Wednesday, May 29, 2024

10 years of Nigerian music star Zlatan

Nigerian singer Zlatan

Zlatan, real name Omoniyi Temidayo marks a major milestone in his music career, as he celebrates a decade of being a musician.

On Wednesday, the Nigerian music star took to his social media accounts to reflect on the genesis of his journey and how he's grown to be better over the years.

"10 years ago, there was no Zlatan Ibile. All there was, was an aspiring footballer. Mapoly students believed in me by ensuring I won this contest! From then, everything changed from football to music," he wrote.

The singer further talked about his breakout single with rapper Olamide and how students of Mapoly supported him.

"I did not have 2 personal songs let alone a hit until 2017 with Baddo. Thank you to every Mapoly student who stood by me. Thank you Day 1 Zlatanovaz. Can’t believe today makes it exactly 10 years already… And we’re still going strong," he added.

Zlatan is widely credited with popularizing the Zanku (Zlatan Abeg No Kill Us) dance, a cultural phenomenon that took Nigeria and the world by storm. The accompanying song, "Zanku (Legwork)," released in 2018, was an instant hit. This track, with its catchy rhythm and infectious dance moves, solidified Zlatan’s status as a trendsetter in the Afrobeats genre.

Throughout his career, Zlatan has released numerous hit singles that have dominated the airwaves and club scenes.

Songs like "Bolanle," "Yeye Boyfriend," and "Quilox" have become anthems, showcasing his versatility and knack for creating catchy tunes. His collaborations with other top artists, such as Burna Boy on "Killin Dem" and Davido on "Sweet in the Middle," further exemplify his ability to blend his style with various musical influences.

As we celebrate a decade of Zlatan, it is clear that his journey is far from over. His ability to reinvent himself, stay relevant, and connect with audiences worldwide suggests that the next ten years will be just as impactful.

Here’s to Zlatan's ten years of unforgettable music, groundbreaking dance moves, and an enduring legacy that will inspire for generations to come.

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

5 Major Beefs in the Nigerian Music Industry

 The Nigerian music industry is renowned for its vibrant and dynamic culture, but it has also been marked by notable feuds between some of its biggest stars.

These conflicts, often referred to as "beefs," typically stem from competition, personal differences, or perceived slights, and they frequently play out in public via social media, interviews, and even diss tracks.

Below, we are going to take a look at some major beef in the Nigerian music industry:

  1. Wizkid & Davido One of the most high-profile and enduring feuds is between Wizkid and Davido. This rivalry, often characterized as a battle for supremacy, began in the early 2010s. It has involved various jabs on social media, diss tracks, and even public confrontations. Despite occasional attempts at reconciliation, such as performing together at Davido's concert in 2017, the tension persists, with recent exchanges rekindling their rivalry​. The two rekindled their beef in 2024 on social media and it was tense as it shook the industry.

  2. Kizz Daniel & Tekno This conflict escalated in 2024 when Kizz Daniel accused Tekno of being ungrateful and claimed that he had "rescued" Tekno's career with their hit song "Buga." The spat played out publicly on social media, with both artists exchanging insults before unfollowing each other​.

  3. Adekunle Gold & Samklef Adekunle Gold and producer Samklef clashed when Samklef accused Gold's wife, Simi, of being ungrateful and demanded a public apology for a past issue. Adekunle Gold defended his wife vigorously, leading to a heated exchange on social media​

  4. Burna Boy & Davido Burna Boy and Davido's feud became public in 2020 after Davido declared himself and Wizkid as the "two greatest of all time" GOAT, which Burna Boy interpreted as a slight. The beef included indirect insults and social media posts, with Burna Boy mocking Davido's wealthy background. The tension between them has persisted.

  5. MI Abaga & Vector This notable beef in the rap community began in 2019 and included a series of diss tracks between MI Abaga and Vector. Their lyrical battles, such as MI's "The Viper" and Vector's "Judas The Rat," captivated fans. The feud concluded with a truce and a collaborative track, "Crown of Clay".

The feuds highlight the competitive nature of the Nigerian music industry, where artists often vie for the top spot in a highly visible and sometimes contentious manner. Despite the drama, these rivalries also contribute to the industry's vibrancy and can even spur creativity and collaboration once reconciliations


Thursday, May 16, 2024

Tems, Asake, Seyi Vibez, Ayra Starr and Burna Boy nominated for BET Awards 2024

Tems, Asake, Seyi Vibes, Ayra Starr, and Burna Boy bag BET Awards nods 2024

Nigerian artists fully represented Africa on the list of nominees for the Black Entertainment Television Network (BET) Awards 2024.

Five Nigerian musicians were nominated in various categories with Ayra Starr who led with three nods.

Ayra is nominated for Best New Artist, Best International Act, and the BET Her award for her hit single Commas.

Burna Boy is nominated in the Best Male R&B/Pop Artist and Best Male Hip-Hop Artist categories.

Seyi Vibez bags nod for Viewer’s Choice: Best New International Act.

Asake is nominated for Best International Act

Voting for the BET Awards’ 2024 Viewer’s Choice Award begins June 6 and ends June 30.

Check the full list of nominees below:

Album of the year

Chris Brown, 11:11

Gunna, A Gift & A Curse

21 Savage, American Dream

Usher, Coming Home

Drake, For All the Dogs (Scary Hours Edition)

Victoria Monét, Jaguar II

Killer Mike, Michael

Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday 2

Best female R&B/pop artist

Beyoncé

Coco Jones

Doja Cat

H.E.R.

