me a DM, it’s for a Zikoko article”. Ensure you describe your spec, then wait and see American wonder.
3. Order him off a dating app
Somebody’s son is probably waiting for you on a dating app, somewhere on the internet. Sign up and cast your net; what’s the worst that can happen?
4. Move to Lekki
They said that women are driving around Lekki and picking up young boys. This is the perfect opportunity to find somebody’s son. Blend in, browse through the streets of Lekki and happy shopping.
5. Return to the streets
Somebody’s son may not have found you because you’re no longer on the streets but he is. So go back to the streets and find him.
If you do everything above and still don’t find somebody’s son, then there’s only one thing left that can help you: you should read this.
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.
Tiwa Savage — “Park Well’ ft. Davido
Following a string of very solid singles, Tiwa Savage has finally released her third studio album, Celia, and it’s quite easily the best thing the afropop star has ever put out.
Cohesive and honest, Celia finds Tiwa Savage at the peak of her abilities, both as a singer and a songwriter. It’s also the rare album without a single wasted feature — everyone, from Sam Smith to Naira Marley, delivers.
The song that most exemplifies everything that works about this album is the Davido-assisted “Park Well”. Both stars make such a perfect pair, it’s shocking it took this long for a collaboration to happen in the first place.
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.
Tiwa Savage — “Koroba”
Following the deserved success of her last single, “Dangerous Love”, Tiwa Savage is back with the impressive “Koroba” — an upbeat party-starter about her pursuit of the finer things in life.
BOJ — “Abracadabra” ft. Davido & Mr Eazi
Assisted by David and Mr Eazi, two of the biggest Nigerian stars working today, the consistently impressive BOJ soars on “Abracadabra”, another instantly infectious track.
Crayon — “On Code”
Mavin Record’s Crayon hasn’t dropped a weak track since he broke out last year. His latest single, “On Code” — a silky smooth love song — continues this impressive streak.
Oxlade — “DKT”
After dropping Oxygen, one of the best projects of the year so far, Oxlade is back with a new single, “DKT” — a fitting addition to his string of relatable love songs.
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.
Young Jonn, Tiwa Savage — “Let Them Know” ft. Joeboy
Last year, Young Jonn teamed up with Tiwa Savage and Kizz Daniel for the infectious “Ello Baby”. Now, he’s reunited with Tiwa for an even more impressive single, “Let Them Know”.
Joined by the consistently brilliant Joeboy, “Let Them Know” is a solidly produced love song that truly soars thanks to Tiwa Savage’s outstanding and versatile voice.
WurlD — “Love Nobody”
In the past two years, WurlD’s working relationship with Sarz has yielded a bunch of exceptional songs. However, for his first single of 2020, “Love Nobody”, he’s enlisted an exciting rising producer, TMXO.
On the stunningly produced afro-house track, WurlD sings about not wanting to share his lover with anyone. It’s an electrifying song that allows him show off even more of his range.
Reekado Banks & Parker Ighile — “Options”
In a world littered with uncertainty, few things are as sure as the fact that Reekado Banks will always drop a solid track. His newest single, “Options” is the latest proof of that.
Teaming up with British-Nigerian artists, Parker Ighile, Reekado Banks sings about a woman who could easily get any man she wants. It’s an unexpected but impressive collaboration.
Ever heard a song and related to it on every level? Well, that’s the power of music. So, based on what’s truly important to you at the moment, we’ve created a quiz that shows you which Nigerian artist is most equipped to create the soundtrack to your life.
2019 has delivered some really great Nigerian songs, accompanied by equally impressive music videos. So, with the year coming to an end, we decided to ask 10 of our favourite directors to pick which Nigerian music video stood out to them the most.
Meji Alabi on Fireboy DML’s “Jealous”
Meji Alabi, the genius behind Tiwa Savage’s career-best “49-99”, picked the video for Fireboy DML’s breakout hit, “Jealous”, which was shot by Director K.
About why he likes it:
“I like the feels it puts you in. Those relatable moments mean a lot to me in music videos.”
Seun Opabisi on Burna Boy’s “Dangote”
Seun Opabisi, one half of the directing duo behind Ladipoe’s “Jaiye” and Rema’s “Bad Commando”, picked the video for Burna Boy’s “Dangote”, which was shot by Clarence Peters.
About why he likes it:
“In so many ways, this video is a depiction of what ‘Hustle’ means in present-day Nigeria. We do a lot of finger-pointing when we’re all playing a role in its demise.”
Kewa Oni on Prettyboy D-O’s “Pull Up”
Kewa Oni, one half of the directing duo behind Ladipoe’s “Jaiye” and Rema’s “Bad Commando”, picked the video for Prettyboy D-O and Santi’s “Pull Up”, which was directed by Ademola Falomo.
About why he likes it:
“D-O’s presence on and off stage has always been very intense, and it’s so great that Demola made a grimy video that captures that.”
Prodigeezy on Tiwa Savage’s “49-99”
Prodigeezy, the director behind Falz’s Headies-nominated “Talk” and Burna Boy’s “Killin Dem”, picked the video for Tiwa Savage’s “49-99”, which was directed by Meji Alabi.
About why he likes it:
“Meji is easily one of my favourite African directors, but his work on “49-99” was just exceptional and flawlessly executed.
I particularly like it because of the audacity and scale of the idea. From my experience, it’s very difficult combining social messaging and entertaining visuals, but he pulled it off.”
TG Omori on Tiwa Savage’s “49-99”
TG Omori, the director behind Naira Marley’s “Am I A Yahoo Boy” and Teni’s “Billionaire”, also picked the video for Tiwa Savage’s “49-99”, which was directed by Meji Alabi.
About why he likes it:
“Honestly, I think the art direction is just beautiful. It’s really close to my kind of vibe.”
Ademola Falomo on BOJ and Tiwa Savage’s “Your Love”
Ademola Falomo, the director behind Rema’s “Dumebi”, Tems’ “Try Me” and Prettyboy D-O’s “Pull Up”, picked the video for BOJ and Tiwa Savage’s “Your Love”, which was shot by Director K.
About why he likes it:
“Director K is easily my favourite director at the moment. The cinematography of “Your Love” is everything.
I love the minimalist approach and the attention to details. Every single frame in that video can be used as a picture”
Chukwuka Nwobi on Lyta’s “Monalisa”
Chukwuka Nwobi, the director behind the videos for Sarz and WurlD’s “EGO” and “MAD”, picked the video for Lyta’s “Monalisa”, which was shot by Director K.
