JULY 2015
LAI MAKANJUOLA also known as MR XI is the CEO and creative director of E.C.H.O. He is also a photographer and graphic artist
IFEANYI ‘FECKO’ IBEGBUNAM African Hiphop artiste uniting Africa one track at a time. Agriculturist, graphic designer and editor-in-chief (E.C.H.O e-Zine).
OLAWALE “PREACH” OLUKOYA is a writer, photographer,grap hic artist and is single.
YINKA “MARQUE” MAKANJUOLA is a Nigerian emcee, music producer and visual artist
DAVID “RAPMANIA” OKON, is a Nigerian emcee and hypeman for various hip hop events in Nigeria.
Name: suleiman baunu jnr. Also known as "slimvelly" :- a Nigerian urban hiphop enthusiast, A bsc. Computer science student of nilai university,malaysia,with a great passion for the poor and marginalized youths, especially in africa. This passion motivates his genre of book,poems and music.i'm available on #facebook #instagram & #twitter @slimproblackworld.
@thisisFecko
Dear Echoholics, first and foremost, I'd like to thank every one of you that made our previous edition a success by simply spreading the word about the e-zine. Please keep telling a friend to tell a friend to tell a friend (to tell…okay…will stop here!). As E.C.H.O continues to take you on a visual ride across Africa, our next stop happens to be Zambia. And award winning hip-hop group, Zone Fam, will be repping the landlocked country of rugged terrain and diverse wildlife. I have been following these guys since day one, and I have to say their consistency and immense hard work is really inspiring. This fourth edition is content-packed as usual and features various regular sections such as Afro Rap Facts, Whats Poppin, Vox Pop etc. The Open Letter is something fresh we decided to introduce in the magazine. Yasin Bey was in Nairobi for a concert a while back and our East African connect got it covered. Shout out to Feisal Khaemba, who's also among E.C.H.O's African Rappers on the Rise alongside South Africa's Naycha and Chaa from Zambia. With your support, the E.C.H.O movement can only keep getting more powerful. As you enjoy this publication don't forget to share it as well. Viva Africa!
photo: FORTRESS
I'm not sorry for using the word 'clueless' cus obviously you have zero knowledge of what rap is, I'm sure you don't know it's an element of hiphop. Anyway, I'm in dire need of your help. I know that I should be making this plea to fathers, mother's, pastors, imam's, lecturers, teachers and all but as it turns out you have trumped them all. Iv gotten to understand that in the lives of our youths these days there is no one more influential in their lives than you who can be so articulate in poeticizing illmannered nonsense. I'm very certain that you yourselves are much aware that the complexity of your influence is egregious. You have become “ A figure that our inexperienced youths aspire to be like.” I guess that's better than our children dying to become boko haramists and all. But strangely enough, I find it quite disturbing that now even our kingpins, Agbero's (hoodlums) and so on
want to become rappers, so it's still a conundrum *frowns*. Whatever the case may be, I'm still in need of your help. Please help me open up to the youths that the majority of you are not being completely honest in your lyrics. Help me to inform your young audience that you all aren't rich. Aren't many of the cars and lavish homes in your videos leased and rented? Aren't the majority of the scantily clad women (Our supposed wives/mothers of the future looking like ho's) in your videos hired “models”? Don't most of the people you know who smoke blunts excessively, who have 'Goons' who would die for them and bang ladies at will, end up either hiv positive or in a psychiatrist home or dead and not successful? Can't you only count on one or maybe two or very few hands, the number of artists who have had success and longevity as 7
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all accounts, apparently my story is not as appeasing and colorful as yours. I can't afford to make it rain in nobody's club. I recently told one of my cousin that I got my sweater that I was wearing from yaba and he laughed his ass off. When I inquired “where should we be shopping from” he said versace, Louis vuitton, and MCM stores. Rappers, I need your help. Our youths believe everything you say. Not just mainstream rappers, but also including the local “dope” boys who are dressing up in their finest attire that they purchased from either Yaba, ikeja or mandelas (let them tell it), video recording a performance of their whack ass songs and posting them on youtube or “hip hop” oriented sites. Now understand that I'm not against artistry or anyone pursuing their dreams. But isn't artistry honesty? Rappers I need your help. You'll make the lives of our future leaders a lot more easier. All I need you to do is rap your truth. Tell our children that you are not invincible and that you do get scared. Tell our children that you're really not from the hood and didn't have a record until you made a record,Can't you follow the paths that Rap Legends like Mode9, Eldris Abdulkareem, Ruggedman, Eldee
