Tag: Blaqbonez

on by

Download video

Kizzdaniel’s fuck you challenge is probably the biggest Nigerian challenge ever witnessed on Instagram. We not only have Nigerian stars, but we have got the biggest artiste from Africa sending in their entries. Some of the emerging acts posted on this blog on a daily had amazing covers and were reposted by the Megastar on his Instagram. Acts like Toby Grey, Blaqbones, and officialBils just to mention a few.

The fans are delighted as some of their favorite acts take turns to dismantle the instrumental made by Young John. Kizz daniel started the Fuck you challenge some weeks ago and it is basically about telling a story of cheating partners in a relationship. Here is a compilation of what we think are the best covers and why.

1. Kizz Daniel

The original version in my opinion still remains the best and retains its relevance. S/o to Kizz Daniel for this initiative, it also gives young acts the chance to level up against the giants and it provides a platform to discover new emerging acts.

2. Tiwa Savage

We all know that Tiwa’s version came from a deep down. Failed Relationships and betrayed trust, she has been through them all. For a while, she has been on a break but decided to let some steam. Her version wins the category of the most controversial cover and the fact is controversy sells. We are glad to finally hear from her.

3. Toby Grey

I talked about Toby Grey in a post last week about her new single Show Glass featuring Chinko and Terry Apala, I told y’all about how amazing she is as an artiste. Her cover to Kizz daniels Woju was what brought her limelight. She just made another brilliant cover to kizz Daniels song which has also earned her a mention from kiZZ Daniel. Kizz Daniel and his team via Instagram have promised to work with Tobi Grey for free in 2019. Hopefully, this challenge has lead her to her helper.

4. SUPERCHEQUEBOY

This to me is the discovery of the challenge.Prior to this, I never heard of him before. His style is 100 and he totally smashed it. Very different vibe.

5. Ladipoe

Ladipoe is one of the most consistent rap acts in Nigeria at this point. The Mavin Record artiste is out here to prove a point. His version stands out from the rest because of his very concept and approach. I love the idea, you can tell he has taken his time to think of how to make a version different from the rest. His dialogue / conversation with his girl friend is really cool.

6. Nadia Nakai

South Africa is always known for coming through in rap cyphers. There is an abundance of rap talents in the country, I need not mention them. Nadia Nakai The south African Femcee sent in her cover and boy it did not disappoint! Although she sounded like she lost her voice, her bars were serious and it felt like she is talking from experience. Look out for her. Real talk!

7. Simi

They are not much to say other than the fact that she has got an amazing voice. Probably the best in Africa. Simi will always win any competition with her sonorous voice.

8. Bils

Y’all stand up for this dude mehn. He came through with the best lines and quotables. He even used names of popular acts to make his metaphors and punchlines. I love it, the best rap version but the only thing is that it falls short in terms of production. You may have to struggle to hear him clearly but some good headphones will help.

9. Skiibii

Skibii is probably one of the most insulted artiste in Nigeria. He took time to task and get off the runway especially with his time in Five-star music. Soon after he left Five Star Music, his career took off and he has been on a winning streak. His Fuck you challenge is also really dope, he seemed very comfortable and balanced on the young John produced instrumental. I am happy that someone who people thought would never blow up is doing awesome for himself and his fans now.

10. Ycee

Ycee always comes correct. He is a sweet blend of rapping and singing. His version also stands out. Swag, Lyrical ability, and finesse.

11. Dremo

Very similar concept to Ycee, Dremo comes correct on his verse. His concept is also dramatic and he paints a picture of a girl that has fucked the entire DMW crew. I think his version is the most aggressive almost like the chick is his kid .. lol. Dremo was expected in Indianapolis USA alongside Mayorkun in the month of March but failed to make it due to technical issues. The event has been rescheduled.

12. Falz

Falz is a natural storyteller. I reviewed his album Moral Instructions a while ago and compared it’s relevance to that of the legendary Fela. His fuck you challenge is really dramatized and I love it especially how he switches from Pidgin to English effortlessly.

13. Demmiee vee

Dope artiste! He got his break last year when he released his massive hit single Tiff. Tiff went on to get almost 1 million views on youtube. He also featured on one of the best songs on Falz album titled Hypocrite. His voice is astounding and very unique.

