₦airaland Forum

Last year was a breakthrough season for most up and coming acts. The soundscape saw, heard and maintained a pulse on new artists who emerged from nowhere. No doubt, these artists have had to rely heavily on marketing tactics to stay on the minds of listeners albeit their songwriting prowess and potency of their songs in varying periods made their tracks stick like glue.

It’s a new year however. For some artists who experienced a bit of stardom in 2020, the expectations have notched up higher. Music listeners want more hits. They want these songs to relate as much as possible and they also demand more sweet, candy-like songs that fits into various moods.

We’ve listed ten artists who’ve shown much promise, penetrated the music space in 2020 and are also brimming with consistency.

1. Omah Lay
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Omah-Lay-150x150.jpeg

During peak Covid period, Omah Lay provided the capsule that simmered down the effect of that gloomy period. “Bad Influence” was a staple hit, the breezy “Ye Ye Ye” supplied energy for some sensual runs and the twinkling “Damn” encapsulated the bittersweet feelings of love.

He climaxed that dominance with the 5-track EP, What Have We Done. Most listeners will however want this brilliant run of capturing feelings and emotions, that seem like their own, into songs to continue. And who knows, we might get a full length album this year.

2. Bella Shmurda
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Bella-Shmurda-150x150.jpg

Bella Shmurda wasn’t even in the list of artists who could erupt into mainstream prominence at the start of 2020. But one move changed everything into his favour. The release of his EP, High Vibration where he exhibited his usual swagger, catapulted him into conversations early on in the year.

As the year grew on, heavyweights would be in need of Bella Shmurda’s input. He would dish out an euphoric flow on Olamide’s Triumphant, one of the standout on Carpe Diem. And further shew forth his bravado on Davido’s Fade. Amidst this heavy period of releases, there was still some energy for Bella Shmurda to dish out a year-ending hit, Cash App.

Still without a debut album, Bella Shmurda is reaching to the vast ends of the streets and also gaining recognition amongst the classy category of people.

3. Zinoleesky
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Zinoleesky-150x150.jpg

Vibrant is the word to describe Zinoleesky’s sound. The hunger he exuded in 2019 hasn’t waned one bit. In 2020 it took on a new form, concocting a heartfelt story in Caro. And when Ma Pariwo followed months after, it became that song you’ll hear in transit and see people groove to on Insta Stories.

A debut album should therefore be in the works and also more captivating anthems.

4. Jamopyper
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Jamopyper-150x150.jpg

What clearly drew attention to Jamopyper’s craft was his effortless ability to dish out catchy hooks. This was evident in his performance on Of Lala where his delivery was the stellar one.

If anyone doubted that delivery or touted him to be a one-hit type artist, he replicated the same success on his debut single, If No Be You which was the number one single in the country at some point.

Of course, there will be eyes and listeners on him if he can continue dishing out danceable rhythms this year. Definitely he will also be sought for by some artists for collaborations.

5. Mohbad
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Mohbad-150x150.jpg

Mohbad was known in some neighborhoods with his lamba-infused music. But that attention notched up higher the moment he signed to Marlian Music. This year, he continued kneading singles, exploring themes of fame, romance and wealth. One of such, Komajesun was a viral hit during 2020’s gloomy period, conversing with Naira Marley about the restlessness of their partners when it comes to the sexual turf.

That song was created by Rexxie and they would recombine for another viral tune, Ko Por Ke.

And with the release of his debut project, Light, Mohbad is brimming with optimism into the new year.

6. WhoIsAkin
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/WhoIsAkin-150x150.jpg

While WhoIsAkin continues to dwell in the euphoria of his mystery, there’s no denying his EP, Full Moon Weekends was a novel release where the artist conjured rich and soft melodic invocations that encouraged reflection.

Fans will therefore be in wanting of more releases that speaks to their experiences of falling in and out of love as WhoIsAkin clearly depicted in most tracks on his EP.

7. YusufKanbai
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/YusufKanbai-150x150.jpg

YusufKanbai on collaborations is a luxury used to full effect. His input on these features is glazed with delightful poetic rhymes as we heard on Gbetan with DJ Latitude and Ejoya’s Selense.

That delightfulness spirals into his 2-track EP, Hear Me Out where he oozes swagger over melodic beats. Much is expected from YusufKanbai to translate this blistering form into some mainstream prominence.

8. Victony
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Victony-150x150.jpg

Not everyone can dwell their afrobeats sounds on the usual, always-heard-of themes of love and money. Victony on his EP, Saturn thus sets a discordant path for himself, weaving in trap elements into the genre.

While the EP seeped into the category of slept-on projects we had last year, there’s no doubt Victony might continue on his experimental journey in sneaking in diverse sounds into the genre.

9. Liya
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Liya-150x150.jpg

With one official single out, Liya will have eyes on her not because of her music at first, but the backing she has from one of Nigeria’s music powerbrokers – Davido.

Her last single, Melo shows her glossy, soothing vocal melodies as her strength. With that she’s enveloped in confidence over her craft: “I’ve got the sound, I’ll make you come alive.”

It therefore remains to be seen if she can command attention and saunter into charts this year.

10. Azanti
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Azanti-150x150.jpg

When Focused dropped, I’m sure a horde of listeners gave the song repeated listens and went ahead to look at who is this cool kid Psycho YP featured.

Who is Azanti? The kid who littered the collaborative EP, YP & Azanti with those sugary verses and hooks.

Still been groomed by Psycho YP, the soundscape will like to hear more of those songwriting excellence in 2021.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/10-rising-artists-music-listeners-should-keep-a-tab-on-in-2021/

Okay, if nobody will say it, then I will – This Christmas holiday will be a boring one.

Now, I hear you asking me how I know this and I am surprised at your stifling doubt, but as a concerned citizen and someone who prides himself in studying the signs, I will gladly share these obvious signs with you, in all its full descriptive glory.

Here we go

WE ARE LANDLOCKED

I know you might want to counter this by pointing out that airports are kind of open. Yeah, right.

With the second and third wave of covid-19 threatening to basically swallow western nations, that’s not necessarily any type of consolation.

Your fears are valid, because no one in their right minds wants to leave the relative safety of Africa (I never thought I would say this) and voyage to the west where the tendency to contact an incurable virus is automatically tripled.

So, like I said, we are basically land locked.

CHILDREN DON’T LIKE A VIRTUAL CHRISTMAS

Santa Claus has always been big on social distancing. That’s why he sneaks into thousands of homes unannounced and drops stuff.

Now, imagine him trying to wipe down and disinfect thousands of gifts this holiday so that children don’t get infected from whatever he caught from sneaking into other homes.

Okay, let me stop there. That’s all Oyinbo folklore and we don’t believe all that in Africa anyway, except of course you live in Banana Island, but because of the need to social distance, there will be no Santa events for kids this Christmas.

Unless of course you want to see a ‘Father Christmas’ struggling to breathe through his stuffy beard and an oversized face mask.

Take a minute to wrap your head around that. No more sitting on the lap of a white-bearded stranger and legally appropriating gifts from him.

Good luck explaining why that can’t happen to your wards this season.

If that isn’t the definition of boring, please tell me what is.

HANGING OUT IS CANCELLED

Apart from the kids, adults can no longer simply ‘hang out.’ Clubs and major events have been shut down and there is no legal way to have any fun this Christmas holiday.

Here’s the question, after a crazy year of deaths and pay cuts, are we saying that there’s no way to properly relax, except by binge watching Netflix series?

Unacceptable.

But sadly, that’s the way things are now.

Just keep searching online though, maybe there’s some kind of subpar virtual hangout out here that you might find a little less annoying than the rest.

I’m rooting for you.

PRICES ARE SKYROCKETING

If you have been anywhere near a market lately, you will know what I am talking about. Everything from Onions to biscuit bone has become unreasonably expensive.

And like the Nigerian government, it’s not planning to get better with time. So, we are stuck with it this Christmas.

The only good part about the astronomical prices is that people are not necessarily hosting guests this season due to covid-19 (hopefully) and so can better manage their resources as a result.

That’s it. My well proven theory, backed with hard facts that this Christmas holiday is bound to suck. If you are still in doubt though, then you must be an incurable optimist and maybe, just maybe, your optimism might work for you this time.

Happy Holidays!

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/4-reasons-why-this-christmas-holiday-will-suck/

cc
lalasticlala, mynd44, dominique

Christmas comes with its own unique eccentricities, made-up bed time stories, an official colour code and a compulsive desire to eat and drink in excess.

That’s fine, as long as the core narrative around the festivity is majorly geared towards children.

But there are a few overly expressive adult individuals who are obsessed with the ambience of the Christmas season as much as the kids are and make a point of showing it in how they approach the day.

We put together a list on how to spot people displaying extraordinary Christmas excitement, even though they try desperately to hide it from everyone.

