Let’s get into this ranking. 

10. Once Upon a Time — Tiwa Savage, 2013

Tiwa Savage doesn’t get enough credit for how she has and continues to impact afrobeats. At a time when the Nigerian scene was a boys’ club, she came in and disrupted the system. 

But while there was a lot of anticipation for her debut album, Once Upon a Time, after excellent back-to-back singles — from Kele Kele Love to Without My Heart — outside of a few standouts like Middle Passage, Folarin and Ileke, most of the non-singles on the album sounded like filler tracks. That being said, an excellent replacement for this album would be Tiwa’s 2020 masterpiece, Celia, which finally found the balance between vocalist and club-friendly Tiwa. 

9. Get Squared — P-Square, 2005 

Can we go back to the smooth R&B days when men were dramatic AF, break-dancing shirtless in the rain and singing about how they could treat every girl better than their current man? When they made Get Squared, Peter and Paul were knee-deep in their afro-R&B F-Boy bag. They served breakfast on Temptation, got breakfast in return on Omoge Mi, pulled up to the club in Bizzy Body and ended up with the popo on Oga Police. These men didn’t put Mary Slessor to shame with this album, and it definitely deserves to be on this list. 

8. Baddest Guy Ever Liveth — Olamide, 2013

Forget conversations about any big three; Olamide has always been an afrobeats icon. Since his 2010 breakout with Eni Duro, Olamide has used his music as a bridge that connected audiences to the streets of Lagos. Olamide made street pop cool, and now, we have artistes like Naira Marley, Asake, Zinoleesky and Seyi Vibez. 

Baddest Guy Ever Liveth is top three Olamide, and it’s not number three. With songs like Eleda Mi O, the fuji-inspired Anifowose and Durosoke, Olamide created an album that started his legacy as an afrobeats GOAT deserving of a spot on this list. 

7. Mama Africa — Yemi Alade, 2016

Say what you want about Yemi Alade, but the woman knows her sound and audience. Fresh off the success of 2014’s King of Queens, which had her breakout hit, Johnny, Yemi Alade dropped Mama Africa in 2016 and became a Pan-African rockstar. While the album had bangers like Na Gode, Ferrari and Mama, the production sometimes feels repetitive, but how can anyone hate on that with Asake playing everywhere? Yemi Alade deserves her flowers for the colour she brings to afrobeats, and even Beyoncé agrees. 

6. A Good Time — Davido, 2019

We all love Davido, but before A Good Time, I never saw him as an album artist, especially after listening to OBO: The Genesis. A Good Time works well because it’s a collection of singles compiled over two years. That being said, the singles, from If to Fall and Assurance, all slap. Davido should also get a lifetime supply of agege bread for putting Wurld, Naira Marley and Zlatan on one track. However, although Davido’s contribution to afrobeats remains goated, this album shouldn’t be on this list. If we were talking about the greatest songs, that’d be a different case. 

RECOMMENDED: The Real 30BG Know These Are the 15 Greatest Davido Songs of ALL Time 

5. Superstar — Wizkid, 2011

An album title can describe many things: the emotions the artistes went through while creating it, how they want their audience to feel, or their view of the world. For Wizkid, his debut album Superstar was prophetic. 

Guided by Banky W, the singer delivered one of the most impressive debut albums in Nigerian history. With hits like Love My Baby and Pakurumo, and deep cuts like Scatter the Floor and No Lele, Wizkid had the world in his hands and still has it over a decade later. That being said, Made in Lagos, a more cohesive and expansive work, is a better album and should’ve been on this list instead. 

4. African Giant — Burna Boy, 2019

Whether or not African Giant is Burna Boy’s best album is up for debate. However, it’d be almost impossible to talk about the trajectory of afrobeats, especially for our generation, without mentioning the album that should’ve gotten Burna Boy his first Grammy. 

From award bait collaborations with Damian Marley Jr, M.anifest and Angelique Kidjoe, to viral singles like Anybody, Killin Dem and Dangote, Burna Boy made a statement with African Giant, and the world listened. 

3. Expensive Shit — Fela Kuti, 1975

This entry is how you know AI ain’t shit. Fela isn’t an afrobeats artiste, he made afrobeat music. 

Afrobeat is a music genre that fuses West African musical styles, such as fuji and highlife, with jazz, soul and funk. The genre is mainly recorded with heavy live instrumentation and was made famous by Fela Kuti, a pioneer. Meanwhile, afrobeats is a term that groups African pop music genres with diverse influences, such as rap, reggae, soul and R&B. 

Since Fela doesn’t make afrobeats, he shouldn’t be on this list. 

2. Juju Music — King Sunny Ade, 1982 

Honestly, I’d never listened to King Sunny Ade’s Juju Music until now — let me tell the truth and shame the devil. However, listening to the album for the first time was a major experience because I realised I knew most of the songs. Living in Lagos and attending events with my mum introduced me to jams like Ja Funmi, Ma Jaiye Oni, and 365 is My Number. King Sunny Ade’s music makes it hard to pick between sitting down to relax and standing up to bust a move. This is an incredible album. However, whether or not it’s an afrobeats album is up for discussion.  

1. Zombie — Fela Kuti, 1977 

Fela’s Zombie is an iconic album. With just four tracks that last almost an hour altogether, the album is an enjoyable political statement that reminds us that not much has changed since 1977; after all, the government is still fucking us over. But despite being a great album, I’d like to refer to my last Fela entry. Dear, this isn’t an afrobeats album; it’s afrobeat. So much for the “intelligence” part of Artificial Intelligence. 

ALSO READ: The Greatest Nollywood Films According to ChatGPT, Ranked

Korean cinema has been delivering insane content long before and after 2019’s Parasite became a cultural phenomenon. If you’ve seen Parasite, and you’re looking for more Korean content to satisfy your craving, this list is for you. But if you’ve not seen any Korean films at all, then omo, I curated this list especially for you. 

Burning, 2018

If there’s one film that captures the term slow burn to a “T”, it’s Burning. Featuring Steve Yeun, who you might recognise from Jordan Peele’s Nope or the Netflix road rage series, Beef, this unpredictable thriller starts simple but descends into chaos as it spirals towards its end. After all, what could go wrong in a story about a man, his childhood friend who asks him to look after her cat while she’s away, and the mysterious man she comes back with? Basic, right? 

Mother, 2009

Few films have been able to stress me out the way Mother did. Mother is one of those films that stays with you long after the end credits hit the screen. The murder mystery places a single mother at the centre of its story as she embarks on a mission to clear her mentally ill son’s name after he’s accused of killing a young schoolgirl. Let me say that nothing, I repeat, nothing will prepare you for the final scene. Good luck, though. 

