I’m not looking for a relationship - Miss Nigeria

The first runner-up at the recent Miss Universe pageant, Chidimma Adetshina has revealed her lack of interest in pursuing a romantic relationship at this time.

The 23-year-old South African-born Nigerian model shared insights about her personal life during a recent interview on Your View.

When asked about the surge in male attention following her rise to fame, Adetshina responded candidly: “I am not looking for a relationship.”

While she refrained from providing additional details about her love life, rumours persist that she may already be romantically involved.

Adetshina’s journey has been marked by both personal and professional milestones.

Earlier this year, she went through a divorce, citing ideological differences, and is a devoted mother to a young child.

Her rise to prominence was not without challenges. Born to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, Adetshina faced backlash during her participation in the Miss South Africa pageant, which she eventually withdrew from due to criticism over her nationality.

However, the Silverbird Group, organizers of Miss Universe Nigeria, recognized her talent and invited her to compete in their pageant.

She was crowned Miss Universe Nigeria and went on to make history as the first Nigerian to achieve the first runner-up position at the global Miss Universe pageant.

In November, Adetshina announced her decision to take a step back from pageantry to focus on other aspirations.

“I want to put pageantry aside for now and focus more on my education and establishing who Chidimma truly is,” she said. “I want to delve more into runway modeling, acting, and explore many other areas. There are so many things I would like to try and see where my potential can take me.”

VANGUARD

I’m not looking for a relationship - Miss Nigeria

The first runner-up at the recent Miss Universe pageant, Chidimma Adetshina has revealed her lack of interest in pursuing a romantic relationship at this time.

The 23-year-old South African-born Nigerian model shared insights about her personal life during a recent interview on Your View.

When asked about the surge in male attention following her rise to fame, Adetshina responded candidly: “I am not looking for a relationship.”

While she refrained from providing additional details about her love life, rumours persist that she may already be romantically involved.

Adetshina’s journey has been marked by both personal and professional milestones.

Earlier this year, she went through a divorce, citing ideological differences, and is a devoted mother to a young child.

Her rise to prominence was not without challenges. Born to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, Adetshina faced backlash during her participation in the Miss South Africa pageant, which she eventually withdrew from due to criticism over her nationality.

However, the Silverbird Group, organizers of Miss Universe Nigeria, recognized her talent and invited her to compete in their pageant.

She was crowned Miss Universe Nigeria and went on to make history as the first Nigerian to achieve the first runner-up position at the global Miss Universe pageant.

In November, Adetshina announced her decision to take a step back from pageantry to focus on other aspirations.

“I want to put pageantry aside for now and focus more on my education and establishing who Chidimma truly is,” she said. “I want to delve more into runway modeling, acting, and explore many other areas. There are so many things I would like to try and see where my potential can take me.”

VANGUARD

Hudson Meek dies at 16 after falling from moving vehicle

Hudson Meek, an actor who notably appeared in the 2017 film “Baby Driver” and voiced the character Bada in the preschool series “Badanamu Stories,” has died after a fatal accident involving a moving vehicle

According to a statement released by the Jefferson County coroner’s office, Meek, 16, fell from a car in motion in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on the evening of December 19.

He suffered severe blunt force injuries and was rushed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries two days later.

The Vestavia Hills Police Department has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Meek’s tragic death.

While representatives from the Police Department have not yet commented on the incident, the coroner’s office confirmed that an inquiry is underway.

“Our hearts are broken to share that Hudson Meek went home to be with Jesus tonight,” Meek’s family wrote Saturday in a statement on his Instagram page.

“His 16 years on this earth were far too short, but he accomplished so much and significantly impacted everyone he met.”

Meek’s family described his death as a sudden and tragic loss. In his official obituary, the family noted that the teen was an organ donor and his family was comforted “by knowing that he will continue to help others for years to come.”

His family did not mention his cause or manner of death in the obituary.

Meek played a younger version of Ansel Elgort’s Baby in the 2017 action-drama “Baby Driver.”

VANGUARD

Hudson Meek dies at 16 after falling from moving vehicle

Hudson Meek, an actor who notably appeared in the 2017 film “Baby Driver” and voiced the character Bada in the preschool series “Badanamu Stories,” has died after a fatal accident involving a moving vehicle

According to a statement released by the Jefferson County coroner’s office, Meek, 16, fell from a car in motion in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on the evening of December 19.

He suffered severe blunt force injuries and was rushed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries two days later.

The Vestavia Hills Police Department has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Meek’s tragic death.

While representatives from the Police Department have not yet commented on the incident, the coroner’s office confirmed that an inquiry is underway.

“Our hearts are broken to share that Hudson Meek went home to be with Jesus tonight,” Meek’s family wrote Saturday in a statement on his Instagram page.

“His 16 years on this earth were far too short, but he accomplished so much and significantly impacted everyone he met.”

Meek’s family described his death as a sudden and tragic loss. In his official obituary, the family noted that the teen was an organ donor and his family was comforted “by knowing that he will continue to help others for years to come.”

