Chisom A. Chukwuemeka published in Entertainment June 29, 2022

Nollywood Actors Who Married Their Colleagues

This post highlights 5 Nollywood Actors who married their colleagues. Love can be found in didn’t places and most times it comes unexpectedly. A lot of people say things like ‘I can go into a relationship with my colleague’ and how it will mess with their work productivity but some people are steadily changing our mindset on love and how it can coexist in the workforce. The Nollywood industry is one of the work environments that have proven to us that love and work can coexist without causing any harm.

Some Nollywood actors have found the love of their lives on set while shooting a movie or series and without much drama, they’ve walked down the road to forever with their colleagues.

It’s so thrilling to see your favourite movie love birds take their love from movies to reality and much more exciting if they are still in the marriage course without getting divorced or having cheating rumours attached to their names.

Below is a list of 5 Nollywood actors who married their colleagues and are still living happily together:

Banky W and Adesua Etomi

BAAD2017 was a wedding to behold and it’s still ranked as one of the biggest celebrity weddings ever seen. The traditional wedding of the Banky W and Adesua Etomi was held in Edo state and it had several celebrities in attendance while the white wedding was done in Cape town, South Africa.

Banky W met Adesua on the set of the Nollywood blockbuster movie ‘Wedding Party’ produced by Ebonylife tv in 2015. Their engagement was made public in February 2017 and they got married a few months later in November.

The union is blessed with a baby boy named Zaiah

Linda Ejiofor and Ibrahim Suleiman

Tinsel lovers Ibrahim Suleiman and Linda Ejiofor got married in November 2018 with the theme ‘Isquared18’. The wedding had a couple of celebrities like Adesua in attendance and performances by Timi Dakolo.

Linda and Ibrahim starred as Bimpe and Damini in tinsel, they were merged as lovers in the series who later got married, coincidentally the duo ended up married in reality.

Their union is blessed with a baby boy named Keon Iman.

Iyke Okechukwu and Florence Uwaleke

This is another union that the long-lasting television series ‘tinsel’ has made possible. Iyke Okechukwu and Florence Uwaleke known as Chuks and Ene in tinsel were paired as husband and wife in the series, little did we know they were taking the relationship away from Tinsel.

The couple got married in April 2013 and the union is blessed with 2 kids, a boy and a girl.

Adedimeji Lateef and Bimpe Oyebade

Lateef and Bimpe got married in December 2021 in a stylish and elaborate wedding that could be tagged celebrity wedding of the year with celebrities attending and dignitaries glorifying the day with their presence.

Bimpe Oyebade widely known as Mo Bimpe is a fast-rising actress and model, she has starred in several movies mostly Yoruba with her husband Lateef Adedimeji such as; Ade forever, Love Shy, and My Wedding Night. Before their wedding, they were rumoured to be dating which they denied initially before confirming it.

Stan Nze and Blessing Jessica Obasi

The AMVCA8 winner for best actor in the movie ‘Stan Nze’ is also married to his colleague ‘Blessing Jessica Obasi’. This is one wedding nobody was expecting, asides from the fact that they’ve starred as couples in several movies like ‘You, Me, Us’, ‘Nothing More’, there was really nothing else pointing to the fact that they were in a relationship talk more of getting married.

The couple had their wedding in September 2021 and since then, they’ve constantly shown off their love on social media. We wish them the very best and happiness ever after.

Let us know your favourite Nollywood couple.

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Toluwani Amao published in Entertainment June 29, 2022

Most Beautiful Actresses in Nollywood – Top 10

Ini-Dima-Okojie - One of the most beautiful Nigerian actresses

Beautiful actresses and actors are the reason why some people stay glued to their TV screen. The Nigerian movie industry, Nollywood which now ranks as one of the largest in the world is indeed blessed with so many beautiful actresses and cute actors. I am also sure that we might have thought to know who of all these actors and actresses are the most beautiful. But for the purpose of this article, I will be mentioning some of the most beautiful Nigerian actresses in Nigeria based on a general point of view.

Below are 10 of the most beautiful actresses in Nigeria

1. Adesuwa Etomi

Adesua Etomi - a beautiful Nigerian actress

Now addressed as Adesuwa Etomi-Wellington after her marriage to the love of her life Bankole Wellington (popularly known as Banky W). Adesuwa is one of the most beautiful, stylish, classy and elegant women in Nollywood. Talk about her beautiful face and sense of fashion, she is such an epitome of beauty.

The Imo state-born queen was said to have relocated to the UK at the age of 14 where she obtained a diploma in music theatre and performing arts from the City College in Coventry, UK. She started her acting career there in the UK where she featured in a few performances like The Grimm Tales, The Crucible, etc.

Here in Nigeria, she has acted in movies like Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Wedding Party, The Arbitration, Sugar Rush and so on. Asides from acting, she’s also a very talented singer. She has received a number of awards in the movie industry like the AMVCA award for best actress in a drama (2016), Eloy Award for Actress of the Year (2015), etc.

2. Ini Dima-Okojie

Most Beautiful Actresses in Nollywood - Top 10

Ini Dima-Okojie is a black and beautiful woman with a nice body shape and talent too. She graduated from Covenant University and worked as an investment banker for about 2-3 years after which she attended the New York Film Academy to set her up for her acting career.

Ini was first featured in a popular TV series, Taste of Love and has since acted in various award-winning movies like North East, Namaste Wahala, Blood Sisters and so on. She has also been nominated for a number of awards like the ELOY Awards for TV actress of the year, Nigeria Entertainment Awards for Best Actress in a supporting role, etc. She is indeed a beauty with talent.

3. Beverly Naya

Beverly Ifunaya Bassey is a British-born Nigerian actress, model, scriptwriter and even entrepreneur. Yes! She founded the #FiftyShadesOfBlack campaign and has her own company, Be Naya Company. She has acted in so many movies like Tinsel, Weekend Getaway, Forgetting June, The Arbitration, Wedding Party, Chief Daddy, etc. These movies have earned her a number of awards like the Most Promising Talent at the Best of Nollywood Awards (2010), AMVC award for Best Supporting Actress (2016), Forbes 30 Under 30 Awards, Africa (2018), etc. She is indeed not only beautiful but also very ambitious.

4. Sharon Ooja

Sharon Ooja - beautiful Nigerian actress

Sharon is not only beautiful but also very talented, a graduate of mass communication who started her acting career after she moved to Lagos in 2013. She has starred in a number of movies including Kambili, Bad comment, Still falling, Who’s the boss?, Coming from insanity, Bling Lagosians, Oloture and many more.

Sharon Ooja’s skill and talent have earned her a number of enviable feats like the nomination as one of the top female celebrities in 2020, host for GT Bank’s Fashion Week Red Carpet and her recent selection by Netflix to represent Nigeria in a programme titled “Bridgerton Affair”. Sharon is a fast-rising actress and also, an inspiration to many others.

5. Nancy Isime

Nancy, the Edo state-born actress and media personality is indeed very beautiful and curvy. She started her acting career in 2011 with a TV series titled Echoes and has moved on to taking roles in other movies like Hex, Tales of Eve, Hire A Man, Kambili: The whole 30 Yards, Blood Sisters and so on.

Apart from acting, Nancy Isime has hosted a number of TV shows like The Squeeze, MTN Project Game (season 7), Trending, The Voice Nigeria and even her own show, The Nancy Isime Show (since 2019). She has also won numerous awards like The Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards for Sexiest on Air Personality (2016), The Future Awards for Best on Air Personality (2017), etc.

6 Genevieve Nnaji

Genevieve Nnaji is the richest Nigerian actress and is also a producer and director. A graduate of the University of Lagos where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Arts, Genevieve chased after her passion earlier than we might assume as she starred in the soap opera, Ripples at the age of 8. She also began auditioning for movie roles even as an undergraduate.