and M.I have laid down? Tell our children that you were never a “big time” junkie because all of the “big time” junkie that you know are either dead, in jail,psychiatric home or on their way there. Tell our children that everything that they see in the videos aren't actually real. Tell our children that for the most part, you're just creating a fantastic fantasy. They need to hear the truth from you because apparently I'm just not cool enough to convince them otherwise. Lastly, I'm sure you had good home trainings, Please Respect our Rap Legends, They paved the way for you guys to get to this point, all they deserve from you is respect and acknowledgement and not insults Thank you Rappers. Watch This space for my next letter 'Open Letter To Mode 9' Sincerely, Olukoya Olawale a.k.a Preach @preach_official olukoyaolawalehermes@yahoo.com
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fans adore me, i'm figuring out my path/they told me get off the radio/we want you on the stereo,i thank you for reminding there's bigger places i can go/ see -such is my pedigree/i see levels, A.K.A gotta envy me, rappers gotta carry me/ i thank the lord for letting and setting kevin free" On the 3rd track, "One Day" he collaborated with Jinx & Ace the Don, to make an outstanding song, to talk about reaching the pinnacle of his dreams one day. The chorus speak for itself. On the 4th track,"Jungle" he went bumper to bumper with Fecko on a trap beat composed by Elijah Omolo, set to raise the bar of urban hip-hop nation-wide with some healthy dose of real talk from Lagos to Nairobi. King Shukid: "36 for life bro only people that know about the struggle and strive but we stay humble,not to mean we can't rumble,Fecko lets show them how we livin in today's jungle" few lines later Fecko went in "the whole world my jungle, rebellious and black yeah I'm D’jango, I've learn to survive and quick to adapt, and weathered the storm like rambo, my brain is my armour but trigger is my thought, i'll harm you,if you tryna get in my
way,i promise to put you in your place" followed by a vibrant chorus that stick like schoolyard chant. On the 5th track "round of applause" where he goes in with Shatzy K, with a catchy hook to give us an industrial noise on a trap beat composed by Kevin H. On the 6th track "you had me" where he goes in with Bua on a slow beat composed by Kevin H, to give us a nostalgic feel, that was dedicated to every single mother struggling to raise a child, it reminds me of Tupac when he did his "dear mama" greatest hit back in the 90's, King Shukid decided to give us a short narative from his childhood memories with his mother. The mellow & smooth chorus speak for itself: "through the tough times you put up a fight, you had my back and told me it's alright, even when i stumble, then i felt i would fall, oh mama you had me, you had me" On the 7th track "king shyt" here the mood was chilled, and reflective. The emotion he convey on a mellow beat composed by kevin h., shows how passionate he is with his craft.
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Verse City Cypher is a project designed and developed by the E.C.H.O team and supported by Str8bars, which kicked off in 2015, with twelve Campuses round Nigeria. The schools selected have recorded their version of the cypher and eight campuses have their visuals done. The competition is the first of its kind to storm the youths in various higher institutions giving them the opportunity to exhibit their skills in terms of 'RAP'. The launch of the project will officially kick off on the third week of July 2015 which will be judged by votes and likes and then the finalist would make it to the grand finale, which will determine the overall winning campus for the 2015 Edition. For sponsorship call: +2348098020574 12
photo: FORTRESS
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feel like we still give 100% when it comes to our writing though, basically what we did is switch up our sound and fuse in different languages to appeal to a wider market at home and abroad. Does Zone Fam have any competition? And what makes the group stand out? Once you feel like you are in competition with someone else it affects your work, we just do us and aim to give the fans the best of our abilities. What makes us stand out is Team work! What's your perception about the entertainment industry in West Africa? We look up to and are inspired by a lot of Artists especially from Nigeria and Ghana. We have learnt a lot about Branding and getting our music out there. We feel like the Entertainment industry in West Africa is a model which we can use to mold of our own down here and add our own identity. Apart from your home country which other African country has shown y'all so much love and what is the craziest experience y'all have had during a concert? We got a lot of love in Malawi when we went there last year, no really crazy experiences during concerts except crazy love and response from the audience. 16
What has been your major challenge in the industry so far? Our major challenge has been getting to every corner of the world with our music, we want to be heard everywhere that's our mission. No stopping until we do that! Let's talk controversy issues. Ever recorded a diss track? Or had one or two aimed at you. We have only ever recorded one diss record and we have had several diss songs aimed at us.