His family did not mention his cause or manner of death in the obituary.

Meek played a younger version of Ansel Elgort’s Baby in the 2017 action-drama “Baby Driver.”

VANGUARD

WAP CEO tackles Netflix, re-echoes Nollywood stakeholders’ hypocrisy.

Chief Wale Adenuga, Chairman of Wale Adenuga Productions, has expressed concerns about Netflix’s activities in Nigeria, echoing the sentiments of some Nollywood stakeholders.

WAP boss attributes the streaming giant’s challenges in the country to its flawed approach.

In a commentary shared with NollyNow, Adenuga blames the platform’s third-party arrangement and lack of direct dealings with content creators.

He argues that Netflix’s reliance on connections and fame rather than creativity and quality has led to the selection of mediocre films. He claims that this approach has resulted in the platform featuring sub-par content that fails to represent the best of Nigerian cinema.

Adenuga recommends that Netflix should adopt an open and transparent selection process, encourage submissions from all Nigerian producers, regardless of background or connections and sponsor high-quality productions that showcase the best of Nigerian storytelling.

By doing so, Adenuga believes Netflix can correct its mistakes and establish a stronger presence in the Nigerian market.

“The problem lies in the corrupted and poor selection process of movies. Without a shadow of doubt, I believe that Netflix and similar platforms based their acquisitions more on how famous and connected the producers were, rather than the creativity and quality of the films themselves. It almost became a cult-like system, an oligarchy.

“Open the challenge to all Nigerian producers, male, female, rich, poor, the loud and the humble. Let them submit synopses of their work, coupled with —perhaps one-hour productions—and sift through them to find the best, the ones Nigerians would truly be proud of, and offer sponsorship,” Adenuga posited.

VANGUARD

WAP CEO tackles Netflix, re-echoes Nollywood stakeholders’ hypocrisy.

Chief Wale Adenuga, Chairman of Wale Adenuga Productions, has expressed concerns about Netflix’s activities in Nigeria, echoing the sentiments of some Nollywood stakeholders.

WAP boss attributes the streaming giant’s challenges in the country to its flawed approach.

In a commentary shared with NollyNow, Adenuga blames the platform’s third-party arrangement and lack of direct dealings with content creators.

He argues that Netflix’s reliance on connections and fame rather than creativity and quality has led to the selection of mediocre films. He claims that this approach has resulted in the platform featuring sub-par content that fails to represent the best of Nigerian cinema.

Adenuga recommends that Netflix should adopt an open and transparent selection process, encourage submissions from all Nigerian producers, regardless of background or connections and sponsor high-quality productions that showcase the best of Nigerian storytelling.

By doing so, Adenuga believes Netflix can correct its mistakes and establish a stronger presence in the Nigerian market.

“The problem lies in the corrupted and poor selection process of movies. Without a shadow of doubt, I believe that Netflix and similar platforms based their acquisitions more on how famous and connected the producers were, rather than the creativity and quality of the films themselves. It almost became a cult-like system, an oligarchy.

“Open the challenge to all Nigerian producers, male, female, rich, poor, the loud and the humble. Let them submit synopses of their work, coupled with —perhaps one-hour productions—and sift through them to find the best, the ones Nigerians would truly be proud of, and offer sponsorship,” Adenuga posited.

VANGUARD

Jay-Z’s Attorney Demands Accuser in Rape Lawsuit Reveal Identity or Drop Case

In the lawsuit, originally filed in October, a woman identified only as “Jane Doe”sued Sean “Diddy”Combs for allegedly raping her at a party following the the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, when she was 13. The suit was amended on Sunday to include the allegation that Jay-Z aka Shawn Carter was also present and participated in the assault.

Jay-Z’s lawyer Alex Spiro said in a filing in Manhattan federal court on Monday that the Jane Doe has not provided substantial evidence to justify her anonymity, saying her “vague assertions of potential harm fall far short of the stringent requirements.”

Mr. Carter deserves to know the identity of the person who is effectively accusing him in sensationalized, publicity-hunting fashion of criminal conduct, demanding massive financial compensation and tarnishing a reputation earned over decades,”Spiro wrote. “He has never been accused of, let alone engaged in, any sexual misconduct.”

Spiro also pointed to other sexual misconduct lawsuits against Combs who was recently denied bail for a third time as he awaits trial for sex trafficking charges brought forward by this woman’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, which Spiro said do not meet the criteria to proceed anonymously.

In a statement on social media Sunday, Jay-Z wrote that he had anonymously sued Buzbee, claiming that the lawyer was trying to blackmail him. 

When Buzbee wrote that he had sent a request for mediation to resolve the matter, Jay-Z responded saying, “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle.”

Jay-Z’s Attorney Demands Accuser in Rape Lawsuit Reveal Identity or Drop Case

In the lawsuit, originally filed in October, a woman identified only as “Jane Doe”sued Sean “Diddy”Combs for allegedly raping her at a party following the the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, when she was 13. The suit was amended on Sunday to include the allegation that Jay-Z aka Shawn Carter was also present and participated in the assault.