The Handmaiden, 2016

The Handmaiden is a masterclass in delivering twist after twist and turning a story on its head countless times. When you think you know where the film is going, this iconic queer thriller throws another wrench that leaves your jaw on the floor. The Handmaiden follows the relationship between a wealthy-ass Japanese heiress, the handmaiden hired to look after her, the con man who hired the handmaiden to help scam the heiress and lots of steamy sex. The Handmaiden is one Korean film I wouldn’t advise you to watch with your family, dear. 

Memories of Murder, 2003

Not to sound biased, but Memories of Murder is the greatest Korean murder mystery of all time, up there with David Fincher’s Se7en as one of the GOATs, period. Memories of Murder tells the story of a pair of local police officers whose lives are changed by a serial killer who targets young women and the big city investigator who comes to their village to help solve the case. Disturbing, hilarious and heartbreaking all at the same time, the film is allegedly based on a true story, making it even more unsettling. 

Train to Busan, 2016

Zombie apocalypse films have been done so many times (Resident Evil one to 100) that they don’t slap anymore. The characters don’t feel human, so just like the zombies, we start viewing them as disposable slabs of meat. Train to Busan, however, makes its audience connect and root for the humans as we follow a divorced dad, his daughter and several other colourful characters who try to survive a zombie attack on a moving train. It didn’t help that I watched this movie in 2020, right before the coronavirus gist started spreading. 

Parasite, 2019

Parasite is the most popular Korean film from the last decade, and for good reason. The first non-English film to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 2020, Parasite is a dark comedy that explores class differences through the eyes of two families, one rich and the other poor. A major achievement in filmmaking, Parasite will leave you all up in your feelings as you watch that “eat the rich” saying come to life right before you. 

RECOMMENDATIONS: Everybody Likes Lee Min Ho, but in 2022? Come On

The Wailing, 2016

Let me start by saying The Wailing is long and confusing AF. I’ve seen it twice, and honestly, I’m not sure I get the whole gist. This is not to say that The Wailing is bad; it’s just hard to grasp fully, but best believe you’ll feel like you’ve seen a masterpiece when you’re done. The horror film follows a police officer who embarks on a race against time to save his daughter and his village from a mysterious sickness that turns its victims into unhinged demons. You know a horror film means business when a child is involved. 

Old Boy, 2003

Before Parasite became an international hit, Old Boy was arguably the biggest Korean film to hit the market in the early 2000s, inspiring a bland American remake with Elizabeth Olsen (of WandaVision). This intelligent and super violent thriller follows a man who, when freed from 15 years of confinement, is given five days to find and exact revenge on the people who stole over a decade of his life. 

The Host, 2006

Monster films like Godzilla, Jurassic Park and co, tend to be major blockbusters people love more for the grand scale of production and CGI than the actual story (if there’s any, to be honest). However, with The Host, we see a monster movie whose social commentary isn’t drowned out by green screen visuals or cool tricks. The horror film follows a man who must save his daughter after she’s snatched up by an S-shaped monster created from chemicals dumped into the Han River. 

Decision to Leave, 2022

If there’s one thing you’ll learn after watching Decision to Leave, it’s that sometimes, it’s good to mind the business that pays you and avoid trouble. This 2022 romantic thriller follows an insomniac detective who becomes infatuated with a widow suspected of killing her husband. Like, he heard she might be a murderer and still said, “Yes, baby. Off my pant.” In this life, fear men. 

Silenced, 2011

Based on the novel The Crucible by Gong Ji-young, and real-life events in a school in Korea, Silenced follows an art teacher who arrives at a school for hard-of-hearing children, only to discover that their teachers sexually and physically abuse the students. Silenced might be a hard watch, but it’s also a necessary one, as differently-abled people rarely get to have their stories told with such care and nuance. 

I Saw the Devil, 2010

In this bloody Korean thriller, an intelligence agent’s pregnant fianceé is brutally murdered by a psychopathic serial killer, forcing the agent to go rogue in a bid to ensure that the killer ends up suffering for an extended period of time, and not in prison. While I support letting the law take charge when it comes to crime, I also support the protagonist here. Like the popular Stanley Okorie song goes, “In this life, you reap what you sow.” 

You can find these films on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or any streaming service you use.

ALSO READ: The Ultimate K-Pop Beginner Playlist From One K-Pop Newbie to Another

One of these artistes is Kcee. With 20 years in the game, Kcee has had an enduring career that’s outlasted many of our faves from back in the day. While many other artistes from the early 2000s have struggled with keeping up with the times, Kcee has reinvented himself repeatedly, reappearing on the charts and in conversations you least expect him in. 

With the increasing popularity of his latest hit, Ojapiano, we’ve decided to revisit his career and give flowers to a hitmaker who’s transcended multiple generations. 

The Kennis Music Era 

We can’t talk about Kcee without mentioning his KC Presh days. Kcee, alongside his friend Precious John, became famous as KC Presh in 2002, when they won the maiden edition of the reality singing series, Star Quest. The win got them a deal with Kennis Music — home to Eedris Abdulkareem, Tuface Idibia (now known as 2Baba) and Tony Tetuila — where they released their gospel-inspired debut album in 2003 and delivered jams like Sio Npo (Make a Noise), KC Presh Anthem and My Reign with Zaaki. 

The Blingz Record Era 

Stepping away from a major label can either make or break an artiste. So it’s safe to say audiences were shocked when KC Presh decided to leave Kennis Music, arguably the biggest record label at the time, to start their label, KP Records, in 2006. 

Two years later, the duo re-launched the label as Blingz Record and finally released their first album post-Kennis Music, No Time, in 2008. The album was responsible for hits like Shokori Bobo, U Said U Love Me and Ginger Your Swagger with Timaya.

Just Kcee, no Presh: The solo hit maker 

2011 was the year KC Presh decided to say goodbye to each other, after over a decade of hits. This breakup notably impacted the Nigerian music scene at the time. Just like Plantashun Boiz before them and P-Square after, the separation put a lot of pressure on the now solo artistes to deliver songs to rival their group efforts. 

Kcee flourished under the pressure, returning with a string of hits that solidified his spot as a major player in the game. There was no escaping Limpopo in 2012, and his 2013 debut solo album, Take Over, introduced us to Pullover with Wizkid and Don Jazzy and the wildly underrated Give it to Me with Flavour. 

RECOMMENDED: Sarz’s Biggest Bangers Ranked by Twerkability

Batman Kcee, meet Robin Harrysong 

Kcee might’ve been solo after leaving KC Presh, but that didn’t mean he was alone. Like Don Jazzy and D’Banj back then, and Olamide and Asake now, Kcee buddied up with Harrysong, his Star Music labelmate. They became inseparable, giving us bangers from 2014 to 2017, when they allegedly parted ways. 

