THEWILL DOWNTOWN FEB 27, 2022 EDITION

VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

SEMI- NT PERMAENUEP MAK

HiT MiSS?

Africa's Gentleman Who Became a Prince

VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

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Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Desire Onyema @desire_makeover

EDITOR’S NOTE

T

his week brings us to the end of the month of love. So who’s better to feature on the cover than singer Ric Hassani?

Hassani is known for his love songs. I must admit that I was shocked when I heard his song, Thunder Fire You. I couldn’t help but wonder how bad an experience he had had to prompt such raw lyrics.

You could tell that it was straight from the heart.

Even more shocking is the fact that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) banned the song from getting further airplay.

Although the singer was initially surprised at the commission’s decision, he has come to terms with it ever since. Read all about how he positioned himself as an African artist to the world.

Phone sex has been in existence since we could have phones in the privacy of our bedrooms, but it became even more popular with mobile phones. However, texting explicit messages to your partner or saying things you would like to do to them with someone else’s phone can be not so exciting, after all. Read our Downtown confidential writer’s hilarious experience when one night in his teenage years, he stole his mum’s cell phone to engage in a steamy phone call with his love interest at the time. I’m still tearing up from laughing so hard.

Also in this week's issue, our fashion pages profile some of Nigeria’s fashion influencers, while the beauty page focuses on semi-permanent makeup trends.

Don’t miss Oddbod on her latest adventure that almost turned into mostly staying at home, thanks to Storm Eunice.

Movie review analyses Uncharted, and Netflix’s Tinder Swindler. You have to read both reviews, and if you haven’t been scanning the QR codes, you are missing out on our bubbly weekly playlist.

We are officially in Pisces season – the hopeless romantics. If you've ever wondered what people born under this sign are really like, then page 14 will tell you all you need to know.

Until next week, enjoy your read.

CONTENTS 16

COVER RIC HASSANI AFRICA'S GENTLEMAN WHO BECAME A PRINCE

REVIEW UNCHARTED

15

04-05

THE SCENE DOWNTOWN

FASHION

FASHION INFLUENCERS IN NIGERIA

THE DAKORE BEAUTY EXPERIENCE

14

Photography: Dafe Benson @dafe_benson

DOWNTOWN

Wardrobe: Ilebani Olawale Daniel @_whalezng_

TWO PISCES TO HELP YOU KNOW YOUR ZODIAC

06

ODDBOD & THE CITY WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS LAGOS ANYMORE…

07

DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL CALLS AFTER DARK

11

BEAUTY ARE THESE SEMI -PERMANENT GET THE LOOK: HOME MAKEUP PROCEDURES OFFICE SPACE A HIT OR MISS? LIVING

Odun Ogunbiyi @oddbodandthecity

- Contributing Editor Odunayo Ogunbiyi is an ex pharmacist with a passion for food and pampering. Writing about her exploits wherever in the world she may find herself is just her way of staying sane in this zany world.

Boluwatife Adesina @bolugramm - Contributing Writer Boluwatife Adesina is a media writer and the helmer of the Downtown Review page. He’s probably in a cinema near you.

AUSTYN OGANNAH

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Editor: Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa Editor-at-Large: Chalya Shagaya Senior Lifestyle Editor: Ayodele Johnson Writers: Kehindé Fagbule, Tilewa Kazeem Interns: Sophia Edisi, Abdul Auwal Graphics/Layout: Olaniyan John ‘Blake’ Digital Media: Oladimeji Balogun Guest Art Director: Sunny Hughes ‘ SunZA’ www.thewilldowntown.com thewilldowntown thewilldowntown

WHAT YOU SAID INSTAGRAM @shotonwa_samson_b

Lovely one

Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa

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Uzo Orimalade @uzosfoodlabs

- Contributing Writer Uzo Orimalade has a background in Law and Business and spent over a decade working in Corporate America and Nigeria in the management consulting and investment banking sectors. She switched careers to pursue her passion for baking, cooking and home entertaining. She is content creator and host of shows in various media platforms. She has been recognised by local and international media outlets including a feature on CNN’s African Voices.

Efua Oyofo @efuastar

- Contributing Writer Efua has always enjoyed telling stories.

A writer and cultural storyteller, Efua Oyofo helps clients tell their most compelling story. She focuses on social impact storytelling, and hosts a podcast: This African Love, exploring the culture of dating - and helping people develop more effective ways to navigate relationships in today’s world.

@shollycutie

@elliot_milli

Beautiful

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VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

FASHION

FASHION INFLUENCERS IN NIGERIA

F

ashion influencers in Nigeria have become well-known in the industry, owing to their use of social media platforms to promote their trends and earn high-profile sponsorships from fashion firms.

