‘uncle Suuru’ Not A One-way Ticket To Stardom For Jon Ogah

One thing is rising; another is staying on the height of mountains and keeping your head above water. Obviously, you can’t have your head under water and breathe fine; not even John Legend can. The Nigerian music industry demands more than what the likes of Olu Maintain did. We can call his Yahooze a one hit wonder, can’t we? To survive here, you need a consistent brilliance of recurring hits; what Olamide Baddo would call ‘back to back’.

Revealed in my forthcoming article on artists to watchout for in the coming
headies award, Davido and Wizkid stand a chance of winning big. Why? Just because they were able to give us exactly what we want back to back, relentlessly. Jon Ogah of Big Brother Naija I’d say is a handsome young Nigerian with a keen desire for becoming bigger than even the likes of
2baba in the industry. He did excellently well with Uncle Suuru and he is definitely applauded.

His uncle is a prototype of exactly what a Nigerian parent or elder would do. No one really believes in young men aspiring to be stars in music, they believe chasing a dream in entertainment is another way to name laziness. If he had decided to go to school instead, then his uncle’s attitude would have been different. In short, he went through the odds all alone and luck came his way; not every talented lad by the street gets chance to meet their fortune even in a long while. One out of a hundred makes it in such way and he is one testimony.

He did perfect the track with the involvement of the Gold-star himself,
Adekunle and also the only female with a strange, funny and at the same time charming and enchanting voice in the industry, Simi . Adekunle ’s verse is bliss from the point he made it known he could sing better than R Kelly just that he didn’t have the opportunity of better instruments to the point where he said he was ready to spread his wings and fly, make do with what he has and tap into the fulfillment of his dreams. Simi as I’d say almost fell off or below expectations with the way she channeled herself into the track but where knowledge ends, experience shows its prowess. She blended with the tune and climaxed so beautifully. Believe me, the track is a good reference to preaching the ‘Ariwo ko ni music’ gospel.

Nevertheless, Uncle suuru is not enough reason for Jon to think he has made his way up there and relax. It won’t take long before we forget what it was he sang even though the song holds a better chance at being nominated if not winning several awards. He needs to learn from Davido how he fell on us with ‘ if’ and still went ahead to jam us with ‘fall ’. That’s the exact way to become a star. The song has opened doors for him and now is the time for him to trend masterfully and do the needful before the wave dies down.

A one-way ticket takes you somewhere but never brings you back, unfortunately such is not the case for Jon Ogah’s hit track.

Micheal Ace
Writer, poet and music lover
Instagram: @poetmichealace
Twitter: @lordace32

Wizkid; a futile effort for African music

As much as it remains evident that this musical act is a beautiful product of Africa’s uniqueness and creativity, an unprejudiced mind will agree with me that Wizkid’s “Sound from the other side” is another precise feat aimed at buying the whole world into his own pocket.

Someone would tell me that the Starboy Entertainment Worldwide boss is few steps away from a Grammy award. That’s obvious to one with a brilliant insight but what good would this do to the recognition of other African artists. To be realistic, breaking a record as the first pop African act to win the award isn’t a guarantee or an open door for others.

The discrimination isn’t about the pop songs produced from here; it’s not about our brand; it’s not about the production quality; it’s not about the melody, the voice, instrumental or beat or even the inferiority in sounds- if that’s the case, then artists like 2face, Modenine, Sarkodie, Akon to mention but a few would have bagged the award countless times. It’s about the identity; the ‘black’ tag that lessens the posibility. It’s about the mentality that Africans are inferior and so do anything that comes from them. It’s about racism. Only few Africans have won the award since it’s inception; talking about the likes of Wouter Kellerman, Tinariwen, Youssou N’Dour, Soweto Gospel Choir, Ali Farka Toure, Angelique Kidjo and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Sade Adu and few others Obviously none from the pop circle.

With “Sound from the other side,”, it’s quite certain that Wizkid is ready to give up anything just to attain that which he dreams, even forsaking his background and countrymen. Every ambitious musical act definitely knows how to lobby or pay for international collaborations but what about the personal integrity and African dignity at large?

How about Wizkid take a more critical look into the phrase “you don’t need an international collaboration to be successful”. Davido is doing quite impressive and exceptional; Olamide is a very creative, versatile, consistent and wonderful maker of indigenous rap music and street pop; Teknomiles is making waves and tapping very awesomely into the magic and so are other good and promising artists too. We can’t but applaud the wonderful contribution of talented acts like Timi Dakolo, Waje, Simi and so many others in their different musical cliques.

