THEWILL DOWNTOWN APR. 18 EDITION

VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021 1

EJOYA’S TOBA ADEYANJU

On curating the next Grammy winners

VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

EDITOR’S NOTE

Photo: @HairByUgo

CONTENTS

DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD?

8-10 COVER STORY:

(MR\DōV 7RED $GH\DQMX 2Q FXUDWLQJ WKH QH[W *UDPP\ ZLQQHUV

I

mean the wild, uninhibited, carefree, childhood version... when we wanted to be pilots, singers, Indiana Jones, James Bond, drummers, astronauts, comic book artists. Personally, I wanted to be a wrestler. An honest-to-goodness, body slamming, spandex wearing W.W.F. champion.

One that would eventually be double crossed by my imaginary tag team partner and betrayed in order for me to find my redemption, claw my way back to victory and be crowned the ‘Summer Slam’ Queen.

My soul was set to dominate my enemies in the ring and it wasn’t uncommon for my 8 year-old self to be found taking flying leaps from high perches onto my unsuspecting siblings. The question though, is why?

Why couldn’t we be all those things and more? What really stopped us?

Of course for those born in the late 90s and later, unconventional careers have become mainstream, completely acceptable as well as lucrative. “Children of nowadays” are making money from everything.

From medical doctors and dentists turned social media influencers to engineers turned music executives, many young Nigerians are waking up to their innermost callings and leaving the traditional leanings for more abstract and satisfying career paths that very often disrupt the status quo and upend the older ways of doing things.

4-5

Our cover story features Toba Adeyanju, the 25 year old CEO of Ejoya, a music and tech company that enables independent musicians to monetize their craft, distribute their music and expose them to the right audience. Indeed one of their 2020 alumni went on to produce several songs on BurnaBoy’s Grammy award winning album! The interview by Chisom Njoku is a great read and you may learn a thing or two along the way.

FASHION:

7KH 6KRELNÃQ 6WRU\ )RUJLQJ $Q 8QOLNHO\ 8QLRQ Between the West-African & East-Asian Fashion

Our DOWNTOWN columnists continue to outdo their previous work and this week is particularly juicy on all fronts. I won’t say more except enjoy your read and you’ll see us next week!

6-7

LATASHA NGWUBE @latashalagos

FASHION:

Black nominees & winners at the BAFTA Awards 2021 AUSTYN OGANNAH

Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Editor: Latasha Ngwube Editor-at-Large: Chalya Shagaya Beauty Editor: Onah Nwachukwu @onahgram Contributing Editor: Odun Ogunbiyi @oddbodandthecity Senior Writer: Chisom Njoku @inchisomwetrust Contributing Writer: Boluwatife Adesina @bolugram Uzo Orimalade @uzosfoodlabs House Photographer: Rachel Seidu @rachelseidu Graphics/Layout: Olatunji Samson Digital Media: Oladimeji Balogun Interns: Sophia Edisi, Kehinde Fagbule, Tilewa Kazeem Guest Art Director: Sunny Hughes ‘ SunZA’ Guest Photographer: Mitchell Nwabueze

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14-15 TRIBUTE

The Definition of X: Life & Times of Hip-hop Icon, DMX

11

WORDS TO EAT BY

Madam Plom Plom

12-13 BEAUTY:

SILK PRESS? YES PLEASE!

VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

ODDBOD & THE H C CITY ITY IT TY

ODUN OGUNBIYI

Where Is The Rain?

I

don’t know what species of grass or tree is in pollination season and shedding its pollen like crazy, but it kicked in about a week ago and my allergies are driving me nuts. I am in full-on itchy eye, runny nose and constant dull headache mode. I am not alone in this struggle. The real kicker is trying to figure out if it is just the usual allergies or it’s time to get a COVID test! Then of course, all the suspicious hostile side-eyes your co-workers give you when you repeatedly clear your throat. We patiently await the rain to wash away the pollen.

was just as blah. There was no flavour differentiation between the butter chicken and some other fish curry we ordered.

There was a brief moment of hope thanks to the naan bread and my first mojito, but then my second drink came out tasting like it had been made with saccharine and had to be sent back.

This is Oddbod and the city, my Lagos adventure.

*RW 0\ +DLU 'LGř I was last week years old when I found out that the humble act of getting your hair braided had been going through some (r)evolutionary changes behind my back. If it were up to me, I would only ever be seen in braids but unfortunately, traction alopecia and high peaks have kept me humble.

Anyways, I was minding my business on week three of rocking my afro when one of my friends comes around my place and gave me instant hair envy.

I go on to the Instagram account of @mobilebraidsng and this is where my wahala starts. The choices! Loose braids (what they call a particularly flattering method of flat-but-fat weaving) then some curly goddess braids concoction that had me all in my feelings. Then there were the colours.

I am so pleased with the results; my braids have never looked so good!

They come with their own brand of hair which blow dries straight and is very light on the head. Highly recommend this service. I have already booked them for my mini-me nextweek.

Cilantro – Don’t Do It! When making dining plans with my friends I am forever requesting we go somewhere new—and that’s how we ended up going for Indian food at the relatively new spot in Victoria Island, Cilantro.

As I walked in, I remember thinking it was such a shame that they had chosen to fill the traditional urli bowl with plastic flowers. This (not-so) little mistake was repeated at the table, paired with sadly un-ironed tablecloths. When you advertise yourself as a fine dining establishment (and charge finedining prices) you have no business decorating with plastic; it cheapens the experience and also reeks of some sort of disrespect for customers.

Are we not worth that extra effort?

Our waiter, bless him, tried to be helpful, but the management seemed disinterested in our pointed responses to the “How was your food?” question.

Anecdotally we have discovered that we are not alone in our view, and the branch in Abuja is also committing these tastebud crimes. Suffice to say there will be no return engagement.

