FEUDING RAPPERS COME TOGETHER FOR LATE JAIYE ABODERIN

  

If you want to know who’s the best rapper in
Nigeria, there’s a compact disc that makes the job easier for you. Especially if you’ve trimmed your search to the generally believed top three: Mode 9, Freestyle and Ruggedman.

On ‘Tribute to Jay’, a Tunde&Wunmi Obe song dedicated to the late Jaiye Aboderin (1971- 2004), the three rappers poured out their hearts, eulogizing the virtues of their late colleague, through well written verses of poetry that clearly showed each rapper’s wit and lyrical direction. The song, produced by Rymzo is, unknown to many, on TWO’s third album ‘4 Real’ which was recorded in 2005 and relesed last year, well before the public enmity between Ruggedman and Mode 9 germinated.

On the truly emotional song, Jaiye’s elder sister Wunmi is at her vocal best, rendering the rhetorics-laden chorus with such tangible pain you’ll be pushed to tears. She kills the chorus, ad libs and bridge effortlessly, ably assisted by her hubby Tunde. But Mode 9, one of the finest emcees to ever grab the mic is not at his best on this track, though he manages to come correct, dropping lines like… ‘gave him my CD…he was like Mode you gonna blow…my eyes went red, looked in the sky/ cry/ but why/ the good have to die… I miss you badly…that’s why I wrote this song…’

What Modey failed to deliver on Tribute to Jay, Freestyle brings in excess, armed with impressive verses like ‘Death is a door we all gon pass through…how come your moment of silence is something that seems so loud… you’re up there/ but damn you broke a hole in the roof… you’re giving tips to angels up in the sky/ inspiring them like you did to me…’ Wicked. Yet he claims he ‘aint trying to be lyrical/Just speaking my mind…’

Taking his turn after Freestyle, Ruggedman often criticised for his pidgin lyrics and dance tracks, shows he still has all the elements of his poetry in place. How about this line he delivered on ‘jay’? ‘My jaw drop/ head hot like meter wey blow fuse…people die everyday/ but it still surprises you… death comes… stabs you in the heart and leaves a hole in you… /out of body experience you never come back from… some see the remedy but its just too late…’

A lagos-based radio station is already asking listeners to vote for their favourite of the three, using ‘tribute to jay’ as case study.

All rappers however, have critically-acllaimed new albums.

Jaiye Aboderin, son of Olu Aboderin, the founder of Punch Newspapers, died on December 3, 2004, after he slumped inside federal palace hotel, Lagos, where he had been hanging out with friends and business Partners. Before his death, he was married to celebrated actress Stella Damasus with whom he had two daughters, Angelica and Isabella.

And, as the third anniversary of his death approaches, friends and family are already planning ways to keep his memories alive. The producers have dedicated on-going talent hunt Nokia First chance to ‘the memory of Jiaye Aboderin…who gave many people their first chance’. And at the recently held HipHopworld awards, Weird MC and Mode 9 topped the list of winners who dedicated their awards to the late enterprenuer-entertainer. Now, Tunde and Wunmi Obe appear to be planning to release the video for ‘tribute to jay’ in commeration of his third memorial anniversary. And, despite pundit’s pessimisic predictions that it’ll be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for the showbiz couple to get Mode 9 and ruggedman together on set for a shoot, both rappers have agreed to sheathe their swords momentarily and shoot the video in honour of Jaiye whom the entire industry held in great esteem and whose memory many continue to cherish.

Though details of the shoot are still sketchy, sources close to the couple assured us all is set for the shoot and that the rappers have given their consent. Wunmi be herself confirmed that ‘yes, we are planning to release our video CD and we will be shooting the video for Jay, with all the rappers that featured on the song’

The bitter rivalry (called beef in the rap industry) between Ruggedman and Mode 9 started with speculations that Mode 9, who had before now, cleverly stayed out of controversy, was recording a song on DJ Jimmy Jatt’s upcoming mixtape where he ‘dissed’ ruggedman, apparently because it is believed the latter’s ‘ruggedy baba’ was directed at him. Both rappers have denied the beef. But they do not speak kindly of one another, according to sources close to them. But Ruggedman is not new to controversies. Infact, he rode on it to fame and fortune, after finding favour with fans and the media, following the 2001 release of ‘Ehen Pt 1’ where he took Eedris abdulkareem, Black Reverendz, Maintain and Rasqui to the cleaners. Seeing that the song worked magic and instantly soared his ratings; causing his engagements to skyrocket, he recorded yet another controversial song ‘Peace or War’ where he boldly insists ‘ you either like me or hate me, it’s peace or war’. And then, claiming some figures were carrying out an NTBB campaign against his songs, he recorded and released ‘ Big Bros’- climaxing a long-running battle with the nation’s most successful label Kennis Music and its head honchos Keke Ogungbe, Dayo Adeneye and those loyal to them.