About why he likes it:
“The camera movements are so smooth and cinematic. I loved the idea of isolating two individuals in a huge space and focusing on them, all while telling a love story.
I also really liked the wide frame shots. I think it’s good to take a step back and appreciate everything that makes the frame what it is.”
Seyi Akinlade on Ladipoe’s “Jaiye”
Seyi Akinlade, the director behind Prettyboy D-O’s manic “Dey Go Hear Wehh”, picked the video for Ladipoe’s “Jaiye”, which was directed by Seun Opabisi and Kewa Oni.
About why he likes it:
“A lot of the elements were just so well-though-out and put together, without ever outshining the artist.”
The Alien on Ladipoe’s “Jaiye”
The Alien, the director behind BOJ, Ajebutter22 and Falz’s “Ronaldo”, picked the video for Ladipoe’s “Jaiye”, which was directed by Seun Opabisi and Kewa Oni.
About why he likes it:
“The video was amazingly executed. From idea and production design to cinematography and colour grading, everything was just excellent.
It made me feel sooo good. No jokes, I remember watching it more than 100 times the week it came out.”
Daniel Vintage on Ladipoe’s “Jaiye”
Daniel Vintage, the director behind Kizz Daniel’s ode to Lagos, “Eko”, picked the video for Ladipoe’s “Jaiye”, which was directed by Seun Opabisi and Kewa Oni.
About why he likes it:
“The aesthetics and visual direction were pretty dope. From the locations to the styling, you can tell they did a lot of proper mind mapping.”
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.
Following her first solo single of the year, the socially-conscious “49-99”, Tiwa Savage has now come through with two brand new singles, “Owo Mi Da” and “Attention”, with the latter being the stronger release.
On “Attention”, produced by Blaq Jerzee, Tiwa Savage sings about a lover who has stopped putting in the work. “If you no give me quality attention, I might get it from someone else”, she threatens on the chorus.
While the song might not have the party-starting bounce of “49-99” or “Owo Mi Da”, it benefits from being very relatable. “I guarantee all the ladies will know the lyrics to this one”, she said pre-release, and we believe her.
Tiwa Savage is in the news again for being number one ni Africa bad girlwho comes with fire. Apparently, Charles Anazodo, media personality and sports analyst, got his pressure so high over the fact that Tiwa didn’t say Ello baby o, how do you do?
He proceeded to narrate the whole incident on Twitter street, telling us how he has never seen this kind thing before with a hint of sho mo age mi ni tied in there somewhere.
@TiwaSavage was a guest on @THEBEAT999FM earlier today,arrived and walked past @kallyjoe and i, and didn't have the courtesy to say hello. I guess being a superstar gives you the right to be discourteous.
But Tiwa, who is ever ready for clapback, explained that she was in a hurry for her radio interview–because that’s how star do– which is probably why she didn’t see him.
Then she added a lil’ something in her tweet to Charles that basically said, Hol’ up oga chairman oh, when we put it down and low, eni duro wo tan, rara no…
First of all I’m sure you saw me rushing to the studio because I was late for my interview plus I had a hat on, second I’m glad I didn’t say hi because who are you to think you can’t say hi first https://t.co/Ut1x1Xup6u
Say what! Twitter street went wild over her response. Yeah, Charles tweet didn’t go viral until Tiwa’s made that happen.
And then, the Tiwa fandom took over from where she left off, basically chewing Charles for breakfast.
There was the sarcastic:
Tiwa Savage didn’t do well at all. A whole Charles, how important could her interview be. Even Jesus washed the leg of his disciples, she could have massaged Charles, asked about his day then give him money. But no she minded her business and went for her interview. Sorry Charles
Seriously what Tiwa Savage did was rude and uncalled for..she should have brought gifts and money for Uncle Charles, knelt down and greeted him properly while presenting them, I mean who cares if she was late for her interview
I think this Charles Anazodo feeling entitled to get a hi from Tiwa savage first shows how unnecessarily egocentric Nigerian men can get.
Imagine calling out Tiwa of all people coz of ordinary greeting. Now imagine what people close to him must be getting from him on a reg. pic.twitter.com/GPenItJdik
What happened between Tiwa & Charles just shows how much the Older NG Folks are still entitled to Greeting & see it as Pride when you don't greet. People have plenty things on their mind & might not notice you. We are adults & there are better things to worry about 🤷♂️
I'm here waiting to see Tiwa so I can prostrate and give her the "touch and follow" I've kept for her since, uncle dey find greeting pic.twitter.com/rbEfU47Ucw
There you have it folks! Tiwa Savage knows she doesn’t need to mention but y’all might want to consider her statement that “anything wey them do no fit make me change formation, as I bring this gyration” because she will get a Standing Ovation regardless of who comes for her.
The first few lines of Beyoncé’s hook on “Bigger“, the opener for her just-released “The Lion King: The Gift” tells you all you need to know about the album. “If you feel insignificant, you better think again,” she sings, “better wake up because you’re part of something way bigger, You’re part of something way bigger.”
The album, which she says is a love letter to Africa was inspired by the Lion King franchise.
And as promised, the album is a celebration of African music. Beyoncé tapped the who’s who of Africa’s biggest musical movement, Afrobeats.
The list of collaborators — Shatta Wale, Burna Boy, Wizkid, Yemi Alade, Mr Eazi, Tekno, Tiwa Savage, Busiswa, Moonchild Sanelly, Bankulli, P2J, NorthBoi, GuiltyBeatz and many more — would make any African proud. From the tidal wave of pride sweeping through social media, the album’s Nigerian pop and Ghanaian Highlife influences have struck a chord, especially among West Africans.
It’s only fitting that we celebrate the Nigerian essence on Beyoncé’s “The Lion King: The Gift”. These are the 5 best Nigerian moments on a body of work that may be Afrobeats’ first true global moment.
WIZKID ON “BROWN SKIN GIRL” with Beyoncé, Saint Jhn & Blue Ivy Carter.
When fans first saw Wizkid on the tracklist for this album, familiar fears were raised. Wizkid has always been known for his melodies than any form of poignant songwriting, especially on an album packaged as a slice of African Pride. However, our fears were allayed on listening to the track. The ease with which Wizkid slotted his vocals into the beat is the level of comfort Nigerians should aspire to in these Buhari times.