The industry, What do you make of it? What would you change if empowered? The Industry is always changing it can be hard to keep up. If empowered we would bridge many gaps and take out a lot of hindrances that slow down upcoming artists. Technology is power...so things like YouTube and social media have helped. More power to that! When you hear the phrase 'United States of Africa' what comes to mind and what do you think is the way
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does he juggle both profession? And what's that number one quality every artiste manager need to possess? It is not an easy task he says but all in all it is the passion that keeps him going, time management and planning ahead. The number one quality every artiste manager must possess is wanting to see their artiste succeed no matter what has to be done. Tell us some facts about Zone Fam that most people aren't aware of. Two of us attended the same high school and had no idea we would be in a group one day. We are all from a single parentage background. Any interesting collaboration we
should look forward to? There is alot we don't want to give it away but yeah another collabo with a West Africa Star. Mention top 5 sunderground/promising African rappers that you feel will soon go mainstream. People should lookout for Redwingz (Rap Duo), Kaladoshas (Dancehall), Mic Burner, LJ Mojo and Chaa. What is your advice to every African aspiring to be as famous as you are? Truthfully they shouldn't aim for the fame but they must aim to leave a legacy and lasting impression. Be yourself and make music that will inspire rather than bring people apart. 19
By Ifeanyi ‘Fecko’ Ibegbunam
OAPs A
Y L L A E R RE NOT
S N A F C I S U M K OF L A T O T NOT
S N A F P O H P I H
Tony Doe Onwuchekwa is a Media Entrepreneur and Voice Talent. He got into Broadcasting in the early 2000s as an intern with Lagos Television where he picked up priceless skills in narrating and Documentary Production. He also interned with the Radio Arm, Eko 89.7FM, where his love for Radio flourished. He has been privileged to work with great Broadcast Icons as Femi Sowoolu, Jones Usen and the Late Momoh Kubanje. Prior to him flying solo, he'd worked with Radio Continental 102.3FM and served as Production Manager at City 105.1FM. 20
“Getting fired from my job due to a change in management. Best moment, returning to the same job barely 2 months after as one of only 2 employees regarded as invaluable at the time. That was Radio Continental in 2008.” - Tony Doe's response when he was asked about his best and worst moments as a broadcaster. He believes there's a lot of stuff going on now and the dynamism suggests that what may have worked effectively in the past may not be suitable for the present nor the future. To buttress his point he further stated: “Look at the way we consume information and even entertainment these days. Traditional Media were a staple for believable content in the past. But these days, news-makers have the option of putting out their stories on various social media platforms first from which regular news platforms then have to build follow up stories. Change itself is inevitable, So I probably would have to adjust myself to whatever happens next.” In my opinion, Nigerian Hip-Hop Artistes are not getting enough support from the media, and there's a growing debate. Tony thinks while Hip-Hop in its academic form may not be enjoying the attention it
deserves in the local media, we can't deny that some of our most successful acts have been appropriately dubbed Hip-Hop artistes (Tuface, MI, Olamide, etc.). So are rappers getting love? “Maybe not all the talented ones and besides most I know are too busy bitching about the system rather than seeking ways to pimp it. Hip-Hop grew out of aggression, fought against strong winds to survive. Some Nigerian Rappers just want to flex without acknowledging hard truths. Express yourselves if you must but do not insult your audience by forcing your egos down their throats. Most Artistes need to check themselves.” I couldn't agree more. His follow up statement is nothing but the naked truth and makes it evident that he is unbiased with his opinions regarding his own field of work. “On the flipside, many of these OAPs are not really music fans not to talk of Hip-Hop or Rap fans and they bring their disdain for the art to their place of work. Then of course there's the issue of payola, where radio people are bribed to get airplay. Most talented rappers are broke and few have supporting jobs to protect and or promote their art. There are few platforms though aimed at celebrating these Hip-Hop acts, I'm 21
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Tebogo Molatole aka NAYCHA is one of Bloemfontein's fast rising rappers and he is determined to take SA Hiphop to another level. Ever since I worked with him on a couple of songs back in the day (which even received props on South Africa's HYPE magazine), I believed his hard work would pay off someday. Today, Naycha is gradually becoming a house hold name down south and I am glad he is making major moves at the moment. E.C.H.O managed to ask him a couple of questions as regards his thoughts about African Hiphop. And we decided to share his response with our readers. Read on. Which African Hiphop artists that have influenced your career? I really like Ice Prince's drive and energy, I think he's a dope rapper. Ohh MI Abaga and Naeto C as well, and in SA I would say Khuli Chana, AKA and Cassper Nyovest, for different reasons.
What is the way forward for African Hiphop? It's already in motion, working together as African artists, celebrating our own creation more, appreciating one another, providing platforms for one another.
Define 'Keeping it real' and 'S.W.A.G' I think "Keeping it real" has nothing to do with being a mainstream or underground rapper, nor does it have anything to do with the type of instrumentation you rap on, if you have money and you wanna rap 23
about having money that's keeping it real, if you don't have money and you rap about not having money that's keeping it real, and I don't really know much about S.W.A.G or fashion, ask me about Class. Beefs in Hiphop - necessary or not? I really think Beef is an unnecessary gesture since our industry is still fragile and small for artistic squabbles, I don't entertain it. How is West African/Nigerian Hiphop perceived in the South? I know most rappers I hang out with 24
have a Nigerian artist on their dream collabo list, the fact that the fellas that side have some how built a "tunnel" that allows them to steadily ship their music and brands across oceans is amazing, the international collaborations are inspirational, and the level of lucrativity the game is at that side is also amazing.. I for one respect West Africa/Nigerian HipHop.
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any time soon, was a Convent. No cars, no hustle and no bustle…just you, God and his work. Talk about African Hiphop artists that have influenced your career.