AT 40, EDDY NEEDS A REMEDY

Edward Ashiedu- Brown a.k.a. Eddy Remedy will be 40 on November 5.    But it’s not likely the former Remedies lead singer and his wife Kenny St. Brown will be planning any elaborate celebrations. It’s been a tortuous road to neglect and obscurity for the talented songwriter-performer since parting ways with his partner Eedris Abdulkareem in 2000. When the duo of Eddy and Eedris were to go their separate ways, analysts were quick to write Eedris off, predicting that Eddy a truly talented and likeable singer would go on to achieve critical and commercial success.
Both had the promotion machinery of Kennis music.
Unfortunately, over half a decade later, Eddy, despite repeated attempts, is yet to score any major hit, while Eedris, prior to his recent downfall, boasts of at least three successful albums, with multiple awards to his credit (he was even voted, in 2002, to join Pat Utomi, Segun Odegbami and Dora Akunyili as Nigeria’s representatives to lift the Olympic torch).
Not even the big-budget ‘Arrival Of eddy Montana ’ had any major impact on fans. Song after song; album after album, it was all the same result: no one was interested in listening to Eddy. Yes, he still had the voice. He still had the energy. And he was still as hardworking as ever. But something was missing  – something no one could identify.
Even when he got ‘born again’ shortly after marrying his wife, and dumped Marijuana for a while. All remained the same. A hit continued to elude the man who in 1997 nudged all Remedies songs to acceptance with his melodic hooks, ad-libs and choruses. Remember Shakomo? Judile? Shade? Jealousy? He was even king enough, along with Eedris, to help Wale Thomson and Yinka Best with the formular. God. Did it work!
Now, the cheerful and down-to-earth performer has no post-Remedies hit to call his. And age doesn’t appear to be on his side. With the dismal rating of his recent song ‘Call me’, the situation looks more scary, and Eddy might need two things to get out of the blue: a remedy. And – a remedy!  Pundits are already predicting that he and his languishing-in-self-caused-obscurity partner Eedris Abdulkareem walk up to Tony Tetuila and arrange for another Remedies album.
 But that may not be the only solution. Eddy needs a remedy beyond another Remedies album. He needs to define his kind of music. He needs to stop singing love songs to young girls – they all know he’s a married man with a baby at home, and they don’t find him particularly sexy, anyway. He needs to drop marijuana again, and this time for good. He needs to shed the thug toga and recreate himself as a mature cool crooner whose music we can listen to, reason with, learn from and bounce to – if we choose. Really the drowning singer needs help. Unfortunately, judging from the situation of the Nigerian music scene, almost no one can help him for now: not the calibre of over-burdened artiste managers hovering around. Not the half-baked pretenders claiming to be oublicists. And certainly not the hundreds of mushroom labels springing forth everyday, with no clear A&R blueprint, yet boasting of affiliations with the label that made ‘Thriller’ sell 8 million copies.
Only one man can help Eddy Montana: Edward Ashiedu- Brown.

AMEN AWARDS BACK WITH A BANG!

IT’S  pay back time for Nigerian artistes. After years of consistent lull, with government and corporate organisations shunning the industry, the past few years have witnessed tremendous growth, with a total skyrocket in earnings for major stakeholders including artistes, producers and label owners. The industry may still have a long way to go, but society and relevant organisations can’t cease rewarding practitioners for excellence and unprecedented achievements. On March 17, 2007, Hip Hop World awards had its second outing, dishing out awards and treating Nigerian artistes like the international counterparts. Celebrities sashayed on the red carpet, everyone showing off their attires, and for those fortunate to mount the stage; it was like a dream come true. Hip hop world awards only started in 2006. Meanwhile on May 19, the Nigerian music awards hitherto organised by PMAN under Tony Okoroji’s regime, will return in grand style, laying siege on the city of Abuja, after what the organisers have called a soul flight’ from Lagos to the nation’s capital. NMA promises to attract the nation’s crème-de la –crème.
But the big one, the one that set all tongues wagging, is the return of awards for Musical Excellence in Nigeria AMEN, organised by ENCOMIUMS ventures, publishers of encomium Magazine. Presently Nigeria ’s longest running music awards, the event has not held since 2005. But when pundits were beginning to dig the grave of the music awards, the organisers have finalised plans to resuscitate the awards, in a manner those close to the secretariat say will be earth shaking. AMEN awards has been scheduled for the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe road, Victoria Island, Lagos on Sunday July 1, 2007.
This year’s event is facilitated by the Academy of creative arts in Nigeria , peopled by diverse music and media professionals including Kenny Ogungbe, Efe Omorogbe, Wale Oluwaleimu, Tokunbo Modupe, Charles O’Tudor, Sunny Neji and several others. But it is uncertain if any sponsors have been confirmed for the event which is in its ninth year.
But with the calibre of the committee members, it is expected that the requisite resources would be generated, especially as corporate bodies are now more disposed than ever, to entertainment related events. Last march, organisers of hiphopworld awards pooled an amazing sum of N100Million for the much talked-about awards.
Meanwhile, as if to add icing to the cake of Nigerian artistes, two international music awards may hold in   Nigeria this year. Channel O African music video awards, fast-growing inter-continent award, has, according to dependable sources been scheduled to hold in Lagos or Calabar, in the last quarter of 2007. Same for urbane music channel MTV base  whose MTV Europe music awards is one of the world’s most reputable annual award events. It is yet uncertain if MTV is doing an ‘African’ music video awards, but it has had an African category for the EMA since inaugurationg MTV Africa in 2005. 2face Idibia won the first ever best African act, at the first edition held in Lisbon , Portugal in November, 2005.
 These developments mean only one thing: that despite the piracy scourge ravaging the music industry, rubbishing artistes’ toil and ensuring that most label owners go broke; despite the continued absence of necessary industry structures, and in spite of total government neglect, reward for excellence from very qualified quarters is compensating practitioners- planting smiles on their faces, and showing upcoming artistes and wannabe music pros that hardwork still pays.