Genevieve has acted in over 200 Nollywood movies including Mark of the beast, Ijé: The Journey, Camouflage, Battle Line, Blood Sister, Church Business, Private sin, Tango with me, Silent Scandals, Weekend Getaway, Road To Yesterday, Lion Heart and even many more
Her contributions to the Nigerian entertainment industry earned her a number of record-breaking awards such as The AMA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (2005), Best Actress at the City People’s Awards (2001), Best Actress by the Censors Board of Nigeria (2003), Outstanding Foreign Film / World Cinema Motion Picture (2019), etc.

7. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde

A list of the most beautiful actresses in Nollywood would not be complete without mentioning Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde. Omotola might no longer be fully in the acting career but still remains one of the most beautiful actresses of all time. Also a singer, philanthropist, and former model, she started her acting with the role in the 1995 movie Venoms of Justice and has since gone on to act in other movies like Mortal Inheritance, Scores to settle, Lost Kingdom, Blood Sister, The Outsider, Rescue, Last Flight to Abuja, Aminat and many more.

Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde won the AMVCA Best Actress in a movie/ TV series (2018), NUSEC awards for Best Actress (2004), etc. Even as she ages, her impact in the industry lives on and her beauty is still as youthful as ever.

8. Adunni Ade

Adunni Ade is a Nigerian-American actress and model, an alumnus of the University of Kentucky. She was inspired by her father to study Accounting but later chased after her passion for acting. She featured in America’s Next Top Model and when she moved back to Nigeria and acted in a Nollywood Yoruba movie titled “You or I” in 2013.

Adunni owns a Film Production company called Lou Ellen Clara’s Limited and won the 5th edition of the Cool wealth Awards. She also received a Stella Award from the National Institute of Journalism and became the ambassador for OUD Majestic (2017). She has featured in over 100 Nigerian movies: Ole ole, The Vendor, Diary of a Lagos Girl, Soole, You or I, Ewa, Jenifa’s Diary, The New Normal, Mama Drama, etc

9. Chika Ike

Chika Ike is a Nigerian-born actress, philanthropist, model and TV personality. She began her modelling career in 2001 at the age of 16 and began her acting career in 2005 playing a minor role in the movie “Sweet Love” and has since starred in various movies such as Bless the child, Paradise, The prince and the princess, Anointed queen, Yes We Will and many more.

She founded her own productions company in 2014, has won many awards and has been nominated for a number of awards. In 2008, she was nominated for the award of Best upcoming actress and Best supporting Actress from the African Movie Academy Awards and has won the awards of Best Actress, Best sound design, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director and Best productions from the International Film Festival Awards. Chika is not just beautiful, she is also an embodiment of talent and brains.

10. Chacha Eke

Last but not least on the list of top 10 most beautiful actresses in Nollywood is Charity Eke. She was born on 17th July 1987. The actress hails from Ebonyi state and had her early education there. Her secondary education was in Enugu state, she is an alumnus of the Ebonyi state University with a degree in Accounting.

Charity Eke started her acting career in 2009 and has starred in over fifty movies since then: Dance for the prince, The end is near, Cleopatra, Beach 24, Mirror of life, Innocent pain, and lots more. Chacha Eke is now a mother but still pursues her acting career. She is enjoying her new role of motherhood with her husband Austin Faani with four kids. Chacha’s beauty has been passed down to all of her children and the actress remains ever young.

While the above list highlights some of the most beautiful actresses in Nollywood, it is not an exhaustive list of all the beautiful actresses. Feel free to mention an actress whom you think deserves to be on the list in the comment section.

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Chisom A. Chukwuemeka published in Entertainment June 22, 2022

5 Nigerian Rappers Who Became Nollywood Actors

Falz the Bhad Guy is a Nigerian rapper who also acts movies

This post highlights 5 Nigerian rappers who became Nollywood actors. The Nigerian entertainment industry has proven to be a versatile one as creatives are constantly exploring different aspects of it to see which segment suits them most and generates more income. Several transitions have been made over the years, we’ve seen cases where actors become artists, artists become actors, OAPs become actors, comedians turn into actors and so on. These transitions have helped in the expansion of the Nigerian entertainment industry, especially in filmmaking.

Below are 5 Nigerian rappers who became Nollywood actors:

Efa Iwara

Ewa Ifa is one of the Nigerian rappers who became Nollywood actors

Your AMVCA 7 and 8 nominee was once a rapper, I know it’s hard to believe that Efa was once a rap lord giving us songs back to back on a regular.

He started out as a rapper in 2006 with a group named X-factor alongside DJ clem, Jide, Boye, and Bolaji. The group was later dissolved with everyone going their separate ways. His first single ‘EFA (11.11.11)’ was released in 2011 under Just Kidding records, a record label he was signed to at that time.

Efa Iwara released an EP named ‘The waka EP’ in 2011 which contained 5 tracks. Later on, he released several songs such as; Over You featuring Praiz, Open and Close featuring Dammy Krane, Fall in Love featuring Plantashun Boiz and a host of others. Recently he released a song for the soundtrack of The Men’s Club titled ‘Safe With Me’.

Efa’s acting career started in 2011 when he starred in Tinsel. Later on, in 2013, he was also on MTV Shuga. After a break, he made a full comeback in 2016 when he starred in Ebonylife’s Life 101, Put A Ring On It. Since then, he has been on our TV screens. He has stared in several movies and series such as Isoken, The Eve, Rumor Has it Season 2, The Men’s Club, Ajoche, Forbidden, Seven, This lady called Life and so on.

Efa Iwara hails from cross river state, he graduated from the prestigious University of Ibadan with a bachelor’s degree in geography.

Ikechukwu Onunaku

Anytime I see this guy on screen, what pops into my head is him ‘my name is Ikechukwuuu!’, a popular phrase from one of his songs back in the days. Before his role in Wedding Party which shot him into the limelight, he was known as a singer and rapper.

Ikechukwu’s music career started in 2006 shortly after he returned to Nigeria from the United States. His first album ‘Son of the Soil’ had songs like; Raging, Niger Boy, Uh Oh with the most popular hit being ‘My Name is Ikechukwu’. His other albums include; Life and Time of Killz produced by Don Jazzy and featured Dbanj and Wande coal, Alliance reconstructed. Singles released by him are Balabala, Bu Lie Oto, Carry Me and so on.

His acting career started in 2013 with the movie ‘The Wages’, and since then he has starred in several movies and series such as;

Gidi Up
Gbomogbomo Express
Wedding Party 1&2, Oloture
Men, Money and Marriage
Your Excellency
Little Black Book

Reminisce

The popular Makanaki from King of Boys movie is a well-known rapper in the Nigerian music industry.

Remilekun Khalid Safaru known as Reminisce is a popular Nigerian singer who started his career in music in 2006 before taking a break. He returned in 2008 when he performed a rap verse on a song titled ‘Bachelor’s Life’ by 9ice. His first single featured 9ice and it was titled ‘Ever Since’, the music told a story of his life at that point. He took a step up by releasing a love song titled ‘If Only’ and since then he has been on a rollercoaster making waves in the music industry.

He made his acting debut in the movie ‘King of Boys’ where he interpreted his roles excellently. He also starred in ‘City of Dreams’ released in 2021.

Reminisce hails from Ogun state and he studied Purchasing and Supply at Kwara State Polytechnic.

Banky W

Olubankole Wellington known as Banky W is a singer, rapper, songwriter, actor, director, and politician. He started his singing career as far back as 2002 when he started his record label ‘Empire Mates Entertainment’, he released an EP titled ‘Undeniable’ in 2003. His first album ‘Back in the Building’ was released in 2006, followed by ‘Mr Capable’ in 2008 and he has been releasing hits after hits since then.

His singles include Jasi, All I Want is You featuring Chidinma, Made For You, Be My Lover and so on. His record label was later dissolved in 2017 and turned into a talent management company.

His debut in the movie industry was in Wedding Party 1 in 2016 where he acted alongside Ikechukwu, Adesua Etomi among others. He has moved on to starring and directing movies such as Up North and Sugar Rush.