Jay-Z’s lawyer Alex Spiro said in a filing in Manhattan federal court on Monday that the Jane Doe has not provided substantial evidence to justify her anonymity, saying her “vague assertions of potential harm fall far short of the stringent requirements.”

Mr. Carter deserves to know the identity of the person who is effectively accusing him in sensationalized, publicity-hunting fashion of criminal conduct, demanding massive financial compensation and tarnishing a reputation earned over decades,”Spiro wrote. “He has never been accused of, let alone engaged in, any sexual misconduct.”

Spiro also pointed to other sexual misconduct lawsuits against Combs who was recently denied bail for a third time as he awaits trial for sex trafficking charges brought forward by this woman’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, which Spiro said do not meet the criteria to proceed anonymously.

In a statement on social media Sunday, Jay-Z wrote that he had anonymously sued Buzbee, claiming that the lawyer was trying to blackmail him. 

When Buzbee wrote that he had sent a request for mediation to resolve the matter, Jay-Z responded saying, “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle.”

Funke Akindele premieres “Everybody Loves Jenifa” amid glitz and glamour.

It was an electrifying Sunday evening as casts and crew as well as fans of the much awaited Nollywood blockbuster,”Everybody Loves Jenifa”, by Funke Akindele, turned up for the premiere of the movie in Lagos.

The premiere was held at Filmhouse Lekki IMAX.

The movie, which boasts of a star-studded cast, features a dynamic ensemble of talent, including Nancy Isime, Patience Ozokwor, Layi Wasabi, Stan Nze, Chimezie Imo, Omowumi Dada, and multi-talented Falz the Bad Guy among others.

The red carpet moment was abuzz with excitement as Akindele, the lead actress and producer of the movie, posed for photos as well as other casts and crew who openly expressed their excitement over the new release.

With a glamorous and sophisticated fashion theme, guests dressed to impress, with many opting for high-end designer outfits and accessories.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that “Everybody Loves Jenifa” is the latest instalment in the popular Jenifa franchise, created by Akindele.

The movie, which is set to be released into cinemas Dec. 13, tells the tale of a naive and funny character,”Jenifa”.

This new movie is a continuation of the “Jenifa’s Diary” television comedy series, which began in 2008.

The franchise has also spawned spin-offs like “Aiyetoro Town” and “Jenifa on Lockdown”

Nigerian Afrobeats musician, Bisade Ologunde, popularly known as “Lagbaja”, made a stunning appearance at the movie premiere’s after party, where he performed his old songs to the excitement of the audience.

NAN REPORTS

Funke Akindele premieres “Everybody Loves Jenifa” amid glitz and glamour.

It was an electrifying Sunday evening as casts and crew as well as fans of the much awaited Nollywood blockbuster,”Everybody Loves Jenifa”, by Funke Akindele, turned up for the premiere of the movie in Lagos.

The premiere was held at Filmhouse Lekki IMAX.

The movie, which boasts of a star-studded cast, features a dynamic ensemble of talent, including Nancy Isime, Patience Ozokwor, Layi Wasabi, Stan Nze, Chimezie Imo, Omowumi Dada, and multi-talented Falz the Bad Guy among others.

The red carpet moment was abuzz with excitement as Akindele, the lead actress and producer of the movie, posed for photos as well as other casts and crew who openly expressed their excitement over the new release.

With a glamorous and sophisticated fashion theme, guests dressed to impress, with many opting for high-end designer outfits and accessories.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that “Everybody Loves Jenifa” is the latest instalment in the popular Jenifa franchise, created by Akindele.

The movie, which is set to be released into cinemas Dec. 13, tells the tale of a naive and funny character,”Jenifa”.

This new movie is a continuation of the “Jenifa’s Diary” television comedy series, which began in 2008.

The franchise has also spawned spin-offs like “Aiyetoro Town” and “Jenifa on Lockdown”

Nigerian Afrobeats musician, Bisade Ologunde, popularly known as “Lagbaja”, made a stunning appearance at the movie premiere’s after party, where he performed his old songs to the excitement of the audience.

NAN REPORTS

MORAYO: An Undiluted Masterpiece from the King of Afrobeat

A lot of us need to understand that when an artist is being criticized, it is for the general good of the art. Wizkid may not be my favorite artist, yet, I can never deny his influence on what we call our music today. The more reason the public's torch of criticism must always be on him. You can't set the standard and suddenly drop below the same standard you set as early as 2010. The whole industry looked up to you first. You are the game! You should not be found wanting during the harvest of the work you did.

Since release on Friday, I've played Morayo a total of 7 times so far, the most I have done with any of his projects in the first week of release since 2018. With this, I can comfortably say I love Wizkid. I can and will forever say Morayo is my Album of the Year for 2024, with or without Rema's HEIS. This is the first album of 2024 without any skips. Every song is appealing to me. Only Asake's Mr Money With The Vibe; Work of Art, Burna Boy's Outside and Davido's Timeless have produced this kind of reality in the past 7 years in Afrobeats. No single skip!