In the spirit of fairness, the outside space seemed nice. Sorry I was too hungry (imagine leaving the restaurant still hungry) to take photos so apart from this weak drink shot by me the rest of the pictures were gotten from other sources.

The menu, to put it kindly, a mess.

If you have confidence in the food and taste curation to create a dining experience, there would be no need for an overfull menu—and certainly no space for Greek food and random pizzas at an Indian restaurant.

The food itself? A disappointment. We were served a single popadom as a starter and everything that followed

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VO V VOL O L 1 NO.10 NO O.11 0 • APRIL APRI AP RILL 18– RI 1 8 – APRIL 18 APP R A RII L 24, 244 , 2021 202

FA S H I O N FASHION

The6KRELNÃQStory:

Forging An Unlikely Union Between The West-African & East-Asian Fashion Every day, we are reminded of just how beautiful art is. In the fashion industry, the possibilities are simply endless.

We’ve seen that over the years with trends and designs culminating to create fashion statements unique to each tribe and culture. However, what happens when we merge two strong cultures LQ RQH" 0DGH LQ 1LJHULD 6KRELNÃQ is an offbeat fusion of East-Asian and West African contemporary fashion and lifestyle. Downtown’s Kehindé Fagbule sat down with Esther Oyelese, founder DQG FUHDWLYH GLUHFWRU RI 6KRELNÃQ WR discuss culture and fashion across borders as well as what inspired the unlikely marriage.

7KHUHōV EHHQ YHU\ OLWWOH SUHVV DWWDFKHG WR 6KRELNDQ DV D EUDQG ,V WKDW GHOLEHUDWH RU GR \RX MXVW OLNH WR ZRUN LQFRJQLWR" m just not one to have the spotlight on me, I’m a very reserved person by nature but that being said, the Shobikan brand has been built as organically as possible without much noise. It is a luxury brand so I’m taking my time. However, with time, visibility will be increased which will be good for business.

I’

:KDWōV DQ DYHUDJH GD\ OLNH IRU \RX" I wake up in the morning, pray and take long walks with my dog Aspen.

He’s a crossbreed between Maltese and Lhasa and my very good friend.

After freshening up, I have coffee but never breakfast. Due to COVID restrictions, I’ve been working a lot from home so the moment I pick up my phone, there are already tons of messages that I have to respond to mostly work - and I just get on with it. Chat with suppliers, with my team members and if I get any design inspiration, I get my sketchpad and put it down so I don’t forget because as creatives, when we get inspired, we think we would always remember but sometimes we don’t. So the moment it comes to me, I put it down immediately and I can always go back to it later to develop on it. I check up on family and friends too. My day is boring. <RXōYH KDG DQ LQWHUHVWLQJ HQWUHSUHQHXULDO MRXUQH\ř Yes, I’ve dealt in many businesses; I’m a serial entrepreneur. I made an early mark in the food industry with my Estanola Fish and Chips shop back in the day. I’ve tried many things because God has blessed me with a lot of talents. From interior design to banking, I’ve worked in construction and the media as well. I’m able to adapt to any environment I find myself in and develop myself in it. However, art has always been my first love. Growing

$ EDJ P\ mother gave to me, which was handed down to KHU E\ KHU PRWKHU P\ grandma) whom I was named after.

PAGE 4

VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

FASHION brands mostly. Again, I’m not one to have the spotlight on me, I just like to get the work done for the love of the art and process but never for an applause. Before Shobikan, was me working closely with my sister Kunbi on her apparels.

up, my favourite subject was fine art and being in the fashion industry now is just going back to the original plan of my life. Sometimes you just have to go full circle and end up exactly where you should be which is where I believe I am now. :DON XV WKURXJK WKH WUDQVLWLRQ WR IDVKLRQ It was a conviction. I would say I’ve always been involved in fashion. My sister is a well-renowned fashion designer and even with her brand, I’ve always had creative input and I have designed some parts of the apparel section. I’ve done that over the years even whilst working in those industries that I mentioned.

However, the full transition didn’t happen until 2017 when I co-founded a fashion brand with a friend of mine and we started making bags and some other accessories. <RXU VLVWHU LV .XQEL 2\HOHVH RI $SULO E\ .XQEL D UHQRZQHG IDVKLRQ GHVLJQHU KHUH LQ 1LJHULD , JXHVV LWōV VDIH WR VD\ WKDW IDVKLRQ UXQV LQ WKH IDPLO\" I would say that, yes, because our late mum was a very creative and fashionable woman. Our dad is a creative person too but the fashion started with mum. Everything my sister and I do now, at some point, she did. It’s almost like we followed in her footsteps even if it wasn’t exactly planned. Kunbi for instance studied Mass Communication and I studied History and International Relations, I wanted to be a diplomat but look at us today, both working in the fashion industry *laughs*. Our mum used to make clothes back in the day, she had a business called Elizabeth Collection and made bags as well.

6R \RX JUHZ XS VHHLQJ EDJV EHLQJ PDGH Yes, I did. However, my first interest in bags as a fashion accessory was a bag my mother gave to me, which was handed down to her by her mother (my grandma) whom I was named after. It was a yellow bag... the first time I got my hands on it, I was about 4 or 5 years old and everything about the bag - the shape, colour and interior - just intrigued me! I carried it at every opportunity even when it didn’t match my outfit *laughs*. That bag played a huge part in my interest in fashion accessories and my focus

on bags. It is priceless.