They use platforms like Youtube, Instagram, and Twitter as their "offices," for example.

While we are unable to cover all of Nigeria's fashion influencers in one article, we can, however, point out ten of them.

BY ABDUL AUWAL

Angel Obasi

Instagram Handle: @styleconnaisseur 198K followers

Adebayo Okelawal

Instagram handle: @theorangenerd 71.3K followers

Temi Otedola

Instagram handle: @temiotedola 1.3M followers

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Mercy Eke

Instagram Handle: @official _mercyeke 3.3M followers

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

FASHION

Noble Igwe

Instagram Handle: @noble_igwe 365K followers

Jennifer Oseh Jeremiah Ogbodo

Instagram Handle: @swankyjerry 1M followers

Instagram Handle: @theladyvhodka 93.4K followers

Yomi casual

Instagram Handle: @yomicasual 1.2M followers

Laura Ikeji

Instagram Handle: @lauraikeji 2.8M followers

Nonye Udeogu

Instagram Handle: thisthingcalledfashion 57K followers

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VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

ODUN OGUNBIYI

We’re Not in

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

ODDBOD & THE CITY

Kansas Lagos Anymore…

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Broadcasting live and direct from the eye of the storm, literally I had grand plans of reporting the pleasures of a girly road trip to Birmingham, which had a suitable travel time and a famous library I wanted to walk through. The kid was excited to visit a huge Primark. I frankly can’t think of anything worse, but it seems like I am raising a shopaholic (I can’t wait until she can sponsor herself).

Like they say, having a daughter is the same as having a broke best friend that’s your responsibility!

Instead, I am sitting out Storm Eunice thanks to a stern warning from Mr. Mayor himself—so don’t try to convince me that climate change is not real. We’re being buffeted by top winds of 122mph, some of the highest gust winds ever recorded in England.

My teenager is, of course, not finding any of this funny. In direct opposition to the DNA I gave her, this child hates to be inside and keeps suggesting we go out and brave it. If I didn’t love her so much, it might be amusing to see her get hit by a flying tree just so she would stop pestering me.

On a more serious note, hundreds of schools closed after we were put on red alert. There was widespread parental scramble to make last-minute emergency logistic arrangements to collect their children, as flights were grounded and train services were cancelled.

Storms aside, it has been a perfectly lovely half term here in London town, and as usual, I have spent my time doing my favourite thing… eating good food.

The Ivy Brasserie Kensington My wifey and I were fully immersed in mama duties. We dropped the kids off at a friend’s, and with some hours to kill before pick up, she suggested a charming spot on High Street Kensington.

This member of the Caprice Holding Group has been around since 2015, and despite walking past it too many times to count, this was my first visit.

The interior is what I will call solid English antique; chic, gorgeous dark green leather banquettes, diamond pattern marble floors, gorgeous humongous flower arrangements, and walls papered in historic artwork.

Despite all this, the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, with just the right amount of pampering thrown in.

They encourage walk-ins and always have few tables left not booked for that exact reason.

It is the perfect place for breakfast, elevenses, afternoon tea, and dinner. The menu is modern British comfort food with some of my absolute favourites in attendance: fish and chips, rib-eye steak, a full cream tea. You know, all the good stuff.

The wifey (a regular) suggested I try an outrageously delicious crispy duck salad. Warm crispy duck with five spice dressing, toasted cashews, watermelon, beansprouts, sesame seeds, coriander, and ginger. That’s right. I said watermelon and warm crispy duck! An absolute melody on the tongue, and I had to taste it myself to believe it.

Next up, I tucked into the famous shepherd’s pie with chunky slow-braised lamb leg and beef, red wine sauce, and cheddar potato mash.

Sensible portion sizes meant I had enough space to finish with a sticky toffee pudding. If you want to see how well that went down, I suggest you check out my stories @oddbodandthecity today, where I will be posting the Santi it brought on.

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VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL

I

t is no secret that relationships are hard to maintain, but if you care for and cherish someone, the whole thing becomes somewhat more bearable. In situations where you would normally pull the plug, you find yourself crossing new thresholds of emotional and sexual tolerance.

One of those situations would be the art of sexting.

As some of you might already know from its aggressive PR since the age of cellphones, being able to ignite a sexual connection with someone over the phone is a lifesaving skill to have in your repertoire and a very hot one a that. It's very unlikely you'd need to survive while camping or to score a job at a Fortune 500 company but that doesn't make it any less important.

