This is an in-depth review of some of the must watch latest Nigerian movies on Netflix for fans and die-hard supporters of Nigerian films. Over the past couple of years, Netflix which is one of the biggest streaming platforms in the world has begun to add a collection of blockbuster Nigerian films and tv shows to the streaming platform.
Netflix has also gone ahead to finance and originally produce Nollywood films like Lionheart and the King of Boys sequel. Netflix has increased its global reach and has been able to tap into the ever-growing movie industry by including movies and shows from the largest film-producing nation in Africa. While some of the films had already had their cinema run before being purchased by Netflix, some movies like Oloture were produced by the Netflix and released directly on its platform.
In no particular order, these are some of the hottest and must watch latest Nigerian Movies on Netflix in 2021:
Written and directed by veteran Nigerian Movie producer, writer, and director Kemi Adetiba. King of boys is the direct-to-streaming sequel of the blockbuster movie King of boys which was released in cinemas in 2018 and grossed over 200 million naira at the box office.
The King of Boys sequel premiered on Netflix in September to positive reviews and immediately became the most-watched show on the platform at the time of its release. The seven-episode series chronicled the return of Eniola Salami played by Nollywood veteran Sola Sobowale to Nigeria after a five years exile abroad, it is an action-packed political drama with plot twists that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
A sequel to the original movie “Omo Ghetto” released in 2010, the movie was released in cinemas in 2020 and was an instant box office hit grossing over 500 million naira in its cinema run.
The record-breaking movie which is now Nigeria’s most successful movie at the box office made its premiere on Netflix on the 10th of September 2021 and bumped king of boys off its number one spot. It tells the story of Lefty played by Funke Akindele and her struggles to adapt to the new luxurious life she has just been introduced to.
This is a series adaptation of the novel of the same name written and published by writer and financial expert Arese Ugwu in 2016. The seven-episode series premiered on Netflix on the 16th of September 2021 and garnered a lot of positive reviews from fans of the show.
Smart Money Woman tells the story of five women and their different struggles with money. It is a show that is packed with lessons on financial discipline and investment yet still soaked in juicy drama. This is definitely a must-watch for everyone.
Quam’s Money is a comedic masterpiece. The movie premiered on Netflix in August 2021 and stars Folarin Falana, Jemima Osunde, and Nse ikpe Etim amongst a host of stars. It was originally released in cinemas before it made its Netflix debut. It tells the story of Quam (Folarin Falana), a newly rich billionaire who loses his fortune to fraudsters and goes to any means to try and get his money back.
The teenage comedy-drama was originally released in the cinemas in January and made its Netflix premiere in July 2021. Day of Destiny is a story of two brothers who found a way to go back in time to make their parents rich. This movie will appeal to a much younger audience.
It is without a doubt that Netflix has been enjoying a great run with Nigerian movies. However, there are still many stories to be told. I would personally like the streaming company to take bigger risks on the Nigerian movie industry and partner with more Nigerian producers to fully utilize the vast majority of talent available in Nigeria.
The Nigerian music industry undoubtedly has some of the most internationally recognized artistes in Africa. This is due to their uncanny ability to churn out hit songs after hit songs and the ability to make genre bending hit songs. This post highlights top 10 Nigerian artistes with international fame.
Nigerian artistes are some of the most sought after musicians by foreign musicians who keep reaching out for collaboration. A perfect example is a viral video of Tpain doing a remix to a Wande Coal song and calling a friend to try to reach out to the afro pop pioneer for a collaboration. These feats would have been a mere dream if not for some Nigerian musicians who laid the groundwork for these achievements.
Decades ago, Nigerian artistes like Juju music legend King Sunny Ade and Afrobeat legend and pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti became global superstars, selling out various event centers in other African countries, the US, and Europe. Their music broke down all musical barriers due to its uniqueness and message with King Sunny Ade becoming the first Nigerian artiste to ever receive a Grammy award nomination.
Over the years, various Nigerian artistes have also been nominated for the Grammy awards and other international awards and also won them. Because of this, I have compiled a list of the Top 10 Nigerian artistes with international fame. The criterion of this list is based on international reputation and acceptance of individual artiste’s music on the international scene. Hence, if you have a contrary opinion, kindly drop a comment in the comments section below.
Below is my list of top 10 Nigerian artistes with international fame:
Undoubtedly the biggest female musician in Africa, The pop singer broke into the Nigerian music scene in 2012 with hit songs like Kele Kele Love, Eminado, Love me and many other hit songs. Her debut album “Once upon a time” was released to much critical acclaim and commercial success. The album earned her an album of the year award at the 2014 Nigerian entertainment awards and an award for best R&B/pop album at the 2014 headies awards.
In 2016 Tiwa Savage signed a management and publishing deal with Jay z’s Roc nation. in 2018 she became the first woman to win the Best African art award at the Mtv Europe music awards. Tiwa Savage is currently signed to the world renowned record label, Universal music group under which she has released two successful music projects.
Oladapo Oyebanjo popularly known as Dbanj is an afrobeats singer, song writer and harmonica player who debuted in the Nigerian music scene in 2004 alongside the iconic music producer Don Jazzy. Dbanj and Don Jazzy formed Mo Hits record and in 2005 they released Dbanj’s debut album ‘No Long Thing’. The album with smash hits like ‘Tongolo and Mobolowowon’ was a commercially successful album and ushered in a new era in Nigerian afro beats era. Dbanj achieved huge popularity with his female fans, this was further boosted by his Koko Master persona.
Dbanj went on to release two more albums over the next couple of years including his third album ‘The Entertainer‘. Entertainer became Dbanj’s most successful album till date and also earned him an award for Best african art at the MTV Europe music awards in 2007.
Dbanj made his international breakthrough with his hit song Oliver Twist in 2010, the single peaked at number 2 at the U.K singles chart in 2011. The success of the single opened Dbanj upto a new fan base in the United Kingdom and America. In 2011 he signed his first international deal with Kanye West’s Good music and in 2012 he signed a record deal with Sony Music.
The music duo is made up of twin brothers Peter and Paul. P-Square made their debut in the Nigerian entertainment scene in 2003 with their hit single ‘Senorita’. Though they received praise for their singing, what made them very popular with the fans was their dancing and choreographed dance performances.