6SHDNLQJ RI LQWULJXH \RXU EUDQG QDPH 6KRELNÃQ LV YHU\ LQWULJXLQJ ,W VRXQGV -DSDQHVH DQG <RUXED DV ZHOO :KDWōV WKH RULJLQ" Shobikan is my family ancestral name. My father comes from a royal family and that is their lineage name. Incidentally, I was at my uncle’s church in England and I saw a bulletin on the church’s notice board about a midweek activity titled “Shotokan Karate Class” and I immediately thought it sounded like my ancestral name Shobikan. I did some research of my ancestral name and interestingly discovered Shobikan was also the name of a place in Japan. Right there, it made sense to me that would be the name of my fashion brand. +DYH \RX EHHQ WR -DSDQ" I was due to visit Japan last year but the pandemic happened so that has been stalled for now but I plan to go there as soon as we’re able to travel. Speaking of origins, you know the Japanese culture and language bear a lot of similarities with Nigerian culture and language. There are a lot of Japanese words that have meanings in Yoruba such as Fumi, Kokoro and so on. Even the belt that goes over the traditional Japanese dress, Kimono, is called an Obi, so there are a lot of similarities with us. I have a Japanese partner who’s also a friend, his name is Shinju. He’s helping to develop a presence for the brand in Japan. However, as I said, the pandemic has slowed us down a little but it’s just a bit of delay, it’s something we are eventually going to achieve.

We are working on a presence in Asia, starting from Japan of course. It’s refreshing that they find the contents of the brand interesting as well and are intrigued by the African culture just as much as we are with theirs. /HWōV WDON DERXW SUH 6KRELNÃQ 'LG \RX ZRUN XQGHU WKH UDGDU IRU RWKHU EUDQGV" Yes, I did some creative designs for a few brands, my friends’

7HOO XV DERXW WKH FUHDWLYH SURFHVV of making the bags (the 3D bags HVSHFLDOO\ ZKDW LQVSLUHG WKHP DQG KRZ WKH\ōUH PDGH A framed artwork inspired the 3D bags *laughs*. I looked at it and I felt it was interesting because it had layers, it wasn’t the typically flat surface artwork and I thought to myself “this could be done in a bag.” Initially, it sounded like a crazy idea but something about me is if I have an idea, I would do it because what’s the worst that could happen, right? As soon as the idea came to me, I got my pen and sketchpad and sketched it out. After which I was able to conceptualise it and I knew it was wa possible so I rang up the bag maker and told pos them about the concept. Of course, they had never seen anything like that before and to be neve fair, neither had I *laughs*. I did my research before that and there aren’t bags with actual befo art paintings on them so I knew it was a niche market. We tried it out and the first sample came out encouraging so I went back to the drawing board and worked on perfecting it till we got to this point. By the way, the design is trademarked, so anyone that tries to replicate it might just make me a lot of money because they’ll hear from my lawyers! *laughs* :KDWōV RQ WKH FDUGV IRU 6KRELNÃQ WKDW ZH FDQ EH H[FLWHG DERXW" We have new collections of handbags coming up under the Shobikan and the Shobikan handcrafted catalogues. We are also introducing an apparel department which is mostly going to be kimonos and coveralls. We all know the Kimono is a traditional Japanese dress, so on each one we make, there’s going to be an element of Africa on it. Our recently launched Marianne Kimono; is a duchess silk robe, hand-embellished with trimmings and coral beads, playing up the African flavour. In some of our other kimonos, the ‘Obi’ (belt) is made of Aso-Oke instead of just plain silk.

6KRELNÃQ LV KHUH WR VWD\ $UH ZH JRLQJ WR EH VHHLQJ PRUH RI \RX DV (VWKHU DIILOLDWHG ZLWK WKH EUDQG" As much as people might want to see more of me, I want the brand to be bigger than me because let’s face it, it is bigger than me. I’m just a vessel in delivering what the brand is about. I might be the founder and creative director but it’s not about me. I want people who don’t know me to see the brand Shobikan and think “wow this is an amazing brand” not because they’re Esther’s friend or they know Esther. Refreshingly, this is what the brand has seen so far. My friends and family support me, however, most of the support I’ve gotten for the brand are from total strangers who don’t know me from anywhere. I enjoy that because I’m not egotistical; I put my ego aside when it comes to my work. I want my work to speak for itself.

You might see a little bit of me here and there but even on Shobikan’s Instagram page, the brand itself doesn’t follow me. I’d rather keep a low profile and just let the brand do what it’s supposed to do.

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VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

DIASPORA

Black nominees & winners at the

BAFTA Awards 2021

BY TILEWA KAZEEM

D

ue to the effects of COVID-19, we weren’t able to enjoy the prestigious annual BAFTA awards show in all its splendour compared to yesteryears.

The 74th edition of this ceremony which serves as a British equivalent to the Oscars was a virtual affair and it spanned for two nights.

It is worth noting that the event experienced a cultural recalibration as regards the number of female directors and ethnicities represented in this year’s nominees and in that regard I’ll be focusing on the black nominees and winners at the BAFTA Film Awards 2021.

%XNN\ %DNUD\ Born to Nigerian parents, Bakray at the age of 19 became the youngest recipient of the BAFTA Rising Star award for her debut role in the movie, Rocks. The British actress’ execution and depiction of her character in the movie earned her a nomination in the Best Actress Category also making her the category’s youngest nominee.

Kosar Ali The acting debutant was nominated in the category of the Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film, Rocks. Although not winning in this category, she claimed two awards at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) for ‘Supporting Actress’ and ‘Most Promising Newcomer’ earlier this year.

$VKOH\ 0DGHNZH Nominated in the category of the Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the film County Lines, this English actor has had her share of screen time with roles in Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Salem and Revenge. Born to a Nigerian father and a British mother, Ashley started acting at a young age featuring in a couple of stage productions.

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VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

DIASPORA

'DQLHO .DOXX\D

'RPLQLTXH )LVKEDFN You might know for her role in the Netflix film, Power which starred Jamie Foxx, The Hate U Give as well as other films that have spanned her ten plus years as an actress.