You don't believe me? Ask the long-distance relationship guys, they'll tell you a story or two about how essential it is to the shelf-life of a relationship. A little bit of sexting here and there can be a great way to mix things up, whether you're just beginning to date or you've been together for ages. However, this criterion isn't restricted to long-distance relationships as it is also a useful tool for the single and ready to mingle side of affairs.

I've always been a sexting pro for as long as I can remember.

As the mode and phases of communication rolled along I was there for it. Midnight calls, Facebook, 2go, BBM, and eventually, Whatsapp. I was there for it all. Drafting paragraphs describing explicit things I want to do to women was like waking up and eating breakfast. I was more than a sweet mouth, I also had silk fingers when typing as well. I had what it took to sustain my first forays into

BY TILEWA KAZEEM

understanding women and boy did I sustain a few.

It was midnight and the AC blasting cold air in my face was doing a good job of keeping me awake. That was the plan anyway; risk hypothermia till 12:30am and let the voice of your crush serve as a warm blanket to your pains.

I swiped my mum's phone from beside her pillow with a combo of holding my breath so she wouldn't hear me breathing and black ops-esque movement. Under the protection of a warm duvet and the air conditioning at max cool, I dialled my baby's number.

Her tender and fluffy ‘hello’ interrupted that Hello, Africa.

Happy Africans caller tone. I let it dangle in suspense before responding with a ‘hi, beautiful.’ I heard her giggle under her breath sheepishly. My young ego had been stroked and my smug smile

Also, let's say you're really into public sex but have no intentions of actually doing it; having phone sex is a great and safe way to talk about the things you would like to do but wouldn't do in real life."

was an indicator. We talked deep into the morning and at intervals, my sister, groggy, slurry but somehow coherently kept telling me to keep my voice down.

I was in the zone and I was at the lowest decibels required to accomplish the task at hand. The subtle bass in my voice caressed each sweet line or sentence that rolled down my tongue and into the microphone. The dark-skinned fifteenyear-old at the other end of the phone was in tune with every word. The subtle bass had also stopped me from knowing my mum was in the bathroom which happens to be sharing a wall with my bedroom. “I want to kiss you and as I'm kissing you I'm squeezing your bum.” Right as I was about to follow up with what I wanted to squeeze next, I received a dirty slap on my back. My mum had snuck into my room and landed a cheap shot on my unsuspecting back.

My damsel in distress had heard my distress signal and had hung up swiftly. “Whose bum bum are you squeezing?”

With tears in my eyes, I spun around to see her head within the quadrants of my bed. She snatched the phone from the bed as my hands flung behind to console the portion of my back that had just been violated. This particular memory is ranked highly because it taught me the lesson of high risk, high reward. When I got to school on Monday, my babycakes rewarded me with my first kiss. She had seen the lengths I'd go to just to speak to her. Although she eventually dumped me for the class-prefect, an important lesson was learnt.

When the need for sexting ever arrives in a relationship, there are a few vital things to know; one of them is listening to your partner and being vocal about what you want. You'll get your partner's feedback whether you're hitting the right buttons or not. That would guide mastering the sexting game. If you know what they like, how they like it, you're halfway there. Also, before you talk on the phone, you should already be turned on. So you experience every whisper and pause as it was intended. In addition, if you both aren't sensible mutual sex partners then hold off on the nude photos to avoid stories that touch later in the future. Also, let's say you're really into public sex but have no intentions of actually doing it; having phone sex is a great and safe way to talk about the things you would like to do but wouldn't do in real life.

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VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

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COVER

RIC HASSANI

Africa's Gentleman Who Became a Prince

T

he declaration of love, which often comes in different art forms, has been prevalent in pop culture and by extension, our daily living experience. When William Shakespeare wrote about Romeo and Juliet in the late 1500s, people started to take cognizance of a genre that was vulnerable, yet so relatable—romance. Fast-forward a few centuries later, romance has become commonplace in several creative industries in the world. In the Nigerian music industry, just like most countries, love stories are often told under the RnB genre umbrella.

The genre which takes a backseat to regular afrobeats in this part of the world has been kept alive by a few recurring faces—one of them is African gentleman, Ric Hassani.

Born Ikechukwu Eric Ahiauzu, Ric Hassani took a rather unconventional route into the music industry. When others got a record deal and went on to make diluted sounds to pander to the listeners, the Port Harcourt-born singer and songwriter came into the scenes telling tales of romance, which would quickly earn him the reputation he has today as Africa's utmost gentleman. As we bid a hearty farewell to February, the month of love, DOWNTOWN’s Kehindé Fagbule got in conversation with the Thunder Fire You crooner to talk about coming up in an industry where he had to figure every step of the way himself, his strategic planning that has seen him export his sound to several African countries, his range in romance as he went from making Gentleman to what was Nigeria's post-breakup anthem all of last year, Thunder Fire You, and how he felt when the latter was sanctioned by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Photography: Dafe Benson @dafe_benson Wardrobe: Ilebani Olawale Daniel @_whalezng_

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When he started composing music as a teenager, just like every teenage boy at the time, he started as a rapper.