KUSH GIRLS READY WITH SOLO ALBUMS

Three years after they stopped performing as a group, all three members of the celebrated gospel group KUSH are ready with individual solo albums. The group which was signed to DKG (an international label headed in Nigeria by Sam Onyemelukwe) and managed by Gbenga Shokefun, died unceremoniously in 2004, shortly after its soprano singer Lara got married in Lagos. But before then, there had been incessant speculations about a pending break occasioned by internal rancour on one side, and issues with manager Gbenga Shokefun on the other. Despite constant denials, with even a promise of a second album, and an international release of ‘The Experience’ their debut album, the young University of Lagos graduates soon drifted apart: TY (Toyin Shokefun) went ahead to pursue her dreams with photography; Lara (Lara Bajomo) took up a full time job, and established a catering firm while the group’s rapper Emem (Emem-Abasi Emah) settled for music business partnering with friends, first to form Vhishuns Media, and later One Management. She was named British Council’s International Music Enterprenuer of the year for Nigeria in  2006.
However, few years down the road, it appears the trio have failed to resist the lure of music, with each now clutching a master tape, DV tapes, and record contracts. TY  a much sought-after photographer and member of depth-of-field (a photography collective) is about now, releasing her debut single and video ‘Greenland’, and is ready to unleash her full album on Nigerians before mid year. ‘She’s been busy recording all these while.
I don’t think she really ever took a break from music’ said a source close to her. Lara who now has a baby, took a break from her record contract with Solomon Arueya’s Westside Music to feature in the reality show West African Idols where she failed to make any fantastic impact. But there’s no doubt that the singer is immensely talented. With a voice that leaves fans, critics and even haters in awe, Lara is optimistic about a solo career – and her first single ‘ijoba orun’ is a sign that she’s got some goodies.
She’s even getting busy with the treadmill, anxious to burn some fat, so that when we like what we hear, we’ll fall in live with what we see too.
Emem Emah now called Mem’O doesn’t have any fats to burn, but she’s burning a lot of energy kicking rap verses on her colleagues albums, and on her own material which she says will be ready for the public soon. ‘Really, I’ve just been busy recording. Putting down anything that comes to me. I’m trying to say some things, trying to express myself’ she told a friend recently. Mem’O is presently managed by One Management.
With the recent developments, industry watchers are beginning to say there’s more to the KUSH break up than meets the eye.
For, why would all three girls remain good friends, even collaborate on each other’s albums, yet are unable to come together and hit the stage as KUSH? While an informed source says only manager Gbenga Shokefun and KUSH lawyer Toyin Subair understand the complications in the KUSH saga, the girls maintain there was never a planned break up. Speaking to a magazine last year, Lara, shortly after delivering her baby (Adeoba), said ‘…it happened the way it happened.
It wasn’t really planned or anything. I’m not sure I’ll say anything went wrong. Essentially we are three different people whose lives were going in three different directions. We are still friends, we still relate with each other, but musically, we are just seeing things from different points of view’.
KUSH (an acronym for ‘kinetically ushering salvation into hearts and homes’) was formed after Emem, Lara, TY and Dapo Torimiro met at Rock Solid Choir in Unilag while all pursuing undergraduate studies. With Dapo, the only male member as producer, the group spent night and day generating songs and concept, and making plans for a music take over.
Then they got Gbenga Shokefun, CEO of Spirit Rose Entertainment  and elder brother to TY to shop for a deal in the US. Gbenga was then based in the US, with enviable contacts in mainstream music business.
After getting the girls signed to DKG music, he returned to Nigeria to nurse their career full time, eventually releasing their debut album ‘The Experience’ a 16 tracked LP which spawned hits like ‘let’s live together’ and ‘angel’. The album was produced by Jeff Taylor and Chinaku Danforth.

I’VE NOT DUMPED HIGHLIFE MUSIC- PAUL PLAY

When Paul ‘Play’ Babatunde Dairo clocked 35 on March 6, he had cause to celebrate. Over a decade after abandoning a career in engineering for an unlikely future in music, the singer-producer has done well for himself; making hits and making more money, signing autographs and signing cheques. And he would have popped more champagne, if he knew that eleven days away, he would be carting home four major awards, at the second edition of hiphopworld awards. Maybe he would even have invited us for a drink! But seriously, he may like to be called Paul ‘play’, but the gentle crooner doesn’t play with things important to him. Here’s the type of man that creates a playground where it’s all work and no play. That’s why only masterpieces come from his playground studios, where he produced his Hitsville album, cuts off Nomoreloss’ album, and a couple of other fans’ favourites. That’s the same place we laid ambush for him, days after his historic hiphop world win…It was a full house, but the singer was in a mood to talk to Ayeni Adekunle

