Zilla marries gracefully his African roots with Westernized flows in "NE:GRO"

abiola

March 29, 2017 12:53 PM

Wavy production and fine elements of Hip Hop, mixed with Afro-fusion beats sets this body of work apart from the rest.

Zilla-NEGRO EP artwork

EP – NEG:ROArtist- Zilla_OaksGuests - El Deino, Sute Iwar, David Onuoha, Noble Awo, GJ The CaesarProducers - Menace, Sute Iwar, Tay Iwar, Goldkeyz, The Crxsh, Billieonia Beats, Ace Beatz, Max DollasRecord Label - Indie (2016)Duration - 39 minutes

Zilla_Oaks presents "NEG:RO" EP, an Alternative Hip Hop Afro-fusion project.

Zilla imbibed Western influenced culture growing up in Texas, USA, where he grew up. The lifestyle he picked up while in the States reflected in his rap style and delivery, but his African roots are deeply entrenched in the songs.

“It’s just all about my life.. as a simple Igbo boy who grew up in Texas but came back to Nigeria and adjusted to the system, Zilla tells Pulse about his journey to creating the project.

Oaks starts the tape by paying homage to his Igbo roots referencing one of the celebrated heroes out of South-eastern Nigeria - '' which serves as the title of the track.

Hip Hop is at its core on the album, with very wavy sounds of production from the Iwar brothers Tay and Sute, as well as other skillful producers.

In 'Day Ones' loyalty and friendship meets halfway as Oaks raps off on what being down for true friends feels like.

'Elders' is on another level. The production is so wavy it turns away every tide of bad sound. Sute got this spot on with the production even as he lays his vocals on the track alongside Zilla.

'Ghost’ is another killer jam that flourishes on Alternative Hip Hop and Afro Trap sounds.

‘Bloody coups’ featuring Noble Awo sees fine rap at its finest. The song is modelled after the early unsettling times in Nigeria – and the military coup that was rampant then. The track sees him sample one of the key speeches by the iconic Ojukwu, a renowned politician and activist from the South-East region of Nigeria.

Other tracks on the EP show flashes of fine storytelling and stellar production.

Zilla_Oaks brings together some of the best in the business for this EP, with Zilla and his collaborators all interestingly emerging from Abuja, signalling a movement coming out of the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, looking at the other EP "Road To Balmain" by the artist Sowa.

"NEG:RO" makes up a great 'Afro-Trap Wavy' Hip-Hop project and counts Zilla_Oaks as an interesting act to keep an eye out for.

Listen to "NEG:RO" on Soundcloud and support on iTunes.

Rating: 4/5

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