His stage name? Rico Slim. Hip-hop, unlike RnB, is quite hardcore. And because of this, its popularity at the time was quite rampant. It was (and still is) a genre that encourages toughness and hardness, both on the surface and inward. You had to be a ‘hard guy,’ which is a direct contradiction to what the RnB genre was founded on—vulnerability and softness. When asked if he was ever a ‘hard guy,’ the singer who eventually changed his name to Ric Hassani

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

COVER It just felt like a decision I made, because I've always made music before then even while I was doing that (teaching as an assistant lecturer).”

As he decided to abandon his job as an assistant lecturer for the incredibly uncertain music industry, he had to find his path all by himself.

Typically, up-and-coming artists would look to secure a record deal. In all of its drama which often leads to clashes and animosity between label heads and once-desperate artists, the influence that record labels have in not only promoting but also creating a brand for up and coming music artists that resonates with the consumers of the art, the fans, cannot be overstated. Ric Hassani understood this and although he ended up making the most of his situation as an independent artist, he once sought after a record deal when he was coming up. He told us, “I tried to get signed but when nobody was signing me, I just had to figure it out by myself. Yes, that's how it happened, it really wasn't by choice, it just happened the way it happened.”

I chose a love-themed path because that's what I know how to talk about best, I don't really know how to talk about any other thing, to be honest. I'm a big fan of love, I guess. I was born into love, grew in the choir, that's just what I know best. I don't really know any other thing as much as I know love.” responded, “No, I never really was. I think it was just peer pressure that made me go that route.

I genuinely love rap music though. I've been singing since I was six years old, I was in the choir. But at the time, singing wasn't cool, the cool thing was to rap, so I started rapping.”

It is not enough to get in the choir and perform in the church on Sunday mornings. The journey to becoming a professional musician often takes so many sacrifices that not everyone who sets out to be one ends up with a career in the industry.

Sometimes, you just have to take the more assured route and choose job security. Although having been involved in music howbeit just for leisure, Ric Hassani’s career path took him to lecture theatres before he found a home in the recording studio—he used to be an assistant lecturer at the Rivers State University. When asked about what that transition felt like, the 33-year-old said, “It was a great time. I had always made music before then, so it was pretty smooth for me, and it didn't feel like a transition.

His independence meant that he had creative control over his craft. In between getting permissions from the powers that be within a record label, and hoping that they don't try to tamper with your sound, most musicians signed to record deals don't have complete autonomy over their own art. That's not the story of Ric Hassani though. He had the liberty to choose exactly what path he was going to build on. He chose love and romance and has since gone on to make it his niche. When asked why he decided to go the love route, he said, “I chose a love-themed path because that's what I know how to talk about best, I don't really know how to talk about any other thing, to be honest. I'm a big fan of love, I guess. I was born into love, grew in the choir, that's just what I know best. I don't really know any other thing as much as I know love.”

His introduction into the music scene was on-brand as he released his debut album The African Gentleman in 2016. It was clear what his role here was—to be a preacher of love. Ironically, however, this doesn't exactly transcend to his personal life. In a tweet, a couple of years ago, the man who had caught the public eye for his perpetual romantic and sensual songs admitted to how scary finding love is. Of his experience finding love in his personal life, he said, “I mean, who I am makes it more difficult, I guess. I guess for people like us, there's just something where the universe just treats us differently. So when other people are around us, I guess there's just something it does to trigger your insecurity, if you're not secure in yourself. And I mean like being a human being, if your foot is not really strong on the ground as to who you are and your beliefs and all of that, being around people like us who have such an effect on the world and who the universe is different to, it can really just shake that person.

It's just harder. In a world where there are a lot of delusions because now the internet or social media can make you believe what you're not; there are just so many distractions. People aren't as grounded in who they are as before because now there's just so much information everywhere. People want to be this and that, and so they are constantly distracted. There's less time for you to really find yourself by yourself and ground who you are. While you're trying to ground yourself, you're flipping through Instagram and seeing something that has made you start thinking about something else, and then you've lost your way. So there's a lot of lost people or people whose foot is not very planted

in who they are, their beliefs and values.

