₦airaland Forum

Livelystone01:
I've been trying to get my head around the USAID issues for a while and my conclusion is that most of these payment tags we see are cover ups for the promotion of US interests in certain countries.

I don't think it is legal to put the right things in there because of the illegality of some of these promotions. Take something like this, you see that they wrote the correct thing there and what you'd have been seeing are: payment for staffs illegally drilling oil in so and so country or payment for our assets in Vietnam or our contractors for "whatever secret trades of certain rare minerals" in the middle East.

We have to look holistically at this and not get triggered to tag these things before getting the true issue these payments were disbursed for.

You know the US are running some very lucrative illegal trades or mining in some of these destabilised countries and these could be their payment methods.

Imagine the world seeing, payment for illegal mining of minerals in Nigeria or Djibouti or mobilization fee for illegal drilling in Syria or others.

Also, most of those so-called terrorists in the media are CIA assets who the US use to control important resources in their domains. How do you label a payment to such person that wouldn't have caused another "Snowdon's" level of outrage worldwide?

I think this agency called DOGE have rookies that do not understand clandestine operations, especially political ones or Elon and co do but they do not care. Either way, it is so bad for America because how do you expect to get the next shipments of raw solid and rare earth minerals from illegal miners in Iraq when you haven't sent the next payment to your warlord connect?

These guys will just move their business elsewhere and have others fill in for them. Black market brokers would be licking their hands right now that Trump is pushing on things like these.

Make we just they see how China go enjoy this move wella.

I'm enjoying the expose. Taxpayers need to know how insane the Democrat party is and how their tax dollars are being squandered

Transparency is key and I think they are at a point now where the people are sick and tired of playing global police. Every move of Trump gives me the impression that na all man for himself regime be this. No money to waste. All these countries and our interests in them do absolutely nothing for the bottomline is his mentality

Kimbeast:
So a Nigerian should cut off his culture, tradition and identity because he is living in another country? I think you are mixing up citizenship and nationality. You can't change what country you were originally from even if you renounce your citizenship and become a citizen of a new country. It's okay to want to live overseas but still be proud to be born in Nigeria or wherever.

I didn't say cut off but assimilate as much as possible to your new environment. Especially when you plan on making it your new abode

If you're that proud of where you come from to the point that you elevate it ahead of your new location then why not go back to the Nigeria or wherever you're from.

It's foolishness and quite frankly hypocrisy to go to another man country and be flying flag in public protests. Some countries it's against the law sef

And yes certain countries require you to denounce your old country to become a citizen of that country.

Donald Trump's grandfather is literally German. His real country is actually Germany. I don't hear him say make Germany great again

KingTom:
I swear bruh, on the Ashanti matter you can hear him on Drink Champs talking about it

Free Ashanti matter. No nigga worth high 8 figures is truly in tatters over some woman especially when it's not like he even treated her well.

These guys compound their genetic health issues with taking poor care of their health

Android17:
I don't know the humiliation you're referring to. Man has been using Grammy plaques as a doorstop for years. In fact, he forbade UMG from submitting his works to the Grammy Committee since 2022.

Speaking of which, there's only 1 name on everyone's lips in rap. Someone won 5 Grammies, and the ensuing conversation since then has been about Drake. Man has a superbowl performance to revive his career, the conversations are still about . . .Drake. The Grammy awards? Nothing from all his other stuff - not even Future or MetroGrooming got anything from it. The Grammy goes to the song made about. . . Drake.

Let me add the kicker:

Dr. Dre - confirmed Pedophile and wife-beater.
Lucian Grange - UMG CEO
Jay-Z- confirmed Pedophile

Are doing high fives and celebrating a song about Pedophilia denigrating the most successful artist Lucian Grange has ever worked with. An artist that nobody has ever charged for such claims. Yet the people who are dancing to it, have been charged and in some cases, are guilty of the same Pedophilia. I hope you see where this is going.

Last bit, UMG have immediately tried to re-release Sabrina Carpenter's album (to sell with Merch) on the day of Drake's album with PND. The Weeknd (who used to hate the Grammy until his current album was flopping) also tried to release it based on the buzz of the $ome$exy$ongsFor4U. They went out to lie that both albums were being released on the same day.

