THEWILL DOWNTOWN July 17, 2022 EDITION

VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 – JULY 23, 2022

Nigeria's Biggest Export Comes of Age

VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

EDITOR’S NOTE

8

CONTENTS

Photo: Kola Oshalusi @insignamedia Makeup: Zaron

COVER AFROBEAT‘S’ TO THE WORLD

I

had often wondered why the new generation wouldn’t simply stick to the term Afrobeat coined by the legendary Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti. As far as I was concerned, he created that genre of music and, as such, should be the term used to describe Afropop or Nigerian Afrojazz or anything that sounded like Fela’s music, for that matter. And I wasn’t willing to have it any other way. Call me oldfashioned.

It wasn’t until recently that I realised that Afrobeats with an ‘S’ is not an attempt at creating a new music genre but a term that categorises any kind of music fused with an African beat. Whether Afro-jazz, afro-pop, afro-dancehall, or afro-fusion, Afrobeats is like a house that hosts the different sounds that these artists create and fuse with beats that originate from Africa.

Over the last couple of years, Afrobeats has become very popular across the globe, partly because of streaming platforms and, most recently, TikTok. The app could singlehandedly take credit for, within seconds, placing Afrobeats and other sounds in the faces or, should I say, devices of everyone who owns a mobile phone that connects to the Internet.

And so this week, we look at the coming of age of Afrobeats. The now highly sought-after and celebrated sound in the music industry, the future of Afrobeats, and our artists and their stage performances. Read pages 8 through 10.

I must say, though, that our artists have a lot of work to do in the area of live performance. I find that they don’t perform in the true sense of it, so it came as no surprise when a fan ranted about a particular artist and his colleague’s international performance or lack thereof, on social media.

Our other pages—fashion, beauty and living, are packed with exciting and enlightening content. And the movie review page sheds light on Thor: Love And Thunder. Not so sure I will be heading to the cinema after reading this review. But that’s just me; I’ll let you decide.

Until next week, enjoy your read.

Onah Nwachukwu @onahluciaa +2349088352246

AUSTYN OGANNAH

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

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03

CULTURE SHITHO** ACCENT EXTEMPORISATION

16 MOVIE REVIEW THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

04-05 FASHION 4 BAG TYPES FOR EVERY MAN

14-15

FEATURE THE HORRID TALES OF NIGERIAN RECORD LABELS

06

SÓRÓSOKE CALLEDOUT MUSIC: MY BEAUTIFUL REALITY

07

DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL WHO AM I THAT SHE WAS MINDful OF ME?

12-13

11

LIVING

ART & SPACE

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.

BEAUTY INTO THE WORLD OF NAIL ART

WHAT YOU SAID INSTAGRAM

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.

David Nwachukwu @ebube.nw - Contributing Writer David Nwachukwu has always been immersed in fashion from the age of 10, watching a Dior by Galliano show on television.

His work in fashion stretches across media, marketing, brand communications as well as design.As a fashion & lifestyle journalist, David has tracked key industry data for various publications including Industrie Africa, Culture Custodian, Haute Fashion Africa, and HELLO! Nigeria. A Geography graduate from The University of Lagos, David consciously aligns this background in environmental advocacy and sustainable development with the need to promote a more ethical fashion ecosystem. He currently oversees strategic communications at Clean Technology Hub.

@kwekukhute Growing big until we save and free our minds, none but ourselves

@mayikeora

@ebony4reall

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.

Wonderful

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VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

CULTURE

BY ABDUL AUWAL

A

frican entertainment has risen to prominence in recent years, benefitting many areas related to filmmaking, such as fashion and culture. So many fantastic films have been created and customized to people's interests.

The African scene is an excellent illustration of culture, but how does Africa see itself in the international market? It requires less logic and more of how to get a picturesque concept. The concept of sunset and a lone Iroko tree. Most sceneries are seldom pleasant; there's typically a contrast between tourists and Africans who always appear to be suffering - at least, that's how it seems. A dark-skinned, shorthaired boy with dirt on his face, so skinny you'd think he hadn't eaten for days beside a tourist who looks nothing like him - which is occasionally the case. As horrible as these photos are, they make you appreciate what you have. These images are most likely the result of how the Western world perceives Africa. And, like a moving subject caught on film in black and white, these representations of Africa and African people are frequently skewed.

In international films, the African appearance is totally dependent on how the Internationals imagine it. It's far from the truth.

Immaculate images constructed in frames and soundbites are only too eager to exploit the filmmaker's ignorance, someone with little or no awareness of what Africa is all about, a developing misconception that it is one as a continent and fails to appreciate the diversity within. The target audience for such films is intended for the general public; Hollywood is unconcerned with how such represented Africans appear to the Africans they are attempting to represent and are aware that they will not be questioned.

The common repercussions of their views are portrayed in similar patterns in movies, such as international actors who know nothing about Africa and care even less about studying it.

Or Africans who portray a part of Africa they also don't know anything about because every part of Africa is as diverse as it can be, like the stripes on a tiger, and no two lines are alike.

To be honest, Hollywood has an issue with Africa. We must first educate them on the fact that Africa is not a country. It's

SHITHO** Accent Extemporisation

IMAGE FROM GOOGLE a continent, after all. It should be understood that "African" can be a broad phrase. A really large and ostentatious canopy. Africa has over 54 nations recognized by the United Nations. Over 1500 very different languages are spoken in those nations, with millions upon millions of people, totalling 1.2 billion, speaking those languages, none of whom speak "African." It perplexes me when they try to represent an African by just stating that he is an African rather than a Nigerian, Rwandan, or Gambian.

"Hollywood established an accent for "Africans," said Elnathan John, "which they utilize whether the individual is Liberian, Nigerian, or Rwandan." -That's absurd because it's incorrect; Nigeria alone has a plethora of dialects and accents to be proud of, but when all of these languages are labeled "African," they're dismissed and sometimes a labelled joke. It's a neverending round of portraying the same African accent. Hard consonants plus a deep voice compounded by excessively added syllables with reduced speaking speed is what they view as a "We are Africans" accent. It's a difficult accent to master, and even after months of work, some actors and actresses still struggle.

Another example is the well-known Marvel film, The Black Panther - The accent of Chadwick Boseman's character, King T'Challa, was meant to be South African. The King's native speech was said to be Xhosa. Instead, we discovered an exaggerated accent, a bizarre lapse into South African self-parody. It prompted me to view a documentary on the Xhosa people, and I discovered that the movie's accents should be considered a parody of the genuine thing.

Coming 2 America, like the first part of the film, is a lighthearted and amusing comedy with a happy conclusion. The opulence of the African nation Zamunda, as well as Eddie Murphy's character Akeem - smart, rakish charm, carefree – provide a good contrast to traditional representations of Africa as destitute. And understandably, it's a comedy, so we shouldn't take it too seriously. However, you couldn't help but think of one thing in particular, and that is the Fake African accents.

Once again, Hollywood depicts Africa as a single community, complete with a phony accent.

Using African movie stars would have avoided the need for Black American performers struggling with an ostensibly African accent.

