Fulani herdsmen: Why Buhari has abandoned Benue people – Fani-Kayode replies Ortom

Fulani herdsmen: Why Buhari has abandoned Benue people – Fani-Kayode replies Ortom: Femi Fani-Kayode, on Monday reacted to claim by the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom that President Muhammadu Buhari has abandoned people of the state, following Fulani herdsmen attack. The former Minister said the governor should expect nothing less, stressing that the “Fulani terrorists” are Buhari’s

Behold DMX's Unearthed Remix Of Kanye West's "Real Friends"

Hacker group Music Mafia has evidently unearthed DMX’s remix version of Kanye West’s “Real Friends.” The original song, which was released on West’s 2016 album, The Life Of Pablo, featured Ty Dolla $ign.

With X’s signature rasp, the veteran rapper spits about his trials and tribulations throughout the brief one-minute clip.

Shortly after The Life Of Pablo‘s release, celebrated producer Swizz Beatz revealed on Instagram that X was planning to release the remix but, for reasons unknown, it never came to fruition … until now.
Listen to X’s “Real Friends” remix above.

Utit Ofon's Blog: I know nothing about alleged forgery – Saraki

Utit Ofon's Blog: I know nothing about alleged forgery – Saraki

The Lee Temple – ZIM ZIMMA ft. D’banj x KaySwitch x PokoLee x 2Kriss

The Lee Temple – ZIM ZIMMA ft. D’banj x KaySwitch x PokoLee x 2Kriss
Straight from The Lee Temple comes the first collective anthem by DB Records acts –D’banj, KaySwitch, PokoLee (Tonto Dikeh) and 2Kriss titled “Zim Zimma“.
Are we gonna get an album in 2016? We wait. But before then, get in the groove with this jam.

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Album Review: Wande Coal – Wanted

Artist: Wande Coal

Album Title: Wanted

Label: Black Diamond Entertainment

Release Date: October 26, 2015.

Wande Coal’s long awaited sophomore effort finally dropped last week, announced with little fanfare from the artist himself. ‘Wanted‘ set the Nigerian music scene aflutter until its actual release. The album title itself is a play on the demand for a follow up record from an artiste who had been quiet mostly since his acrimonious split from the then young Mavin Records other than featuring on one of the songs of the year, Patoranking’s  My Woman, My Everything and his well received 2014 single Baby Hello.

Theories abound as to why it’s taken him this long. His debut was a runaway success; the album is still referenced as the best debut by a Naija pop act and, try as he might, the artistic (and commercial) success of that record is inescapable.

Wande Coal‘s frustration at being constantly reminded of M2M is understandable, he was just making music as he knew how with an equally hungry producer in Don Jazzy. It’s not his fault that he happened to produce an album that resonated so strongly with the public; he shouldn’t be forever bound to repeat the pop perfection that was M2M. He made aspirational music; it was introspective, sweet and most importantly, he had the joie de vivre of a young man just having fun and hoping the good times would continue. There was no pressure of expectations, no mark for him to beat and much has been said on the synergy between Coal and his former boss and collaborator. He deserves to be, ideally, judged on the merit of this work, Wanted. But he earned the love and expectations as a result of that album and this time around, there’s a plethora of other talented artists for him to jostle for attention with as well as contending with dizzying expectations.

Coal clearly sought out a Jazzy-like relationship with Maleek Berry, the UK based producer who was handed the responsibility of crafting the follow up to the monster that is M2M. Coal works best under direction, Jazzy’s signature is all over M2M, be it on background vocals or from Coal opening tracks by signing the now famous refrain, ‘it’s Don Jazzy again’. Berry does not have the same gravitas, not owing to the obvious fact that he’s not Jazzy but he could not make Coal challenge himself vocally. If nothing else, Coal is a top notch melodist. Save for one song, Lowkey, that wasn’t obvious on this album. Berry doesn’t have necessary dexterity as a beat-smith to have been handed the responsibility of chief producer for this project. His beats are good-ish, think Back To The Matter ft. Wizkid, Saucekid’s Carolina but Berry has yet to show that he understands melody in the way Coal’s vocals demand it.

The power dynamics between the two probably saw Coal dictating the production moves, speculation of course but, he clearly needed more and different than what Berry has been able to deliver here.

The album opens properly with Adura, featuring Coal’s famous falsetto. As well as this, the high points of the album come on the Legendury Beats produced Monster and it’s Coal in his element; brash, almost new school rapper delivery, then there’s Lowkey where he and Berry work in delightful tandem; a summer type, versatile fun record. Ashimapeyin also works really well, Coal’s self assured delivery over Sarz’s well matched efforts on the beat.

The low and middle points are plenty though, too many joints sound the same. Same Shitfeat. AKA sounds like the rhythmic crashing of kitchen utensils on surfaces, Make You Minefeaturing 2face Idibia doesn’t work, which is a shame. On paper, these two should have been able to create something memorable. SuperWoman is alright but it sounds like too many songs we’ve heard before, it’s however, a good vocal performance. The Sarz produced Wanted Remix is better than the original. Kpono feat Wizkid is good for Wande’s delivery, which was razor sharp and Wizkid does as expected; ‘Breaking my fast tonight, many regards tonight, I no lose guard tonight’. The song should be one of the songs of the festive season, not because it’s a particularly good club song, it’s just alright, but it’ll find its way onto DJs’ playlists because his audience wanted a dance tune from him a la You Bad/Bumper To Bumper, and this is the closest track on the album.

