Blog - Ronke Abidoye

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives: Some Thoughts

5/26/2021

Image from Amazon*

Over the past couple of years, I have wondered about my writing voice, about my place in the writing world. It is almost as existential a question as "who am I," so, true to form, it has been very crippling for me creatively. Then, I read The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives.
I thought I didn't have anything new to say. I thought, "everything that is worth saying has already been said or is currently being said." Then I read the The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives.
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives is a good book. The storyline is captivating, and I particularly enjoyed reading the individual perspectives of each of the characters.
However, if I had authored The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives, I would have written it in a completely different way. I would have emphasized different aspects than Lola Shoneyin did. For one, I definitely would not have been as explicitly sexual as she was. Perhaps, I might have given Iya Femi a redeeming quality or two.
Hear me well, this is not, at all, an indictment on Lola Shoneyin. It is merely a revelation for me. I do have something to say because I have a different perspective. I have different life experiences and I have a unique voice. It might not sound like Lola Shoneyin's or Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's or Osar Adeyemi's, but it's mine.
It's Jesus trying to use me and my voice to say something, and for now, that is enough.

*https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Lives-Baba-Segis-Wives/dp/0063072327

Cuties: A Review

9/10/2020

The Netflix film, Cuties, generated much controversy even before it was released on the platform. My take: Cuties would work in a perfect world, but our world is anything but.
Here's what I mean: if Cuties could be released exclusively to an audience of only adult women, it works. It creeps me out to think of a guy, any guy, watching this film. In this imperfect world of ours where fathers rape daughters and uncles touch little girls inappropriately, I am disgusted with the thought of those kinds of men watching these pre-pubescent girls twerk.
Yet, that is the philosophical dilemma of societal commentary: in an attempt to comment on the hypersexualized world that we live in, Cuties, itself, is hypersexualized. And when I say hypersexualized, I really, really mean it.
Aminatu and the other girls in the Cuties dance group break out some sexualized moves I have not even seen grown women do.

A Short Synopsis for those who haven't seen it:
Cuties follows the story of an eleven-year-old girl, Amy Diop, who has just moved into a new housing project in Paris along with her mother and two little brothers. We learn that her father is back in Senegal, taking a new, younger wife and will be joining them soon. Amy seeks solace in a girl dance group called "Cuties." The Cuties are desperate to prove they are not little girls. They bare their midriffs, dance suggestively, and use curse words. Throughout the film, we see Amy struggle to balance her home life and her Muslim-Senegalese upbringing with the dramatic "freedom" that the Cuties' lifestyle seems to offer.

A Critical Look At Cuties

Westernization (West is Better) Narrative
Portrayal and Treatment of Women/Girls

Westernization (West is Better) Narrative
1. The protagonist's name is Aminatu. If it is to be shortened, the spelling should be "Ami," not the Western-friendly "Amy." Yet, even the Netflix subtitles have it as "Amy." Aminatu and her family are newcomers. It's unclear whether they are new to that particular area (housing project) of Paris or if they just arrived from Senegal, the latter being more likely. Either way, Aminatu is new to the area, new to the school, and she does not even get the dignity of having her name spelled right. In Aminatu's first direct interaction with the Cuties, they accost her: throwing her books to the ground and calling her names, among which is "Senegal."
Of course, Aminatu internalizes this "West is Better" narrative and adopts her Western identity. On her social media page, Aminatu spells her name "Amy." Every immigrant with a non-Western name can relate to Aminatu's experience. As someone with a non-Western name, it is interesting to see the director, Maïmouna Doucouré, commit the same blunder she seems to be critiquing.

2. In pop culture, there is an existing narrative that Western culture equals "free" and "uninhibited" while non-Western culture/families are negatively portrayed as "conservative" and "restrictive." And of course, in this narrative, Western is better, sending a clear message to non-Western people that "if you can just be Western, you will be happy."
Doucouré initially plays into this dichotomy: Amy is laughing and care-free when she is wearing crop tops and rehearsing with the Cuties; Amy is stone-faced as she sits through another prayer lesson Then, Doucouré dismantles the narrative:
When we first meet Aminatu, she takes the time to torture her little brother with ghost stories so he can sleep; she playfully portions out cereal for him. She even takes the time to tuck her baby brother to sleep. This is "restrictive" non-Western Aminatu.
When Amy becomes "free," her mother falls to the ground in a faint and Amy cannot even be bothered to get up from the dinner table. She locks her little brother in a bathroom for (probably) hours so he doesn't bother her and her new friend. She steals from her mother, pushes one of her "friends" into the river so she could take her place in the dance team, and posts naked pictures. This is Western Amy.
Doucouré cleverly draws a comparison between Amy and Aminatu and asks the viewer to judge: who is really "happy"?
I don't know, I think I'd take Aminatu.

