Rema, Shallipopi - BENIN BOYS [Video]

 

Rema and Shallipopi collaborate on a new record dubbed Benin Boys representing both their state of origin in Nigeria. Check on it!

Directed by: Priorgold Pictures.

STREAM HERE

Album Review: Morell - Musa Jikan Musa

 

  

 

 

''Morell''  Is a versatile artiste/songwriter and producer who has had successful singles in recent past has finally released his debut album titled ''Musa Jikan Musa'' on the (22nd May, 2017). ''Musa Jikan Musa''  which means: (Musa grandchild of Musa), was released and consist of twelve (13) tracks and it promises to be a joy ride, judging from the track-listing and the great concept of the album art which depict the great culture of the north.  


Danna Musu (Intro): The Intro to the album ''Musa Jikan Musa'' kicks off with a bouncy beat and a lively chorus that quickly draws you in, as we see ''Morell'' asks for his music to be played to teach y'all how this is done. And I think its safe to say ''Morell'' is the King of the North as he has also proclaimed in ''Danna Musu (Intro)..''  

 
Safay: Keeping the momentum ''Morell'' follows up with a heartfelt track as he delivers ''Safay'' meaning: (Morning), ''Morell'' explores his vocal abilities with the compliment of his lyrical swerve as he talks about the everyday hustle of an average man coming from the streets who will have to wakeup daily to try to make a living in the world that doesn't give out much of those opportunities but he attributes true success to God and no one else. A classic production by ''Doubz'' adds great value to the song with the amazing sound of the electric guitar accompanied by superb harmonies of ''Morell'' simply making it one of my favourite track if not the best off the album. I would like to see ''Morell'' and his team put out a well thought out visual for this number.  



Amala: This track is a typical love song with an obvious dilemma. ''Morell'' converge his roots with his environmental influences which led to his love interest for Funmi and he intelligently uses  ''Amala'' ( a local delicacy commonly eaten by the Yoruba speaking  part of Nigeria ) to express his love for Funmi against all odds.  This is a lovely ballad beautifully executed by ''Morell'' that adds great substance to the entire project and this makes it one of my favourite tracks of the album.   

 
By Your Side Feat. Di'ja: This is a fantastic mix of an R&B and the northern style of music with heavy musical influence from the ''Kontigi'' (this is a one or two stringed lute used mostly in Hausa music) and the lead guitar. This can be a good radio hit if well promoted with a nice visual .


Interlude (Amazing): The ''Interlude (Amazing)''is a good hip hop break from what we have heard so far on this project and ''Morell'' goes experimental with his smooth vocals and lyrical prowess.

 
Faya: This is an ''Afro-Pop'' number and we see ''Morell'' continue to unveil his musical dexterity in ''Faya'' as this I tip to be a super hit off this album if well promoted. my reason is based on the fact that it has a Nigerian style of production, lyrics  and overall formula which can produce a hit effortlessly.


Borno Feat. AP: AP Ushers listeners in with deep poetry while  ''Morell'' pays tribute to all the lives that have been lost in his home state ''Borno'' since the event of the ''Boko Haram'' insurgency in 2007. ''Morell'' states his his case that war is never the answer but love for one another. As no war torn zones as he cited in ''Borno'' has anything to show for it. This conscience track is one of the leading singles of the album and it will indeed be an evergreen song as it captures a time of Nigerian's history.

 
Bed: This is a up-tempo track that is characterised  with a typical Naija kind of elements as we see ''Morell'' talk about the guilty pleasure of an average man towards the opposite sex and what the end result should be as the name of the track implies. Not a fan of this record but it is certainly a good fill up for this project.  


Aure: Meaning (wedding). It is a love/wedding song which has been a massive hit since its release in 2016... well at least in the Northern part of Nigeria. It is also one of the leading singles off this project with an amazing visual to go with it. ''Aure'' is a lovely wedding song that can rock any wedding party as the song comes on and I must say a very well thought out track by ''Morell'' and a good fill up for the entire project.   


Karota: This arguably one of the best track off the ''Musa Jikan Musa''  project as we see ''Morell'' go hard on this hard crunk baseline and he reminds us of the fact that his simply a sick rapper. ''Karota'' is a straight up Hip Hop track with a fusion of both the old school style of rap as well as the new school trap music laced on the hook, which made it such a likeable song.