· FeckoTha Emcee – of course! Even though I haven't had the chance to work with him yet, I've had the chance to interact with him. He is a genuine soul, a lover of Hip Hop, a thinker and
I'll just briefly list them. · Xtatic – 'The Prep Track' video and audio literally gave me hope for a chance at Hip Hop, the kind of Hip Hop I wanted to do. For someone like me, a young African girl (at the time). · The Holstar – His dedication and talents are unrelenting and ever inspiring. He continues to show me the pride in Zambian, and African Hip Hop at large. It provokes me to push myself, and I am grateful for that. · AKA – He works hard, is business minded, loves his work and makes no apologies for it. · Teck-Zilla – Oh man, Teck. He works too hard. He continues to push the limits and think outside the box. Also, I think he may be possessed with the ghost of J Dilla (No really, he is just that good). · Wangechi – I just love her to bits. She's very different and very deliberate too. I love Cosmic Rap and she does that often. But really, she's an artist. In every sense of the word. I'd love to work with her some day. Actually, I'd like to work with everyone on this list someday (except of course for The Holstar. Whom in this case, I would very much like to work with again, and again). 26
an Emcee – duh, hahahaha. I remember being surprised the first time I heard his music, it was pretty old-skool but still contemporary at the same time. It gladly inspired some of my approach. · ZoneFam – almost forgot these guys! They put in work, man. It's Hip Hop, it's Afro-Pop, it's commercial, it's talent and it's business. They were amongst the first Zambian artists to show me that.
Which African Hip-hop artists influenced your career? When I first heard and saw the video to "Rolling" by L.Tido I knew Kenyan Hiphop had a future. Then I started following up on AKA since they were beefing at that time. And I listened to his tape 24/7/366. They made me feel I should keep going. There was also some great Tanzanian hiphop at the time. I can't quite remember names but they got me glued to watching EATV. Ofcourse there was Fid Q among them. Locally at that time Kayvo K Force was the dude that made me feel there's a future for Kenyan hiphop. The Necessary Noize album with "Bless My Room" was also a gem that I had on repeat and that's where I was trying to learn more about the Kenyan type of music. I also listened to Bamboo and
Abbas a lot at that time. The people I hang around also put me in check. Shatzy K, Kevin Grands, Odie...that's the homies. They make sure I'm not doing anything lame, but I'm also not boring. They advise me a lot, from production quality, to what sounds are hot, and so far I can say we've had a good run and we aren't about to stop. Your new EP Gods Speed is dope. How has it elevated your career? Ofcourse I wanted good feedback from the project, and I had high hopes for it to be received well. And it has been. I just never prepared myself to get as much publicity as it has. Radio has all the songs and they had me all over reviewing the EP as I did a media tour to promote it. "One Day" featuring Ace the Don & Jinx has done well as it's on 2 27
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to look out for. How does that feel? And any other rapper out there worth mentioning? It was a great feeling, and coincidentally at the same time I was just trying to reach out to her to work on something so that made me feel more confident about getting to her. It's always great to get recognition from people above you. People to look out for, there's definitely Kevin Grands who released his EP "Maiden Memoirs" not too long ago, who's also my label mate at ID37Music, & producer. There's Poppa Don whose style drove the city crazy since he put out his first single till now. When I got put on this year's Freshman list I got acquainted to guys like C2K, AD Family with dudes like Boutross and K Green that's really putting in work and worth checking out. There's Timmy Tim and his crew, Crew Teflon that's a force to reckon, Alex Red with the creativity and femcees like Baby T. Generally I'd say there's a great wave of untapped hiphop in Kenya. Work coming in from all angles and people are stepping they game up.
and to package it well isn't something to be over looked; especially considering artists aren't the easiest people to work with. A lot of confusion involved, deadlines missed and miscommunication could stress you for life, but E.C.H.O never fails to pull it off, edition after edition. I see them owning a studio that we could visit physically and have live interviews Insha Allah, showcase our projects and connect with other artists. Networks will be created.
Where do you see E.C.H.O in a couple of years? E.C.H.O could end up like Syrius fm. The ability of one body to play home to so many all over the continent isn't an easy task and I'm sure you guys can agree to that. Being able to accommodate content from all over 29
Nigerian rapper, Fecko, recently dropped a new snap-rap song titled “Hustle Over Feelings” produced by Teck-Zilla, and has shot a video for the rap anthem already, which was directed by E.C.H.O's Mister Xi. It should be released later on in July or early August. In the meantime, legendary rapper Modenine will be teaming up with the young veteran on a song to be produced by TeckZilla.
House Of Royalty is back again this year with BOTY 2015 Battle of the year Nigeria known as B.O.T.Y, which is the Nigeria preliminaries to the international battle of the year break dance championship. 1 on 1 Event Sat, 22nd, Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium Surulere, Lagos Time- 10am Main Event Sun, 23rd, Indoor Sports Hall, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos. Time- 2pm Join the conversation: www.battleoftheyearnigeria.com Ff- @botynigeria IG- @botynigeria You Tube- botynigeria
After being the chief executive officer of one of the prominent hip hop record label in the country, Chocolate City Music for 10 years, Audu Maikori has stepped down, paving way for the appointment of the label's most visible artist, Jude 'MI' Abaga as the new CEO. MI's label mate, Panshak 'Ice Prince' Zamani moved up the ladder as he was appointed the the new vice president of Chocolate City Music.