Congratulations paul did you expect that you were going to scoop all the awards at hiphopworld awards 2007? That was really unexpected. It was really shocking. If you can recall, the other three awards, I had to run to the stage to pick them up. I was just like ok, now that I have the award for RnB, let me just get out of here because I wasn’t expecting to win anything after that. But as the whole thing went down, it was really shocking to me. That really goes a long way to show that my fans out there really appreciate what I’m doing. It’s a good thing and I’m very grateful for what I got.
Do you think that you deserve all the awards that you won?
Well some people may say that I don’t deserve them but I just think that I’ve really worked hard enough. Why I said that some people may think that I don’t deserve them is because when I was releasing that song, a lot of people felt that the album wasn’t going to be a success because it was just R’n'B and Nigerians believe that you only have to do something in pidgin or in your local dialect before you can break barriers or before you can make money in music industry. That album: Hitsville, has proven that idea to be wrong. Out there, I know the numerous calls and texts I receive everyday and I think that if a part of the awards has to do with vote from fans, I think… I’ve been receiving so many calls and texts from my fans that the award is something that is well deserved. So if my fans say yes, I don’t know…I can’t say for myself but all I know is that I’m working hard and I’m still going to work more. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing to make sure that my fans are happy and the industry keeps going forward.
You won awards for best Rnb album, artist of the year, album of the year and record of the year for ‘forever’. What do these awards individually and as a group mean to you and what impact do you expect them to have on your career?
If this were to be in America, I know my bank account would have soared up now and I’ll be smiling to the bank (laughs). But all the same, hiphopworld awards is very big. It was big last year and so was it this year. It’s the biggest music awards in town right now. A lot of people are coming to terms with the fact that we need awards of this calibre to promote and to improve the standard of music in Nigeria. So far, I’ve been receiving calls and I know that it’s going to get me some positive results and I’m going to get so many things because of those awards. A lot of good things are coming my way right now and I’m just grateful to God that an award like that was held for growth and for the exposure of stars in Nigeria and in the industry as a whole.
Did you have a prepared speech?
Funny enough, that day, all my speech was incoherent. If anybody really studied what I was saying… I was anxious because I wasn’t really expecting that. I  didn’t really rehearse my speech because I felt that once I just get on stage, I know the people that I worked with on this project and I think at first when I collected the first award, I had to say some things because I remembered what Jaiye (Aboderin) told me in South Africa. The RnB award was really vital because if I didn’t win that it means all those advice would have just gone down the drain. It would have really discouraged me. I had to talk about what Jaiye said and what Efe Omoregbe said about the need to revisit that aspect of my creativity which I did and I was grateful and had to thank them for it. As for other awards, I was just beating around the bush because I was too shocked to believe that it was going to come out that way.
Why didn’t you  dedicate any of the awards to your father…
I’ve won so many awards and I’ve dedicated so many to my father. I think this time around, I just need to appreciate the people who were behind me when I was doing this project, who supported me, who believed in what I was doing, those who said well, you’re going against the odds, if you do that kind of music in Nigeria, it wont sell… all through that, I just had to remember them because they are as important as any other award I won that day.
The last time we spoke, you talked about the industry not rewarding your father enough and not recognising his contribution so much. Do you think that posthumously, IK Dairo has received as much recognition for his contribution to the music industry in Nigeria?
I’ll say yes and I’ll say no. I’ll say yes because …people can identify with the kind of music I play and they know that before this RnB album it was an offspring of what IK Dairo used to do and that has sort of brought back his old fans who loved the music and they always wanted me to come around and perform for them. That has brought the name of IK Dairo back into their minds and they’ve gone back to celebrating him and celebrating his music but in terms of national honour, nothing has happened. If the Queen of England honoured somebody in faraway Africa that is about 3000 miles away and in his own country, no honour has been given to him, that’s really appalling. That’s what I was calling for. It’s not about his fans because his fans are there and they enjoy IK Dairo’s son’s music. Although you can say probably it’s not like Ik Dairo but a least you can have a feel of his music. But we are working on so many things. I gave it a try like four five years ago to see what we could do about the foundation but so many people were not interested. We are trying to push it again this year. We are working on a project right now and we are doing AFTER TEN YEARS FOR IK DAIRO. A lot of programmes have been marked out to celebrate him after ten years and maybe this time around, they will listen to us.
Why do you think children of legendary musicians find it hard to find their feet in music? Why is your case different?
I just believe that I’m favoured by God. I believe that God has really lifted me above all my troubles, my trials and all that. I think it’s the handwork of God. Even when I was going to sign my first contract, I grudgingly slotted in ‘Mosorire’ because I didn’t want to put it there. I felt it was like trying to step into IK Dairo’s shoes; trying to do the impossible because my father was a very creative musician, a multi instrumentalist, you have a dad that played four instruments and you can just play one; you need to go back to learn other instruments like the accordion, the talking drum and all that. It wasn’t easy for me but I just believe that I was just lucky. I’m not saying that these other guys have not tried, they must have tried their best. It’s just because maybe their time is not yet here. I know about some of them that have made it particularly Musiliu Haruna Ishola.
If your father were alive and you were to record a song together, what song would it be?
It would still be ‘Mosorire’ because the song celebrates success, it celebrates life, progress and that is a song that people who don’t even speak Yoruba go so far to know what the song is talking about and when they find out, they embrace it more. I think that’s the most powerful song that I’ve ever heard from my dad and that is the song I’m going to choose.
Why do you think that this generation is embracing hiphop and the urban culture more than highlife and juju or fuji? What do you think is responsible and do you think that it’s a trend that should be encouraged?
That’s a rather complicated question. I have not ditched highlife music because highlife music is what fed me and raised me, gave me education and brought me up till I was old enough to know my direction. That part of me that is about continuing with the legacy of I.K. Dairo will continue to exist because I can never do away with that. But you know, one has to follow his dreams because RnB is my dream. I started with RnB, I started producing with RnB and along the line, I knew I was supposed to do something. The Yoruba people have an adage which says ‘ omo ale lo man fi owo osi juwe ile baba e’. So you have to represent your home, the fact that your father is a musician, you have to represent what people love him for.
That was what I was doing for about six years but now, I’ve decided to step into my own shoes but the fact that I’ve done that will not in anyway hinder my interests in doing highlife music and playing IK Dairos’s music. Going to your question now, you know the embrace of urban music was always bound to happen. In our radio stations, we play a lot of foreign songs and urban music. All these things will affect the orientation of young people. How many times have you heard Sunny Ade on radio or heard Obey, or heard Wasiu?
Now, you’ve done highlife/juju songs, you’ve recorded a RnB album, will your  next album be a rap album?
No, I won’t mess with rap. I’ll rather call Alabai or other rappers I know… but if I get one of them to write a rap track for me, I could give it a try…
How about the women? What kind of woman do you think an artiste should marry?
A very very patient woman. No artiste can marry an impatient woman. The marriage will break up as fast as it was made.