Playing Deborah Jackson in the film Judas and Black Messiah she earned a nomination in the category of Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

A previous recipient of the 71st edition of the BAFTAs Rising star award. Actor, comedian and writer, Kaluuya, broke into the scene for his excellent role in Jordan Peele’s horror film, Get Out. Prior to that, he acclimated himself in the acting scene playing a plethora of characters before Get Out. Appearing in Marvel’s Black Panther further bolstered his career. He added the award for the Best Supporting Actor for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah to his cabinet. This takes his BAFTA awards tally to two.

:XQPL 0RVDNX English-Nigerian actress Oluwunmi Mosaku was nominated in the category of Best Actress for her role in the film, His Horse. Sadly she wasn’t able to take her BAFTA award wins to two.

Leslie Odom Jr Grammy award-winning singer and actor Leslie Odom lost out in winning the Best Supporting Actor at the ceremony for his role in One Night in Miami

Chadwick Boseman His final film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom was released posthumously and it earned him a nomination in the Best Actor category at the 74th edition of the event.

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VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

COVER

EJOYA’S TOBA ADEYANJU

On curating the next Grammy winners W

Content is the new crude and now more than ever, the music industry is on full display.

Music in particular has been a major facilitator of the Nigerian cause on the global stage.

The authenticity in the sound and passion of the lyrics have prompted new audiences to explore our music and ultimately fall in love with it.

Artistes now cater to a more diverse audience and that increases their value. As their value increases, they become more financially profitable.

Bigger artistes have personal funds and powerful labels to help further their cause and get the spotlight on them but sadly, a large percentage of independent artistes who make quality music have no means of promoting themselves at all and so most times they have no chance at making any significant progress.

‘Ejoya’ is the music technology company that is making a way for ‘unbankable’ independent artistes to make real progress and greatly advance their careers through partnerships, branding, and marketing for free.

'RZQWRZQōV &KLVRP 1MRNX sits down with the newly appointed chief executive officer of Ejoya to talk about humble beginnings and how they intend to change the game among other things.

PAGE 8

KR LV 7RED $GH\DQMX" He’s the CEO of Ejoya and a mechanical engineer by training.

+RZ GLG \RX JHW LQWR WKH PXVLF EXVLQHVV" I think the music industry chose me because I honestly just fell into it. It was initially just to make a living but I put my all into it as I’m very intentional about whatever I do and the rest is history.

:KDW ZDV JURZLQJ XS OLNH IRU \RX" I come from a family of five and I have two brothers. I was born in Lagos island but I grew up in Epe and eventually moved around Lagos.

I’ve always been a very quiet person, I was an ‘omo get inside’ so I’ve always just enjoyed my own company. I was never a social person but my work puts me out there so I have to interact with people often. :KDW LV (MR\D" Ejoya is a music technology company that people often mistake as solely a distribution company, but it’s much more than that. We are disruptors creating solutions to help artistes get their music to where it needs to get to and also monetize so it’s not just helping distribute their music. $P , FRUUHFW LQ DVVXPLQJ WKDW :HLUG 0&ōV KLW VRQJ Ō,MR\Dō KDG VRPHWKLQJ WR GR ZLWK WKH QDPLQJ RI \RXU FRPSDQ\" Oh no, it wasn’t inspired by her at all *laughs* the founder Ayoola Oni’s father actually came up with the name. +RZ KDV \RXU SODWIRUP EHHQ DEOH WR KHOS DUWLVWHV" We do our best to provide everything necessary for independent artistes.

We try to develop them and grow with them. We genuinely want to work with artistes that make good music and are serious about their careers.

Not only do we handle the marketing side of things, we’re also working to offer advances to artistes so they’re able to put that money into improving the quality of their lives and cover important expenses like styling, branding, and other costs that may arise without them having to sign their lives away.

We also work to connect talents and sometimes

unprecedented things happen.

For example, Grammy awardwinning producer Telz got connected to Burna Boy at the Ejoya Class of 20 music camp.

In fact, about 80% of artistes on the Ejoya Class of 20 projects are signed to labels now. &RQVLGHULQJ WKDW WKH FRPSDQ\ LV SUHGRPLQDQWO\ UXQ E\ \RXQJ 1LJHULDQV KRZ GRHV WKDW DIIHFW VWUXFWXUH" Honestly, it’s not very easy particularly because we’ve had to work remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our office space has been closed since March last year but we’re renovating the space and hopefully, we can go back to the office soon.

It’s not very easy because you have to direct people to deliver in a timely fashion and that’s difficult because sometimes people want to chill and there are still things that need to be done.

On the bright side, everyone involved with the company strongly identifies with what we’re doing and genuinely work so things can ‘pop off’. I try to motivate our staff by letting them know that everything they do for the company, they ultimately do for themselves because they’re developing their skills on the job. :KDWōV DQ DYHUDJH GD\ LQ WKH OLIH RI D \HDU ROG &(2" It’s me waking up at 5a.m, having my morning prayers [while subconsciously thinking about all I have to do] and after that, I check my email followed by our update meetings.

There’s always a lot to do because the music industry is a very funny place - sometimes you have to put out fires or sweet talk people to

VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

COVER

Photography: Mitchell Nwabueze

PAGE 9

VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

COVER I feel like I’m constantly in the process of breaking doors because there are many gatekeepers in the music industry.

A whole lot of people want to keep resources to themselves... but that won’t stop us.”

I feel like they succeeded in the past because we were unintelligent back then but now we’re aware of so much more and exposed to a lot of information. They can’t pull a fast one with this generation because everyone is aware of what is attainable and what the standard should be.

advance your cause.

When I’m done with all the pendings, I go through my reminder app to make sure I’m not missing anything. After that, usually, it’s my team and I talking to DSPs (digital streaming platforms), media houses, speaking, or meeting with artistes.