Portrayal and Treatment of Women/Girls
1. But life's not perfect for Aminatu either. And this is arguably what pushes her to be a Cutie. After all, if her mother - who was doing everything right - could still lose her husband to a second wife, what was the point of being a "good" woman?
Although only eleven, Aminatu was already being groomed to be a "woman" and in so many African (pardon my generalization), that usually comes with a ton of responsibility. Less than five minutes into the film, Amy has to sit with much older women as they listen to an off-camera speaker expound on the importance of piety and virtue while Ismaeli, her little brother, sits only a few feet away engaging in carefree play.
Right after this, Aminatu walks in on a girl her age dancing with the same care-freedom Ismaeli has (because he's a boy) and Aminatu is fascinated with the idea of being so unencumbered, so "apparently" childish.
Of course, we'd come to see that the dancing is anything but childish.
2. Mariam's - Aminatu's mother - situation is the plight of so many women in West Africa. Although hurt and embarrassed by her husband's decision to take another wife, she is forced to bury her emotions, her thoughts, her self because (in our society) that's what it means to "be a real woman." Afterall, a "real" woman is one that is perfectly fine with her husband sleeping with another woman just down the hall from her children's room.

2. On Hypersexualization
I don't think I can ever watch another music video without wondering if the video girl is gyrating to the music because she wants to or because she thinks she has to. I think the saddest part of this whole film is the hypocrisy that it reveals in our society. We live in a society where "sex sells," and not much is done to protect little children from that. So to be completely affronted and shocked when little girls mimic what they see on their television screens or on the trending section of YouTube is not just hypocritical, it is a little sad. Banning Cuties would not solve the societal problem of hypersexuality but in true hegemonic fashion, anything that shines a light on the dark underbelly of society must go.

Cuties is an educational film. Doucouré does a fantastic job commenting on so many aspects of society: the oppression of women, hypersexualization, immigrant struggles, even bulimia. At one point, she shows Yasmine forcing herself to throw up in the bathroom before she rejoins the Cuties, commenting on the horrific societal standard that a girl (in this case, Yasmine) can only be a part of the group if she is skinny.
Yet, the ending of the film leaves a little much to be desired. Aminatu' story is resolved too quickly and there are no consequences for her behavior. She posts a nude picture of herself online and almost drowns a person, but because the last scene shows her wearing age-appropriate clothes and playing jump rope, all is forgiven and forgotten?
Cuties both works and it doesn't. The director falls into the same traps she is criticizing but at least she shines a light on this broken part of our society. We can do better. Our black girls deserve better.

Afropop Vol 1: AG Baby is Our Baby

8/25/2020

Adekunle Gold's transformation from Adékúnlé Gold of Gold, his debut album, to AG Baby of Afro Pop, Vol. 1 is a curious case of Benjamin Button syndrome. You know...because he aged his image backwards. He even has "baby" in his new moniker. 😂
But this transformation, this reverse-aging, is not necessarily a bad thing. I loved the Adékúnlé Gold of Gold and so did my parents. His sound transcended generations such that every time we were on a long drive, my dad would request his album with excitement. However, his new sound is transcendent, in its own way. After all, it is very telling of Adekunle's talent that he is able to transform so radically and yet, remain quite relevant.
Let's see what he packed into this album, shall we?

"AG Baby": This song is a perfect, perfect introduction to this new Adekunle Gold. It's a new sound, yes, but beneath the backing track, you can hear stirrings of sax that remind you of the agbada-clad Adékúnlé Gold and it's heartwarming. One can't help but join Nailah Blackman to encourage him: "Eh, eh, AG Baby, don't stop."
"Sabina": The track production on this song is breathtakingly innovative. I cannot say the same about the chorus, though. We kind of see Adekunle descend into his usual, repetitive chorus strategy and it works against this song. In the verses, though, especially verse one, where he decides to take a risk, it pays off and his lyrics land perfectly.
"Pretty Girl" : This song is MAD! Patoranking's hook kind of sounds like the beginning hook of Burna boy's "Ja Ara E", but I'm not even mad because this song takes it to the next level. The girl power in this song is Beyonce's "Brown Skin Girl"- level and it warms my heart. I can't help but compare this to the disaster that was Burna Boy's "Comma" (read more here). My only issue with this song is that it gets a little repetitive about three-quarters into the song and it starts to drag, but only a little.
"Okay": Okay, Uncle Kunle, I see you. When I was listening to this song to review it, I kept trying to type, but the song won't let me. It was like, "I'm not done with you yet. Vibe some more." This is my favorite song on the album. It's so beautifully Adekunle Gold, especially those lyrical rhymes in the chorus. Hmmm!
"Here for Ya": One of my favorite things in the world is when an afro song has a beat drop. Please, which smoothie is Pheelz drinking to fuel his creativity and do they do international shipping?
"Exclusive": This song is the most pop-sounding on the entire record and it does not do Adekunle justice. At all. We all know this: Adekunle Gold's voice has a melody of its own. So when you mix it with a very pop-ish, melodic production like the one on this song, it legitimately sounds like choir practice gone wrong. Especially that chorus. If you don't believe me, compare it to when Olayinka Ehi comes in on verse two. See how well her voice falls in with the melody of the backing track? The song is dope; I just really wish they let her sing the chorus. I feel like it would have taken this track to "AG Baby" status.
"Firewood": This song is okay. It's one of those songs that you either really like or just don't really care for. You can't dislike it because it's not bad. It's just...there.
"Something Different": This song has over 3 million streams on Spotify and I understand why. Everything in this song just lands: the beat, the melodies, the lyrics, the message, you name it. In some ways, one could argue that Adekunle Gold's transformation has not allowed for the deep messaging of songs like "Ire" or "Fame" to shine through. But in "Something Different," we see a glimpse of that soulful songwriter and it's satisfying.
"Water Carry Me": This song is so satisfying. It's like eating rice and stew from a buka. It's not some fancy gourmet dish, but it's classic and it's sweet and you hate when it finishes.
"My Ex": Sometimes you don't have enough words, so you rely on emojis to convey your message: 😁😁😁😁

Twice As Tall? It's Your Call.