THEY TALK NON-STOP ABOUT THE DAY

Do you have a friend who makes off the cuff remarks about the harmattan/Christmas season smell? Something about the distinct smell of the season helping them know that the day is near (like their calendars are not working).

That’s one of the signs that show that they are definitely obsessed about the season, but try to express it in a mature, indifferent fashion.

THEY LOOK AROUND FOR CHRISTMAS DISCOUNT SALES

They scour the internet for random items on Christmas sale and screenshot them for later mass shopping.

They know by sixth sense that the price of rice and tomatoes will automatically skyrocket a few days before the day and in anticipation ‘smart shop’ around the troublesome items.

If you know anyone who is like that, then you have an obsessed ‘Christmasholic’ on your hands.

THEY PLAY CHRISTMAS CAROL SONGS ALL DAY

They have a sentimental, nostalgic attachment to Christmas carol songs and play it on repeat.

And the surprisingly part about it is that they know the lyrics of all the Christmas songs by heart.

This is the point where I have to warn you that it can be highly frustrating to co-inhabit a space with ‘them,’ as your eardrums will know no rest.

Some even do acapella runs if the track of their choice is not available and this can add to your frustration while adding to their excitement.

THEY LOOK AROUND FOR THE NEAREST FATHER-CHRISTMAS SHOWING

If there was a GPS app specifically to trace where Santa Claus (Father Christmas in this case) will be making an appearance, these next set of Christmas addicts will be on it all December.

They always banter about how last year’s FatherChristmas at the local school didn’t deliver a good performance and how the one at the Ikeja mall was a better representation of the Christmas spirit.

Their area of interest is in how the FatherChristmas act is delivered flawlessly and they are obsessed about everything about it from the clothing to the presents.

That’s it guys, a comprehensive list on how to spot a Christmas obsessed individual and good luck to you, because you will need a lot of patience to manage them.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/4-signs-that-you-are-obsessed-with-christmas/

cc
lalasticlala, mynd44, dominique

There is a general hustle associated with this time of the year.

Discounted items, giveaways and deals that are most times too good to be true; brands are locked into the race to offer customers some larger than life promise that will cause them to open their hearts and their wallets.

Of all the deals making the rounds, Black Friday is one of the biggest. A mouth watering promise to offer you stuff at a truly ridiculous discount.

The question is how can brands afford to offer you that low a price on their celebrated Black Friday deals and not get burnt profit-wise?

The answer might lie in the history behind the day.

The story behind the Black Friday concept sounds like something from a movie. It incorporates three separate occurrences that resulted in the tag ‘Black Friday’ that we know and enjoy today.

Two chaps orchestrated a financial gold heist in the US stock market, buying up all the gold in anticipation of a price hike so as to sell and make some mouth watering profit.

Unfortunately, the stock market crashed and the day was unceremoniously known from then on as ‘Black Friday.’

Also, in that period, accountants had a weird practice of writing down (there were no laptops then) profit sales in black and losses in red ink.

Finally, the Philadelphia police in anticipation of the rush to buy stuff after the thanksgiving holidays are over and businesses open again, named the holiday aftermath in honour of the gold stock market crash, calling it ‘Black Friday.’

You get the connection, yet?

An upsurge in after holiday sales that will skyrocket profits and get the shop accountants writing with black ink all day named after an infamous market crash.

Now back to the market forces powering Black Friday. What sales dynamics will allow a store owner sell items as low as 80% off and not go bankrupt in the process?

The answer oftentimes lies in hype. Black Friday as notorious as the day is for slashing prices and offering amazing discounts, has not always functioned honestly.

The truth is there is no department in charge of checking out claims of deals and price cuts that businesses make on Black Friday, so the businesses often exaggerate their offerings in a bid to attract customers.

Now, I know that it sounds like a totally illegal thing to do but the businesses are not obliged to offer discounts and deals in the first place, so their coming out to offer one, even though marginally exaggerated, cannot be totally faulted, can it?

Anyway, Nigeria is notorious for making Black Friday claims that aren’t altogether true. Peddling numbers that don’t make any sense when matched against the percentage claim.

For example, a beautifully handcrafted, suede Chelsea boot is now going for N15,000, courtesy of a Black Friday deal that puts the new price at a 70% off deal.

Great, right?

If you are nerdy enough to reverse engineer the numbers, you will find out that the cost before the price slash was something in the region of about N50,000.

Hard to believe, right?

A lot of the mind blowing offers made on Black Friday are merely exaggerated efforts to get you to notice fledgling brands.

My advice would be to slow your roll on buying everything that claims to be slashed considerably, because if the deals were truly that amazing the shop owners might probably not be offering them to you in the first place.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/the-black-friday-story-and-other-concerns/

cc
lalasticlala, mynd44, dominique

Brett Knutson’s entrepreneurial journey has led him into working relationships with many of the world’s most notable brands and investors, as well as many celebrities, professional athletes, and influencers. Brett regularly speaks alongside business icons like Steve Wozniak, Gary Vaynerchuk, and others, as well as at high schools and universities all around the world. In 2021, he plans to take his passion for teaching to a new level, with the launch of his first book. “I’m very excited about the impact it will have on entrepreneurs specifically,” Brett notes. “The education system is broken and outdated, and my life’s mission is to help fix it in a meaningful way. I’m just getting started.”

As a serial entrepreneur and international speaker, Brett Knutson has launched multiple seven and eight figure companies across several industries, including Hive, a social network that connects people with others nearby that share their same interests. After over five years of working at Hive, and founding other successful businesses such as Amare, Brett became a founding partner of Monopolize. He explains, “Hive was grown exclusively through influencer marketing, so it was a natural transition to help other brands to do the same thing I did for Hive. By working with hundreds of influencers, I also saw the benefits of having a personal brand and began to build one myself. It wasn’t long before we began helping others build their personal brands, too.”

Monopolize is a marketing agency that offers brand promotion, paid media, creative strategy, e-commerce, and production. Brett and his team have worked with several Fortune 500 companies, becoming one of the leading marketing agencies across the country. However, he credits his current successes to the relationships he made in each of his past ventures. “The biggest challenge for someone starting their first business is usually a lack of the right relationships,” Brett explains. “This is why relationship building is so important.”

He continues, “In my life, I’ve been fortunate enough to see a lot of my dreams come true, but nothing material I’ve purchased and no experience I’ve had has given me the lasting, high quality of life that I get from having amazing people around me.”

“I deal in the types of properties that haunt people’s dreams,” Jamil Damji says confidently about his approach to real estate. “Fire burns, hoarder homes, deceased owners, destructive tenants, haunted. When we repair these homes, we help uplift communities by improving eyesores and removing dangerous elements from an area.”

As the co-founder of KeyGlee, one of America’s frontline wholesale real estate firms, Mr Damji believes in the power of his work to help communities and landowners. “Oftentimes vacant properties are overrun with drug addicts and syringes can be seen strewn about on front lawns, it’s scary stuff,” he admits.“In addition, I get to help property owners exit a headache situation with convenience and ease. It’s a rewarding process. Not to mention all of jobs and families being fed along the way. I feel blessed to work in this space. The impacts of our efforts are quickly realized.”

Founded in 2016, KeyGlee’s model focuses on matching owners of distressed buildings with willing buyers who then work on making them optimally, habitable locations. Together with Josiah Grimes and Hunter Runyon, Jamil has built a structure to service their ever-expanding client base and there are dividends for that.

“For our efforts, we take a “fee” on each transaction,” Jamil explains.“We have since scaled operations at KeyGlee and now have conducted thousands of deals locally. In 2020 we franchised KeyGlee nationally and are currently in 18 additional markets and growing rapidly. Our goal is to have 700 franchises nationwide within the next 5 years.”

He is quick to add that his definition of what success is changes from time to time. “Today, I feel like my success is directly proportional to the impact I'm having on the world and in people's lives,” he concludes. “It feels good to live in a nice home, but it feels amazing to run a company that allows others the opportunity to live in nice homes. Today my success is predicated on my impact, who knows what that looks like in a decade. I'm excited to see.”

The concept of growth is one that especially appeals to Anas Essa as he navigates his way from turning his growing beauty company to a higher level. “In order to be successful and maintain success you need to keep growing,” Anas explains. “Every day I think about what I can do to grow my business, what would help me grow my business. I never want to be just content, I always want to be growing and learning and that to me is success.”

Anas is keen to point out that growth is not always linear and might have bad days. “I work seven days a week morning and night and I wouldn't change it for the world,” he says. “You're going to have good weeks and you're going to have bad weeks but never give up. Remember success doesn't happen overnight. It takes time to grow your business and the more time you invest in yourself the more successful your business will become.”

His company, Diamond White Smile, has transformed from a part-time hustle to full-blown hustle as a result of that dedication to success.”Mindset is everything,” Anas says.“It is very easy to get discouraged in the beginning and give up. There were days I had no clients, or weeks I made no money. I didn't give up, if anything it motivated me more! You have to go into a new business with a positive open mindset. Remind yourself all the hard work will pay off and to never give up.”