What is culturally acceptable is not usually culturally correct.

Some individuals are unconcerned about the discrepancies and mangled accents. On the other hand, some individuals are, and the repeated grating of a strange accent detracts from the whole movie experience, regardless of how fantastic the film may be.

We've seen preconceptions and misrepresentations play out in the media time and time again as a result of producers not being held to a higher standard. To stop erroneous and one-dimensional representations of African people in Hollywood, a major reckoning with individuals with decision-making authority in the film industry is required. If nothing is done, we will have to continue to watch movies that make cultural misinterpretations of the African continent, and most films will never attain the perfect frame.

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VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

FASHION

BY IDOWU LAMI

TYPES W FOR EVERY MAN

ho else despises having their belongings crammed inside their pockets? I mean, no offence to pockets, but they can only take so much. Your keys, cellphone, sunglasses, and wallet, haven't even been inserted yet, and there's already no room. Let's not get started on the stains, limited mobility, and other issues. For this reason, we recommend any of these bag types to help you carry your daily essentials with a little more space.

Eugene Backpack NIKE

Image From Emmanuel Oyeleke

Acro Backpack BOTTEGA VENETA

FF Motif Holdall FENDI

Tunde Owolabi

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Rick Ross

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VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

FASHION Buckle Zip Tote LOEWE

Medium Tote GUCCI

Jeremiah 'Swanky' Jerry

Davido

Brown Leather Briefcase ASPINAL OF LONDON

Richard Mofe-Damijo

Logo-Debossed Leather Briefcase BERLUTI

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VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

SÓRÓSOKE DOWNTOWN

CALLEDOUT MUSIC: My Beautiful Reality Y

ou lived in Nigeria until you relocated at 12 years old. Tell us about your time in Nigeria.

It was an interesting experience for sure! I had lots of fun memories as well as others that shaped my adult life. Travelling from conference to conference with my Pastor-parents to learning to play the keyboard for the first time to being in the midst of the sharia war and seeing people get killed for their faith amid political and economic instability, growing up in Nigeria showed me everything. The good, the bad, the ugly and everything in-between.

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE As western and Nigerian culture continues to synchronise and the divide gets blurred out daily thanks to mass emigration, the entertainment industry’s music sector has experienced integration faster than others. For the non-secular music scene, it is a similar story; the exportation of our traditional Christian sound has also continued at Godspeed. One of the vehicles pushing on that front is ‘CalledOut Music.’

Born Samuel Nwachukwu in Nigeria, CalledOut Music is a MOBO award-winning music producer, singer/songwriter & multi-instrumentalist from Hampshire, England. Having released his third studio album a fortnight ago, he talks about leaving Nigeria at a tender age, adding afro elements to his renditions and merging genres, and building a globally diverse following of people called out by God, with a common goal: to spread His love through music.

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It must have not been very easy adapting to a new environment at such a young age. What are some of the biggest culture shocks you were met with?

Calling adults by their first names and them being okay with it. My mum once told me that outside the house was the UK, but inside was Nigeria, and I should understand the difference(laughs). No, but It was awesome adapting because of the freedom of thought that the country gives you. You can really decide to be whatever you want because the basic needs and wants a child needs are free and available. This is why my heart breaks when I think of some parts of my home country because the case isn’t the same. Nigeria is a country full of the smartest, most intelligent young children, and if they were given the essentials they need for learning, the country would regularly produce world changers. A big culture shift for me was seeing that I could be whoever I wanted to be.

Of course, you started from the church, but at what level did you go from contributing to the choir to recording as an artist?

I can’t really remember exactly when. It would’ve

been around 15 or 16 when I wrote my first song for my college project, and it got an A* - so I guess it was a sign that I wasn’t so bad at this. I officially released my first song, however, when I turned 21.

What’s the relationship with your fanbase (family) like? What’s their majority cultural background? Do you have interactive sessions with them a lot?

It’s very mixed right now. The following on social media is extremely diverse because we have created many different styles and music genres over the last few years. This has made the “family” a safe space for people of all nations to be a part of. A CalledOut Concert should be just like what heaven would look like. Every tribe and tongue coming together to praise the name of Jesus!

Tell us the story of how you came about CalledOut. Who was calling you out?

This question never gets old. CalledOut is not actually about me but about people. It’s what we’ve all been called to. To be representatives of Christ in our various fields but most importantly, to live in a way that draws other people to God. This, I feel, is the primary purpose of every believer, so the songs I create usually centre around making a decision to follow God and to live in a way that glorifies Him. You have collaborated with a few artists, and one of them is Ric Hassani. Do you think we would get more collaborations with secular artists?

He’s a good friend of mine, and the song we created was in line with the content I always push, which is Jesus. I’m down to work with anyone ready and passionate about creating music that points people to Christ.

The Afro element in your sound, do you want to tell us what that reflects? Because you could have taken a different route but still did it from home.

It’s a part of me because I grew up in Nigeria.

Though it’s not primarily my main genre that I create, I include many beautiful elements in my own music because it’s sweet to listen to. Afrobeats has become one of the world’s leading music genres, and it’s important to understand how to be dexteric enough to fuse certain elements when writing gospel music.

What should people look forward to in terms of taking this sound as far and wide as possible?

A lot of diverse content. I would love this particular wave to be on mainstream media platforms because it carries a great message. Ask me this again in 5 years; hopefully, I’d have a track record of what we’ve achieved! However, it’s baby steps for now.

You named Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond and Richard Smallwood as your influences. Who are some of your Nigerian influences?

Tim Godfrey, Ada Ehi, Jo-Deep, Folabi Nuel, Outburst Music from CCI, Nathaniel Bassey, Sinach - the list is endless. These guys inspire me daily with their creativity and drive to make music that is not just full of biblical truth but goes beyond the norm of what is expected from the modern gospel artist, and I love it all so much.

Let’s talk about your time in Nigeria, you said you were in Nigeria recently. How long? Tell us about the whole experience.

I was around for 10 days. It always feels great being home, and I get to connect with the music’s most incredible creatives and supporters. I also get to attend some amazing churches, which I watch virtually from the UK. I was blessed to visit Elevation Nigeria on my last visit, and I was treated so well by Pastor Godman and the entire team. I love making kingdom connections and look forward to creating many, many more.

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VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

DOWNTOWN CONFIDENTIAL

Who am I that She Was

MINDful of me?

IMAGE FROM PINTEREST

H

whereas some people identify intelligence as one of many potential turn-ons.

While there is no single test to determine if you are sapiosexual (since the label looks and feels different for everyone), here are several indicators that, in the opinion of experts, may point in that direction.