In 2005, the duo received more popularity with the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album ‘Get squared’. With hit songs like Busy Body, Omoge Mi and Temptation, they won their way into the hearts of Nigerians and Africans in general. P-Square gained international recognition after their collaboration with Senegalese american singer Akon. The success of the collaboration opened the door to more collaborations with American artistes like Rick Ross and Dave Scott.
The Afrobeat singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and son of Afrobeat Pioneer Fela Kuti started his musical career playing as a backup saxophonist in his father’s band. After the death of his father, he became the leader of the Egypt 80 and decided to carry on his father’s legacy. However, in 1980 he created his own band called positive force. His fifth album titled Fight to Win features American rap legends Mos def and common. With Four Grammy nominations, Femi kuti has the most Grammy nominations for any Nigerian musician.
Innocent Idibia popularly known as 2face or 2baba is a Nigerian R&B singer and songwriter and one third of the defunct plantashun boyz. The singer began his solo career after leaving plantashun boyz in 2004. 2face released his debut single as a solo artist. The song titled African Queen became a National hit and is still Nigeria’s biggest and most successful R&B song.
Building on the success of “African Queen”, he released his debut album titled Face to Face to commercial success and critical acclaim. The album became a hit in Africa, US and Europe due to the success of the single “African Queen”. In 2005, he became the first African musician to win the MTV Europe music awards for best African art. This opened the door for other Nigerian and African musicians, making African pop songs more internationally acceptable.
In 2010, 2face once again broke international barriers with his album ‘The Unstoppable’ international edition. He won a Channel O music video award and two awards for best male art and artist of the year at the MTV africa music awards.
Juju pioneer and legend King Sunny Ade is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and guitarist who made his professional debut as a solo musician in 1967 and became a household name by 1970. His album ‘Synchro System’ released in 1983 under the international label Island Records featured the hit single ‘Motimo’. It earned him his first Grammy award nominations and also Nigeria’s first ever Grammy nomination.
In 1998 he released his ‘Odu’ which featured the hit songs ‘Aye Nreti Eleya Mi and ‘Eri Okan’ to critical acclaim and commercial success. The album earned him his second Grammy nomination, he also became the first African artist to be nominated for the award twice. Dubbed as one of the greatest band leaders ever in a New York times publication, King Sunny Ade has performed all over Europe and America and remains one of the most prolific musicians out of the african continent.
Number four Nigerian artiste with international recognition is the afrobeat creator and pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti. He was an afrobeat singer, songwriter, composer, multi instrumentalist and activist. Renowned for his eclectic performance and skill with the saxophone, the singer became a national sensation with his band, ‘Koola lobitos’, in the early 60s performing a fusion of highlife and jazz music.
However, in the 70s, his musical direction changed after forming his new band called Africa 70. He began to perform a fusion of various genres of music which he called afrobeat. Fela’s music, mainly sang in pidgin English and Yoruba contained lyrics that heavily criticized social ills, the government and promoted africanism. Although his music was popular amongst the people, Fela became a target of the Nigerian government and was arrested and jailed multiple times.
Fela’s album, ‘Zombie’, released in 1977 caused him and his family to receive heavy backlash from the Nigerian military government due to the heavy criticism they received from the song. In Zombie, Fela practically likened those who were in the military to zombies because they had no mind of their own and just followed orders. The song caused the military to invade and destroy Fela’s home, arresting and beating up the musician and other occupants of the residence.
The attack also led to Fela’s mother Mrs Funmi Ransome Kuti from being thrown over a story building. She died as a result of injuries sustained from the fall. Fela never forgave the Nigerian government and blamed them for his mother’s death. He continued to release music heavily criticizing and insulting the government. He became an international sensation touring various countries in America and Europe. Fela also inspired a new generation of Nigerian Artistes and influenced the Afrobeats style of music. He is heavily regarded as the most influential musician to ever come out of Nigeria.
David Adekele popularly called Davido is an afrobeats singer, songwriter and music producer. Davido broke into the Nigerian music industry at the young age of 18 with his hit single, ‘Back When’, featuring Nigerian veteran rapper Naeto C. He followed up the release of the single with a more successful hit song titled Dami Duro. The fast tempo dance tune became a national hit and launched the young artiste into superstardom.
Davido released his commercially successful debut album ‘OBO’ in 2012 and won the award for next rated artist at the Headies Awards. He signed a record deal with Sony Music in 2016 and assumed creative control of his music in 2016. He released his first single after taking a hiatus from the music scene for a year. The song titled “If” became an instant hit and won song of the year award at the Headies.
Davido followed it with another hit single ‘Fall’ just a few months after. Both singles charted both nationally and internationally with ‘Fall’ charting for months on the Billboard charts. The song became the first Nigerian song to be certified gold in the US.
He continued dominating the charts with his third and fourth studio albums ‘A good time’ and ‘A better time’. He sold out the O2 Arena in the UK in 2019. He has also collaborated with several American artistes, amongst which are Chris brown, Nas, Nicki minaj, Yung thug and Dababy.
Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, made his professional debut into the Nigerian music scene in 2012 with his breakout single ‘Like to Party’. It became a hit song immediately after it was premiered. Burna Boy received praise for the song for bringing a fresh style of R&B sound to the Nigerian music industry mainly dominated by the Afrobeats style of music.
In his subsequent musical releases, Burna Boy established himself as a versatile artiste with hit songs like Tonight, Run My Race and Yawa Dey. He released his debut album titled ‘L.I.F.E’ in 2013 to commercial success and critical acclaim. He was praised for his unique style and ability to blend different genres of music together. Burna Boy successfully fused R&B, dancehall and afrobeats style of music.
In 2017, Burna Boy signed a contract with Universal music and Warner music Group and released his sophomore album and first major international release. The album, titled ‘Outside’, became a major success mostly due to the popularity of its third promotional single ‘Ye’. The song became a big hit and was covered by different musicians all over the world. It debuted at number 3 on the Billboards reggae album chart. It earned him album of the year award at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards.
Burna Boy also won the BET award for best international act. More international success came with the singer’s third and fourth albums which were both nominated for the Grammy awards. Burna boy has gone on to sell out and tour major stages in the US, United Kingdom and Europe. He has also performed at the prestigious Coachella concert.