Those kinds of people coming around people like us? We just shake their whole world because they are not as grounded. I think that is what makes it a little harder for people like us. But we'll find it and we will be alright.”

Last year, things took a rather unexpected turn when Ric Hassani released a post-breakup song just before Valentine's day—a song that would end up becoming a nationwide hit mostly because of its relatability and interesting composition. A few weeks

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VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

COVER

was, he responded, “To be honest, from the onset of me positioning the Ric Hassani brand, I was really trying to make an African artist to the world, that was my goal. I wasn't really trying to be anything else. I just wanted to be an African artist to the world, the way Shakira is a Colombian artist to the world, Rihanna is a Bajan artist to the world, or Enrique Iglesias is a hero to the world, I was trying to be Ric Hassani the African artist to the world, so it was no surprise that the minute I hit the ground running, I had a lot more response from the likes of Malawi, Cameroon, Ivory Coast; we've done shows out there before our first ever show in Nigeria. So yes, it was very very intentional and I'm glad that it happened and is still happening that way.”

But to be a creative, especially a singer and songwriter, takes a lot of inspiration. Ric Hassani admitted to drawing his inspiration from God, life, good conversations, and good movies. The selfacclaimed gentleman who defines his music style as an afro-fusion of pop and RnB, cited Wizkid, Craig David, Justin Bieber, Beyoncé, and Sam Smith, as five artists he will love to work with someday if he could make a dream 5-track EP.

To be honest, from the onset of me positioning the Ric Hassani brand, I was really trying to make an African artist to the world... the way Shakira is a Colombian artist to the world, Rihanna is a Bajan artist to the world, or Enrique Iglesias is a hero to the world..." after it spread across the country like wildfire, the National Broadcasting Commission of Nigeria (NBC) in a move that shocked most Nigerians, sanctioned the song as they banned it from getting any further airplay. This came as a shock to the artist himself.

When asked what his reaction to the whole thing was at the time, he replied, “At first, I was shocked.

It is a genius song if you really think about it.

Nobody in Nigeria since music has begun ever thought of making a song out of the line “thunder fire you.” There's no breakup song to date in the history of Nigerian music that is as raw, emotionally wrenching, and as strong as Thunder Fire You. There's no song at all. That song is timeless and it will be sung forever and ever. That is genius. So I was really shocked that it was banned, we didn't see that coming at all, if we did, maybe we would have done something differently, so it was a big shock. After I was shocked for a little bit, I was then at peace with it because I now understood why they sanctioned the song to be on the radio. I understood what they were saying, so I was at peace with it. And I'm still at peace with it. I really don't mind.”

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The NBC wouldn't stop Ric Hassani who had been intentional about his positioning as an African music star from the get-go. Over the years, he has been able to gain a lot of popularity in other African countries.

His presence in countries such as Malawi, where he performed at the Lake of Stars, meant that oftentimes, Africans all over the continent sometimes confuse his nationality.

On Google, “what country is Ric Hassani from?” leads the way as one of his most searched entries of his.

Although he titled his debut album The African Gentleman, exporting a sound that early in an artist's career doesn't happen by sheer luck. When asked what his motive behind the move that saw him amass a large following in neighbouring African countries despite the cultural differences and industry structures

In his free time, when he's not busy recording or touring, Ric Hassani watches a lot of films. In fact, just before he spoke to us, he had just finished watching a movie. He laughed sheepishly as said, “The funny thing is that we have just finished watching a movie, so yeah, when I'm not in the studio or out, performing, I'm watching a film.” Although he watches a lot of movies, that is not all he does. When asked to describe what an average day in his life looks like, he replied, “I watch films [laughs]. I really love movies. Well, I wake up and actually get something to eat. If there are people in my house, I make sure they are okay. Then I brush my teeth. I like brushing my teeth, it's the first thing I do. Then I use the bathroom, of course, then I go and eat stuff. When I eat stuff, I go to the gym, then I come back and watch a film. If I don't have any shows or I don't have to record music, I just watch films. My life is pretty straightforward, no long thing at all.”

Still, a long way to go in the year, musicians all over the country have either dropped music projects or are gearing up to. Ric Hassani confirms that there will be exciting projects from him this year. When asked if his fans should be expectant, he responded, “Of course, there will be exciting projects this year. This is my actual entire job so I'm definitely always working on music. That's all I'd say, I actually don't talk much about these things.”

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

LIVING

Cocoa Leather Office Chair HOME DEPOT

Black Metal Magazine Wall Rack

Yucca Head Potted Artificial Plant

GET THE LOOK Home Office Space I

BY IDOWU LAMI

t's never not a good idea to have a minimalist office space in your home to hunker down and get some work done. So here’s one you can replicate.

