got in on the action for
#WizMag
🦅. went into the intricacies of Wizkid FC, the leading Stan collective in Africa and perhaps one of the very biggest in the world.
Wizkid FC is one of the strongest and most loyal fan bases we’ve seen in these parts.
For
#WizMag
,
@dennisadepeter
explores how Wizkid is the driving force for giving a group of young Africans a sense of belonging, all through his music.
READ:
For NATIVE’s
#TheResetIssue
, I got to chop it up a bit with Asake before his album dropped. Probably some of my best writing and I’m quite proud of this story.
(also, first cover story so yayyy.)
The Undisputed Champion of The Year, Ololade Asake has arrived.
For our Ember 2022
#TheResetIssue
,
@Asakemusik
talks about being booed off the stage at OAU, his love for
@olamide
and the influences of Fuji Music on his sound.
Full Story:
"One could argue that Lagbaja and his music should be approached today with the same reverence that Nigerians show Fela. If this is contentious, we could at least agree that Nigerians have not given Lagbaja the appropriate level of acknowledgement."
“The depth in Mohbad’s music was earned, but he never claimed to be an authority. Like many of us, what he wanted the most was to have fun and find peace amidst life’s randomness.”
tried to eulogize an artist who always sought the light. rest easy, Imole.
hello, friends. some personal news:
i’ve recently joined the
@OkayAfrica
newsroom, covering news and culture stuff as a writer. please feel free to send me *story tips*: dennis
@okayafrica
.com.
I was at Donli's Lagos show this past December, and a couple of things stuck with me. Here's an angle I decided to write about:
“The Reality of Trying to Enjoy Your Life in Nigeria, as told by
@LadyDonli
" (
@ehiscombs
@Sweeegu
)
Kendrick not dropping any music so that Cole can have a real chance at picking up a Grammy is my favourite narrative of 2019. Surely, the 🐐 won't bottle everything.
attempted to eulogise Picture Kodak (R.I.P) and also used the medium to discuss the largely anonymous women who are integral to the face of Nigerian music.
thanks to Damilola and Seni for the edits.
On July 31st, Beyoncé released her new film, “Black is King”. As the team of African creatives behind the film celebrated this landmark occasion, the voice of one woman was sadly missing.
In loving memory of Picture Kodak 🕊
wrote an essay on plagiarism in nigerian music videos and why we need to start taking creative theft very seriously.
enjoyed researching and writing this, so let me know what you think ✌🏾
my contribution to NATIVE’s new cover story: i interviewed to Davido about getting his groove back and being on top of the world.
also spoke to Kingsley of the Cavemen. s/o
@tamimak_
@esomnofu_e
@SChubbz
and everyone who worked on this important story.
spoke to Psycho YP for Trybe, issue 004. been a year since I wrote this profile, but I'm 1000% sure his conviction remains the same. yeah, you should definitely read this.
"there are no more gatekeepers. you can now create that and share that with the world" - SDC, "Rise of the underdog"
latest essay is on how nigerian music is diversifying and widening its scope as regards what it means to be successful. big s/o to Woju for making this better.
From Show Dem Camp to Tems,
@dennisadepeter
examines the increasing allure of non-conformity in Nigerian music, proving there’s more than one way to “blow”.
Wrote about the best rap duo/rappers around, and how they've become a community through their openness to collaborating with, and showcasing, super talented artists.
Check it out on Urban Central below 💥💥
i really didn't like this shit when it dropped. finally read it last night for the second time since
@WordsbyAG
published, and i'm glad i wrote it.
(i quoted the great
@Yoh31
btw)
Re-listened to "Mona Lisa" with my critic brain twice, and I have just one burning question. Does Kendrick Lamar breathe? Better still, does Kendrick Lamar breathe in Oxygen like the rest of us? 😂
I can already tell that spontaneous madness JID, Buddy, Earthgang and Guapdad were exhibiting in those last minutes of the doc is going to be my favourite song. Sounds nasty and littt AF.
gonna need a detailed breakdown of who contributed what to this new forevatired album. there's so many great voices in there and it never gets cluttered.
Davido is dropping another album in less than year, but that doesn't mean he's stopped being obsessed with making hit singles. pre-album thoughts, hours away from 'A Better Time'.
As
@davido
prepares to release the star-studded ‘A Better Time’, his second album in just under a year,
@dennisadepeter
breaks down what makes him the quintessential pop star.
my latest feature on the NATIVE is a three part series on making music and the underrepresented parts in Afropop.
part one is on the importance of assisted songwriting and how it will go a long way in improving craft and developing our ecosystem. pls read & share. thanks.
"That Tec, with all of the credentials and accomplishments, doesn’t get his praises sung in the same high decibel and with the same veneration of skill accorded Ghost is unfair, disrespectful and quite nuts if you ask me."
oh, and before i go face the wonderful (😭) task of writing today, that Rema album is so clearrrrr. bruddah asked his peers to go ahead just so he can gap them crazy.
16yrs and this award show still hasn't evolved its production. the last few days have been a little too hectic for me to sit and watch this bullshit lmfao.
Crazy thing about all of this is, niggas been talking about a Beyoncé Afropop feature/album for the last few months without knowing that it was actually coming lol.