Part of Me: Like I earlier introduced ''Morell'' as a ''versatile'' artiste, now he gives us a beautiful ballad in its true essences for ''Part of Me''  to clear any doubt of that title. This is a classic R&B style of delivering an amazing love song laced with the keys of the piano and the emotions which can be felt from ''Morell'' voice, made everything brilliant for this record to be called a certified classic.


Special Day: We see ''Morell'' slow it down on the last tracks of the album and ''Special Day'' is a track highly infested with the ''Kontigi'' instrument giving it that northern Nigerian feel and with great support of the bass guitar truly shows the high quality of this record. 


Mango: This is certainly a radio friendly song and I will definitely would love to see a video for this record. ''Morell''  shows off his skills on ''Mango'' which has that contemporary afrobeat influence and he tells his listeners the struggles he had to go through (leaving the north to Lagos) to get here and indeed you must say it has been an interesting journey for this talented artiste and a perfect way to end this project with an affirmation of greater works in the future.



Here are my final thoughts on this debut album ''Musa Jikan Musa'' it was easy to listen/digest and arguably one of the best projects I have heard this year. ''Morell''  wasn't trying too hard to please anyone on this album but he wanted listeners to feel his creativity and he did just that. The production was of high standard, the concept had all the right elements and with features from ''Di'ja'' and ''AP'' added an amazing quality to the project and didn't make it look like he was trying to hard to pull an audience to peep the album with an array of features on it. Therefore based on my conclusion I would rate ''Musa Jikan Musa'' a 9/10. And I look forward to ''Morell''  as an artist change the face of the game with the level of creativity under his belt.

In case you haven't listened or downloaded Morell - Musa Jikan Musa please download it here: 
DOWNLOAD HERE

Paul Martin ft Kin & Calvin - Enda Pasi

Block 101 present the new dance single by Paul Martin titled ''Enda Pasi'' which means ''Get Down'' in English and it features Nigerian Afropop star Kin from Nigeria and Hip-hop rapper from Zimbabwe Calvin. Paul Martin who is also a Zimbabwean native, dabbles into the world of Dance and Afrobeat, and he simply nails it with this impressive number. He's popularly known to have a smooth vocal as he is usually compared to the American star John Legend, this young artiste do have potential to go places. Check out ''Enda Pasi'' and let me know your thoughts are by leaving a comment.

 Produced by Dj Ace Tanner&T_Mahk
Artwork by NetVest

DOWNLOAD HERE

Nigerians verses the change mantra

This great country called Nigeria made history in 2015 as she elected a new government outside the incumbent and the hopes of the people were high but one year down the line the hope of most Nigerians seems to be bleak and what could be the reason? Well for obvious reasons Nigeria is going through a rough patch as a result of the recession and Nigerians are not having it. In fact different quarters of the country have either called for the sack of the President’s economic team or the reversal of the TSA (Treasury Single Account) and a bunch of other government policies. Hmm! I wonder if this can be a solution to the reality on ground or this it just a quest for selfish gain by some group of individuals. Well history will hold this government as well as the ones before it responsible for her future and I am sure the APC lead government knows that. A lot has been said about their unfulfilled campaign promises and Nigerians may seem betrayed by this but one thing is certain Rome wasn’t built in a day and to get such lasting policies on ground the government would need to harness its resources with a proper blueprint to ensure that such institution run effectively without interruptions. Now part of this challenge is certainly the lack of resources and conscious sustenance of the resources to ensure a proper social security program for the unemployed youths, good primary health care service, and basic education, etc. the APC lead government and the opposition party PDP, keep trading blames at each other as to why the state of the economy is the way it is but the truth is you cannot step into the present or future without looking at the past which is somewhat the foundation. Therefore, PDP has a large part to play as to why we are here and the APC lead government also owe the people the responsibility in fixing it and restoring the confidence of the populace.

Change is hard at first, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end." -Robin Sharma.

