ALBUM REVIEW-CHIEF EXECUTIVE OMOITA-DA GRIN

Dagrin has been huge in the steets ever since "rap rules anthem" and with the release of his sophomore album "chief executive omoita" he has exceeded all expectations.with production from Sossick,SAS,Tfrizzle & Dr frabz,da grin delivers CEO and doesn't disappoint on the 10 track album.On the opening track "ghetto dreams" he bares it all & tries to exorcise his demons on wax.with lines like "mo ni dream lati di pastor or woli,but everytime ni mon mu shekpe,mo den fa kpoly" it is not that difficult to understand where he is coming from & why he gets so much love in the streets.

On the first single "pon pon pon" which is a street banger and one of the hardest cuts of the year,his realness is there for all to see and he shows us lyrically why he should be in our top 10 if not no 1.the SAS produced "kondo" shows dagrin trying to fill up the commercial quotient of his album & he actually succeeds as he offers the average naija music lovers what they want.this track also suggest that he wouldn't mind having a hit on the charts."make doe" finds him trading bars with dark poet about money,power,respect and with help from isolate on "gboro" he keeps it street and pledges his allegiance to the grind.

While the tfrizzle produced "hola hola" is one for the road,it is on the dr frabs produced "thank God" where he features omawunmi that he sheds his thuggish personality and takes his rap to the church.if only "swag" was half as good as the other tracks on the album,we would have been talking classic by now but notwithstanding CEO is a solid album and the bonus tracks on the album makes up for the little mistake.

What makes dagrin's CEO special is the hands on,take the bull by the horn and aggressive approach which is quite refreshing.even though the album title might suggest that it is meant for some people,there is enough on this heater to satisfy everyone's needs.whenever dagrin opens his mouth he shows his hunger and you are bound to feel his pain.this is an album that will bring out the oliver twist in you.

RATING-8/10

PLAY-ghetto dreams,kondo,pon pon pon,make doe,thank God.
SKIP-swag.

THE NAIJA HIP HOP CENSUS

I am writing this with jay z's "run this town" banging in my earphones.i know what iam about to say will cause a lot of ruckus,but isn't it time we know who actually runs this naija music industry.its not that iam being tribalistic or something(God forbid),but iam just trying to break this down into the 3 major ethnic groups in Nigeria.this is no divide and conquer thing(just facts).

Yoruba -
Artquake,Yemi sax,Da grin,Pype,Sheyman,Banky w,Rayan t,Sound sultan,Baba dee,Femi kuti,Seun kuti,Yinka davies,OJB,Niyola,Omotola,Sauce kid,Dare art alade,Lagbaja,Tony tetuila,Eldee,Durella,Dbanj,Wande Coal,9ice,Lord of ajasa,I.D cabasa,Modenine,Bouqui,Sasha,Deebee,Olu maintain,Weird mc,Asa,Shola allynson,Oluwe,Paul play,Ara,KSB,Seyi shodimu,Kash 11,Dekunle fuji,Minus 2,Kemistry,Bigiano,LKT,Klever jay,Jazzman olofin,Zeal,Rooftop mcs,MP, Infinity,Rasqie,Danny young,Folake umosen & Beautiful nubia

Hausa -
Terry g,Six foot plus,OD,Terry da rapman,M.I,eedris abdulkareem,Zule zoo,Jeremiah gyang,2face,Blackfaze

Igbo -
Kelly hansome,Kefee,Mr kool,Alabai,Styl plus(2/3),Djinee,African china,Obiwon,Kween,Charlie boy,Omawunmi,Bracket,Timaya,Dj zeez,2shotz,Adaz,Ruggedman,Naeto c,Ikechukwu,Kel,Nigga raw,Illbliss, Kaha,Mtrill,Flavour,Duncan mighty,Freestyle,Faze,Sunny neji,Resonance,P square,Azu ekiye,Sammie okposo,Gordons,Cyrus da virus,Genevieve,J.I,Tony one week,Sanchez,Soty,Sky b,Stereoman,Spydaman,Marvellous benjy,J martins & sean tero