DJ Khaled (Managed by Jigga) also tried to use Drake's name to promote his upcoming album (even though he has songs with Jay-Z). Drake set him straight and now Khaled has deleted his album promo.

They need the boy to sell records. Shannon Sharpe won't do any Interview without asking random folks about Drake. All content creators, Drake Drake Drake. Australia is all about Drake (sold out).

Meanwhile, they say Kdot will edit NLU to perform it at the superbowl and he won't be able to repeat the defamatory statements he made (FYI it won't matter. To perform the song, UMG had to license it - so yep - Drake's lawsuit is in tact). There's no humiliation to the face of the league o.

These tears and lamentations dawg. TLDR

Sha hold the L on Drizzy's behalf.

First nigga/Karen to lose a beef and file a lawsuit

Roland17:
This right here. Except the argument is that Klay is washed.

Jimmy is trending towards washed. The Warriors are stuck with two niggas 36 years and older on the supermax. All for what? Play in contention?

They're so cooked it's not even funny. Extending Klay would have been a much better option than massively overpaying for Jimmy and handicappin themselves badly

descarado:
China is even worst.
You must denounce your naija citizenship.
They don't encourage dual citizenship.

As it should be. Nothing I hate more than seeing people flying the flag of the country they ran from.

Any country you want to go and live in for good you should be open to burning the boat. Complete buy in

KingTom:
I noticed it too, health us wealth brothers. I saw his eyes and the way he slurred, it couldn't have been just the drinks. He lost Ashanti to Nelly, had been crying about it since

He wasn't looking like a healthy 50 year old at all. Anyone who's not drastically cutting down their drinking and smoking by age 30 dey play with fire

The things we view as enjoyment for youth na for older age you go suffer am.

Did he really lose Ashanti to Nelly? The man had a wife and kids. Wetin e dey find upandan.

RIP Irv Gotti. Man gave us classics

The way he was crashing out on Drink Champs I figured all was not well.

Make person just dey shadow him health very closely past that age 30 point. Your late 40s and 50s go face the fallout good or bad

SmooshCHN:
This team stresses me. Ok now we have Butler but lost valuable pieces. I wish him the best with Draymond. But can we get decent bigs FFS?

Draymond X Jimmy Butler UFC fight. Count me in

But damn y'all got fleeced. What manner of desperation?? Y'all really think you're a Jimmy Butler away from contention?

You balked on paying Klay only to break the vault for Jimmy?

raumdeuter:
We remember the number of people who swore there was nothing like this. That it was a hoax and fake news

Wonder why the legacy media is getting torched

You don't wake people pretending to be asleep. We are talking about people more upset Elon Musk is exposing USAID theft than the actual fraud and crime itself

That's like someone angry at CCTV camera instead of the bank robber

She was truly a airhead DEI candidate through and through

Hole Lee F*ck.

The entire 60 Minutes Interview has dropped.

This will remind you how lucky America is that this lady did not win.

Wow pic.twitter.com/rGfdjaYSJL

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) February 5, 2025

CBS finally released the full length unedited video of KamKam's 60 minute interview.

Gaa-lee. This woman is even dumber than I initially posited. America really dodged a bullet

Middleton swapped for Kuzma.

Middleton is washed so I guess it makes sense. Trade doesn't really move the needle in my eyes

Lol Harrison has traded Grimes for Caleb Martin.

He would either go down as a genius or banned from all NBA team facilities. No middle ground

Kleber out another 8 weeks. If Lakers are wise they will waive that joker

Ibime:
Ayra is way better than Tems and way less kpako than Tems. Ayra singing in pidgin is her choice, if she sings RnB she will still do it in the proper accent unlike Tems who doesn't know if she has fake Britico or fake Yankee accent

What gave Tems the attention is the Drake co-sign and collaborations, nothing more. Without that Drake boost, Tems is nothing

Chale why are you giving Drake Wizkid's credit nau?

You skipped Essence wey reach #9 for Billboard 100. Song wey pop sotey Justin Bieber jump on top. Essence did better than Fountains on the charts

The only song I know that got real acclaim was Wait for you and that was even Future's song. Drake did not boost her anything

As for Ayra I'm not doubting her talent. But Tems makes the better ballads and RnB songs. The proof is in the pudding. There's a reason one has blown and gone full international.