Intellectual conversations or debates are sexually arousing. If visiting bookstores, documentaries, or museums constitutes a good date for you, You are more interested in deep, inquisitive discourse than physical foreplay. Even if a possible companion has other good features, you reject them if they aren’t intellectually engaging. You enjoy testing your assumptions, and if emotional intelligence appeals to you, you are most likely sapiosexual. And your porn is probably staring at a human brain or the nebula. I wouldn’t claim that I am sapiosexual as you would have assumed, but what were the odds that someone would be drawn to my intelligence, and in the school library, no less. For the first time since I got my library card, I found myself in our prestigious library’s History and Literature aisle, searching for the right books to read so I’d ace this course and be done with it. I had a pile of books in my hands, all held in place with my chin. No, none of the books dropped to the ground, and a damsel came to help me pick them if that’s what you were thinking. The damsel came at the end. After four hours of intense studying– I still failed the course, but that’s not why we’re here; Ada is.

I had just left the atrium of the library.

I only intended to listen to music while sauntering to the school gate to catch a cab home. But Ada tapped my shoulder, completely upending my intentions. She was dark-skinned, was little, and majored in biology. Observing me struggling with a stack of books got her curious about me. “You aren’t one of Tunde the regulars,” she said after Owolabi Tunde I took off my headphones.

Owolabi Tunde Owolabi I explained that I wasn’t particularly into libraries and was only there because the lecturer only visited the class three times. We ended up learning more about each other as we walked to the A sapiosexual is someone who places gate. Ada asked if I minded IMAGE FROM CONSCIOUSREMINDER.COM little to no value on a person’s physical following her to her house appearance, gender, or sexual identity when we arrived at the taxi stand. but is attracted to them largely or exclusively I hesitated to say yes even though I because they are clever. For sapiosexuals, the was aware that I had nothing scheduled attraction to intelligence comes from the intellect itself, for when I got home, but I couldn’t just not from the prestige, wealth, or power often associated agree. She successfully convinced me, with intelligence. Although the terms sapiosexuality and and we went to her house. Her apartment sapiophile personality have slightly distinct connotations, had a preponderance of books and novels they are frequently used interchangeably. The definitions stacked on shelves. She was an avid of these identities, like all gender and sexual identities, reader, which I admired because why not? are subject to change over time, and they can also vary Apparently, through our conversations, somewhat from person to person. It’s crucial to always pay I exuded intelligence which wasn’t a lie attention to people, how they identify, and what their identity because I was intelligent–regardless of means to them. Sapiosexuality does not designate a point what my History and Literature graded me. on the sexual attraction spectrum between those who are According to her, I spoke eloquently, which romantically, emotionally, or sexually attracted to people of was a huge turn-on for her. She even asked different gender and those who are drawn to those who share me to read to her, which was abruptly cut their gender identity, in contrast to other sexual orientations short by her kissing me and us making like straight, bi, or gay. Instead, it refers to an attraction to love. I wasn’t quoting Hamlet or speaking gender-neutral intelligence that can exist alongside different Victorian English while eating her lady sexual orientations and gender identities. But sapiosexuality bits or anything like that, but it was nice to does have a continuum, much like other sexual orientations. be seen for my smarts and not my sexual Others require intellectual stimulation for sexual arousal, prowess for a change.

BY TILEWA KAZEEM

ave you ever been in the talking stage with someone and the person says, “I’m sapiosexual”, and you’re sitting there lost like your name is Hugo? Well then, you’re not alone. Although you’d find more people saying they’re sapiosexual, some still don’t know what it means. Sapio comes from the Latin word sapere, which means “to be wise” or “to have sense.” As for sexual…well, I’m pretty sure we know what it implies.

It’s no secret that intelligent people tend to attract our attention, whether they be friends or romantic partners. In terms of evolution, it makes perfect sense. Selecting a partner who could spot poison ivy and figure out a way out of a jam increases the likelihood of successfully raising offspring and allows their “good genes” to be passed on. One 2011 survey by ScienceDirect discovered that among the top three qualities people seek in a partner is intelligence. Therefore, even though the forms of intellect we are drawn to have evolved through time, the evolutionary origins are still very much present.

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VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

COVER

Afrobeat‘S’ to The World

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE & TILEWA KAZEEM

NIGERIA'S BIGGEST EXPORT COMES OF AGE Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy are three of the biggest names in entertainment, not only in Nigeria but also across the globe. When conversations on African music are had, it is almost impossible that these names don’t take centre stage. Lately, of all the genres in the world, Afrobeats, since its emergence, has become one of the most popular. A force to reckon with. But the journey has been a long one, something like a rollercoaster. To trace our steps back to the very beginning is to discuss the origin of music here in Nigeria. Before the acceptance of the “three musketeers,” Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy in Europe and America, a young man, Fela Kuti, (and his longtime partner, drummer, Tony Allen who is famous for creating the double beat you hear in Fela's records), was responsible for creating and exporting the sound as far back as the 1970s—albeit a fusion of several western sounds—both within and outside Nigeria. He named it Afrobeat; without an “s.”

History of Nigerian Sounds And The Birth of Afrobeat Before the formation of Afrobeat, Nigerian sounds (and West African by extension) consisted of genres such as Apala, Fuji, Jùjú, and Highlife (which originated in Ghana).

For a culturally rich country, it isn’t surprising that her gifted people made musical compositions that sounded sonically appealing from scratch. That is not to undermine the influence of colonisation in fine-tuning the sound. Brass instruments and woodwinds were early imports that played a vital role in developing Nigerian music, while the later importation of electric guitars spurred the popularisation of jùjú music.

Photo By Bernard Matussiere

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Fast-forward to the late 1950s, when Kuti left Lagos to study abroad at the London School of Music, where he was exposed to jazz. He returned Before the acceptance of the to Lagos and played a highlife“three musketeers,” Wizkid, jazz hybrid without commercial Davido and Burna Boy in success. The turning point in his sound would arrive when he, Europe and America, a young together with his band, went on man, Fela Kuti, (and his a trip to the United States and longtime partner, drummer came to the realisation that he Tony Allen who is famous for wasn’t playing African music. creating the double beat you On his return to Nigeria in the hear in Fela's records), was early ’70s, his sound changed to responsible for CREATING AND what is known today as Afrobeat.

Afrobeat combines West African EXPORTING A SOUND AS FAR musical styles (such as traditional BACK AS THE 1970S—ALBEIT Yoruba music and highlife) and A FUSION OF SEVERAL American funk, jazz, and soul WESTERN SOUNDS—BOTH influences, focusing on chanted WITHIN AND OUTSIDE vocals, complex intersecting NIGERIA. He named it rhythms, and percussion. The Afrobeat; without an “s.” name was partially borne out of an attempt to distinguish Fela Kuti’s music from the soul music of American artists such as James

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VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

COVER Brown. The genre instantly became Africa’s biggest export and has since influenced generations of artists all over the world. This, however, didn’t stop the importation of several western pop culture elements that threatened the growth and distribution of local content.

would play at parties, Nigerians would sing along word for word, but this only occurred within the borders of West Africa. Where it needed to be and where it was were miles apart.

Pop Culture Importation in The Late ’90s And The Eventual Shift Towards Local Content in The Early 2000s

At the time, blogs only cared about their profits and weren’t particularly interested in the genre, which ultimately whittled down revenue that was supposed to come from album sales. Physical copies that housed what was brewing on our side of the globe stayed within the confines of West Africa because they lacked outside interest. Broadcasting stations existed outside the continent that sought to further pollinate, but progress dragged its feet.