1. From the angle of critics who hold lyricism against Morayo, I will make this argument about diction, because whatever you think you understand about lyricism cannot be isolated from the said language the writing is delivered in. Now, compared to what Afrobeats has always been and the standard Wizkid has maintained in the last 7 years; is Morayo lyrically befitting of accolades? Yes! How? The choice of words! Every songwriter on the project (read "lyricist" and not "melodist") ensured the intention of the artist is properly communicated without verbosity or hyperbole. 

Where Wizkid discusses losses, the choice of words is a cliche "pain". Where he reflects on life and tries to escape its harsh realities, the choice of words is "flex, vibe; cruise". These are the major highlights of the album, thematically — a sense of loss (Troubled Mind, Lose & Pray) which occasions meditation (Don't Care), escapism (Kese [note the use of 'marijvana' and 'cana' for escapism on this song & Troubled Mind]),  and a reflective mind on growth, blessings and the past (A Million Blessings). 

Wizkid literally quotes a Yoruba proverb on Pray; "àìgbófá là n wòkè," apprising the likes of him in the audience of his attachment to the ancestry. "You are just like me," He had earlier said on A Million Blessings, a song that very much feels like 'Superstar' Wizkid. Every opportunity he gets, away from the mandatory RnB edge of the album, he takes us back to 2011 with his struggle stories. Same reality some of us experience currently, giving us hope on Lose. Isn't this the same thing that attracted Drake and the whole world on Ojuelegba in mid-2010? This is the most realistic album from Wizkid since Superstar & Ayo.

Lyricism must be your ability to use any language you choose, to communicate your intentions to your audience. Whether you choose to make it verbose like a Soyinka, archaic like a Shakespeare or simple like a primary school English textbook determines nothing. It only selects audience and IQ. Failure to understand this as well as the theme of this project means you, who cry that the album is out of sync with the theme it proposed via the deceased's name inscribed on it, did not attempt enough comprehension exercises back in High School English Language classes. It's that evident!

2. Dunking on Morayo on the pretext that it doesn't highlight the realities of Nigerians under the current system is unreasonable. That submission is laughable as well. Firstly, "no be say I never suffer for this country," — if you had listened carefully to this album, you would have heard that on Pray, the last track. Secondly, John Legend is an RnB musician in the US. Bruno Mars is equally a pop singer. Lewis Capaldi too. Lukas Graham too. Late Avicii from Sweden too. Go to the discography of each of these artists I mentioned and tell me anywhere you have ever heard them include activism in their music. You do not understand that regardless of how beasty you are as a musician, you will always be 'niched' 90% of the time. You have your territories. Regardless of where you sail, you always find yourself sailing back to the familiar waters. 

Fela, as much as he fought for the people through his music, was VERY "niched" too. If Fela would not be allowed to sing for the course of activism, Fela would never sing anything else people like you would have demanded of him were he still living. No artist dead or alive can fight any government. Fighting the government is a collective job of the people. If the masses are too docile to fight for their rights, then no one should expect any artist to shoulder the responsibilities of 200 million docile people on his back. Davido was abroad days ago to talk about how the economy is in shambles, many Nigerians back home lashed out at him because their sh!tty brains interpreted that truth as "demarketing" Nigeria.

What Nigerians mostly look for are sacrificial lambs. You who have no money to buy two cups of rice and an artist who has the money to buy a full truck of rice, who should be on the street or TV troubling the government? "No be say I never suffer for this country/At the same time, sapa no fit touch me." Same thing Portable said when asked why he doesn't protest. Na we dey suffer, no be them. So na we suppose protest, no be them. We wey dey suffer no do anything, na them wey suffer no fit touch wan protest? You people are not serious. If na struggle music dey hungry you, you better go stream Fela. Una love struggle music, yet no single Fela song get 50 million streams online. Burna Boy wey bin dey sing about una problem, weytin una do am last last? Wizkid no put anything for the album to represent rural folks. Maybe make rural folks sef sponsor one upcoming musician for their community enter studio sing about Fire Lord Tinubu. At least, that should settle this wahala.

It's like telling John Grisham, a crime writer, to write on science fiction. Maybe he can write perfectly on it. Maybe not. Does it make him less of a writer? If sci-fi is what you crave, why don't you explore other writers of that genre of fiction? Why force a horse to embody the pace of a snail in your bid to make it prove it is a living thing? Why demand Amala from a bakery because, after all, a bakery produces food, so it must produce any type of food you want? When will you people leave Afrobeats artists the fkkk alone and go listen to something else that whets all the insatiable appetite you express in the wrong places?

3. I read somewhere that the album should have been made to have a side A and side B instead of lumping both the foreign Wizkid with the inbuilt Wizkid. I laughed! Hey! This is not an Apala radio cassette tape. It is neither Fuji. Safe for cases where such intentions were necessary as seen on Brymo's all English 'Harmattan & Winter' and its side A, all Yoruba 'Esan'; I'm not sure any Nigerian album of modern music has ever been commercially successful on that note. Not Peruzzi's Rum & Boogie with two sides. What I know Wizkid did on this album was to correct the mistakes he made twice in the last couple of years.