Kcee goes to church 

The lockdown of 2020 changed us in many ways. Some of us considered opening a bakery after successfully baking one loaf of banana bread. But for Kcee, it meant going back to his gospel roots. In 2021, he collaborated with Okwesili Eze Group to take gospel music to the clubs with Cultural Praise. The song had everyone in the spirit and became such a cultural phenomenon that Kcee decided to tap into his inner Nathaniel Bassey with Volume Two to Volume Five, and a sequel, Cultural Vibes, at the end of that year. 

What happens when you mix Amapiano with palm wine music?  

Everyone is making Amapiano music now. From Wande Coal to Asake, an Amapiano hit is the music version of when Nigerian tech bros decide it’s time to grow dreadlocks, pierce their eyelids and paint their nails. How else will you know you’ve made it in 2023 if people can’t blow loud whistles to your song? 

Kcee understood the Amapiano craze but took it a step further. Instead of making a random Amapiano song, he created a sound that merged the South African import with his signature Igbo instruments and melody, delivering one of the year’s biggest hits, Ojapiano. 

With Ojapiano, Kcee has reinvented himself one more time, fitting comfortably into the current trend without losing the ethos of what made his music popular 20 years ago. 

ALSO READ: 10 Random AF Collabs No One Saw Coming…But Still Worked

Nollywood has had multiple generations of stars and fans over the years. 1990s Nollywood introduced us to OGs like Saint Obi, Susan Patrick and Regina Askia. We fell in love with RMD, Genevieve Nnaji and Omotola Jalade Ekeinde in the early 2000s. We copied fashion trends from Ini Edo, Jim Iyke and Rita Dominic in the mid-2000s. And unlocked box office magic in the 2010s with the help of Adesua Etomi, Deyemi Okanlawon and Somkele Iyamah. 

But with streaming and international projects quickly becoming the norm, a new crop of bankable stars is set to join the OGs. Read this list and learn their names because there’s a strong chance they’ll be on your screens for a long time. 

Tobi Bakre 

If there’s one Big Brother alum who’s been able to beat the “can’t act” allegations, it’s Tobi Bakre. At a time when Nollywood struggled to find leading men capable of selling movies with their charisma and looks, Tobi came in and also decided to embark on the herculean task of carrying the industry’s action genre on his back. 

While films like Sugar Rush and Rattlesnake ignited that spark in Tobi’s audience, his deadly collaborations with Jade Osiberu in Brotherhood and Gangs of Lagos solidified his position as one of the biggest stars of our generation. 

Genoveva Umeh 

Genoveva Umeh was inescapable in 2022. Between a major standoff against Kate Henshaw in the EbonyLife Thelma and Louise-inspired thriller Blood Sisters and her shippable moments with Natse Jemide on Far From Home, Genoveva was lowkey the queen of streaming last year. 

With her current role on the new season of MTV Shuga and an appearance in the upcoming Amazon Prime original film, Breath of Life, opposite Wale Ojo and Eku Edewor, it looks like Genoveva will be around for a long time. But I don’t think anyone is complaining. 

Chimezie Imo

Chimezie Imo is one of the few actors Nollywood doesn’t deserve but desperately needs. Whether he’s playing a troubled or thrill-seeking teen in coming-of-age films like Nimbe and Kasala, or the lead in a psychological thriller like Choke, Chimezie always eats, proving that he’s criminally underrated and incredibly talented. 

With Chimezie, you never know what to expect. But that’s what you get from an actor whose range could either keep you at the edge of your seat or leave you in a puddle of tears. Look out for the actor in Breath of Life, Amazon Prime’s upcoming drama co-starring Genoveva Umeh and Wale Ojo. 

Uzoamaka Aniunoh 

You might want to remember this name because this actress will have an incredible 2023 (and a long career, to be honest). After capturing our attention with her performance in shows like MTV Shuga and Africa Magic’s Venge, Uzoamaka has grown into one of Nollywood’s biggest rising stars, with a starring role on Showmax’s Diiche, the recent Domitilla reboot, Dika Ofoma’s upcoming short, A Quiet Monday, and Mami Wata, the CJ Obasi-directed fantasy drama. 

Outside of acting, Uzoamaka is also an acclaimed director, with her short film, Love Language, set to reach audiences in 2023. 

Demi Banwo 

Demi Banwo has probably been in every Nollywood project you’ve seen. From indie projects, like Abba T Makama’s The Lost Okoroshi and Damilola Orimogunje’s For Maria, to blockbusters like Niyi Akinmolayan’s Chief Daddy and Jade Osiberu’s Gangs of Lagos (which he also executive produced), Demi’s impressive resumé is indicative of an actor willing to elevate whatever role he’s given, no matter how small. 

Demi is set to step into the leading man ring sometime in 2023 with TOSOB (we need someone to decipher this title), the boxing drama that’ll have him facing off against Tobi Bakre. 

RECOMMENDED: How Damilola Orimogunje and Meg Otanwa Made “For Maria”, a Nollywood Game Changer

Teniola Aladese 

There’s a scene from the first season of the AMVCA award-winning show, Ricordi, where Teniola Aladese’s character, Adesoye, gets involved in a confrontation that leaves the audience heartbroken. What could’ve easily turned into a melodramatic scene becomes a gut-wrenching moment for the audience thanks to Teniola’s nuanced performance. The actress has brought this captivating presence to a wide range of film and television projects over the past few years. 

Jammal Ibrahim 

Nollywood action stars don’t just exist in film; they exist on TV shows too. And Jammal Ibrahim is one actor who has the genre in his hands. The Crime and Justice: Lagos actor has proven he’s a double threat on screen, pulling physical and emotional punches in his role as Detective Danladi. With Nollywood finally taking a break from rom-coms to focus on action projects, Jammal is quickly working his way to becoming the bad-ass action star we didn’t know we needed. 

Olarotimi Fakunle 

Gangs of Lagos might’ve been the Tobi Bakre show. Still, there’s no way anyone who saw Jade Osiberu’s Amazon Prime debut didn’t turn off their screens thinking about Olarotimi Fakunle’s performance as Kazeem, AKA Eleniyan. The nuance and depth Olakunle brought to his role as Kazeem helped audiences connect to a man who just wants to be seen, despite all his unhinged acts. 

It’s easy to play a villain audiences can hate, but over time I’ve come to understand that the best villains are the ones audiences can understand or relate to (this is why people still mess with Thanos and Namor to this day). 