Palm Artificial Tree NEARLY NATURAL

Black Industrial Desk Lamp Botanical Flower Book Print LINDMAN

Metal Cabinet Garfield Desk

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VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

BEAUTY

Are These SemiPermanent Makeup Procedures A

HiT MiSS

BY SOPHIA EDISI

S

emi-permanent makeup tops the list of beauty treatments with large profit margins today. The procedures are usually pain-free with the help of an anesthetic cream that is applied to the skin to numb the treatment area. It usually takes about 90 minutes and the result lasts for about three years.

These procedures were most helpful to people with certain imperfections like scarring, loss of hair, etc, who may find it difficult to apply makeup evenly every day, or women who have little time to spare for makeup regularly. The aim is to give a permanent natural makeup appearance that complements the skin tone to enhance their natural features. Surprisingly, What seems to be a beautiful trend, and on almost every beauty lover's to-do list is now gradually becoming a thing of the past. If you still decide to go ahead with these procedures, we strongly advice that you go to a licensed aesthetician.

Dr. Samuel Joseph

MICROBLADING

Microblading PAGE 12

During my amateur days of makeup, I would spend 80% of my time trying to get the perfect matching brows. Aside from the wing liners, getting your brows in check and equal is not an easy task. Now, this treatment caters to that need. Used to frame and improve the shape or definition of the eyebrows, it can be applied to thicken the eyebrows in people with medical conditions such as alopecia which results in thinning hair or hair loss on their eyebrows. However, a new trend called Brow lamination which seems to be the most popular brow treatment now since its launch has been giving microblading a run for its money. As seen on celebrities, supermodels, and beauty influencers, brow lamination is also a semi-permanent grooming treatment that creates naturallooking and brushed-up brows.

Moet Abebe

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VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

BEAUTY SEMI-PERMANENT EYELINER Getting the perfect cat wing eyeliner seems to be an extreme sport for some people, I mean no matter how hard they try, they never get it right.

Believe us when we say we know how frustrating and time-consuming that could be and semipermanent eyeliner seems like a great life hack; a quick fix to enhance the natural eyeliner, making your eyes appear bigger and brighter. One question: What happens when there's a new trend of coloured winged eyeliner that you'd love to try on?

LIP BLUSH Everyone wants nice, fuller, soft pinkish lips and this procedure does just that. This is a semi-permanent tattooing procedure where colour pigments are deposited in your lips using small needles which can give you a lightly coloured lip and even improve its shape. It was also used by people with scarring of the lip line to reduce the appearance of the scar to achieve fuller, more defined lips and also used on the lip body to add permanent colour to the lips. Wouldn’t it be great if you could wake up with a lip tint? We think so too. This treatment is flexible because you can always switch lippies when the need arises.

SEMIPERMANENT LASHES Semi-permanent eyelashes procedures are still very trendy and one of our favorites. It can be applied directly to your existing eyelashes. Each lash is intricately placed one at a time on top of your natural lashes. The benefit of semi-permanent lashes is that they create a natural look. Be careful though, some damage can occur to your natural lashes as a result of improper application, or chemicals and ingredients found in the glue used in the process may be irritating or harmful. The major problem with this procedure is management, you want to make sure that the lashes are still intact otherwise, your whole look will turn out tacky.

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VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

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DOWNTOWN ZODIAC

2 PISCES To Help You Know Your Zodiac

BY IDOWU LAMI ELEMENT: WATER MODALITY: MUTABLE RULING PLANET: NEPTUNE & JUPITER DATES: FEBRUARY 18 – MARCH 20

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wo fish swimming in opposite directions represents the 12th and final sign of the zodiac, Pisces. Having absorbed every lesson - the joys and the pains, the hopes, and fears - learned by its predecessors, these astrological fish are the most empathetic, compassionate, and psychic creatures. Those born under this sign have deep levels of compassion, are soulful and joyful, and are both expansive and secretive. As natural dreamers, they may be easily influenced into pursuing unrealistic goals or ideas even when others can see that they should follow a more rational path. And although Pisces strive to take care of others, they have difficulty accepting help from others.

This ethereal fish loves exploring its boundless imagination as it is ruled by Neptune, the celestial body that governs inspiration and creativity. The energy of Neptune however, is similar to that of the ocean: magical, mysterious, and sometimes frightening. The planet's allure is particularly strong, and when he transits your chart, you will be enveloped in a haze of dream-like inspiration. He combines love and beauty in an intoxicating way. You might feel like you are disconnected from reality with him as he makes you see other worlds.

Pisces representatives are known for their vision and ability to access

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Olamide

the collective unconscious.