My number one Nigerian artiste with international recognition is one truly worthy of note, Ayo Balogun, popularly as Wizkid. He came to limelight in 2010 with his debut single ‘Holla at Your Boy”. The song became popular among teenagers and girls, making Wizkid a household name from the get go. Wizkid released two more singles, ‘Don’t dull’ and ‘Tease me’, under Nigerian record label EME Records, which further launched him into stardom.
Upon the release of his fourth single ‘Pakurumo’ and debut album ‘Superstar’, Wizkid had already become the biggest young superstar in Nigeria. His fan base grew from teenagers and girls to adult men and women and even parents. The album won him an award for album of the year at the Nigerian Entertainment Awards. He also won the award for next rated artiste at the headies award.
Wizkid remain a household name, dropping hits after hits and touring the United kingdom and America. His collaboration with Drake further established him as an international act. The song ‘One dance’ peaked at number one on the Billboard charts, making it Wizkid’s first appearance on the Billboard charts.
Wizkid released his third studio album ‘Sound From the Other Side’, under American record label RCA Records, featuring various American artistes. Though the album wasn’t well received, it laid the groundwork for his album ‘Made in Lagos’.
Wizkid’s song, Essence, featuring Nigerian singer and producer Tems became the first Nigerian song to chart on the Billboard charts. It has also become an international hit with a remix of the song featuring Justin bieber released on the Deluxe version of the album. Wizkid also featured on Beyonce’s song, ‘Brown Skin Girl’, which earned him his first Grammy award.
On the 8th of August, 2021, 3 housemates were evicted from the Big Brother Naija house after being nominated to be evicted by Maria and Pere, the 2 wildcards. In this article, I will be writing on the nomination process and the 3 housemates that were evicted from the Big Brother Naija House.
3 housemates evicted from BB Naija House
1. The BBN Wildcards’ nominations
The nomination took place on Monday, the 2nd of August, 2021. The wildcards and the head of house were given the opportunity of nominating 4 housemates to be up for possible eviction. The wildcards had a nomination right, which was part of their benefits after the housemates failed the wildcards task.
Maria, (a Wildcard) nominated Yerins, Beatrice, Jaypaul and Whitemoney, while Pere (a wildcard) nominated Beatrice, Yerins, Niyi and Whitemoney. However, Boma the head of house used his veto power to save Jaypaul and replaced him with Yousef. After the nomination process was over, Whitemoney, Yousef, Beatrice, Niyi, Yerins were up for eviction to be saved by the viewer.
The voting process lasted for one week and only 2 housemates were saved by the viewers, out of the 5 housemates that were put up for eviction.
On the 8th of August 2021, the voting results were announced by Ebuka Obi-Uchendu (the host of the Big Brother Naija Live show), with Beatrice, Niyi and Yerins voted out by the viewers. Beatrice had the highest percentage of 12.95%, Niyi had a vote of 8.34% and Yerins with a vote of 7.29%. Fortunately, Whitemoney and Yousef were saved.
So far the viewers seem to love Whitemoney as he brings a unique type of drama to the house, and drama is all the viewers care about and want to see on the show, Yousef, on the other hand, seem to be spontaneous and completely unpredictable, thereby leaving the viewers thinking of what his next mischievous move would be.
It’s no wonder these two housemates were saved from being evicted.
2. BB Naija housemates nominated for possible eviction
On Monday, 9th of August 2021, all the housemates were asked to nominate 2 other housemates to be up for possible eviction on Sunday, 15th of August 2021. This seemed to be a struggle for the housemates as they have all just began to bond really well in the house, nevertheless, at least 2 people must leave the Big Brother Naija house on Sunday, the 15th of August, so the nomination had to be held.
After the nomination process, 6 housemates were put up for possible eviction, these housemates are Tega, Arin, Nini, Saskay, Princess and Emmanuel. Voting is ongoing, as the viewers are currently casting out their votes to save their favourite housemates who are up for possible eviction.
3. Which housemates do you think would be leaving the Big Brother Naija house this Sunday?
This is the 3rd week since the BB Naija show began and so far I have 2 favourites from the 6 housemates that have been put up for possible eviction on Sunday. Those housemates are Saskay and Nini. Saskay and Nini are 2 female housemates that I have gotten fond of in the show. They give me the drama that I want to see in the show, like Saskay’s unique dance moves and Nini’s playful nature.
Who are your favourites out of the 6 housemates up for possible eviction and which housemates can you predict would leave the Big Brother Naija house this Sunday?
This post is written to keep readers informed on the latest activities on Nigeria’s most-watched reality TV series, Big Brother Naija 2021. The reality TV show began on the 24th of July 2021. Big Brother Naija is commonly known to Nigerians as bbn or bbnaija.
Big Brother Naija is one of Nigeria’s most-watched reality TV series, in which contestants live in an isolated house and compete for a prize by not getting evicted. Big Brother Naija 2021 is the 6th season of the reality show with the theme ‘Shine Ya Eyes’. The show began on the 24th of July and will run for 72 days, which means the show is scheduled to end on the 3rd of October 2021. The winner of Big Brother Naija 2021 will win total prize money of 90 Million Naira, which consists of a cash prize, a car and household appliances, alongside other prizes from the sponsor of the reality show.
1. Meet the Big Brother Naija housemates
Today’s date is the 7th of August and all the housemates are currently still in the house, none has been evicted, however, there will be an eviction show on Sunday the 8th of August, 2 contestants will be leaving the Big Brother house.
The BBNaija season 6 housemates are 22 in total. There are 11 Males and 11 Females.
1.1 The males in Big Brother Naija 2021 house
Boma
Cross
Emmanuel
Jaypaul
Niyi
Pere
Saga
Sammie
Whitemoney
Yerins
Yousef.
1.2 The females in Big Brother Naija 2021 house
Angel
Arin
Beatrice
Jackie B
Liquorose
Maria
Nini
Peace
Princess
Saskay
Tega
2. Who are the BBN 2021 Wildcards?
The bbnaija games began as soon as the contestants entered the Big Brother house, as they were given a task to fish out two contestants who were fake housemates and were known as Wildcards. The Wild cards were to go about their day-to-day activities in the house without the housemates having a clue.