Paul Nnadiekwe

Paul Nnadiekwe’s big Nollywood moment came with in 2022 with his lead role as Ayo in the NdaniTV underrated gem, Schooled. While it looks like Nollywood hasn’t utilised his talents as they should, everything is about to change for the charismatic actor, with leading roles in Everything Scatter, Jade Osiberu’s follow-up to Gangs of Lagos, and Ahamefuna, Kayode Kasum’s upcoming Igbo apprenticeship drama. 

Onyinye Odokoro

Onyinye Odokoro is more than a Nollywood star; she’s a global superstar. From her role in Dika Ofoma’s nuanced story of letting go, A Japa Tale, to Africa Magic’s Dilemma and the British Sky Original show, Unwanted, Onyinye has captured audiences across continents with her incredible talent. With 2022 already marking a pivotal moment in her career and 2023 kicking off with her lead role in the Domitilla reboot, Onyinye seems poised to rule the screen for a long time. 

ALSO READ: 7 Brilliant Nollywood Short Films That Need to Be on Your 2023 Watchlist

The book, which details her professional and personal journey, has become a hot topic online, so we decided to get into some of the most interesting revelations it contains. 

Confirmation of her relationship with Sarkodie and the baby they never had

Rumours have gone on for years about Yvonne Nelson’s alleged relationship with Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie. 

Finally confirming the gist that’s been drifting around for over a decade, Yvonne details her relationship with Sarkodie, which ended in 2010 after she had an abortion. The book goes into graphic details about the process, Sarkodie’s decision to abandon her at her lowest point and the trauma that followed her choice back then. 

The story of her break up with Iyanya and Tonto Dikeh’s alleged role in everything 

Remember when Iyanya sang “Yvonne Nelson, I have your medicine” in Your Waist in 2012 and ended up dating and tattooing Yvonne Nelson’s name on his body?  Good old days. 

Almost a decade after their relationship ended in 2013, which Yvonne briefly discussed on The Juice with Toolz, the actress and producer details the events leading up to their break up. She claims that Iyanya not only cheated on her but did it with multiple women, including Tonto Dikeh. While we wait for Tonto to break the internet with a response, Iyanya has taken the book as an opportunity to promote his latest EP, ironically titled Love & Trust, which slaps, by the way. 

She accused Nollywood of being an industry of pimps

Pulling her own Caroline from Real Housewives of Lagos card, Yvonne goes into alleged cases of actresses and actors being pimped out to Nigeria’s financial and political elites. While she doesn’t mention names, she goes on about her experience and how she avoided following the same pattern during her time in Nollywood.

RECOMMENDED: 8 of the Coolest New School Artistes to Help You Get Into Ghana’s Music Scene

Genevieve Nnaji makes an appearance 

If, like me, you were gagging after seeing  “Genevieve Nnaji and the Rest” as the title of the book’s 14th chapter, then I’m sorry to disappoint you. It’s not like I was expecting something scandalous about my unproblematic queen, but not everyone in this book has been mentioned for good, so there were some mild heart palpitations. 

The 14th chapter of the book talks about her time working with Ms Nnaji on the set of the 2008 Ikechukwu Onyeka-directed film, To Love And To Cherish, which also starred Chidi Mokeme. In the book, Yvonne talks about how great it was to work with Genevieve, and that was it. 

Yvonne Nelson would’ve been a politician if not for John Dumelo 

Another takeaway from Yvonne’s memoir is her brief stint in politics and how it ended because of her loyalty to John Dumelo. 

In the book, Yvonne talks about how she was approached in 2020 by a few politicians to run for a seat in Ghana’s parliament. The actress explains that she turned down the opportunity because her friend and fellow actor, John Dumelo, was contesting in the same elections. John, who lost the election but plans to run again in 2024, confirmed this in a now-deleted tweet. 

The identity crisis that followed a shocking discovery about her “dad”

While a lot of the drama trailing Yvonne Nelson’s memoir has focused on her romantic relationships, the book’s main focus and inspiration behind its title comes from her relationship with her parents. 

In the book, Yvonne reveals a shocking fact about her family. Her mum had claimed a certain Oko Nelson was Yvonne’s father all her life despite the man’s counterclaim that she wasn’t his daughter. For years, Yvonne and her alleged father were estranged over the belief that he didn’t claim her. It wasn’t until Mr Nelson was fatally ill  that her mum finally revealed that he wasn’t her dad. 

Yvonne details the regret and pain that followed this revelation and how Mr Nelson’s death further compounded it. This confusion about her paternity informed the book’s title, I Am Not Yvonne Nelson, after finding out that  the man whose name she’s carried over the years wasn’t her real dad. 

You can find Yvonne’s memoir here. 

ALSO READ: Stanley Okorie Sang “Billionaire” But His First Salary Was a Bottle of Sprite

With soundtrack credits on over 1,000 Nollywood films, Stanley Okorie is the singer and composer behind songs like Karishika (Queen of Demons) from the 1996 film of the same name, the popular Nkem Owoh song, I Go Chop Your Dollar (Stanley sang the song while Nkem Owoh lip synced Drag-race style) from the 2004 film, The Master, and the recently viral Billionaire (Onye Ji Cash) from 2019’s Return of the Billionaire that seems to be setting the streets of TikTok on fire. 

Catching up with the singer in May 2023, he talks about his entry into Nollywood at a time when the industry depended on soundtracks to push storytelling, the struggles of navigating Nollywood in the 1990s and early 2000s and the hilarious story of how he got paid with a bottle of Sprite for his first soundtrack. 

Source: Provided by subject

Let’s talk about what I like to call the Stanley Okorie Renaissance. 

It’s been amazing and pleasantly surprising that the music I made in the 1990s and early 2000s is getting attention these many years later, on platforms I’m still learning about. It makes me feel like I didn’t waste my time back then because I made music I liked, not necessarily for anyone in particular. But there’s also a sense of feeling challenged by it all. If the work I did back then can hold its own decades later, I need to make new music that can have the same value years from now. 

Fun fact: the people who were ten years old at the start of my career are now parents in their 30s and early 40s. How time flies. 

I’m one of them. LOL. How did you discover that you and your music had become viral sensations? 

Someone called me a while ago, singing Happy Mumu, and I wondered why this young guy was singing a song I released almost ten years ago. He explained that everyone online was making videos of that song and Billionaire (Onye Ji Cash), but I didn’t understand until he started sending me videos. It was like people had recorded hundreds of videos with my songs. 

I’m not on social media, so I didn’t get the gist on time. But I now realise a lot is happening online, and I need to find a way to create some presence there. 

I’m curious about your Nollywood journey. What inspired your decision to enter the then-unconventional industry? 

When I showed my grandmother my first car, she asked what I did for a living, and I told her I produced music. She was shocked. I remember her saying she’d never seen any newspaper job advert calling for a “Music Producer”. To them, music was a reckless career. 