Too often Wande Coal phones it in on tracks. He can sing – really well – and perhaps that fueled the false sense of comfort he felt in making the ill thought out African Lady, an amateurish imitation of a highlife record or the eye roll inducing obligatory wedding track,Iyawo Mi.  Yes, Berry doesn’t have the heft needed but Coal should have kept his ear to streets for the sounds and vibes of the times. He couldn’t create a wave here, none of the Fuji-pop infusion found on his first record or the believable crooning either. Ironically, the skit by Falz was intended as a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of what his critics had been saying about his reluctance to drop a follow up, “Wande Coal, the problem with him is  his chronic lack of focus ”, it’s intended figuratively but one cannot help but conclude that there’s a kernel of truth in it. There’s no artistic hunger here.

Amorawa featuring Burna Boy should have been to Wanted as Street Credibility was 9ice’sGongo Aso, a timeless anthem for the man dem but as is apparent by now, the A&R and direction was missing on the project. This gem of a track should have been kept under wraps until the album was released. Sans Ashimapeyin, there are no signature joints on the album, no take away melodies; the replay value, already stunted by the album’s length, is very low.

It’s almost baffling that Wande Coal came up so short. His last major release was six years ago, enough time for him to hone his craft. Further, the fallout with his erstwhile production team ought to have provided the fillip to drop if not another classic, then an excellent record. Perhaps he was panicked by his hiatus, but an audience that waited this long would have waited another year if that’s what it would have taken for him to release a worthy record. But this is Wande Coal, probably the most talented pop singer on the Nigerian pop music scene, it’s hard to imagine he’d be pleased with this offering; he is capable of so much more. This isn’t what we “Wanted” but it’s what he served up.  

Adura, Monster, Lowkey, Ashimapeyin, and Superwoman are the album’s best tracks. Four good new songs on a 17 track album is not good enough, Wanted has been found wanting but that said, it’s nice to see Wande Coal back as a pop performer.

This album is rated 5/10

You can follow Tola Sarumi on Twitter :- @AfroVII

VIDEO PREMIERE: Kcee x HarrySong x SkiiBii – Ebaeno

VIDEO Premiere: Kcee x HarrySong x SkiiBii – Ebaeno

Fam! These Five Star Music acts are not playing. The video for the potential hit “Ebaeno” which we premiered exclusively last week is here! Watch below.

It’s the season of FIVE STAR MUSIC and you all will agree. Just barely one week after dropping the top banging hit track titled EBAENO, it has and is still receiving MASSIVE air play across AFRICA and the WORLD at large. The song features the three prominent acts under five star music label,namely ,KCEE , HARRYSONG and SKIIBII . In line with the tradition of the award winning record label of giving its good music,good videos , the video of the banging hit track Ebe-ano is READY..Nollywood superstar and legendary actor MIKE EZURUONYE makes his first MAJOR music video appearance in the video showcasing his CRAFT & Kenyan Super star VERA SEDIKE .The STEAMING music video was directed by Green box and also co-directed by MIKE EZURUONYE.

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X.O Senavoe – GHOST (prod. Gafacci)

X.O Senavoe – GHOST (prod. Gafacci)

“From the opening words of GHOST, you know this is an X.O Senavoe you’ve never heard before. “Drowning all my sorrows in this vodka, having a ball, wondering when you’ll grow one/I been hearing that you f****rs wanna show out, oh boy, click click on my shot gun”. If you think that was an incredible start, you should wait ’til the end. GHOST is everything you wanted X.O to be – fearless, bravado-spilling, multi-bar-lacing, and all with effortless delivery, as he lays claim to being one of the greatest African rappers … ever. 

Among many things, GHOST is X.O’s indictment of the idea that Africans need to rap in a particular way, or language or tongue, to be considered among the “greatest”. His ability to do so seamlessly is matched by the irony he points out in his lyrics: “Sorry, I forgot, I’m from Africa right, so I gotta spit something we relate to, like how, if I rap in English, even if, I’m the greatest ever – they no go rate you”. 

Produced by Gafacci, GHOST is laced on a hard-hitting symphony of bass, 808s, synths, and high-hats which provide the perfect canvass for X.O’s re-emergence. The hook, which is in Twi and translates to “one who’s ghost refuses to agree that you’re dead” is simply eery, and befits the song title. 

But the ante is upped when X.O, who represented Nigeria in the BET cypher, flexes his linguistic muscle rapping in Fante, and both Asante and Akuapem Twi for the first time ever. And throughout it all, “El Presidente” is pulling no punches with this one. No more Mister Nice Guy. 

After “Oluwadele” ft Efya, and Coptic’s “Real Niggaz” along with Sarkodie last year, Mr. Senavoe went ghost on us, reportedly to dabble in other interests like Law. But if this is, as he says, just the start to a cascade of new music coming our way, then the absence was well worth the wait.
“I got a Barretta for all Barrettis to my Empire, Loaded Luxes for these Calicoes/All first verse, but you ‘gon get this work’ in a landslide, when I pull up like your pantyhose”. Smack!”