This task lasted for one week, as the contestants were asked to predict who the two wild cards were on Sunday the 1st of August, 2021 and they lost. The Consequence for the housemate failing this task, by not guessing who the wild cards were correctly, was that the two fake housemates (wild cards) will remain in the house to compete for the N90 Million grand prize and theywere also given the power to nominate who will be up for eviction, on Monday 2nd August 2021.
The 2 wild cards (fake housemates) were Maria and Pere and I must say that they played their game well, as the housemates did not have the slightest idea that they were the wild cards.
The contestants that the housemates assumed were the wildcards were liquorose and Jaypaul. Some housemates also guessed Beatrice to be the wild card.
3. BBNaija 2021 head of house
Every week a task is given to the contestant and the winner of each task will be the head of house for the week.
The first head of house in Big Brother Naija 2021 season 6, ‘shine ya eyes’ was Peace. On the 26th of July, 2021, the housemates were given a task to play, this task can be known to be a game of luck and the female housemate Peace emerged as the winner and the first head of house in Big brother Naija season 6 with Yousef as her assistant, selected by her.
On Monday the 2nd of August, Boma emerged as the head of house with Jackie B as his assistant, selected by him.
They have both played their role as the head of house well, and we are looking forward to who will win the next head of house game and how they will take charge of the housemates and the big brother house.
However, what the viewers are anticipating the most is the bbn Saturday night party, which fortunately is tonight. This Saturday night’s party will be the second party held in the big brother house, it is most anticipated because this is the second week of the housemates being in the house and they are now more settled and comfortable unlike the first week and the first Saturday night party.
The Big Brother Naija 2021 reality show can be watched on GOTV channel 29 and DSTV channel 198, also by downloading the DSTV now app on your mobile device.
This post highlights top 10 Nigerian songs we cannot stop loving. Nigeria is a country that has always excelled in the music industry. We have produced songs that ranked among the best in Africa and even met up with international standards. Nigeria has produced top quality songs that shook the music industry, but many of these songs don’t stand the test of time and eventually fade away.
However, there are some notable Nigerian songs we cannot stop loving despite being released long ago. These songs are evergreen and would always remain relevant regardless of which period they are played.
Below, I have compiled a list of some of the best songs that Nigeria has produced over the years, and have still remains relevant till date. The criterion for this list is based on personal preferences, therefore, if you have any contrary opinion, feel free to drop a comment below.
Below are top 10 Nigerian songs we cannot stop loving:
At number ten is a song that rocked the country during my childhood days. Orin is a song written by Adol, a very promising young Artiste back in the day. The song sees him in a determined mood as he sings about how he was destined for greatness and how his destiny lies in singing. The song was produced over a decade ago, however, it has caught the heart of many Nigerians and still remains relevant till date.
This song is one of Asa’s many masterpieces, and is one of the greatest songs produced in modern day Nigeria. This song clearly shows her ingenuity in music as she tactfully uses metaphors to depict the state of injustice and cruelty in the nation. The song imprinted her name in the hearts of many Nigerians, and is still among the playlist of many individuals.
This song is without a doubt one of Nigerians’ favorites, produced by one of our best music bands- Style Plus. This song would always enter throwback songs as it made many Nigerians fall in love with it. The song talks about the hurt of a man when his lover leaves him as he pleads for her to stay. Despite being produced so many years ago, you can still hear this song being played on radio till date.
This is a Nigerian classic that stole the hearts of many Nigerians and brought 2face into limelight. The song gained so much popularity back in the day, granted 2face international recognition, and won him several awards. Despite being released over a decade ago, this song is still dear to many as they can’t seem to get enough of it. This track is played by many radio stations till date, and is sure to continually have a place in one of the top 10 Nigerian songs.
This song was a huge classic by the music legend himself- Fela Kuti. In the song, Fela uses water to metaphorically describe how human beings relate. The song was a huge hit back in the day, and a musical genius. Even long after the passing of the song writer, the song still remains relevant. It remains a classic hit all the way down to the generation of those who were not even born when it was released.
This song was a classic disco tune back in the day. The song originated from Eastern Nigeria and is an Eastern highlife different from the Western style. The tune just seems to have a magic touch to it that’ll make you want to keep singing along. Back in the day, the song was so popular, that it outlasted its generation and moved to the next. Even though it is outside of its time now, it is still a classic jam many would vibe to.
This song is the pride of many Africans and not just Nigerians. The song was written by one of Nigeria’s finest music prodigies ever produced. Beautiful Nubia was truly a beautiful singer, and almost every song that he sang was a hit. His songs will keep anyone in a hypnotic daze and make you sing along. Seven lives in particular is one of his many masterpieces. This song clearly shows his musical genius, creativity and brilliant storytelling. Despite being produced so long ago, if you check the playlist of many Nigerians, this song appears three out of four times.
At number 3 of the top 10 Nigerian songs we cannot stop loving is ‘Send down the rain’. In Nigeria, Majek Fashek is a musical legend. To many Nigerians who knew him back in the day, the song is something out of a myth. Legend has it that the year he released the song, the nation experienced the highest amount of rainfall ever. The song garnered a huge fanatical following, and till date, many people still regard the track as one of the best Nigerian songs.
This song is one of Nigeria’s finest, and the singer is remembered till date because of it. It is one of the many evergreens that helped push the Nigerian music industry to where it is today. Wherever you go, you would hear this song played at least once every year. Christie is a highly respected music icon in the nation because of this song. Despite being recorded over 30 years ago, this song is still relevant till date and is sure to remain that way for years to come.
1. At number 1 of the list of top 10 Nigerian songs we cannot stop loving is Sweet Mother by Prince Nico Mbarga
This song has become a legend, not just in Nigeria but also in Africa. The song is so popular that it even outshined the singer. It is globally considered as one of Africa’s greatest songs ever. Sweet Mother is a song that everyone can relate with as it is a song of honor to every mother out there. No matter what era, whenever this song is played, it will always remain relevant.
On the 11th of july 2021, the Nigerian entertainment industry was thrown into mourning after news of the passing of one of its most talented and loved members was announced. News of the death of Olanrewaju Ganiu Fasasi popularly known by his stage name Sound Sultan shocked the entire nation.