Every one who got into Nollywood at the time I did in the late 1990s did so with a lot of passion but little to no money or experience. I moved to Lagos after university to pursue a master’s in mass communication, and it was during this time I met my friend, the late Sammie Okposo. I’d hoped to become a gospel singer, but Sammie was into the soundtrack business, so I got introduced to that part of Nollywood when I lived with him for about six months. 

Making soundtracks was purely by accident. Sammie and I learnt on the job and did it because we loved music. There was no money in it when we started. My first soundtrack was in 1995, and they paid me with a bottle of Sprite. 

It’s a lie. What? 

Yes o. And the guy was even saying he overpaid me. This is what it was like back then when we struggled and didn’t have a name in the industry. This guy had come to me with the script and idea, I recorded a song, and he told me he wouldn’t use it because he didn’t like it. I’d moved on until I heard my song on the film two weeks later. I called him, and he was like, “I paid you. That bottle of Sprite I bought for you when we were recording was your payment.” 

And you took it like that? 

I mean, from that soundtrack, I booked my next job, Compromise, in 1996, which I actually got money for. Then there was Atrocity and Karashika that same year. That first film, I can’t remember the title now, set the ball rolling, so I can’t say I regret working on it. 

RECOMMENDED: We Ranked The Most Chaotic Songs by Nollywood Actors

You mentioned the legendary Sammie Okposo’s role in your journey. As an artiste who’s left an indelible mark on both Nollywood and the gospel music scene, I’d like to know more about your experience with him. 

Sammie was my guy, and I miss him very much. He taught me how to compose chords. The man had a great ear. When Sammie knew what he wanted, he was impatient in getting that sound, but when unsure, he’d take as long as he needed to figure it out. He always worked towards perfection. 

I actually encouraged Sammie to go into gospel music. I’d just released my album, Jesus, I Love You, but I realised live performances weren’t my thing. I wanted to be behind the scenes, but Sammie was someone who could handle the fame, so we switched. You cannot do gospel music without performing and shouting “Praise the Lord” on stage. I don’t have that energy. I want to compose music in a closed space with air conditioning. LOL. 

I was supposed to work with Sammie on an album this year [2023]. 

I’d like to know how you guys made soundtracks back then. Did the script come first, or did you watch the movie then record a song? 

When we first started, the producers and directors would call us, sit us down and narrate the film’s plot in two minutes. After that, they’d say, “We need music for when the girl runs mad” or “when the woman is crying after her husband dies”. The funny thing is, they’d then ask if we could get the music ready by the next day. Can you imagine? 

We started asking for scripts down the line when our role as soundtrackers began to have weight in the industry. When the scripts were being changed on location or the film ended up taking a different direction from the scripts, we started asking for rough cuts of the scene our music would be used for. 

The final process was we’d get the rough cut, compose our music, book a studio to record, pay instrumentalists and backup singers, and then, submit the song to the person in charge. They’d pay us our balance if they liked it, and everyone would live happily ever after. 

Source: Provided by subject

Soundtracks back then ended up giving away the film’s plot most of the time. Was this intentional? 

No. We made soundtracks to heighten the emotions of a scene, not give away that scene before it happened. But the issue was editors placed these songs before the scenes they were created for, messing up the flow of the soundtrack and story. I noticed it and started asking producers to allow me to place my songs myself, but they refused to pay me for that, so I just let them do whatever they wanted. It was a dog-eat-dog industry, and I wouldn’t kill myself because of it. 

In the 2010s era of Nollywood, films stopped focusing on narrative storytelling through music. What was it like for you as a creative who made a living making soundtracks? 

Nigeria’s relationship with music is cyclical. The 1960s and 1970s were all about Nigerian music, with artistes like Fela and Bobby Benson. When we stepped into the 1980s and 1990s, we’d become obsessed with foreign artistes like Michael Jackson and Biggie. The wheels have turned again, and everyone is on a Tiwa Savage and Davido vibe. Music is constantly evolving. 

There was a time when I made almost 98% of the soundtracks out of Nollywood. So I’ve actually struggled to get out of the industry. 

You wanted to leave Nollywood? 

Yes, several times. Working in the industry took all my time and concentration. It cost me my marriage and many other relationships. I missed important moments like my children’s birthdays and my friend’s weddings, all because I was working on one project or the other. There was always the next job. I wanted to leave, but Nollywood didn’t want to let me go. 

How? 

Every time I said I would retire, I’d get an offer I couldn’t resist. Producers started paying me my fee before I even submitted a song, so I’d be committed to making it. I kept saying the next one would be my last, but here we are today. 

The power of capitalism, for real. What’s the next move now that everyone is back on the Stanley Okorie train, thanks to social media? 

I’m working on a Best of Stanley Okorie compilation of my soundtracks, so you’ll get to listen to popular songs like Billionaire (Onye Ji Cash) and Happy Mumu, as well as songs people probably didn’t know I wrote or performed. I’ll also throw in three or four new tracks I’m working on. I’m looking to work with Flavour, Davido and Don Jazzy for the new tracks. Since I’m making new music, it might as well be big-time projects. 

I’m also getting into filmmaking soon. After all these years working on other people’s films, it’ll be fun to make my own. 

Have you seen some of the films coming out of Nollywood these days? 

I’m excited to see Gangs of Lagos. I like movies that tell our stories, not those ones where Nigerians are acting white. I want to see films that are true to the authentic Nigerian experience. As long as the hunter tells the story of the hunt, it’ll never favour the dog. 

Damn, is that a parable? You’re giving Old Nollywood energy, and I love it. 

LOL. That saying means if we continue to allowforeigners to control our narrative, we’ll never get reflected positively. I’m a disciple of Fela; he was all about African consciousness. No matter how we try to be Western, we’ll always be Nigerian. These Nigerian stories are what I’d like to see on my screen — whether or not I’m the one behind them. 

ALSO READ: Stella Damasus Stepped Away From Being a Household Name In Search of Something Bigger

Dubem and Felix have been friends for over 20 years, even though they didn’t speak to each other for almost a decade. In this episode of #ZikokoMyBro, they talk about starting a rap group as teenagers, falling for the same girl in university and the tragic loss that reunited them again in 2020.

Let’s start from the very beginning. How did you guys meet? 

Dubem: We attended the same secondary school back in 1997. Felix was my older brother’s school son. It was a boarding school, my first time away from home, and my brother introduced us because he wanted someone to look out for me. 

Felix: You were supposed to be my school son even though I was in JSS 2. But I knew you’d give me plenty wahala from the moment we met. 

What were your first impressions of each other? 