Falz

Which musician do you know is having an AMVCA… This list wouldn’t be complete without Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz the Bhad Guy. He came into the limelight with songs such as Marry Me featuring Yemi Alade, Soldier featuring Simi and so on. His fame in the movie industry started with Jenifa’s Diary and since then he has managed to remain relevant in both careers.

Falz began his professional career as an artist in 2009. His first album ‘Wazup Guy’ was released in 2014, followed by his second album in 2015 ‘Stories That Touch’. Since then, he has been serving us good music on a regular. His songs include Elli Bae, Jamb Question, Bhad Baddo Baddest, Wehdone Sir, and Something Light to name a few.

Falz’s debut in the movie industry was in Jenifa’s diary which won him an award at the AMVCA. He has starred in countless movies such as Tinsel, Merry Men 1&2, 10 Days in Sun City, Chief Daddy, Your Excellency, Quam’s Money and so on. He unveiled his film production company ‘House21TV’ in August 2020, he also unveiled a new comedy series ‘Therapy’ where he acts alongside Toke Makinwa.

Falz was born in Lagos state and he obtained a degree in Law from the University of Reading England. He graduated from the Nigerian Law School and was called to the bar in 2012.

Let me know your thoughts on any of these Nigerian rappers who became Nollywood actors in the comment section.

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Olatunde Ogunbiyi published in Entertainment June 1, 2022

Headies Award 2022 Nominees 🎙️💿

The Headies Award 2022 nominees were announced on the 24th of May 2022. The Headies is one of the biggest music awards shows in Nigeria 🇳🇬. While the nominations were not as controversial as the past years, I can say the headies were spot on with their nominees, save for a few omissions. For the first time since the inception of the prestigious award, the ceremony will not be held in Nigeria but will take place in the United States of America.

It comes as no surprise to lovers of Nigerian music especially the afrobeats genre that Grammy-nominated artist Wizkid has the most nominations for this year’s headies. His Made in Lagos Deluxe project still remains one of the best projects in the year under review.

On the other side, music lovers were surprised to find out that newcomer Ayraa Starr has the second-highest nominations for the award. The sensational artist released what I believe is one of the most amazing albums of the year 2021. Her album 19 & Dangerous stood toe to toe amongst other projects in the male-dominated industry and did amazing numbers.

Also for the first time since its inception, The Headies are considering music projects that are regarded as Extended Plays (EP) and not just full-length albums. This has allowed projects like Tiwa Savage‘s Water and Garri to receive a deserved nomination.

In this article, I will be talking about my favorite categories and I will be giving my opinion on who I think will be taking home the award.

Below are the Headies 2022 nominations:

Best Album of the Year Headies Award 2022 Nominees

The album of the year category recognizes the best albums released in the year under review, it should be noted that this is not a voting category and the winner will be decided by a team of Judges that have been set up by the Headies committee. The nominated albums include;

Wizkid- Made in Lagos (Deluxe)

Brymo – Esan

Ayra Starr- 19 & Dangerous

Basketmouth- Yabasi

Olamide- Carpe Diem

Femi & Made Kuti- Legacy+

This is perhaps one of the least competitive categories in this year’s set of nominations however, while many people will instantly pick Wizkid as the winner of this category, I believe Brymo’s Esan stands a very good chance.

The nine-track album sung in The Yoruba language is one of the best works of songwriting any Nigerian musician has released in a long time.

Record of the Year Headies Award 2022 Nominees

This category recognizes the best-recorded single in the year under review and pays homage to the recording, production and sound engineering of the song. The nominees are;

Joy- Falana

Meji Meji- Brymo

Celebrate Me- Patoranking

Loving is harder- Johnny Drille

Essence- Wizkid ft Tems

Somebody’s Son- Tiwa Savage ft Brandy

In terms of sonic excellence, this is a very difficult category as there is no clear cut winner. In my opinion, I believe everyone nominated in this category deserves the award.

Best R&B Single Headies Award 2022 Nominees

This category honours the best R&B performance for the year under review. This is a very interesting category by all definitions as the nominated songs are some of the most beautiful records released in the past year. Fave’s Baby Riddim became a major hit due to its popularity on the social media platform TikTok and saw the artist doing major streaming numbers on various streaming platforms.

In the same vein, Ayra Starr’s beautiful collaboration with Emo Afropop singer Ckay is another song worthy of the award while Niniola’s Promise saw the singer deliver an amazing vocal performance.

“Baby Riddim” – Fave

“Beggie Beggie” – Ayra Starr Feat. Ckay

“Essence” – Wizkid Feat. Tems

“Running (To You)” – Chike Feat. Simi

“Promise” – Niniola

“Sinner” – Adekunle Gold Feat. Luck Daye

Best Producer of the Year Headies Award 2022 Nominees

The category recognizes the individual or individuals responsible for producing the hottest songs of the year. Critically acclaimed producer and winner of the award in the previous edition Pheelz is nominated again for his work on one of the hottest December jams of 2021.

Hip-hop producer, Beats by Jayy get a posthumous nomination for his work on AQ’s Golden, sadly the producer passed on due to covid complications last year.

Beats By Jayy – “Golden” (A-Q)

Blaise Beatz – “Sinner” (Adekunle Gold Feat. Lucky Daye)

Niphkeys – “Feel Good” (Mohbad)

P Priime – “Ozumba Mbadiwe” (Reekado Banks)

Pheelz – “High” (Adekunle Gold Feat. Davido)

Best Vocal Performance (Female): This category crowns this year’s vocal queen. Niniola would be defending her crown as the most powerful vocalist in the music industry with her nomination for the R&b ballad 6th Heaven. In my opinion, she is the strongest contender in the category as no other nominated artist matches her vocal dexterity and performance.

Ayra Starr – “Toxic”

Liya – “Alari”

Niniola – “6th Heaven”

Simi – “Running (To You)”

Tems – “Essence”

Waje – “Last Time”

Best Rap Single Headies Award 2022 Nominees

This is a voting category that honours the best rap single for the year under review. Music lovers are in charge of deciding their favorite rap single of the year. This is a popularity contest, so the rapper with the best campaign will take home this award.

1. “Breathe” – A-Q Feat. Chike

2. “Crown of Clay” – Vector & MI Abaga Feat. Pheelz

3. “Early Momo” – Vector Feat. Goodgirl LA

4. “Feeling” – Ladipoe Feat. BNXN

5. “Tycoon” – Show Dem Camp Feat. Reminisce & Mojo

6. “Loading” – Olamide feat. Bad Boy Timz

Best ‘Alternative’ Song Headies Award 2022 Nominees

The best alternative song category is a voting category that recognizes musicians whose songs do not fall under the category of mainstream or popular music. Favourites to take home this award are Brymo’s Meji Meji and The Cavemen’s Selense.

1. “Doings” – Flavour

2. “Free Your Mind” – Made Kuti

3. “Gonto” – Ibejii

4. “Hustle” – Basketmouth, The Cavemen, Bez, Dice Ailes

5. “Meji Meji” – Brymo

6. “Selense” – The Cavemen

Best Vocal Performance (MALE) Headies Award 2022 Nominees

This is a non-voting category for the male artiste with the most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album. Favorites to win this category is Ric Hassani for his vocal performance on “When I’m gone” and Oxlade for the afropop hit “Ojuju”

1. Brymo – “Meji Meji”

2. Johnny Drille – “Loving is HARDER”

3. Oxlade – “Ojuju”

4. Ric Hassani – “When I’m Gone”

5. Tay Iwar – “Peaking”

Best Songwriter of the Year Headies Award 2022 Nominees

This is a non-voting category that lauds the penmanship of the artist under review. The winner of this award will be decided by judges, they will be considering songwriting, composition and musical arrangement. A very obvious choice for this category is Brymo’s “Meji Meji”

1. Adekunle Gold – “Sinner”

2. Ajebo Hustlers – “Loyalty”

3. Brymo – “Meji Meji”

4. Falana – “Joy”

5. Fireboy DML – “Peru”

Lyricist on the Roll Headies Award 2022

This is a non-voting category that awards the best lyricist in the year under review. This is my favorite category in the award show and one of the most competitive categories. I also believe the Headies committee left out a notable rapper during the selection. I consider it an abomination that M.I Abaga’s verse on the 98 bulls collaboration was left out of the nominations. In my opinion, I believe that A-Q has this award in the bag.