Reports of Sound Sultan’s long term battle with cancer leaked a couple of months ago but the musician never personally confirmed the story. However, twenty-four hours ago the singer, songwriter, rapper, actor, comedian and film producer died from Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (Throat cancer) in America where he was receiving cancer treatment.
Sound Sultan’s career
Sound sultan came to prominence in the Nigerian entertainment scene in the year 2000 with his hit single “Jangbajantis”. The song which addressed the level of corruption in the Nigerian political sector was an instant radio hit. His comical music video was also a favorite amongst TV stations. He was then signed to Kennis music, which was Nigeria’s topmost record label at that time. He released his debut album “kpseeeew!” to much critical acclaim.
Until his exit from Kennis music in 2008, Sound sultan continued to release critically acclaimed albums and hit songs that addressed corruption and heavily criticised Nigerian politicians. In 2008 he started his own record label with his older brother Baba Dee which they named Naija Ninjas. He released his first album under his label titled “Back from the future”.
The album, a blend of R&B, afrobeats, afropop and hip hop was a commercially successful and critically acclaimed project. The album had several hits songs like “Omo” an R&B ballad featuring then industry newcomer Lami. Other hit songs included the club hit “Very good bad guy” featuring Banky W, “Orobo” featuring Excel, and “Light up”. A song that addressed the poor electricity situation of the country.
Nomination and award
The album received a nomination and won the award for Album of the year at the 2011 headies music awards. He released his second independent album titled “me, my mouth & eye” in 2012, the album featured commercially successful hits like “Kokose” featuring Wizkid and “Natural something”.
His third independent album “Out of the Box” released in 2016 had hits like “Monsura” featuring rapper Olamide and “African Baby” featuring Flavour and Phyno. After the release of his third project, Sound sultan took a brief hiatus from music to work on his first film production project. The project was done with his brother Dare Fasasi popularly called Baba Dee. Together they conceptualized, wrote and produced the comedy satire titled “Head Gone”. The movie was a commercial and critical success.
Apart from the entertainment scene, Sound Sultan was also a serious basketball lover and always publicly showed support for the sport. He co-owned a Lagos basketball team called Lagos city stars. In 2017, they were crowned champions of the Continental Basketball League. In 2011 he was named ambassador for peace by the United Nations for his contribution to music and his lifestyle.
The Legacy left behind by Sound Sultan
Sound Sultan does not only leave behind a history of hit songs. He leaves behind a legacy of peace, friendship, family and activism. He at every turn spoke against corruption, bad governance and injustice in Nigeria and the world with his music. Loved by all his colleagues for his simple and peaceful approach to life. He was always available to work with both established and upcoming musicians. He paved the way for singers like Seyi shey and Yung greyc.
At the age of 44, he leaves behind wife Farida Fasasi and three beautiful kids. He leaves behind a legacy of love, beautiful music and humanitarianism that will never be forgotten.
The year 2020 saw the steady rise to fame of Nigerian Afro-fusion musician Stanley Omah Didiah popularly known as Omah Lay. In 2019, the 22 year old rapper turned singer signed a record deal with a label called Keyqaad. He spent the rest of the year pouring himself into recording his first E.P titled Get Layd. To promote the E.P, he released the first official single of the five track project titled Bad influence. The success of the single shot the singer to unexpected fame. The single was followed by another hit single “You” which further drew attention to the young singer’s music. This post highlights top 5 tracks by Omar Lay.
Tracks by Omar Lay topped charts against all odds
On the 22nd of may 2020, Omar Law released his commercially successful and critically acclaimed debut project “Get Layd”. Despite the fact that the project was released during the corona virus lockdown and with little promotions and zero collaborations with already established musicians, the project topped all music streaming platforms and charts. It garnered over 20 million streams on all platforms in just 3 weeks and as at September 2020 had received over 200 million streams across all platforms.
In November, Omar Lay released his second E.P “What have we done” to widespread critical acclaim and commercial success. It featured hit tracks like Godly, Bebe and Damn remix featuring American superstar rapper and singer 6lack. The success of the second project shot him into international limelight. He has since then scored a collaboration with pop star Justin Beiber.
In December 2020 Omah Lay was nominated in four categories at the 2020 Headies awards. He won the award for the Next Rated at the Headies.
Listed below are my top 5 tracks by Omah Lay
Track
Detail
1. Bad influence
Released as the first official single of the “Get Layd” E.P. Omar Lay scored his first major hit track with the single. His laid back vocals delivered over a mid tempo beat ushered in his signature Afro-fusion sound. It was the most streamed Nigerian song on the apple music streaming app in 2020. Its video has had over four million views on youtube.
2. You
This track served as the second official single released for promotion of the Get Layd E.P. The fast tempo Afro pop sound established the artist as more than just a one hit wonder.
3. Godly
Off his second project “What have we done” also released in 2020. Omah Lay successfully replicated his first project with the second one. The track is a mid tempo retrospective song which saw the artist giving thanks to God for bringing him so far. It also addressed those who previously didn’t believe in his talent. Godly reached number one on the Nigerian apple music charts and has over 35 million views on youtube.
4. Damn
The track serves at the introductory track on the Get Layd E.P, delivered on his signature laid back Afro-fusion sound. The singer sings about a love interest who loves him despite all his shortcomings. Becoming one of his very popular tracks off the project, he released a remix of the track with American Rapper and Singer 6lack. The official video for the track currently has over 8 million views on youtube.
5. Can’t relate & my bebe
Sharing the number 5 spot are two of the most popular tracks of his sophomore project “What have we done”. While “My Bebe” is a fast tempo party bop, can’t relate is a mid tempo Afro pop track that talks about the singer’s struggles as a musician and how misunderstood celebrities are by those outside the industry.
Omar Lay featured songs
Omar Lay has also had a list of successful feature appearances on songs with other Nigerian musicians, he was featured on rapper Olamide’s album “Carpe Diem” in 2020. The track “infinity” was an instant hit and topped the Nigerian apple music charts. He was also featured alongside WizKid and Adekunle Gold on Nigerian disk jockey DJ Tunez’s single “Pami”. Female R&B singer Gyakie featured him on the remix of her breakout single “Forever”. The track became a hit amongst users of the social media video app tiktok and its music video also has over 11 million views on Youtube in just 3 months of its release.