Between the late 90s and the early 2000s, indigenous content took a major backseat to foreign content. American genres such as Hip-hop, Pop and R&B dominated the airwaves, so to be cool meant being conversant with American music. But a shift began to happen in the early 2000s. Widely regarded as the pioneers of the new-age Afrobeats sound, groups such as Trybesmen, Plantashun Boiz, and The Remedies began to fuse modern western influences from hip-hop and R&B with local melodies. While this allowed them to build local audiences and create something relatable and authentic, it blocked them from a wider platform due to the language barriers in-place.

On the other end of the map, another movement was brewing. A strong appeal for original Nigerian sound was registered as Abdulrasheed ‘JJC Skillz’ Bello, a Nigerian-British who was a big act in the UK, switched directions from making traditional western songs to fusing more local Nigerian dialect in his music. This was the beginning of a back-and-forth relationship between musicians back home in Nigeria and the diaspora, which ended up in the eventual relocation (back home) of two of the biggest contributors to the genre—D’banj and Don Jazzy.

Its Christening; Afrobeats with the ‘s’ As the sound got bigger and spread across Europe, catering to Africans in the diaspora—Ghanaians were also heavily involved—there was an apparent need to classify it as a genre.

According to The Guardian, London-based DJ Abrantee was credited for coining the name “Afrobeats” to package and present the sound to a British audience. Of the name, DJ Abrantee stated, “I cannot say I invented Afrobeats. Afrobeats was invented before I was born. It was invented by Fela Kuti.

But what you’ve got to remember is the genre of music artists themselves are now producing — the likes of WizKid, Ice Prince, P-Square, Castro, and May7ven are calling their music Afrobeats. So that’s what I call it when I put them on my mix tapes.”

By Wikipedia definition, Afrobeats is an umbrella term to describe popular music from West Africa and the diaspora that initially developed in Nigeria, Ghana, and the UK in the 2000s and 2010s. Afrobeats, unlike Fela’s Afrobeat, is less of a style per se, and more of a descriptor for the fusion of sounds flowing out of Ghana and Nigeria. Genres such as hiplife, jùjú music, highlife and Naija beats, among others, were amalgamated under the ‘Afrobeats’ umbrella. It is more of an overarching term for the contemporary sound of African pop music and that of those influenced by it. Its christening has created a lot of divide between artists and music lovers alike over the years.

But the delay doesn’t always mean denial, and digitalisation came along and changed everything.

It all began with the creation of digital streaming platforms. This swung the once slightly ajar doors to the global market and audience wide open. Streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify allowed for the cataloguing of various sounds from around the world, including, of course, Afrobeats. The music industry has been shaken up by music streaming, drastically changing how consumers listen to and buy music.

Users of music streaming services can obtain music at a far lower cost than was previously feasible by paying a monthly subscription fee in exchange for access to millions of tracks from millions of artists across the globe.

Artists didn’t need to burn tracks into compact discs anymore. All they needed was to create a profile and upload them. This way, they could earn royalties directly through streams, reduce illegal downloads of the net, bypass piracy and monitor their growth.

DJ Abrantee

On the other end of the map, ANOTHER MOVEMENT WAS BREWING. A strong appeal for original Nigerian sound was registered as Abdulrasheed ‘JJC Skillz’ Bello, A NIGERIAN-BRITISH WHO WAS A BIG ACT IN THE UK, switched directions from making traditional western songs to fusing more local Nigerian dialect in his music.

This was the BEGINNING OF A BACK-AND-FORTH RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSICIANS BACK HOME IN NIGERIA AND THE DIASPORA

A notable disdain for this choice of name was from Yeni Kuti, daughter of Fela Kuti, who expressed distaste for the name ‘Afrobeats’ and instead preferred if people referred to it as “Nigerian Pop,” “Naija Afropop,” or “Nigerian Afropop.” More recently, several artists have defined their sounds differently.

Rema coined the term “Afrorave,” which is a subgenre of Afrobeats with influences of Arabian and Indian music—which was fascinating enough to end up in former US President Barack Obama’s yearly summer playlist. Mr Eazi refers to his music as ‘Banku Music’ to denote Ghana’s influence on his music (Banku is a Ghanaian dish). CKay personally dubbed his sound, ‘EmoAfrobeats,’ noting his music’s additional focus on emotional and romantic-focused lyricism. Self-acclaimed African Giant, Burna Boy explains his sound in an interview with Trevor Noah of The Daily Show extensively, with a pizza analogy. When asked what he meant by afro-fusion, the Grammy award winner responded, “so basically it’s like a pizza. What’s the main thing that every pizza needs? The flour, which constitutes the base. Afrobeat is the base. And then now, you can have any pizza you want, but you have the Afrobeat base. So there is the Hip-hop pepperoni, dancehall ham, and all types of flavours. I just kind of make a nice pizza.” But it doesn’t matter what it is called. Today, thanks to the advent of social media and digital streaming platforms, Afrobeats has witnessed a steady integration into the global pop culture.

The Digitalisation: Social Media and Digital Streaming Platforms Propagating The Gospel of Afrobeats The unorganised spread of Afrobeats in Nigeria slowed the genre’s expansion on a global scale. Accepted, the gospel’s preachers were recognised by name, and most people danced to their music. When P-Square or 2Face

The growth of social media over the last decade has also largely benefited the global exportation of Afrobeats. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have been major vehicles for shipping our sound to the global audience. Asides from being a medium for stans (devoted fans) to chatter about their favourite acts, further propagating the Afrobeats gospel to their counterparts in other continents, some platforms, majorly TikTok, have stripped away the veil of what has been and given it a fresh perspective. The genre has now become a movement that no one can afford to not be a part of. The lovelorn song, Love Nwantiti, by Nigerian-born musician CKay, reached the Top 40 in the United States last fall after being one of the most frequently searched songs on Shazam— an application that can identify music, movies, advertising, and television shows, based on a short sample played and using the microphone on the device—and dominating TikTok for months. This is a recurrent trend for several other Nigerian music acts.

Afrobeats has become one of the most sought-after commodities out of Africa.

One of the biggest effects of digital streaming platforms on the genre can be traced back to June 2018, when prominent American rapper Kanye West released his album titled Ye. Fans of Kanye West that searched for his album also came across Burna Boy’s song called Ye (released in January of the same year).

This led to a 200% spike in streams for Burna Boy, gaining over 11.2 million streams in the United States.

That marked the beginning of the mass exportation of his music, essentially giving him the global appeal that he now has today.

Collaborations And a Symbiotic Culture Sync Aiding The Genre’s Integration Into the Global Pop Culture Collaborations between Afrobeats artists and their

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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

COVER foreign counterparts weren’t something that happened right off the bat. Although the interaction has been documented as parasitic, with every indication pointing towards the fact that Afrobeats took a lot of its elements and influence from Western genres, the relationship is, in fact, symbiotic.