8/23/2020

Before Twice As Tall began streaming, I had read quite a few reviews - all of them brimming with praise for Burna Boy's latest body of work. Then I listened to the album and I couldn't quite believe my ears. This is it? I wondered aloud to myself and my brother as the album played loudly on the car stereo. But I swallowed my disillusion and decided to listen again. This time, I sat with my headphones and my fingers poised above the keyboard:

"Level Up (Twice As Tall)": This track is nuanced: everything from the sampled Pat Boone's "Twice As Tall" intro to the track chorus sang by Youssou N'Dour to Burna's verses. As different as these parts are, the production does a great job of transitioning one to the other with the seamlessness of an orchestra directed by a masterful conductor (in this case, Diddy). With headphones on and genius.com open, this track is an experience, one that leaves you feeling contented.
But without headphones, the seamless transitions are lost. The track plays like a kaleidoscope of sounds and not in a good way. And without Genius Lyrics, the message falls flat. Burna Boy's enunciation is buried so far beneath the melodic quality of his voice in this track. While he might have gotten away with that on a song like "Ye" or "Anybody," enunciation matters here, and for the first track of the album, "Level Up (Twice As Tall)" could have been better produced.
"Alarm Clock": The transition from "Level Up" to "Alarm Clock" is production quality at its finest. But then "Alarm Clock" begins, and it's just weird until Burna shows up around the 35th second and saves this track from being a waste of two minutes.
"Way Too Big": When Burna Boy says he is way too cool, way too smart and way too big, you actually believe him, against your better judgement. Maybe it's because he believes it, so it sounds more like #facts than bragging. Or maybe it's because this track lands perfectly with a cool union of Burna's melodic voice and a sweet blend of afro-infused beats and electronic sounds. And oh my gosh, what was that incredible saxophone/guitar solo at the end?
"Bebo": This has been proven over and over, but once again, "Bebo" shows that no one brings the vibe like Burna does. If Burna Boy is trying to pass some deep message in this track though, it is lost beneath the vibe.
"Wonderful": This is, perhaps, my favorite song on the whole album. Although Burna boy has many songs that make you want to dance, "Wonderful" makes you want to twirl around in reckless abandon. There is a kind of breezy, weightless delight to "Wonderful." These are not adjectives one would typically attribute to Burna, but there you have it. There is an unaffected joy that this song brings out, and it's infectious.
"Onyeka (Baby)": I have mixed feelings about this track. I really want to like it, but I don't think even Burna likes this song. It feels just a little empty, except maybe at the beginning of verse two.
"Naughty by Nature": Perhaps the most inspired decision of this entire album was to feature the hip-hop band, Naughty by Nature, on this track. The production blend of hiphop and groovy afro beats was such a pleasure to listen to. But maybe someone should tell Burna Boy that it's okay if someone does not gbadun him. (P.S. Did you guys peep that nursery rhyme addition in the post-chorus? Masterful!).
"Comma": Is it just me or is this track hecka problematic? No, you know what? I don't care if it's just me. This song is so problematic, it's not even funny. I'm a little upset that no critic mentioned the misogynistic undertones of this song. Burna Boy claims to be so enlightened and all about "black power," but I guess that power is limited to black men. Because, you know, black girls can have "comma."
Maybe I won't be so mad if the examples that he gives in the song, girls with enhanced breasts and unevenly bleached skin, do not stem from deep insecurities and unattainable Western standards of beauty. Burna had a chance on this song to uplift black women, but he goes the opposite direction.
Two guys writing, producing, and singing a song about the physical flaws of a hypothetical woman who (obviously) cannot defend herself is so indicative of our real world power dynamics that you can't help but wonder how anyone thought this track was okay for release. I could write a whole epistle but let me come down from my soapbox and review the rest of the album. Also, just...thank God for Genius Lyrics. If not, that's how someone will be dancing to rubbish lyrics.
"No Fit Vex": This is one of the most moving tracks of this entire album so far. When Burna sings from his heart, everything changes: The song goes deeper than the vibe. Even his voice changes and you can hear him enunciate almost every syllable. It's human. It's deep. It's liberating and it's Burna Boy at his finest.
"23": This album is chock-full of lyrics in which Burna Boy proclaims himself as the best, larger than life, and you know, "twice as tall," but on "23," it's different. He's expressing himself and it's beautiful. Plus, the track production is set up so beautifully around his voice that it makes you wonder how good he'd sound on a ballad.
"Time Flies": Sweet, sweet music, period.
"Monsters You Made": If "Comma" is a misogynistic mess, "Monsters You Made" is a woke work of art. Every time I hear this song, I shiver at the pain and anger in Burna Boy's voice because I know he is merely echoing the pain and anger of a billion other people.
"Wetin Dey Sup": I just...I don't really know what to do with this song.
"Real Life": The richness of Stormzy's tone is undeniable, but the message of this song is the loudest and most stunning part of this track: an encouragement to really live.
"Bank On It": Wow. Just, wow. Everything about this song is a hit: the touching intro, Burna's amazing rhymes, the seamless transitions and that sweet harmony at the end. What a great way to end the album! I can vibe to this song all day and I will.