1. A-Q – “The Last Cypher”

2. Blaqbones – “The Last Cypher”

3. Jesse Jagz – “Vipers”

4. Ladipoe – “Providence”

5. Payper Corleone – “In Don We Trust”

6. Vector – “Crown of Clay”

Best Street Hip-Hop Artist Headies Award 2022 Nominees

This is a voting category that honours the best street music artist for the year under review. This category sees breakout street artist Portable receiving his first major award nomination and is definitely a strong contender for the award.

Portable published a video demanding the award on his Instagram page. The video was badly received by the Headies committee who threatened to have the singer arrested if he causes any ruckus at the award show.

1. Bella Shmurda – “Cash App” feat. Zlatan & Lincoin

2. Rexxie & Mohbad – “KPK”

3. Mohbad – “Feel Good”

4. Naira Marley – “Koleyewon”

5. Nektunez & Goya Menor – “Ameno Amapaino (Remix)”

6. Poco Lee & Portable featuring Olamide – “Zazoo Zehh”

Next rated artist Headies Award 2022 nominees

: This is a voting category and is one of the most coveted awards at the ceremony. This category honours musicians who are considered to be the next big thing in the music industry. The winner also goes home with a brand new car. I believe there is no one more deserving of this award than Ayra Starr.

Ayra Starr

Bnxn

Lojay

Ruger

Zinoleesky

The Headies Awards 2022 ceremony is set to take place on the 4th of September 2022 in Atlanta Georgia, United States. To check out the full list of nominations and vote for your favorite artist, you can check the Headies website.

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Olatunde Ogunbiyi published in Entertainment April 27, 2022

Is South Korea the Next Big Entertainment Industry?

Is South Korea the next big entertainment Industry? For decades, the entertainment industry has been dominated by the United States of America and the United Kingdom. While other industries like Africa and Asia have slowly been on the come up, America and the U.K have set the standard for years. Dominating academy awards, box office sales, Grammy awards, billboard charts and multiple YouTube streaming records.

In terms of the quantity of work produced, Asia and Africa have dominated the market. What seems to be lacking is the quality of talent which is available in the leading industries. Once in a while, a body of work comes up to change the balance of things and tip the scales in favour of the minority industries. In 2021, one such work is the Netflix produced Korean series “Squid Game”.

The South Korean entertainment industry popularly known as K-Wave has grown tumultuously over the years since its first international breakthrough in 2012. The South Korean entertainment music industry is popularly called K-pop. It got its first major taste of international acclaim through the hit song “Gangnam Style” by K-pop musician Psy.

The dance record gained worldwide popularity for its catchy chorus, music video and accompanying dance style. Upon its release, Gangnam style debuted at number 64 on the USA Billboard hot 100 and peaked at number 2, a first for any K-pop song. The music video became the first video in YouTube history to gross 1 billion views and is one of the most-watched videos on YouTube.

Psy’s legendary feat with Gangnam style turned the eyes of the world towards K-pop and K-wave as a whole. It paved the way for other South Korean pop groups like BTS who became the first K-pop musicians to ever top the U.S Billboard hot 100.

The South Korean entertainment industry once again shocked the world with the groundbreaking achievement of one of its feature films, Parasite. The parasite was released in 2019 with outstanding reviews from critics around the world. It was also a box office success, grossing over 200 million dollars. It received a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes while Metacritic gave it a 96% rating.

The movie dominated major award shows all over the world especially the Academy awards, setting a world record for any Asian movie. The film was submitted and shortlisted for the best international feature film but went on to receive five more nominations. It won the award for Best Director, Best Picture, Best original screenplay and Best international feature film. The parasite is the first non-English language film to win the award for best picture in the history of the Oscar awards.

With Netflix expanding its contents to other parts of the world, one of its major markets in South Korea. With an abundance of series debuted on the streaming platform, shows like Kingdom and Jumong have endeared audiences to the Korean series genre. However, none of the series has been able to achieve what the newly released Netflix series “Squid Game” has achieved.

Squid Game premiered on Netflix in September 2021 to critical acclaim, with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 92% and good ratings from other critics. Squid Game has become a phenomenon resulting in massive viewership across the world.

Judging by the amount of success the Korean entertainment industry has achieved in the past decade, one can say that they are the next big thing in the entertainment industry. They might not have produced the most movies as is the case for industries like Bollywood and Nollywood but they have surpassed both industries in terms of quality. With a revenue stream of over 10 billion dollars by 2021, the South Korean entertainment industry is fast becoming the next big thing in the entertainment world.

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Scrollforth published in Entertainment April 16, 2022

Make Money as a Music Artist in Nigeria

Scrollforth has a conducive platform to help you make money as a music artist in Nigeria with a professional artist profile and portfolio.

How can you make money as a music artist in Nigeria?

It would be best if you were talented at making music. However, becoming a successful music artist in Nigeria goes beyond just being talented. As one artist puts it:

Even real talents gan still need promo
Falz

You could probably guess the answer by now, to succeed in the music business, you need to be connected. And how do you get connected? You have to network the right way. This is where Scrollforth comes in. Creating an artist profile on Scrollforth would equip you with the state of the art tools that you need to boost your music career and connect with the right people.

A top-notch music profile and portfolio

Sample Scrollforth Profile

Scrollforth allows you to create a music portfolio where you can add audio and video files. The best part is that you can easily share your artist profile with a simple click. You can share your Scrollforth artist profile with friends and prospective promoters.

Many would-be artists are creating bits of demo content in various places. But having a standard artist profile on Scrollforth would make you stand out from the crowd. Your artist profile would also be equipped with an activity wall where you can add demo content in a systemised way.

Having a professional-looking artist profile would make you look more productive than some guy that would say, ‘follow me on IG’.

You can start making money as an artist even without a record label deal

With a Scrollforth artist profile, you don’t need to wait for a record label deal with one of the major record labels before you start making money as an artist in Nigeria.

There are many ‘joints’ (bars, lounges, nightclubs, etc.) where you can make solo performances and start cashing in. Simple reach out to some of them and share your artist profile. You would be surprised that you might get performance offers from many of them. The truth is that, as an artist, you are capable of entertaining people with music, and when people are entertained, they are more likely to patronise ‘joints’ over and over again. That is why stepping up your networking game is essential as an artist.

What next?

Create your Scrollforth artist profile now in a few minutes.

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Trinity published in Entertainment, Lifestyle April 4, 2022

Rihanna to Join the List of Billionaire Moms

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Rihanna is expected to join the list of celebrity billionaire moms. Being Pregnant for the first time is always joyful especially if everything is in place like a good business, financial portfolio and the new mom is a multi-billionaire business mogul.

Rihanna was spotted recently showing off her big baby bump for Popular music performer and Fashion show model A$ap Rocky. They had been friends for a while but decided to step up their romance in 2020.

A$ap Rocky and Rihanna had been friends for a decade or so before they decide to step things up and we’re hoping this pregnancy news further cements their relationship and leads to more beautiful firsts for Rihanna.

The Barbadian Singer and billionaire business mogul was spotted wearing a fuchsia pink armless blouse and a feathery bikini short jeans with a complementing faux feathery jeans clutch bag in her hand as she walked to her car on the way to a popular restaurant in LA by the name of Giorgio Baldi.

Aside from that, the reason why she’s in the news recently is because of talks about the launch of her new Lingerie Brand Savage X Fenty on the stock market.

The move will net her an extra £2.3 billion when it goes public of which she owns a 30 percent share of the net worth. Rihanna is currently the richest female celebrity lady with a record 250 million record sales worldwide and a cosmetics range Fenty Beauty which she co-owns with LMVH.