hiphopworld awards 2007… list of winners

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

TEMPTATION………………………. JUDE OKOYE

BEST REGGEA/DANCEHALL SINGLE

BABA
DEE ……………………………………………        SHORTY

BEST POP ALBUM

AFTER DA STORM …………………………………WEIRD MC

BEST R&B ALBUM

HITSVILLE ………………………………………….PAUL PLAY

SONG OF THE YEAR

WHY ME……………………………………………D`BANJ

OUTSTANDING AFRICAN ACT

V I P

BEST RAP ALBUM

FREE AT LAST……………………………………….FREESTYLE

BEST COLLABO

EKO ILE……………………………………….JAZZMAN &STORM ALL STARS

BEST RAP SINGLE

CRY……………………………………………..MODENINE

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

HITSVILLE………………………………………PAUL PLAY

ARTISTE OF THE YEAR

PAUL PLAY

RECORDING OF THE YEAR

FOREVER……………………………………………PAUL PLAY

JAIYE ABODERIN NEXT RATED

O D

HIP HOP WORLD REVELATION

SOUL E

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE [MALE]

OBIWON [ONYINYE]

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

COBHAMS ASUQUO

 

SEX FOR SALE

SEX FOR
SALE

 Journalists are very busy people. All the journalists I know are always in a hurry: rushing to conduct an interview, to meet with a source, rushing to meet a deadline, or, quite often, to a favourite pub, to catch up with the day’s gist, usually over a bottle of beer and a plate of pepper soup. Expectedly, in the midst of all the activity, in the process of gathering news in a hurry (for, what is journalism, but literature in a hurry?), many engagements suffer. For obvious reasons, it’s impossible to be at different places at the same time. So IVs for events at the bottom of our scale of preference either end up languishing on the reminder board, the trash bin, or an over-stocked drawer. To this, I plead guilty. Many times I have attempted to be physically present at different places at the same time, only to discover that my babalawo (that’s herbalist, for those uninitiated in the Yoruba language) lied to me. By the way, those herbalists have either stopped understanding the language of the oracle, or they have just discovered the art of lying…I’m sure one would have collected huge sums from Wunmi (the actress convicted of drug trafficking), in assurance that all customs and immigration officials will be struck with blindness anytime she gets close. One told an upcoming artiste to throw his master CD into the bar beach, claiming, that as the ocean knows no end, so would his career blossom unendingly, even after his death.  The foolishly desperate artiste obeyed the old man… by the time he got back to the studio, the system had crashed. Guess what? His only back up was lying deep in the belly of the
Atlantic Ocean. He’s still threatening to sue or shoot the wretched old man…

Anyway, so last week, when I got an invitation from rising singer Zeal, inviting me to ‘a nite with the diva’, I knew immediately that this one was a no no.  How could I spend a nite out with zeal, on a special Friday when I had a vigil to attend in church? When my girlfriend was busy buzzing me, sounding all romantic, and asking when I’ll return home. Oh, no Zeal. Maybe next time. I stacked her invites (and there were lots of them) at the bottom of a huge pile, and shut the drawer. Then my mind wandered. Zeal? Come, on…the girl’s face looks like the product of an error…she’s Not.Even.Fine. how dare she send me an IV? And how dare i think of attending? That’s one voice, leaping forward, condemning the poor girl and urging me to ignore her silly invite. Then another voice reminds me: remember the girl has a body made in heaven…her legs, her hips, her butts and, oh, generous boobs… remember? See, the girl’s stats are: 36; 27; 44

 What’s a face without a great body anyway? The girl has more sex appeal than 10 beauty queens put together…what’s wrong with having a nite out with a sexy chic with a bad face? And since it’s her birthday, she might get so drunk and end up on my bed. (God, all that luggage… will I be able to handle it alone?).

 

As usual, the adventurous mind wins. So I ended up spending a nite with Zeal at The Vault, Idowu Martins,
Victoria Island,
Lagos, on February 2^nd -her 24^th birthday. Me and 2face and Sound sultan and Jimmy Jatt and hundreds of other guys, who all came out to see the girl’s butts, for real. Oh, there were ladies too, a sprinkle of them (including some lesbians, I believe, who came to assess Zeal’s properties). But the dudes it was, that rushed out in huge numbers, telling each other after each performance (and costume change) of how gorgeous the girl’s body is; of how much sexual current she emits; and of how they’ll like to go home with her – or at least her autographed picture.

 Unfortunately, none of us thought it wise to listen to her songs and concentrate on her talent. And the singer had plenty of that, soothing our souls with Stress reliever, generation song, and other cuts off her upcoming album. I mean, it’s okay to let our testosterones loose… imagining her in bikini, on a beach, and nearly wetting our pants. But it’ll be unfair to her, if we allow lust distract us from her real commodity: music. To buy into her music, and sexiness, is to buy into her career and future, ensuring her CDs move off the shelves…but to buy into her sexiness alone, with a desperate intent to bed her, and tour her luscious body, is an insult to God, and to her talent, and a sure way of sending her scampering back to Cyprus, that little town she dumped for Lagos. For a long time, we’ve been looking for bold, daring ladies to grab the mic and flirt with our minds…now that they’re heeding the call, from Kween to C-Naya to Niyola and Zeal, I have an advise for the randy, lusty men amongst us…why don’t we listen to their music, before stripping them nude in our minds and imagining them alone in a hotel room with us? Why? So that, for those who have something to say, whose music is as seductive as their bodies, we’ll buy their CDs and pay for an autographed picture…the daring ones amongst us may even try to get a lunch or dinner date. But for those whose music is a direct opposite of their looks, those who’ve traded talent for looks, we’ll simply ignore their CDs…instead, we’ll buy their wallpapers: one for the room, one for the toilet, and one for the office…we could even keep one extra, to replace the sleeve on Kemistry’s album…the music may come nice, but I don’t think anyone’ll particularly interested in hugging her pictures… 

END OF THE ROAD FOR DADDY SHOWKEY?