On the other hand, the general populace are largely swayed by circumstances but should they be blamed for that? I mean in a country where the government cannot provide proper basic amenities for its citizens would leave them with no option than to be wavered by their circumstances. I had a conversation with a friend a few weeks back when we lost a dear friend who couldn’t be given proper CPR at an Abuja hospital due to lack of facilities and we concluded that you should never pray to find yourself or your family in an emergency because our hospitals are in a deplorable state as this applies to other sectors. But what the general populace need to understand is that change as an action never comes easy be it an incremental or gradual kind of change. Studies have shown that people always tend to resist any sort of change and humans are most comfortable to remain with the status quo. And in the case of Nigeria sadly the status quo has corruption as a headline over due process. The notion of a friend about Nigeria being a wealthy country is not far from the truth but we can’t keep saying that, when we cannot properly harness our resources to the benefit of the general populace. And when we both discussed further as I was of the opinion that at the moment Nigeria isn’t as wealthy as its perceived to be at least until we can harness our resources properly to say the least, my analysis went further as to a country that don’t save as much for the rainy day or is more involved in recurrent expenditure as against capital expenditure. It is only logical then, that when there’s a shortfall in the income which comes largely from oil we are bound to face an economic downturn eventually. However, the recession is not peculiar to just Nigeria but to other oil producing nations. What the Nigerian government need to do though is chatter a cause to ensure it can turn the economy around because at the end of the day the Nigerian people elected the APC lead government into power because we believe they are capable of sailing this ship called Nigeria on the right path, so there's a need for well thought out recovery plan, taking proactive steps to secure the future of our unborn children, and as well as sensitize with an orientation of the populace that it's all our responsibility to see this great country achieve (but not with the mentality that is; government property not mine) because we are all the government.

"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." - Socrates

In Nigeria, over the years corruption gradually crept into the very fabric of our society making it become the status quo that even when an individual is trying to do something right, he (she) is either put down or viewed as abnormal, which is a sad reality. This is why the fight against corruption is very vital to the success of the change mantra of this government to ensure that the common man is not disenfranchised of he's (her) right as a Nigerian citizen. Therefore, the advocate for change and those the change affectdirectly or indirectly need to work hand in hand to ensure this change yields nothing but good for Nigeria. Because if we can eradicate corruption then our institutions can work to effect that change we all dream of in this society.

"When a flower doesn't bloom you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower." -

Finally, we are all stakeholders to this reality and to keep sanity it's important that our watch word/lifestyle is to be patient and persevere in all circumstances. And like the good book says (which is sort of my motto) I am going to paraphrase it here; whatever you are doing, do it as though you are doing it unto the Lord. Believe me with fear of God and such attitude you can't go wrong in your dealings with others or with your responsibility as regards your line of duty. Indeed the change begins with me and you.






HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY NIGERIA!!! 🙌🏻🙏

World Cup Team Profile: NIGERIA

''Featuring interviews with John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses and coach Stephen Keshi, this preview examines what to expect from the African champions in Group F against Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Argentina and looks at Nigeria's FIFA World Cup history.''

“Our Entertainers Contributed To The Abuja Bomb Blast” - Etcetera

Here is the Alternative/Rock singer's thoughts on the insistence killings of innocent lives in Nigeria, particularly the horrific bomb explosion that claimed over 70 people and left hundreds injured yesterday at the Nyanya Motor Park, Abuja. Read below: 