Rihanna is one Celebrity who’s had her share of challenges in her relationship from the rocky relationship with Chris Brown. She’s come into her own and we can only wish her well.

We look forward to her safe delivery as she joins the list of Celebrity billionaire moms. Being pregnant is really good when all is in place for the new baby you’re bringing to the world.

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Olatunde Ogunbiyi published in Entertainment February 8, 2022

5 Hot Networking Tips for Music Artists

The music industry is a vast space that young upcoming artists may sometimes find hard to navigate. It is essential to both upcoming artists and also already established ones to have a community they can rely on whenever they need it. This post highlights 5 networking tips for music artists.

The music industry is not just about music and entertainment, the business aspect of it takes up the larger percentage of the art. It is a people-oriented industry and it is therefore vital that upcoming artists understand how important networking is for their careers.

The importance of networking in the music industry

What is networking?

Networking is a means of building connections and relationships with the people in your field of work and people you have similar interests with. This is done to share information, resources, and ideas. Networking is done in every stage of one’s career, the more people you meet and build solid business relationships with, the more exposure you get.

In the music industry, it might be sometimes difficult and expensive for young upcoming artists to get the right attention for their craft. These artists must have a support group or team that can help them further expand their reach and give them much needed exposure. This can only be achieved through networking.

Meeting and building relationships with important personalities in the music industry will give upcoming musicians increased visibility. It creates an avenue for artists to get record label attention and most importantly attention from the global music audience.

This article helps those who have an interest in entering the music industry understand the importance of networking and how to use it to their advantage.

Below are the 5 networking tips for music artists:

1. Collaborate with other artists

One of the easiest ways to get noticed in the music industry is by collaborating with other artists. Collaborations can be with other musicians, producers, and DJs. This helps you to grow as an artist and also improve your discography. It is also important to seek out the opportunity to attend music recording camps.

At recording camps, you get the opportunity to meet and work with many artists and producers in the same space. At music camps, you not only get to meet with artists and producers. You also have the opportunity to meet with record label executives, artist managers, and music publishers who might take an interest in your work.

It is essential to have a very strong social media presence. Almost every personality in the music industry can be found on various social media platforms, it is essential to network with them via social media. You need to seek out other artists, producers, DJs, entertainment journalists, and label executives. Follow them on every social media platform and engage their tweets or posts as often as possible. You should also post your songs, freestyles or videos on social media and try to tag these influential people.

A repost from a big fish in the industry could influence their fans into streaming your songs and watching your videos. The goal of Networking on social media is to build relationships with as many influential people as possible. This can help improve your streaming numbers and your social media following.

As an upcoming artist looking to get exposure to the Entertainment industry, you must attend as many industry-related events as possible. Concerts, open mics, music workshops, and entertainment events are great networking opportunities. There is no better place to grow your network than in places like this.

Open Mics allow you to not only perform your music but also have your music heard by important Industry personalities. Apart from performance opportunities, attending these events will enable you to have real conversations with important people and other musicians. While you might have to perform a lot of free gigs, you have to see it as an opportunity to achieve something greater.

4. Networking in the entertainment industry is usually based on a form of Quid Pro Quo

Most people in the industry will not render help to an upcoming artist unless they know that they are benefiting from the relationship. So while you are looking to get favours, you should also be ready and willing to give favours. These favours can be in the form of performing at a free event or concert, recording a free chorus, writing a song for free or granting a free interview.

5. Be consistent in your networking goals

You should always seek out opportunities to meet and have conversations with influential people in the industry. Persistency in networking also involves following up on important leads. Once you make connections with people you believe can be of help, do not neglect to keep in touch with them. Put a call through, send an email to their company. This will not only make them remember you but also enable them to put you in consideration when important opportunities arrive. Always have a copy of your music or demo at hand, make sure you have built a reputable work catalogue that you can always share when networking.

While embarking on networking activities, always remember to be humble and show that you’re ready to learn. Always show up early at events and make sure you look the part. Most importantly, never stop making music. The more you record and write, the better you become at the profession.

Treat your career as a full-time job and not a hobby, Industry Executives are always on the lookout for upcoming artists with a solid body of work and an impressive catalogue. Always keep your social media pages and YouTube page updated with new content.

You might also be interested in ‘Ways to Connect With the Right People‘.

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Olatunde Ogunbiyi published in Entertainment January 25, 2022

10 Nigerian Musicians to Watch Out For in 2022

Upcoming Nigerian artists to watch out for in 2022. — 10 Nigerian Musicians to Watch Out For in 2022

I have compiled a list of 10 Upcoming Nigerian musicians to watch out for in 2022. I will be reviewing their performance in 2021 and what to expect from them in 2022.

If there is one thing certain about the Nigerian entertainment industry, it is the number of young talents it produces yearly. From actors, actresses, musicians and even comedians, Nigeria has an unlimited amount of talented individuals.

While some of these upcoming Nigerian musicians have to struggle to get noticed, some are instantly blessed with chart-topping hits. In an industry that is hard to break into and even harder to remain in, some young musicians have proven that they have everything it takes to make their mark on the industry.

Below are 10 Nigerian musicians to watch out for in 2022:

1. Fave Szn

Fave is definitely one of the biggest breakout stars of 2021 and one of the Nigerian musicians to watch out for in 2022. Her single “Baby Riddim” was one of the biggest and viral songs in the past year.

Fave started her singing career as an independent artist with just a couple of singles. This was until she got noticed by rap legend Olamide, who enlisted her as a collaborator on 2 songs on his album UY Scuti.

The album gave Fave much-needed exposure in the music industry and a record deal with Empawa. She released her first major body of work “Riddim 5” some days ago. The 5 track E.P already has over 40 thousand streams on Boomplay and over 16 million streams on Audiomack.

2. Victony

At just 20 years old, Victony is one of the new generation superstars of the Nigerian music industry. The young singer/rapper started getting industry buzz early on in 2021 with his E.P Saturn and Dark Times. Victony almost got his career truncated in a ghastly car accident in 2021.

Fortunately, he survived the accident but lost the use of his legs for months and had to be confined to a wheelchair. He proved that the accident would not be the end of his career, he was featured on the Mayorkun hit song “Holy Father”.

Victony’s vocal delivery and chorus on Holy Father makes the song one of the biggest songs of 2021 and shows that we all should be ready for the musical wonder that is Victony.

3. Mohbad

Mohbad is an Afrobeats singer who is currently signed to Naira Marley’s Marlian Music. The singer broke into the limelight in 2020 with his hit song KPK featuring producer Mohrexy. He continued his good run with another hit single “Feel Good” in 2021. Feel Good has over 5 million streams on Boomplay. With a number of hit songs to his name, I hope Mohbad can finally put out an Album or E.P in 2022.

4. Dai Verse

Dai Verse is a young, gifted singer and songwriter whose single Cocaine made him a viral sensation in 2021. The Alternative/R&B singer makes music that is definitely for people who appreciate good songwriting and vocal delivery.

His single “Cocaine” has been streamed over 7 million times on Audiomack, other good songs worth checking include Love and Sweet Daddy. Dai Verse is definitely one of those artists that are bound to have a long-lasting career.

5. Buju

Buju has been around for a while but the young singer-songwriter eventually made a major breakthrough in 2021. Buju collaborated with some of the biggest Nigerian musicians in 2021. He created hits with Wizkid, Timaya, Basketmouth, Blaqbonez and Ladipoe.

Buju is known for catchy hooks and vocals and has struck a chord in the hearts of Nigerian music fans. He released his first project titled “Sorry I’m Late” in 2021. The E.P has been streamed over 7 million times on Boomplay and over 24 million streams on Audiomack. Buju’s creativity is not one to be taken lightly, we should expect an album Buju in 2022.

6. Portable

Street singer/rapper Portable is one of the surprise musical sensations of 2021. The singer’s career took off in December 2021 after the release of his song “Zazuu Zeh” featuring Olamide and Pocolee.