Twice As Tall? You decide.

APOLLO Review: Fire hasn't dimmed just yet

8/20/2020

Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps is a tough act to follow. I didn't actually review it, but I don't think I needed to: we were all kind of in awe of Fireboy DML's genius.
APOLLO is miles away from Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps and I have mixed feelings about that. In some ways, that's a great thing because #growth, yet I can't help feeling nostalgic for the magic and, dare I say innocence, embodied in his debut album. Let's review the album track by track, shall we?

"Champion": I don't want to take away from the beauty of this track, because it is, in fact, beautiful. At least the beginning melodies. When D Smoke comes in, the vibe changes and it almost feels like a different song. But that is not my main beef with this track. It is the lyrics. Perhaps if another artist was singing verse one, it would sound like self-empowerment, but in Fireboy's voice, it just reads like self-importance and it doesn't land. Sorry.
"Spell": I had high expectations for this track as soon as I saw Wande Coal was featured on it. But I have to be honest: nah. The lack of depth in this song is its main problem. Perhaps the idea was to do something fun and lighthearted, but ko werk, especially when they both go into (strained) falsetto as if they are singing about a deep something.
"ELI": The level of artistry in this song is very, very cool. The flute sounds, the electric guitar, and the drizzled topping of afro-beats makes this track a very, very smart choice for a single.
"Tattoo": I hate how cool the arrangement of this song is because I can't sing it. It's so vibey but the lyrics are very explicitly sexual. So, not for me.
"Favourite Song": This track has my favourite production of the entire album. Ironically, it is unlikely to be a favorite with die-hard afro-something fans. But this song is the first on the album to show me the Fireboy DML I've been waiting for. There is a little bit of Michael Jackson, a little something of Marvin Gaye and even more surprisingly fun, a Macarena chant subtly playing in the background. "Spell," please take note: this is how you do something fun and lighthearted.
"New York City Girl": I didn't think any song could top the feels that Fireboy served us in "Need You," but "New York City Girl" is everything and more. I'm not from New York City, but if I was, I swia, no one will hear word.
"Lifestyle": I hate to say it. I hope I don't sound ridiculous but I think Fireboy could do much, much better than this track. Sorry to this track.
"Airplane Mode": This song is so Fireboy DML, it takes my breath away. His voice soars on this track. When Fireboy is singing from his heart, when he is not putting on the "I'm-the-best" airs that artists feel like they need to put on, that's when he shines. That's when his light is so bright, it almost hurts your eyes. Fireboy's light shines so bright in "Airplane Mode." It's deep, it's Fireboy-lyrical, and it's dope. Everytime he says "on my own" in the chorus, his voice breaks a little and it's one of the best things I have ever heard.
"24 (Interlude)": There's a message here but I can't seem to figure it out. Is he talking to himself? Is he talking to young twenty-somethings who are still trying to figure life out? I don't know, but maybe that's the point. Either way, it's a perfect interlude.
"Dreamer": How beautifully produced, how lyrically moving, how heartbreakingly perfect is this song. That's not a question. It's a statement. Fireboy DML makes a statement all over this track and leaves us begging for more.
"Afar": Early 2000's feel, anyone? I will only say three things about this track because we'll spend the entire day here if I don't limit myself: Uno, I'm pretty sure I have never heard Olamide rap in English and I'm kinda in love. Dos, the depth in this song is unreal. Tres, Fireboy's voice sounds so good in this track, it's like spicy noodles. Sorry, one more thing, Fireboy, ma pa mi nau.
"Go Away": How can one song make me want to dance and ugly-cry at the same time? What can I do to make it go away? I guess I could skip to the next track, but...I think I'm addicted. Everything about this song is so well thought out. Even "ye," the ad-lib chosen for the chorus is the same sound one makes when in pain or when you love someone who doesn't love you back.
"Shadé": What is it about Shadés/Sadés that makes Nigerian artists sing for them? There are other names in the world (like Ronke, for example). Just saying. 🙄
"Friday Feeling": Perhaps the coolest sequence on this album is the transition from "Shadé" to "Friday Feeling." This is obviously a dance track, but it lands in that magical way that only Pheelz and Fireboy DML know how to create. "Pheelz, ma pa mi nau" is the best line of this entire album, period.
"God Only Knows": I just want to listen to this song over and over without having to come up with words to match how it makes me feel. But... must be nice to be a muse.
"Sound": The verses in this track sound like the first verse of "Feel," yet it still sounds fresh. Guys, guys, guys, I think that Fireboy is telling us that he can regurgitate the same sound and we will still vibe to it because he is the APOLLO of sound. And um, he is not wrong...yet.
"Remember Me": Deep lyrics, check ✔️. Crazy beats, check ✔️. You guys, there is an actual beat drop in this song. Talk about ending the album on a bang!