14. Sarkodie

One of the best artiste Africa, this mans delivery is unrivaled. The energy in his voice can power up a dead soul. It is something like versaline for every instrumental, so smooth and glides in without friction. I also love his cover

15. BlaqBonez

Dude has been very consistent and his consistency has begun to pay off. I remember when i would call Blaq to offer him some management advise, at this point he knew nothing about the music business. I was able to lay the foundations for his understanding of the business side. I feel very happy seeing him at this level. He is currently signed to choc city under the tutelage of Audu Maikori and M.I Abaga two of the most powerful music businessmen in Africa.

As more and more covers continue to drop we will keep you updated.

 

on by

Chocolate City in collaboration with 100 Crowns, Martell and Continued Ent. surprised us with an Official MARTELL CYPHER  . People are still digesting the content of the cypher but many have already expressed an opinion on whether they think the cypher was dope or not. In my opinion, i think the cypher lived up to all expectations , all the featured rappers came out smoking . When you have a Legend like M.I , a veteran like Aq and Loose , and a rapidly growing brand like Blaqbonez , you really do not expect anything less.

For me , regardless of whether the rappers were dope or not i saw this from a business perspective and i think people missed the point. The point is M.I and Choc city are fighting for rappers to get paid for the features they do with brands . They are challenging other brands to ensure that whenever rappers are used for commercials , they should ensure they have a budget to cater for the rappers needs . It’s more like a campaign rather than an actual cypher or battle rap. I see it as a healthy competition between MARTELL and the other brands who supposedly do not pay acts for what they do for them . I really commend M.I and his team for their forward thinking.

I have always championed the cause that acts who get featured in projects should get royalties or compensation regardless of how small their contributions are . So long as you find a persons talent sufficient enough to be exploited , you need to pay for their services . Gone are the days where we would leverage on the fact that you are providing a platform as an excuse to cheat others. People have real needs and situations they are facing and their work of art need to pay their bills . Read more

Unfortunately , the same rappers who Choc city are opening up the market for are the same rappers that have come out to criticize the cypher for not being dope enough or off-the-top. In my Opinion , that is completely missing the point .

Fuck the industry , I pay Payola with suitcases – AQ

on by 1 Comment

Some days ago i reviewed Blaqbonez Bad boy Blaq E.P and i stated how impressed i was with the entire project including featured acts like Oxlade , Alpha , Loose Kaynon , Aq e.t.c . I reached out to Oxlade and asked him to refer me to his contents ( which he did ) . Had a discussion with him briefly and encouraged him to keep at it and that he is very gifted.

A few days later i was at work and Davido’s tweet flashed through my timeline . I did not hesitate to screen shot it. The joy i felt that moment can not be explained. I barely even know Oxlade , but i was so happy that an artist i spotted just a few days ago has also been spotted by one of Africa’s biggest music brand. Davido later tweeted , saying that his favorite song at the moment is Fireboy DML ft. Oxlade – Sing . Watch the video below .

Screenshot_20181113-204518

I hope this will open new doors for Fireboy DML, Oxlade , Blaqbonez , Alpha , and their entire team of creatives . Sing by Fireboy DML is a song i recommend you add to your playlist. It summaries the fact that both artist are set to blow.  They sound very similar and both did a fantastic job at delivering the song . Let us keep our fingers crossed and anticipate what Davido is about to unleash with these acts .

on by

The purpose of my blog is to provide a place where dope independent artists I have come across, especially in the cities I have lived in ( Indiana USA, Chicago, Lagos, Port Harcourt ) can interact. Having said that, it means the scope of my blog, for now, is very limited. It is a personal blog and the views are a personal opinion.

Today I want to introduce you all to an artist named ” Blaqbonez “, a rapper I have followed since I lived in Lagos Nigeria. Over the years, Blaqbonez has been very consistent and has dropped projects, most of which have contributed to his rise in the hip-hop circles in Nigeria. His works have brought him a lot of accolades and consequently a deal with 100 Crowns; a company affiliated with choc city music; home of arguably Nigeria’s no. 1 rapper MI Abaga.

In August 2018, he dropped a project titled “Bad boy blaq” . I took the time to listen to this project on Spotify and I have decided to provide a general overview of the project (My opinion). Over the years, I have seen Blaqbonez evolve from being a battle rapper to making music that sounds good and has a commercial value. From the East coast boom-bap music to a project that is heavily trapped. This goes to show how far blaq has come and that he is in touch with the market and has tailored his music to suit what the market wants. Blaq has also grown from being an artist that only cares about accolades and hype to a fully grounded businessman, and I am happy at his attempts to wrap his head around the business part of the music.