Muni Long

SZA

Tyla

Victoria Monét

Best male R&B/pop artist

Brent Faiyaz

Bryson Tiller

Burna Boy

Chris Brown

Drake

Fridayy

October London

Usher

Best group

¥$, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign

2 Chainz & Lil Wayne

41

Blxst & Bino Rideaux

City Girls

Flo

Maverick City Music

Wanmor

Best collaboration

Lil Durk feat. J. Cole, “All My Life”

Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar, “America Has a Problem (Remix)”

Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (With Aqua), “Barbie World”

Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion, “Bongos”

 ¥$, Ye, Ty Dolla $ign feat. Rich The Kid, Playboi Carti, “Carnival”

Lola Brooke feat. Latto & Yung Miami, “Don’t Play With It (Remix)”

Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Uzi Vert, “Everybody”

Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage, “Good Good”

Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA, “Rich Baby Daddy”

Best female hip-hop artist    

Cardi B

Doja Cat

GloRilla

Ice Spice

Latto

Megan Thee Stallion

Nicki Minaj

Sexyy Red

Best male hip-hop artist

21 Savage

Burna Boy

Drake

Future

Gunna

J. Cole

Kendrick Lamar

Lil Wayne

Best new artist

41

4Batz

Ayra Starr

Bossman Dlow

Fridayy

October London

Sexyy Red

Tyla

Video of the year      

Doja Cat, “Agora Hills”

Lil Durk feat J. Cole, “All My Life”

Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (With Aqua), “Barbie World”

Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion, “Bongos”

Drake feat. J. Cole, “First Person Shooter”

Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage, “Good Good”

Victoria Monét, “On My Mama”

Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA, “Rich Baby Daddy”

Video director of the year

Benny Boom

Child.

Cole Bennett

Dave Meyers

Janelle Monáe & Alan Ferguson

Offset

Tems

Tyler, The Creator

Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award

Shirley Caesar, “Award All of the Glory”

Kirk Franklin, “All Things”

Halle Bailey, “Angel”

CeCe Winans, “Come Jesus Come”

Erica Campbell, Do You Believe in Love?”

Maverick City Music, Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore, “God Problems”

Tems, “Me & U”

Kirk Franklin, “Try Love”

Viewer’s choice award

Doja Cat, “Agora Hills”

Lil Durk feat. J. Cole, “All My Life”

Gunna, “Fukumean”

Jack Harlow, “Lovin on Me”

Muni Long, “Made for Me”

Victoria Monét, “On My Mama”

Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA, “Rich Baby Daddy”

Chris Brown feat. Davido & Lojay, “Sensational”

Beyoncé, “Texas Hold ‘Em”

Tyla, “Water”

Best international act

Asake (Africa)

Aya Nakamura (France)

Ayra Starr (Africa)

Bk’ (Brazil)

Cleo Sol (UK)

Focalistic (Africa)

Karol Conká (Brazil)

Raye (UK)

Tiakola (France)

Tyla (Africa)

Viewer’s choice: best new international act

Bellah (UK)

Cristale (UK)

Duquesa (Brazil)

Holly G (France)

Jungeli (France)

Makhadzi (Africa)

Oruam (Brazil)

Seyi Vibez (Africa)

Tyler Icu (Africa)

BET Her

Beyoncé, “16 Carriages”

Nicki Minaj feat. Tasha Cobbs Leonard, “Blessings”

Ayra Starr, “Commas”

Flo feat. Missy Elliott, “Fly Girl”

Megan Thee Stallion, “Hiss”

Victoria Monét, “On My Mama”

SZA, “Saturn”

GloRilla, “Yeah Glo!”

Best movie

American Fiction

Bob Marley: One Love

Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

The Book of Clarence

The Color Purple

The Equalizer 3

The Little Mermaid

Best actor

Anthony Mackie

Colman Domingo

Damson Idris

Denzel Washington

Donald Glover

Idris Elba

Jeffrey Wright

Lakeith Stanfield

Best actress

Angela Bassett

Ayo Edebiri

Coco Jones

Danielle Brooks

Fantasia

Halle Bailey

Issa Rae

Regina King

YoungStars Award   

Akira Akbar

Blue Ivy Carter

Demi Singleton

Heiress Diana Harris

Jabria McCullum

Jalyn Hall

Leah Jeffries

Van Van

Sportswoman of the Year Award

A’ja Wilson

Angel Reese

Coco Gauff

Flau’jae Johnson

Juju Watkins

Naomi Osaka

Sha’carri Richardson

Simone Biles

Sportsman of the Year Award

Anthony Edwards

Gervonta Davis

Jalen Brunson

Jalen Hurts

Kyrie Irving

Lebron James

Patrick Mahomes

Stephen Curry


Monday, May 6, 2024

Producer Samklef trolls Adekunle Gold and wife Simi


Music producer Samklef angers Adekunle Gold as he brags about being an essential part of Simi's musical journey.

The producer further slammed the Duduke crooner for being ungrateful.

Simi's husband responded with: “When will it be your turn to receive sense from your 7th heaven? Because you are clearly lost in your own damn mind. Simi does not owe you shit and it is about time you stopped calling her name every 3 market days. If anything, you owe me! Stop fooling around and act your age!” 

“Dear I Adekunle I made your wife Simi.  Cry,” Samklef replied


While Simi remains mute on Twitter, her husband is busy knocking out the producer with words.

“Congratulations. Now make yourself! idiot. You are pushing 40 and look at what’s left of your legacy; foolishness. Aridin Agba,” Gold wrote.

It's been a hot season amongst Nigerian music artists as it appears that they've been against each other.

While the conflicts could serve as promotional purposes, it has, however, been a form of entertainment for their fans.