REVIEW: One Day You Will Understand by Mr. Eazi & emPawa Africa

6/17/2020

Baby I'm Jealous - King Promise can do no wrong, especially when he and Mr. Eazi collaborate on a song. Their voices blend so sweetly on this track and the song lands like caramel topping on ice cream.
I No Go Give Up on You - Over the recent years, emPawa Africa has come to mean fresjh and innovative afropop music. But this track is a bit of a letdown. I feel like I've heard this song before, you know? Maybe I just expect too much from Eazi and emPawa Africa, but this just doesn't sound fresh. They can do better.
Ògógóró No Sweet Pass Pami - Now this, this is what I expect from Mr. Eazi. The kaleidoscopic melodies of this song just work. The lyrics, the beats, the vibe, it all just fits. The song makes you think, but also makes not think...at the same time. l'm still not sure I understand the simile logic that Eazi uses here but perhaps that is intentional. Either way, I'm not mad at it.
Baby This Your Body Na Gòbe Fine Fine Sweet Òkpéke - Nah, just no. Trust me, you've heard this song before. At least the first 2 and a half minutes. The last 15 seconds are out of this world. But Africans like what they like, so I guess we'll see.

Also, can I just mention the conversational track titles? Like I said, fresh and innovative.

Top Ten Song List (The Jane Review)

4/6/2020

Devil Is A Liar by Colton Dixon: You know what makes this song work so well, aside from the fact it is a truth that we need to hear right now? It's how the melody and the lyrics match so perfectly. It's how Colton Dixon convincingly delivers line after line, like he is trying to assure himself, the singer, along with the listener. The track plays like a chant. Like a catchy power-to-the-people anthem that plays over and over in your head. Except this time we are taking power away from the devil.
Why by T-Classic: Afro beats are a dime a dozen, but this track is a little more. You can hear T-Classic's angst not just in the lyrics, but in. Every. beat. You almost feel a little bad for dancing when he is pouring his heart out. Almost. But not quite. 😉
0903 by EMO Grae, Buju: Awwwwww. 😭😭I think that's all I got. This Nigerian love song crooners will not kill us. They are truly, as chike's album title says, the Boos of the Boo-less
Intentions - Acoustic by Justin Bieber: I didn't think Intentions could get better. I was wrong. Yes, the original has a nice bop. But very few things compare to Justin and a guitar. He knows it. Scooter knows it. So here we are. In this track, Justin's voice is the beat and he hits every single one so cleanly.
Insecure by chike: This song has been on my list for over a month now. I think I might be addicted.
four and five by Zubi, MYAN: Oh man, the feels. If you were looking for a wedding dance song (for after this coro wahala), please stop your searching. You have found it. It is this one. This song is as close to perfect as...you know what? This song is perfect. Period. Zubi and MYAN were ordained to sing this song together. I am tearing up a little as I am writing this.
Fever by Iyanya: Okay, Iyanya, I see you. I see you. 👀 "As I dey dance/na she be music." This is an actual lyric from the song. Iyanya, ah-ah, please take it easy with our isolated hearts.
AWAY by Oxlade: This track is nothing short of innovative. The melodious drums, that sweet alto sax/electric guitar/ I-am-not-even-sure-what-it-was sound at the end was out of the world. You heard it here first: if an afro-pop song is 2 minutes long, it is certifiably sweet.
Farabale by 1da Banton: I believe you, 1da. 😭😭 Mo ti farabale.
Control by Jesse10s, Limoblaze: Where Limoblaze goes, amazing beats follow. Period. This song teaches us three important things:
1. Jah controls all,
2. Jesse and Limo finna burn up this track, and
3. No one does it quite like Africa 😉

Review of the Top Ten List

3/3/2020

Get to You by DaVido: DaVido has been "accused" of being more of a smart businessman than a talented singer. This song very clearly shows both sides of Davido: the smart businessman and talented musician. You can feel his talent in the way he plays with the notes and lyrics. Like an experienced dancer (think Charlize Glass), he hits every beat with precision and swag. You can just visualize him grooving as he laid the track in the studio. On the other hand, as a businessman, you can see him playing with the notes and lyrics, a smirk on his lips because he knows that, by extension, he is playing with and tugging at our love-crazy heartstrings. So that we'll continue to stream and download and buy the song. Well done, DaVido. Well played. 🤣 (I crack myself up sometimes.)
God Like You by CalledOut Music: It is a triumph when the lyrics and the music of a song fit so well, as if the song already existed before it was composed. This song is a triumph. You know it is a triumph when your spirit joins your body to groove.
In My Bed by Sabrina Carpenter: This is a song for the introverted, the painfully shy, the anxious, the lovelorn, the ones who are overwhelmed by the depth of their emotion. This song is for the Mr. Darcy in all of us.
All For You by Joeboy: I don't understand how Joeboy is able to just adequately capture emotions with every song he releases. It's just preternatural. We know we are single, Joeboy. You don't have to remind us all 😭the 😭 time 😭.
Unlooking by Oba Reengy, Limoblaze, Nolly: Firstly, I'm a simple girl: I see Limoblaze, and I click. Secondly, I just want to acknowledge the bass undercurrent in this song that accentuates the feeling of an alluring, yet very dangerous, temptation, which is the message of this song. Thirdly, can every guy just be like the men on this song and un-look from a woman's body? That would be amazing. Tanx.
Better by Tekno: The beat, the message, Tekno's voice. What's not to like?
Tendre Ami by Rajey: You know how they always say that French is the language of love. Yeah, I didn't buy it. Until this song. I had no idea this was a love song for the Lord. When I found out, it was even all the more sweet, you know? You guys...did you know that "Bolingo na nga" means "my love"?! I mean, come on! Oh, Rajey, j'adore votre chanson (Google Translate for the win).
Insecure by chike: When an artist like Chike comes on the scene, he reminds us that Nigerian music can be more than the mindless repetition of horrible innuendos like "your behind" and "banana." The instrumentation in Insecure helps to make the anxiousness in the lyrics so believable that you almost want to start fasting-and-prayer so that Chike can be delivered from the spirit of insecurity.
Zion by Efe Oraka, M.I Abaga: This song still manages to take my breath away every time it comes on. I am still waiting for that stop.
Beautiful People by chike: Beautiful music. Just beautiful music. P.S. my friend is in the music video. I know famous people, hehe.

