Lyrics Check -7 songs we got wrong as kids

Life has become easier with internet access to unlimited information. Growing up, we didn't have that luxury and kids today will never know what that felt like. It was fun anyway, and I’m sure many still long for those glorious days. 

Part of what we suffered then was being unable to google song lyrics, and oh boy! We sang nonsense. The funniest part has to be how we sing the nonsense with so much confidence. Gospel songs particularly suffered this fate most. But it’s not all our fault; our teachers didn't do well with the nursery rhymes either.

Today, we are taking a drive back and doing a lyrics check on some of the most popular songs back then.

1. ‘Mr macaroni, riding on the bicycle

It's actually Mr Mark Anthony, riding on the bicycle. How did we even arrive at Macaroni in the first place? 

2. ‘The most excellency is Jesus’

It’s The most excellent king is Jesus, shout hallelujah amen. Now, look at the first one well, does it even make sense to say most excellency? Well, they both sound alike when singing sha. 

3. ‘Sandalili sandalili’

It’s the way we proudly sang this song at school parties while parading ourselves in lab coats and wearing a lawyer's wig for me. It’s Standard living, standard living. Now that makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?

4. ‘Yayi, yayi, Yesu yayi azumba zumba zumba Yesu yayi’

There are actually several wrong versions of this song. Almost everybody just strings any set of words together in the second part of that song. It’s actually Abun da mutum be yi ba Yesu yayi. Please don't ask me to pronounce it.

5. ‘Praise the lord, oh sing oh sing oh, praise the lord’

We got this wrong as kids and are still getting it wrong as adults. Oh my! The next time you sing it, please remember it is Oh sing my soul, praise the Lord. Praise the Lord correctly, please. 

6. ‘Jingu bell, Jingu bell, jingu on the way, Father Christmass open yansh, everybody shout, eh!’

We did know we were singing rubbish here, but it didn’t matter to us. We didn't even care about the correct one because this wrong one was quite fun. Now that we are adults, it’s time to repent. The correct one is Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, hey!

7. ’Jangilova epo moto’

This has to be the height of it. I think we need to find who first sang this wrongly and ask what actually happened. Anyway, it’s Jingle over like a motor. It does sound close enough though. 

I am sure you sang at least one of the songs on this list, so when did you realise you have been singing nonsense all along? Or were you today years old when you found out? If that is you, go and sin no more!

Internet Shakes As Tems features in Marvel Studio's Black Panther "Wakanda Forever"

 

The Nigerian internet space has been filled with various expressions by music enthusiasts and fans of superstar, Tems being unveiled as the singer of the “No Woman, No Cry” soundtrack for the “Wakanda Forever” Black Panther Movie.

It's no news that this feat is not is not just a win for Tems but also a win for Nigeria and afrobeats, This is something huge for Tems having joined the top rave of international music charts. She has now joined the ranks of over 70 artists who have covered Bob Marley’s No Woman, No Cry (1974).

No doubt, this trailer will definitely increase the anticipation of people waiting to see the movie. Tems did not only bring back the legends song, her sonorous voice also made people love the song the more, paying more attention to the message of the song.

In the 2-minute teaser, Tems, who is best known for her WizKid collab Essence (2020), cuts a very mournful take on Marley’s song, including the line “good friends we have, and good friends we’ve lost.” 

The emotional clip teases how the characters of the MCU franchise will cope with the absence of T’Challa, previously played by Chadwick Boseman—who passed away at age 43 in 2020, after a four-year battle with cancer.

The Afrobeats singer’s voice and Bob’s lyrics are front and center in Marvel Studios’ first teaser trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which debuted yesterday 24th of July at San Diego Comic-Con. Watch the trailer below:

6 High Income Skills In The Music Industry

 

Being in the show business is very glamorous and lucrative especially being a performing artist. Consequently, it draws tons of people into its embrace. Everyone wants to chop life like Olamide, buy luxurious cars like Davido, travel round the world like Burna Boy and enjoy worldwide fame like Wizkid.

Little wonder you find thousands of people struggling to get into the industry with or without talent. Examples can be seen in the number of people who go for Nigerian Idol auditions. You'll find hundreds of grown-ups who don't even sound well in the bathroom talk more of on stage who want to be musicians not because they have passion for it but because they want to be famous & wealthy.

If you're considering going into the music industry without a unique talent but with the aim of making some quick bucks as a musician, sit upright, continue reading this article and jot things down  because this is for you.

Music business is awesome but it doesn’t always have to be about being a performer and churning out hits from time to time. There are several other businesses that you could do in the music industry and make as much money as being a musician.

Here are 5 lucrative jobs in the music industry you can explore to chop the music industry mula, because this mula must not pass us by.