In a recently released Netflix original docuseries, Afrobeats: The Backstory, by Ayo Shonaiya—one of the pioneer stakeholders in the Nigerian music industry, the five-beat pattern (also loosely referred to as Ghana Bounce) was explored. This beat sequence was used by veteran American rapper Nas on his 1999 hit song Hate Me Now, produced by Grammy-nominated producer D-Moet. And its history can be traced back to African culture; it was a form of communication in Ghanaian villages known as Kpanlogo. That same beat pattern was used by ace producer and artist, Paul Play (Paul I.K Dairo) to produce one of the biggest Afrobeats songs of the early 2000s, Wetin Dey by hardcore rap duo, ‘Ruff, Rugged and Raw.’ When asked about the beat creation and the stunning semblance it shares with the D-Moet-produced Nas track, Paul Play said, “Wetin Dey was a way to create the bridge between African music and American music. I see some of the influences on most of these tracks that are being done by Americans, but I’m not sure that they are very bold enough to tell us that, you know, it came from us. I was watching Nas’s music video for Hate Me Now, and I was like, ‘okay, so these people are taking something from us.’”

According to Ayo Shonaiya, that beat is the backbone of Afrobeats.

That was the first of many interactions between the genre and the rest of the world. In June 2011, when D’banj got signed on Kanye West’s record label G.O.O.D Music, Nigerians celebrated it as a win for the industry. Around the same time, other Afrobeats leading acts such as 2Baba and P-Square also teamed up with American big names such as R. Kelly, Rick Ross, T.I and so on, providing the blueprint for a transcontinental collaboration that works. Even though it felt like a privileged thing to happen. Today, Afrobeats artists are sought after by the biggest names in world music who are looking to expand their market base and take advantage of Africa’s teeming population. A prime example is global superstar, Beyoncé, who released The Lion King: The Gift album to promote the release of the Lion King film by Disney, on July 19, 2019. The album featured artists such as Burna Boy, Mr Eazi, Wizkid, P2J, Yemi Alade, Maleek Berry, Tiwa Savage, and Ghana’s Shatta Wale.

Since the 2010s, we have also seen Canadian popstar, Drake, and American R&B artist, Chris Brown, forging recurring partnerships with the biggest names in Afrobeats.

This year has seen the relationship experience unprecedented growth. Recently, Afrobeats artist and two-time BET Award winner, Tems, became the first Nigerian artist in history to debut at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The fast-rising singer gained the milestone after featuring on American Hip-hop artist, Future’s hit song Wait For U. Sampling Tems’s vocals and featuring Drake on the song was all Future needed to achieve a global hit song and get his second entry on the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Music Journalist and host of the Afrobeats Intelligence podcast, Joey Akan, in a tweet one Tems’s success said, “The fact that her record was sampled to get here continues to prove that our only problem in the past was access and distribution. We have world-beating music right here!”

Ayo Shonaiya

Paul Play Dairo

Joey Akan

Despite its coming of age, a few challenges still plague the mainstream music industry, Afrobeats. Many young Nigerians desire extravagant jewellery, fast cars, private jets, accessories, and social acclaim that characterise the lifestyle of a celebrity. And as a result, they choose music as a viable career path, whether they possess the necessary skills or not; it doesn’t seem to matter to them. They often overlook the fact that being a recording artist,

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Given how many eager and hopeful young artists have repeatedly signed contract terms that set their careers back before they even began, the music industry is a dog-eat-dog one deeply rooted in extreme capitalism, and not many of them ever fully recover from it. Runtown and label Eric Manny Entertainment, Brymo and Chocolate City, Vector and YSG, Asa and Question Mark Records are some examples of notable artists who fall under this category. Today, this problem has been mitigated thanks to the increasing public education and sensitisation and the rise of entertainment lawyers.

As for the ones who evade the hullabaloo of contract breaches and become famous, they become lazy and nonchalant toward certain aspects of their craft- most significantly in concert performances. Although some of the show producers have to play their part in making sure that sound quality is world-class, many Afrobeats artists have built a lazy performance culture of lip-syncing through their sets. Recently, a fan took to social media to criticise Afrobeats artists, Omah Lay and Rema for lip-syncing instead of delivering a live performance at the Afrofest concert in Portugal. She also went on to address other artists to endeavour to care about those who pay to show up to their concerts and truly put on a worthy performance. And although Omah Lay apologised via Twitter, claiming it was a technical issue, it’s a recurring blemish that has stained the genre since its inception. Another challenge that has plagued Afrobeats thus far is punctuality or lack thereof. During the last end-of-the-year festive period colloquially referred to as detty December, several fans bemoaned their favourite artists’ trademark lack of punctuality that made onlookers wait for hours before they came on stage to perform.

What Does The Future Hold For The Nigerian Music Industry And Afrobeats?

According to Statista, revenue from music streaming in Africa is expected to reach $493 million by 2025. International artists will want to benefit financially from the Afrobeats zeitgeist, so they feature African artists to boost digital sales. This explains why international record labels and distribution entities such as Universal, Sony and Warner Music have invested heavily into Afrobeats artists since the late 2010s.

Still a Few Challenges: An Imperfect Legal Framework And a Lazy Performance Culture

The growth of social media over the last decade has also largely benefited the GLOBAL EXPORTATION OF AFROBEATS. PLATFORMS LIKE INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK HAVE BEEN MAJOR VEHICLES FOR SHIPPING OUR SOUND TO THE GLOBAL AUDIENCE. Asides from being a medium for stans (devoted fans) to chatter about their favourite acts, further PROPAGATING THE AFROBEATS GOSPEL TO THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN OTHER CONTINENTS, some platforms, majorly TikTok, have stripped away the veil of what has been and given it a fresh perspective

Obi Asika

regardless of the genre, requires much more than just skill, and there are obstacles in your path designed to trip you up and prevent you from rising again. It’s neither a get-rich-quick plan nor a program to combat poverty for those who believe pursuing a career in law or medicine is more challenging.

It’s a brutal field that can swiftly swallow you whole and spit you out in the same breath.

One-time DOWNTOWN cover star Obi Asika had this to say about the progress the industry has made. “I wouldn’t say we’ve arrived yet; I’d say we’re on the upward curve, but we’ve gone further than we’ve ever gone before. So I don’t want anyone getting complacent that we’ve arrived. When we’ve arrived is when we have 50 global artists that can tour 100 dates a year worldwide. Right now we have just two or three who are getting to that stage. This generation has taken it further than any before them, and that has to be celebrated.”

You can’t help but concur with him on this. It’s nearly impossible not to be optimistic about the future of Afrobeats. This multimillion-dollar sector has made great advances over the past decade to ensure that we, as Africans first and Nigerians second, compete at the big boys’ table with the biggest names in international entertainment.

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

LIVING

BY SOPHIA EDISI

W

hatever you plan for your home’s interiors is undoubtedly incomplete without a touch of art. To create a unique look, surround your home with enchanting art pieces paired with the ideal frames to create the perfect atmosphere by combining different layouts of designs that suit all rooms and fit the overall aesthetic and furniture of your choice. These are the things that you don’t always think about.