Dubem: Felix was a busybody. I come from a strict home, so being in boarding school was my first taste of freedom. I was among the most popular boys in JSS 1, skipping class and attending every social night. However, Felix was always there to tattletale on visiting days. He’d come over to my family and play the tape of all I’d been doing. I couldn’t stand him. 

Felix: I thought he was a spoiled brat. I come from a family where we didn’t have much, so I understood responsibility early on. He was wasting his time gallivanting around instead of focusing on school. In hindsight, that freedom to be himself away from home must’ve been an enormous relief. I admit that I took my school father thing a little too seriously.

It wasn’t until I got into SS 1 that we finally connected and became friends. 

How did you guys connect? 

Felix: Rap music. 

Come again? 

Felix: Yes, rap music o. This was the 1990s, and rap music was the biggest thing. Everyone thought they could be MCs, and I used to write bars and freestyle in private. 

Dubem: I didn’t think he was cool until I heard him rapping DMX’s Get at Me Dog one day. I’ll never forget because DMX had just dropped Its Dark and Hell is Hot, and I was still learning his flow. This guy already knew everything word for word. I told him I was a DMX fan, and we started talking about rap. 

Felix: I was shocked. I thought he’d be into the white pop music stuff, but this boy knew his shit when it came to rap, talking about Big Pun, Busta, Ice Cube and Dr Dre. We got so deep into the conversation that I did something I’d never done with anyone before, I shared some of my rap songs with him. 

Dubem: I was blown away by how personal and tight they were. I gave him some of my mediocre bars, and we decided to start a rap group that day. We called ourselves Redemption Crew. 

Like Rihanna fans say every day, “Where is the album?”

Felix: We didn’t put one out. Now that I think about it, our name sounds like that of a hip Pentecostal church choir. But it was hot back then, sha. We really thought we’d become big-time rappers. 

Dubem: It’s not too late. We can resign and chase our dreams. Abi, what do you think? 

Felix: That’s a hard pass for me, please. LOL. 

So what happened to the Redemption Crew? 

Dubem: We both went to UNILAG, fell in love with the same girl and everything scattered. 

Back up. It’s a lie.

Felix: Unfortunately for all our potential fans, he’s telling the truth. We had a few popular songs in secondary school because we kept performing at social nights and parties. I eventually left for UNILAG in 2002, and Dubem came in a year later. University was different. The stakes were higher, and school was intense. Despite this, we still worked on the low and had plans to chase the rap thing once we were done. 

Dubem: That was until I met Ebele. My first girlfriend in university and the first girl I ever loved. She was in her first year, just like me, and we had an elective course together. It was love at first sight for me, but it took a lot of convincing to get her to go out with me. We started dating, and my life was perfect. 

Felix: I met Ebele through Dubem and didn’t think too much of her. They shared an elective, but she was in my department, so I saw her more often. We only started talking because of Dubem, and it was surface-level. However, when they started having problems, she came to me, and the conversations changed. 

Dubem: Our problems started about a year into our relationship. I got involved with some weird guys and started struggling with school work. Instead of finding a solution, I took it out on her by being distant. I’d stay with these guys and disappear for weeks. It was my fault. I was also distant from Felix. I pushed you guys towards each other. 

Felix: My friendship with Ebele started from our mutual complaints about Dubem. It helped that we both had someone to share the stress this man was putting us through. He eventually got his shit together, but it was too late because she was over it. I’m his friend, so I was still there. 

Felix, how did your relationship with Ebele become romantic? 

Felix: It started in 2005 when I was in my final year, and almost two years after they were together. Ebele and I had gotten closer, but I didn’t even know how much I liked her until she kissed me while I was tutoring her. We both felt guilty about that kiss, but our feelings had become undeniable. I couldn’t lie to myself or my friend. Dubem had to know. 

Dubem: I knew about their friendship and thought it was cool, but kissing?  I lost my shit when he told me. He didn’t date anyone all the time he was in school, and now that he finally decided to see someone, he chose my ex? I was livid. I started replaying scenarios in my head. Had he been  playing me from the start? Did he always want my babe? 

Felix: I explained how our feelings grew as best as I could, and just sat there and let him have a go at me. I deserved it. What I’d done was horrible, but I was tired of running away from how I felt. 

How did you guys figure it out? 

Dubem: I stopped talking to both of them. I couldn’t handle it, and I didn’t owe it to them to pretend that I was okay with it. I’d lost my best friend and a girl that was special to me, all at the same time. It was hard. And then I heard Felix moved abroad, which sealed it for me. We were done. RIP Redemption Crew. 

Felix: Lagos, scratch that; Nigeria, wasn’t big enough for us after what I did. I felt so embarrassed. I’d become that guy who breaks bro code and gets with his friend’s ex. I had to move far away from those who knew us, so I pursued my master’s in America. Ebele came to join me, and we got married in 2008. 

Dubem: I heard about their wedding from his cousin, which reopened the wound. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to be in the same room with him again. We didn’t see or talk again for 13 years until I got a call from Ebele after the lockdown in 2020. 

What was the call about? 

Dubem: She called to tell me that they’d lost their son in the height of the pandemic, my friend was a wreck, and they were moving back to Nigeria. I was shocked when I realised who I was speaking to. The Ebele I knew was soft-spoken, but this Ebele was direct and uncompromising. She didn’t beg me to show up for my friend; she told me to. 

Felix: That’s Ebele for you. She’s always in control. But yes, that loss took me to a dark place. I had built a life in Texas, but I knew it was time to come back to the life I knew here. Losing my son in a place where my support system was shallow changed my perspective on coming home. I knew it was time, but I immediately started feeling anxious about Dubem, and I think my wife sensed that. 

She eventually told me she’d spoken to him and set up a meeting for when we returned to Lagos. 

How did this meeting go?

Dubem: I’m not ashamed to say there was a lot of  crying. I’m a dad too, so I could connect to what they were both going through. These two people still matter to me regardless of what happened in university. Seeing Felix like that, I wanted to be there for him. 

Felix: I was sweating a lot the day he came over to our place. Seeing him again brought back all the memories of writing lyrics in our notebooks and planning our lives together. It felt like I was in boarding school again. I didn’t know how much I’d missed him until I saw him. 

Regardless of how I felt, I knew it was important to talk about what happened if we were going to move on from it. 

Dubem: I think he wanted to be sure I wouldn’t randomly stab him one day . LOL. The talk was necessary sha. He apologised again and spoke for hours. But honestly, I’d moved on. I loved Ebele, but we were never meant to be, and that’s fine. I’m married to the love of my life. I’ve never been happier. 

So how’s your relationship now? 

Felix: We’re in a great place. We were intentional about not rushing into anything or overwhelming each other. We had the occasional family Sunday dinners and slowly graduated to hanging out alone and doing things together. I was scared we wouldn’t have anything to say to each other when we were alone, but we still had much in common. And most importantly, we still love each other. 