Firstly on MLLE where his thoughtless rigidity made him abandon the core recipe in our music to dish out a pack of boring music begging for saving. Worse still, mixing that boredom with House Music and everything there is on Soundman Vol. 2 which originally started around 2018 as a proper Afrobeats project accompanied by the finesse of saxophone in the hands of Black Jerzee. He did realize this error and refused to commit it the third time by simply allowing these two sounds (both his original sound and the new wave where he hopes to struggle it out with the actual inhabitants of the territories he is sailing on) to enjoy an unchallenged autonomy that doesn't infringe on the musicality and expressiveness of each. To demand for a side A and side B for this project is to:

(a) Make it unnecessarily incoherent, making it "feel" long and lazy.

(b) Cause an unbearable boredom. Cause, I will listen to Kese, Karamo, Soji, Pray and Bad Girl on one side and go down to Slow, Bad For You, Break Me Down and Time? And you believe I will not get bored? The music is not boring because of how both "paces" were interwoven on the tracklist.

4. The side with the RnB sounds will need only a miracle to be independently successful. With them in-between the others, it makes the album whole. Hence, any success brought by any other track is seen as a collective achievement by the album. Brymo's Esan being separated from Harmattan & Winter is why the latter is nowhere to be found in his popular projects online. All the success of the project came through Esan and because Harmattan & Winter was isolated, it couldn't share from that success.

(a) Check the diagram attached to this post, the album began at mid-tempo and immediately shoots up to uptempo from Troubled Mind down to Karamo (1-3) and back to mid-tempo on Bad Girl. Note that the sound Wizkid explored throughout 2021, 2022 and 2023 did not get on the album until track 5 (Time). That shows Wizkid knows how nostalgic Nigerians can be when it comes to sound. He did not plan to bore anyone on this album.

(b) The slowness Time introduces is maintained till Break Me Down (track 7) after which Bend sets in with the pace the album originally began with on track 2. You wonder why Bend is in-between 3 slow songs to the left and another 3 slow songs to the right? It's because Bend is the climax of the album. The middle! This arrangement alone is genius. Wizkid should handsomely reward the A&R team that arranged this album. They did excellently well. After Bend, what we have is one slow song, one fast song in that sequence competing for the listener's attention till the album eventually grinds to a halt. This is the most lively Wizkid album since 2014. This is art! And this will age well.

5. My prediction is, Morayo will mark another significant shift in the soundscape in the next 5 years of Afrobeats as a sound. Please watch the albums that will be rolled out starting from 2025. You will see Wizkid's impact. Just as Asake's sound has been in every other artist's art between 2021 and 2023. Please observe. Morayo is a pop culture! I'm not done with Morayo by the way, I'll see you on the next post.

MORAYO: An Undiluted Masterpiece from the King of Afrobeat

A lot of us need to understand that when an artist is being criticized, it is for the general good of the art. Wizkid may not be my favorite artist, yet, I can never deny his influence on what we call our music today. The more reason the public's torch of criticism must always be on him. You can't set the standard and suddenly drop below the same standard you set as early as 2010. The whole industry looked up to you first. You are the game! You should not be found wanting during the harvest of the work you did.

Since release on Friday, I've played Morayo a total of 7 times so far, the most I have done with any of his projects in the first week of release since 2018. With this, I can comfortably say I love Wizkid. I can and will forever say Morayo is my Album of the Year for 2024, with or without Rema's HEIS. This is the first album of 2024 without any skips. Every song is appealing to me. Only Asake's Mr Money With The Vibe; Work of Art, Burna Boy's Outside and Davido's Timeless have produced this kind of reality in the past 7 years in Afrobeats. No single skip!

1. From the angle of critics who hold lyricism against Morayo, I will make this argument about diction, because whatever you think you understand about lyricism cannot be isolated from the said language the writing is delivered in. Now, compared to what Afrobeats has always been and the standard Wizkid has maintained in the last 7 years; is Morayo lyrically befitting of accolades? Yes! How? The choice of words! Every songwriter on the project (read "lyricist" and not "melodist") ensured the intention of the artist is properly communicated without verbosity or hyperbole. 

Where Wizkid discusses losses, the choice of words is a cliche "pain". Where he reflects on life and tries to escape its harsh realities, the choice of words is "flex, vibe; cruise". These are the major highlights of the album, thematically — a sense of loss (Troubled Mind, Lose & Pray) which occasions meditation (Don't Care), escapism (Kese [note the use of 'marijvana' and 'cana' for escapism on this song & Troubled Mind]),  and a reflective mind on growth, blessings and the past (A Million Blessings). 

Wizkid literally quotes a Yoruba proverb on Pray; "àìgbófá là n wòkè," apprising the likes of him in the audience of his attachment to the ancestry. "You are just like me," He had earlier said on A Million Blessings, a song that very much feels like 'Superstar' Wizkid. Every opportunity he gets, away from the mandatory RnB edge of the album, he takes us back to 2011 with his struggle stories. Same reality some of us experience currently, giving us hope on Lose. Isn't this the same thing that attracted Drake and the whole world on Ojuelegba in mid-2010? This is the most realistic album from Wizkid since Superstar & Ayo.