Still, they make all the difference, giving you that 100% perfect stylish look. Try a mix of culture, modern, creative, African or traditional arts, sculptures and crafts to elevate the atmospheric feeling of warmth, luxury and life to your home.

CONTEMPORARY, COOL & CREATIVE

LUXURIOUS, CLASSY & ELEGANCE Elevate your space and bring charm to your surroundings with arts that exude elegance. They are features of modern style frames that blend perfectly with the environment. Its beauty is in the simplicity of design, with a clean and balanced aesthetic that’s stylish on pale walls. Add a touch of stunning flowers to create an ambience of elegance and beyond.

BOLD, BREATHTAKING & BEAUTIFUL Arts with coordinated colours will allow you to transform your space when the sun goes down. These rich colours under moody lighting or chandeliers create breathtaking scenery and great contrast suitable for vast open spaces. Bright and airy colours make the perfect setting for utter comfort and style, best paired with the traditional wooden aesthetic and carpet.

Art by Kimathi Mafafo

THE IMAGINATIVE MIND Transform your living room space into your very own theme world with the imaginative mind of an artist. The perfect touch for exceptionally spacious sitting areas, which can enhance an array of styles. It sets the mood for an experience of intrusive thoughts.

Art by Kojo Marfo

Art by Abdias Ngateu

RELAXED, ROMANTIC & REFRESHING

DARING & DRAMATIC

Enjoy an aura of romance with delicate and passionate pieces of art that boasts and comforts your living space. If you wish to enjoy the informal art in a cosy, relaxed home under the romance canvas, you can see the beauty in details; unique, timeless and authentic art that brings back memories as you lived them.

Art by Abe Odedina

Have your home surrounded by warm cultural arts to have an atmosphere that brings the spirit of creativity to life. This kind of artwork draws its inspiration from nature, offering a private slice of paradise to your home, allowing you to immerse yourself in the cultural heritage. It’s perfect for contemporary interiors with magnificent views from every angle of your living room.

You can incorporate a single colour theme frame on a bland canvas where the main focal point in your living room is the design that makes all the difference. It’s often so quite catchy. The generous dimensions provide a sense of luxury to your minimalist home.

Art by Jon Godly

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L &

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

BEAUTY

BY SOPHIA EDISI The nail industry is always at the forefront of creative innovation. Over the years, we haveseen how revolutionised the nail care industry has become. Professional nail brandsprovide leadingtechnologies, unerring designs such as high-definition gel shine that glowsin the dark, and state-ofthe-art accessories for professionals to give you an exceptional manicure experience. What you need is a nail technician who is committed to providing premium services with high-quality products in rich colours and shades to enable you to elevate your sense of self through the power of nail art

STAMPING Create professional nail art in minutes with the stamping technique. Explore the range of endless quality nail stamping plates that feature the most wanted prints, patterns, floras and more in vibrant colours for natural and artificial nails.

Zodiac Stamping Nail Art Plate Collection & Gel Polish MOYOU LONDON

Vinylux Long Wear Polish CND WORLD

Shellac Nail Trio CND WORLD

RHINESTONE Rhinestones are the perfect nail art. They are an exciting, versatile and beautiful way of transforming your fingers and toes into unique sparkling nail art. This allows you to create fabulous 3D designs combined with pearls or glitters to create a unique vibe.

NOVINA Rhinestones

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Peach Crystal Rhinestone

THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

BEAUTY

SCULPTING POWDER

PLATINUM GELS This highly pigmented gel is extremely concentrated. You only require the smallest amount for full nail coverage and have superior iridescent colour choices. These are used for delicate and intense artwork to add that perfect finishing touch to your nails. It’s gorgeous nail art that shows your personality and mood.

They are highly pigmented powders that offer full coverage when applied to the top coat. The high pigmentation creates intense colour for 3D but still retains the strength for sculpting and tip extension. It can also be applied in thin layers for finely detailed art.

Reflective MultiChrome Gel Polish

Chrome & Glitter Nail Art Design

Nature Strong Gel Collections O.P.I

The Master Acrylic Nail Powder STAR NAILS

FOIL This nail art technique entails applying foil over painted nails to create exciting designs.

With the use of foil, you can create a variety of designs on any nails. These designs can be any pattern or colour and are easily attached to the nail using a foil adhesive and then simply pressing it on.

Metallic Lace Nail Art Foil

Sometimes a sheen nail polish isn’t just enough; that’s why you need the extra help of sequins and glitters to sparkle everywhere you go for an eye-catching 3D nail design.

With tons of different sequins and glitter to consider, from craft glitter sequins to confetti, the super shiny products are great if you desire extra attention.

Create fun, dreamy nails with lightweight flakes that enable a colour-changing effect on the nail and are perfect for incorporating with other nail art. This shifts colours at different angles of light. Use it to create a soft design over a clear nail polish on the nails.

Radiant Pearlescent Glitter Powder

Sequins Nail Art

Abstract & Marble Art Designs

ART FLAKES

SEQUINS AND GLITTER

Radiant Glitter Powder

Nail Art Foil

Ultimate Nail Art Brush Set LECENTE

Winter SnowFlake Nail Art Design

Multi Glitz Sequins LECENTE

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VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

FEATURE

THE

HORRID TALES OF NIGERIAN

RECORD LABELS

Five Disputes That Have Rocked The Music Scene

BY KEHINDÉ FAGBULE

M

oney, they say, is the root of all evil. We know just how much mistrust, and strain money conversations bring to relationships. Over the past couple of decades, the music industry has witnessed feuds between artists and their record labels. These disputes are often traced to disagreements over royalties, collaborations with other artists, performance rights, unfair treatment by record labels, decisions by artists to opt-out of the recording contract, and so on.

Frequently artists feel cheated by their record labels and would normally take steps to terminate a recording contract they had signed without a lawyer’s supervision, due to desperation for success and fame, to either switch labels or set up theirs. This, of course, is never welcomed by the record label managements who do everything in their power to keep their ‘cash cow’ riveted to their book. Because the labels call the shots regarding the contract, the terms therein are often in their favour.

When these artists become big, they sometimes demand renegotiations to reflect their newly acquired status. Sometimes the labels accept the new terms, and everyone is happy. Other times they don’t. Most Nigerian record labels insist that they have invested a lot of money in the artists and are entitled to every kobo.

In Nigeria, we have had our fair share of label drama that has sometimes seen either or both parties come out of it strongly, and the ones that don’t, well, we can only ask the ‘what ifs.’

Here are five record label disputes to have gained mainstream attention in the music scene.

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THEWILL DOWNTOWN • www.thewilldowntown.com

VOL 2 NO. 29 • JULY 17 - JULY 23, 2022

FEATURE Kizz Daniel Vs. G-Worldwide When Kizz Daniel came into the music scene with his hit song Woju in 2014, he was signed to G-Worldwide, owned by Festus Ehimare. Three years later, he was embroiled in a gruelling battle with the record label. According to reports, the reason for the split was the artist’s disregard for the 7-year contract he had signed in 2013. Kizz Daniel, however, forced his way out of the label before his contract expiry date of 2020.