Unverified* - Cmion,Dr sid,Gino,Ty bello,YQ,Soul e,H-man,Morachi,Zidon,Samsong, Dsmart,X project,W4,Mad melon & Mountain black,Gt da guitarman & Blaise

This is a fairly accurate calculation,so if you see something a little bit out of place,notify me.from the data above we can deduce that

1.Yoruba artistes run the naija hip hop game.
Yoruba-43%
Hausa-7.6%
Igbo-36.1%
Unverified*-13%

2.Igbo artistes run the naija rap game.
Yoruba-35.7%
Hausa-14.2%
Igbo-39.2%
Unverified*-10.7%

3.Yoruba artistes run the R&B game.
Yoruba-43.8%
Hausa-6.8%
Igbo-34.2%
Unverified*-15%

4.Yoruba artistes run the gospel scene.
Yoruba-50%
Hausa-8.3%
Igbo-33.3%
Unverified*-8.3%

5.its a tie in the afrobeat/reggae/highlife/other genres scene.
Yoruba-38.8%
Hausa-5.5%
Igbo-38.8%
Unverified*-16.6%

*Unverified-artistes whose state of origin iam yet to ascertain.

TALK IS CHEAP 5

Everybody wetin dey?how una dey?me i dey bam bam,still dey rep the green white green.(are u suprised)

iam about to start blogging in pidgin.iam on some no more no vernacular,teacher no teach me nonsense level(bantu style).make we yarn small.......

MUSIC YARN
E get dis guy wey i dey feel big time now,na ACE be hin name.if you never hear hin tracks,download am for here.that hin "finger work" song dey tite(shey blogging na finger work?i no know sef!help me ask ace when una see am).

Omo,da grin get mouth(ole nu pa).hin album CEO(chief executive omoita) hot like fire.try buy am.

I think i tell una,dat boy oluwe na something else.hin new song "ewe lowo" where hin feature dagrin na straight banger.dat song too tight(awon boys won koje bi ewe).

Yes boss,i hear say naeto c and ikechukwu no dey yarn again.(wetin cerious music don join together,make no mo hits put am assunder).

Abeg,make una helep me yarn kel say i don dey move,dat her album "the investment" dey blow my mind.

Dat don jazzy boy waka don dey fear me,i hear say hin wan sign terry g.(abi him wan pai everybody for industry)

VIDEO YARN
Walahi,i no dey watch videos again.who even release video sef?nothing dey happen for here jo.

DJ zeez,where you dey?wey the video for fokasibe?i don tire to dey wait?

Ehen!!!i hear say dem nominate some of my boyz for video awards.i no even remember which kain award dem call am sef.....em....em....em........OKAY!!!!!na mtv africa music awards.Tuface get 4,Dbanj get 3,M.I & P square get 2,Kel,Dare art alade & Bigiano get 1.na the full list be this.

Best Male
2 Face (Nigeria)
HHP (South Africa)
D’Banj (Nigeria)
Nameless (Kenya)
Da L.E.S. (South Africa

Best New Act
M.I. (Nigeria)
Shaa (Tanzania)
STL (Kenya)
Bigiano (Nigeria)
Rhythmic Elements (South Africa)

Best Hip Hop
M.I. (Nigeria)
A.Y. (Tanzania)
Zulu Boy (South Africa)
Jay-Z (USA)
Kanye West (USA)

Best Female
Kel (Nigeria)
Amani (Kenya)
Lira (South Africa)
Zamajobe (South Africa)
Lizha James (Mozambique)

Best Performer
P-Square (Nigeria)
D’Banj (Nigeria)
Samini (Ghana)
Nameless (Kenya)
Blu*3 (Uganda)

Best R&B
2 Face (Nigeria)
Darey Art Alade (Nigeria)
Loyiso (South Africa)
Beyoncé (USA)
Akon (USA)

Best Group
P-Square (Nigeria)
Blu*3 (Uganda)
Gang of Instrumentals (South Africa)
Mo Hits Allstars (Nigeria)
Gal Level (Namibia)

Artist of The Year
2 Face (Nigeria)
D’banj (Nigeria)
Lira (South Africa)
HHP (South Africa)
Nameless (Kenya)