The viral street jam became a national hit. It was made popular by the “Zazuu Zeh’ slang that perforated pop culture from the hoods of Lagos. Portable proved he is not a one-hit-wonder by putting out 2 new songs “Ogo Forever” and “All eyes on me” in the first few weeks of 2022. His breakout single “Zazuu Zeh” already has over 5 million streams on Boomplay and 11 million streams on Audiomack.

7. Dimi Keye

Singing Sensation Dimi Keye is definitely an artist to look out for in 2022. The Cyprus based Nigerian singer already has two E.Ps to his name. His first E.P Afrocentric was released in 2021, it featured hit songs like Palay and Oloson. Afrocentric currently has over 6 thousand streams on Audiomack.

Dimi Keye returned with his second musical offering titled Vibe Sessions in the same year. With songs like Pull Up featuring Sai and Tempted 2 touch, Dimi has shown how versatile he can be with his style. He effortlessly switches from the popular Afrobeats to Alternative Pop with an infusion of Dancehall music. I definitely look forward to what the currently independent artist has to offer in 2022.

8. Ria Sean

Ria Sean is part of a select group of female musical talents taking the Nigerian music industry by storm. Ria is currently signed to Aristokrat Records, she released her critically acclaimed debut E.P “Fluid” in 2021. The project which is a blend of AfroPop, R&B and Soul music shows the singer songwriter’s versatility. Her debut E.P currently has over 12 thousand streams on Audiomack. We should expect more music and a possible album from her in 2022.

9. Magixx

Magixx is a 23-year-old singer unveiled by Mavin Records as their new artist in 2021. The artist’s unveiling also came with a release of his debut E.P “Magixx”. Magixx effortlessly fuses Afrobeats and Trap in his music and has got over 3 million streams on Audiomack. I can’t wait to see what Don Jazzy and the Mavin Records have in store for Magixx in 2022. If we are to judge by the careers of previous Mavin artists, we should expect great things from the young singer.

10. Oladapo

Oladapo is a 22-year-old Afro-Fusion singer signed to Sony Music. He released his debut E.P “Blind”in 2021. The E.P which featured the hit lead single Alone, not only showcases Oladapo’s songwriting ability but also his vocal dexterity. Blind has currently been streamed over 100 Thousand streams on Boomplay.

Other artists worthy of mentioning include AV who gave us the hit song “Big Thug Boys” in 2021 and industry newcomer Asake who currently has one of the biggest songs “Omo Ope” in the country. With many Nigerian musicians to watch out for in 2022, It looks like a great year for fans of Naija music.

You might also be interested in the top 10 Nigerian albums of 2021.

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Olatunde Ogunbiyi published in Entertainment January 22, 2022

10 of the Best American Albums of 2021

This is a review of 10 of the best American albums of 2021. As the American music industry continues its domination of the world of music, we see a couple of outstanding projects being released by our favourite musicians.

While the COVID-19 pandemic continued its rampage all over the world, 2021 was an exceptional year for music makers and listeners. Albums like Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour provided a gateway for most of us to escape into another realm.

The article puts international music under the Microscope for the year 2021. The list will be curated based on Album sales, Billboard numbers, award recognitions and nominations.

Below are 10 of the Best American Albums of 2021:

1. Sour

Sour is a young singer and actress Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album and by all connotations, one of the best albums released in 2021. The 18-year-old singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalists put out a body of work far above her age. Her songwriting abilities are spectacular and her lyrics are soul-piercing. Drivers License, the promotional single for the album was released in January and immediately went viral. Sour topped charts and broke multiple streaming records. It also topped Billboard charts for 8 weeks and has gone 4 times platinum according to the RIIA.

The 11 track album was officially released in May to both commercial success and critical acclaim. It received 5 Grammy awards nominations and topped charts in various countries including America and The United Kingdom. The Album has gone 2 times platinum in America, this is indeed a remarkable feat for an 18-year-old newcomer.

2. Justice

Justice is Pop singer and songwriter Justin Bieber’s sixth studio album. The 16 track album is not only a commercial success but also received immense praise from music critics and Journalists. The album which is a blend of different pop ballads and experimentations with Afrobeats is one of the most successful albums of 2021.

Justin Bieber delivers an impeccable album with guest features from Burna Boy, Chance the rapper, Khalid and multiple writing credits from Jon Bellion. It topped the US Hot 200 Billboard charts and also went to number 1 in many countries except the United Kingdom where it peaked at Number 2. The album also went platinum in the United States of America. Justin Bieber received 8 Grammy awards nominations for Justice.

3. Heaux Tales

American R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan returns with Heaux Tales after releasing her last project in 2015. The project is a combination of soulful pop ballads that speak about how women of this generation freely express their sexuality. The 14 track album has a couple of interludes embedded in the album.The interludes do a great job of adding character to the project. It peaked at N0.4 on the US Billboard 200 charts and has gotten over 40 million streams. Heaux Tales was nominated for Best R&B Album at the Grammys, it also picked up 3 more Grammy nominations.

4. Montero

Lil Nas X puts out his debut album amidst a storm of controversies. The openly gay rapper who took the entertainment industry by storm with his viral hit song “Old Town Road” in 2018 has proven to not be a one-hit-wonder. The star-studded rap album perfectly blends hip hop, pop and rock fusions in its production. It received praise from critics who praised the rappers boldness in confronting an otherwise homophobic industry. The album peaked at No.2 on the US Billboard 200 charts and received five nominations at the Grammy awards including an Album of the Year Nomination.

5. Donda

Kanye West’s much-anticipated album was released amidst claims by the rapper that the album was released by the Record company without his approval. Nevertheless, the album still made a great impact on the hip-hop community. I regard it as Kanye’s best album since My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The album release was preceded by two sold-out album listening concerts at the Mercedes Benz centre.

The 27 track gospel themed album features a number of celebrities including long time collaborator Jay-Z. It peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 charts and UK albums chart. The album received 4 nominations at the Grammy awards, including nominations for Album of the year and best rap album. It has been certified Gold by the RIAA in America.

6. Back of My Mind

Multiple Grammy award winner H.E.R debuts her third studio album Back Of My Mind to a lot of critical acclaim from music journalists. The R&B album comes with guest verses from Chris Brown, Lil Baby, YG and others. H.E.R delivers once again with her impeccable songwriting abilities and vocals.

The album peaked at both Number 6 and 4 on US Billboard top R&B albums and US Billboard 200 charts. The gifted singer-songwriter picked up four nominations at the Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best R&B album categories. Back of My Mind has been certified gold in America by the RIAA.

7. Happier Than Ever

Billie Eilish returns with her sophomore album Happier Than Ever. The gifted singer-songwriter had previously dominated charts and the Grammy awards with her debut album in 2019. The 20-year-old singer-songwriter who already has 5 Grammy awards from her first album hopes to prove that lightning sometimes strikes twice in the same spot with her new project. It’s is a fusion of various genres and speaks about her struggles as a woman in a male-dominated industry. Happier Than Ever picked up a total of 7 Grammy nominations and peaked at No.1 in the US Billboard charts and in the United Kingdom.

8. Old Church Basement

Old Church Basement is a Gospel music album jointly created and released by Maverick city music and Elevation worship. Personally, this is one of my favourite albums of 2021. The live album contains hit songs like Wait On You, Jireh, Build Your Church and Million Little Miracles. Upon its release, it peaked at Number 1 on both US Christian Albums and US Top Gospel Albums chart. The album won the highest honours at the GMA Dove Awards, which is like the Grammys of Gospel music. It won the Worship Album of the year award and also received 3 Grammy nominations.

9. Certified Lover Boy

Certified Lover Boy is Drake’s 6th studio album. The album is without a doubt a very commercially successful album even though you may criticise the project’s lyrical depth. Drake continues his records of Billboard domination, selling over 600 thousand copies in his first-week release. The album which features a host of guest artists like Jay-Z, Lil Baby, Travis Scott and many more debuted at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

It also claimed the top spot in US Top R&b/Hip-hop charts and the UK album charts and received a nomination for Best Rap Album at the Grammys. While Certified Lover Boy is a good album, it is not in any way Drake’s best work.