It's not about singing in pidgin. There's still a pangolo riddim to her sound which is why I likened her to Yemi Alade in a way.

Whatever you feel about Tems no RnB purist will compare Ayra with her. Tems is simply better and her sound has stuck with me more

Roland17:
Dis thing don dey be like jazz..

You not only convince Nico to drop the asking price, you double down and got him not to shop a talent like Luka around….and Nico agreed to both!

Maybe Pelinka has promised him to be his heir as Laker GM in the future that's the only rational explanation for this trade.

The problem is he has trapped himself in a very tight corner which is unusual because most GMs I know make moves that buy themselves time not rob themselves of it.

If the Mavs go on to win it all I will put my hands up and acknowledge the genius move but he's basically 4th down and 5 now. He has given himself no wiggle room

birdman:
Its yall that dont get it bro. You are franchise only if the owners say you are franchise. The mavs have decided he is not, none of us are in the front office to know the real reason. But my reason is more plausible than yours. The idea that a fan on the street has done more homework that the front office of team that has made smart moves up until now is unlikely.

What do you think will be the asking price for Jokic. How can owner say you're franchise when 5x All NBA says you are.

1 first rounder and AD for 25 year old Luka Doncic is a paltry and laughable return. Even if na Yokozuna. Luka's record and future projection makes this an asinine trade. There is no homework that you can do to justify accepting that type of poverty trade. He sold low and didn't even create a bidding war

Na alternate universe you must dey e be like. The only way this trade can ever be a success if the Mavs go on to win a chip. Let that sink in

As it stands Nico will be lucky if anyone let's him run their Kiosk or food wagon unless the Mavs win it all

birdman:
And if you listen to players current and former, no one is calling the Lakers an outright winner in this trade or even projecting playoffs success..That tells you something, no?

I think its for the very reason that Luka has some gaping defensive issues that negates his all star offense. Franchise player must at least play like franchise player on both ends na. And its not that he cant play defense. Ho just chooses not to sometimes.

Paul Pierce is the only one I saw questioning the fit. However anyone claiming the Lakers didn't win this trade is insane. Let them land a Myles Turner and you will see crazy

Knock on wood but unless Luka is suffering from a terminal issue there's simply no justifying this trade.

What Luka offers is long term relevance and playoff contention. That is completely out of the question now for the Mavericks who must win immediately or be the butt of jokes for all of eternity.

It will be different if he forced the issue and left them with no choice but apparently this is not the case

Leave that defensive liability talk. Most guards that carry a team's offense are not going to be Gary Payton or Ron Artest, surprise, surprise. That's your job Mr GM to surround him with players that mitigate that

You do not ever ever give away a top 3 player just entering their prime for AD and a first rounder. It's nuts that you're even arguing this.

BlueRayDick:
You are just forcing this packaging yarns and I’m not buying it. 9ice had at least 3 good albums that did well and it’s not like all 3 albums were released between the 2006-2009 window u are referencing as ur talking point .

Force una. Wetin consign me whether you buy it or not. It's the truth.

9ice last good album was Tradition which came out 2009 if we want to be frank. The one after that didn't hack it

BlueRayDick:
9ice fell off like a whole lot of artists who are now old takers . There’s no one single manual to blowing up and staying relevant in Nigerian music industry. Even if u have machine pushing u, once ur time is up it is up .

9ice fall off was premature. He's fallen off for over a decade now and packaging is definitely a factor. When it was time to evolve he didn't and the game left him behind

BlueRayDick:
If it’s by packaging and having someone pushing ur work , any random artist signed by Kennis music should be at the top of the industry and others should be subservient under them .

Is this guy fr? Do you know how many people we sabi today because of Kennis Music? Do you know how long they were at the top

BlueRayDick:
I noticed u mentioning Asake doing well because of YBNL pushing him , do u know how many artistes the same YBNL pushed that never blow/stay relevant ? Who was pushing Kizz Daniel on the other hand ?

There so many random small boys that are blowing up today without any known popular record label pushing them sef . There’s no singular manual to commercial success in naija music industry jare

SMH.