Review of the Top Ten Songs of the Week

2/26/2020

Have you guys been enjoying the playlist? I hope so!
Let's get right onto the review...

Forever by Justin Bieber (featuring Post Malone and Clever): Okay, wait. Have you ever heard such distinctive instrumentation on any song? Seriously?! And then Clever's voice. Oh, my heart. Clever's voice is like thick honey dripping off a honey comb 🍯 and you just want to say: yummy (yes, I went there 😆).
Feel Me by Selena Gomez : Did I think about the Justin-Selena drama before I placed this song right after Justin's? Yes. Do I have opinions on the Justin-Selena drama? Yep, and maybe I will share them with you guys if you are nice to me 🤪. Outside the drama, the beauty of this song is undeniable. Since Selena started working with Julia Michaels, the quality of her lyrics have been top-notch. I mean, really? If this song is truly about Justin (which I don't think is any of our business, honestly), then it's true what they say: hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
Jore by Adekunle Gold, Kizz Daniel: Okay, who doesn't love this song? It was like this beat was made for Kizz Daniel's voice. I can't lie: I am not really a fan of Kizz Daniel, but you cannot deny his artistry. His voice is like melted butter on a pancake 🥞.It just goes, you know? And yes, before the AG babies come for me, I know that the song is actually Adekunle Gold's song. Although Kizz Daniel "makes" this song for me, you can see AG's artistry all over the song like expensive perfume.
Zion by Efe Oraka, M.I. Abaga: This song is so deep--the water well attached to the pumping machine in my backyard seems shallow in comparison. I wasn't sure whether Efe was talking about God or a lover. You almost get the sense that she is referring to both, in a way. She weaves the metaphors together so seamlessly that you seem to understand that she is comparing her lover's treatment to how the Lord treats her/His own. It's not the same, and she is baffled by that. In the chorus, over and over, she wonders, "why are you lying?" It's almost like you can hear what she is not saying: "This is not what love looks like. This is not what the Lord's love looks like, so why are you lying, why are you rejecting me?"
Show Love by Harper Still, Jamie Grace, Morgan Harper Nichols: I love, love, love, love Morgan Harper Nichols' voice. It just does stuff to my emotions. Plus, I am always game to listen to any Jamie Grace song - she is a beast with the lyrics and instrumentation. Can I just say that MHN and JG killed this? Yes, ma'am, they did.
Alive by Dami Oniru: Auntie dammy, dammy. E ku ise ma. There is this irreproducible quality in Dami's voice that makes you just want to stop and listen. You know? And the message in this song just about blows you out of your chair when you get that she is re-enacting a conversation between her and the Lord. 🤯
Like You by Gospel Hydration, Limoblaze, TBabz: Okay, okay. Y'all know, Limo baby is my baby (not to quote Jore or anything, hehe). But this song is so groovy, so vibe-y. How can you not like it? As always, when you sing with/for the Lord, it just hits different. And of course, TBabz with the adlibs. Well done sir.
Intentions by Justin Bieber, Quavo: I think this song speaks for itself. I mean, how can you NOT love Justin?!
Famous For (I Believe) by Tauren Wells, Jenn Johnson: This song always hits when it comes on. I almost cannot put into words how this song helps put life in perspective when you hear it. You realize that, yeah, God has been God before I was born. He has taken care of thousands of people before me and He is famous for that. He can do it for me, too. It's pretty cool.
Anyone by Demi Lovato (Clean version): I think, in one way or another, all of us can relate to the sentiments that Demi portrays in this song. I think it sucks especially when you have so many people around, like she does, and it seems that no one cares. I think it sucks even more when you then, as a last resort, pray to whoever is listening and you still don't feel heard. This story, I think, is so beautiful because you can see how, in real life, the Lord saves her from dying of an overdose. I have felt this a despondency akin to this before and I can tell you, the Lord has always shown up for me!

Amazing Grace/ The Lord's Day by Hyper Fenton

8/5/2019

Amazing Grace
This is Amazing Grace like you have never heard it before. It's fresh, it's new, it's good, it is hype.
You think you know rap? You think you know electronic music? Wait till you hear Amazing Grace. Your jaw will drop. 😄
But it's not just the beat or the cool-as-heck bars, it is the lyrics. THE LYRICS ARE SO GOOD.
Like stop, wait, hold up the club/I found Somebody that I love/Like stop, ayy, hold up the grave/I found somebody that can save/Like stop, dance, come get your mans/Bring 'em to the Man who atones for your sins/Like stop, ayy, hold up your praise/Get a little taste of amazing grace like
Check it out here: https://song.link/i/1384319424

The Lord's Day
One word that comes to mind when I think of Hyper Fenton's music is full. There is so much richness, so much goodness, so much Jesus in this song that every time it comes on, it just fills you with joy. So many times The Lord's Day has come on and flipped my bad day upside down and I can't flipping wait for you to hear it! 😄
Check it out here: https://song.link/us/i/1384319423
Thank you, Hyper Fenton, for being a vessel.