The song is a celebration of Melanin and darker skin tones. Wizkid is not credited as one of the songwriters, unsurprisingly. But this matters only a little; Starboy focuses on his strengths and ends up nearly bodying everyone on the song, before rounding it off by harmonising with Queen B. Did you read that right? Wizkid, Baba Bolu, the patron saint of Nigerian gbedu flexed voices with Beyoncé on the best song off her new album. Wake me up. This has to be a dream. Hate him or love him, but Wizkid may have just crafted, with help, of course, an evergreen anthem for African women. What a time to be alive.
BANKULLI’s VOCALS
You may remember Bankulli as the chubby man screaming “Burna Boy, Call Me” in that viral video of Kanye West convulsing to “Ye”. Older fans may remember him as one of the first members of the Mo’ Hits team and the man who introduced D’banj to Kanye West thus kicking off the G.O.O.D Music/Mo’ Hits relationship. Long story short: Bankulli is an OG’s OG. On “The Lion King: The Gift“, Bankulli contributed writing and vocals to three songs. He’s the man responsible for the subtle ode to fuji music on “Find Your Way Back“. His best contribution to the album is arguably the spiritual outro on “OTHERSIDE“.
Sung in Yoruba, “Sokale o Oluwa, wawonuokan mi lo” (“Descend from the heavens, Lord and take over my soul”) is a staple of Nigerian pentecostal church music that elevates just another Lion King song to a call to God. It’s safe to say that while the lineup is heavily Nigerian, Bankulli represented the culture in ways that no-one else did.
A NIGERIAN BEYONCÉ
It takes a lot to curate a culture you’re not actively invested in. Sure, Beyoncé’s romance with Nigerian culture, especially the goddesses Osun and Yemoja is well documented. But what she achieves on “The Lion King: The Gift” is immense. She fits seamlessly into traditional Afropop & Ghana Highlife production on most songs and morphs into a soulful westernized Tope Alabi on “OTHERSIDE”, so well that when Bankulli’s vocals come in, she’s family.
Beyoncé’s romance with Nigerian culture, especially the goddesses Osun and Yemoja is well documented.
The most Nigerian version of Beyoncé comes on “ALREADY” featuring Shatta Wale. From her enunciation to how she interpolates melodies, you can almost swear she’s been listening to Yemi Alade. Queen B has delivered her love letter to Nigeria, maybe it’s time to come show that love in person.
EVERY TIME WE HEARD AFROPOP BEATS AND MELODIES
For decades now, producers have been the unsung heroes of Afropop’s evolution and subsequent journey to global recognition. In the last few years, producers like Sarz and DJ Maphorisa have gotten global recognition, but these were more of sporadic cosigns than full recognition of their abilities. Beyoncé’s “The Gift” may as well be that moment. It may have taken longer than expected for Nigerian/UK producer, P2J to get his coins and roses, but with credits on multiple songs off the album, it’s fair to say the man has etched his name in history.
NorthBoi Oracle, who produced Starboy’s “Soco” is also credited as a producer on the album and that’s not counting the back-end creatives — Michael Uzowuru, Bankulli, and more — who built what is a cinematic African experience. Much has been said of Afrobeats’ journey to global acceptance. This album, which may become its biggest moment yet, is evidence of how much collaboration and years of work behind the scenes we’ll need to make it happen.
Who’s the only artist with his own full song on an album made, curated and executive produced by the biggest musician in the world? That’s right, our very own Damini Ogulu aka Burna Boy. Rankin’s ascent to the upper echelons of afrobeats and world music since the release of 2018’s “Outside” is one for the storybooks.
Many have guessed that Burna refused to have anybody else on his song, others claim no-one was a good fit; whatever the case is, you can see why Burna Boy is in a class of his own, literally. “JA ARA E” is another tribute to Fela’s Afrobeat, a very apt allusion in an album about African pride. The title, which means “Enlighten Yourself” is also consistent with Burna Boy’s Pan-African ideals. This song sounds like the soundtrack to the radicalisation of Simba and is already a fan favourite. With what we’ve heard so far, we simply can’t wait for Burna Boy’s “African Giant“.
Speaking of evolution, one artiste who is an unsung hero on this album is Zlatan. Artists enjoying a breakout year have the capacity to do anything from changing the popular sound to creating sub genres of their own. In the year since he released “My Body” w/ Olamide and caught the attention of Nigerian singer Davido, Zlatan has done both.
Zlatan’s friendship with Burna gave him his biggest hit yet, “Killin Dem” and stamped him in the eyes of a mainstream audience. In turn, Zlatan’s edge and energy have found a willing vessel in Burna, who dances the Zanku like he came up with it.
Fans have hailed Burna’s loyalty to his personal sound on the Beyonce album. And the best evidence of Zlatan’s influence yet is how his ad-libs spice up Burna Boy’s “JA ARA E”. Those shouts of Kuronbe and Eh Eh are dominating Nigerian airwaves for months now. They’ve made their way to a Beyonce album. Agege must be proud.
It’s a great time to be African.
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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.
If you want the streets on a Nigerian record in 2019, Zlatan Ibile is your guy. His latest collaboration is perhaps the most left-field yet this year. He joins Tiwa Savage, Nigerian pop’s first lady, to create “Shotan”, a potpourri of sultry dance music and dynamic street energy.
Tiwa Savage’s collaboration with producer, Spellz has produced some of her biggest hits to date. On “Shotan”, the latter’s taste for drums that attack the waistline, allows Tiwa to take full control. Zlatan’s adlibs are as much of a highlight as his verse. Here, they add urgency to what is already a groovy funk.
Sitting at the top of our playlists in his best year yet is clearly not enough for Zlatan. He raps about his ambitions to hit 9 figure earnings. Tiwa is all about the bag too; she name-drops Nigeria’s richest woman, Folorunsho Alakija. The focus on achievement and wealth is not out of place. “Shotan” loosely means “Is it done?” and the song is a subtle call-out of anyone who’s doubted their abilities in the past.
Zlatan and Tiwa alternate verses in a manner that puts them – a 10-year vet and the hottest rapper out now – on the same pedestal. It elevates “Shotan” from a definite song of the summer to a snapshot of the durability of Afropop’s best songs and talents.
The warning at the beginning to “play this at high volumes, preferably in a residential area” is good advice. Shotan is the kind of song that’s hard to find fault with, now or in 5 years. Summer 2019 is looking like a madness.