Which industry for this life get 100% kill rate. Shey na all Nestlé or Guinness product dey move? Na wa ohh

Asake wey talk say "I just blow but I know my set" You don't know what he means ba??

Who are the many random boys just blowing without backbone. Dey there dey play. Even the Kizz Daniel himself is he not with Empire?

Oya nau. I say dey there

BlueRayDick:
What packaging did he give his first 3 albums that made them blow ?

Are you comparing Nigeria music game of 2006-2009 to now? Be fr

You think the cost of entry is the same? Go and watch Keke interview on Nedu's podcast. Even Tems you think packaging no involve. Didn't she come out same time with Good Girl LA and Co?

Guy packaging matters whether you like it or not

BlueRayDick:
U can argue that 9ice fell off , that 9ice’s work wasn’t as quality as they used to be or he lost his mojo; but talking about packaging that one no enter at all.

Where is them Reekado Banks? Lil Kesh and Co today. Even international acts need packaging, tens of thousands of people dey release song everyday. If you think machine no dey wey dey push these select few artistes and keeping them relevant omo you're being naive ohh

BlueRayDick:
I already mentioned it that artists like Olamide kept on pushing out works after works and they were in our faces . Even when some section of fans weren’t 4cking with him and some section of music listeners claimed he shouts when singing ; he kept in doing his thing and never rested . People like 9ice went out of circulation and even their most loyal fans forgot about them.

All those talk about packaging na just cap jare.

To blow up and have sustained success in today's music game for Nigeria and beyond you have to have packaging.

Like I would say. Go and listen to Keke and D1 podcast. And that was back then. Listen to how much they spend to churn out an artiste.

Rema, Ayra there's a machine pushing them. They're good but not just successful on their own merit alone

diggz:
Na Oleh or Ozoro boy him be, right? Meanwhile, I hear say the guy kolo proper sef onto drugs level.

Aviara. Him na Isoko South. Me I dey lump all together jare plus north plus south

Na ice. Those boys too dey use. I no know why. Once them touch any small money like this

Be like you familiar to that ends

Ozoro na back of my village. You fit jog from there enter Ozoro. Na straight road

Bombblacks:
I wonder why Ayra is not getting the same popularity and applaud like Tems. She has
better vocals and stage performances.

Ayra too dey do some pangolo pattern. You can't fully enter foreign market with pangolo style.

That Tems collabo with Wizkid really opened doors for her and she maximized it

Ayra has dope vocals but Tems is just unique there's no one you can say sounds like her.

To break into that market from Naija you just have to make some tweaks

diggz:
100% facts! Many naija artist no Dey take care of their vocals at all….Dem go just assume say e go last forever.

Yup. Lifestyle. They use and take all sorts. Look at someone like Solidstar should be much bigger as well but once small money enter they start misbehaving. Na my town man so him own pain me extra

izzou:
[color=royalblue]This music thing na sense sha.

Flavour has one particular style and message he sticks too lately, and that's what is buying him relevance..

If he was still singing all those funny blues with that Liberian kid, him and 9ice for don dey the same WhatsApp group

9ice just fell off...That's just it. When the time reach, e reach be that.[/color]

Still comes down to evolution. When you no fit evolve your sound poor reception will definitely discourage you from putting out more especially when you factor Nigerian market

Flavor of early 10s and now there is still difference in the sound and also subject matter of what he's singing about.

Amigoss:
If Asake can and got grammy nomination,why can't he?

Na that local pattern and those deep yoruba adage gangan wey him reduce for his songs follow affect am, is what I think...

You know who dey Asake back? You think YBNL packaging no help am?

Shebi he's on his own now let's see how far he go blow.

BlueRayDick:
This is not true .

You are making it sound like 9ice is some shitty ass Yoruba singer whose song/vibe can’t be enjoyed by non Yoruba speaker/Nigerian . That’s not the case .

Songs like Gbamu Gbamu are not local as u are making it sound . Collabs like Street Credibility will rival any top collabo of any naija artist u may want to argue have more packaging than 9ice .

The truth is 9ice just fell off and that’s that . It has nothing to do with not having packaging or his local pattern

Oga 9ice sound became outdated. Truth is bitter like Guinness. And no I'm not saying he is a shitty ass Yoruba singer. Though him music no really penetrate East for example.