Their next frontier is taking their products remote wherever their customers are. “Right now Diamond White Smile is focused on getting the take home teeth whitening kits to every retail store worldwide,” he explains. “We want everyone to have instant access to our kits. We want to keep creating business owners and giving people the opportunity to allow themselves to become what they want.”

Nine years ago, Brandon Heitmann started Exigent Design & Build LLC with just a push lawnmower and a dream. But what began as a lawn cutting service in 2011 has turned into a six-figure full design and build service. After a few years of cutting lawns and doing minor landscaping maintenance work, Heitmann decided it was time to embark on a new journey. He began to learn the hardscaping side of the business which is where he found his true passion. Today, the company has evolved into a true landscape construction company that offers 3D designs and can construct anything from a simple retaining wall to in-ground pools and spas. There is nothing exterior that Exigent Design & Build cannot build for you.
Exigent Design and Build is focused on providing service to new construction homes, clients looking to revamp their landscaping, and also young business owners looking to grow and expand their own business. They are able to provide the best quality service and provide the best experience for their clients. From their design team, sales team, and install team, they all go above and beyond to exceed their clients’ expectations.

After sitting down with a client during their initial design consultation, the team won’t rest until the client is satisfied with the work done on their property. Brandon and his team have been known to change the design time and again, until the customer is happy with the results. The Exigent Team continuously works with clients and their unique budgets to create beautiful designs and landscapes for every one.

At Exigent, the team strives to be there for their clients 24/7, even after the crew has cleaned up and left. With action, persistence, and a winning mindset, Brandon and his team set themselves far and above any of their competitors. While there are tons of landscaping companies out there, the Exigent difference is the drive and hustle Brandon leads his team with.

Looking to the future, Exigent is committed to growing their company and expanding so they can reach more people and build them their dream property. Last year in 2019, they had the best season ever and were able to grow their revenue by 700% from 2018’s season. Brandon exclaims, “None of our success would have been possible without our clients’ belief in us.”

Hamza Majdi is a visionary and exemplary entrepreneur and a mentor who has been successfully managing a team of over 40,000 distributors across the world even before the idea of remote working started becoming a thing.

The network marketing industry, as big and scary as it is has been the business home of the network marketing expert for so long it seems like he has all the solutions to all the problems that might ever come up.
Hamza didn’t start life as a wealthy man. Instead he began as a young boy from a humble home of immigrants. His family moved from Casablanca in Morocco to Montreal in Canada to make sure their children got the best education that could get as the educational system in Canada was way better than what was available in Morocco. From there, they struggled with jobs that paid less and took more of their time. This caused an absence in the home. But, as bad as it seemed, their absence helped Hamza and his brother to become closer and grow a bond which has not been broken till date.

Hamza moved on to do great exploits in the marketing world and soon enough, after moving from one job to another, he settled into his role as a network marketer in an innovative company based in Dubai called BE.
Coming to managing a team remotely, he set a few clear-cut strategies to help his team reach their true potential. He sets specific goals for the team, tracks performance and productivity regularly, constantly motivating the team to perform well, maintains clear communication and also acknowledges their good work with rewards.

Hamza Majdi is one person who is very focused on helping people to reach their true potential. He encourages the newcomers and puts in time to teach aspiring marketers on how to make it big. He believes in creating a group of loyal customers and not just focusing on sales. He refuses to accept failure and uses it as a stepping stone to move forward and climb up the ladder of success.

When Jarrod Glandt was younger, he had everything needed to be a success: a great work ethic, youthful energy,drive, and an engaging attitude. But a distinct lack of goals scuttled what was a growing career in the online advertisements industry. After dropping out of school as a third year student to focus on this business, he experienced highs and lows. For one, he became the number 2 sales representative in the United States of America, making over $150K a year, but things fell apart when the crowd he moved in with led him to lose his wealth and lose his drive. After such a period of success, he moved back to Texas to work at his father’s farm.

“Almost nobody hits a home run their first at-bat, so be willing to fail as many times as needed to hit your big juicy goals.” Glandt says about that moment in his life. He, however, believes that many let fear define them. “Simply put, fear is the result of not knowing something. If you are willing to learn, you can eliminate fear.”

His aptitude to learn led him to famed real estate, Grant Cardone, who at the time offered him a job in his firm. It is an opportunity that Glandt grabbed with both hands, striving to take advantage of this opportunity. “Once I got a clearer picture on what I wanted out of life, how I was going to get it eventually revealed itself to me.”, Glandt says. “I knew that I had to evangelize Grant’s message to be sure that young folks coming up trying to make money didn’t have to suffer through the same frustrations and uncertainties that I had to.”
His work in the firm has been rewarded as he has a net worth of over $10 million and continues to do the hard work of building a world-leading firm at Grant Cardone Enterprises.

“I was motivated to be a founding leader in Cardone Ventures by the significant opportunity to, and responsibility of, helping our clients achieve their personal, professional, and financial goals,” Natalie Workman says about her role as the Vice President of Organizational Development at the Grant Cardone and Brandon Dawson-founded company.

At 27, Natalie is in charge of helping small business scale by achieving their potential through of factors. “The Cardone Ventures team of experts helps business owners experience their company from a 360-degree perspective of all aspects, such as operations, marketing, finance, and people,” she says. “Cardone Ventures’ focus is to help entrepreneurs grow from $2 million to $50 million+ and 10X all aspects of their business.”

The University of Portland-trained professional was not always comfortable with the nature of her position. ““The biggest obstacle I’ve overcome so far is overcoming my lack of confidence,” she admits. “Very early in my career, I felt I was put in situations that I was not ready for. Most of the business interactions in my early 20s were around very high level conversations with people who were extremely experienced and knowledgeable in their fields. I didn’t know how to handle dinner conversations. I didn’t understand half of what was being talked about, whether it was a transaction on a business, or strategic growth initiatives, or team management.”

She adds, “I lost all of my confidence. I lost my confidence in my ability to articulate my thoughts. I lost confidence in my ability to show up as myself.” This continued until she made the choice to alter he approach to work: “Sadly, this hindered me and held me back for a couple of years, if not more than that, until I made the distinct decision to make radical changes in my day-to-day moments. I made the decision to become an asset. I decided to become an asset to a business, an asset as a friend, an asset as a daughter, and an asset as a partner.”

She has since parlayed the successes of her work with Cardone Ventures into a series of ideas that further bring expression to her life and enables her help others. “I was inspired to get into the business consulting industry because I knew Cardone Ventures could bring immense value by filling a vacuum in available consulting services,” she says. “There is no other organization expertly helping individuals and business owners attain their personal, professional, and financial goals. I resolutely believe that Cardone Ventures, the WorkWoman podcast, 10X People Skills, and People Essentials are changing the lives of business owners, employees, and female professionals.”

Sport lovers were stuck at home, seasons were at risk, and revenue plummeted like tides on oceans. Things might seem terrible for professional sports at this point in time, but surprisingly most of the world’s top teams are worth more valuable this year than last year.

You may find yourself wondering if the world’s leading sports franchises are pandemic-resistant; Fred Wilpon’s New York Mets is a perfect example of such. The Amazin’s, second top team in Major League Baseball’s most valuable market, was put for sale by Wilpon in February after nearly twenty years of ownership. Just like every other hit by the no-sport-events ultimatum, Wilpon has failed to keep pace with the league’s rising payrolls, leaving the Mets without stadium revenues.

The pandemic has not stopped an all-star list of buyers from entering the sports market, including hedge-fund hitman Steve Cohen and private-equity mogul Josh Harris; one of these billionaires will likely pay more than $2 billion for the team. Ten years ago, only one team came close: Manchester United Football Club, which was the world’s most valuable team valued at $1.83 billion in 2010.

Obviously, that crown now belongs to the Dallas Cowboys, who topped the Forbes ranking of the Most Valuable Sports Teams for the fifth year in a row, valued at $5.5 billion, knocking out $5 billion New York Yankees. For both owners, Jerry Jones of Cowboys and Steinbrenner family of New York, it may as well denote paper profit.

It is even worse down the food chain. Stakes that were held by limited partners of major teams are at a discount of 20% or more and could face further downfall if other partners start looking to offload their interests to raise cash for other businesses that may be failing due to the impact of Covid-19. A number of minor league baseball teams are on the verge of bankruptcy while XFL startup has folded up operations already.

Dallas Cowboys (NFL)
The Jerry Jones’ owned team is valued at $5.5 billion after paying $150 million for the American football team in 1989.

New York Yankees (MLB)
The combined effort of the Steinbrenner family helped buy the baseball team in 1973 at a price of $8.8 million but today, it is valued at $5 billion.

