Laide O. talks about '[I]Sasha[/I]', one of the most popular music artistes in Nigeria today (she raps):

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Sasha, real name Antonia Yetunde Alabi, the last of eight children, blows out candles on the 21st of May, can be truly called Nigeria's queen of Hip-Hop.

Sasha, rocking a 1.75 meters tall frame, brown hair and eyes is currently a Law student at the University of Lagos, Akoka (Unilag). An alumni of the famous International School, Ibadan, she shot into the limelight in 2001, at Unilag's 'Girls Nite Out' annual talent hunt. She emerged the first runner-up and the next day went on to perform at the Lagos Lekki beach with other contestants. It was not until months later when she met Eldee of Trybesmen, that she really got her launching pad, and has not looked back since then.

Aside from being a rapper, most would be surprised to know that Sasha is also a designer. Her mother owned a fashion outfit while growing up so her eye for fashion began at an early stage. She started designing for friends which led up to her own line 'Eclectic' and she now claims a clientele that is spread across a number of universities.

Thrilling Nigerians, with a different kind of flava, her stage-craft has the air of the work of a professional. From the costumes to the choreography, 21-year old Sasha gets credit for doing a splendid job. With a hectic schedule that is definitely stressful for professional musicians, it is a wonder how she also copes with being a Law student as well. To deal with this, she tries not to let her music career interfere with her studies.

Sasha's first big shows, were the MTN Yhello Live, and the Yhellofest in Enugu. With a recommendation for the KORA awards in place, she performed in the West African regional in Ghana. There she had to deal with very stiff opposition from representatives of other countries. She eventually received a KORA awards nomination for 'Most Promising Female Act in Africa'.

Sasha's Lyrics are not the run-of-the-mill ones, as she's got songs about love, prostitution, AIDS, and a lot of other insightful topics. She also infuses some Yoruba and pidgin which give her songs a unique Naija feel to it. 2003 was definitely a wonderful year for her, especially since the release of her single "Emi le Gan" in October 2003 which has been aired on Ben Tv in London.

Sasha's debut album "Finally Here" is due out this year and is definitely expected by fans and the media alike with a promise of something even more refreshing than her previous album. She has been described as one of the pioneers of Female Hip Hop in Nigeria and she is unquestionably one of the most promising Naija stars to look out for in 2005.

By Laide O

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So, how many Sasha fans do we have on the forum?

Well I guess she doesn't have as many fans as I thought. Oh, well.

who is she again??

Well they said she was good.

Who is she?? she needs to wake her name up.

what does that mean?

It means that If you're an award-winning Nigerian artiste and nobody in a forum with 1600 young Nigerians is able to recognize you, then you have a publicity problem!

Seun:

It means that If you're an award-winning Nigerian artiste and nobody in a forum with 1600 young Nigerians is able to recognize you, then you have a publicity problem!

Amen to that!

I'm familiar with sasha... she's a budding artist. Her work to date has very much been in the yankee copycat style. Think Faith Evans, Mary J. Bliger, etc.

hip hop heads on the africanhiphop forum dont think much of her

[/color][color=#990000]
Hey y'all shud stop hatin' and start appreciatin' my girl
sasha,Nigeria's queen of hip-hop coz she is one heavy chic as in her  lyrics are
real and gud.so watch out 4 her ayt? much love sasha and we all
love you out 'ere.................yewande.Bleep

Sasha is the best rap female nigerian artist. I listened to her songs, the songs are [good, really good].

She [has] enough dance moves too.

ehen?? Any link to her songs?

if u all xpecially seun dont know sasha then u guys must be kidding me, trae _z or whateva u 're just a feelamonger and a hater.sasha i love u babe keep up tha' gud work.
peace

I am sooooooooo not kidding you. I dunno her. She must be a Very big Nigerian star. I dunno her. i dunno her.

@olaotan i ain't a hater. i've heard one of her jamz and her verse on Da Trybes "Oya". she's OK as a rapper. go to the africanhiphop forums, they'll tell you more.

Sasha isnt that "tite".
"Emi le gan" is all i keep hearin for ages now...and someone says shes the best..Give me a break! puleeeeez
Well u can call her the best female rapper we've got. Just know the word "best" here is relative. How many female rappers we get sef?
I'm aint hatin' @ Sasha but i'm yet to see her other works. She rolls with Da trybe..a very tite rap family so probably sum1else wrote the song for her. Eldee is used to doin that (for the family) We need to see more of her works.
Truth be told. the video for "Emi le gan" is tite.

Yeah, i like her song "E wa bami jo or so, i listen to it every good day

what i think is that sasha has got to do more to get some fans.

HEy.. the Girl is Hot....who ia the hell there that said the girl is not good. well to sumerise it...she is the new hip-hop queen we got here in Naija..w3e can be comparing her to EVE.

You may be right there, considering the fact that eve is not so hot.

I know sasha she is really is really tite and with more encouragement and money investment she can really go places. she drops it better than Eve
Go Sasha! Go Sasha

[color=#770077][/color]I told y'all she's hot lyk fire.Luv u loads gurl.........................

Can somebody tell me who can be compared to the new hip-hop chick (Sasha) here in Nigeria. for now she is the best in rap hip-hop. look at who she did again in Lagos City.she is hotttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt.............

I have not heard about her!

hmmm.. well her song, emi le gon is the only song I have heard and I cant tell if its rap/hiphop or just one of dem songs that we naijas love to sing aloud when partying.... but if she can prove her worth by releasing another song... then she can be well recognized after all.. what s in a music if it isnt about getting famous and getting the dough!

hi guys,im just another new guy in the club...most o yall are a lil wrong about sasha...she really tite...need to play her songs and keep your ear tight to the lyrics..shes good. we grew up together in bodija, ibadan.we were rap colleauges..used to call our group''the ob crew''. it was me,akin[ak47],and yetunde[her].ill be kind to drop a lil hint on me
''

''im like... a live missile/wit vocal dismissals/tear thru ur skeletal gristles/
im beneficial/id rip out ur kids brain tissues/leave em a bit retarded wit some mineral issues/
cuff me and lock me away/so the streets can be safe for emcies to play/or better still i'd dump
your limbs on da highway/im high..like a spiritual herbaway.......... ''

Check out her only musical video (as at today)
http://www.aittv.com/vod2.asp?articleid=37&zoneid=1

Layi why did u beat me to it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to say she's good oooo. I saw her video and heard her song and all that. This same song... on Aittv.com. She's good. Okay she doesnt sound like a frog. But the other song i heard was ugly! As in the SOund! This one is good.

Where did she sound like a frog? Which song?

I seriously dunno the song. SOmeone just told me to listen to sasha the "nigerian sposed to be eve". She sounded ewww.. and ever since then, i've been saying she sounds like a frog. *i guess i am wrong afterall*.

its like most Nigeria don't know this diva,she's da bomb!
she brings out da best mostly when featured with the trybesmen,its like she's the trybes firstlady,go listen to OYA by trybesmen,hear her vomit strong rhynmes,omo sasha i trow fila 4 u go....