Some of the biggest songs from around the world didn't win any Grammys despite record-breaking success in 2018. In this story,
@ayo_dennis
discusses why the Recording Academy no longer lives up to its reputation
Didn't expect Ycee and Bella's joint EP to be really good, 'twas a pleasant surprise. Here's my review of the EP, please read, RT and check out the EP on your fav streaming platform.
Selar is changing the game, guys. Wrote a story on how they are assisting Nigerian artists, a lot of them independent, make substantial money off album sales. Please read, share and tell your favorite artist 🙏.
.
@tryselar
is a Nigerian-made streaming service that aims to do a lot of firsts, including paying artists a fair split from music sales.
@ayo_dennis
reports.
Call me old fashioned but I was raised to have a man take care of my bills.
Pay for my upkeep every month, spoil me with gifts, take me shopping and buy me nice stuff, always make sure my hair and wardrobe is up to date, etc.
And that’s exactly the type of wife I’ll be.
🔥THE 10 BEST RAPPERS OF 2020 🔥
In a year defined by a pandemic and social uprisings, rap on the continent has seen a mini-renaissance 🌍
Here’s the best of the year.
Fans of Nigerian hip-hop been eating really good in the last 10months, gaddemmit! Lord Vino, Paybac, Boogey, M.I, Psycho YP, Alpha, Loose x AQ have all dropped really good projects. And there's still more coming. We eating good!
Here's my ode to Nigerian hip-hop in 2018, in the form of a list of the best rappers. Please read, share your thoughts and tag your faves who're on the list. Thanks.
@Alpha_Muzik
,
@TalkToPayBac
&
@PsychoYP
got my best excerpts, I think lol.
back to culture journalism-ing.
there’s a new category at the Grammys: Best African Music Performance. for OkayAfrica, i wrote five short essays for each nominated song.
here’s the first about Tyla and her slow simmer into superstardom with “water.”
for my latest contribution to the NATIVE exclusive series, i interviewed & profiled
@thisisWurlD
. couple of really interesting quotes in there, pls read and let me know what you think 💙.
Wurld Is Here To Inspire 🦋
Following this release of his new EP, ‘Afrosoul’, we spoke to the singer-songwriter about moving back to Nigeria, his relationship with Sarz, and always placing quality over quantity.
you man & your favourite artists can help destroy misogyny, all they need do is pay attention to their words and all you need to do is hold them accountable. wrote about all of that here.
really difficult to pour everything
@theGeekyMidget
& i talked about into about a thousand words, but i had to try.
@wetalksound
is a phenomenon we need to keep our eyes on, they're growing and continually doing incredible and innovative things.
read the story below, thanks.
you people are letting phenom come out and talk? phenom o, same guy that folded and came back singing and dropped an ass single.
fucking hell, man. blessings to mode9 forever and i hope the inventive + exciting rap artists of today continue to thrive.
🚨 EXCLUSIVE 🚨
We spoke to the founders of the newly formed Recording Certification of Nigeria (RCN) about their plans to bring structure fo the Nigerian music industry.
If you stop supplying, will there be any need to demand?
In simpler terms, if you stop doing business and you pack up, will you still have customers?
Tell your babes to stop supplying. It’s very simple.
Ire o ore.
In a period infamous for industry-wide payola and rampant piracy, Soundcloud provided a platform for a new generation of West African musicians, when no one else would.
It's looking like another year of our lord 'OluwaBurna'. This week,
@ayo_dennis
breaks down why "Dangote" is another sign
@burnaboy
is on course to be MVP 2019
had to write about Kabza de small's latest masterpiece, one of the best amapiano albums and the best electronic/dance record and i've heard since kaytranada's bubba. 1000% recommend.
“I Am The King of Amapiano: Sweet Dust”, the ambitious, sprawling album from
@KabzaDeSmall_
, offers a full glare into the sub-genre’s limitless potential.
rewatched "finding fela" with clearer eyes, and the pitfalls of deifying iconic artists stuck out to me, so i wrote about it. (also, we need docs of more african musicians, preferably home made.)
A.V. Club:
@dennisadepeter
examines Alex Gibney’s “Finding Fela” documentary, and the importance of telling the full story of iconic figures, no matter how complicated.
"In a sense, ‘WOA’ is a heat check, a Steph Curry logo shot in the middle of a scoring binge. It’s an act of showmanship where audacity is half the fun."
heard "basquiat" from a random speaker this morning and i remembered i wrote a review.
while we’re rightly excited for African music’s substantial involvement at this year’s grammys, we should also be celebrating the past that got us here.
for OkayAfrica, here are eight important moments for African music at the Grammys over the decades.
Made is an amazing person to converse with. not even up to 15% of our chat made it to this profile, but I'm sure you'll learn a bunch about him and his mission here. (he's got aoty material btw)
NATIVE Exclusive:
@madeakuti
is moving Afrobeat forward 🎷
Made’s instantly great debut positions him as an emerging, conscious voice primed to grow louder in the near future.
Vector's villainy is fast becoming desperate. You won (maybe), now let's get to that new, great music abeg. (Probably) Wining a beef can't be the only thing you have going on, please.