Attracted to art, music, and any sort of liberal expression, Pisces need to make use of their talent to feel creative and free.

As a sign exalted by Venus, serving love, devotion, pleasure, and all that is beautiful and tender, Pisces is the sign of incorrigible romantics. Despite their kindness and generosity toward their partner, they sometimes lose sight of their moral values in the pursuit of love. It is crucial that they feel connected to their partners so that they can open up and discover a deep feeling of absolute trust in a perfect love that drives them away from the idea of change.

Father of two sons and YBNL label owner, Olamide Gbenga Adedeji also swims in the Pisces pool. This underwater creative is a famous Nigerian hip-hop artist and one of the biggest and most influential artists in Africa. Another thing Olamide is known for is doing what he can to help young talented artists from the 'streets'. Lending them a verse or two helps them float their young careers. Giving back to where it all began for him is as charitable as can be.

Olamide

Yemi Alade Mama Africa as she's popularly known—and her album is aptly titled—is more than a singer, actress, and songwriter. She is also a huge activist. Alade was featured and performed at the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25 for the campaign 'A Global Call to Action' for handicapped children in Kenya. Putting their feelings on the back burner and helping others live better is a character Pisces are known to exhibit.

While these fish are loyal in their own way, they also tend to internalize other people's problems, to the point where they make them worse.

Often, they gossip not out of malicious intent, but because they are interested in other people's lives.

Examples of well-known Pisces include Rihanna, Yemi Alade, Olamide, Korede Bello, Seal, and Lupita Nyong'o.

Yemi Alade

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 2 NO.09 • FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 05, 2022

THE SCENE DOWNTOWN

The

DAKORE BEAUTY Experience

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BY ONAH NWACHUKWU

ast weekend, multi-award-winning veteran actor, brand ambassador, and humanitarian, Dakore Egbuson-Akande hosted the Dakore Beauty Experience at a new luxury store in Victoria Island, Lagos. The event launched her aromatherapeutic skincare line, Dakore Beauty, while also celebrating holistic beauty, putting the spotlight on wellness and self-care. Apart from friends and family who gathered to show support, the evening also featured magic, and a spoken word performance.

The Akandes

n-Akande Dakore Egbuso

The Magician Performing

ga Francesca Rosette & Me

Fife Aiyesimoju, Da & Ezinne Chinkata kore Egbuson-Akande

Denola Grey

Ireti Doyle

Mimi Onalaja

Ifeyinwa Ighodalo & Mohin Ighodalo

Chinyere Adogu & Ezinne Alfa

Ozinna Lola Ogunnaike & u ud um An

Kemi Lewis

Shaffy Bello

Timini Egbuson

Charles O'Tudor Omawumi Ogbe

Tare & Tejiri Arigbodi

Idia Aisien

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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 22 NO.09 NO.09 •• FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 27 27 -- MARCH MARCH 05, 05, 2022 2022 VOL

FASHION

BY BOLUWATIFE ADESINA Movie Review:

UNCHARTED Cast: Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle, Antonio Banderas | Director: Ruben Fleischer | Screenwriters: Rafe Lee Judkins, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway | Producers: Charles Roven, Avi Arad, Alex Gartner, Ari Arad | Executive producers: Ruben Fleischer, Robert J. Dohrmann, David Bernad, Tom Holland, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, Neil Druckmann, Evan Wells, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway | Director of photography: Chung-hoon Chung | Production designer: Shepherd Frankel

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his weekend, you’ll be able to go to theaters and see a highly entertaining thrill ride of a movie, featuring Tom Holland performing death-defying stunts and spending a good portion of the film’s running time engaging in witty banter and flying through the air.

I’m talking, of course, about Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Oh, there’s also Uncharted, the feature film version of the hit PlayStation video game series, starring Holland as globe-trotting, history-obsessed treasure hunter Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as Victor “Sully” Sullivan, Nathan’s shady mentor. The film deviates from the video games in many ways, being an origin story featuring younger versions of the beloved characters.

And if you’re thinking that Wahlberg once would have been a great choice to play Nathan himself, you’re not alone. The film has been in development for so many years that he was formerly attached to play the role until he eventually aged out of it.

Resembling the love child of Tomb Raider, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and National Treasure, Uncharted definitely feels like a video game adaptation, so rapidly segueing from one elaborate action set piece to

another that your fingers may start twitching while watching it. Director Ruben Fleischer knows his way around this sort of material, having previously helmed such movies as Venom and Zombieland, and he understands that the target audience isn’t particularly interested in deep characterizations or sophisticated dialogue.