''For God’s sake, can Somebody please call Dbanj, Don Jazzy, Onyeka Onwenu, Duncan Mighty, Stephanie Okereke, Genevieve Nnaji, Funke Akindele, Omotola, Rita Dominic, Aki and Pawpaw, Sammy Okposo, Sunny Neji, Maleke, Okey Bakassi, Jay Jay Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, Daddy Showkey, Richard Mofe Damijo, Kwam 1 and other entertainers that have at one time or the other been seen dining with politicians? Can you please tell them that there has been a bomb blast in Nyanya? Can you include pictures of the mutilated bodies? Please don’t forget to tell them that most of the dead might have been lovers of their music and movies and cheered them in every concert and football matches they played both at club level and the national team. Tell them that their CDs and Movies were bought by those dead fans for inspiration and because they wanted to feel alive and ease off the daily tensions faced everyday in this country.
That the Jingles done by Dbanj, Don Jazzy, Sammy Okposo, Onyeka Onwenu and other entertainers might have convinced some of those who have died in different Boko Haram raids or bad roads or lack of proper healthcare facilities to vote for politicians who have failed them in all ramifications? The same politicians that failed to protect the lives of those shredded bodies in Nyanya? That some of the dead fans in Nyanya might have even spent their little earnings to attend their concerts in Abuja and environs? Have you as an entertainer ever sat down to reflect on the fact that each time we give our voices to enhance the career of these politicians knowing they mean no good for this country that we are bringing more hardship and even death to our fans?
Why devote precious hours in the studio composing songs asking your fans to vote for politicians whose past stinks more than the dustbin at Ojota?
How do you feel listening to those songs today knowing that Mr Politician failed you and your die-hard fans? Can you give back those millions to bring back the lives of those dead fans in Nyanya, Jos, Maiduguri, Agatu in Benue? I guess not, because frolicking with the devil makes u perpetually his.
2015 is around the corner. Many of us entertainers will be called upon to do jingles, attend rallies wearing branded T-shirts in support of these same politicians. Millions of naira will be paid to your bank accounts. Thousands of bottles of MOET will be popped for you to feel good at different rally points while you convince your fans to join the bandwagon as part of the special few who voted for change.
Right now, some of us entertainers must be licking our lips in anticipation of the naira windfall come 2015. Let your conscience be your pilot. That is if you have one. May the souls of those fans who have died because of insecurity and corruption haunt every entertainer who refuses to repent from selling his or her talent for money at the expense of a better Nigeria.
And may the souls of all our faithfully departed fans REST IN PEACE. Amen!''

Super Eagles Training at the Adidas Headquarters in Germany

As the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup finally here, lets take a look at the African Cup Nations (AFCON) Champions the Super Eagles as they train at the headquarters of the sportswear brand Adidas in Herzogenaurach, Germany. We wish Team Nigeria all the best in this years Confederation Cup competition. 
Check on it!

Hot Boys Crew - If i die young + Living the life ft Boi Veela

''After the release of their single "This is my town "featuring Oga sir earlier this year which was a major hit,Hot boys crew popularly known as HBC is back with 2 new singles "Living the Life" featuring the
Nigerian Ghana based rapper Boi Veela and "If I die Young". "Living the life" talks about the life of fame and glamour in which they are living ,popping champagnes and hanging with top models. "If I die young" is a tribute song dedicated to everyone that lost their life at a young age with special tribute to Pac,BIG,Goldie,Dagrin etc.''
Download and Listen
Follow @hotboyzcrew @IamVeela


If i die young
DOWNLOAD HERE

 Living the life ft Boi Veela
DOWNLOAD HERE

Jungle Tribe presents: QUACKS [short film]

Jungle Tribe brings to us a short film about the past and recent events that have engulfed our beloved nation Nigeria in a very humorous way. The uniqueness of the set can be seen in its simplicity of the set as well as the costumes used which i observe is very fashion forward.
Check on it and leave your comments. Cheers!
Follow on Twitter: @psjungletribe

INTERVIEW - LIFESTYLE

Hi there, can you please introduce yourself?

My name is Chibu-ugwusor Chijioke

Can you give us a bit of your background?

I am from a family of 4 and the last of the 4 children. While growing up i had a great passion for fabrics and colour combinations.

Your educational background.

I attended Starlight Nursery and Primary School Lagos, then i went to Model Secondary School Maitama, Abuja and then i obtained my Bsc in Business Administration from Nasarawa State University, Nasarawa State.

Were you into to any form of activities while in school?

Yes, i was into show business, an advocate for decent dressing on campus and also a lifestyle critic on a fashion magazine, i also organised a sort of boot camp for up and coming models as well as encourage fashion designers to showcase their works.

So you knew ultimately you were going to go into fashion?

No. I really thought i was going to be a professional  banker and after my youth service(NYSC) i was a contract staff with the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Abuja. But i was really inspired by my Pastor who gave me insight and encouragement to follow my passion to be become who God wants me to be and i discovered my passion was largely for fashion.
Then i started honing my talent in sketching and design. and i went further to research on tailoring , fabric choice, and then i eventually launched my clothing line.

