Here are two albums you need to buy in March

The month of March marks a month of intense march for Nigerian music, as two albums are on their way to fans.

After the rollercoaster of 2015, 2016 began with off-the-mic battles and beefs, with relationship splits being a norm. But that has been quelled, with the conversation shifting to music via M.I’s mixtape “Illegal Music 3”, and announcements for the release of new albums. Of these announcements, three will be let loose this month.

Yemi Alade and Lil Kesh are ready to drop their albums. Yemi Alade is going for a repeat of her magic which followed the 2014 “King of Queens”.  Lil Kesh is a rookie in this regard, hoping to get his first body of work to consolidate on all the good efforts that he’s done in the past year.

Yemi Alade – “Mama Africa”

In 2014 Yemi Alade won the lottery with her single “Johnny”. After years of working her music and chasing the right sound to cross her into the Nigerian mainstream music industry, the singer, aided by Selebobo, hit the jackpot. The rest has been history.

Yemi Alade returns this year after running the continent, earning a string of awards, performing at the most prestigious concerts and shows in Africa, and becoming everybody’s darling. Her aura and branding which is always fantastical, has played a huge part of this. Hence it was no surprise when the singer decided to mark her time with a sophomore LP titled “Mama Africa”.

Away from assumptions which has chased the hugely ambitious title, “Mama Africa” is not a statement of intent by the singer to evolve from the fantastical pop queen that she is, into an exportable ‘World Music’ phenomenon in the mold of conscious African greats such Miriam Makeba and Brenda Fassie. It is simply a construct from her friends, who having seen her travel all over the continent, began to call her “Mama Africa”.

“My producer Fliptyce and so many other people they’ve been calling me “Mama Africa” because they noticed that your girl no dey stay one place”, she said.

“Today I go dey Angola, tomorrow I go dey Kenya. I dey waka too much and mostly to African countries. So den start to dey call me “Mama Africa” you no go sit down one place", she added.

From the three singles, Yemi Alade continues her balancing act, swinging her musical pendulum in diverse ways to achieve growth and acceptance. ‘Na gode’ is a conscious heartwarming push, ‘Do as I do’ was designed for the clubs, and ‘Ferarri’ brings the local urban Highlife into the mix.

So far, all songs are still growing, as the singer switches the gear for the release. There have been album release parties, press conferences and interviews to set the stage for another big push from the singer.

Lil Kesh – “Y.A.G.I” ( Young And Getting It)

This man still holds his good fortune to the 2014 single ‘Shoki’, and a dance craze which took him from a YBNL unknown man, to a star in less than 6 months. Lil Kesh, the rapper who many consider not to be a rapper due to his direct flow, and crude delivery has grown via fast-food music.

The rapper acknowledges the doubts placed on the longevity and quality of his craft, and has constantly worked to disprove critics.

“…how many hit songs does it take an artiste to drop an album. I think musically, the point of an artiste is that you are supposed to drop an album,” Kesh reflects to Pulse. “You are supposed to drop an album that has a direction.

“You can’t just drop an album, and people in Nigeria will buy. No. You have to give them singles, give them a taste of what your album mighty sound like. If you can have like four hits, I think people are listening to you already. What’s the point of taking so much time, wasting another year because you feel you are not ready? I feel I’m ready to drop an album right now.”

Lil Kesh is widely regarded as a one-dimensional artiste who combines vocal power, basic lyrics and a smattering of English to go along with in the making of pop rap, which is only danceable. He sticks to that script fastidiously, and that has taken him to this height. Also, his songs have the penchant to lean towards the vulgar, with muted complaints.

“I’m an artiste, trust me there’s no point of being an artiste if you don’t know what you are doing, if you don’t know where you are directing your music to. I know where I am directing my music to. I know the kind of people that might call me for some kind of shows. I know what I have to do to gain the right attention I need at a particular stage of my career.”

The same me that did some kind of songs, would also have some godly songs, and gospel songs that you guys will be hearing soon. That doesn’t make me anything. If some people are judge-y about an act doing secular and worldly songs, it’s fine. But my own take is that I’m an artiste, and as an artiste you have to be versatile.”.

From the singles released, Lil Kesh sticks to his proven formula, with his 2016 songs ‘Ibile’, and ‘Cause Trouble’ still leaning towards his breezy and direct rap.

That rap is what “Y.A.G.I” is all about, and Lil Kesh will hope he has enough to go the distance.