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“ d d t t s e s w m p m n a h
c
B j
“After his critically acclaimed, full length debut release Rap is Deep, Poetry is deeper in 2014, Omari returns with a 7 track EP he titles No Man's Sorrow. On this tape, Omari shares his heart and struggles with the listeners while empathizing and identifying many of their struggles as his. Through this body of work, laced with hard hitting poetry, masterful lyricism and top-notch production, Omari aims to propagate a message of hope to his audience without neglecting the need for a strong delivery and quality word craftsmanship that he has always aspired to.
The growing beef between two Nigerian rappers Sinzu and Choc City boss Mi Abaga was squashed yesterday as the controversial rapper, Babalola Falemi popularly called Sauce Kid [now Sinzu] apologized to M.I Abaga. Sinzu attacked Choc City boss M.I Abaga for his lines on Casper Nyovest's 'Doc Shebeleza' remix. The rapper apologized to M.I saying he didn't listen to the song before making his unguarded comments. Sinzu admitted he did not listen to the song before 'going off.
For all AQ fans,The 1st of Aug 2015 is going to be a remarkable day for you all as WIERD MC, MODE 9, M.I, T.R (TERRY THA RAPMAN), ILL BLISS, VECTOR, EVA, LOOSE KAYNON, YUNG 6IX, GODWON, PHEROWSHUZ, BOOGEY, UZI, EFA, POE, PETER CLARKE, 2 SPECIAL APPREARANCES AND MANY MORE, THE DJS FOR THE NIGHT INCLUDE DJ JIMMY JATT, DJ TOMMY 93.7 FM, DJ KARLIFORNIA AND DJ VISE AND WOULD BE HOSTED BY AWESOME ARTHUR 93.7FM AND S.DOT will be performing live at AQ's Son Of John concert at Piccadilly Suites, Elysium event center.
Buy Tickets online Via AfriTickets- link http://www.afritickets.com/event/a-q-son-ofjohn-hiphop-concert 31
Some people don’t even know what to think of when they wake up until they sign into their twitter or facebook accounts. Mankind’s dependency on social media can be likened to that of the Nigerian economy on Oil and Gas. A day without going online or uploading a selfie on instagram can mess up some people’s state of mind. Asked most of my colleagues in the game how they would react if they wake up one day and realise that social media has gone extinct. Their responses are as follows:
“Damn it. I'd probably feel awkward to a large extent. Being used to social media it's going to be an uphill task getting used to the extinction. Lol"
“I'd be glad cause it means people would start to value human interaction more. Especially kids"
“If social media disappeared it has its perks, I guess that people will get back to having real relationships and not over social media. Then again everything has become internet wise. You know like music, media and marketing etc. I guess it would tell on that. But sometimes I miss the simpler ways where you had to print your CDs and where you had to move it hand-tohand...you have a one-on-one relationship with some of the people who have your stuff...also you have that relationship on social media. But like every human, we'll learn to adapt and move o..Just like... Back to sending letters. Hehehe"
“I don die! LOL. Guy...I go sick first sha. Mehn you mean like go back to the years before hi5 right? Lol. Abeg make I laugh small first *Rotfl* It's gonna be hard to adjust. It's just like saying we go back to riding horses and walking miles on foot instead of flying planes and driving fast cars" 32
“I would totally freak out because that's the same as loosing my ability to speak. Social Media is my voice... However over time I'd come to terms with the fact that maybe Social Media was a dream. And if it was I will now be the one to pioneer it in the real world."
“I will grieve for a really long while and then find a new faux haven."
"I honestly will be disappointed but im certain that we'll be able to move on and create a replacement regardless of its equal or not "
“I think I would be happy, I'm kinda stuck to the old ways, sometime to much access to information could hurt you, so yes we would all just go back to the old ways of selling records..." “I won't lie it's gonna be quite a shock to almost everyone but I still believe if this world survived before it was invented,we would survive without it. As humans we always improvise. I guess it will be back to phone calls and text messages or something."
“I won't mind. When I started there was no social media." 33
The last time I really attended a ‘real Hip-hop event’ in Nigeria was back in 2008/2009. I am talking about Club Rockaway hosted by legendary On Air Personality HNIC Doc Gee. Fast forward to 2015, Tha Zone is reminiscent of Club Rockaway in the sense that the organizers of this interesting event have managed to remain consistent for a while, and have also successfully created a great platform for real hiphoppers to converge and network. On Saturday night, June 27th, Tha Zone kicked off with Maka‘s soulful performance. I became a fan after watching her on stage. We’ve been buddies for a while though. Shortly after she finished singing, I was invited on stage by the anchor, T-Rex, and then I proceeded to perform my latest single HOF for the very first time. Surprised a couple of folks sang along to the hook despite the fact the song was relatively new. Oh well, I guess catchy hooks are kinda contagious. Hahaha. Other emcees such as Mic Dalie and MCskill Tha Preacha also rocked the stage alongside his brother Stormatique. Later on, the main head liner of the event, Elajoe, made a grand entrance into the venue and then took some time out to connect with the crowd before performing some of his classic songs. The highlight for me was when the legendary rapper gave me props as one of the ambassadors of African hip-hop. That was really humbling. He also shared thought-provoking opinions about Nigerian Hiphop and some facts about his former coalition, Thorobreds. It was on that night I learnt that the now defunct group were the first set of Nigerian artistes to get their video played on MTV US and Trace TV France as a group. After Elajoe was done performing, Raezy from Rhythm 93.7FM also kicked some bars and then talked about how independent rappers need to start distributing
their work on various digital platforms. I totally agree with him. I mean, the industry has really evolved and digital marketing is now the way forward. Only few people still purchase hard copies of their favorite albums. While there was an open mic/freestyle session going on inside the lounge, I was backstage with Raezy and DJ Tommy granting an interview for Rap Kulture. I also had an insightful convo with Elajoe.
