It has been exactly a year since I got this present online presence off the ground and so I come bearing presents .. ummm ... musica:

Well when I was in Lagos last April, I was able to get my hands on some decent and current Nigerian R'n'B and pop. Obtaining this stash wasn't without a bit of adventure though, as finding specific artists from traders in the market or on the street can be downright frustrating. This is mostly because my needs were not well aligned with their selection. One of the best tracks I've heard all year was a Makossa styled track, with lyrical nods to the Trybesmen, that was playing over the radio leaving Warri airport. Later on singing a few bars for friends and family, nobody had a clue what I was on about!! Prolly 'cos my singing sucks and my punishment thus was not bring able to locate and procure this brilliant track.

Nevertheless, here are some short reviews, mp3 clips and pics of some of the choice cuts I did manage to get my paws on.

Plantashun Boiz: Body & Soul: American-influenced R'n'B sung mostly in English, with the occasional appearance in pidgin. I'm not sure what the story is with their name's spelling, I've seen permutations of Plantation and Boys on various compilations & previous albums, there definitely is some kinda fashion with alternative phonetic spellings. Lyrically PB tend towards the likes of R. Kelly, Usher and Corneille harmonizing about the usual topics of love, getting together bliss, splitting up angst. Overall, fun and easy to listen to, though at times very derivative. They're definitely at their best when they're not in imitation mode like with Ememma.

Choice cuts: If Life, Ememma

P-Square: Last Nite: Well produced R'n'B, with a distinctly American flavour. This isn't a diss, but these guys definitely listen to a lot of Sisqo. Lyrics are in a smooth mixture of English (the choruses) and pidgin (through the verses) over typical rhythm and blues harmonies and modulations. Lots of interesting little moments when the lyrics refer to parts of well known American verses/artists. For example in Mako Fiesta (the only track not in the R'n'B vien), the flow at a certain moment goes something like “do ya wanna jump, jump-jump, das like walk, walk-walk” clearly borrowed from the Sisqo's infamous Thong Song.

Choice cuts: Kolo, Mako Fiesta

Tony Tetuila: My Car: is much more Nigerian sounding than the previous two albums. Part of this is because Tony Tetuila mixes in a good deal of Yoruba with his pidgin/English, then there's the fact that a lot more of what he talks about assumes a certain familiarity with a necessarily Nigerian social context. Notice on the album cover that the T in Tony is a Christian cross, with the words “He's Alive” directly below. Generally, Tony Tetuila is popular music for the people, treating themes familiar to the common man, moving-on-up, love-for-mum and my-car. True to form, the title track of the album, “My Car”, is a song-story about a guy whose car has been in 3 unfortunate traffic accidents in the same day! The second time by another popular musician. Here's a snippet of dialogue from the ensuing wahala at about 1:48 into “My Car” as Eedris Abdukareem, has just crashed into Tony's car:

Eedris in an “american” accent: Yeah, what's up, Tony! What's up man? It be long we don't see. What's up man?
Tony, not feeling it: Ole boy stop dat o! Wetin be What's up? You bash my car you dey tell me What's up. Shey na what's up I go use pay my car! I beg, pay me money, na which one you dey ?!!? #$@#$^& !!?!

Choice cuts: Iseju Akan, My Car

Best of Remedies: Eddy Montana vs Eedris Abdukareem: Tight Yoruba afro-pop, catchy hooks, danceable hip-house riddims, sometimes dipping into Caribbean influenced basslines (not to mention accents). Notable track: Sade, (a Yoruba prenom) and as *the* Sade is half Yoruba, not surprising then to see her turning up in various lyrical references to desirable/desired women. Other another track I'm really feeling is Oko Asewo, a fun happy shout-out song giving props to everyone from Blackky to Femi and Seun Kuti to Ali Baba and Mafioso-CashMonioso and of course to the ladies massive.

Choice cuts: Oko Asewo, Sade, Crisis

Julius D'Genius Agwu: My Style: My favourite album of this batch is a clever and hilarious Music-Comedy album from the ever so modest Julius D'Genius Agwu. This Warri-man (these are my people!) is a true character as he dishes up a healthy mix of his ad-lib humour and jamming Prince Nico inspired afro-pop.

Choice cut: Handwork

Paul [Play] I.K. Dairo: Initially when I bought this I wasn't sure what the whole idea of [play] was, seeing how the chap on the cover was too young to be and looks nothing like I.K. Dairo. Apparently Paul is covering a handful of I.K. Dairo songs. While these cover tracks have a healthy blend of guitar, percussion, talking drums and Yoruba poetry in the Juju tradition, the rhythms feel a bit stiff (not necessarily unmusical, just a bit over produced and templatized). Then about halfway through the album, Paul, switches gears and finishes off the last 5 songs like he was P-Square or a Planation Boy. Very odd.

I picked up these two mix-tape style compilations up from a market in Lagos Island. The track selection is quite varied with a good variety of tracks from established artists and younger, more obscure up-and comers. These blends are much much better than their glitzy, cheesy, bootylicious-girl-in-bikini enhanced covers might indicate.

Choice cuts: 2 Shotz - Thief,Ole, Carry Am Go, Maintain - Story (Alo)

Styl-Plus: Olufunmi-Runaway Very produced R'n'B in the usual mixtures of Yoruba and English. On a first listen I really didn't their sound, in part because it felt forced and like they were trying to over polish fundamentally weak musical ideas. Can you actually over-harmonize an idea ? Some of this feeling was enhanced by their gratuitous use of the Autotune plugin on the vocals (think Cher, I Believe). After a couple of listens, I suppose the overall sound grew on me, especially the tracks with Yoruba choruses. As with the Plantation boys, I think these guys are always best when they're not in direct imitation mode.

Choice cut: Olufunmi

Lágbájá - We Before Me: Okay, this album is a couple years old, but new to me circa about a year ago and it fits in with the rest of stuff under review. Actually the real reason for the review is to rave about the sheer danceable brilliance of Konko Below (which also appears on the above compilations), the veritable crème de la crème of Nigerian music now. If Konko Below was an infectious disease, I'm gravely ill with a thick ripe flegmatic whooping cough!! *cough*. Seriously, this jammerjam is infectious, in the same way that Premier Gaou is still tearing up dancefloors!

Overall Lágbájá is just solid back-to-the-basics music, showcasing Yoruba musical traditions with nods to Afrobeat, Juju and Soul music greats. It is very encouraging to see their vision for the future. I think the title “We before Me” sums it up quite well.

Choice cut: Konko Below

Enjoy!