New York Knicks (NBA)
Owned by Sports and entertainment venue giants, Madison Square Garden Company, the team was bought in 1997 for $300 million and is valued at $4.6 billion.

Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
The famous basketball team is owned by Jerry Buss family and Philip Anschutz. The team is valued at $4.4 billion.

Golden State Warriors (NBA)
The revolutionary basketball team is owned by Joe Lacob and Peter Guber and is valued at $4.3 billion.

Real Madrid F.C. (Football)
The Spanish team is valued at $4.24 billion and it is operated by many board members.

New England Patriots (NFL)
Robert Kraft’s franchise is valued at $4.1 billion after paying $172 million.

Barcelona C.F. (Football)
Valued at $4.02 billion, the Spanish giants have evolved as one of the leading teams in the world.

New York Giants (NFL)
Another elite of American football; valued at $3.9 billion, owned by John Mara and Steven Tisch. The team was bought in 1925 and 1991 by both men respectively.

Manchester United F.C. (Football)
The club is owned by the Glazer family and is valued at $3.8 billion. They bought the English team in 2005.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/10-expensive-sport-teams-in-the-world/

cc
lalasticlala, mynd44, dominique

Wierdceo:
Your English is top notch. Mantosa

Bless

In May 2004, after an unusually prolonged hiatus and a rumored faith crisis, American rapper Mase released a song titled “Welcome Back” off his third studio album Welcome Back. It marked the first single that Mase had released since his 1999’s “Get Ready”, after he had taken a 5 year hiatus from the music industry.

Comeback songs are a big part of the Nigerian music industry, probably as a result of the volume of new song releases every month and the dwindling shelf life of an average song.

We have seen the return of some influential Nigerian artistes in the last few months who have been absent from the scene for a while, and it’s obvious that there’s a direct correlation between the particular song choice with which they made their return and the stories, both real and imagined, that led to their going AWOL.

So, here’s a list of some interesting comeback songs and artiste stories that left some viral social media buzz in the aftermath of their release.

MAY D’S ‘LOWO LOWO’
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/may-d.jpg


May D was a superstar fixture sometime in the 2000s, rolling with the likes of the P-Square twins who helped him broker a global feature with the amazing Akon.

But in the midst of his growing success, the P-Square twins dropped him like a hot plate of jollof rice and we instantly lost track of him.

There were a few half-hearted attempts by May D to prove himself, but that’s all they were; attempts.

The last we heard of the ‘sure boy’ crooner before his recent comeback was that he was working as an uber driver somewhere outside Nigeria That was before award winning artiste, Davido walked into his life and with the stroke of a pen, added him to the DMW family.

The comeback song of choice that came in the wake of May D’s return was a beautiful rendition titled ‘Lowo lowo’ which loosely translated means, ‘have money.’

The fast-tempo, Afrobeat track tells the raw story of how people didn’t believe he could ever make it again and make money. An amazing comeback song, if there was ever any.

CYNTHIA MORGAN
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/AABE18E4-A467-4172-A086-8B339C826472.jpeg


A list of the biggest sounds of the 2000s would have Cynthia Morgan located comfortably in the top five.

She was signed to a record label, something that was harder to achieve back then than it is today and Jude Okoye was her handler.

Several years down the line and many conversations later, the talented queen of reggae dancehall took flight, leaving a well-structured legacy behind.

She soon came back, amidst a social media storm and got industry support as regards how she was ‘treated’ by her former management. The resultant comeback song that she recorded was expected to break new grounds and whirl her back into the spotlight but sadly didn’t do much.

The song, ‘Hustle’ documented her side of the story without losing Cynthia Morgan’s signature dancehall vibe. Whether it was the absence of a backbone support for the new release or a lack of adequate PR or a combination of both, Cynthia Morgan’s comeback song delivered a first-rate giddy tune and catchy lyrics that didn’t get as much attention as it deserved.

TERRY G’S ‘ADURA’
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Adura-artwork.jpeg


Something is to be said about Terry G’s fierce resilience. The Akpako hit maker known for viral tracks like ‘free madness’ and ‘Ginjah’ went ‘undercover’ sometime in 2011 but resurfaced again around 2015 and has since been dishing out his signature-type tracks, although with minimal effect.

His official comeback song would have to be his 2020 release titled ‘Adura’ which features Skiibii; a track dripping with the compulsory prayer ambience that a typical hustler conjures on their way to finding success.

The mid-tempo vibe pours out with a rhythmic simplicity that wins your heart at first listen. If his subsequent musical offerings are anything like ‘Adura’s’ comeback success, then we are in for a nostalgic journey with the undisputed ‘King of Ginjah.’

SKIIBII’S ‘DAZ HOW STAR DO’
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Skiibii-Ft.-Falz-Teni-DJ-Neptune-%E2%80%93-Daz-How-Star-Do.jpg

After a drawn out career that included a rumoured death narrative and many more eccentricities, five star music signee Skiibii finally gave us something to work with.

He called it ‘Sensima’, a smooth unforgettable Afrobeat vibe laced with street lingo and a beat to die for. ‘Sensima’s’ viral success was later attributed to the presence of lyrical maestro, Reekado Banks on it, but that couldn’t dampen the genius of the song which easily ruled 2018 and a good part of 2019.

Then we lost Skiibii, even though he churned out tracks like ‘Omaema’ in a bid to make a comeback.

Finally he hit a fast-flowing, high-rise wave with a feature that involved Teni Makanaki titled; ‘Daz How Star Do’ and the whole world sat up and paid attention.

If there was ever number one for comeback songs by a Nigerian, ‘Daz How Star Do’ would be it. The result was a global buzz so big that the song became bigger than the artiste; a feat in itself.

Kudos Skiibii.

So if there is ever a time that your favourite music artiste gets lost in the timeline of musical releases; maybe, just maybe they are locked up somewhere feverishly working to craft some perfect comeback songs.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/4-dope-comeback-songs-by-nigerian-artistes/

Nigerians are engineered to find mirth in almost everything and so it is no surprise that amidst the nationwide protest to end police brutality, there has been a burst of witty memes, short videos and new slangs on social media.

The surprising thing is that these humour-based expressions in no way trivialized the ongoing protest. In fact, this funny clips serves the deeper function of educating people using the language they are conversant with; humour.

But slangs are the focus of this article.

It has been employed liberally in the last two weeks, so much so that one in every quip on social media is delivered with one or more of these humour bombs.

How are slangs created? According to popular opinion, slangs are coined by everyday people with an above-average, vocabulary signature that they have consciously altered to suit their need for an expanded expression.

And although they are often created by everyday people, they catch on only when deployed by celebrities or influential individuals.

So, we put together a few of the slangs currently making the rounds on social media to help you remember and maybe laugh a little.

SORO SOKE

If slangs had a military ranking, ‘Soro Soke‘ would be a brigadier general. It has been used so much by the protesting collective in the last two weeks that it is probably the most used hash tag after the END SARS hash tag.

This particular slang, roughly translated means ‘speak up’ and it became some sort of anger-based directive demanding a feedback or a vocabulary used to mock an unpopular opinion.

WAHALA BE LIKE BICYCLE

This slang or quip always comes from a place of humour, preceding a humourous situation, video or text.

It is some sort of preparation for a less than-stellar occurrence and using those lines help the audience know that someone has been placed on the ‘naughty’ scale and have been found wanting.

WEREY DEY DISGUISE

As far as cyber insults go, ‘Werey dey disguise’ tops the list of the vilest.

It is a choice insult, period. Roughly translated, it means ‘a mad man’s attempt to disguise.’

When used, the expression is always employed as a full-frontal verbal attack at another person’s exposed trickery.

Its delivery, when done by a seasoned internet troll, is a delight to see.

WE MOVE

This is a nudge to heed some form of clarion call. It received notoriety alongside its partner slang ‘soro soke’ with the rise of the #EndSars movement, when it was used countless times in collaboration with it.

The term’s virality made it good enough to be hashtagged hundreds of times in the last two weeks.

‘We move’ is self explanatory and is an encouragement to advance, in spite of adverse circumstances.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/4-nigerian-slangs-currently-making-the-rounds-on-social-media/

Magician and Illusionist, Babatunde Kasunmu popularly known as Babs Cardini is navigating a relatively uncharted space with his brand of magic, drawing equal measures of skepticism and wonder as feedback.

Babs Cardini who got his unique alias from shortening his first name, Babatunde to ‘Babs’ and compressing ‘Card Genie’ his affectionate alias into ‘Cardini,’ believes without a doubt that magic is an African expression.

“Magic has always been a part of our African culture and heritage. It was a major part of the exhibition when the country opened Festac 77, so I am surprised to see the skepticism from people. Moreover, long after the Festac 77′ exhibition there remained a prominent individual by name “Prof Peller” so it’s clear that I am only picking up where the famous late Prof. Peller left off,” he offers.