Lyricism must be your ability to use any language you choose, to communicate your intentions to your audience. Whether you choose to make it verbose like a Soyinka, archaic like a Shakespeare or simple like a primary school English textbook determines nothing. It only selects audience and IQ. Failure to understand this as well as the theme of this project means you, who cry that the album is out of sync with the theme it proposed via the deceased's name inscribed on it, did not attempt enough comprehension exercises back in High School English Language classes. It's that evident!

2. Dunking on Morayo on the pretext that it doesn't highlight the realities of Nigerians under the current system is unreasonable. That submission is laughable as well. Firstly, "no be say I never suffer for this country," — if you had listened carefully to this album, you would have heard that on Pray, the last track. Secondly, John Legend is an RnB musician in the US. Bruno Mars is equally a pop singer. Lewis Capaldi too. Lukas Graham too. Late Avicii from Sweden too. Go to the discography of each of these artists I mentioned and tell me anywhere you have ever heard them include activism in their music. You do not understand that regardless of how beasty you are as a musician, you will always be 'niched' 90% of the time. You have your territories. Regardless of where you sail, you always find yourself sailing back to the familiar waters. 

Fela, as much as he fought for the people through his music, was VERY "niched" too. If Fela would not be allowed to sing for the course of activism, Fela would never sing anything else people like you would have demanded of him were he still living. No artist dead or alive can fight any government. Fighting the government is a collective job of the people. If the masses are too docile to fight for their rights, then no one should expect any artist to shoulder the responsibilities of 200 million docile people on his back. Davido was abroad days ago to talk about how the economy is in shambles, many Nigerians back home lashed out at him because their sh!tty brains interpreted that truth as "demarketing" Nigeria.

What Nigerians mostly look for are sacrificial lambs. You who have no money to buy two cups of rice and an artist who has the money to buy a full truck of rice, who should be on the street or TV troubling the government? "No be say I never suffer for this country/At the same time, sapa no fit touch me." Same thing Portable said when asked why he doesn't protest. Na we dey suffer, no be them. So na we suppose protest, no be them. We wey dey suffer no do anything, na them wey suffer no fit touch wan protest? You people are not serious. If na struggle music dey hungry you, you better go stream Fela. Una love struggle music, yet no single Fela song get 50 million streams online. Burna Boy wey bin dey sing about una problem, weytin una do am last last? Wizkid no put anything for the album to represent rural folks. Maybe make rural folks sef sponsor one upcoming musician for their community enter studio sing about Fire Lord Tinubu. At least, that should settle this wahala.

It's like telling John Grisham, a crime writer, to write on science fiction. Maybe he can write perfectly on it. Maybe not. Does it make him less of a writer? If sci-fi is what you crave, why don't you explore other writers of that genre of fiction? Why force a horse to embody the pace of a snail in your bid to make it prove it is a living thing? Why demand Amala from a bakery because, after all, a bakery produces food, so it must produce any type of food you want? When will you people leave Afrobeats artists the fkkk alone and go listen to something else that whets all the insatiable appetite you express in the wrong places?

3. I read somewhere that the album should have been made to have a side A and side B instead of lumping both the foreign Wizkid with the inbuilt Wizkid. I laughed! Hey! This is not an Apala radio cassette tape. It is neither Fuji. Safe for cases where such intentions were necessary as seen on Brymo's all English 'Harmattan & Winter' and its side A, all Yoruba 'Esan'; I'm not sure any Nigerian album of modern music has ever been commercially successful on that note. Not Peruzzi's Rum & Boogie with two sides. What I know Wizkid did on this album was to correct the mistakes he made twice in the last couple of years.

Firstly on MLLE where his thoughtless rigidity made him abandon the core recipe in our music to dish out a pack of boring music begging for saving. Worse still, mixing that boredom with House Music and everything there is on Soundman Vol. 2 which originally started around 2018 as a proper Afrobeats project accompanied by the finesse of saxophone in the hands of Black Jerzee. He did realize this error and refused to commit it the third time by simply allowing these two sounds (both his original sound and the new wave where he hopes to struggle it out with the actual inhabitants of the territories he is sailing on) to enjoy an unchallenged autonomy that doesn't infringe on the musicality and expressiveness of each. To demand for a side A and side B for this project is to:

(a) Make it unnecessarily incoherent, making it "feel" long and lazy.

(b) Cause an unbearable boredom. Cause, I will listen to Kese, Karamo, Soji, Pray and Bad Girl on one side and go down to Slow, Bad For You, Break Me Down and Time? And you believe I will not get bored? The music is not boring because of how both "paces" were interwoven on the tracklist.