Best Alternative
Green Day (USA)
Coldplay (UK)
Cassette (South Africa)
Zebra & Giraffe (South Africa)
Aking (South Africa)

Best Video
2Face – Enter The Place (Nigeria)
XOD – I Want You Back (Uganda)
HHP – Mpitse (South Africa)
Da L.E.S. – We on Fire (South Africa)
Wahu ft Bobi Wine – Little Things You Do (Kenya).

e be like say na only 2face & dbanj e sure for.na wetin me i think be dat o...make una go vote for www.mama. mtvbase.com or www.mtvmama.mobi. before october 5.

E DEY HAPPEN
If u never hear,if na abeokuta u dey stay(under rock).make i give you latest gist.sean paul dey come naija september 25th,na dem odeme people(guinness) dey bring am come.no dull yourself o.wetin just dey pain me be say dem no invite pype make hin come perform for there.maybe if hin perform,sean paul fit like am,carry am go yankee.MI,Dbanj,Tuface,P square & Wande coal go dey there.

Ramadan kareem to my muslim people dem dem.abeg no forget to send my ram o.wetin i know be say one place go dey online where you fit buy e-ram,so i go check my email when time reach.

AIN'T NO LOVE-NAIJA'S MOST UNDERATED

How do you define an underated artiste?an underated artiste is someone who is too good for his/her own good and has somehow managed to slip under the consciousness of the general public.i always feel very sad whenever i see talented artistes not been recognised,while the mediocre ones take all the glory.

1.Tony tetuila:Anthony Awotoye
Most people might not agree with this,but throughout his whole career till date,tetuila has never released an album without having hit singles that top the charts.he was the first artiste to show us that there was life after kennis music contrary to earlier beliefs.ever since he was ostracized from remedies,tetuila has continually proved critics wrong.you will be hard pressed to find an artiste on his level with a proven track record of hit making.

Discography:
Morning time
My car
E go better
Free soldier

Hit file:
omode meta,morning time,kind of woman,my car,e go better,fefe ne fe,two women,omolara,rock da party


2.Sound sultan:Lanre Fasasi
Sound sultan is a great example of being too good for your own good.what is it that he can't do,he sings,he raps,and he is one of the few Nigerian artistes that actually play an instrument.i can't really place my finger on sultan's problem,he is talented,consistent & even makes great songs,why he is yet to blow up big time still baffles me.when you talk about making solid albums and hit songs,he does it year in year out but still doesn't get the respect he deserves.

Discography:
Jagbajantis
The compulsory textbook
SS4

Hit file:
Koleyewon,mathematics,gengen,back in the days,motherland,oko won lode,bush meat

3.Modenine:Segun babatunde
One of africa's best lyricist,modey has a way with words,he is quite sharp and witty.been around for a couple of years now but for some reasons he doesn't get the accolades some rappers that came after him get.a lot of people find it hard to relate to his raps,maybe because he is deep and is not ready to dumb down his flows now.although he has a loyal fan base which a lot of his peers envy him for,he is still yet to blow up big time.if there was a school of rap modey will graduate with honours.

Discography:
Malcolm ix
Pentium ix
One amongst many
Paradigm shift


Hit file:
elbow room,formidable,cry,Nigerian girls,death blow,360 poetry,spazmodic,spartan


4.Shola allynson:shola obaniyi
When you need pure and undiluted yoruba R&B,shola is the one to call.after getting her big break from making movie soundtracks,she has successfully established herself in the industry with hit album after hit album.even though she is a better song writer and composer than most of her peers,she is yet to make it into the mainstream.she is widely respected for her soulful and inspiring songs.

Discography:
Eji owuro
Gbeje fori
Ire

Hit file:
eji owuro,omo tuntun,aiye ofe,akosile,oreke lewa,gbeje fori,ire,obinrin,ayanmo ife,imole atan


5.Beautiful nubia:segun akinlolu
it's quite difficult to place beautiful nubia in a category/genre but he can be best described as an afrocentric/roots renaissance artiste.with seven albums under his belt already,its quite difficult to figure out why he is yet to recieve due recognition for his contribution to the Nigerian music scene.he is quite capable of crafting inspiring songs.