On his most recurring criticism leveled by a spectator, the 20 year old illusionist has a well-stacked list.

“There are several, but the most prominent is the saying from individuals that the art form has to do with spirituality, in layman’s terms voodoo/juju/jazz. It’s so sad hearing remarks like that continuously,” he explains.

On the light bulb moment that led to his pursuit of magic, Babs Cardini explains his long-standing fascination for the controversial art form.

“The reality of wanting to become a magician materialized fully when i was 16, but as a 5 year old i had always been fascinated with the magical world,” he explains.

Becoming Babs Cardini

The streets of Lagos is a strange place to perform magic, with its odd assortment of characters that are highly unpredictable, but Babs Cardini has ventured within its depth in a bid to acquire an authentic street fan base.

A quick movement of the hand, a repeated instruction to watch closely and without warning magic is made right in front of the crowd. Reactions vary from person to person but Babs Cardini agrees that the feedback is vaguely the same; amazement. And like every entertainer, he revels in the feedback when it is offered without bias.

“There is this satisfactory feeling after a performance and the people you performed to get wowed and amazed without having any form of biased mindset towards it, but see it as a creative work of art.”

With only four active years as a magician, a practiced eye can still see a distinct similarity between the fast-rising, blond-haired Nigerian magician and one of the most celebrated magicians of our time; Dynamo.

“My influence comes from all magicians, big and small, known or unknown by people, for each one has a special thing up their sleeve. But my major influence is “Dynamo” who is one of the greats in this era.”

The Gift of Magic

“One doesn’t learn magic. You can learn a trick or two, perform illusions but magic can’t be learnt!”

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/babs-cardini-demystifying-magic-in-africa/

cc
lalasticlala, mynd44, dominique

British/Nigerian hop hop duo Young T & Bugsey, alongside contemporary Afro-pop eye candy Jobaa are the cover personalities for the 28th issue of Behind Magazine. This issue focuses on Nigerian creatives doing exceptionally well in the diaspora.

In this issue, Young T & Bugsey discuss the unexpected success followed by the ‘Don’t Rush’ Challenge which went viral during the global lock down, the challenges they experienced following the success of the song, as well as future plans for the duo.

Jobaa on the other hand, an emerging 20-year-old contemporary Afro-pop recording and performing artiste based in Lagos and London discusses his plans at taking a shot at becoming King in the Nigeria music industry.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/dont-rush-crooners-young-t-bugsey-and-jobaa-cover-28th-issue-of-Behind-magazine/

cc
lalasticalala, mynd44, dominique

Love has in no way died; not in a thousand years, and even though we are in the eye of the hurricane with a daily growing body count, the stirrings of the heart has a way of letting us know that love cannot be ignored, even in a pandemic.

So with that heartwarming fact in place, how do we go about finding love while ensuring that we are safe while doing so?

We have a few tips to help you sort through the matters of the heart in a safe and healthy manner that will not put you or yours in any unnecessary danger. Here they are:

DO A BACK UP CHECK

A few days ago a body cam video of a cop questioning a young man somewhere in America went viral. After discovering that they had about 20 people in a house party, as opposed to the state-accepted number of 10. The cop went further to call in and check on the guy’s health status and was shocked to find out that the guy throwing the party had tested positive to covid about a week ago.

But that’s way over in America where someone’s health status can be instantly ascertained, right? But there are ways to investigate somebody over here that may not be as sophisticated, but may nevertheless be effective.

When was the last time you travelled abroad and where did you go? What’s the last party you attended and where? Do you know anyone who tested positive to covid recently? The answers to these questions, cleverly asked behind the safety of a mask, may determine whether you agree to date two or not.

PUT SEX ON HOLD

This is one of those times when sex should be intentionally put off the table, unless of course the subject has a week-old certificate showing they are covid-free. No point enjoying a good romp only to be flagged as infectious and locked away, a few days later. Enjoy some conversation and good food and for once in your life keep your libido in check; it might just save your life.

FLIRT ONLINE

It is better, not to mention safer, to do all your flirting online because then all you are really risking is your data. Make promises, send nudes, sext recklessly, all from the comfort of your home and behind a computer screen with the promise of a no holds-barred session, once a vaccine is announced or the virus gets frustrated and leave, whichever comes first. This may seem frustrating at first, but it will keep you sane in the end, knowing that you haven’t exposed yourself in any way to someone you aren’t too sure about their covid status.

That’s it, life saving tips to help you manage how and who you date in a pandemic ridden world.

Stay safe.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/general-dating-tips-in-a-pandemic/

cc

lalasticlala, mynd44, dominique

Racism in sports has been the long-term concern of sport governing bodies especially UEFA. The European football governing body keeps placing orders and guidelines every season to curtail the menace among players, fans and sister associations. Every other year, the association trains coaches, fans and players to accept racial differences among all parties involved but racial profiling still continues despite all passive efforts to stop this.

The new football season could have brought excitement to the fans and players, but the cloud of uncertainty that surrounded Ligue 1 holds resentment to officials and executives of the league after the clash between PSG and Olympique Marseille that resulted in 12 yellow cards and 5 red cards. PSG might have lost that game by a goal to nil but the circumstance leading to the fight between home and opposition will live in the eyes of fans all over the world.

The sending off of Neymar raised eyebrows as Marseille’s centre defender Alvaro Gonzalez was fingered out as the perpetrator of that brawl. Neymar reported to the assistant referee on his side of the dugout. This event proves that even Southern Americans are irresistible to racial slurs. No other race has suffered racism more than Africans in football. Taking a knee and flying #BlackLivesMatter is not enough as over the years, racism in Italy, England, France and Spain has escalated in major football countries. Here are some players who have been racially abused in the past:

SAMUEL ETO’O

As one of Africa’s most decorated footballers, the former Cameroonian striker was the target of white fans during his stint at Barcelona C.F., Spain. His horrible experience at Spain only stopped after Barca’s swap deal with Inter Milan for Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Eto’o went on to win the UEFA Champions League with Inter Milan.

MARIO BALOTELLI

The talented Italian might have had awful moments with press and managers but having bananas thrown at him by opposition fans in Italy is the worst he could have been subjected to in a turbulent career.

SULLEY MUNTARI

The Ghanaian midfielder did not gain enough support during his experience when his Pescara teammates beckoned on him to return to the pitch after opposition fans lashed racial slurs at him. The nightmare continued when he got banned for reporting the case despite investigations from post-match videos.

ABEBAYO AKINFEWA

The heavily-built British-Nigerian footballer was called ‘BEAST’ by opposition fans last season when he lined up for Wycombe Wanderers FC in England’s lower ties. The incident did not sit well with him as he gained interviews and media features after his experience with racism.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/neymar-and-four-other-football-players-who-have-suffered-racial-abuse/

The brawls and high tides of video games synchronizes with the love for football. Over the years, football fans have grown their addiction for both football and video games. While Konami built their niche among PC owners in creating the Pro Evolution Soccer (PES), EA Sports were conjuring the best graphics and pictures for Playstation and XBox series fanatics as they perfected FIFA on their respective platforms.

There were no surprises for numbers one and two spots on the game as Barcelona’s Lionel Messi leads the pack, with Juventus’s Cristiano Ronaldo sealing the second place.

Robert Lewandowski’s outstanding season filled with goals and massive attacking at Bayern Munich is rewarded with third place. This is the Pole’s highest-ever rating in the history of the FIFA video game franchise.

Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne moves into third place after a convincing season full of assists and his PFA Players’ player award. The blond Belgian may not have won much last campaign but equaled Thierry Henry’s assist record in the league. Henry has held that record until De Bruyne’s break just last season. Champions League runner-up and Paris Saint-Germain golden boy Neymar sits in fifth despite missing most of the season through a recurring ankle injury. He has been the third-rated player of the last few seasons behind Messi and Ronaldo.

Atletico Madrid keeper Jan Oblak is the highest-rated goalkeeper. He is closely followed by Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk as the highest-rated defender.

Cover star Kylian Mbappé goes ahead of Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané to complete the top 10. Here are the top 10 rated players on FIFA 21:

Lionel Messi: 93%
Cristiano Ronaldo: 92%
Robert Lewandowski: 91%
Kevin de Bruyne: 91%
Neymar: 91%
Jan Oblak: 91%
Virgil van Dijk: 90%
Kylian Mbappé: 90%
Mohamed Salah: 90%
Sadio Mané: 90%


source; https://tushmagazine.com.ng/fifa-21-the-top-10-rated-players/

cc
lalasticlala, mynd44, dominique

The Premier League has taken immediate action against PPTV and has cancelled the remaining two years of the broadcasting deal between the two parties. The company is owned by Suning Holdings Group.