Omah lay’s first official single of 2021 titled “Understand” was released on the 9th of July 2021 and currently tops the chart on major streaming apps across the country.
Nigeria is a country known for its excellence in the entertainment industry. When it comes to the music and film making industries, Nigeria sits comfortably amongst the best in Africa. Entertainment is our element, and there are so many creative minds that work together to bring about quality and entertaining content. In this article, I will be sharing with you my top 5 Nigerian reality TV shows. The criterion of this list is based on popularity and personal favorites. This list is not absolute, hence, if you have a contrary opinion, kindly share your thoughts in the comments section below.
One area where our creativity has been put to good use is in our fascinating reality TV shows. Over the years, we have put on television some of the most creative, entertaining and engaging reality TV shows. These shows have various niches. It could be in the music, movie, sports or academic niche. Our shows are usually to bring about the best prodigy in music, dancing, education, creative thinking, sports and even business. These prodigies would then have a chance at attaining fame and establishing themselves in their respective industries.
Below are my top 5 Nigerian reality TV shows:
5. Maltina Dance All
At number five is the popular TV dance series Maltina dance all popularly called MDA. This show is created for promoting young talents in dance. The show is sponsored by the non alcoholic beverage- Maltina– and its purpose is to promote family bonding and family values.
In the show, different family groups compete against one another with different creative dances. The dance could range from hip-hop, wazobia, gumboot, jive, and many others. The winners of each round would move on to the next round, and the best dance family would win a family car and some prize money. This show gained incredible popularity during its inception and different seasons were continually released every year.
4. Gulder Ultimate Search
This is my personal favorite reality TV show. The show was created and also sponsored by the Nigerian Breweries Plc for the promotion of Gulder Lager Beer. This show was undoubtedly one of the most popular in the country during its time. The show was a survival type reality show and was the very first local content show which began in 2004.
Each season of the show always begins with a back story of a lost artifact or treasure which the contestants are to find. They would first be required to survive obstacle courses and challenges over the weeks camped in the jungle. They would be eliminated one by one until the final four contestants would search for the final treasure at the end of the show. The winner would go home with 10 million naira prize money and an SUV. Unfortunately, the show was suspended, but it made its mark in the hearts of many fans.
3. Project Fame
At number three is a show known for its reputation for birthing stars. It is a music based TV show sponsored by MTN. The purpose of the show is to produce the next famous music star.
Contestants fight for the top spots at the end of the show by battling it out through music performances. The top three would be awarded with record label deals and the winner would leave with huge sums of prize money.
Contestants who don’t get good scores would be placed on probation by the judges. The teachers would be allowed to save one contestant. Fellow contestants would save another, while the viewers would save the third. Whoever isn’t saved would be eliminated.
2. Who Wants to be a Millionaire
This is another show sponsored by MTN. The show has been popular even before it was established in Nigeria in 2004. Hosted by Frank Edoho, contestants would try to answer a series of 15 questions with certain lifelines as aids. Each answered question would win the contestant a certain prize money. Answering a certain number of questions would guarantee that the contestant would leave with a certain amount of money. However, if a question is answered incorrectly, the money would drop back to the guaranteed level and the contestant would leave with a check. Unfortunately the show stopped in 2017 after the sponsors pulled out, but it’s popularity never diminished.
1. Number 1 on my list of top 5 Nigerian reality TV shows is Big Brother Naija
BBNaija is undoubtedly the most popular show in the country presently. The show started in 2006, and quickly grew in popularity. On the show, contestants are isolated in a house for days, performing different activities. Viewers will be given a chance to vote for their favorite housemates and keep them from being eliminated. The winner of the show will be given a two bedroom apartment, 30 million naira prize money, a trip to Dubai, home appliances, and a brand new SUV.
In this article, I will be shining the spotlight on the top 10 Nigerian music producers that have helped shaped the Nigerian music industry over the decade. The criterion is based on my personal opinion, so if you have a contrary view, kindly leave a comment in the comments section below.
In an industry where all the attention is given to singers and rappers, music producers tend to take the backstage and remain hidden. While being the backbone of the creative process, music producers seldom get the recognition they deserve. They get cut out of important deals while the artistes continue to profit for years. Nigerian music producers over the last two decades have been an integral part of the music industry. They have helped shaped the structure of the industry and in birthing the sound that is now recognized worldwide as Afro beats.
Top 10 Nigerian music producers:
10. Samklef
The producer come singer debuted in the Nigerian music scene in the mid 2000s, producing hits for pop artistes like Durella and D’prince. However, he did not become a household name until the year 2010 when he produced the Wizkid hit single “don’t dull”. The song became an instant hit, bringing both the singer and producer to major limelight.
He went on to produce more hit songs for Wizkd and made major production contributions to the singer’s debut album “Superstar”. It can be said that Samlef made the album the success it was, creating classics like “don’t dull, pakurumo and tease me”. Samklef helped in creating a new sound for young Afro beats stars and inspired a new generation of producers. He also went on to produce songs for other young emerging artistes like Olamide and Iceprince. His work in 2011 earned him the city people award for producer of the year.
9. Legendury beatz
The production duo is made up of brothers Uzezi and Okiemute Oniko. They emerged in the music scene in 2009 producing two songs for rapper Weird MC. Though the songs were not commercially successful, they made a major breakthrough after producing then chocolate city signed artiste Brymo’s first single “Ara”. The song became a national hit and bringing the production duo the much-needed recognition the needed, “Ara” went on to win recording of the year at the 2012 headies award.
More success came along the way, but majorly in 2013. This was when they were signed to singer Wizkid’s record label “Starboy Entertainment’ and went on to produce on the singers sophomore Album “Ayo”. The duo produced four songs on the album, but their best work was on the singers evergreen song “Ojuelegba” which became a national and international hit.