If the story of your life can be told in a series of popular hashtags, odds are the #MannequinChallenge was the first time you saw a song ride social media’s wings to Hitsville.
Building on the strength of a couple of hit singles, Kizz Daniel launched his #FvckYouChallenge sometime in March to promote his single “Fvck You” and stay at the top of your feed. In the days since he announced it via IG, the singer has reposted well over 30 entries.
In just less than two months, Kizz Daniel’s #FvckYouChallenge has become many things – an opportunity for underdogs and emerging talents to strut their stuff, a chance for familiar faces to re-assert their presence and proof of the music industry’s endless mediocrity and misogyny. Kizz Daniel has also managed to drag us back into the dark ages.
The premise of the #FvckYouChallenge is pretty clear. Kizz discovers a love interest’s sexual encounters with his colleagues and proceeds to drag her for her promiscuity (“Olosho come be your hobby”). This is a very familiar story.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvUXKLbgGGG/
Kizz Daniel’s video launching the #FvckYouChallenge
If art is about storytelling and expression, then every work should be inherently different. But that is not what happens in this case. Instead, most of Kizz Daniel’s peers only try to tell the story better than the man; even if that means going wildly overboard.
No one deserves handcuffs for this more than Chinko Ekun who takes it up a notch and describes a nymphomaniac. Chinko describes her escapades like a torture session, before suggesting that this person has had their genitals tampered with like a transsexual.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvdq2OkARDS/
2/10 for lack of effort.
Ice Prince’s entry has a great opening montage that promises something more refined. What you get instead is everything we’ve come to expect from Zamani by now.
Ice Prince shows up in full music video persona and rhymes something with ‘bomboclaat‘ in the first four bars. It doesn’t change much from there.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvmph8kAAlx/
3.5 for being a clone of his own damn self.
By now, you’re probably wondering if this #FvckYouChallenge is all about degrading sexually libertine women. The answer is yes. Some of the entries are so crass and self-indulgent that you wonder if Saint Janet, the queen of fuji parody. did some ghostwriting.
Take DMW’s resident rapper for instance.
Nothing about Dremo’s verse works. He manages to get verbally abusive at this imaginary babe before using the magic word – ‘prostitute’. The nadir of this very earnest disaster is a failed joke – Dremo thinks the babe’s face should be the new DMW logo seeing as she’s spent nights with all the members of the team.
We’ll assume Dremo somehow can’t remember the current face on the DMW logo is a little girl.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvkSYCpAO3y/
Skiibii’s second coming has blessed us with two hits in quick succession (“Sensima”, “Onyeoma”) but even that good fortune could not breathe life into his take on Kizz Daniel’s challenge – which is practically a more intense version of the original.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bve8zK6A5kk/
That’s not the entire story though. Kizz Daniel’s intentions may have been to turn this hashtag into an inanimate vehicle for his newest single, and as anyone with an Apple Music account can confirm, it’s working. The biggest beneficiaries, however, are the next rated acts using it to get noticed.
Challenges like this have unearthed waves of talent since Don Jazzy’s Enigma freestyle forced everyone with a pen and a notepad to drop a quick 16, myself inclusive. If there’s one artist whose entry makes you want to hear his music, it’s a hard draw between Cheque and Jujuboy.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvn1Cr-Ait5/
“Now they know you meant it when you said “Fxck My Niggaz,” might be the standout line from Cheque’s freestyle, but within 60 seconds, the PentHauze signee is the only one who suggests he could have made a better song than Kizz Daniel did.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvtNiFYg1Un/
Jujuboy impresses nearly as much. He may not be one of the more popular next-rated acts but Jujuboy is as likely as any of his contemporaries to break the mainstream. His biggest strengths, melody and composition, are more than evident here.
Life after G Worldwide has been nice to Kizz Daniel, yet the strength of his run since doesn’t quite explain how big #FvckYouChallenge has gotten. It’s easy to forget that Poe’s lukewarm Triple Homicide challenge is only weeks old, and the last song to ride interactions to the top of the charts was Wizkid’s “Fever”.
Where Starboy’s last single relies on his star power, Kizz Daniel’s challenge works because it’s relatable. And that connection comes from raw, bare-bellied misogyny.
All the men doing this Kizz Daniel challenge are staying on-brand to Kizz Daniel’s original topic of sex-shaming. The few women that have done it, none of them have spoken on the topic of a man they liked, but shaming him for being promiscuous. Why?
— Jess “Finesse” Chibueze (@jessjessfinesse) March 30, 2019
See, misogyny in Nigerian music doesn’t cry out from the hilltops like say, trap. It’s nicely tucked away in the middle pages, like the very common feeling that women come under the dominion of any successful musician.
Thanks to the #FvckYouChallenge, we can safely throw away whatever illusions we had of how progressive Nigerian hip-hop and music, as a whole, have become.
More than two-thirds of the best entries for the #FvckYouChallenge are done by men – an obvious outcome. When women try it, they make a worthy attempt to subvert the trope, except they end up staying on topic and doing some shaming of their own too.
Simi’s entry is a case for the unheard party. She assumes the role of this shamed slay queen. According to her, the only reason she’s getting all this hate because she just didn’t give it up. So she proceeds to shame the men too.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvoZaBMADds/
I’d rather not do this but it’s worth pointing out that Victoria Kimani single-handedly destroys any case for women as the voices of reason. Instead, she gives us more proof of the same high-handedness and sense of superiority that fuelled Dremo’s angry rant.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvye3MUogen/
In a verse that’s more memorable for autotune that the human who used it, Vicky from Kenya accuses Ycee of stealing her verses, Tiwa Savage of sleeping around and blocking her blessings and everyone else for taking her love for granted. It’s hard to watch – ironic, given that this is the #FvckYouChallenge in its purest form.
The few musicians who chose to look at the bigger picture are the ones who expose the real problem with Kizz Daniel’s challenge.
Social media has changed music like nothing else in recent history. Virality has turned obscure singers into global superstars and unearthed the most unusual talents in the most unlikely places. It brought us closer to our faves and made them a part of our lives and vice versa.
But in doing so, it has exposed us to their less glorious moments, the brain farts that get fast-tracked into reality. Now we have front row seats to the regressive aspects of the culture that would ordinarily go on behind the scenes.
Your favourite rapper thinks women owe him sex. Your WCW is an irresponsible crybaby. Fraudsters and Nigerian musicians are part of the same value chain. Your favourite singers are joining fraternities.