4. The side with the RnB sounds will need only a miracle to be independently successful. With them in-between the others, it makes the album whole. Hence, any success brought by any other track is seen as a collective achievement by the album. Brymo's Esan being separated from Harmattan & Winter is why the latter is nowhere to be found in his popular projects online. All the success of the project came through Esan and because Harmattan & Winter was isolated, it couldn't share from that success.

(a) Check the diagram attached to this post, the album began at mid-tempo and immediately shoots up to uptempo from Troubled Mind down to Karamo (1-3) and back to mid-tempo on Bad Girl. Note that the sound Wizkid explored throughout 2021, 2022 and 2023 did not get on the album until track 5 (Time). That shows Wizkid knows how nostalgic Nigerians can be when it comes to sound. He did not plan to bore anyone on this album.

(b) The slowness Time introduces is maintained till Break Me Down (track 7) after which Bend sets in with the pace the album originally began with on track 2. You wonder why Bend is in-between 3 slow songs to the left and another 3 slow songs to the right? It's because Bend is the climax of the album. The middle! This arrangement alone is genius. Wizkid should handsomely reward the A&R team that arranged this album. They did excellently well. After Bend, what we have is one slow song, one fast song in that sequence competing for the listener's attention till the album eventually grinds to a halt. This is the most lively Wizkid album since 2014. This is art! And this will age well.

5. My prediction is, Morayo will mark another significant shift in the soundscape in the next 5 years of Afrobeats as a sound. Please watch the albums that will be rolled out starting from 2025. You will see Wizkid's impact. Just as Asake's sound has been in every other artist's art between 2021 and 2023. Please observe. Morayo is a pop culture! I'm not done with Morayo by the way, I'll see you on the next post.

How Ruger got Discovered By D-Prince Of Mavins Records

Ruger, has been undoubtedly giving us hits back-to-back, before his breakout into the lamelight, he used to work in a Computer Village, repairing phones and all, so in his spare time, he'll just do freestyles and post it on Instagram. Thank God for the internet, it has made it easy for talents to be discovered.

According to Ruger he received a direct message from D-Prince.

 The talent manager, Charles Enebeli (D-Prince) was in America at that time with Rema on tour, so he told him that he’s coming back very soon and that he wants to start working with him. 

Out of curiosity and over excitement Ruger had to sleep and wake up again to  confirm he wasn't dreaming. After some minutes of sleep his sister woke him up, she was using his phone at that time; she told Ruger that D-Prince texted again that he’s coming,”

Ruger added that what made him believe D-Prince was serious about everything was that he (D-Prince) didn’t even wait to get home before calling him to start coming to the studio. He rang him as soon as he got to the airport to meet him at his (D-Prince) studio to record, and that started their bond. Ruger is now signed to Jonzing world, an imprint of Mavin Records; the same record label that manages Rema. Ruger is best known for his hit single ‘Bounce.’

 

How Ruger got Discovered By D-Prince Of Mavins Records

Ruger, has been undoubtedly giving us hits back-to-back, before his breakout into the lamelight, he used to work in a Computer Village, repairing phones and all, so in his spare time, he'll just do freestyles and post it on Instagram. Thank God for the internet, it has made it easy for talents to be discovered.

According to Ruger he received a direct message from D-Prince.

 The talent manager, Charles Enebeli (D-Prince) was in America at that time with Rema on tour, so he told him that he’s coming back very soon and that he wants to start working with him. 

Out of curiosity and over excitement Ruger had to sleep and wake up again to  confirm he wasn't dreaming. After some minutes of sleep his sister woke him up, she was using his phone at that time; she told Ruger that D-Prince texted again that he’s coming,”

Ruger added that what made him believe D-Prince was serious about everything was that he (D-Prince) didn’t even wait to get home before calling him to start coming to the studio. He rang him as soon as he got to the airport to meet him at his (D-Prince) studio to record, and that started their bond. Ruger is now signed to Jonzing world, an imprint of Mavin Records; the same record label that manages Rema. Ruger is best known for his hit single ‘Bounce.’

 

EMPIRE Doing Magic for African Artistes

Nigerian Artistes are super talented and consistent. This is not just the reason why they are where they are today . Being talented and visitent without having a good distribution Company is almost useless .  What Universal Music has done to Cameroonian artistes can not be forgotten in a hurry . They messed up their careers and some of them had to even stop music or go through depression . 

Nigerian artistes are smart and at the same time lucky . Many of them have great record labels before going to sign “ Distribution deals “ with Empire .  Empire has understood that if their terms are bad, few African artistes will come to them and they have made it favorable to Nigerian artistes .  They make sure Nigerian music reaches every part of the world and it’s heard by the world’s Population. 

Empire is an American company founded in 2010 by Ghazi Shami . Hundreds of American artistes like Tyga, Rotimi , Jim Jones , 50 cent and many others are signed to Empire .  

Recently they extended to Africa and signed deals with the likes of Olamide , Kizz Daniel , Black Sherif , Fireboy , Asake etc . Every Artiste signed under Empire is doing well . Empire distributes their music well and skyrock everything  . There is no Nigerian Artiste under Empire that doesn’t get a million YouTube views on YouTube in a day or two . You think or thought it’s just their talent and consistency ? No . 