I gotta say, Tha Zone reminds me of 106 & Park. And I will continue to support the movement any day, any time. Long live Nigerian hip-hop! We need more hands on deck to keep the movement moving.
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By Feisal ‘Shukid’ Khaemba
It's May 28th, around 6:30 pm in Westlands Nairobi, at Ebony Lounge to be precise. Organizers and sponsors are still all over the place ensuring everything goes as planned, and that nothing falls short of the usual high standard Nairobi Rapsody and Ebony Lounge are used to providing for their clientele. Eager Yasiin Bey fans have already started trickling in one by one to enjoy a drink and secure a good spot in the club before the main event actually starts. The likes of Wangeci, X-tatic and Bamboo who were part of the shows line up that night can already be seen in the area. It's safe to say that the Kenyan hiphop fraternity represented well in terms of attendance. Ken Ring, Vigeti, Abbas, Lon Jon, Timmy Tim, Poppa Don just to name a few were some of the local acts that were sure to attend the event. Even radio personalities such as Joe Muchiri, Corrine and Amina could be seen at the venue. Taio and the What's Good LIVE team 36
occupied the parking lot ensuring that the party was still going on for those that felt that the club was too packed. Fully equipped with DJ's on their decks and a large screen, the parking lot was still jumping, with a bar under the tent, with ample seating place. One could even prefer seating out there, as there was live coverage of what was happening on the inside. Now back to the main event. It's at around 10 pm and we notice a small convoy of large cars approaching the clubs entrance. Of course one of them had to be carrying the Mighty Mos Def. Kenyan hiphop promoter, Buddha Blaze hops out one of the cars and approaches the white Range Rover that Yasiin was welcomed with. At this point the crowd is now settled since they're sure their ticket money didn't go to waste. Yasiin Bey is now in the building. Before the main act, Bamboo, X-tatic, Wangeci and Rabbit accompanied by their support performed their sets. The sound that night was commendable. People are ready to sing along to their
favorite Yasiin songs. The club was fully packed with some people still outside even. The spirits were up. It was time. He starts his set not too long after coming in. Dressed in a TMT hat, shorts, golf shoes and glass in hand, the crowd is ready to rock with him. It was clear that parts of the crowd expected a hardcore hiphop show, not putting in mind the transition from Mos Def to Yasiin Bey. None the less the set was very energetic, and some would even say that for about 30 minutes, he went into a trance and was just feeling the vibe, performing some sort of jig on the stage along to an instrumental, not
Blink Bill
Bamboo and Shukid
saying anything. By the end of the night the crowd was exhausted from all the cheering and dancing along to the performance…and from having drinks a long with the whole show. If numbers is anything to go by, the show was a success in my opinion. And numbers don't lie. One by one, people started leaving in the wee hours of the morning. To get a glimpse of what you may have missed, go online and check out a video that was recorded by the What's Good LIVE team.
Timmy Tim and Poppa Don
Shukid, Rabbit and a Friend 37
Born in the hub of entertainment; Lagos-Nigeria. A Delta State native Raised by a single parent but the lack of luxury and posh lifestyle did not stop Emmanuel Tommy Wenearimo from pursuing his dreams even if he had to sacrifice his childhood ambition of becoming an Architect or Business Administrator to become the well respected music Architect known within and outside the entertainment industry today as World Famous Dj Tommy. The naturally endowed Dj with enviable dexterities on the wheels of steel and other spheres of influence, started disc jockey ''back in the 90's when hip hop and reggae/dancehall music were undiluted. Initially, he used to write lists of songs recorded on audio cassettes at Quality Sound Studio (QSS) in the popular Obalende, to the admiration of frontline Nigerian turntable Disc Jockeys like Dj Abass, Dj John (his older brother), Dj Black, Dj Skin, and Dj Jimmy Jatt. Stirred and challenged after watching foreign videos of dj mixes and Dmc Championships, he left Quality Sound Studio for Bass Dimension on the same street where Popular Dj Jimmy Jatt's Studio was situated. As a rookie in desperate pursuit of knowledge, mastering the basic technicalities of the disc jockey art took him no time. He was privileged to learn how to beat match and mix with the SL1200mk2 Technics turntables and the vinyl which were the best technology could offer Disc Jockeys at that time. thereafter, he went on to participate in so many National Dj Competitions, the
most memorable of them all was the one organized by Fame Magazine where evolving Dj Tommy thrilled the audience to a standstill with his newly acquired skills where he finished 6th in fierce battle. Precisely, he became professional in the year 1999. Highly inspired and motivated by America's finest Djs like; Dj Qbert, Dj Mix Master Mike, Dj Craze, Dj Jazzy Jeff, Dj Premier, Funk Master Flex, and a host of others. He has at different times shared stage with artistes within and outside the shores of Nigeria, from Mode 9,M.i, Ice prince, Naeto C Ruggedman,9ice,Psquare, D'banj, Banky W, 2face, LL cool j, Akon,T-pain,John Legend, Ne-Yo, Kelly Rowland, Diddy, Kanye West to Sean Kingston, the list is endless. He was nominated by Nigeria Entertainment Awards (NEA) for world best Dj 2011 in the U.S.A, won The Nigerian Broadcasters Awards for most popular In house Dj 2011. Presently, he is a top flight Dj in Rhythm 93.7fm Lagos one of Nigeria's biggest radio station that pioneered the culture of live Disc Jockeying on Radio, and also the co-hosts Rap Kulture on the radio station alongside Raezy Winston. He also makes time to take care of his pet humanitarian project The Dj Tommy Foundation for children from broken homes and the less privileged and a mini rehabilitation center for addicts. As long as music remains the language the soul understands, The Turntablist World Famous Dj Tommy will continue to speak it to our souls, with his unmatchable Skills nurtured by passion.