In View by Jake James

8/3/2019

I don't usually do one-song reviews, but some songs just demand it, you know?
It's like when you eat Ramen noodles (or Indomie 😋) and it tastes like you have never eaten noodles before.
Yes, In View is just that good.
More than the catchy riffs, more than the sick beat, more than the unnameable quality in Jake James' voice, the message in In View is so strong, so real.
You make me wanna put in work baby/No matter what I will make it work for you/You make me better than before baby/But I don't see 'em till you put in view
Tell me that this is not Henry and Oyin's story in The Perfection in Love?
Love should lift you up, not put you down.
Love should make you want to do the work. So that you can you be better
That's what the Lord's love does, and that's what real romantic love should do, too.

Jake James, 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Check out In View and other Jake James songs here: https://song.link/us/i/1453422504

The Transition by Okey Sokay

7/31/2019

I have been a fan of Okey Sokay since I first heard HSKT, so when I heard The Transition had come out, I had to review it. And can I say, the album was so artistic!
You can see it in the one-word song titles, hear it in the musical choices in each track, and picture it in the album cover.
Okey Sokay, gbam! 🙌🏾 🙌🏾🙌🏾
I mean, come on: there are even 10 tracks in the album! No more, no less. Just perfect.
In the spirit of the one-word track titles, I am going to try to keep my track reviews to one sentence each. But no promises. 😉

1. Alpha: The title of this track is so apt for the first track in the album. Again, I am floored by the level of artistry that went into making this album. Also, can we pause on the breadth of tone in Okey Sokay's voice? Hmmm! 😍
2. Name: I can't wait till every church is using this song in their worship sessions.
3. Good: This track is so simple, yet so so powerfully effective.
4. Oga: If you are not moving your shoulders by the end of this song, I will not call you what you are; just play this song over and over until you start moving your shoulders.
5. Surely: Just when I think I have heard it all, I hear Surely
6. Imela - You can't help but sway when this track comes on. I am used to Okey Sokay hitting my senses with those fast tracks, but I find that I like this slow-jam feel just as much. (I said no promises!)
7. Miracle - It's so awesome when you hear a song that speaks to you exactly where you are; Miracle did that for me. Thank you Okey Sokay. Thank you.
8. Winner - This song made me cry; don't ask me why.
9. Merem - There is an undeniable essence of joy in this track and it is infectious, oh so infectious.
10. Nmeri - This track is a jam. You can't help but move. This is the perfect song to declare your victory in Christ. It does not matter whether you are feeling victorious or not. This song will help you feel it. This was also the perfect song to end the album. The only thing I don't like about this track is that it means I have finished listening to the album.

Okey Sokay, if this is just The Transition, I might not be able to handle The Destination when you get there.
Thank You Jesus for Okey Sokay. We are grateful.

Omo Charlie Champagne Vol 1

4/22/2019

Album: Omo Charlie Champagne
Released: April 19 2019 (happy belated birthday to Simi)
Singer: Simi

1. Charlie: There is something so quietly powerful about this track. The song hits all the right highs. Simi takes us on an emotional journey as she processes her feeling about her late father. She is sad, yet happy; not mad yet furious and we feel every single emotion along with her.
2. Ayo: Ayo is the song you want to put on for that Saturday morning cleaning. You will dance your way through that dusty living room, I promise.
3. Jericho: The rhymes in this song are 🔥🔥🔥. The beat in this song is 💯💯💯. Here's the problem: you can't be cool when dancing to this song. When it comes on, your body does not know whether to dance to the lyrics or the beat, so you end up dancing to both and looking like a fish on the chopping board. Also, "I lay you down like an edge controller," is a bonafide Simile. Please call the writers of Queen Primer and Verbal Reasoning and tell them to include it, thank you.
4. By You: This song is the embodiment of the Simi-and-Adekunle we all know and love. Classic. I'm a fan.
5. Immortal: This song is...um, nice. Okay fine, it is not my favorite song. Sorry Simi, I still love you though.
6. Love On Me: 🤭🤭🤭
7. The Artist. Yes! Yes! Yes! Please say it louder for those of us artists at the back.
8. Move On: This song guts me. Over and over. Until I am curled up in a fetal position on the ground. Simi is so good at expressing what we all feel but may not have the artistry to articulate. And that falsetto? The rawness in it bleeds me dry.
9. Mind Your Business: Auntie Simi, this table you are shaking, some of us sip tea on it every day. 😏
10. Lovin: I have been a Simi fan since day one, so it is hard to pick a favorite among her songs. But Lovin is pretty up there. Also, if you have not seen the video, I only have one thing to say to you: Why?
11. Please: I am such a sucker for Simi's voice accompanied by a piano. She could be singing "A-B-C-D" and it will still be a profound work of art. Please is so emotional and I'm here for it. "Please don't lose what I found," Simi begs on this track. I can relate, Simi. I can relate.
12. I Dun Care: The awesomest part of this song is the spelling of "Don't" as "Dun." Simi really dun care what anyone has to say in this song and she makes that known right from the track's title. Awesomest is not a word, this sentence is a comma splice, you can tell I dun care too.
13. Hide and Seek: I am here for the intro of this song. It is unlike anything I have heard from Simi. I'm a fan.