Song writer-: if you're good at writing meaningful and interesting lyrics this is for you. A lot of artists are gifted singers but cannot write their own music hence, they buy lyrics or hire people to write songs for them. A popular artist was recently quoted as saying he makes up to $10,000 for each song he writes for an artist. This is a cool way to chop the music industry mula codedly without the flax that comes with fame of being a musical artist.

Music content creator: In recent times, everyone is free to dish out content. Explore the world of content creation in the music industry.  If you have good writing skills, create a blog, If your strength is in speaking, you could start a YouTube channel/ podcast where you review music. You could also do the reviews on social media platforms like Instagram & Tiktok. In no time,  you'll start making your cool cash and become relevant in the industry.

Disc Jockey: If you have great taste in music and you know from experience what people like in live settings, then you can train to become a disc jockey. With a little mastering of the technology, you can make an excellent disc jockey. Disc jockeys are also popular for weddings, clubs and other special events. So you can start your own business and then start booking gigs. We have successful djs like Spinall, Xclusive etc.

Instrumentalist : You can make money from music by playing instruments such as drums, guitars, pianos, electronic keyboards, trumpets etc. You can offer hourly, daily and weekly rates and promote the service to musicians, individuals, bands, schools and community groups. You can also offer delivery services to your clients.

Music producer: It is the music producer’s job to make sure that the finished product of any music you vibe to is as good as it can be and that it meets the vision of the record label and/or the artist (as has been contractually laid out). While there’s no 100% sure way of making sure a song is a hit, making sure it has the potential to be a hit is oftentimes the producer’s domain. Music producer make lots of money and are relevant people in the society therefore its a good career to explore.

Work behind the scene : You can work as a sound engineer, videographer, photographer, make-up artist, set manager, video vixen etc. By doing this you're getting familiar with the industry and probably getting to meet with top musical artists that can help your music career.

The music industry is a big and growing industry with many skills needed for it to be what it is. You can earn big in the industry with many other skills outside singing.

Chike and The Rhythm

Some people met Chike at the MTN project fame, some met him as the outstanding candidate on the first edition of The Voice Nigeria, while others like me became a fan when we heard the magical Running To You. 

Chike, whose birth name is Chike Ezekpeazu Osebuka, hails from Onitsha, in Anambra state. He is an actor, singer and songwriter. He first came into the limelight as a runner-up in the 2016 edition of The Voice Nigeria. Even before the finals, his voice and performance had distinguished him, so it is not surprising that he is doing well in the industry today. It is a well-deserved success, he has worked well for it, and that can be seen in every word and harmony that makes up his songs. 

Chike is the type of singer that only comes around once in a while. His style is gentle and sweet. If you are feeling all loved up, Chike's songs are the right sounds for the mood. He captures not just the idea of love but also the process of giving and receiving love. His voice does well for him, and so does his look. The guy fine abeg!

After The Voice Nigeria, he was signed to Universal Republic, under which he released his debut single, Fancy U, in 2016. He left the label the following year and has remained an independent artist. 

In 2020, Chike released his first album, Boo of the Booless. The 14-track album also included the initial version of his song Running to You, which he refixed with Simi. The song is one of his most played songs and was nominated as the most played RnB song at the Net Awards in 2021.

Listening to Chike, you can tell he is not some random guy with a good voice; he actually knows music. His lyrics are tender and refreshingly different in how they appreciate and esteem women. If you want to soak in some good music this Friday, you should start with this Chike playlist. 

Roju 

Running to you -ft Simi

If you no love -ft Mayorkun

Nwoke Oma

Forgive 

Nakupenda -ft Ric Hassani

Amen

Soldier

Wahala dey

You Deserve

Which one are you putting on repeat? For me, it's Running to you. It is such a refreshing melody for me. Do let me know yours and why that song is in the comments. 

Happy listening!

Is Dropping Out of School The Secret To Succeeding In the Music Industry?

 

I'm sure you're familiar with the story of a teenage boy who drops out of school, leaves his parents house to follow his passion, Music. He somehow gets to meet someone who thinks he is the best thing that has ever happened after Micheal Jackson. He finally gets signed into a record label, after a while, he blows up, boooom! You relate right?,  yeah, that's the story of almost all the Nigerian musicians in the industry.

One of the fallacies in the music industry is that education isn't necessary to succeed, talent and street sense is all you need.  In fact  it has become  a bragging right to be school drop outs. That why you hear lyrics like "I no go school but I get money" , "mama no get money send me go school, na music help my life" "I commot for school to do music", "mi o lo school abi, school ti iwo lo kilo fida" Lol, sounds familiar right?