10. Planet Her (Deluxe)

American rapper and singer Doja Cat released her 3rd studio album in May. The album which is traditionally a Hip-hop project takes a lot of inspiration from other musical genres. It fuses Pop, Dancehall, Funk and Afrobeats into its creation. The album was well-received by critics, it also did well commercially. It peaked at No.2 on the US Billboard 200 chart and at No.1 on both US Top R&B and US Top R&B/Hip-hop charts. The star-studded album picked up 6 Grammy Nominations including an Album of the Year Nomination.

You might also be interested in the top 10 Hollywood movies of 2021.

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Olatunde Ogunbiyi published in Entertainment January 16, 2022

Top 10 Hollywood Movies in 2021

This is a top 10 countdown of the best movies released in Hollywood in the year 2021. The Hollywood movie industry returned to cinemas with full force in 2021 after being shut down for almost all of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it is back and even better than before with the return of both new movies and also the continuation of some of our favourite movie franchises. I will be using box office sales, award nominations and a personal review to curate a list of the top 10 Hollywood movies in 2021.

Please be aware that this is based on my personal review of these movies, feel free to drop a list of your favourite movies of 2021 in the comment section. Here we go.

Below are the top 10 Hollywood movies in 2021:

10. Red Notice

Red Notice is an original Netflix movie production starring Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot. The crime comedy was released on Netflix in November 2021 and immediately topped the list of one of the most-watched movies on Netflix. The movie’s plot revolves around the bromance between an Art thief and a Fbi special agent in a quest to steal three ancient eggs while evading the authorities and their nemesis Sarah Black played by Gal Gadot.

Despite receiving generally bad reviews from movie critics. The movie became one of the most streamed Netflix films of all time. It received a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 37% which I totally agree with. The movie lacked edge and a good plot. It solely relied on humour and plot twists which were rather obvious.

9. No Time To Die

Coming in at number nine on our countdown is the James Bond action thriller No Time To Die. The film serves as lead actor Daniel Craig’s last appearance as the special agent James Bond. Daniel Craig began his Journey as 007 in the year 2006 with the Casino Royale. The fifteen-year journey came to an end in 2021 with the release of the 25th instalment of the James Bond series.

The movie also stars Oscar award winner Rami Malek as the villain in the film. The film was a commercial and critical success. It made over 700 million dollars at the box office and got positive reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave it an 83% rating, calling it a befitting end to Daniel Craig’s reign as special agent James Bond. I particularly applaud Rami Malek’s portrayal as the villain in this movie. He embodied the charisma and terrifying confidence of a fitting Bond villain.

8. Shang Chi & The legend of the Ten Rings

The Marvel cinematic universe returns to cinema with its first Asian superhero Shang Chi. The action-packed movie stars Asian actor Simu Liu in his first major role as a lead character in a major film. The film centres around Shang Chi and his best friend and his sister Xu Xialing in their attempt to save the mystic town of Ta Lo and the rest of the world from an ancient beast. The film made over 400 million dollars at the box office and was well-received by critics. It received a 91% rating from Rotten Tomatoes and deserves a spot in the top 10 Nollywood movies in 2021. Critics praised Marvel’s decision to expand its cinematic universe to other cultures.

7. Tick, Tick, Boom

The Netflix Original musical Biopic starring Andrew Garfield, is based on the true-life story of aspiring musical writer John Larson who puts pressure on himself to write the perfect musical before turning 30. Larson writes maniacally while juggling work at a diner and a failing relationship with his girlfriend. He finally gets his wish when his idol Sondheim calls him on his 30th birthday to congratulate him on his musical Superbia.

John Larson began working on his next project Tick, Tick, Boom which unfortunately he never finished. He died on the day his musical production Rent was to debut on Broadway.

The film was directed by Lin Miranda the writer and director of the classic Broadway musical Hamilton and was released on Netflix. It received massive praise from critics for its direction, writing and acting. It was nominated in the Best Film in a musical or comedy category at the Golden Globe awards. Lead actor Andrew Garfield received a nomination and won the award in the same award ceremony in the Best Actor in a musical or comedy category.

6. Don’t Look Up

Don’t Look Up is a work of pure satirical genius that exposes how collective dumb humans have become. The Netflix original movie was released on Netflix on Christmas Eve and stars Oscar award winner Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. The story revolves around two astronomers who discover a planet-destroying Comet and embark on a media tour to warn the world about the coming armageddon.

Despite mixed reviews from critics like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic who rated it 54% and 49%, the film was nominated in four different categories at the just concluded Golden Globes Award. Don’t Look up exposes how easily manipulated society has become by social media and the news media. It also reveals how detached humans have become disconnected from one another and from the truth.

5. The Harder They Fall

This is without a doubt one of the most exciting movies of 2021, the all-black principal cast brings to life one of the most unique western films since Quintin Tarantino’s Django Unchained. The Netflix original movie features Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors, Regina King, Lakeith Stanfield and many more.

The action-packed storyline revolves around a young group of cowboys led by Nat Love engaged in a feud against another group of revered bandits led by the Notorious Rufus Buck. The Harder They Fall is a beautifully written film with an intense story and plot twist. I particularly applaud the acting and background score used in the movie. It received an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

4. King Richard

King Richard is a biographical movie portraying the lives of Tennis champions Serena Williams, Venus Williams and their father Richard Williams. It tells the story of Richard Williams dream to make his daughters into Tennis superstars. The film was released to cinemas and the HBO streaming platform. It made 27 million dollars at the box office. King Richard also received massive praise from critics for its story and especially lead actor Will Smith’s performance.

King Richard received four nominations at the Golden Globe Awards including Best actor in a motion picture drama which Will Smith won. It received a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with most of the praise going to Will Smith’s performance and the film’s storytelling. The film sits nicely in the top 10 Nollywood movies of 2021.

3. CODA

CODA(Child of deaf adults) is an English remake of the french movie La Famille Bélier. It was released at the prestigious Sundance film festival and then premiered on the Apple TV streaming platform. It is the story of Ruby Rossi, the only hearing person in a family of four deaf people. CODA is an emotionally intense movie that is bound to bring even the strongest of hearts to tears. The film received great praise from movie critics, it received a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It also received two nominations at the Golden Globe Awards.

2. The Power of the Dog

This is a psychological drama released on Netflix starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and other stars. The movie is set in the year 1925. It revolves around two brothers Phil and George Burbank. Viewers are taking on an amazing journey of storytelling, directing and world-class acting especially from lead actor Benedict Cumberbatch.

The actor shows his immense range in this movie, playing a character that is not so common to him. The film received multiple nominations bat the Golden Globe awards. It won Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director and Best supporting actor in a motion picture – Drama. It received a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

1. No.1 on the list of the best Hollywood movies of 2021 is Spider-Man : No Way Home

No.1 on the list of the best Nollywood movies of 2021 is Spider-Man : No Way Home — Doctor Strange and Spider-Man in No Way Home

This is the third and final instalment of the Spider-Man sequel and it’s without a doubt the most successful film of 2021. The Marvel cinematic universe masterpiece takes us on a rollercoaster of action and emotions. The film continues from where it ended in the previous movie when Tom Holland’s Spider-Man identity is revealed to the world by Mysterio (Quentin Beck).

Peter Parker goes to Doctor Strange for help and a simple magical spell turns into a chaotic war with the time-space continuum. Past and present collide in this film as we see all our favourite Spider-Man heroes and villains collide in this epic movie. The action blockbuster made over 1.5 billion dollars at the box office and received a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

See also the top 10 Nollywood movies of 2021.

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Olatunde Ogunbiyi published in Entertainment January 13, 2022

Top 10 Nigerian Albums in 2021

The article will contain a year in review of the Nigerian music industry in 2021 and I will be listing the top 10 Nigerian albums in 2021.