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It was while Blitz The Ambassador was studying for his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration that he developed his skills as a live artist, performing at several live shows and opening for iconic rappers such as Rakim as well as recording a self-released album, Soul Rebel (2004), under the moniker Blitz.
In 2012, Camp Mulla were the first Kenyans ever to be nominated for a BET award
Eedris Abdulkareem is the only Hip Hop artiste in Nigeria to get a response from the former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo after the release of his controversial song "Jaga Jaga". He is also the only Hip Hop artiste in Nigeria to carry the Olympic torch. 40
Once upon a time, Zed Hiphop group Zone Fam had a female member.
BOTY Nigeria is the only Hip Hop event in Nigeria that has Hip Hop artistes as the major headliners- Mode nine, ill Bliss
Vector was the voice behind the Sprite commercial that has aired on most radio stations across Nigeria since 2009 and before YSG, he was signed to Back2Black Entertainment as Badder Boiz with his defunct rap group.
In 2006 South African rapper Tumi Molekane published his debut album, Music from My Good Eye, through his record label, Motif Records.The album was later listed as one of the greatest South African albums of all time.
The defunct thorobreds was the first rap group in Nigeria to introduce break dancing in their street acclaim video "Street hop" which was also the first Nigerian music video to get played on MTV (U.S) and Trace TV (France).
Hip-hop heads hating on Kenyan rapper KHALIGRAPH mostly have an issue with his foreign accent. (Response on Twitter via @afrorapfacts: Karuga Joseph @machtz Good thing about his accent is that it flows out of him - it ain't forced! He's a natural, and consistent! Rich Hommie Breezy @IamBreezyB That's bullsh*t…am a Khali fan. I love his ascent)
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Gospel rapper Protek was signed to Blightz record back then, owned by B-Elect where he released the album Zion republic.
Pulse Nigeria's OsagZ was formerly affiliated with the B.A.N.S movement before switching to full time Entertainment journalism. He has worked with the likes of Terry Tha Rapman and Fecko. Nigerian rapper Phenom was discovered and signed at Wax Lyrical, a weekly Hip Hop show at Ozone lounge/ formerly Koko lounge.
Modenine and Vector are the only rappers in Nigeria that have won the most respected Category of the "Headies" award Lyricist on the roll.
Rapmania Tha X was the 1st Nigerian rapper to hype the Nigerian preliminaries of the international Battle of the Year break dance show.
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Nigerian female rapper, Mocheddah was the first artiste signed to Knight House.
LAG'S FINEST III Is the third edition in the series of events. This edition aims to raise the bar by making the event grander than its predecessors. The catch phrase for Lag's Finest III is 'Rep ur Hood'. One of the core values of Hip-hop culture is the attachment to locality, the element of neighborhoods (hoods in urban lingua) is central to the culture. As such, Lag's Finest III intends to portray an even representation of Lagos State urban neighborhoods by drawing contestants from all over the metropolis to represent their 'hoods'. The Prize reward for Lag's Finest III is One Million Naira.
Lil Wayne releases his first album with Tidal Young Money billionaire, Lil Wayne has released his first album, 'Free Weezy' Album on new streaming service, Tidal, with the track 'Glory' making waves already‌ The rapper released the project on Saturday, July 4, 2015 after several months of tease on the Jay Z owned streaming service. On the album features likes of Wiz Khalifa, Jake Troth, HoodyBaby, Cory Gunz, CAPO, Junior Red, Bibi Bourelly, Euro and Young Jeezy.