Empire is one of the best when it comes to music business. It also lets artistes do what they want but that was not the case with Universal music . They sign you and try to change your sound . Empire lets you do what you want . 

Many record labels in Nigeria now partner with Empire to get to the highest level and Empire is doing the magic . 

Talented Cameroonian artistes or Record labels should seek deals with Empire if they got talents to  EXPOSE AND EXPORT

EMPIRE Doing Magic for African Artistes

Nigerian Artistes are super talented and consistent. This is not just the reason why they are where they are today . Being talented and visitent without having a good distribution Company is almost useless .  What Universal Music has done to Cameroonian artistes can not be forgotten in a hurry . They messed up their careers and some of them had to even stop music or go through depression . 

Nigerian artistes are smart and at the same time lucky . Many of them have great record labels before going to sign “ Distribution deals “ with Empire .  Empire has understood that if their terms are bad, few African artistes will come to them and they have made it favorable to Nigerian artistes .  They make sure Nigerian music reaches every part of the world and it’s heard by the world’s Population. 

Empire is an American company founded in 2010 by Ghazi Shami . Hundreds of American artistes like Tyga, Rotimi , Jim Jones , 50 cent and many others are signed to Empire .  

Recently they extended to Africa and signed deals with the likes of Olamide , Kizz Daniel , Black Sherif , Fireboy , Asake etc . Every Artiste signed under Empire is doing well . Empire distributes their music well and skyrock everything  . There is no Nigerian Artiste under Empire that doesn’t get a million YouTube views on YouTube in a day or two . You think or thought it’s just their talent and consistency ? No . 

Empire is one of the best when it comes to music business. It also lets artistes do what they want but that was not the case with Universal music . They sign you and try to change your sound . Empire lets you do what you want . 

Many record labels in Nigeria now partner with Empire to get to the highest level and Empire is doing the magic . 

Talented Cameroonian artistes or Record labels should seek deals with Empire if they got talents to  EXPOSE AND EXPORT

Wizkid promises Lagos fans free concerts

Afrobeats singer, Ayo Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, has made a promise to his fans in Lagos that they would never have to pay to attend his shows in the state in the future.

He made this promise while on stage during his concert on Saturday night.

He said, “Let me tell you something, When I said this is going to be my last show in Lagos right… What I really meant was, with the kind of love that you guys show me, it is very unfair to do shows around the world and come back and still make you guys pay to watch me perform.

“So, I want to make a promise tonight, this would be the last time you are ever gonna pay to come to Wizkid’s show.“

Credit: Twitter | OneJoblessBoy

Wizkid promises Lagos fans free concerts

Afrobeats singer, Ayo Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, has made a promise to his fans in Lagos that they would never have to pay to attend his shows in the state in the future.

He made this promise while on stage during his concert on Saturday night.

He said, “Let me tell you something, When I said this is going to be my last show in Lagos right… What I really meant was, with the kind of love that you guys show me, it is very unfair to do shows around the world and come back and still make you guys pay to watch me perform.

“So, I want to make a promise tonight, this would be the last time you are ever gonna pay to come to Wizkid’s show.“

Credit: Twitter | OneJoblessBoy

D’banj is the reason we believed in Afrobeats — Teebillz

Showbiz promoter, Tunji Balogun, popularly known as Teebillz, has said that Singer D’banj is the reason the world is paying attention to Afrobeats.

He made this known on his Instagram page on Friday.

Teebillz also said the singer deserves royalties from Afrobeats forever.

He wrote, “Bonafide hustler! He’s the reason we all believed in Afrobeats and he solidified it internationally for THE WORLD to pay attention!!! the reason everyone is benefiting from it today. 

“ You deserve royalties from Afro beats 4ever!!!!! We all moved back home bcos of you and you gave hope to kids from the ghetto! You defined hard work is greater than talent with your Mamba Mentality.......

“ I celebrate you, just giving you your flowers while you’re alive to feel the respect and love that we have for you KING BANGER @iambangalee You’re beyond GOAT of Afrobeats! You’re one of the gods!!!

Credit: Instagram | teebillz323

D’banj is the reason we believed in Afrobeats — Teebillz

Showbiz promoter, Tunji Balogun, popularly known as Teebillz, has said that Singer D’banj is the reason the world is paying attention to Afrobeats.

He made this known on his Instagram page on Friday.

Teebillz also said the singer deserves royalties from Afrobeats forever.

He wrote, “Bonafide hustler! He’s the reason we all believed in Afrobeats and he solidified it internationally for THE WORLD to pay attention!!! the reason everyone is benefiting from it today. 

“ You deserve royalties from Afro beats 4ever!!!!! We all moved back home bcos of you and you gave hope to kids from the ghetto! You defined hard work is greater than talent with your Mamba Mentality.......

“ I celebrate you, just giving you your flowers while you’re alive to feel the respect and love that we have for you KING BANGER @iambangalee You’re beyond GOAT of Afrobeats! You’re one of the gods!!!

Credit: Instagram | teebillz323