One of the main issues this misconception is that it passes a wrong message across to the young ones who aspire to be musicians. Majority of them now drop out of secondary school because they think that's the sure way to blow.

Let's consider this: since the music industry is a creative one that requires more of talents than academics, is education really important to succeed? Of course, education is important to succeed in any industry not excluding the music industry.

Why is it important?

The working principle of music and music business require not only talent but a lifestyle of commitment, loyalty, consistency, good command of English and above all a good entrepreneurship skill in handling your brand as an artist. All these you might find difficult to achieve without proper education. 

If you don't want to attend a proper university, there are music schools you could attend. Just like any other school, music schools develop your talent and help you discover new ones. It may not be safe to conclude that you are already too talented to spend time in school as music schools discipline performers on how to survive in the music industry, create a niche and discover hidden talents. The music industry encompasses a network of several music professionals working to create music,  you don't have to be a performing artist to be relevant in the industry. There are several other interesting roles you could take and also blow if that's your goal. A proper education will expose you to these opportunities.

Let's consider 5 musical artists who went to the University

Davido: David Adedeji Adeleke, professionally known as Davido dropped out of Oakwood University, Alabama to study music at Babcock University. He graduated with a music degree in 2015.

Naira Marley : The king of Marlian himself  graduated with a distinction in business from Peckham Academy. That’s not all, he also holds a master degree in business law from Crossways College England. The irony is that his fans keep chorusing "Marlians no dey graduate" even when the marlian president himself is a graduate.

Burna Boy: After his secondary school in Nigeria, Burna Boy relocated to London to study Media Technology at the University of Sussex. He also studied Media communication and culture at Oxford Brookes University.

Falz: He graduated with an LLB honours degree at university of Reading, United Kingdom. According to Falz, he started nurturing his music talent right from secondary school.

Tiwa Savage: Our Queen of afrobeat bagged a degree in Business Administration at the University of Kent. She also graduated on Scholarship at Berklee College of Music.

To all aspiring musicians, being drop outs isn't a prerequisite to being a star in the music industry, get educated and chase your music career along side if you can.

10 Hottest Songs of the Moment -The Tiktok Playlist

Thanks to TikTok, you can't miss the hottest songs right now. You will agree with me TikTok trends now have a way of influencing what the hottest song on the trend table is because it becomes the soundtrack for almost every video. 

While they may not be your choice songs, I can bet you heard them in at least five videos. The TikTok factor has also made it that what becomes a top song is now unpredictable. One content creator just needs to make it the soundtrack for a viral trend, and boom, we have a new hot song. 

However, there are two sides to this. You can go from unknown to popular without a heavy promotion budget, and the other side of it, which is not so nice, is that the artist's hard work and creativity is not the determining factor. This means good songs would go unrecognised or will not stand a chance because they were not lucky enough on TikTok. Though, on second thought, this has always been a factor even in the traditional music promotion model. 

If you’re an artist and you are considering how to promote your music, I strongly recommend you try Epoh Music promotion feature. It lets you promote your song to listeners on the platform. Back to the business of the day, here are those bubbling hot songs right now:

Buga -Kizz Daniel ft Tekno

Overdose -Mavins, Crayon, Ayra Starr, Ladipoe, Magixx & Boy Spyce

Sugarcane -Camidoh ft King Promise & Mayorkun

Certified loner - Mayorkun 

Shout out to baddo sneh -DJ Kunz

Gentility -Melvitto ft Wande Cole

Ijo (laba laba) -Crayon

PBUY -Asake

Girlfriend -Ruger 

Palazzo - DJ Spinall & Asake

Which is your favourite? Or have you made a video with any of them already? I think these are generally good songs and should not be reduced to soundtracks on TikTok, so how about adding a few of them to your playlist already? And, of course, you can do that on Epoh Music -start here

Barka da Sallah!

Hello... this is the Sallah where we eat meat!

I’d like to start with a big congratulations to the Muslim faithfuls all over Nigeria. Congratulations to all those who went on Hajj and have returned safely. The beauty of this season is how it reminds us of sacrifice and divine substitution. It also points to God's divine provision, and we will always be grateful that he gave us a chance at life and accepted the sheep instead.

The lessons of that event will continue to bear upon our hearts even as we interact with one another daily. I pray that Allah will grant you to share the joy of the season today and even every other day of your lives. 