Discography:
Seven lives
Voice from heaven
Fire on the roof
Jangbalajugbu
Awilele
Fere
Kilokilo

Hit file:
What a feeling,seven lives,owuro l'ojo,awon agba,ife oloyin,ikoko akufo,iba f'olojo,jejeje


Asa would have been no 1 on this list,if not for divine intervention.we thank God for saving her from the clutches of kelvin luciano & ?.

OPERATION RHYME BY FORCE 2

Wonders shall never end,naija artistes and their unquotables.

Modenine{Freestyle}-"They know me in Europe and they know me in Italy and Belgium"
-last time i checked italy & belgium was still in europe.

Saucekid{hello}-"increase the tap to the loudest"
-i believe the taps in sauce kid's cribs must be speakers.

Deebee{collabo}-"i'm like desperado,tori mo le kolabo,de ado"
-classic example of rhyming by force.

Jazzman Olofin{Shake Something}-"Twist your belly/Like spaghetti"
-what does belly have to do with spaghetti?

Yq{gigolo}-"i be miraculous child like pastor and woli"
-i thought pastor and woli meant the same thing.

Sasha{emi le gan}-"Am not afraid to flip it in your flop"
-how do you flip in flop?very confusing.

Timaya{Chinekemeh}-"Right now i dey strike like thunder,very soon i go dey blow like bazooka"
-maybe thunder strikes in bayelsa,where iam from lightning does.

P square{busy body}-"when i first saw her she was looking like an angelite,flashing like a lighter ina the candlelight"
-is this english or what?what is an angelite?

M.I{gbono feli feli(freestyle)}-"u can't copy me i solo like isolo"
-incredibly stupid and weak.

Sasha{emi le gan}-"its not a game,when iam on the mic its a shame"
-are you dissing yourself or what?

Sound sultan{my year-freestyle}-"dem dey celebrate us like festival,won tun ko wa je bi carnival"
-i never knew carnivals were edible.

OD-"I freeze MC's just like a pack of jello"
-Jell o certainly does not freeze.

Illbliss{glory}-"to God be the glory,ibo boy u no holy"
-creative rubbish.

Paul play{wetin dey-ruff,rugged & raw}-"ota poju enemy lo o"
-paul play was just playing with words.

Blaise{braggin rights-freestyle}-"my presence is your circumstance"
-how can your presence be someone's circumstance.

Ice prince{choc boyz-m.i}-"flow so bloody,just making my menses"
-you call this rhyming!!!!!

OPERATION RHYME BY FORCE

I know that most naija artistes are lyrically unfit but i never knew they were this bad,i saw this in an edition of dynamix magazine and so i decided to bring it to your notice.abi na by force to rhyme?these are some of the worst lines used by Nigerian artistes.if you know of some please kindly drop it in the comments section.i hope you enjoy this as much as much as i did.

Tuface{ole-sound sultan}-"na why i table the matter on the floor"
-would he have tabled it in the air?when he has tabled the matter already,what's the floor got to do with it?

Modenine{it's a goal}-"my cool flow brings ac to milan"
-how does that connect?his cool flows transports air conditioners to milan?

Faze{originality}-"if you wan know me better,go wake baba fela"
-That's not only senseless,its insulting.respect the dead.

M.I{blaze}-"my music like marijuana,you wanna get high brother,you die smoking the guana"
-very contradictory.

Gino{no be God}-"i knew my future was tall"
-future could be bright,not tall

9ice{street credibility}-"my brain drain working all day like say i no be man made"
-first off,how is it possible to own or have brain drain?he talks about originality & here he claims to be man made.

Ruggedman{peace or war}-"i took it with a pinch of salt & a bottle of malt"
-imagine what that would taste like.

Pherowshuz-"i can get your car lost like santana"
-carlos santana gets car lost?

P square{busy body(remix)}-"to the middle of the centre"
-creatively dumb.

Freestyle-"hold my breath under water like tilapia"
-since when has fishes begun to hold their breath under water.