First, I love to pick up an album and after listening to it I can tell the artist’s origin, language, life experiences, purpose, and ideologies. 2017/18 has seen a slight shift in the way artists approach content creation. Artists like Lil Wayne, Cardi B, Drake, Nas even our own Mi Abaga dropped projects that are very inward and introspective. The shift has seen artists go from money and hoes to spreading the word on concepts like business, self-study, and self-awareness. On this project, Blaq follows the same direction, I could identify his culture, his beliefs and most especially I could understand his story. The songs are laced with English and heavy pigin and verbiage and slang are ingenious to Nigeria. Also, the subject matter he raps about is relevant to his environment and the message is clear. What I enjoyed most is the realness. He is not trying to talk about issues he knows nothing about but he draws inspiration from issues around him and those that are common within his surroundings. That is very important to the success of music globally. You have to listen to your environment and speak a language they speak to connect your music with them. I had no problems identifying Blaqs motives and message. From the album cover, you can tell that Blaq had set out to be creatively unique. I love the color combination and I suppose the pictures on the cover represent different facets of his personality or personal journey.

The introduction to a project means everything. it tells the listener if to continue or not. Blaq’s first track ” Accommodate ” gives a summary of his state of mind. ” Real life not knowing where dinner is coming from / real-life f**k what u see on Instagram broke as fuck but living without stealing “.  It sets the stage for what to expect. A dope rapper fighting to get heard! The second song on the tracks-list “Denied” starts where he left off on the first, he raps

” I am so ahead of time / 2018 held me back / carry the cross I am like Christ / prayed to God to save my life/cos I am real, going and killing this people like flies / well on my way to the ice / never been lucky my life/ ain’t no roll of the dice /I just cannot be denied/  Mi Abaga told me i am the one/ everybody be like shii I am the one / even q said I am the dopest, to disrespect him must be stupid / ”

The arrangement of the tracks is impeccable. The production is top-notch. Blaq had tweeted that M.I spent time working on this record and it definitely paid off.

One thing i noticed even from Blaqs previous projects is the way he uses skits to connect tracks. This is an old practice but it is a potent tool. Skits are to albums what conjunctions are to essays. If used intelligently they provide a beautiful link and add value to the project. It tells me that Blaq has done his homework and he knows what makes up a good project. I also love the use of recorded phone conversations to add a real-life feel to the records. Blaq uses this effect to show that he draws inspiration from everyday life and that his music centers around his life. it is a priceless feature. Another very impressive thing about the project is how Blaq manages to bring in heavy features. Loose Kaynon, Aq, Terry Apala are veterans and they came through heavy on their records. Aq and Loose Kaynon came through on the track ” Low key ” and alpha although I do not know a lot about him was no push aside on the record. Stand outlines from the veterans are …

There is nothing new you can show me / get a pat on the back like Utomi/. See y’all can ask my exes, I quietly take my exit, they roll around with that L forever like a lifetime deal with Lexus, passport tatted like Rick Ross/.. add aesthetics to the project.

Terry Apala is a beast on the song ” I told you ” and delivers his agbero vibe that everyone loves. I would have been very happy to see an MI Abaga verse on this project. Asides from the very heavy features, Blaq also showcases some impressive young talents on this project. I particularly love Oxlade on the song ” mamiwota ” . Kudos to Mi Abaga on the production of this masterpiece. it is flawless in my opinion, the mixes are very balanced and even through the cheapest of headsets you still are surrounded by the ambiance of the sound. The beats are made from top to bottom so kudos to Blaqs production team.

If there is anywhere the project scores a low, it is in marketing and promotions. So far, it has been more of an online project. I believe this record is bigger than the promotional budget it has been accorded. I was very excited when I heard Blaq had finally landed himself an agreement with Nigeria’s biggest rap brand choc city, therefore his record is going to be on heavy rotation and videos were going to fly out left right and center. This has not been the case and we are still awaiting the first video of the project. I will not lay all the blames on choc city, if you follow recent happenings in the music circles ; revenue, sales, and show money is hard to come by these days and record companies lose all their capital in promoting and distributing but no returns to show for it. Therefore, it is understandable if choc city, led by Mi Abaga are taking their time to explore the possible income streams for him. It is better to take things slow than to run into debts.

Overall this is a solid project and I hope we have not seen the last of it. I believe that this project still needs videos, events and a promotional plan and we could have an heir to M.I ‘s throne already. My favorites on the album are the more introspective tracks like Tosin’s song, consent, 5.00 am. Songs like Play, Mamiwota, I told you ft Terry Apala and Woke gives the project a heavy commercial appeal and a repeat value. I recommend this to any music lover. This is definitely top 3 projects in recent times by a Nigerian.

Get the full project here