The 3-season cycle deal which was supposed to run from 2019/20 through 2021/22, was announced with great enthusiasm and large Chinese fanfare in the first season of the previous 3-year cycle – this sort of deal was highly unusual in the Chinese broadcasting sphere. The deal warranted for PPTV to pay the Premier League $750 million with an upfront payment of $350 million.

The payment of $210 million became due this year but no money was forthcoming, hence the Premier League’s decision to terminate the contract. In recent years, the football teams in the Chinese Super League have been called out for owing players like Odion Ighalo, Hulk, Ramires and a number of other high-profile signings.

The Premier League’s TV deals in two of the world’s biggest markets, China and the United States have helped steer rights overseas for up to $5.6 billion for three seasons. The deal has also helped drive compensation for softening of the domestic market. The overseas market has become increasingly important to the Premier League in the last decade.

The end of this partnership comes at a time when the Premier League and the sporting world are facing the loss of ticket money and the ancillary spending that spectators contribute to at games. For the next two seasons, a loss of $200 million will be incurred, an average of $10 million per team.

The Premier League could have acted fast by selling the rights to a competitor in the region when they terminated the deal with PPTV but Chinese politics always take a toll on foreign business outfits. For instance, the British government blocked Chinese telecommunications company Huawei from building a 5G network.

Suning Sports also owns three football clubs: Jiangsu Suning Football Club, Jiangsu Suning Ladies Football Club and Inter Milan F.C. of Serie A.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/why-the-premier-league-ditched-the-multimillion-dollar-chinese-broadcasting-deal/

cc
lalasticlala, mynd44, dominique

A Giant’s Story: The ‘twice As Tall’ Album Review

A close look at the Twice As Tall album feature list, will give you a slight indication of what is to come.

But it doesn’t prepare you for the full impact.

Burna Boy proves with this amazing body of work that his self-professed title of African giant holds considerable promise, especially against a backdrop of a new crop of global audience.

It’s refreshing to see a musical work that is a proper album and not just a collection of songs pieced haphazardly together. The highly anticipated LP, ‘Twice As Tall’ is positioned for a global audience and that is much evident from the remarkable artiste features that elevates the music from the company of the usual Nigerians suspects to a more global collective, with guest appearances from Chris Martin, Stormzy and the legendary Naughty by Nature.

The work opens with the classic ‘Level Up (Twice as Tall)’ featuring the African legend, Youssou N’Dour who instantly pulls you in with a soul-stirring rendition that helps unpack Burna Boy’s narrative of pain.

The LP can be summarized as a compilation of Burna Boy’s Grammy aftermath story. Track after track, Burna Boy is not afraid to mouth his many failings and disappointments and the reaction of people to the hand dealt him in his career.

From ‘Level Up,’ ‘Alarm Clock’ to ‘Way Too Big,’ Burna’s mission to assert his musical dominance clearly comes through and he’s not subtle about his political propensity in ‘Monsters You Made’ and ‘Wetin Dey Sup.’

It’s not clear why ‘Wonderful’ is the lead single on this LP, with the array of songs available for the pickings, but with P.Diddy, executive producing the album he might have had something to do with the choice. Diddy’s voice clearly comes through in a few tracks, whether to imprint himself in the work or to add creative colour to the tracks, we are not mad at the result.

The familiar sounding, ‘Comma’ takes a shot at the irregularities of a 21st century woman looks and all. If Burna Boy is looking to acquire more female following, this is definitely not the way to do it.

‘23’ spotlights Burna Boy’s struggle with dealing with the negativity and two-faced reception he has gotten from music industry stakeholders. The starting line, ‘Music Make Me Feel I Be Jordan’ aptly summarizes the strange title, ‘23’ which celebrates the jersey number of basket ball’s finest, Michael Jordan.

‘Monsters You Made,’ with the smooth rock exterior by Chris Martin is an authentic protester’s anthem. Burna Boy raves at everything from the white man’s doctored education system to the rape of the Niger Delta region.

Burna Boy and Stormzy trade street stories in the track ‘Real Life’; stories about survival, good times and peace of mind and it’s a smooth, mid-tempo vibe that will definitely take you on a cruise. The LP ends nicely with ‘Bank On It,’ Burna’s attempt to consolidate his integrity and the choir-type chorus rendition at the end adds a colourful touch to the track.

If there’s anything missing in Burna Boy’s ‘Twice As Tall’ album, it’s a visible Nigerian creative input, because no Nigerian music artiste was featured anywhere in the body of work. Then again that’s probably because the work required only one.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/a-giants-story-the-twice-as-tall-album-review/

Wherever the end credits celebrating the African creatives that contributed to the success of Beyonce’s ‘Black is King’ visual album is revealed, names like Kehinde Are and 25th Fairy Hair will be conspicuously televised.

And this isn’t an iconic feat just because the Nigerian hair maestro, Kehinde Are, was involved in one of Disney plus’ biggest music productions, featuring the creative genius of Queen B; not really.

Kehinde Are’s success story involves much more.

A combination of failing health, a job resignation, a prayer for direction and the mystery of serendipity, led her to take the advice of a friend and enrol in a bridal hair styling class. Her first styling gig came two months later and her first video shoot a month after that.

The after-effect of that one decision, kick-started an unexpected series of opportunities that soon made Kehinde Are and her styling brand, 25th Fairy hair, a sought after brand name.

The African-themed, editorial-savvy and avant-garde hairstyles that she is known for was not something that she was taught; she had always secretly embodied the craft, even though she wasn’t aware of it at the time.

Now with a client base that includes the biggest names in Afrobeats, Kehinde Are is constantly catering to the unique challenges of celebrity requests, bloated egos and oftentimes over-the-top demands of production managers; all of which she fields like a pro.

“So far, there hasn’t been any challenges, I make sure I prepare properly before I come on set, understanding the mood board makes it easier to decide which style is best, “she explained.

With her recent good fortune at securing a spot in the Black Is King visual album production spotlight, there has been a torrent of queries on how she clinched the highly-coveted spot and how it was working on the much talked about project.

“I got the connect through a referral. Working on the project wasn’t easy because I was not feeling too well. I was ill two days before the Black is King Production and I had to tell the doctor to discharge me. I went for ‘Sweet in the Middle’ shoot which we finished by past 4am and the call time for Black is King Production was 8am. I literally didn’t sleep, I just went home to change then went for Black is King Production. I still can’t believe I was able to do all that. Let’s just say the grace of God was upon me and it’s still manifesting.”

Kehinde Are’s schedule is often unpredictable and backed-up and a typical work day with the 25th Fairy Hair brand is a flurry of activities with an array of models being styled, while racing against time.

For most people, the lockdown was an unexpected disaster that upset their well-laid plans but Kehinde Are sees another side to it.

“I used the lockdown period to plan what moves I am making next, I also used that period to jot down different styling ideas I want to create. So right now, I have several hair ideas on my note pad beside my bed . Also, I got closer to God during that period,” she confides.

On what’s next for her, the African hair maestro insists that she has a lot planned for her brand, 25th Fairy Hair, but prefers to be discreet about those plans. As far as venturing into areas like personal grooming is concerned, Kehinde quickly clarifies.

“I don’t do personal grooming for now, I want to put some things together before I start doing that. For now, I am only focusing on music videos, commercial shoots and editorials.”

A roll call of Kehinde Are’s biggest clients will reveal an imposing list that includes Superstars like Beyoncé, Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, Naira Marley, Sauti Sol, GTBANK, Davido and an NGO from America.

A very impressive feat for someone who only started about one year ago, and whose initial reason for venturing into the space was just to put food on her table.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/kehinde-are-from-sick-bed-to-styling-beyonces-black-is-king/

cc

lalasticlala, mynd44, dominique

Kanye West is in the news again.

And this time, it’s not for another inspired religious moment.

As the Kardashian clan try desperately to manage the damage his outburst might have on their multimillion dollar social empire, there is a clear divide on where people stand as regards his unsettling tweet and his eventual apology, on the backdrop of his constant battle with bipolar disorder.

Vital lessons can be learnt and important inferences drawn from a careful analysis of the overall Kanye-Kim altercation, especially for active players in entertainment circles. So, we put together some guidelines that artiste managers, agents and other stakeholders need to know on managing creative personalities, without making them feel hedged in or controlled.

1. GET PERMISSION

As much as artists claim they don’t want to be involved in all the ‘external’ issues that make up their thriving careers, they still on some level want you to get their permission.

So don’t take their words at face value and set sail into uncharted waters without sourcing for permission.

You need to learn to guide them through your intended trajectory whether they show interest in it or not.

It will definitely save you when the storm arrives, because you will be saved from being that artiste manager that likes to run solo with his ingenious strategies, and that sometimes can be the difference between making slow progress and being a total shipwreck.

2. RESPECT THEIR ACTIONS

Artists will be artists.

They will be headstrong, struggle to have their way and generally make a fool of themselves; sometimes on a viral level.