The irony of Kizz Daniel’s FvckYouChallenge is that it is exposed for what it is by an artist who is notorious for being self-indulgent and entitled.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BvorgGtgODP/
Most fans of Nigerian hip-hop know Vector’s lavish taste for alliterative non-bars by now. His repeated use of “all of una” however, refers to the fact that this sex thing everyone has been talking about is actually a very interesting cycle, because if all of una know all the groupies’ wey don run level with all of una, who all of una day talk about? The answer is – All of una.
Kizz Daniel’s challenge has fulfilled its purpose, but in doing so, it exposed the soft underbelly of the industry by forcing uninspired artists to spontaneously make music on a subject that is too close to their comfort zone.
One minute, you’re happy that Nigerian rappers are finally fixing up. Then you realise the majority of them didn’t get the memo – it’s 2019 and slut-shaming the same women you’ve been sleeping with is not a good look.
An exciting female musician begins to catch some buzz. After teasing crumbs on her Instagram, she puts herself out there for the first time. Millions more get to meet this insane talent.
That’s where things start to get funny. To some, she’s as ‘fine’ as they expect any self-respecting female musician to be. To others, she’s a bit too fine – so much that they’re sure her body is her primary product. But she does well. Well enough that she damns the warnings to tone down the ‘energy’.
See, there’s no space on the fringes for women in Nigerian music.
But who cares? She drops the album. Everyone laps it up.
Some more good news; a baby. Great, right? A fitting end to the first chapter of a budding success story, right? Not exactly. Because for the next few weeks, our heroine has to deal with new rumours that she sold herself out for money.
Pundits divine she’ll choose her family over the music. Others say she never cared in the first place.
By the time she begins to roll out her next single, she’s seen the light in all the ‘advice’. No-one cares anymore.
This is a true story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O22u_FUkmu8
Or at least, an aggregate of the real stories of artists like Waje and Omawumi. It’s the inverse of Teni the Entertainer’s troubles. It’s what everyone expected to happen to Tiwa Savage.
It tells of a very simple reality; that while Nigerians may love their female musicians, we expect them to fit very strict specifications.
They have to be traditionally beautiful, but not too much, or it may intimidate us. They have to be strong, but only in a motherly sense. Sex appeal is super important, but they can’t have partners, especially wealthy ones. They now belong to us.
And God forbid they go so far that they have kids and a ‘happy married life’ after. Tueh.
Basically, they have to be safe – as safe as possible.
You see, everyone knows that Nigerian music is largely a male enterprise.
For all the ground covered by Nigeria’s pop princes – Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, Tekno, Mr Eazi, only one woman plays in the same league – Tiwa Savage.
What no-one ever talks about is that women are the uber-minority in pop culture, because they have to play by a different set of rules entirely. And everyone, male and female, whether you’re a record label head or Kamoru with the MP3 player, is guilty of upholding those rules.
How? You see, we love to classify things. Food. Music. And the people who make it. But when an unfamiliar set of people doesn’t fit any classification, we sort-of panic, and find a way to get rid of them.
We’re also guilty of doing ourselves a great disservice.
By expecting women in music to be simple and safe, conservative or matronly, we shut our eyes and ears to everything else that makes them women. We tell them there are no ears for their stories or their experiences.
Till this day, the Nigerian wife in represented in music as a hyper-sexual opportunist or the weaker vessel – a hapless appendage, in songs written by naive young men and women who should know better.
We tell them that their identity does not matter – they might as well be all be versions of the same person, like mass-produced dolls off a production line.
And in doing so, we silence the best voices before their first words.
It’s no mistake that one of the biggest criticisms of Nigerian music is that it’s mostly opaque.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Buwa_vTBrsS/
It’s hard to see beneath the veil of party bangers and praise singing. When you do manage to steal a look, things are as bland and impersonal as possible.
That’s why it’s important that things are changing. Cue a group of women who are breaking that mould.
The subject of where they come from is exciting; some will remind you of the strong back women of 1990s R&B. Others preach the militant gospel of the internet-assisted open source feminism of the 2010s. Others just are, because they really don’t need to explain where they’re from.
In the last few years, we’ve been confronted with women who do not feel the need to satisfy our expectations.
And it’s been beautiful to watch.
There’s Teni; an absolute baby girl who rocks baggy shorts and is proof that beauty doesn’t always come in size 12. The phenomenal Asa is proof that women can be smart, politically aware and successful musicians while giving no hoots about your desire for sex appeal. Tiwa oozes that sex appeal yet she has a workhorse’s reputation as well and is going benchmark-for-benchmark with her male peers.
If there’s one thing common among these women, it is that they do not feel the need to satisfy our expectations. They are not safe, neither are they sorry for how you feel about that.
Of course, they’ve faced their fair share of criticism. Some have accused Tiwa, for instance, of being too pick-me and ignorant of the plight that women face.
But such criticism is beside the point. The women, like Tiwa and Teni, who choose to do things on their terms are an affront to our ideas of what women should and can be.
For starters, they bring with them a refreshing type of authenticity.
There’s no better proof of this today than Teni – an artist who has shed all the typical expectations of a female musician and forced us to focus on what she can do. And within that ability to make extremely relatable songs, Teni’s connected to her audience in ways that none of her more ‘practical’ predecessors could lay claim to.
Her success, if nothing else, is an inspiration–you’ll see a few more Tenis soon enough.
Of course, for everyone who loves music, this should mean everything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKSkr7TILRs
‘Safe’ often means familiar, but when artistes no longer feel pressured by that tag, they make what they want to make.
Today, the alte scene is defined by artists who are dipping their hands in various unfamiliar genres of music. But it is arguably the women who are doing the most audacious genre-bending, recording entire projects on cell phones and baring their soul in their work in a way that’s just unusual. Artistes like Lady Donli make no attempt to fit the mould and one track at a time, they’re changing our ideas of what ‘Nigerian’ can or should sound like.
This new wave of defiant women in art and their refreshing stories is not unique to music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v45GprEyM7U
Two of the best young photographers from out of Nigeria – Emily Nkanga and Yagazie Emezi – are young, self-aware and unapologetic women. Oyinkan Braithwaite, Genevieve Nnaji and Nora Awolowo are telling nuanced stories of the Nigerian experience through female eyes and we love it. This revolution will be televised and streamed on IG as well.