There are rare days when I have time to myself but most days I’m usually swamped. :KDW DUH WKLQJV \RX FDQōW OLYH ZLWKRXW" My phone. It’s literally my office, I can’t live without it, a face mask, and my wallet. +RZ GRHV LW IHHO WR EH &(2 RI VXFK D IRUZDUG WKLQNLQJ \HW XQFRQYHQWLRQDO FRPSDQ\" It’s truly amazing and sometimes I don’t believe it. There’s a lot of growth because when I first joined, I came in as a business developer and I never saw myself assuming this role but it happened. Everyday I appreciate the opportunity because I know there are a million more people out there just as qualified but it was me.

There are days when I feel overwhelmed trying to finalize five pendings and they all depend on people who aren’t making things easy. Regardless, I’m grateful for the role every day and I try my best to improve myself for the position.

+RZ LV Ō(MR\Dō ORRNLQJ RXW IRU LQGHSHQGHQW DQG XQVLJQHG DUWLVWHV DQG KRZ GR \RX GHFLGH ZKR \RX ZDQW WR ZRUN ZLWK" The first thing we check for is the music, that’s the most important thing.

Then we focus on serious artists who have plans for their release alongside proper attention to detail.

We listen to all the music that’s sent to us and we look out for information about the song and the artiste and all the little details matter.

The criteria are music, intentionality, and seriousness. We also pay attention to your social media and past numbers. :KDWōV D PDMRU FKDOOHQJH \RXōUH FXUUHQWO\ IDFLQJ WKDW \RX IHHO LV KLQGHULQJ WKH JURZWK RI Ō(MR\Dō" I would say gatekeepers. I feel like I’m constantly in the process of breaking doors because there are many gatekeepers in the music industry.

A whole lot of people want to keep resources to themselves. There’s a lot of bureaucracy and there are commercial factors to consider, but that won’t stop us because we’ll keep kicking down the doors that try to hinder us.

:KDW GLG \RX VWXG\ LQ WKH XQLYHUVLW\ DQG KRZ GLG \RX ILQG \RXUVHOI LQ WKLV SRVLWLRQ" I studied mechanical engineering at Landmark University but from 300 level, it was crystal clear that I wasn’t going to practice it.

I’ve always known I would lead in some capacity as a businessman of sorts.

I’m a firm believer in the notion that what you study does not have to be what you ultimately end up doing.

I’m not saying no more conventional careers because we need them but if you don’t love it then don’t stress about it.

$UH WKHUH DQ\ SODQV RI H[SDQVLRQ LQ WKH IXWXUH" ,I VR ZKDW DUH WKH\" We’re already in the process *laughs* we’re trying to close funding to expand the company, it’s in the works.

There are a lot of things that we have coming, we’re currently working on a ‘DIY’ product for artistes to distribute their music themselves.

We are also working on getting better terms for artistes so they don’t have to stress too much to repay advances.

There are big expansion plans and they’re already in motion.

,Q WKH SDVW IRUHLJQHUV KDYH WDNHQ DGYDQWDJH RI RXU QDWXUDO UHVRXUFHV DQG QRZ IRUHLJQ ODEHOV DUH VSULQJLQJ XS WR WDS DQG PRQHWL]H RXU FUHDWLYH UHVRXUFHV +RZ GR \RX WKLQN WKLV QHZ JHQHUDWLRQ RI 1LJHULDQV DQG FUHDWLYHV DUH HTXLSSHG WR EHWWHU deal with foreign attention?

, XQGHUVWDQG WKH (MR\D &ODVV RI LV FXUUHQWO\ LQ WKH ZRUNV FRXOG \RX JLYH XV VRPH LQVLJKW LQWR ZKDW LWōV DOO DERXW" We’re calling Ejoya Class of 21

PAGE 10

‘Intentional Music’ because that’s exactly what it is. This year we’ve invested heavily to make sure this is one of the best music projects to come out of the country.

We have a host of bubbling artistes including Oxlade, Wani, Psycho YP as well as amazing artistes that nobody has ever heard of. Styling, direction, photography, and every important thing has been ticked and I really can’t wait to share it with the world.

7KHUH DUH UXPRUV RI (MR\D VKRUWFKDQJLQJ FROODERUDWRUV DUWLVWHV DQG UHIXVLQJ WR UHSRUW DFFXUDWH VWUHDPLQJ QXPEHUV .LQGO\ JLYH XV some insight into this.

This isn’t true and concerning transparency, we’re on a whole other level. I told our finance and content team to start creating documents that help artistes find out exactly what their numbers are with minimal stress.

Ever since I’ve been with Ejoya we’ve never had an issue of not telling artistes what they’ve earned. The only time we’ve actually had an issue with an artiste was when one had inflated his streams and it didn’t tally with his listeners and that nullified it due to authenticity. +RZ LV Ō(MR\Dō HQFRXUDJLQJ WUDQVSDUHQF\ LQ LWV operations with artistes?

What we do is we send a monthly log to our artistes so they see the exact money they’ve earned as well as all necessary information including plays and countries listening so the information is bulky. We are very keen on transparency and now we ensure that the artiste is fully carried along every step of the way. :KDWōV WKH ORQJ WHUP JRDO RI Ō(MR\Dō" The long-term goal is to have everything we need for our artistes to have maximum resources at their disposal. The future of Ejoya is helping artistes maximize their income and improve financial literacy among them so they can better invest their income.

The future is massive and it transcends music because there’s so much in the works. I can picture an all-serving platform that handles different aspects of music and entertainment so it’s a beacon to artistes. :KDW GR \RX WKLQN LV WKH IXWXUH RI WKH 1LJHULDQ PXVLF LQGXVWU\ DQG KRZ LV Ō(MR\Dō SRVLWLRQLQJ LWVHOI WR EH D PDMRU SOD\HU LQ WKDW IXWXUH" The future of the industry is breakout artistes. It’s so easy to push an artiste to mainstream appeal now as opposed to ten years ago. I see the future being very competitive because there will be a lot of new talent coming out yearly and there will be a lot of poachers.