Dubem: We always have something to talk about, Felix. We’re still the same guys who loved DMX in school, it’s just that you have some grey hairs, which makes you old, and you also think Pusha T is a better rapper than Kendrick Lamar. 

Felix: But he is. 

Dubem: I think that’s what our kids call a red flag. 

With so much history between you two, would you change anything about your friendship? 

Dubem: The time we spent apart. I wish we’d spent it getting to know each other better as we got older. We were apart for most of our 30s, and that’s time we’ll never get back again. 

Felix: True. I would’ve loved to meet Dubem, the first-time dad. 

Dubem: No, please. That was a crazy time. That girl wouldn’t stop crying and shouting everywhere we went. I always looked like a madman. 

Here’s a link

What’s something you’ve always wanted to tell the other person?

Dubem: I know a part of you still carries some guilt because of what happened in school, but I want you to know that I forgive you. I meant it when I said it in 2020, and I mean it now. I’m so happy to have you back in my life. I can see us in our 80s arguing about rap music over glasses of scotch. You’re my man, and I’ll always have your back. 

Felix: Thank you, Dubby. You’ve made moving back home such a seamless process; there’s no way it would’ve worked without you. I love you, and I’m so proud of the man you’ve become. Your authenticity has been consistent since the day we met, and it’s one of the few things I can always count on, no matter what. 

No, I’m not crying. 

Do you have an interesting bro story you’d like to share? Fill this form and we’ll get back to you.

Wande Coal’s distinct sound has influenced many of the artistes we listen to today, so we’re here to give him his flowers ahead of his special performance at Trace LIVE on June 16, 2023. 

Wizkid

Wizkid is one of the biggest Nigerian exports since crude oil. But before becoming Big W with the Grammys and Billboard Number Ones, Wiz lived with Wande Coal while making his debut album, Super Star. From songs like Love My Baby on that album to Pressure on his latest album, More Love, Less Ego, Wizkid has shown countless times that he has a degree from the Wande Coal University of Afrobeats. 

Fireboy DML 

Till date, mandem are on the street arguing about who sang the second verse on Fireboy DML’s 2021 hit, Peru. 

The influence Wande Coal has on Fireboy DML’s music has been clear from his debut album Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps. If you think about it, their collaboration on Wande Coal’s Legend Or No Legend album was written in the stars. 

Oxlade 

Oxlade’s Ku Lo Sa was undoubtedly one of the biggest songs of 2022. 100 million TikTok challenges later, we can’t look at green walls the same ever again. 

One thing that stands out in Ku Lo Sa is Oxlade’s falsetto and vocal run at the end. Listen closely and tell me it doesn’t remind you of Wande Coal serving vocals while singing: “Girl, you’re so damn fine” on Kiss Your Hands from his Mushin 2 Mo’Hits album? 

Davido

Davido has claimed to be many things: the best, omo baba olowo and an assurance provider. But we think it’s high time we add Wande Coal prodigy to the list. Fun fact: Wande Coal’s influence on Davido goes beyond music. In an interview with Vibe Magazine, Wande shares how Davido left school in Atlanta to look for him twice and how he’s actually the one who first called the FEM singer OBO. Mad oh!

RECOMMENDED: Wande Coal’s “Mushin 2 Mo’Hits” Was Way Ahead of it’s Time

Teni 

Teni is one of the few female musicians in Nigeria that has found a unique niche and sound that works perfectly for her songwriting. Songs like Askamaya and Uyo Meyo are solid hits thanks to Teni’s mix of Afropop and the Juju music most millennials heard their parents listening to. While her influences include Salawa Abeni, Shina Peters and co, we can’t discount Wande Coal’s Mo’Hits days influence on her sound. 

Peruzzi 

Peruzzi popped up on our radars with his feature on 2Face’s 2018 hit Amaka. While Peruzzi has collaborated with many  artistes over the years, including Wande Coal himself, his solo music, especially songs like D-Side and Show Your Working, have given us a glimpse into his love for Wande Coal’s music post Mo’Hits. 

Tay Iwar 

Only a few artistes are touching the hem of  Tay Iwar’s cargo pants when it comes to vocals and songwriting in the Nigerian music industry. While many Nigerians have placed Tay in an alté box, the singer steadily delivers insane R&B vocal performances and melodies that remind us of R&B Wande Coal circa Private Trips and Again. 

ALSO READ: The 7 Nigerian Singers Guaranteed to Give You a Hit Song in 2022

In just 40 minutes, Amaarae takes us on a journey of sex, partying, designer clothes, astrology, expensive cars and most importantly, what it feels like to be a bad bitch. 

Princess Going Digital

• “I been going out like a bad bitch” 
• “Tryna find love, but ninjas be doing the most” 

Bad bitches catch feelings, too. Princess Going Digital is for the bad bitches that know they’re fly but wouldn’t mind finding a lover who’s ready to match their energy. Amaarae is asking for someone to take her off the streets, and all of you are dulling? Shame. 

Angels in Tibet 

• “Y’all bitches boring” 
• “Don’t you want to taste it?”

Where are my main character girlies? You know those who swear they’re the Beyoncé of their friend group? Yes, Angels in Tibet is for all of us. It’s not easy being the most wanted and hottest in any room we step into. Like Wande Coal once said, “Wo ko wa je bi amala ati ewedu”. 

Reckless and Sweet 

• “Looking at me, you get goosebumps” 
• “Call me when the money come come come” 

Bad bitches don’t play with poverty, and that’s on Eucharia Anunobi’s eyebrows. Reckless and Sweet is an anthem for bad bitches who disagree with Tinubu on letting the poor breathe. They have their own funds, there’s no way you can step to them when your bank account is giving struggle energy. Run along now. 

Co-Stars

• “I met a girl, she a saint and a demon” 
• “Down to earth but way too high”

Astrology babies, get in here because Amaarae just made a new anthem for you. From sex with a Gemini feeling like a threesome (multiple personalities, sho get?) to Leos being hot but unloyal, Amaarae drags each sign by their edges, giving us a rulebook on which ones to avoid. Thanks, girl. 

RECOMMENDED: The Zikoko Guide To Dating A Nigerian Astrology Babe

Disguise 

• “I like my coffee with some head in the morning” 
• “Fuck you and give you away” 

Amaarae is on fire, name-dropping Mowalola, singing about pulling up to the motive in a fly Mercedes, partying hard and getting faded like it’s no man’s business. This isn’t your average bad bitch anthem. This is Gwen Stefani-level luxurious. 