It’s somewhat telling that many of the women who got buried in the pressure to conform are now giving as few fucks as possible too. The last few months have gifted us with rawer, more personal versions of stalwarts like Waje and Omawumi – and music they wouldn’t have made years ago.
The women who do not feel the need to be safe are writing a new template for the Nigerian woman in music, and art, in a larger sense. It’s one where the only person she has to answer to is herself, and we’re already the better for it.
While you’re here, let me tell you about the Zikoko Pop Newsletter.
It’s called Poppin’ – everything you should know happening in pop culture, plus recommendations, our fire playlists, info on all the best parties and freebies you won’t get anywhere else. Do the right thing and sign up, my gee.
No matter how much the highs of a good year take the most avid fan, January inevitably brings with it one question; What next?
2018 was, in ways, a watershed moment in Nigerian music. A new king took the throne, a new queen sent out her statement of intent, and on the international stage, we won big.
The question will now be asked of the people who dominated the conversation in 2018, like Burna, and those who, like Peruzzi, have everything to prove.
These artists may still be reeling from the hangover of a very detty December but it’s never too early for new music.
Some of my faves have already announced they’ll be dropping new music this year. Others are, well, toying with our emotions.
But that never stopped anyone from expecting what we deserve. Definitely not me.
Davido – TBA
It seems like a century ago that Davido dropped that debut album.
Ice Prince was the superstar. Reminisce was finally breaking out. And Davido’s music seemed, to most casual fans, like a labour of love.
Now, he’s the big dog–record label chairman, international hitmaker and father of two daughters. He’s entering this year at the peak of his powers, with two of the best songwriters on his team and an expectant audience.
David’s mentions of the project have hardly gone past references to “My album…” but it’s almost certain OBO’s sophomore drops this year. The timing couldn’t be better. God safe us when it happens.
Maleek Berry – TBD
I can imagine a future where a white-haired former journalist explains to a room full of kids how a record producer reinvented himself as a pop star over the course of two brief, delicious EPs.
After learning the ropes as part of Wizkid and Wande Coal’s teams, Maleek is now a verified heavyweight on his own.
Now established on two continents, and already shaking the right hands in the US, Mr Berry’s debut is due, and he knows it.
Melodies abound for this man, and Maleek on his day can take you from Ikoyi to Rio in the same song.
That and his Afropop leanings have reflected on two stellar EPs–now it’s time for the coup de grace and the final chapter of a transition made in Gbedu Zion.
Santi – TBA
“Santino has this city in a headlock”–a tweet read after Santi, the mysterious, dreadlocked rager who makes anthems for a generation rocked a crowd of his peers to a sweat-soaked frenzy at a concert last December.
Over several years, Santi has built the cosigns, the records, the loyal cult following for the moments that are bound to come.
He may be little more than the face of the alternative music scene in Lagos now but almost everyone who’s a fan of the kid swears he’s the one.
After ending the year on a high with “Rapid Fire”, it’s a good thing that Santi began the year by announcing an album for January. We’ve been waiting for a while.
Wizkid – Made In Lagos
If you listen to the people who treat music as a lifeforce, the face of Afropop’s tour of the UK and the US is on his way back home.
Few pop stars can spend a decade topping charts while carrying a genre’s finest elements to new ears around the world.
But it would be unwise to count Wizkid out.
His fourth studio album has been touted as a return to the source – to Lagos and the overcrowded studios where it all began.
It may be where Wizkid finds the sauce to blow our minds again.
Burna Boy – TBA
Burna Boy’s 2018 was written in the stars–a beautiful story of overcoming one’s predilections that you could adapt into 30 languages.
But it’s over now. And no-one will know more than Burna that you’re only as good as the people’s last memory of you.
There’s word that last year’s “Outside” is the prelude to something else; a mixtape that took on bigger importance with an international record deal and a few collaborations.
Now Burna’s settled into big boy mode. Let’s see him swing for the stars.
Falz – TBA
Steady, consistent, calculated. Falz is a marketing course waiting to be studied. First introduced to us as a quirky, funny gimmick, Falz now comes up in conversations about new Felas and the best Nigerian rappers.
All of this while taking statues at award shows and offering poignant commentary.
He is in the big league now, which is why he must punch at even higher weights. Can Falz take Nigerian hip-hop to a new place? Can he take a very vacant throne even? What happens when he stops trying to be funny?
This could be the album that answers all those questions.
Tiwa Savage – TBA
The only woman in the game who can touch Tiwa lives in France.
Mummy Jam-Jam is proof that angels never die or get old.
Just when we thought we’d seen the best, Tiwa underwent a reinvention in 2018 helped undoubtedly by rumours of a fling with a certain Starboy.
Never mind that while all that was festering, she dropped one of the biggest songs of the year in “Ma Lo” and took a ride on the Duncan Mighty train with one of the better collaborations, “Lova Lova”.
The Tiwa who made R.E.D seems so far away now. Which is why this one has to drop that album so we can get to know her better.
Reminisce – TBA
Reminisce’s nickname literally translates to Chairman. Chairman in the sense of a gang leader who tries to usurp a king of boys, or an indigenous rapper who will hold his own in Queen’s English with the finest of the bunch.
Staying in the conversation in 2018 would have been enough for Reminisce, but the man’s role in one of 2018’s best movies reminded us of all the things we love about Baba Hafusa – grit, ambition and versatility.
2019 is the year where Alaga reminds us what he can do behind the mic.
Lady Donli – TBA
To some, she’s the female face of the Alte community. To others, she’s the unknown young singer who made a criminally brief festival on the intro to Mr Eazi’s 2018 album, “London To Lagos”.
Either way, Lady Donli is coming for your necks in a flowing dress, with cowries in her locks and the sensation of an old soul.
After a year spent in bars and arenas in Europe and North America, she’s back at home.
Her tweets suggest she’s in the studio, and with the experiences she’s gathered on the road for inspiration, we won’t be against Lady Donli striking gold on her debut.
Runtown – TBA
Runtown is like the uncle from Texas who we hardly hear from, until he calls on a Friday afternoon and the entire family gathers around the phone like loyal fans. Label battles have played their part in keeping him away for stints at a time but the singer says the worst is in the past now. If songs like “Oh Oh Oh (Lucie)” and “No Permission” are anything to go by, Runtown has finally found his aesthetic.