Right now the top 3 (Sony, Universal and Warner Music) have a presence in Nigeria because they know there’s something here and people like us [Ejoya] can push these artistes to the limelight.

This is a very good thing because more people will have opportunities to push themselves forward.

Streaming numbers will rise as well with the entry of platforms like Spotify into the African market and the lifespan of careers will get shorter as the competition will be intense.

VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

WORDS to EAT by

DOWNTOWN EATS

UZO ORIMALADE

Madam Plom Plom I walk into Rose’s kitchen and find her staring intently into a glass of water.

‘Is everything alright? What has the water done to you?’ I ask and nudge her shoulder.

Rose sighed. ‘They have finally done it.

They have finally done it’ ‘Who has done what? I ask as I open her fridge to get a drink.

Rose is my closest friend and has a flair for drama. Given that no tears are falling and she is not rolling on the floor wailing to the heavens, I know this is not a real emergency.

‘Take a deep breath and tell me what happened’ I sit next to her ready to listen.

‘Do you remember Madam Plom Plom?’ She asked.

I sit upright. ‘Yes oh. Madam Plom Plom. I thought her business closed down?’

Madam Plom Plom.

Just saying her name makes my mouth water and my tummy rumble. Rose and I work together in a management consultancy firm. The office canteen was run by Madam Plom Plom and her children. This woman could cook. I am talking about smoky jollof rice that made me bite my tongue more times than I care to admit; Afang soup loaded with snails and periwinkles, moinmoin with eggs, fish, corned beef and slivers of scent leaf. Her signature dish was her buka stew. Spicy tomato stew with fried beef pieces, kidney, liver, shaki, cowleg, roundabout and dried fish. This stew had caused suit wearing men and women to come to fisticuffs over the last portions available for the day. To avoid embarrassing scenes, Madam Plom Plom started selling her magic stew in bowls that was available to pre order. Unfortunately Madam Plom Plom’s husband passed away and she never returned after the funeral rites were done.

Rose said: ‘I thought so as well. You know my team started at the new client site today. When it was time for lunch, the liaison officer passed around a menu and you will not believe the name of the caterer at the top. Madam Plom Plom. Sis, the speed with which I jumped up to go to the canteen myself eh. She recognised me. I asked her why she didn’t come back, she told me she had to finish the mandatory mourning period and when she came back, our company had retained another caterer’ ‘So you ate Madam Plom Plom’s food today Rose? Where is my own? You better have mine somewhere oh’ I exclaimed ‘Wait first. Let me tell you how these people have turned me into somebody I cannot recognise’ She said.

I remember the reason this conversation started. ‘Hurry up and tell me so we can get to the eating’

0L[HG PHDW VWHZ You will need: • 1kg mixed meat you like (beef, cow leg, tripe, lamb) • 2 large onions – diced.

• 2 cloves garlic - minced • ¼ piece of ginger – grated.

• Bay leaves • Salt to taste • 6 large tomatoes • 4 red bell peppers (tatashe) • 2-3 habanero peppers (yellow and green are my preference. Use more or less if desired) • Palm oil – about 1 cooking spoonful (more if desired)

Directions She looks at me sideways and continues ‘After the catchup, I ordered white rice and buka stew. I chose ponmo, cowleg, beef with biscuit bone and liver.

I decided to bring the food home to eat. You understand abi? So I can balance and use my hands and eat the meat well. I only had yogurt for lunch. This is how I walked into the house and warmed my food. These 2 children of mine came to ask me what I was eating. I told them ‘food from Madam Plom Plom.’ They wrinkled their noses and made all sorts of comments – what kind of name is that? Mommy this food looks naaaasssty. I asked them – do you want to taste? They called me weird and ran off. I settled down to eat my food. Enjoying every mouthful and thinking about ordering bowls of the stew for you and I tomorrow.’

She took a breath, shook her head and continued.

‘Just as I entered gear two of this food, these children came back. Went and grabbed their spoons and sat in front of me. Mommy we have decided we want to taste Madam Plom Plom’s food. Sis. I looked at them. Got up.

Grabbed my bowl of food and entered the guest bathroom and locked the door. The little minions started knocking.

Mummy what are you doing? Come out. I ignored them and sat inside the dry bathtub and ate my food. I used my hands to eat the meat. I licked the stew from my fingers.

Crunched the biscuit bone and made sure there was not even a grain of rice left. I got out of the tub, washed my hands and opened the door. There they were. The children I sacrifice everything for. Looking at me with accusation in their eyes. You did not share mummy they said. They turned and walked away. I looked at myself and the empty bowl and thought to myself – they have done it.

These children have finally turned me into a monster’ She finished, took a deep breath and put her head on the counter.

I looked at her and started to laugh….

• Wash meat well and put the tougher pieces (like cow leg if using) in a pot with enough water to have stock.

• Add half of the onions, the garlic, ginger, bay leaves and salt and cook for about 25 – 30 minutes.

• Add the rest of the meat and cook till tender.

• Add some of the onions, tomatoes, bell peppers and habaneros into a blender and blitz till smooth and set aside.

• Heat palm oil in a pan until the oil becomes clear. (Not bleached) • Add the rest of the onions and fry till the onions are translucent.

• Add the blended pepper mix and fry for about 5 minutes stirring constantly.

• Add some of the meat stock – I recommend starting with 2 cups. Add more if desired.

• Taste and season with salt if needed • Cook for about 7 minutes stirring constantly.

• Add the cooked meat, turn heat to low and cook for about 10 – 15 minutes stirring constantly.

Enjoy!!!

PAGE 11

VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

BEAUTY B Y: O N A H NWACHUKWU

SILK PRESS? YES PLEASE!