Look at Flavor. He came out and was popping around the time 9ice came out. Listen to Flavor now and tell me if there wasn't evolution to his sound

Ol boy if you're ignoring the importance of packaging for Nigeria music settings I no get anything to tell you then. There's a reason African China and Blackface no relevant and it's not for lack of talent

BlueRayDick:
I bought hard copies of Versus and Bashorun Gaa he released same date .

I don’t consider all those GRA/CNN as anything quality at all. That’s why I’m saying the marriage crisis messed him up . Versus and Bashorun Gaa were still quality songs , but as the whole marriage issue and his misadventure into politics happened after those two albums be his body of work became shiit.

9ice sound became outdated. Lack of packaging and evolution. Obviously Nigeria is also highly competitive. The amount of money required to blow and maintain for Naija is scary. If strong men no dey your back. Omo

A very good example I will use for artist evolution is Adekunle Gold. Listen to him when he started vs now. He gats evolve with the times

Listen to Orente/Pickup/No Forget vs High/Okay/Sinner

9ice never really made that kin evolution of his sound

BlueRayDick:
That marital crisis and resultant beef with rugged man ended 9ice’s career . He just lost focus , his lyrical tap ran dry and he just couldn’t produce hit any longer .

How nau?? The Ruggedman wey him career. Didn't Mode 9 smoke him on Talking to you?

9ice main problem na lack of packaging. That him local pattern cannot work in Nigeria and more importantly international.

Can you picture him on an international collab?

Of which where is Android17 I wan hear him hot takes on him boy Drake's humiliation

diggz:
Just a side note: 9ice lost his voice, and it really affected him. It pretty much halted his blossoming career.

Same thing wey do Tekno

KingTom:
The sky is her starting point, she's really impressed me. Not just her singing skills, the fact that I don't see her yansh plastered on my screen every market day also impresses me, very well deserved win.

I like that she has stayed true to herself. I have a soft spot for her and I love that she didn't resort to singing pangolo riddims just to conform like Yemi Alade did.

They shamed her to showing her bumbum which she later did, we are not complaining but the fact that she remained her sultry self and never went full rachet is very pleasing to see

birdman:
GM cant make this type of decision by himself. This has to originate from the owner/owners.

As I said in another post, Luka does not hold his end on the defensive end. Kyrie will at least try to play some defense. Its not elite, but its better than the half-hearted defense Luka plays. Hence an NBA championship was won on the back on threes. It was too easy for the guards.

I could also see Luka requesting this trade, because of his personal relationship with Mark Cuban. Maybe he is not comfortable with the new owners? Cuban coddled him a lot imo

Bro Kyrie is not exactly Gary Payton and I think Luka defensive weaknesses is grossly overrated. In games he was locked in he played pretty solid defense

You don't get it. Luka is the franchise. Kyrie is a #2 a great #2 to have but a #2 nonetheless. AD has the skill of a #1 but the mentality of a #2.

You absolutely do not trade the franchise. What's the long term play. Ask yourself. Do you see AD and Kyrie playing together for the Mavs the next 2-3 years. Will they still be at their best

Luka did not request a trade. Are you following this news at all?

The only thing that will justify this trade is the Mavs winning a championship, short of that he would be persona non grata at Dallas and really is going to need security

Sportsweb:
Cry for me joor.

GNX is winning Rap Album in 2026
One of Luther, TV off or Squabble will win an award too.

Dodger Blue

Sorry to Drake fans. Kendrick went 5/5. Even I wasn't expecting that.

This was generational humiliation and the entire Hollywood or Hollyweird were dancing on his grave.

You know you're cooked when Taylor Swift and Beyonce are hollering A-minorrrrr

https://x.com/nfr_podcast/status/1886274808783974629?s=19

https://x.com/nfr_podcast/status/1886265661837475860?s=19

But yoo. People must really not fvck with Drake at all. Why she dancing that hard

seankafor:
Who is following the USAID unraveling and corruption

Zelensky say out if 177b$ na only 77b$ he receive 📲

Saner climes una

This is part of the Deep state and swamp business Trump was talking about

Nigerians who probably have relatives and friends and NGOs that were benefitting from this grift were wailing all over Twitter last week. It was quite funny to see