Sex, Violence, Suicide

• “Ruin your day and then I take a bow”
• “Want a feeling. Something real tonight”

What is it with bad bitches and true crime? Famous serial killers Ted Bundy and Wayne Gacy are referenced in this song that finds Amaarae down bad, asking her lover to tell her she’s the best. Once again, it’s okay to be a bad bitch and like someone. It’s the duality of bad bitchery. 

Water from Wine 

• “Call me for tongue in tongue” 
• “Shawty I can’t be caught in no love”

Who says you can’t eat your cake and have it? Water from Wine is for the sexually liberated bad bitches (to be honest, you can’t be a bad bitch without being sexually liberated) who want to have a good time and dip. No long talk. Take off your pants; we’re here for a good time; not a long time. 

Listen to Fountain Baby here: 

ALSO READ: Amaarae: “I Make Music For Bad Bitches”

Here’s a link

“I was sad and happy at the same time,” the singer tells me at the tail end of 2022, over two years since the lockdown was lifted. “I saw my song climb the charts, but I was broke. I couldn’t perform or make money. It was a club song, but it peaked online. I wish it had dropped when we were all outside.” 

Outside or not, MJ, Timz’s catchy tribute to the late king of pop, Michael Jackson, quickly became one of the biggest Nigerian songs of 2020, its infectious energy providing reprieve in uncertain times. The single was followed by two remixes, one with Mayorkun and the other with Teni.

In an industry where lightning rarely strikes twice, much less thrice in a global pandemic, Timz’s tagline “Iyanu yen shock won ba kan”, which loosely translates to “The miracles will shock them”, became a reality. A star-making appearance on Olamide’s Carpe Diem standout, Loading, was soon followed by another feel-good anthem, Have Fun, and finally, the Headies’ Rookie of the Year award to close out 2020. But just when it seemed like the then-21-year-old had established himself as an act to look out for post-lockdown, he disappeared for a while. 

Bad Boy Timz’s introduction to music was unknowingly orchestrated by his father. Accompanying the accountant who moonlighted as a Tungba band member gave the future singer front-row seats to making and performing music. After years of covers and recording music unprofessionally in secondary school, Timz’s first brush with the spotlight happened when his freestyle to Davido’s If went viral in 2017. The freestyle caught the attention of rap icon, Olamide, who reposted the video and invited him to perform backup on Radio Lagos, off his Lagos Nawa! album that year. 

In 2020, Olamide placed the singer front and centre in both the audio and visuals for Loading. “We recorded the song in 30 minutes,” Timz says. “I remember being in Ikorodu when he [Olamide] called me. Omo, I rushed to the island sharp-sharp, and he introduced me to P.Priime, the producer. I already had the melody in my head, so it was easy. Shoutout to Baddo. That’s my egbon right there.” 

Loading changed Timz’s life. He admits to booking countless shows after the single was released. But things took a dramatic turn when a brewing rift between the artiste and the label he had previously signed to in 2019 forced him to take a break from releasing music after the Headies. “Winning the Headies came with mixed emotions as I’d already started having issues with my label at the time,” he confesses. “I expected MJ to win, but I also felt the heat from what was going on with my team. I couldn’t perform or release new music because I needed to leave that label. I was being acknowledged as one of the greats, but I couldn’t even enjoy the moment.” 

ALSO READ: T.I Blaze is Not Just a Street Artiste, He Wants to Make Love Songs Too

While Timz doesn’t go into details about his label drama, the whole thing played out publicly, with an arrest and lawsuit dominating headlines in the early months of 2021. By May 2021, Timz had founded his own record label, Shock Absorbers Music, with a distribution deal from Empire Label, which also handles distribution for the YBNL squad, Tyga and Snoop Dogg, allowing him to make a massive comeback with Move in October the same year.

The highs, lows and complexities of Timz’ creative adventures converge on Igboro, the opening track of his long-awaited No Bad Boy, No Party debut album which came out in June, 2023. Giving insight into his journey from the ghetto, Bad Boy Timz reminisces about the past while acknowledging the poignant Nigerian dream of blowing regardless of where you come from. 

The party part of the album goes into full gear after the first track and continues until the album closes with the BNXN-assisted Make Sense. With production from heavyweights like P.Priime and BeatsByTimmy, and appearances from Olamide, Zlatan and Shenseea, Timz successfully packaged a fun night out into a 30-minute LP. But as club-friendly and fun as this album sounds, there’s more to Bad Boy Timz than what the audience is getting right now, especially after 2022’s Big Money with its underlying social message. The best part? He agrees. 

“I feel like the Nigerian audience is ready for artistes to be versatile,” he admits to me while discussing his decision to put out more experimental music. “I want them to say, ‘Ah, Bad Boy Timz, we love this lamba music, but we also love your R&B work.’ There will be reggae Bad Boy Timz, drill Bad Boy Timz and even trap Bad Boy Timz soon. I need my fans to get to the point where they love my music so much, they won’t even care what genre I’m doing.”

Timz’s new direction is inspired by another artiste. “I’m not saying Burna Boy is my role model,” he tells me. “But this guy has the kind of versatility that allows him to talk about social problems or heartbreak while making you dance.” He explains that while he wasn’t always bothered with messaging before, now, more than ever, there’s a need for music that connects with people’s souls instead of just helping them escape bad times. 

As a singer whose music has become known for its resilient, positive energy, I’m curious to know if Timz is familiar with these bad times he talks about. Taking a minute to catch his breath, he reveals that, just like everyone else, he struggles with navigating life in Nigeria while dealing with the pressure of being in the spotlight. 

“People think we’re not human beings with real emotions,” he says. “We are prone to make mistakes. I try to remember that if I don’t make myself happy, no one else will. I used to allow the craziness around me fuck me up mentally. But now, I understand that problem no dey finish. If I wait for my life to be perfect before I enjoy myself, I’ll wait till eternity.” 

Timz’s pursuit of happiness bled into his music first, and now, he has his sights set on new dreams — becoming a toymaker then a restaurateur. Yes, you read that right. The first is an attempt to reconnect with his childhood while growing a sustainable business that could see Nigerian toys become valuable collectables in the future. And the food part? Well, Timz is aware that no matter what, Nigerians will always need food. “Do you know how much Olaiya makes in a day?” he asks me, referencing one of Lagos’s most popular amala joints. 

Singer, future toymaker and restaurateur, Bad Boy Timz has his hands full with present tasks and future aspirations. But in the face of everything, I want to know the ethos that drives the singer? 

“I’m trying to make a statement,” he explains. “I want people to know I’m capable of much more than what they’ve come to expect from me. I won’t box my creativity to fit in.” 

Listen to No Bad Boy, No Party here:

ALSO READ: Seyi Vibez Misses the Trenches But Doesn’t Regret Leaving