I think it’s the best time artists stop selling themselves to the foreign media market. Their recognition doesn’t make you in anyway better than you already are. Having the likes of Wale featuring Olamide and Davido in a track is one proof that the fight of Africa music recognition and acceptance as a whole worldwide is a collective force and not a one man’s job.

They say if only the snakes will walk in convoy, the forest will be void of hunters.

Micheal Ace is a freelance writer, poet and a music lover.
Twitter: @lordace32, Facebook: Micheal Ace, Instagram: @poetmichealace, E-mail: poetmichealace@gmail,com

I heard a voice from heaven | A review of Waje's mountain

When the speaker blares and you find yourself beating the force of gravity, walking the path of your pores into your soul and making ways in the air- you’re finding home. You hear your heart leap and touch your lips to find joy beaming to the world. This is exactly what happens when you let Waje walk her ways into your body.

The first time i listened to ‘ Mountain’, I experienced a perfect blend of melody and energy. The song preaches about self-conviction, self-will, and self-determination on one’s path to victory. Of course, no one can understand what you face; no one can see or feel your pain and you just have to keep being cool until the top gets convinced enough that you are the one it’s been missing, but there is more to the song than the message- the way she eloquently and confidently switches between the pitches and notes and delivers force in accordance to the context of each line of her lyrics.

Moreover, it’s exceptional finding two different voices working up as one. The three octaves vocalist teams up with Lira , a multiple award winning South African singer to produce a perfect duet. Obviously, these are women that justifies the claim “what a man can do, a woman can do better” with the way they force nature into sounds and bless our souls with a mind-driven soul song that surely ends up pushing the listener over the highest of his mountain and as well make him cross the widest of bridges.

There is healing in everything your heart conforms with. And which other way does healing comes than letting yourself loose to the magic of sounds, the sorcery of musicians who stops at nothing until their voices perches on the wings of giant eagles.

The first time I listened to ‘mountain ’ by Waje featuring Lira , I heard a voice from heaven.

By Michael Ace
Twitter: @lordace32
Facebook: Michael Ace
Instagram: @poetmichealace

Wo! Welcome back to the street, Olamide.

What do you think needs to be done to a prodigal son if he refuses to repent? Trash him or write him off? Exactly what the public has done to Olamide this year. The class rep of 'awon omo wobe' started this year with singles that wasn't well received by the audience. Talk about Wavy Level which didn't even garner up to a million view on YouTube. Summer body barely passed that bound. Why? Because he was experimenting some new brands of music that isn't really street-like. He failed his hood.

Seeing the likes of Wizkid, Davido and even Tekno making waves this years isn't really a good thing on Olamide who has been struggling to achieve a notable feat. Talk about 'If' and 'Fall'; back to back bangers. Talk about 'Come closer' and even the SFTOS mixtape from the Starboy. I had thought we have seen it all this year until my phone rang and I read the alert of Wo!. Something told me even before I downloaded that the song is going to be a redemption for the YBNL boss. I downloaded and I was glad I did.

What do you even expect when you hear 'it's young John the wicked producer'? A banger right? Exactly. The song begins with a grooving beat which sweeps the listener off his cool. Sending him to the dance floor. 'Won na n wa wa nigboro, won na ti miss wa nigboro' is enough proof that King Baddo himself knows it's been quite a long time. Now I felt great when he assures the street of sending another hot tune down their spines with the 'a de shi ma fa gobe, wo' line.

Olamide Baddo is the symbol of everything that denotes the streets. That's why you need to listen to his songs if you want to stay In touch with the new and latest slangs on the street. Wo! This track has no other choice than to level King Baddo up to his counterparts in the music industry. He has just gotten the ticket to stay aloft on charts, airplays and in clubs. Wo! I just believed what the 'Who you epp' crooner said some months back that he never runs out of inspirations. He never runs out of razzness too and that's exactly what makes him the street ambassador.

We know Olamide for his uniqueness in the mode he turns up his audience and makes everyone forgets their 'porshness' and come down raw. This mega hit will definitely change everything. The year has just taken a redeeming turn. A big thanks to the wicked producer on this. Wo! Welcome back to the street, Olamide.

By Micheal Ace
Tweets @lordace32



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