It may seem obvious that we’ll get the laid-back, dreamy Afropop he silenced doubters with in 2016, but that’s fine because it’s just what we want.
Teni – TBA
Love abounds for Teni. Unknown to most at the start of the year, she ended 2018 as the year’s biggest revelation, a viral sensation that is fiercely loved by her fans. Teni ticks all the boxes that should matter–she has the range, she writes like a ghetto poet and her talent for making songs is freakish–as evidenced in those Instagram videos where she makes demos out of unsuspecting friends.
She’s begun the year with a headstart–the absolutely uplifting “Uyo Meyo” and if we can rely on her record, another single should be in the offing.
Few Nigerian prodigies have ignored such raw desire for their music over time.
In Teni’s case, it would be almost criminal, because we know Makanaki can pull off something beautiful.
Tekno – TBA
As with most nascent spaces, Nigerian music has regularly churned out a new successor (or pretender to the throne) each year–one artist who changes the texture of the popular sound, puts out the year’s biggest single or just shows an astounding level of promise.
In 2017, that person was Tekno. Yet, despite heavy demand for a full body of work, Tekno chose to ride out on the strength of singles.
There is little doubt that the man knows his stuff–melody and an innate sense of rhythm drive his music and has also provided hits for peers like Davido.
Sadly, illness ultimately slowed down his pace as 2018 wound down.
With all the big dogs dropping this year, it might be time for Tekno to put his hat in the race and finally claim his place.
What’s not to love about Nigerian weddings. There is always free food, free booze, and good vibes. What I particularly love about Nigerian weddings is the music and in my opinion, no Nigerian wedding playlist can be complete without these songs.
No One Like You – P Square
The video alone is enough reason to add this song to your wedding playlist.
Wedding Day – 9ice
This song was made for Nigerian weddings.
Oruka – Sunny Nneji
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxGkcYbvZU8
I can remember how this song got played at every Nigerian wedding for years after this hit song was dropped.
Ada Ada – Flavour
Picking just one Flavour song to add to this list was hard. Every Flavour song is perfect for your wedding playlist.
Baby Girl – Nel Oliver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqzBFXa2js0
Here’s a classic for you. Nel Oliver’s ‘Baby Girl’ is evergreen.
Olomi – Tosin Martins
If you understand Yoruba then you don’t need to be convinced to add this song to your wedding playlist.
Forever – Paul Play
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHaB2YGpDWg
Because it’s your wedding day and you and your partner plan to be together forever.
Baby Jowo(remix) – Sir Victor Olaiya ft 2face
It was hard picking between the remix of this classic song and the original, in the end, 2face’s unique addition to the song won us over.
Be Your Man – Dipo
Dipo might not be as popular as the other artists on this list, but ‘Be Your Man’ makes for the most perfect love song ever.
Ololufe – Wande Coal
Its been 9 years since Wande Coal dropped Ololufe (yes you are old) but its still hard to imagine a Nigerian wedding playlist without it.
My Darling – Tiwa Savage
Tiwa Savage’s voice is at its finest in ‘My Darling’ and we can bet you the lyrics perfectly convey everything you feel about your husband/wife-to-be.
Ekuro – Davido
From Ekuro to Aye to If to Fall Davido keeps dropping the most perfect wedding playlist songs.
Love Me Jeje – Seyi Sodimu
You already know there was no way we could have left this classic of our list.
Obianuju – Duncan Mighty
This is almost every Nigerian’s favorite Duncan Mighty song and also the sweetest love song for those who might not understand all of the lyrics.
Orente – Adekunle Gold
Adekunle Gold’s Orente always has we single pringles clutching to our pillows at night wondering when the Lord will give us our own bae.
Iyawo Mi – Timi Dakolo
Fun fact- Timi Dakolo wrote this song for his wife.
Hi guys, I’d like for us to take a minute to talk about Wizkid and Tiwa Savage. Shall we?
Yes I know, we’re all here for this
There has been a lot of controversy about these two, mainly because most people aren’t sure whether or not they’re dating.
Worry no more my friends, for I’m here to reveal the truth.
Before we proceed, let’s quickly go back to the their first collaboration. Notice how Wizkid seemed to know his limits?
Okay aunty, I should just sit beside you here ?
Now, fast forward to their next song (Ma lo). We see very clearly that Starboy has become limitless . He was steady making his fellow Yoruba demon’s proud.
Yess, That’s our boy!
Shortly after, they start travelling together, performing together, and giving each other everlasting hugs.
Small small oh.
Everyday, they surprise us with their public displays of love and affection. Actually, every minute.
Please continue oh, we are not tired.
Now as you can see, this clearly isn’t enough proof that they’re dating. Right?
Just relax, I’m getting to it.
I want you to pay close attention to this video. What do you see? It’s your favourite celebrities. What are they doing? kissing. Yes, kissing.
If you still don’t believe, then you fall under one of the categories below.
The people who will continue to be in denial because Wizkid is their designated husband.
I pity you, better go and look for soulmate.
There’s also the people who just think Tiwa is too old for Wizkid and it’s impossible.
“When she’s not a sugar mummy”
Anyway, whatever you choose to believe it is very clear that Wizkid and Tiwa Savage are living their best lives.
And we’re behind them 100%
Before I finally go, I have one question. Wizkid and Tiwa Savage are kissing, Davido and Chioma are kissing, even Bobrisky and Tonto Dikeh are kissing. Who are you kissing?
While people in this part of the world were asleep, A-List celebrities around the world were getting turnt at the 2016 edition of the VMAs which happened on August 28th.
Proving her international exposure status, Tiwa Savage attended the event in a yellow dress and even took pictures with celebrities like Jidenna and DJ Khaled.
Some of the celebs obviously came to slay.
Some just be bothered about slaying on the red carpet, we’re not judging sha.
But that’s not why we’re here.
We’re here to tell you how Beyonce basically stole the show and put it in her pocket.
If you don’t believe us, this video is enough proof.
https://twitter.com/MTV/status/770112782612258816
This was team Zikoko after watching Beyonce’s performance:
But we’re not the only ones that feel this way, the internet has gone wild!
If you’re still alive after Beyoncé’s performance last night, you’re in luck! 1) You're not dead 2) It's five minutes 'til showtime!
Tiwa Savage is going international in her new deal with Roc Nation. The rumors started flying in May about her possible record deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation.
The hype got bigger when popular entertainment consultant and A&R, Bizzle Osikoya, shared a post about Jay Z’s interest in Tiwa’s music catalogue.