The visually impaired singer, songwriter, producer and multi instrumentalist debuted into the scene in the early 2000s with songwriting and production credits for the gospel rap group rooftop MCs. He became a household name after his writing and production work on Nigeria’s soul musician Asa’s critically acclaimed debut Album “Asha”. Cobhams over the last ten years has gone on to write and produce several award-winning hit records for musicians like Omawumi, Timi Dakolo and Bez.
7. Jesse Jagz
Jesse jags emerged on the scene with production credits on label mate and brother M.I Abaga’s debut album talk about it. The album which debuted to much critical acclaim received many praises for its production. After getting signed by chocolate city, Jesse jags went on to produce songs for other label mates amongst which is Ice prince’s debut single Oleku. The song earned him a producer of the year nomination at the 2010 Headies award.
The producer debuted on the scene with production on his longtime collaborator Burna boy’s break out single “like to party”. The single was a critical and commercial success which brought both parties to the limelight. He went on to produce the artiste’s debut album L.I.F.E to much critical acclaim and success. He received a Headies nomination for producer of the year. Leriq has gone on to produce on more albums for album and other artistes.
The Producer’s signature style and sound has set him apart over the years with his ability to reinvent sounds regarded as outdated into Afro beats. His contributions to Burna boys grammy award-winning album Twice as Tall album earned him his first Grammy Awards recognition.
5. Shizzi
Shizzi came to the limelight in 2010 after producing Davido’s hit single “dami duro” and contributing a song to Wizkid’s debut album “starboy”. He went on to produce six songs on Davido’s debut album “O.B.O”. The album was a critical and commercial success.
This marked the beginning of a long term partnership between the artiste and the producer. He has also produced for other musicians like Tiwa savage and Wande Coal. Known for his ability to create party hits, shizzi has his name to some of Nigeria’s biggest club hits with songs like Gobe and Skelewu. In 2019, he made production contributions to Beyoncé’s critically acclaimed soundtrack album “Lion King: the gift”.
4. Masterkraft
Known for his hit making ability, Masterkraft started his production career with the label Kennis music. The versatile producer has produced songs for virtually every big artiste in the Nigerian music industry. He is regraded as one of the most successful Nigerian music producers and has produced hits for musicians in various musical genres. Artists like Flavour and Banky W credit him for producing some of their biggest commercial hits. Masterkraft has also worked with Wizkid, M.I, Tiwa savage and so many others.
3. Sarz
He made his debut in 2007 with his first official production credit for indigenous rapper Lord of Ajasa. He went on to produce for other artistes like Ruggedman and Durrella. Sarz road to success officially began in 2010 after producing the smash street hit “jor oh” for rapper Jahbless. The song won the best street hop award at the Headies. Further success came in 2011 with his production of rapper Reminisce’s hit single “kako bi chicken”. This made Sarz a household name and sought after producer.
He released a collaborative single with musician Wizkid titled “samba: beat of life”. The song became a commercial hit and club banger. He went on to provide production contributions for Wizkid’s sophomore album and also produced many more hit songs for the artiste. Sarz is noted for creating the afro house sound with musician Niniola and also his work with afro r&b artiste world.
2. Pheelz
At number two is the multi instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. He burst into the scene in 2011 at the young age of 17 with his production on indeginious rapper Olamide’s hit single “go down low”. It marked the beginning of a long time collaboration with both artistes. Pheelz went on to produce the rapper’s sophomore album “YBNL” to much critical and commercial success.
His ability to switch between making hardcore hiphop beats and smash pop hits made him a sought after artiste. It also earned him back to back producer of the year nominations at the Headies.
He provided production on r&b singer Tiwa Savage’s album Celia. Pheelz also produced industry new comer Fireboy’s debut and sophomore album. Both won multiple awards at the Headies awards alongside his production of singer Teni’s hit single “billionaire”.
1. No 1 on the list of Nigerian music producers is Don Jazzy
At number one on this list of the top 10 Nigerian music producers is the legendary Don Jazzy. His production carreer officially started in the United Kingdom when he started producing for UK based rap group JJC & the 419 squad. In 2004, the producer moved to Nigeria with pop artiste and long term collaborator, Dbanj.
Together they debuted their first single “tongolo” followed by their debut album. They created the record label Mo’hits and in 2008 they released Dbanj’s sophomore album “The Entertainer”. The album was executively produced by Don jazzy. The album was an instant commercial success. This was followed up by label signee Wande Coal’s debut album “mushin to mohits” and a collaborative label album which were both commercial and critical successes.
After his split with Dbanj in 2011, Don Jazzy dissolved the Mo’hits label and started Mavin records. He also signed singer Tiwa Savage and brought on to the label new and young artistes which he described as the future of the label. He went on to produce the debut albums of artistes like Raekado Banks and Korede Bello.
Over the years, Don jazzy has taken on more of the role of a music executive than music producer. This does not take away from the multi-talented instrumentalist and song writer’s catalogue of hits. He has produced for musicians in Nigeria and other African artistes. Don Jazzy also provided production on the critically acclaimed international album by Jay-z and Kanye West “Watch the throne”. The multiple award winner has the producer of the year awards at the Nigerian Music Awards (2006), Nigerian Entertainment Awards (2007), and the Headies 2011 & 2014.
On 9th April 2021, the world lost one of the greatest artistes in hip hop music industry. His name was Earl Simmons, aka DMX. To some, DMX was simply a hip hop artiste. But the truth about DMX is that he was more than a hip hop artiste. DMX was also a thespian, poet, and prophet.
DMX was one of the most energetic and creative artistes that ever lived. In 1998, he released 2 albums that went triple platinum in the same year under Defjam record label. The albums were namely ‘It’s Dark and Hell is Hot’ & ‘Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood’.
DMX was affiliated with the ‘ruff ryders’, a clique quite notorious for using and performing various stunts with motor bikes. The second track in ‘It’s Dark and Hell is Hot’, titled ‘ruff ryders anthem’ was a big hit among many other tracks in the album. Ruff ryders anthem was so popular at the time the album was released that it subsequently became a worldwide anthem of many hip hop music fans.
DMX fame didn’t end after the release of the said albums that achieved multiple platinums. The following year, he released another album titled ‘And Then There Was X’ and the album was even a bigger hit than the previous ones. Many of the tracks in the album became ‘club bangers’ at the time and even till now.