Simi is a such a gifted lyricist. Weh done ma. More power to your elbow, more inspiration to your mind, and more love to your heart!
Here are some of my favorite lines from this album:
"Will you forgive me for the happy tears?" - Adekunle Gold on By You
"Be the Range to your Rover?" - Simi on Jericho
"I lay you down like an edge controller" - Simi on Jericho
"Please don't lose what I found." - Simi on Please
"Carelessly loving you, babe, is the worst thing I could do." - Simi on Move On
"Sweet, but hard to chew, like sugarcane" - Simi on Move On
"E dey pain" - Simi on Move On
"See, I walked down the aisle just the other day/ but you weren't there to walk me. /I 'm not mad o / I take that back, I'm furious." - Simi on Charlie
"Can you Simi now?" - Simi on Jericho
"Wanna hold you tight like a folder." - Simi on Jericho
"The Artist is always under pressure...there's pressure from within as well." - Simi on The Artist

#AfroGospelToTheWorld

3/4/2019

Ahem...
Is this thing on?
Gil Joe and Nkay will always have a special place in my heart. When I first started doing this relationship thing with Jesus, their lyrics were my constant companions. They taught little ol' me that being a Jesus lover was nothing to be ashamed. of.
Love you guys!

Album Title: #AfroGospelToTheWorld
Platform: Spotify
Artist: Gil Joe x Nkay

1. Nobody: Love...Love..love...love this song! The fusion between Afro beats and EDM in this track is too much for my un-Zanku-able legs to handle. I can't with this song: the lyrics, the strategic placement of the beat drop. It's like, after you proclaim to the Lord that there is nobody else, you're like, "let me show You what I mean!" Please hep me clap for GilJoe x Nkay and Proud Refuge.
Song Credits: Gil Joe, Nkay, Proud Refuge

2. Do: If you have heard this song, be honest: do you not have "That You do" stuck in your head? I'll be honest: I do! 😆 (see what I did there?) Also, in the spirit of full disclosure, when I first heard the song, I slept on it. But now, I can't sit still when it comes on. Gil Joe, well done. Jesus is the new wave!
Song Credits: Gil Joe

3. Better: Seriously, Gil Joe's growth as a producer has grown so much from Maturity. Don't get me wrong, all the songs on Maturity are dope, but the songs on here are Better. See what I did there, again? Hehe.
Song Credits: Gil Joe, Nkay

4. Shackles. Y'ALL!!! Y'ALL.!! Y'ALL! Y'all... I 😭 freaking love 😭 this 😭 song.😭
Okay. Okay. I will calm down. I promise: I am not overhyping this track. Everything about this track is a hit. The beat, the lyrics, the enthusiastic voices of Gil Joe and Nkay...even the timing fit! (the song came out when the Shaku shaku dance was in its prime). I mean, Shackles & Shaku shaku. This review practically wrote itself.
Song Credits: Gil Joe, Nkay,

5. With Me: Whoever came up with the idea for Gil Joe and Nkay to release an EP together is a freaking genius! The drums on this track give me so much life. I really do believe that God still has so much for me when I hear this song. Gil Joe and Nkay have this uncanny ability to sing a song with swagger. As if the lyrics were created for that beat and the beat for that lyric. Nothing else fits.
Song Credits: Gil Joe, Nkay

6. Since You Came: I honestly wish this song was longer. I really could listen to Mr. Nkay groove on this beat for hours. This song feels like a R &B -infused love song, and who better to sing a love song to, than the Lord of love Himself? Also, Nkay's voice on this track is probably the best I have ever heard it. Love, love, love it!
Song Credits: Nkay

7. Issa No: This song is sassy! But you wouldn't know it if you weren't paying attention. In that classic chill Gil Joe x Nkay way, they saunter through this track with sass and swag. I am a fan of this song.
Song Credits: Gil Joe, Nkay

Nothing compares to when you sing a song for the Lord. It just fits.
I think that is an apt word for this EP. "Fits."
#AfroGospelToTheWorld fits and I'm a fan.

Avatar

2/28/2019

Ten years late, hehe.
Watching Avatar put me in a headspace that I don't find myself in after a movie: simply happy.
Not deeply joyful, or intensely moved. Just a simple kind of happy.
Usually, my thoughts go a mile a minute, and I am either horribly indifferent, immensely fired up, or extremely elated.
But since the credits began to roll, the slight smile on my face has stayed in place.
I don't find myself mad that the bossy "Sky People" ignored all the history lessons that ever existed and tried to colonize the Na'vi people.
I don't find myself deeply moved by the deaths or the romance or the psycho-biological connection the Na'vi people have to their land.
I am just happy that good trumped bad. The guy got the girl. The bad people were sent out, and...
everyone lived happily ever after.
Of course, this remains to be seen as the sequels head to theaters soon.
But till then, I am very content with this simple-kind-of-happy.