Skuki{fire}-"bend it low like you are living in abungalow"
-now these guys are telling us that people living in bungalows bend it low.

2shotz-"Umunamu just entered the door"
-do you enter a door or enter through a door

EMBER MUSIC

In Nigeria the ember months are reknowned for tragedy.once the last 4 months of the year rolls in,the average Nigerian becomes jittery and prayerful.some run to their pastors while others run to their imams but iam not a superstitious person what i do is take solace in music(that is not to say that i don't pray).over the years i have noticed that the best music gets released in the ember months.i can't really explain why it is like that but i believe everyone is just trying to put in work before the year runs out.

Iam not so sure about this but i believe these albums came out in ember months(cos in naija we don't have release dates).M.I's talk about it,Timaya's true story,Dbanj's the entertainer,p square's game over e.t.c.but looking at the industry right now,iam not so sure about this year.the kind of music on rotation right now is kind of shitty and iam starting to think that this year will be different.first off is p square's ist single "danger" off their 4th album of the same title(that song is so awful & unbelieveable,i guess it is the okoye's time to catch a brick).modenine was rumored to be dropping something on 09/09/09(we still ain't heard nothing yet).m.i's MI2 is highly anticipated but i keep having this feeling that replicating the success of talk about it will be a mission impossible for m.i(i didn't say it,m.i did).

The only albums iam anticipating now are kel's the investment(wa waa alright & too fine were great appetizers,waiting for the full course),bouqui's redefinition(morile has got me wanting more),9ice's tradition(iam yearning for that alapomeji music) & paul play's MVP/club life(if it sees the light of day).with eldee going soft right now,anything from 2shotz or freestyle will be greatly welcomed(some real trybe music).naeto c(some cerious music to slow down the choc city takeover) & ruggedman(when you are under attack,a solid album is all you need to make a statement).terry g(please free madness totally,iam getting sick of mo hits).Sasha(your reign is coming to an end,don't sleep).tony tetuila(time is running out).vector(surprise us,so we can talk about you like m.i).klever jay(igboro oti daru to,the streets never scatter reach o).eedris abdulkareem(jaga jaga pt 2 will be in order).Knighthouse(mio ti beri o).kelly hansome(keep the kennis music flag flying).

People whose album i don't want to hear till next year........

1.Styl plus-another flop right now will be the end.

2.Tuface-there will be enough time for damage control next year,lay low.

3.Eldee-Unless you decide to come hard,just keep your songs on your hard drive.

4.Timaya-iam just not interested right now.

5.Faze-no more originality fiasco.

it is that time of the year so lets just sit back and take whatever we are offered.pump up that ember music.

POISONED PEN 3

Does dbanj really charge 2 million naira for guest appearances?

When will lkt's unanticipated album drop?

With names like bracket,minus 2,plus 1 and p square,is it safe to say we are learning BODMAS again?

Is don jazzy & dbanj trying to sign 9ice to mo hits?

Wouldn't it be sad if wande coal's mushin 2 mohits album ends up being the best album of 2009?

Why do most naija artistes wait for a year before releasing their videos?

Who will make a better secret agent?dbanj in ogbono feli feli or naeto c in kini big deal?

Where is infinity?

Was zaaki adze trying to resurrect his career by appearing on back to the roots?

Is kennis music's jay won not a counterfeit version of 9ice?

Ain't we all eagerly awaiting ruggedman vs modenine round 2?

Won't it be great if Nigerians had half the passion & love they have for football for music?

Don't you think dare art alade will be better off releasing an entire album filled with remakes of yesteryears hits?

If NBC bans bigiano's shayo & wande coal's bumper to bumper what will happen to seantero's choko?

What happened to djinee,m.i & ice prince on hip on tv?did they forget that pounded yam is supposed to be eaten with the hands?

Will M.i's "somebody is about to die" be the biggest blunder of his career?

Shouldn't cartiair's owo ati swagger win an award for wackest song of the year?

Isn't alariwo's 11th anniversary gig a good example of corporate begging?

Did bolanle okhiria break out the kneepads to win koko mansion?isn't that what being a kokolet all about?

Am i not the best blogger in my field?