You design and Tailor your outfits yourself?

Yes.

Tell us your experience in being able to do both?

Challenging in keeping a balance and making deadlines. But the grace of God has been sufficient.

You talked about fabrics....what type(s) for fabric inspires you?

I have a great passion for Nigerian traditional prints like the; Igbo Crecre Star, coconut, and a host of others.

What is the name of your clothing line?

Allahandro.

And what is the meaning of Allahandro?

The protector. I direct it to God who gave me the inspiration and provision of clothes to cover our nakedness.

How long have you been doing this line of business?

Since February 2012.

Where do you see Allahandro?

I see Allahandro in a lot of places, as i plan to teach fashion. so you get to see Allahandro at Seminars, International workshops e.t.c.

Do you plan to diversify your business?

No. not really, i want to specialise in fashion as well as venture into makeup which i do in my leisure time at the moment.

What is your advice for up and coming fashion designers?

Never procrastinate, do good research, talk to God about it before you talk about it. you wont value success until you test failure a bit. so its vital to take risks.

How can you be reached?

At the moment we are moving out of our contact address, but we can be reached through
Twitter : @cjalfa
Facebook: chibu-ugwusor chijioke
Contact: +2348090868903, +2347061804212

CEO- Allahandro Clothing's

During the interview

 

 

 

Allahandro's last season's collection.

Allahandro LOGO.

The Sins of our Fathers

Hello Everyone,

 

Great nations of the past and present are built on legacies of their forefathers and the pride of the entire nation. I was spurred to write this piece based on history; and the experience of being born and raised in a beautiful country called Nigeria.  Nigeria  has always been, to me, a country full of promises. But as I grew older my joy and anticipation grew bleak and I wondered if that great future that I was looking forward to ever existed in the first place.

As a grown man I came to the understanding that we make life what we want it by our daily choices. These will become our legacies. Like George Washington, JF Kennedy and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa who have lived and died leaving legacies behind and leaders like Nelson Mandela and Margaret Thatcher who are still an epitome of right choices and good leadership.

In the present day Nigeria the story seems to be different. We draw comparison between our collective experience and the  stories of how our fathers had free education, meal tickets at universities, jobs and car loans readily available at the point of graduation. In these contemporary times those same men who had those privileges while growing up are now taking away those same privileges that they owe, if not their birth children, the children of the nation, due to their desire for money, power and respect. The leaders of tomorrow are left to scramble for the crumbs that fall off from their fathers' table -  unemployment, low standard of living, bad leadership and lack of infrastructural maintenance, lack of access to quality education and health care.

This scenario has left the future of the next generation bleak with no legacy to leave behind.

The sins of our fathers leave us with grave consequences; collapsed institutions our forefathers had created.

How, then, can we be surprised that we've created  a breed of youths thrown into violence, armed robbery, prostitution, fraud; a generation brought up under the notion that corruption is the only way to make it out of poverty.

Motivation and creativity have been replaced with "the easy way out".

The story of King David's sin against God with Bathsheba (2Sam. 12: 1-14) ought to teach our leaders some lessons. 'For every action there is a reaction' and for Nigeria to survive we need to start making the right choices and decisions in order to leave a lasting legacy for the next generation.

The youth don't want to worry about the consequences of their fathers' sins.

 

Enjoy!!!

 

Edited by Michaela Moye (Moyemedia)