The year 2021 started with a big bang, with artists dropping beautiful music from the beginning of the year till the end. While the year 2020 saw Nigerian musicians go the extra mile in creating awesome music projects, 2021 saw the continuation of this trend.

A couple of amazing projects were released from veterans in the industry and a couple of newcomers aiming to make their mark on the industry. From newcomers like Ayra Starr who released her debut album and veterans like Olamide who dropped his 9th studio album. The article will be reviewing the top Nigerian albums of 2021 based on charts and personal reviews.

Below are the top 10 Nigerian albums in 2021:

10. Rum & Boogie

Rum & Boogie by Perruzi comes in at number 10 of the top 10 Nigerian albums in 2021. The 20 track album is the singer-songwriter’s sophomore album and is loaded with a lot of hits. In this project, Perruzi shows off his songwriting ability and versatility, combining different genres of music from pop to dancehall and Afrobeats. The project has several hit songs like “Somebody baby featuring Davido, God forbid, Available featuring Wande Coal and Southy love featuring Fireboy Dml“.

Though the album was considered lengthy by some listeners, its diversity takes the attention away from how long the project is. The album peaked at No. 1 on the iTunes Nigeria top albums chart and peaked at No. 80 on the iTunes chart. It gathered over 2 million streams on Boomplay and over 40 million streams on Audiomack.

9. Wondaland

At number 9 on our list is Afrobeats singer Teni’s debut album, the singer who has been thrilling fans with hit singles since 2018 finally puts out her first album. Wondaland shows Teni’s ability to not only put out hit singles but also produce a decent full-length album. Most of the album was produced by multiple award-winning producer, Pheelz. Listeners can feel how perfect the combination between Pheelz and Teni is. The album contains hit songs like “Injure me, Jo and Moslado”. It peaked at No. 1 on the apple music album charts and reached No.49 on the iTunes chart. It also has over 12 million streams on Boomplay and over 100 million streams on Audiomack.

8. Back In Office

Mayorkun popularly called “The Mayor Of Lagos” marks his return to the game with the release of his sophomore album “Back In Office”. The album was preceded by the hit collaboration “Holy Father” featuring industry newcomer Victony.

In my opinion, the very experimental project did not live up to the standard Mayorkun set with his debut album, this album’s saving grace is the song “Holy Father” which successfully overshadows every other song on the album. Though the album is not a memorable project save for songs like “Holy Father” and “Back in office”, Mayorkun has proven that he is still capable of dropping club bangers. Back in Office peaked at No. 15 on the Itunes album chart. Mayorkun’s Back in office has over 17 million streams on Boomplay.

7. Before We Fall Asleep

Despite putting out a ton of amazing songs over the years, it would come as a surprise to some people that Before We Fall Asleep is Johnny Drille’s first album. The singer-songwriter and producer came into the limelight in 2016 and since then recorded and released a lot of songs but did not put out an album till 2021.

The album serves as a culmination of Johnny Drille’s Songwriting and production abilities over the years. It was solely written, produced and mixed by the artist combines R&B, alternative rock, folk music and country music. Songs like “Odo” featuring Styleplus, “loving is harder” and “Ova” featuring Don Jazzy proved that Johnny Drille is willing to experiment with the Afrobeats genre. The album is a beautiful combination of sounds and an amazing sonic experience. It peaked at No.1 on the Apple music charts and reached its highest position at No.6 on iTunes top albums chart. It has been streamed over 2 million times on Boomplay.

6. UY Scuti

UY Scuti is rapper and record label executive Olamide’s 7th studio album and the 6th album on our countdown. The album sees the rapper going a step further from his 2020 hit album “Carpe Diem”, the project solely features upcoming musicians except for Phyno who is the only big name on the album. The album was preceded by the hit single “Rock” which created massive anticipation for the project.

Fans were not disappointed when the project was released as songs like “Julie” and “Wave” featuring Fave instantly became fan favourites. Olamide ruled the iTunes chart with this album release, peaking at No.1 on both Apple music charts and iTunes charts. It has been streamed over 29 million times on Boomplay and 94 million streams on Audiomack.

5. Somewhere between beauty and magic

Joeboy’s debut album titled Somewhere between beauty and magic comes in at number 5 on our countdown. The project proved that Joeboy is a master at making amazing love songs on a catchy beat. The album takes listeners through a wave of beautiful and magical songs like “Police”, “Count me out”, “Consent” and “Celebration”.

There is never a dull moment on this album and it is without a doubt one of the most memorable music projects of 2021. Joeboy’s debut album reached No.1 on the Apple music chart and peaked at No.4 on the iTunes chart. The project also has amazing streaming numbers, with over 65 million streams on Boomplay and over 120 million streams on Audiomack.

4. 19 & Dangerous

19 & Dangerous is young, fresh and daring just like its maker, Ayra Starr. Ayra with the release of her massively successful debut album has shown that though she is just 19, she has what it takes to go toe to toe with the big dogs in the industry. The album is a beautiful piece of work that shows the depth of her songwriting which is far beyond her age.

The Gen Z icon shows her mastery of songwriting with songs like “Cast”, “Toxic” and “Beggie Beggie”. Other notable songs on the album include “Bloody Samaritan, Fashion Killer and Bridgerton”. 19 & Dangerous peaked at No.1 on the Apple music chart and reached No.57 on the itunes chart. Ayra’s Debut album has over 24 million streams on Boomplay and over 54 million streams on Audiomack.

3. Sex Over Love

Sex Over Love is rapper Blaqbonez 3rd studio album under a major record label, the former underground battle rapper had previously dropped a couple of mixtapes before his rise to fame. The Chocolate city signed rapper put out his heavily promoted album to commercial success and high praise from music critics. Blaqbonez who is very popular for his music promotion ability put out one of the best hip hop projects in 2021, with features from rap heavyweights like South African rapper Nasty C and Nigerian rapper AQ.

The album is a perfect combination of hardcore rap and Afrobeats with one sole purpose, to preach the gospel of strictly sexual relationships over-committed romantic relationships. It reached No.6 on the iTunes chart and peaked at No.1 on the Apple music chart. It has been streamed over 28 million times on Audiomack and over 3 million times on Boomplay.

2. Esan (Brymo) & Love and Highlife (The Cavemen)

The second spot on this countdown is shared by two of the most sonically unique Nigerian albums in 2021. Brymo’s Esan is the 9th studio album of the super talented singer-songwriter Brymo, Esan represents the Yoruba side of the two-part album. The album is a work of songwriting genius and shows how underrated Brymo remains in the industry.

The second album in the second position “Love & Highlife” is the sophomore album of music duo The Cavemen. It is a beautiful blend of Igbo Highlife music and other genres like Afro-beat and pop. The album alongside Brymo’s Esan is one of the few 10/10 albums of 2021. The project has been streamed over 3 million times on Audiomack and over 800 thousand times on Boomplay.

Esan reached No.1 on the Apple music chart and peaked at No.3 on the iTunes chart. The Cavemen’s Love & Highlife peaked at No.3 on the Apple music charts and managed to reach No.67 on the iTunes chart. The project has over 2.5 million streams on Audiomack and more than 900 thousand streams on Boomplay.

1. No. 1 on the list of the 10 Nigerian albums in 2021 is ‘Made In Lagos (Deluxe)’

Made in Lagos album by Wizkid — Wizkid’s Made in Lagos album art

Made in Lagos Deluxe Shortfilm

The deluxe version of Wizkid’s barrier-breaking and internationally successful album Made In Lagos. It comes with four new songs including a remix of the hit song Essense with an extra verse from international pop superstar Justin Bieber. The project maintained the same quality as the original release with amazing features from Buju and Bella Shmurda.

The Deluxe Edition of the album is nominated for the 2022 Grammy awards in the Best international album category. It peaked at No.1 on both the iTunes chart and Apple music chart. It has over 130 million streams on Audiomack and over 12 million streams on Boomplay.

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