Galala na for life… Because galala means expanding and growing…say d thing dey expand, e dey grow… today, many boys dey play my style, and dey try 2 b like me… And body dey sweet me o! .. Whether dem like dem agree or not, but I know say I don try…

If you’ve listened to Daddy Showkey’s new album, Take 5ive, then you must be familiar with the above words… And in case you’ve not, well, that’s the opening skit on the act’s new 12 tracker, released by Ojez music. True, Showkey, a ghetto apostle and pathfinder of sorts, has paid his dues. Since his stint with Pretty Busy Boys (made up of himself, Daddy fresh, Cashman Davies And sexy Pretty), his appearance on Daddy Fresh’s debut, and his own impressive 1994 solo debut, the Ajegunle-bred entertainer has made music his own way; flouting conventions, thereby creating fresh paths, and leading the way for hundreds of hitherto-hopeless artistes to follow. But now, the most successful of the pretty busy boys, and indeed, the most successful artiste yet to come out of Ajegunle( a notorious lagos ghetto, close to Apapa known to have produced some of the most talented music and soccer stars) is stuck in the middle of a once thriving career, trying to fast-forward, so that dozens of his protégés don’t leave him behind. Showkey’s latest effort at resuscitating his embattled career is Take 5ive. I’m well aware that this is a make or mar album, so I have refused to be part of discussions where Showkey’s new album is on discourse. But right now, I’m sitting down in front of my oversize desk, trying to listen to the 10tracker, dosing of intermittently, yawning ten times per minute, and managing to nod my head once or twice. That’s not a very good sign, for someone who can sing all the tracks on Showkey’s 1994 album. And, knowing that two things are certain: (1) the success of Take 5ive will mark the beginning of a new phase for Showkey’s career, and a better future for ojez music (having failed with Baba Fryo, and lost Sunny Neji); (2) The failure of this album will not only mark the beginning of the end of Showkey’s recording career, it could make Joseph Odobeatu start thinking again, about this whole music business. So? I listen to the album again, trying to keep my eyes open, and my mouth shut. On the opening song, young girl, Showkey is joined by Tallman to reenact the song earlier recorded in 1994. Apart from the fast tempo (with increased beats per minute), it’s obvious showkey is trying to ride on his old formula this time.

And the trend is glaring, from Brenda to jah ehovah, ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />Chicago( a song that’ll make you laugh) and 117 (this one could make you cry). Ignore the weak vocals, elementary songwriting, and you’ll be amazed at the melody on Take 5ive, Shalala and one day. Oh, and the one that’ll get you up, wipe away sleep from your eyes and plant dance on your feet, is rolling, a tribute song to Pa Fatai Rolloing Dollar. Unmistakable highlife feel on rolling is fabulous… what else do you expect of a song dedicated to FRD? The showkey-FRD collabo is one of the rare great cuts on this album…you’ll like the guitar solo… you’ll like Pasuma’s verses on 117 too…

Thanks to the guests on the album (Pasuma, Tallman and FRD) and afew good beats as cooked by OJB, fans and critics will not be in a hurry to throw take 5ive into the trash can, and throw the trash can into the incinerator…but it’s not likely it’ll on the most-wanted list at record stores or radio stations…but I trust that Daddy showkey and his people will do everything possible to make this one album work. At a time when everyone’s wearing a pop garb, and urbane music is rave of the moment, it’s sad ans scary to think that the likes of Showkey and the concepts they represent are an endangered species. Or, tell me, who wouldn’t rather listen to Marvellous Benjy or African china than sit through a Daddy Showkey, Baba Fryo or Daddy Fresh song? Even trendier acts like Blackky, Lt. Shotgun, and Daniel Wilson are battling endlessly to get the chains of their mics…all over the world, it continues to happen, that most music careers are ephemeral, with most artistes never making more than one hit album in their entire career. And with several unpredictable factors determining what’s hot and what’s not, most times, there’s nothing an artiste can do, but to gaze helplessly and offer sacrifices to appease the god of music whi is so stubborn, he isn’t even listening to Michael Jackson!

While I’m not saying this album will nail the coffin of Showkey’s career, I don’t expect it to perform better than K1 Ultimate’s Flavours or Sound Sultan’s Textbook: both average albums that have done nothing to enhance the artistes’ careers. But while KWAM 1 continues to live on concert appearances and incessant praise-singing, and Sound Sultan riding on critics’ support and an assured musical future, Showkey’s demand continues to wane by the day, with many a pundit claiming he has run out of ideas and concept. Money is not the issue, though, as, like KWAM 1, Showkey is blessed with loyal fans who don’t mind blessing him with gifts and, even, contracts…but unlike KWAM 1, showkey’s repertoire is dangerously lean, and if take 5ive is an attempt to add to the list, I’m afraid it may be far from successful. We all want to live long, stayu healthy, and see our great grand children. But, bless our souls, not all of us will. Right? Every artiste wants to record all their lives, it’s not just about making money… it’s fulfilling a calling. But what’s the essence of an album fans don’t want to listen to? An album critics are laughing at, and CD players are rejecting?