I

f like me you wear your hair natural, then there is no doubt that you have days when you wish that you could simply style your hair without the ceremony that comes with styling African hair. Odds are, once in a while, you most likely yearn for hair that is silky and easy to manage: I know I do. That’s where a silk press (the process that straightens your natural FXUOV WR D OLWHUDOO\ VLON\ VWDWH FRPHV LQ b,ōP JXHVVLQJ \RXU QH[W TXHVWLRQ LV ‘are there any chemicals involved?’ After all, the whole idea behind carrying natural locks is to stay away from chemicals isn’t it? The answer is ‘NO’ there are no chemicals involved in silk pressing. Without further ado, let’s dive straight into the process of silk pressing.

SQUEAKY CLEAN The first step to achieving a successful silk press is to ensure that your hair is washed and ready to go. For this process, it is advised that you use purifying shampoo.

This is basically shampoo that deep cleanses, removing stubborn residue including excess oil from your hair.

After you have washed your hair, the next step is to condition it using a smoothing conditioner.

It helps to flatten the hair cuticles and enhance the silky straight look of your hair, which in turn, reduces the probability of damage during the straightening Shea Moisture Bamboo Charcoal process.

Deep Cleansing Shampoo

PAGE 12

Moroccan Oil Smoothing Conditioner

VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

BEAUTY

Design Essentials Agave & Lavender Weightless Thermal Protectant Serum

Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum

DOUBLE PROTECTION

USE PROTECTION Apply a heat protector to your hair. This will keep it protected from the heat of the blowdryer and flat iron. When buying a heat protectant, look out for one with glycerin; it helps seal moisture into the hair.

BLOWDRY Blow-drying your hair will help straighten your hair a little before the silk press; that way, you do not have to use as much intensity when flat ironing your hair. This will also reduce the possibility of heat damage.

Once you have gotten your hair to slightly strait with a blowdryer, and before you proceed to flat-iron your hair, you will need to apply a very light serum. It will seal in hydration and also help give your hair a silky, bouncy finish.

CAUTION Silk pressing is a lot of hard work and we don’t want it all to be in vain, so make sure you: Avoid Heat: Do not flat iron your hair again (a few days after); too much heat will dry out your hair making it look stiff.

Avoid Water: A silk press means no water, whether sweat or steam, as this will make your hair revert to its natural curls.

No More Products: The whole idea behind a silk press is to have silky hair. Too much product will make your hair look just the opposite of that, so do not apply any more product after a silk press.

Wrap It Up Before you go to bed at night, wrap your hair in a satin scarf.

SILKY SMOOTH Finally, you can start to straighten your hair; be sure to do this a small section at a time. You can either use a steam iron, which infuses warm moisture into the hair shaft causing less damage, or you can use a flat iron. Opt for a flat iron with titanium plates; they distribute heat more evenly and the plates literally glide down your hair for that silky-finish look.

Babyliss Pro Nano Titanium Straightening Iron

PAGE 13

VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

TRIBUTE

The Definition of X:

Life & Times of Hip-hop Icon,

D

MX, the iconic hip-hop artist behind the songs “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” and “Party Up (Up in Here)” whose distinctively gruff voice and thoughtful messages in his rhymes made him one of rap’s biggest stars, has died, according to a family statement. He was 50.

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE

The Grammy-nominated performer died after suffering “catastrophic cardiac arrest,” according to a statement from the hospital in White Plains, New York, where he died.

He was rushed there from his home April 2.

His family’s statement said DMX, whose birth name was Earl Simmons, died with relatives by his side after several days on life support.

“Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end. He loved his family with all of his heart, and we cherish the times we spent with him,” the family said, adding that his music “inspired countless fans across the world.”

DMX — who rapped with a trademark raspy delivery that was often paired with growls, barks and “What!” as an ad-lib — built a multiplatinum career in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but he also struggled with drug addiction and legal problems that repeatedly put him behind bars.

“His message of triumph over struggle, his search for the light out of darkness, his pursuit of truth and grace brought us closer to our own humanity,” his record label, Def Jam Recordings, said in a statement describing him as “nothing less than a giant.”

Fellow hip hop artists remembered him likewise, with Eve praising him as “one of the most special people I have ever met” and Nas calling him “Gods poet” in an Instagram post.

DMX made a splash in 1998 with his first studio album, “It’s Dark

PAGE 14

and Hell is Hot,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The multiplatinum-selling album was anchored by several hits including “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem,” “Get At Me Dog,” “Stop Being Greedy” and “How It’s Goin’ Down.”

DMX followed up with four straight charttopping albums including “... And Then There Was X,” “Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood,” “The Great Depression” and “Grand Champ.” He released seven albums, earned three Grammy nominations and was named favorite rap/hip-hop artist at the 2000 American Music Awards.

DMX arrived on the rap scene around the same time as Jay-Z, Ja Rule and others who dominated the charts and emerged as platinum-selling acts. They were all part of rap crews, too: DMX fronted the Ruff Ryders collective, which helped launch the careers of Grammy winners Eve and Swizz Beatz, and relaunch The Lox, formerly signed to Bad Boy Records. Ruff Ryders had success on the charts and on radio with its “Ryde or Die” compilation albums.

Along with his musical career, DMX paved his way as an actor. He starred in the 1998 film “Belly” and appeared in 2000’s “Romeo Must Die” with Jet Li and Aaliyah. DMX and Aaliyah teamed up for “Come Back in One Piece” on the film’s soundtrack.

The rapper would later open Aaliyah’s

VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

tribute music video, “Miss You,” alongside her other friends and collaborators, including Missy Elliott, Lil’ Kim and Queen Latifah, after Aaliyah’s 2001 death in a plane crash at age 22.