So, before you give in to your base instincts to start ‘telling’ the artist what works and what doesn’t, a good way to get their attention without coming off as an enemy is to get them to explain to you the rationale behind their action or inaction, as the case may be.

After a day or two, they are more likely to see their actions as amazingly lame or at best bland, as opposed to you informing them that it is and getting labelled as an enemy of the brand.

Who knows, an explanation from the artist might even help you see their point a little more clearly.

3. CREATE SCENARIOS

So, whenever you reach an impasse with a creative, and you will from time to time; make sure you clearly and truthfully articulate the repercussions of taking a particular route as opposed to another. Paint the picture as clearly as you can, for the records, so they know what they are getting into.

The average creative has an amazingly vivid imagination and so scenario descriptions help them get your point better.

For example, an artist decides to go on a rampage tweet session without recourse to the manager’s continuous warning.

Create a PR document, complete with a detailed cost of what it will take to remove any lingering negative effects of the resultant outcome of the tweet through PR laundering and share it with your client.

Your enthusiastic attempts at detail might just be the deciding factor that would help make an otherwise hard point.

So if you want your artiste to change the world while remaining unsoiled by youthful exuberance and bad judgement, you might need to employ some of these guidelines to help rein them in sometimes and give you peace of mind.

Because as colourfully-perfect as their creativity might be, it is sometimes laced with a highly complicated extreme side that is fiercely resistant to any semblance of control.

Source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/3-tips-to-adhere-to-when-working-with-creative-extremes/

cc
lalastiiclala, mynd44, dominique

Getting noticed is hard work and as a music artist you now have your competition cut for you on a global scale because everyone consumes music on that level. So the choice to stream your banging fresh music will be weighed alongside streaming Adekunle Gold’s new EP, for example.

Scary, right? We have help.

If you’re a music artist trying to make a name for yourself, this is for you. Here are 5 vital ingredients every Nigerian hit song should have to stand a chance at making it into the mainstream.

1. A SLANG OR A CATCH PHRASE

To warm your way into the average Nigerian’s playlist takes more than vocal dexterity; you need to be a linguist of some sort. Because to acquire the ever-elusive hit song status, you need to give Nigerians something to talk about.

Literally.

Something easy, fun to say, catchy and most preferably ridiculous will do. Slangs like “Something light”, “Pepper them” “Banana fall on you”, “Isakaba Iselebete Isokolotobo” “Robo SkeskeRobo Skeske”, has been known to transform otherwise ordinary-sounding songs into mega hits!

So be it an already existing street slang or its home-made equivalent, always give people something to keep in their mouths. If you do it right, forgetting you or your song will be a very, very difficult task.

2. GET YOUR TEMPO RIGHT

The first thing you’ll notice about almost every Nigerian hit song is that they all play at the same tempo! Strange? Not at all.

It’s actually a proven formula that you should seriously consider, if you’re planning to make an impression of some sort in the Nigerian music scene. It’s safer to keep the tempo of your song above 160 BPM, however trends are changing and hit song tempos are beginning to swing between 115 BPM and 120 BPM. Want some advice? Pay attention to trends and join the bandwagon. This is not the time for you to stand out or try to be different.

3. BECOME A DANCE EXPERT

If you must give people what to dance to, the least you can do is teach them how to dance. From the early 2000s, Nigerian music stars have stolen new fans through exciting dance moves; from Galala to Shoki to Yahuze to Alanta to Azonto, Shoki, Shakiti bobo, Shaku Shaku and finally to the latest of trends, the athletic-driven Zanku. This is how it has been and the trend isn’t going anywhere soon. Making a hit song goes well beyond the song itself, it goes as far as everything the song represents, including how it is enjoyed. Things as little as this keep songs memorable, socially relevant and unforgettable.

4. HOOK UP WITH THE BIG GUYS

You might have heard it before but if you haven’t, then hear it now “Success is contagious!”, if you want to swim to the top then you must learn to do a few breast strokes with Phelps! Leveraging on the influence and popularity of the big names in the industry works like magic. From hooking up with the big producers to hooking up to the big artists for track collaborations, down to getting the big names to direct and shoot your video, is a sure way of getting noticed in record time.

5. SHOVE IT DOWN THEIR THROATS

No matter how magical, artistic or groundbreaking you think your song is, you need to really put in work into getting your audience to listen. With the rise in activity in the industry and the ceaseless flow of artistes, singles and albums; making it into the average Nigerian’s playlist today takes a stroke of genius. You must set aside an intelligent marketing strategy and an accompanying befitting budget to follow it up, from budget to cover airplay to budget to cover online marketing, digital distribution, media features and lots more. You must be determined to shove your very good or very bad work of art down the throat of your audience, till they have no other choice than to surrender in love and awe at your craft.

That’s it, five proven formulas to use as a music artiste to make your body of work stick.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/5-proven-formulas-to-making-a-hit-song/

Adekunle Gold held the title once but that was many years ago. The quantum leap of his soaring music career, the woman of his dreams and a decision to focus solely on the music, has successfully stripped him of the title of ‘King Of Photoshop.’

A new King now dons the crown, comfortably seated in his stead. Christened Amodu Ayodeji Peter but more commonly known as ‘Ayo The Creator,’ the imaginative hyper-creativity employed in the work of this emerging visual storyteller, often leaves you with the sense that creativity doesn’t favour boundaries or limitations.

Ayo the creator is that gifted. His newest venture is an innovative, action-fueled, Grand Theft Auto parody, expertly simulated by human characters, complete with video game type movements and on-screen information to create an all-encompassing ‘game environment’ for the audience.

The highly-engaging ‘GTA videos’ are released on instagram in instalments and have featured guest appearances from Rema and Joeboy, with the actors simulating choreographed movements just like game characters.

On how the GTA parody idea was developed, Ayo The Creator offered.

“My brother came up with the concept, I just followed through. I really wasn’t totally sure it would turn out good, till we shot the first episode.”

The journey for Ayo The Creator started with the young creative studying the photoshopped memes created by his brother, who is also a visual artist.

“I found it really mind blowing making crazy pictures by simply combining pictures and elements creatively. So I started mine but my initial concept was wanting to be in cool clothes so I always put my face on Wizkid pictures. and that’s how I started working with digital softwares and later expanded on it,” he responded.

Burdened with a seven year plan to launch a media production company of their own, Ayo The Creator alongside his brother Bayo, are set to unveil their media production outfit called Creators Universe, with the launch of a ‘Visual EP Project.’

The Visual EP Project, a first of its kind, will feature a collection of original songs recorded with top-rated music artistes, complete with a visual story that connects all the songs on the EP with a singular message.

Long before all the razzmatazz of social media impressions and tiktok virality, Ayo The Creator worked in a small film production house where he did commercial & wedding film/photography.

“I also made music videos for musicians in my neighborhood and I used to make short sketches which I never really published. It was just for the consumption of family and friends,” he added.

Fast forward to his new found viral success and the method of making money has considerably changed, leaning more towards ads on his high-traction, engaging posts. His photoshopped photos have been known to bring a lot of laughs, with its cleverly-altered visuals of celebrities in ‘strange locations’ and unlikely ‘friendships.’

“Creating content is like selling fruits, you have to sell what is fresh and what looks good and even if they’ve never had such a fruit before, it has to look good and trigger certain emotions.” Ayo maintains.

On the addictive nature of his content, he had this to say.

“I like delving into feelings like nostalgia, high-octane action, while inserting hidden elements for my audience to find because people feel rewarded when they see what the general masses don’t or if all else fails, I just use plain humor.”

Visual projects at the Creators Universe are not as light and breezy as the final products indicate and Ayo The Creator was quick to point it out.

“It takes almost a week to create most kinds of content, from writing to getting resources; budget, casting, location, props, logistics, filming, editing and sound. It takes lots of planning to achieve.”

They never show the pre and post production grunt work on social media, and insist that it’s being kept as content to be released “...on a good day.“

Ayo The Creator is modest, attributing a lot of credit to his partner, brother and co-founder of Creator’s Universe, Bayo.

“I am not trying to sound proud but my inspiration is definitely my brother Bayo. We make a good team; he conquers the technical side while I undertake the creative one.”

The story of Ayo The Creator carries the age-long lesson that anything is truly possible.

A below average existence and a festering desire to push the limits to supersede everything else, has taken its toll on this young creative. He may not see all the way to the end of the tunnel but what he sees excites him and from the quality of his creations and the contagious energy he constantly exudes, it should excite us too!