I’ve listened to take 5ive over five times already, and I have a suggestion: why doesn’t Ojez withdraw the album from circulation, select 117, Rolling, Young Girl, Brenda and Chicago, maintain the producer and the choruses, and get someone else to write and arrange Showkey’s lines? Then they can re-release a great 5-song EP that’ll be aptly titled take 5ive… oh, the rest songs? They can give them to Baba fryo… he’ll consider them excellent, compared to the trash he calls songs…

Ayeni Adekunle Samuel. february 2007.

NIGERIAN SHOWBIZ NEWS IN BRIEF (NSIB)

* RAPPER MODE 9’s FIRST LP TO BE RELEASED ON TUESDAY JANUARY 30, 2007. ON KEVIN LUCIANO’S QUESTIONMARK RECORDS.
*HIP HOPWORLD AWARDS 207 TO HOLD ON MARCH 16, 207. VENUE WILL BE MUSON CENTRE OR pLANET ONE, MARYLAND. BOTH VENUES ARE LAGOS’ MOST WANTED.
*POP STAR AND SEX SYMBOL D’BANJ IS MOVING TO A PRIVATE ESTATE IN LEKKI, A VICTORIA ISLAND ANNEX. (lAGOS)
*2FACE IDIBIA, NIGERIA’S MOST-CELEBRATED POP ICON, HAS BOUGHT A DUPLEX IN FESTAC TOWN, HIS HOOD.
RAPPER SASHA WILL EVENTUALLY DROP HER DEBUT ALBUM ‘FIRST LADY’ ON FEBRUARY 24. IT WIL BE RELEASED ON STORM RECORDS… YOU CAN CHECK HER OUT ON THE COVER OF THE CURRENT EDITION OF TRUE LOVE WEST AFRICA.
*PLANTASHUN BOIZ, MADE UP OF 2FACE, FAZE AND BLACKFACE ARE BACK TOGETHER. THEY’RE WORKING ON THIER FIRST ALBUM SINCE 204, AND HAVE RECIEVED AN ADVANCE N50MILLION FOR THE ALBUM WHICH WILL BE RELEASED IN JULY THIS YEAR. PRODUCERS ID CABASA, OJB AND COBHAMS HAVE BEEN PENCILLED. THE ALBUM IS A 12 TRACKER
*JUJU RAVE DAYO KUJORE HAS RELEASED A NEW ALBUM. IT’S CALLED ELEVATION, AND WAS RELEASED BY JOOAT RECORDS( LABEL ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR MUSILIU HARUNA ISHOLA’S SOYOYO ALBUM)
*NOMORELOSS, FAZE, 2FACE, PASUMA WONDER. DADDY SHOWKEY ALSO HAVE BRILLIANT BRAND NEW ALBUMS…
*ALARIWO OF AFRCA, DANCEHALL CUN AFROBEAT APOSTLE RENEWED WEDDING VOWS WITH HIS WIFE ON SUNDAY JANUARY 28, 2007. VENUE WAS NITESHIFT COLISEUM, OPEBI, LAGOS.
*DARE ART ALADE WILL BE MARRIED TO HIS ABUJA-BASED LOVER DEOLA AYENI COMING FEBRUARY.
*RUGGEDMAN’S NEW ALBUM, RUGGEDY BABA WILL BE RELEASED ON FEBRUARY 2. IT WILL BE MARKETED BY OBAINO MUSIC.
*EGO IHENACHO(NOW OGBARO) LEFT LAGBAJA’S BAND IN DECEMBER 206. SHE’S PRESENTLY RECORDING MATERIALS FOR A SOLO ALBUM… HUBBY NIYI OGBARO IS HER MANAGER.
*ESTRANGED BROTHERS FEMI AND SEUN KUTI ARE REPORTEDLY COMING TOGETHER TO RENOVATE THIER FATHER FELA KUTI’S DELAPIDATED HOUSE (LOCATED ON GBEMISOLA STREET, IKEJA, LOGOS). BOTH BROTHERS HAVE BEEN ON A WAR PATH SINCE THIER FATHER DIED IN 1997.
*THE 2007 EDITION ON NIGERIAN BREWERIES’ SPONSORED STAR QUEST (A MUSIC TALENT HUNT) WILL BEGIN IN MARCH.
*FUJI WARRIORS ABASS AKANDE OBESERE AND K 1 THE ULTIMATE WERE FINALLY RECONCILED DURING THE LAST ISLAMIC PILGRIMAGE(HAJJ) IN MECCA.
*RAPPER MODE 9 HAS BOUGHT HIMSELF A NISSAN TROOPER AFTER GSM GIANTS GLOBACOM PAID HIM ABOUT N9 MILLION TO WRITE AND PERFORM THE RAP ON THIER NEW CAMPAIGN.
*ORANGOOTAN ACT FADABASI IS ALSO SEVERAL MILLIONS RICHER. THANKS TO PAY CHEQUES FROM FCMB AND DIAMOND BANK…THE PSEUDO-ROCK ACT WROTE AND PERFORMED THE BANKS’ CURRENT TVC SOUNDTACKS…
*SHOWBIZ COUPLE TUNDE AND WUNMI OBE ARE STAGING A VALENTINE SHOW CALLED CUPID’S BALL. BILLED FOR FEBRUARY 9, THEY’RE MATCHMAKING SINGLES AND WELL… WHY NOT GET A TICKET? THE EVENT IS HOLDING AT THE GRAND BALL ROOM OF EKO HOTEL, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS…

