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![Tems performs onstage in the mojave tent at the 2024 coachella[gettyimages]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'100'%20height%3D'100'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Tems performs onstage in the mojave tent at the 2024 coachella[gettyimages]")
It was produced by Nigeria's hottest artist of that time and his name was Terry G. What Terry G was doing at the time was cementing his legacy as the progeny of the current era of street-hop that Nigeria is currently obsessed with. The journey was started by fellow Ishaga, Lagos native, K-Solo.
On a good day, when artists do remixes to already successful songs, those remixes tank in the face of the original song. However, that was not 'My Life Pt. 2.' The song was not only better than its original, it surpassed it in virality and commercial success. On it, two artists known for their vocal experimentation in beautiful gibberish collided for a masterpiece.
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On it, Terry G who is also a multi-instrumentalist with the creative essence of a Bronx, New York street artist continued to blaze trails. He is one of Nigeria's most influential acts of the modern era. In himself, he was a cultural movement with a lot of moving parts and dreaded locs.
Before that song, Terry G had crafted hits for AY.Com and helped 2Shotz gain a foothold post-Da Trybe. He had also markedly influenced Timaya's sophomore album, Gift and Grace all on his own. Ladies and gentlemen, even 9ice couldn't help but tap Terry G for his third album, Tradition. By himself, he didn't only influence our soundscape with his insane artistry, he also did it with sound.
Thus, comparing him to Naira Marley who has had an impressive two years is ridiculous. If we are being honest, Naira Marley has only had one year as a member of the cream of the crop in Nigerian music. To match Terry G, he would need two to three more consistent years in and around this level.
However, we do give Naira Marley credit for being a cultural figure that now transcends music in fashion, language and reach. Nonetheless, Naira Marley is a product of the Terry G school of music. The weird part is that it's too early to have that conversation about Naira Marley.
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Pulse noted in a previous article that, "Terry G was always a student of history. Before Naira Marley and Zlatan who didn't care about rules and political correctness, it was Terry G." Like Terry G did, Naira Marley is just carrying the torch of creating his own rules. Asides how it's too early to make such comparisons, why can't we just enjoy the both of them?
ALSO READ: Here are the top 5 songs by Terry G
Here are the top seven times Terry G produced for other artists;
AY.Com featuring Terry G - Pass Me Your Love Remix
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In 2008, AY.Com basically came out of nowhere with a number that even this writer's mother knew. The song wasn't just one of the biggest songs of that year, it was the biggest street song of that year. Interestingly, it was also a love song now colloquially known as 'wash.'
On it, Terry G introduced himself to people who hadn't been taking notice. The beat was a high-grade afropop song caught in the lower embers of familiar pace.
Timaya featuring Shayo Pisanta - I Don Blow
Ladies and gentlemen, Terry G was on fire in 2007/2008 as a producer. It was also just before people knew him as a bonafide artist. On it, Terry G merged konto with galala and the essence of the afropop of that period.
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Guys, asides Shayo Pisanta's absolutely insane, fleeting verse, Terry G's strings for that song went mental.
2Shotz featuring Timaya - In Case You Never Know
In 2008, this writer was a first-year Law student. Everyday as he passed his school's motion ground, a stand which belongs to photograper/videographer, Feliday would play that song every blessed morning. Within two weeks, he found himself randomly mumbling what he didn't realized was, "In case you never know..."
One day while playing Playstation two with his cousin, he began mumbling it again. Then, his obviously irritated cousin asked what he was mumbling. The game was paused and he innocently mumbled the words to his cousin who asked, "Guy, na 'In Case You Never Know' you dey sing?' His cousin picked his Nokia phone and played the song.
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Within the hour, this writer got the song on his Nokia 3110c. It was around 6:30 pm in the evening. For the next two hours, this writer stepped on the space outside that house and played that song on repeat for almost two hours, dancing so much that he took a bath after. On the cultural side, the song was a hit which set the tone for 2Shotz's third album, Music Business.
That era coincided with the rise of Clarence A. Peters.
Durella featuring Terry G - My Life Pt. 2
As said above, "In 2010, Durella was about to release his sophomore album, 'Reconfigurated.' He had released a song titled, 'My Life' and it was making rounds on the airwaves. Then, all of a sudden, Durella dropped a remix to the song and titled it, 'My Life Pt. 2.'
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"On a good day, when artists do remixes to already successful songs, those remixes tank in the face of the original song. However, that was not 'My Life Pt. 2.' The song was not only better than its original, it surpassed it in virality and commercial success. On it, two artists known for their vocal experimentation in beautiful gibberish collided for a masterpiece.
"On it, Terry G who is also a multi-instrumentalist with the creative essence of a Bronx, New York street artist continued to blaze trails. He is one of Nigeria's most influential acts of the modern era. In himself, he was a cultural movement with a lot of moving parts and dreaded locs."
iLLBliss featuring Terry G - Enuf Space (Aiye Po Gan)
iLLBliss had just come back from the UK. He had also embarked on a solo career away from the Thoroughbreds. When his peers were trying to be 'real' and not 'sell out' - whatever that means as they sold himself a fugazi - iLLBliss took the highway to success. He tapped the hottest key to a hit in Nigeria at the time. His name, Terry G.
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Guys, that song basically took Dat Ibo Boy, what many of us call iLLBliss' first album from C to A in terms of commercial appeal. The beat was something in the range of what Terry G on 'I Don Blow,' but it was lighter in terms of drums, but it had a better background on bass riffs.
9ice featuring Terry G - Charging Charger
9ice's third album, Tradition gets unfairly judged, but it is a beautiful album. On its own, it was fine without Terry G, but it underlines Terry G's standing that 9ice found a way for him on that album. The result was the madness of 'Charging Charger.'
The way 9ice, a superstar of that time screamed Terry G's name in the closing stages of that song speaks a lot.
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Jaywon featuring Terry G - Gbon Gbon
Although of lesser importance, it was the defining moment of Jaywon's second album, Meet Jaywon Reloaded and an important moment in 2011.
