Author: Admin
Did you know that there are approximately 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide? Can you imagine all the different ways in which we all use the internet? Obasanjo’s Internet is our interview series where we speak to some of our internet favourites on how they relate to the internet and what it means to them and their work. This week, Foluso Agbaje, author of The Parlor Wife talks to us about how she uses Obasanjo’s Internet. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? I know this sounds very cliche for a Nigerian mother but I pray. There’s…
Chisanyim Okpola may be a qualified lawyer, having endured the rigors of university and law school, but her true passion lies far from the courtroom. At the core, Chisa is a visual artist. For the past six years, under the nom de plume Chisa Linto, she has honed her craft through self-taught techniques from YouTube tutorials. Her unwavering belief in her artistic vision and the high esteem she places on her work are testament to her dedication. Recently, Chisa drew inspiration from the vibrant Ojude Oba festival, a colorful celebration where the Yoruba people of Ijebu-ode pay homage to their…
The journey of embracing natural hair in Nigeria has always been complex. Many Nigerian women possess type 4c hair, known for its tight coils, coarse texture, and susceptibility to shrinkage and damage. This hair type, while beautiful, often requires intensive care and maintenance. Historically, the difficulty in managing 4c hair led many Nigerian women to opt for chemical relaxers, seeking easier styling and reduced maintenance. However, the late 2010s brought revelations about the potential health risks associated with long-term relaxer use, including links to serious conditions such as breast cancer. This revelation triggered a gradual shift in attitudes. More Nigerian…
In Nigeria’s alternative scene, colored by a bristling pace of evolution, and a wholesome communion of often disparate sounds, a new upstart has captured everyone’s attention. Deela, with a nostalgic, dreamy sound that marries vintage Afropop with modern elements, is eliciting the sort of excitement that portends an ascent to fame. Her voice is slippery and pliant. Her fashion, like her sound, mines from Nollywood and Afrobeats in the early aughts. Her rapping is at once whimsical and hard hitting, evoking the sense of two separate worlds colliding. Her latest single, Patience Ozokwor, is a collaborative effort with Genio Bambino…
For her latest album, Niniola wants you to just Press Play. “The intent was to make sure that people don’t skip. The moment you press play, literally, you’re enjoying the music, you transcend to another realm and forget about your sorrows. There’s too much happening outside,” she says. To help you forget the nightmare that currently constitutes the Nigerian living experience, at least for half an hour, she has curated an infectiously exuberant experience, even as she is neither subtle nor apologetic about her own economic realities contrasting so sharply with the country’s. The album brims with vocal and production…
It is 2024, and Afrobeats is at the peak of its global presence. Clearing music charts across the world, the genre has solidified its stance as the biggest cultural export to cross African borders. According to the music docu-series, Journey of the Beats, the formation of Afrobeats can be credited to the experimentation by artists like Weird MC, The Remedies, Plantashun Boiz, and P-Square. They influenced Fela Kuti’s glorified “Afrobeat” with foreign sounds like hip hop, pop, and R&B to create a new genre. then transitioned to the revolutionary generation of Olamide, Tiwa Savage, Phyno, and the famous big three;…
In an alternate reality, Oshai gazes intently at a computer screen, bathed in the sterile glow of fluorescent lights. The content of his work is irrelevant; what matters is the trappings of success that surround him. He’s a vision of corporate conformity: crisp white shirt, Windsor-knotted tie, barking orders at eager young subordinates while a svelte secretary hovers nearby—the very picture of success his father always imagined for him. But reality has a way of defying expectations. Michael Oshai did not follow that prescribed path. Instead, he stepped behind the lens and into a world of creative possibilities, wagering everything…
The highly anticipated One Drum EP has dropped, bringing with it a wave of Afrobeat, reggae, and Amapiano sounds that unite the African continent with its diaspora in a cultural celebration like no other. After the successful release of two hit singles—Afro Wave by South Africa’s Scorpion Kings and Let’s Dance by Nigerian sensation Flavour—the EP is poised to take the world by storm with its diverse and groundbreaking tracks. Leading the pack as a breakout hit is Stop Stressin, a powerful and rhythmic collaboration between reggae royalty Stephen Marley and Jamaican legend Buju Banton. The track, a masterful blend…
Tucked into Adedamola, Fireboy’s latest album, the YBNL singer pays homage to Afropop ace Wande Coal with the aptly titled Wande’s Bop, surfing on a beat that looks cross-bred from Ashimapeyin and The Kick from many years ago. It is the second time the former Mohits star is getting such a reference from an artist of the new generation this year—back in May, Ayra Starr’s Jazzy’s song, interpolating Wande’s You Bad, was as much a nod to the singer as much as it was to the label boss after whom it was named. All of this praise may appear the…
Lagos-based Afro-fusion virtuoso Rizzule continues to make headway as he drops his latest single, Wami. This euphoric track melds Afrobeat and amapiano, crafting an infectious rhythm that’s both dance-inducing and introspective. Wami marks Rizzule’s debut release for 2024, building on the success of his three previous singles. This latest track is a masterful fusion of sound and sentiment. The lyrics are touching, singing about looking for lost love with sweet vocals, pulsating beats, and melodic hooks. The track creates an auditory experience that resonates with listeners globally. Its lyrical content also emphasizes the importance of honoring one’s origins. As the…