Still, it would have been nice if screenwriters Rafe Lee Judkins, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway had come up with something more interesting than this generic adventure in which Nate and Sully team up to first commit a robbery at a high-end auction house and then head to exotic locales in search of Ferdinand Magellan’s lost treasure of gold. Or more interesting villains than the ruthless Santiago Moncada, played by Antonio Banderas in a performance that can best be described as detached. Or wittier exchanges than Sully constantly teasing Nate about his gumchewing and Nate responding in kind about Sully’s habit of leaving too many open apps on his cell phone.

More problematically, Nate and Sully, mutually supportive in the games, here come across like a bickering couple on the verge of divorce. Wahlberg’s Sully looks and behaves disgruntled so much of the time that you begin to wonder how these two went on to form a long-running partnership. (Or maybe the actor was just annoyed at disappearing from the story for long stretches of time.)

This star vehicle doesn’t exactly feel like a stretch for Holland, since his Nate, an expert pickpocket, is basically a more larcenous Peter Parker minus the web-spinning — at one point, he apologizes to a bad guy he’s just sent plummeting to his death, which is exactly what Peter would do. As made evident by his many shirtless scenes, the actor clearly buffed up for the role, the better to perform the numerous high-octane stunts that include falling out of an airplane and a lengthy parkour-style foot chase.

The film features plenty of photogenic real-life locations and some genuinely exciting action sequences, including the aforementioned airplane scene — which opens the film and is reprised later on — and a breathless battle involving airborne 16th-century sailing ships.

Refreshingly, it’s the female characters who are the most badass. Sully’s longtime treasure hunting associate Chloe Frazer (a charismatic Sophie Ali) more than keeps up with the guys when it comes to physical derring-do, and Moncado’s blade-wielding henchwoman Braddock (Tati Gabrielle, fearsome) is a homicidal villainess who could give James Bond a run for his money.

You can’t say that the makers of Uncharted lack confidence since the film ends with the sort of cliffhanger that basically promises a sequel. It’s a bold move, considering the number of video game film adaptations that have crashed and burned, but with the charismatic Holland as its star, it just may pay off.

Rating: 6/10

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

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

Playlist for the week

Cupidon & KALLITECHNIS & Ric Wilson - Wake Up, Get Down

Dabeull ft Holybrune - DX7

Bluestaeb ft Mick Jenkins & Aréna - MOVIN'

Hope Tala - All My Girls Like To Fight

Snakehips & EARTHGANG Run It Up

Louis Culture - Hanah Says Hi

YGTUT - Living On the Sun

Bawo - Starts with a Text

Omar Apollo - Kamikaze

Watch of the Week The Tinder Swindler

One doesn’t want to give too much away because a lot of the shock and fascination with The Tinder Swindler is watching this incredible story unfold. Suffice to say that with producer-turned-director Felicity Morris and Irish producer Bernie Higgins, you couldn’t have put this story in better hands. It is exquisitely well put together, producing a visceral, emotional response in its viewers. It’s horrific but also inspiring as we see these women take action, where in many instances, little can be done for such crimes.

Expertly edited and suspenseful, the twists and turns the story takes When Cecilie Fjellhøy swiped right the viewer into this apparent get ever crazier and more appalling. on Tinder for Simon Leviev, she had story of romance and luxury.

There’s an intimacy to the narrative no idea it would change her life Cecilie talks about trying to find and yet it’s able to relate what’s a together. A quick Goggle search love and believing it’s finally very globetrotting story too. Aside indicated that Simon was the son of happened with Simon as clips from the victims, we also get takes a diamond mogul, so after their first from films such as Beauty and the from investigators, journalists, date included being whisked off to Beast’ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and (to a lesser extent, evidently) Bulgaria for a romantic hotel getaway, Charade, and The Yellow Rolls authorities. You can really feel the Cecilie thought she’d found the one.

Royce play over her dialogue. terror that was instilled in these Over the following months, Cecilie In Pernilla’s story, there’s more women and while there is some would be conned by Simon, putting glamour still, as private jets, cool redemption, there's no doubt that her hundreds of thousands of dollars cars, and extravagant parties the viewer is left with a desire for in debt. Pernilla Sjöholm and Ayleen feature frequently – even with further action. Essential viewing, Charlotte were also among Simon’s their relationship being more this is a documentary that has more victims, and all three here relate their platonic. The documentary takeaway lessons than you would story of how they met the Tinder effectively relates how a think.

Swindler, and how he got a taste of his dream come true turned into a own medicine. nightmare, and how easily false The Tinder Swindler is streaming The Tinder Swindler effectively lulls appearances can convince. now on Netflix.