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Slim T's Emi lomo Na is an Afro-hop based track and the visuals shows different scenes from the street,an open studio and a roofed topped house. The choice of colors used was a plain black and white feel. Emi Lomo Na was directed by BASH'EM films and shot in Tunde Hassan street,Ifako Gbagada,Lagos State. Trip City self-claimed new school rapper delivers verses about himself,which follows the title of the song 'Emi Lomo Na'. The video shows his friends and fellow rappers just having fun,dancing and bumping their heads
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to the Afro-hop track! The visuals also includes cameo appearances like Fefe,Boogey,Efa,Sossi,Jay Glow,Exo,Ajanaku,and FX. The video couldn't be left without a stylist, Emi Lomo Na visuals was styled by Christopher Walker. The video transitions of Emi Lomo Na was to me, Ok and it had nothing special or catchy. In my personal opinion, I will give the video a 2.5/5 By Yinka ‘MarQue’ Makanjuola
I became a fan of Justin Campos from the Nineteen Ninety (Paedae) joint by Omar Sterling of the R2bees and I knew something was just dope about this guy's interpretation of a hip-hop video. If you are a true hiphop head/lover, you'll def agree with me how significant the boombox at the beginning of the video was. The interpretation of the song started from the beginning of the video with the African warrior in chains getting freed from slavery and becoming a NEW GUY. That transformation process from an African guy who was in captivity to a King sitting on the throne depicts success and that is exactly the true interpretation of who Sarkodie is at the moment. The video cut was as pacey as the lyrical delivery and such edit style would
make you stay glued to your screen. Ace hoods appearance was more like a cameo considering the fact that he tried to meet up with Sarkodie's pace. Cinematography style was simple. Lighting was really on point such that the video wouldn't need to be graded a lot. Costuming was on point and also kept simple. I also like the dark/abstract nature of the African warrior and the girls infused in the video although from a viewer's perspective, one would say there wasn't really a meaning to be read to that. In all, the video is a very good interpretation of a new school, new guy kinda video. Much blessings to Justin Campos. By Paul ‘JSP’ Santos
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Al Kan-I - Better Than Yesterday "Better Than Yesterday" is Al Kan-I's 'Hustler's Ambition' a reflection if you will of where he has come from and where he is going. The song by produced by upcoming Lusaka-based producer of 4th Profile, and it features Zone Farm's Jay Rox.
D-Truce – Better Days feat. Praiz D-Truce is a young, exceptional and talented act who has been carving a niche for himself in the music scene for a while. He seems ready to take it up a notch. ‘Better Days’ signifies the beginning of something fresh with hope and true meaning. The deep tune which features label mate – ‘Mr Rich & Famous’ Praizwas produced by Kraftwork. The song is inspired by the commencement of the new political administration in Nigeria.
Khali Abdu & VHS Safari Khali Abdu is back after what seems like a long hiatus. He teams up with Trackpants on what is their second single together “On This Side” and their the first video from their forthcoming collaborative album A.R.T. Project. “On This Side” has a heavier beat compared to the groups debut single “Forever and Ever”, and introduces Kahli’s skills as both an MC (for new fans that is) and as a singer. The video, directed by Jay Sprogell, shows the group as they hang out with friends at a BBQ in Brooklyn, and follows them to their concert later in the night.
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PLAYLIST UPDATE
Fecko - Hustle Over Feelings (H.O.F) After making it on the Yello Charts earlier this year with a dance-oriented single, Nigerian rapper, Fecko, is back with another song "H.O.F" which has chart-topping potentials. "Hustle Over Feelings" is a catchy Hip-Hop track produced by Teck-Zilla. It's got a banging beat, sleek delivery and witty lyrics that's somewhat humorous. #HOF is the new movement now.
Morale - Year On Fire ft. Maggz and Reason Year On Fire is another dope tune from the South side y'all gotta check out. JHB's heavyweights Morale, Reason & Maggz colaborate, the outcome is fire!!!
GidiMob – Hate feat. Peter Clarke “Ironically, ‘Hate’ opens with Mother Teresa preaching love. She’s half-referencing John 3:16 when she expands the famous verse into something more touching. The poignant affect of her voice stays with you as ingenious Knighthouse producer, Echo, merges it with the beat and loops it into a hook backed by chants that can be mistaken for a twerk anthem.
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He is Makanjuola Olayinka aka MarQue. He is a hip-hop rap artist,music producer and visual artist. He was born nd bred in Lagos,Nigeria. Started writing poems in secondary from the year SS2 then tried something new SS3 with rapping and music. Kicked off his music career in the beginning of 2015 with his first official single...'One of these Days'. He is studying fine art in Yaba College of Technology,Lagos. He has participated in some ciphers, presently on the Verse City Cypher and representing his school. His music is to bring out the truth and promote good music for good listeners. His musical influences are J Cole,Kendrick Lamar,Micheal Jackson and Tupac. He is looking forward to leaving a MarQue in the music and Hiphop industry.
Oluwa Music Group a brand and label, is one which is made up of rappers, Francis Martin with stage name F-ONE and JOSIAH YAKABU with stage name MILLz, alongside their manager Ambrose Maha, Oluwa Music Group has strived to attain a new Genre of music termed as Interactive Afro Hip Hop. OMG can't assure you the listeners of anything but a Different kind of sound, we can't say no to innovation. 50