On the defendant’s (Kizz Daniel) part, Festus Ehimare & Kizz Daniel he was under several restrictions and funds mismanagement. The label wouldn’t allow him to collaborate with other artists, and rumour had it that he was being paid thirty thousand naira monthly in salary, despite his huge success following the release of his Headies-winning 2016 album, New Era. This feud led to a court case that led the artist to change his name from ‘Kiss Daniel’ to ‘Kizz Daniel’.

The singer would later start up his own record label, Flyboy Inc Entertainment, in 2017, and although the embargo was lifted on song release, he was stopped from performing throughout the usually busy festive period of December.

Five years later now, Kizz Daniel, born as Oluwatobiloba Daniel Anidugbe, seems to have won, having dropped two studio albums and an EP under his own label and has the overall autonomy on profit sharing.

Brymo Vs. Chocolate City Alternative music artist, Olawale Ol f r , popularly referred to as Brymo, was signed to Chocolate City in 2011, and he released his debut album, Son of A Carpenter, under the label.

Shortly after the release of his album, he exited the label in 2013, accusing them of failing to promote his project and sidetracking him.

The label then came out with its own side of the story, claiming that the artist had breached a five-year contract that required him to release Brymo & Audu Maikori three albums before 2016. They also said the fallout was because of the artist’s stubbornness and active passion for promoting Indian hemp on his social media accounts, which made him lose a potential 20 million naira endorsement deal with a telecoms company as a result.

Brymo quit the label on Twitter and called out Audu Maikori, founder and then CEO of Chocolate City.

Exasperated, the label sued the artist and got an injunction that prevented him from leaving the label and claimed every one of his recordings. For long, Brymo could neither put out any material nor make money.

In 2014, a judge lifted the injunction, and the artist could release songs again.

But due to the forced hiatus, the damage had already been done to his brand and finances.

Two years later, when his contract was originally stipulated to end, the Chocolate City Entertainment Company reportedly said it invested almost 20 million naira on the artist but failed to recoup up to 3 million naira. Hence, this led to a legal battle with Brymo being sued for 100 million naira.

Asa Vs. Question Mark Records Many people don’t know that Bukola Elemide, popularly known as Asa, is a product of a reality TV competition. In 2002, she competed in the first season of Star Quest but did not advance beyond the preliminary stage.

However, this didn’t stop her as she went on to forge a working relationship with Cobhams Asuquo, who happened to be Question Mark’s in-house producer at the time. Together, they made Asa & Kevin Luciano her first major single, Eye Adaba, which launched her career and brought Question Mark Records into the limelight. The relationship turned sour almost immediately, though.

It was reported that the label’s CEO, Kevin Luciano, allegedly threatened Asa’s life, adding to the claims that the label was trying to sign her onto a foreign deal without her consent. She left them in 2006 without releasing an album.

Question Mark responded, claiming to still own her materials as she was still contractually bound to them. They claimed they had spent over 14 million naira on her, bought her a car and gave her accommodation, but were yet to get their return on investment.

In a bid to make money off of her works, Question Mark Records released her songs in an album titled The Captivator, again, without the artist’s consent.

Asa, who was born in Paris, took off to her place of birth, where she hooked up with Naïve records— a multi-million Naira deal, on whose platform she released her debut album, Asa, an eponym of herself, in December 2007. It featured some of the songs in the previously released The Captivator.

The beef didn’t end there. In 2012, Question Mark released another album in her name titled Down on Me, which prompted Asa to call them out on Twitter as criminals. She sought legal action, and even though sales did not stop immediately, promotions for the album did not continue.

Today, Asa is one of the biggest names in Nigeria’s rich music history.

May D Vs. Square Records Unlike most disputes that result in the artists abandoning their contracts and walking out of their deals, Square records sacked their flagship artist, Akinmayokun Awodumil, popularly known as May D, in 2012—less than a year after he was signed in 2011.

Label executive, Jude Okoye announced in a terse statement that irreconcilable differences were the reason for the ‘sacking’. According to the label, May D was dropped because he was not as profitable as they thought he would be.

In January 2013, Jude Okoye told HipOn TV, “We sign in artistes as our way of giving back to the society, May D & Jude Okoye and by the time they become known, we let them be.

However, when May D came in, he wanted more than that; he wanted to be P-Square, a name that we have struggled to build for years…”

It didn’t seem like that was all, however, as the label went a step further to delete his songs from YouTube, sparking outrage from fans of May D who thought they were being wicked.

On the other hand, May D, who played an integral part as a songwriter on their (P-Square’s) award-winning Invasion album, most notably the hit single Chop My Money featuring international superstar, Akon, claimed he didn’t get a prior notice before his sack and just like the rest of us, found out about it online.

May D would eventually speak up on what exactly happened in 2020, eight years after his dismissal. He took to his Twitter account and wrote, “For your information, I was staying in their boys’ quarters with their driver, and their cook, just one room, all of us shared a toilet, and I had big songs, and also the other side of their twin duplex was empty! Now! I slept on a brand new television carton and used my shirt as cover cloth.”

May D has since struggled to attain his previous heights even after announcing a partnership with Davido’s DMW Record label.

Vector Vs. YSG For almost four years, the bromance between Vector and YSG record label (a division of Young Shall Grow Motors) CEO, Obiora Obianodo—first son of the transport guru, Chief Vincent Obianodo— seemed like a match made in music heaven.

According to reports, problems began after the rapper expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of his development and the label’s casual attitude toward his career and demanded a turnaround in operations. He suggested that they employ more professionals and when they refused, Vector hired people and paid them from his pocket. This was the start of a tension that OObiora Obianodo & Vector quickly escalated.

When Vector went on a self-sponsored vacation in the United States, he returned home to his label boss’s hostility. Although Vector denied the accusations, he received an invitation letter from the Commissioner of Police of Lagos State and was summoned to the Area-E Command in Lagos.

On getting there, he was presented with a “breach of contract” petition, claiming that he had engaged external hands to work for him. His parents got involved, as his dad is a retired police officer, and it was settled amicably.

Feeling unsafe and threatened, Vector surrendered the car and apartment YSG had provided for him and went about his daily life until – at a video shoot for a song he was featured on – he was arrested and detained till his lawyers came through.

The label went ahead to file an injunction against Vector at a Federal High Court, stopping him from recording, composing or releasing any material as a recording artist. For nine months, his career stalled as he battled the injunction until both parties decided to settle out of court – with Vector buying out his contract at a discounted rate.

The whole debacle ended with the artist writing an open letter where he apologised to the label for ‘everything’.

The incident evidently affected the artist’s career until a few years later, when he could wriggle his way out of the mess.

Record label disputes are the biggest form of controversy within the music scene. They get so messy that often, both parties don’t come out of it as relevant as they used to be.