13 NIGERIAN ALBUMS TO BUY IN 2007

Grass 2 grace: How do you know if Mr Idibia’s second solo album is good or bad? Get a copy of the 10-tracker, and listen to One Love, true love, and for instance. Then to add icing on the cake, listen to see me so, my love (ft. VIP), and no shaking… as has become typical of 2face, there’s no filler on this album. So, it won’t be surprising if, like Face 2face, all the songs on grass to grace go on to become hits in the coming months…this is an album for those who want to love and learn – and all those eligible to vote this year!
Commercial Avenue: 2shotz has gone back to the drawing board. Unlike his last album, Original copy, commercial Avenue  is a collection of songs with great likelihood of moving off the shelves into our homes and closets…with tremendous vocal support from singers 9ice and C-mion, commercial avenue rides on 2shotz’ characteristic pidgin delivery, and metaphors we all can identify with…though it’s not a plus that the album has so much guest appearances (six- o, raw, El dee, Ruggedman, OJB, Del), the album is worth listening to. Especially Listening to me, Make them talk, beer N music and Thank You…

Independent: Faze not only brings his Plantashun boiz experience to play on his new album, the amazingly high-pitched singer shows that he’s matured greatly since he became his own man…no, he’s not ranting about the Plantashun boiz split on this one. He’s coming out more daring and blunt, with cuts like Tatoo girls and kolomentality…the singer’s songwriting and arrangement have improved tremendously since his debut Faze Alone. Definitely one of the albums that fans will find indispensable in 2007…
Run down: D’banj needs to return to whoever introduced him to ex-solek crew keyboardist Don Jazzy, say a coup-le more thank yous, and a word of prayer. With the production skills of Don Jazzy, it’s impossible for D’banj to go wrong. That’s why his second offering, Run Down (funk them up) is a collection of songs that have established the young act as a cross-generation pop darling. Riding on afunk-pop-afrobeat mesh, RunDown shows D’banj as a man who knows that’s ex sells. And sex, that’s the exact theme of this EP. From Why Me, which ladies have refused to find derogatory, to Tono sibe, and run Down, its impossible to miss the singer’s sarcastic wit and lewd parlance. Well, except on Serve The lord, a bonus don jazzy-D’banj track, where God, luckily, gets a mention…
Initiator: Wasiu Alabi Pasuma’s new album reaffirms his position as a mainstream fuji performer with incredible street credibility. Years after leaving Mushin (a Lagos ghetto where he rose to national stardom) for a more decent Ikeja (also in lagos) neighbourhood, the dashing singer continues to determine the direction of fuji’s vocabulary. Initiator is a display of Pasuma’s decade long experience, powered by his numerous songwriters and beat makers
Olori oko: with just one track, Infinity locked down the whole country in 2006. now that their full album is on offer, the visionary guys will have more fans to contend with in 2007. Olori Oko defies laid down ethics of gospel music, swimming against the current to create a collection even none belivers can’t resist.
Born 2 sing: Azzezat Allen (nee Niniola Salu) is back at last. The soulful singer whose sophomore has been long awaited, made sure the wait was worth the while. Listeners will discover that the album is deep from within Azee’s heart, especially if they listen to Lorawagbo, Hold On (from her previous album), five minutes I(written by Sunny Neji), Dance my shoes 9dedicated to DJs) and waa tiro. Our favourite, however, is Maalu

Let them say: At last, Muyiwa osinuga has in his hands, an album that’ll send him off the league of under-celebrated artistes… let them say, a well put together LP, will make you have goose pimples, if you understand the colours of good music…solemn and RnB-ish, the singer has it all in the mix, from poetry to romance, satire and philosophy…if you like Iyawo Asiko, then you’ll like Ololufe, let them say, you’ll even like suru… if you like Kilode, you’ll like Ijo Olomo and grass to grace…Nomoreloss has held us all hostage with this one…
Fere: he dumped the clinics and laboratories for the studios and stages, and he hasn’t loked back since…Beautiful nubia’s career defining album, Jangbalajugbu earned commercial acclaim and moved considerable units… The follow-up, Fere, is the body of work that’ll establish the poet-performer’s feet on solid ground in Nigeria and across Africa…
Evergreen’s Fela Collection: The Evergreen musical company prides itself as ‘Nigeria’s greatest custodian and producer of Highlife music of yesteryears’, so we’re not surprised they’ve come up with an amazing collection of Fela Kuti’s 157 songs, in 40 CDs, which are on offer for N30, 000. saying this is aq collector’s item, is saying the obvious…
Jowo: Fad’abasi’s EP brings refreshment to the table, in an industry where copycats dominate. Produced by Carl Raccah, Jowo is a collection of rock songs from Nigeria. And you’ll be amazed at the brilliance on display. From Original Love, to there’s a reason, Jowo and Diamond in the sky, Fad’abasi runs the show, joining the likes of Dabyna and Rooftop MCs to spread the gospel according to rock in Nigeria…
Free at Last: if Freestyle says he wrote all the songs on trybesmen’s albums, now we have cause to believe him. Tha Shogun’s debut LP reveals the Westside music act as an incredible wordsmith and beatmaster to watch out for…The self-produced album has a few fillers, but listeners will bow under the weight of cuts like bragging right, celebrity, OK, Sip easy (ft. 2face), if u want my love and Naija home videos
Versatile: ‘they say corruption is on the minimal/ but my people realize say them dey lie… them/ be winch/ they want us to pai…’ Baba Dee has gone conscious! Versatile is Baba Dee’s first album since his 2001 EP unfinished Bizniz. The dancehall cat, who’s been around long enough to be a veteran, has the year locked down with this 10 tracker. The big bad wolf obviously has no time for fillers. That’s why it’ll be difficult to pause the CD, FROM Shorty to Komole to Blaze and Da dance. Apart from a bit of Scandinavian influence (especially on Shorty and Get Loose), Versatile is a totally Naija album, and a refreshing one at that, at a time when most dancehall crooners have run out of ideas…