And guess what, Tiwa Savage and Mavin Records Boss, Don Jazzy, are currently in New York and even shared pictures of their meeting with Jay Z.
She’s set to finalise her deal with Roc Nation and that means she’ll be rubbing shoulders with artistes like Rihanna and DJ Khaled.
It’s surprising to note Don Jazzy’s participation in this deal despite his discomfort with D’banj’s deal with G.O.O.D Music in 2012. It’s hard to forget how that drama led to the split-up of the great Mo’Hits records.
This deal is major and shows that the only way for Nigerian music is up. Congratulations to Tiwa and we anticipate even more awesome music from here!
On April 28, Tiwa Savage’s husband, Tee Billz had a public meltdown that had us all worried and wondering if his account got hacked. However, Tiwa confirmed that Tee Billz tried to jump off the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge but was rescued and taken to Banky W’s house.
Tiwa Savage, in an interview with pulse TV shared her own side of the story and addressed the speculations about her marriage.
She explained how worried she got when she learnt about Tee Billz suicidal rants and how concerned she was for his safety.
However, she also revealed the problems she faced while in the marriage and how she didn’t want to keep up appearances.
Fighting back tears, she told the interviewer of the unfortunate miscarriage she had recently.
In the Interview, Tiwa revealed how Tee Billz stole from her while he was her manager. She fired him just to make things work between them.
However, as she said, Tee Billz cheated on her frequently and even had a child by another woman during their relationship.
She also discovered he had ‘interesting’ conversations with another woman which he saved as ‘Edible catering’ on his phone while she was dealing with her miscarriage.
Tiwa also told of how she caught him doing cocaine and how he had drug and alcohol problems.
Although she paid off some of his debt which include a Mercedes Benz and Rolex watch, he still incurred a 45 million Naira debt and is currently wanted by the EFCC.
Although he continued to claim he ‘made her’ and accused her of stealing his manhood and cheating on him, Tiwa said she never cheated on him.
According to her, the marriage was a mistake and is over. However, she wishes Tee Billz the best and will keep praying for him while she focuses on her son.
Nigerians showed their support for her.
I strongly feel for @TiwaSavage. That's the definition of a strong woman.
Early in the morning of April 28, Tiwa Savage’s husband and former manager, TeeBillz, took to his Instagram page and poured his heart out.
He started by posting an old picture of Tiwa, sharing the first time they met.
“@tiwasavage this was you when I met you with 100% insecurity. I remember when Wale called me about a girl that’s got talent and u told him I wasn’t interested!”
How they fell in love and how much he had sacrificed for her career and success.
“Please just take care of JamJam. I sacrificed my life for you and put in work and my money to your success. You are Tiwa Savage the super star now right. You will never have peace with that fame. Your mother wants to turn me to what she turned your DAD to? I will rather Die. Ask her to confess what’s she’s done to me! All I did was look out for your success.”
He apologised to his children for letting them down…
“I’m sorry Olabisi, Gaetano. Onah and jamil. All daddy wanted to do is be a good father and take care all of you but they won’t let me. I have been fighting this spiritual battle since I was a kid my mother and father can testify. Went from family battle to mother inlaws battle. @tiwasavage ask your mother to confess what she’s done to me.”
And accused Tiwa Savage’s mother of witchcraft.
“Lord knows I tried. I can’t take it anymore. I decided that I wanted to take time out from music business so you and me will not be in the same basket of the music industry. You never supported me for day one every move I made and every project I layer my hands one was going all bad. Thanks to your mum witchcraft! Tell her to confess to you.”
It started to get really worrying when he began posting pictures about depression.
“Lord knows I tried. I have been mentally tortured by my the woman I gave everything to. I’m not perfect but I’m far away from being the best husband. Because when I dint have you paid bills and you took my man hood away.”“You have thrown my clothes out of the house more than 5 times because of the love I have for you I still take it and because of Jamil. I don’t want to go through divorce like my father that has been Married 4times. Your mother humiliated so much that I dint care.”
He thanked Omawunmi’s husband for being supportive and Annie Idibia for bringing him food when Tiwa threw him out.
“Tosin Yosuf aka Omawunmi’s husband. I wish I met you earlier when I just moved to Nigeria. You have been a great friend and brother to me in throne month. I should have done this 2weeks a ago but the joy of being around dint let me.”“You have wife that he not let the music business take the best of her. I know how Mrs Yusuf treats us when we at your house. I feel very at home and praying that I wish my wife can get a life and be like this. All she cares about is next single, her make and hair, her brand and all that BS.”“Pls tell the world have you asked your husband in the last 3yrs if he has eaten. Thank you to Ani Idibia and Anita my Neigbor that provides home cooked meal for me when I needed. That! Yes you became the bread winner when I decided I’m not in business with you again take everything I just want my wife. Tiwa. You will never have peace except my spirits forgives you. Tell your mother to confess what she mounted in the house for you shine with my star. It’s deeper than what you think.”
And accused his wife Tiwa, of sleeping with Don Jazzy, Dr SID and Tuface.
“With in what period of time did you Fuck jazzy and Dr Sid. And I dint care because the love I have for you. I looked at it that we all have a past even when at this same fucking time you were fucking with 2face.”
He even blamed his father for his failed marriages.
“To you Mr Ibrahim Olatunji Balogun Snr………. I tried my best not to be like you but instead of focusing on being a Better person I was worried about not wanting to be like you. I reached out and cry to you as my father but all you care about his yourself and your money…….. I ended up having kids like you by multiple women and my first marriage and only marriage dint make make it to 2years just like the one you had with my mum. Why the Fuck did God Made you my father.”
The worst part was when he said he didn’t have the strength to fight anymore and asked God to accept his soul.
“I’m sorry i must have disappointed you guys . I just dint have the strength to fight this battle any more. May God Forgive me and accept my soul in peace”.
In the last post, he said Tiwa will never find peace in her career.
“I hope the fucking in Tiwa Savage brand brings you peace. I used my money, soul and everything I had for you and everyone knows how I hustled hard with passion for you to get to where you at today. You will never find peace with your career”.
While he was having this meltdown, his friend and best man, Banky W, tried to reach out to him via his Instagram comment section.
This is a real cause for concern considering the fact that their 2nd wedding anniversary was only 24 hours ago.
We hope he gets help soon and resolves whatever problems he and his wife may be facing.