BE THE BEST NOT THE FIRST

Hello Everyone
'Spear the rod spoil the child ' was the way i was raised and i believe for most Africans. also the good book says train a child in a way to go and when he grows he shall not depart from it.these where the fundamentals we were taught and has sustain our society over the years but i personally frown at this principle when its wrongly applied in the life of child in the area of life path and career; where your folks would tell you to take this line or that line of career for the know what's best for you, whilst a child might otherwise find interest in some other field of endeavor and would be forced not to fulfill potential because they have been taught that this is the right path to good living. but some folks fail/refuse to notice potential in some other career paths because the are viewed not to be 'professional' enough, or because of the experience of economic challenges and the perceived notion that such career path can not put food on the table.
Oh well! gone are those days such trends where prominent in African homes at least that is what i thought until i heard a story recently of a young chaps dilemma beyond the impressive successes recorded by the youths in various endeavors outside the conventional Law, Medicine, Engineering just to mention a few. Please don't get me wrong theses are noble career, but all i am saying is that; alternative career paths were not given equal attention in the past.
This write up was sparked up by a story i heard of a anonymous young chap like i mentioned earlier, born in the United Kingdom and raised in Nigeria when he was old enough to enroll into the University his father wanted  him to go study Medicine in the UK,while the chap wanted to read Business Management on his arrival he decided to tow the path of his heart desire and when his father was aware of this development he decided not to pay or support this young chaps tuition fee and up keep leaving the young chap dependent on government benefits which is an entitlement for every UK citizen. Anyways,only time will tell what this young chap would eventually become in the future. it is vital folks guide kids on the right path of career but to be careful not to impose their own desires on kids rather they should be more sensitive to the interest their kids develop at a tender age  and encourage them on those activities,who knows they might just become the next ; Pablo Picasso, Quincy Jones, or Bob Marley.
The moral of the story is that personally i was never raised by my folks to try to be the first in some other field that seem more 'professional or lucrative' to them, rather i was taught and encouraged to be the best at what ever i can do as long as it was noble. look around you today several young men and women are doing great things and making honest and comfortable living in the entertainment industry and can afford to provide that 'security' every folks would desire for their kids. Let the children BE!
Yours truly, Cheers!!!

A TRIP TO RIYOM

Hello Everyone,

In recent years Nigeria has been hit with natural disasters and Plateau State in north-central Nigeria has not been left out of these challenges.some communities within the state have been displaced as a result of flooding in recent weeks and this lead to a camp setup in Riyom LGA to cater to the needs of the displaced families.
Looking at the living conditions of the displaced families at the refugee camp in Riyom, spurred the heart of well meaning youths within the state as they initiated a campaign for people to show love and donation towards the well-being of the these communities. this awareness was lead by the founder of (Jtownperspectives) -Teyei Pam and winner of (BBA and founder of Naija pikin) - Kelvin Pam and GIFCT Abuja.
This lead to a trip to Riyom tagged 'Riyom Kids Project' on the 25th of August 2012 by the Nigerian youth as they spent time with the children and the folks respectively, food and clothing items were distributed with support from; Mrs Elizabeth Pam, BaRuQ, Mado, Zanak and a host of others. below are photograghs of the camp and the visit to the camp. Thanks

The camp on a regular day

Photo source: Teyei,BaRuQ

The Pathway

                                                                            Hello Everyone,

Life as we all know is bound to some certain rules like; ''what goes up must come down'' ''every beginning has an end'' ''you reap what you sow'' most times these terms are used as word's of caution or guidance in different life circumstances,but today i would like us to look at the pathway as one of those rules of nature.i believe every path taken has it's proposed destination.Example: the good book defines two pathways for life; the wide and the narrow way with both of them having a definite destination,of which if i am to deduce- we all have the freedom to freewill but live with the consequence of our choices weather the turnout good or bad.

Man in the Mirror.

Hello Everyone,
I am very sure as you read the title of this post you might probably be reminded of the classic track ''Man in the Mirror'' by the legendary Micheal Jackson blessed memories which was part of my inspiration to write this post and of course a bunch of other realities i experienced in Nigeria and a lot of other people might relate to across Africa.
I took this photo above as part of my tag in relation to this post and it really got me thinking and asking my self questions like what was my purpose in life and what can i do to make a change in Nigeria and the rest of Africa where the problems are peculiar;problems of corruption,greed,bad leadership,wars,starvation,poverty,underdevelopment,and the list goes on.these thoughts and questions got me into a quest for answers and i got into discussions with Nigerians and other African alike.
My discussion started with a group of enthusiastic graduates in the diaspora that just graduated from school with wonderful grades and dreams of changing the world.in the midst of our celebration i asked these question;hope you shall all return home with this quality of certificate and heart  to make a difference? and this question opened up a different level of insight into the minds of these enthusiast.some were of  the opinion that Nigeria and the problem of corruption is embedded in our culture and would take a lifetime to change,while others were hopeful a change can be made by the new breed of leaders that are been created and they believed they were one of them and others were too furious to take a stand.