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/ayo-the-creator-king-of-photoshop/

Since the introduction of VAR also known as ‘football cop’ or ‘soccer CCTV’ as football fans and wayward lovers of the game call it, it has either been a blessing or curse to some teams and players. Gone are the days of escaping severe penalties and expulsions but now, even the slightest of challenges count on the pitch. Let us not forget the incidence of goalkeepers leaving their lines just a sip of Gatorade or water and referees are quick to book them. At the helm of affairs of teams, managers and coaches have since come out to criticize the development as some think it is a waste of resources and lack of faith in the traditional officiating system of a center referee, two linesmen and a match commissioner. Here are the comments of some coaches:

Arsene Wenger (Former Arsenal FC Manager)

“The second goal is offside. I don’t know, we accepted the VAR, I just watched it again. It’s a mystery for me how you can watch that on replay and not give offside.” Arsene said these words after losing the league cup final.

Frank Lampard (Chelsea FC)

“I think VAR at its best – and it still needs to be honed to make sure it’s at its best and that might take a period of time – to give the referees more eyes to get decisions right is a no-brainer.” Lampard made this comment not long after stepping into the big shoes at Stamford Bridge.

Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid FC Manager)

“The whole point of technology is that it’s designed to improve things and that’s positive. But then, in certain aspects, there are some things which I don’t like about VAR.” He gave his verdict about the VAR in a press conference at his team’s tour of Asia.

Unai Emery (former Arsenal FC Manager)

“For me, VAR is positive. It’s coming to help us, to help the referees and to be fair in different circumstances in one game. After this, I think it’s also right to think to not stop the intensity and the rhythm in the matches and not to stop for a lot of minutes.” Ever since these words, Arsenal have been the victim of one failed VAR decision or the other.

Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid FC manager)

“No, give me VAR any day of the week – it allows us to clearly see any mistakes – after that, people can tell us whatever they want but it shows up mistakes. Without it, you don’t get to see errors and it all ends up in the air – those in favour versus those against… I’d rather have VAR because I’m sure it brings more justice – and before it, there was less justice.” Diego is definitely pleased with VAR and it has helped his team win more penalties.

Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)

“If it was hands it was hands, the decision is made in London so there’s nothing I can do or say about it. We could do with a little more consistency, though. If that was hands by Aymeric Laporte why was Fernando Llorente not hands last season? There was no penalty when the ball hit Andreas Christensen on the arm when Chelsea played Liverpool in midweek. I also thought we should have had a penalty when Erik Lamela fouled Rodrigo in the area. The VAR people must have been having a cup of coffee at that moment.” Guardiola was savage in his response as he compared the failure of the system in two different games over the course of past games in the EPL.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/var-what-famous-coaches-think/

Football lovers are aware that the campaign would not have ended by June 30 but there are football stars whose contracts will end and are obligated to sign new deals even if they are offered by their current employers.

Right now, bargain deals are more important than ever in a post-COVID world due to the financial crisis in football around the world.

The following players have performed at the top level, and will be available for free this summer.

Dries Mertens (Napoli)


Remember that Mertens almost left Napoli for the Premier League during the winter transfer open in January. Chelsea and Inter Milan were head-to-head to sign the Belgian. Though, he appears to have changed his mind in recent weeks.

The 32-year-old now appears to have committed to stay in the southern Italian city after reports suggest that he has agreed a new two-year deal, but that deal has not been confirmed yet.

Edinson Cavani (PSG)


The Uruguayan was forced to play second fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the early years of his PSG career but he eventually took the position in 2016. He responded in spectacular ways after scoring 49 goals in 50 games followed by another 40 in 47 the following campaign.

The Uruguayan was then kicked out of the limelight once more when Kylian Mbappe and Neymar arrived at PSG in 2017. The 33-year old is out of contract in June and Cavani looks set to seek new challenge elsewhere ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

David Luiz (Arsenal)


The big Brazilian defender’s future remains debatable. He joined the Gunners last summer but has been linked with a return to Benfica as his contract nears an end.

However, there has been speculation of a two-year extension already agreed with reduced terms. The Premier League might not be saying goodbye to him yet.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan)


He returned to Milan in January and his effectiveness was going very smoothly before football halted. After scoring four goals in 10 games, the 38-year-old has proven that age is just a number.

An extension with the Serie A giants is yet to be agreed since he started training with Swedish side Hammarby while competitive football was on ice.

Pedro Rodriguez (Chelsea)


The forward has won six league titles; three Champions Leagues, a Europa League and four domestic cups across his time with Barcelona and Chelsea – that would make him a fine asset for most teams in La Liga.Football lovers are aware that the campaign would not have ended by June 30 but there are football stars whose contracts will end and are obligated to sign new deals even if they are offered by their current employers.

Right now, bargain deals are more important than ever in a post-COVID world due to the financial crisis in football around the world.

The following players have performed at the top level, and will be available for free this summer.

Dries Mertens (Napoli)
[img][/img]

Remember that Mertens almost left Napoli for the Premier League during the winter transfer open in January. Chelsea and Inter Milan were head-to-head to sign the Belgian. Though, he appears to have changed his mind in recent weeks.

The 32-year-old now appears to have committed to stay in the southern Italian city after reports suggest that he has agreed a new two-year deal, but that deal has not been confirmed yet.

Edinson Cavani (PSG)
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Edinson-Cavani-1024x576.jpg

The Uruguayan was forced to play second fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the early years of his PSG career but he eventually took the position in 2016. He responded in spectacular ways after scoring 49 goals in 50 games followed by another 40 in 47 the following campaign.

The Uruguayan was then kicked out of the limelight once more when Kylian Mbappe and Neymar arrived at PSG in 2017. The 33-year old is out of contract in June and Cavani looks set to seek new challenge elsewhere ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

David Luiz (Arsenal)
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/David-Luiz-1024x576.jpg

The big Brazilian defender’s future remains debatable. He joined the Gunners last summer but has been linked with a return to Benfica as his contract nears an end.

However, there has been speculation of a two-year extension already agreed with reduced terms. The Premier League might not be saying goodbye to him yet.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan)
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Zlatan-Ibrahimovic-1024x768.jpg

He returned to Milan in January and his effectiveness was going very smoothly before football halted. After scoring four goals in 10 games, the 38-year-old has proven that age is just a number.

An extension with the Serie A giants is yet to be agreed since he started training with Swedish side Hammarby while competitive football was on ice.

Pedro Rodriguez (Chelsea)
https://tushmagazine.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Pedro-Rodriguez-1024x576.jpg

The forward has won six league titles; three Champions Leagues, a Europa League and four domestic cups across his time with Barcelona and Chelsea – that would make him a fine asset for most teams in La Liga.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/the-biggest-free-agents-in-football-this-summer/

Not only has the Covid-19 pandemic put most parts of the world on lockdown, it is also having its effect on the economy. The fashion industry is not exempted from the sectors affected; there is presently a halt to the way clothes are produced.

Many brands – local and international, are cancelling production orders from manufacturing companies. With these measures, fashion and other non-essential living activities have taken a back seat.

However, there are still many people out there who are interested in revamping their style irrespective of the Pandemic. So, for fashionistas who still want to keep up with their fashion game and for others whose jobs have them on the move right now, here’s how to stay stylish during a pandemic:

Scarf and Handkerchiefs


Simply put, now is the time to invest in scarves and handkerchiefs. Handkerchiefs aren’t exactly a typical Nigerian’s favs, especially when it is a lot faster to just use a part of your outfit to do the deed or quickly wipe with an elbow. However, since coronavirus has made everyone conscious about touching their faces with their hands, that piece of cloth is now highly needed.

Looking for what to use to nip your hair to the back? Brush those coarse or silky strands to the back and place a scarf across your neck to keep it hidden from the wind. Scarfs are also good alternatives in case you are unable to wear long-sleeve clothing while out and about; just wrap yourself in one and never mind coming in contact with another person’s body fluid unknowingly,

Blazers


A wise one once said, ‘a black blazer is the quintessential wardrobe staple’. If you don’t believe anyone said that, just accept it as common knowledge. A black blazer is unarguably a must-have that can be used as frequent and varied as possible.

With the inner shirt being changed, a black blazer could be used every day of the week without being obvious or out of place. Keep your blazer black, or if you already own different coloured blazers, that’s great. If not, bear in mind that now is not the time to invest in less versatile colors of clothing as well as for the sake of saving some money during this crucial time.

Say Yes To Long-sleeved Turtle Neck Tops


Just like the blazer, the long-sleeved light turtleneck sweater is multipurpose and protective. It is suitable for (online) meetings without seeming weird. Because of its range, it is not costly and saves you a few bucks. In addition, if you happen not to be on lockdown and still going about your daily activity, this just fits perfectly as it will be an added protection for your skin.

Facemasks


Since health organizations have given a go-ahead on DIY facemasks, it has become a “safe trend”. News flash, facemasks are no longer boring!

As the weeks have gone on, people’s cloth masks have gotten steadily more aesthetic, a sign not only that creativity is now part of the stay-safe-equation.

While your outfits tell the story of you staying safe from home or as you go out and about, your mask is also a sign that you care about your health and the health of those around you.

source: https://tushmagazine.com.ng/style-with-purpose-4-fashion-must-haves-during-a-pandemic/