DMX was a great actor
In 1998, the same year he released the said 2 albums, DMX played the lead role in a movie titled Belly. He acted alongside other popular actors such as Nas and Method Man. Then again in year 2000, he appeared alongside Jet Li in a movie titled Romeo Must Die. Thereafter, DMX continued to appear in several movies and his role as an actor was equally as exceptional as his role as a music artiste.
Poetic aspect of DMX’s lyrics
DMX’s lyrics, particularly in his first two albums, are usually so powerful that you could read the lyrics without listening to the music and still find powerful message therein. In fact, if you weren’t aware that the lyrics were taken from rap music, you would think you’re reading poems from literature classics. Some of the most poetic lyrics in his first two albums could be found in the following tracks:
If we agree, with the above definition of prophet, then I think it is correct to say that DMX was a prophet for the following reasons:
1. DMX rose from rags to riches. He rose from being a petty thief and a drug addict to become one of the most famous people on earth. DMX himself could not believe his fortune and he said this at one point in one of the tracks in his album:
I don’t deserve what you’ve given me, but you never took it from me.
DMX – Quote taken from track titled ‘Prayer’ in ‘It’s Dark and Hell is Hot’ album.
His existence alone was a powerful message from God that you could make it in life regardless of your background.
2. Though a rapper, who often rapped about violence, the truth about DMX is that he fervently believed in God. He often reflected this in his signature ‘prayer’ tracks in his albums.
Reality shows over time have evolved from just being a platform to explore the concept of the real American family to televised competitive shows that border on topics scripted television shows wouldn’t deem worthy or themes they deem not worthy for showbiz. The rise of reality shows like botched, American idol, bar rescue, drag race among others has driven home the concept that reality shows are not only about the voyeurism display of glamorous lifestyles of the American life. Reality shows now cut across the exploration of humanity, professions among others. This post highlights some underrated reality shows that are worthy of viewing.
If you find yourself looking for the real in reality shows, here are the underrated reality shows you should be watching right now:
Tlc medical reality show follows celebrity dermatologist Dr. Sandra Lee as she treats patients with varying skin infections while also changing their lives in the process. Sounds like a makeover show? But it is more than that. Dr. Pimple Popper treats patients with life-altering skin issues.
While the show has a polarized view of popaholics who enjoys her content to others who find her content too graphic, the show is one of the rare reality shows that not only steered from mainstream reality shows but also explores the lives of the humans behind the issues. You can catch the first season on discovery+ and also follow for weekly updates on Tlc.
What’s better than eating exotic foods? Watching brilliant minds create and cook exotic foods. This is a royal rumble event of professional chefs cooking and competing against each other for mind-blowing prizes while connoisseurs in the wine and food industry act as their judges. This sounds simple enough until you have your favorite contestants get eliminated and things get real fast. You can stream every season of top chef on Hulu.
Think of being together with someone without dating. Yes, that’s married at first sight. Let’s be real, looking for true love is a complicated messy journey. So if one can put their trusts in a team of experts to find the perfect match and then get married to that perfect match on your first meeting is the right way to go about it, then maybe everyone deserves a chance at one true love. And this is the premise of married at first sight. This is the closest to the real reality of what it means to find yourself in a stranger.
This rare gem of a reality show is as amazing as the title if not enthrallingly breathtaking. The premise took the saying do not judge a book by its cover to heart to showcase homes with a rather bland exterior design but exceptionally beautiful interior designed rooms. Most of these homes can also be described as part-time museums. The prettiness of these homes can be quite addicting in an interesting way. You can stream the first season on Netflix.
Award-winning stage actress Helen Mccrory was one of the finest actresses of her generation and the award-winning actress has been lauded by critics as an elegant actress with a bristle but compelling tenacious ability to embody roles in an alluring way. The 52 years old British actress died on 16th April 2021, after a long battle with cancer. This post highlights 5 great performances by Helen Mccrory.
Helen had always been an amazing actress with iconic roles and characters that could only be brought to life by her. While her death has now deprived us of ever seeing the elegant actress’s performances again, her roles in these iconic productions will forever be remembered.
Below are 5 great performances of Helen Mccrory:
1. Polly Gray
Helen played Polly Gray in the British television series peaky blinders and her role as the smart matriarch of the Shelby family gained her further recognition and her character quickly became a fan favorite. Helen played Polly Gray with a tenacity that is hard to find in any other actress.
She breathes so much fire into a character that is already one of the most interesting characters in the gangster drama. Polly while a morally questionable character was played by Helen with a ferocious reckless abandon that is as enthralling and convincing to watch.
2. Narcissa Malfoy
In what could have been a limited role with no substance, Helen played Narcissa with quiet but powerful restraint and made a small role glamorous and enigmatic at the same time. Helen could have been overshadowed by Helen Carter who played her older sister Bellatrix Lestrange or by Jason Isaacs who played the formidable Lucius Malfoy but Helen effortlessly stole the spotlight despite playing such a small role.
3. Dawn Ellison
in her most recent role as Dawn Ellison in Dave Hare’s political thriller Roadkill, Helen played prime minister Dawn Ellison with a dramatic but chilling flair that almost feels like looking at Margaret Thatcher on a small screen. The talented actress played Dawn with a formidable and compelling performance that will forever resonate with viewers and critics alike.
4. Hester Collyer
Helen had always had a successful theatrical career and in what will be one of her last performance, Helen played the tragical role of Hester Collyer in a revival of Terrence Rattigan classic; the deep blue sea that earned her nominations as best actress at evening standard theatre awards and Whatsonstage awards. Hester was not a character that should have been beloved by the audience but Helen was able to capture Hester with a yearning innocence that makes her act bearable to watch.
5. Kathryn Villiers
In an astonishing performance as Kathryn Villiers in Tom Rob Smith’s motherfatherson, Helen played a British heiress and ex-wife of Max Finch (Richard Gere) and the mother of Caden Finch (Billy Howle).
Despite over the top premise of the thriller, Helen managed to bring a heightened performance to what could have been a rather bland role in the hands of an inexperienced actress but Helen was a powerful force in her role as Hester Villiers and ended up becoming the most compelling character on the show.
Notable mentions: Cherie Blair in Peter Morgan the Queen and Emma Banville in Fearless.