The rapper also starred in 2001’s “Exit Wounds” with Steven Seagal and 2003’s “Cradle 2 the Grave” with Li. In 2015, the New York rapper had a cameo in the second season of Fresh Off The Boat. A performance that was dubbed “One of the best cameos in sitcom history” by many - DMX played a role model dishing out relationship advice. In the season-two episode, “We Done Son,” a young Eddie, who takes up a part-time job working for X, feels insufficient and grapples with buying an expensive necklace for his love interest. DMX responds with a timeless piece of advice: “When I first started growing orchids, I thought they needed the most expensive soil and lights to blossom. And they died. That’s when I realized that all they really needed was time and attention. You don’t need to get your girl a gift. You need to give her your time.”

But while DMX made his mark as one of hip-hop’s most recognizable names for his rap artistry and as an actor, the rapper was personally stifled by his legal battles — he was repeatedly arrested and jailed within a decade — and drug addiction. His addiction first took hold at age 14 when he smoked a marijuana cigarette that was laced with cocaine.

“Earl Simmons was a wonderful, caring father, and a sensitive, thoughtful man,” said Lyor Cohen, a former executive at Def Jam, in a statement. “Unfortunately, Dark Man X took over and ran amok, tormented and struggling to find the light. ... DMX gave me the inspiration to keep going at Def Jam when rap became soft and silly.”

DMX pleaded guilty in 2004 after he posed as an undercover federal agent and crashed his SUV through a security gate at New York’s Kennedy Airport. He was arrested in 2008 on drug and animal cruelty charges following an overnight raid on his house in Phoenix. He tried to barricade himself in his bedroom but emerged when a SWAT team entered his home.

Besides his legal troubles, DMX took the initiative to help the less fortunate. He gave a group of Philadelphia men advice during a surprise appearance at a homeless support group meeting in 2017, and helped a Maine family with its back-toschool purchases a couple years later.

Last year, DMX faced off against Snoop Dogg in a Verzuz battle, which drew more than 500,000 viewers.

TRIBUTE FASHION It was reported that Jay-Z and Beyoncé were buying back DMX’s masters for $10 Million and would be giving them to his 17 kids for free.

“You can’t be a fan and not feel empathy for him in his journey,” hip-hop and electronic music producer Flying Lotus said in an interview while DMX was hospitalized. “You think of ‘Belly’ and all the great stuff that he was part of. But he was dealt such a weird hand, I think, with the drug stuff. And I just have empathy.”

Here some reactions from the internet…

Survivors include his 17 children and his mother.

7KH '0; 3OD\OLVW The Review Downtown’s %ROXZDWLIH Adesina put together a 10-track playlist of some of DMX’s greatest hit songs.

In 2010, he was sentenced to a year in prison for violating terms of his probation. After he was admitted to rehab numerous times over the next year, he said he had finally beat his drug addiction.

First responders helped bring DMX back to life after he was found in a hotel parking lot in New York in 2016. The rapper said he suffered from asthma.

A couple of years later, DMX was sentenced to a year in prison for tax fraud. Prosecutors said he concocted a multiyear scheme to hide millions of dollars in income from the IRS and get around nearly $2 million in tax liabilities.

After his release, DMX planned a 32-date tour to mark the 20th anniversary of “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot.” But the rapper canceled a series of shows to check himself into a rehab facility in 2019. In an Instagram post, his team said he apologized for the canceled shows and thanked his fans for the continued support.

Scan this with your camera to access the playlist (Apple Music)

Scan this with your camera to access the playlist (Spotify)

PAGE 15

VOL 1 NO.10 • APRIL 18– APRIL 24, 2021

THE EDIT BY C H A L’

Style 101

How to look a Total Haute Mess for that Party (Owambe)

N

ow that the outside is gradually opening up again, the parties are coming back and people are looking to get their groove back after being restricted for nearly a year, many are ready to “pepper them.”

While we are all eager to show up and show off, let’s remember to keep it tasteful and elegant. By all means “dress to kill” but don’t overkill. Make it make sense. The aim is to keep it classy and timeless. Not cringeworthy and baffling when you post it as a “throwback”. But if you must go the messy route, here is your guide. Perhaps these tips may help.

Wear lash extensions that can be spotted yards across the room, looking like “in case of emergency” bat eyelids so you can take flight and flee from imminent danger at anytime.

Wear waist trainers cutting off your circulation that have you looking flushed and can’t enjoy the party jollof or small chops.

Also, be sure to wear the tightest and most uncomfortable ill-fitting clothing that are popping at the seams. One that makes sure you can barely sit into the car or a chair. If there is a wardrobe malfunction such as a popped zipper, you have without a doubt won in this category. No contender!

Go for copious amounts of contouring and makeup. Ensure that it defies even the best photo editing tools. Wear that thickly applied makeup shades lighter than your actual complexion. Make sure it’s more exaggerated than the drag queens do it.

Slay Queen! Slay!!!

Use an upper lip highlight that leaves you looking like you’re sporting a milk mustache.

Apply cheek highlights that leave you looking like a squirrel hiding acorn in their mouth.

Go for that structured gele without any character or organic nature. You know, the one that looks like a hand held oriental fan? Hey! Why not look like everyone else?

Adorn a wig that gives you that cone-head shape with the centre part not quite cantered or a wig that overwhelms your entire ensemble and leaves you looking like you have no neck.

Go for uncomfortable shoes that are difficult to walk in so you can wobble effortlessly across the venue. Or just have you sitting in one place because you dare not get up for fear of falling flat on your derrière.

Poorly executed design copied by your tailor who you

PAGE 16

showed a photo of someone else wearing the well-tailored version on Instagram are always a win!

Show some excess cleavage/ side “boobage”.

Why the heck not?

OTT (Over The Top) neck and ear jewellery or accessories so you come up looking like the best ornamented Christmas tree on the room are a must!

Do the most by following the “latest” trends that don’t quite suit your personality or our climate.

Be very sloppy with your entire ensemble.

DISCLAIMER: These suggestions were written tongue in cheek. Please do not follow any of them as the writer shall not be held liable if you show up looking like the court jester or clown.