In celebration of Eid-el Kabir, we decided to put together a playlist of Muslim albums for you to enjoy your day and celebration. Here you go…

The Truth - Saoty Arewa

Eni Olohun -Saheed Osupa

Reliable -Ameerah Aminat Ajao

Reality -Alhaji Skiriru Ayinde Barrister

Prophet -Saoty Arewa

Odun Orin -Shefiu Alao Adekunle & Saheed Osupa

Advice (Imoran) -Saoty Arewa

Property (Ogun) -Ameerah Amina Ajao

What are you most grateful for this season, and what song comes to your mind as a response? Do let us know in the comments. 

Eid-el Kabir

From all of us at Epoh Music 

P.S. We know things are not easy, but try share meat reach your neighbours side o.

YEMI ALADE: Underrated But the Face of Nigerian Female Musicians in the World

 

Yemi Eberechi Alade popularly known as Yemi Alade is undoubtedly one of the female Nigerian artists exceptionally representing the Nigerian music industry in the world. Although underrated by many in Nigeria, her music is vaunted in other African countries. Her unique style of singing in different languages such as English, Yoruba, Igbo, French Swahili, Portuguese among others makes her more of an African than a Nigerian musician.

Why is Yemi Alade's music more appreciated in other African countries than Nigeria? Should we call it a case of Jesus Christ who wasn't accepted in his home town? Johnny was Yemi's first hit after her win at the Peak Talent Show in 2009. The single Johnny which was in her Album: King of Queens was an international smash hit in many countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, South Africa, Liberia, Uganda and United Kingdom. Johnny alongside Kissing and Tangerine, were well accepted in Nigeria and won several awards. I guess the switch against her music by Nigerians began when she started singing more in other languages not understood by Nigerians.

Yemi Alade is popularly called "Mama Africa" because of her love for cultural diversity and language. She currently has her music being translated in French, Swahili and Portuguese. More than a head for music, Yemi Alade is creating music in the way we know it, as a sound that break barriers, a harmony for the soul to be understood by all. She calls her music Afropolitan which is a merge of Afrobeat, highlife, Pop and R&B, interesting right?. Below are some of her amazing songs worth having on your playlist.

Dumebi by Mzvee ft Yemi Alade

Mzvee is a female Ghanaian musician, she featured Yemi Alade in this single and they made an astounding hit together. Dumebi is a nice jam about love and how to express it. So if you're in love this music is definitely for you.

Nakupenda by Yemi Alade ft Nyashinski

Nakupenda was released in 2017 in her album titled Mama Africa. This song was sang in Swahili featuring Nyashinski, a kenya musician. You should listen to the song even if you don't understand Swahili, the beat is spectacular and you will definitely shake your body to it. There is also a Portuguese version of this song.

Johnny (French version)

If you enjoyed the pidgin version of Johnny then you shouldn't sleep on it's French version. This was released in 2014, nevertheless it's still a jam. Yemi Alade is the first Nigerian artiste to release a song entirely performed in French.

My man

Yemi is known for giving her fans love songs and "My man" is one.  My Man features a sole vocal from the Jamaican Dance hall singer, Kranium who did justice to it. This song was released this year 2022 which has started making a trend in Nigeria and across the Africa as well. Both singers did awesomely well and the song is truly worth enjoying.

Dignity

Beninese-American singer, songwriter, activist, Grammy award winner and actress, Angelique Kidjo featured "Mama Africa", Yemi Alade in this interesting song christened ''Dignity''. This single is a hit jam to enjoy and vibe to.

These songs are all on Epoh music be sure to check them out, add them to your playlist and share with your friends and family. Lets do well to appreciate Mama Africa. Cheers!

Another Win for Naija - Tems wins Best International Act

A win for one is a win for all. And it looks like we will continue to give other countries a run for it at the BET awards yearly. Nigerian artists have continued to bring home the BET Best International Act award since 2017 uninterrupted. This year, our very own Tems brought it home again, taking the baton from Burna Boy after three consecutive wins. The first African artist to reach that feat. 

I am particularly excited about what this means for Afrobeats and Nigerian music in general. In the last year, we have witnessed more international collaborations than before. I still can’t get Ed Sheeran on Peru out of my head. 

Nigerian artists work hard, and it is good that they are getting the recognition and exposure they deserve. That is not to say international awards are the highest form of validation for Nigerian artists or African artists in general. Not at all. But it does birth opportunities for the recipients and paves way for the acceptance of African music and culture internationally. 

Tems gave a shout-out to other girls and women to keep at what they are doing as they will surely be rewarded for it. However, that wasn’t her only win for the night; she also won Best collaboration alongside Wizkid and Justin Bieber for Essence remix. That, too, is another win for Nija. 

At Epoh Music we say a big congratulations to Tems, Wizkid, and Fireboy DML, who was also nominated for Best International Act. Keep making us proud guys!

Here is a good idea, how about listening to some good sounds from Tems in the spirit of the win? -start here