In the cases of Cynthia Morgan Vs. Jude Okoye, Temmie Ovwasa Vs. YBNL Records, Iyanya Vs. Triple MG and Sean Tizzle Vs. D’Tunes, the artists never enjoyed the level of success that they did before the publicised feuds. In the cases of Runtown Vs. Eric Many Entertainment, YCee Vs. Tinny Entertainment and Kizz Daniel Vs. G-Worldwide, the artists have continued to soar, leaving their previous record labels behind in oblivion. It’s not all bad blood, however, as afrobeats legends, Tuface and Wizkid have shown how to leave record labels amicably.

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VOL 2 NO. 29 27 • JULY 17 3 - JULY - JULY9,23, 2022 2022

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

WATCH OF THE WEEK:

MOVIE REVIEW:

Thor: Love and Thunder D

irector Taika Waititi is an artist with many talents, but one of his great accomplishments has been inserting mischief into the MCU. His 2017 film Thor: Ragnarok was subversive, surprising and exhilarating with a touch of absurdist humour, which humanised the characters. Who can forget Thor and the Hulk raging at each other and then sitting side by side, talking about their emotions and making up? This mix of sweet, sincere, melancholic and ultimately hopeful defines the Waititi oeuvre. His films — even the one about Nazis, Jojo Rabbit — hold a kernel of joy in their heart. And Waititi functions like a conductor, blending these disparate tonalities into one satisfying symphony.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), of course, places other burdens on this already delicate narrative design – a sea of stars, massive budgets, CGI battles, referencing older films and characters, and seeding future instalments. In Thor: Ragnarok, Waititi delivered on all fronts without losing his distinctive voice. Love and Thunder brims with the same eccentricity – case in point: Thor’s intergalactic Viking ship is pulled by two giant goats named Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder. But Waititi’s signature alchemy seems to buckle under the shifting moods of the script he has co-written with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. I left the cinema with a nagging feeling something was missing from this movie. Thor: Love and Thunder has bursts of momentum, but the film doesn’t soar.

This is the 29th film in the MCU and the fourth in the Thor franchise.

The most delightful aspect of Love and Thunder is the return of Natalie Portman as Dr. Jane Foster, Thor’s first love and the one that got away.

Jane, who was last seen in Avengers: Endgame in 2019, fulfils her destiny by transforming into the Mighty Thor.

Not only is she a superhero, but she’s also wielding Thor’s ex-weapon, the hammer Mjolnir. In the years since they last met, Thor has successfully hardened his heart and pushed away everyone who came too close.

He fills the sadness within him with umpteen battles. As Peter Quill of the Guardians of the Galaxy tells him, “After thousands of years, you don’t know who you are.”

The return of Jane provides Thor with the opportunity to answer that question. The film gets the bulk of its emotional weight from their romance.

Chris Hemsworth and Portman are lovely together. There is an awkward sweetness to their interactions. At one point, Thor tells Jane about their

parting, “We both left, and both got left.” But the sparkle is lined with ache because, of course, it cannot last. Among the many things that threaten them is a villain named Gorr the God Butcher – the name explains the rest of the plot. Now, Thor, teaming up with Mighty Thor, Valkyrie and the rock warrior Korg, must make sure he doesn’t succeed.

Gorr, played by Christian Bale, is a solid villain. His fury is rooted in personal tragedy. His suffering has distorted his devotion – he is hellbent on destruction not because he seeks power but because he seeks some relief from his pain.

However, he is grossly under-used; the film doesn’t give him enough memorable lines or moments. So is Valkyrie, played by a smashing Tessa Thompson. The tough-talking, hard-drinking warrior who is struggling with her own wounds, is king of the new Asgard. Yet we don’t see her do enough.

However, the larger problem plaguing Thor: Love and Thunder is that the many moving parts don’t cohere into an organic whole.

The visuals are more inventive than the story, which lurches like a drunk from themes that are desperately tragic to jokes which don’t land (or are done too many times). Like the shrieking goats. Or the love triangle between Thor, his hammer Mjolnir and his current weapon, Stormbreaker.

We are told that Thor and his warriors “fight the good fight for those who can’t fight good.” But soon enough, the various CGI battles blur into each other. What stays is the poignant ending. Thor comes to understand that it is indeed better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Love delivers redemption, even for the worst among us. It’s just a bit sad that the film isn’t as good as it should be.

In an interview, Waititi described Thor: Love and Thunder as “the craziest film I’ve ever done.” He said, “If you wrote down all the elements of this film, it shouldn’t make sense.” It doesn’t.

6.5/10

THE SEA BEAST crew’s ship, The Inevitable. As The Inevitable sails on to face their most dangerous monster yet, known as The Red Bluster, they discover a stowaway in Maisie Brumble (Zaris-Angel Hator), an orphan girl who worships the stories of Captain Crow and his impressive crew. As Maisie goes on this adventure with her heroes, she starts to see how the tales she’s read all these years might not be the whole truth, and that maybe these sea monsters aren’t actually monsters at all.

N

etflix Animation has certainly had its ups and downs in the relatively few years the streaming service has been making its own animated content. The streaming service has worked with directors who previously worked for Disney, Universal, and other major animation studios. And while Netflix has been nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars for films like Klaus and Over the Moon, they have yet to have a film that has become a massive hit for them. Especially with Netflix cancelling animation projects earlier this year, it seemed like the great Netflix animated original might never come to pass.

Yet the outlook for Netflix Animation in 2022 looks surprisingly robust.

Helping this sea change is The Sea Beast, from Chris Williams, director of Disney’s Bolt, Big Hero 6, and Moana. Williams’ work was essential to the changing opinions of Disney moving towards computer animation, and with his first film with Netflix, it seems like he might be helping do the same thing for the streaming service.

The Sea Beast takes to the water and follows Captain Crow (voiced by Jared Harris) and his crew of sea monster hunters that includes Jacob Holland (Karl Urban), Crow’s second-in-command and the closest thing he’s ever had to a son, and Sarah Sharp (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), a badass swordsman aboard the

Williams, who also co-wrote The Sea Beast with Nell Benjamin, certainly brings some of his Disney flair to this latest venture. Maisie’s discovery that the world she once believed in has echoes of Bolt, the unity of The Inevitable reminds me of Big Hero 6, and the sea-bound adventure clearly reminds me of Moana. But especially compared to the other animated Netflix Original films, The Sea Beast has more of that magic that made Williams’ films for Disney so wonderful, even if it never quite gets to the quality of his previous work.

Thankfully, the screenplay of The Sea Beast makes it special, as Williams

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and Benjamin explore the idea of revisionist history and how so much of history is defined by who is telling these stories. The Sea Beast is also fittingly saltier than your standard animated film, with slightly surprising dialogue and an understandably relaxed take on alcohol—a rarity for what is essentially a kid’s film. But The Sea Beast’s best scenes come in the quieter moments, as Jacob and Maisie have to reckon with the realities of their worlds not being what they originally thought.

The Sea Beast doesn’t necessarily mark a complete shift in quality for Netflix Animation, but it certainly seems like a step in the right direction for the company’s animated projects. The Sea Beast might not become the gigantic animation success Netflix is hoping for, but it definitely looks like the tides are starting to change in their favour.

The Sea Beast is now available to stream on Netflix.

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