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Burna Boy Tells Apple Music About Avoiding Politics, Working with ED Sheeran And More

Published

2 years ago

July 8, 2022

Burna Boy joins Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 to discuss his new song “For My Hand” with Ed Sheeran. He tells Apple Music about the origin of the collaboration, Ed Sheeran’s genius, why his new album ‘Love, Damini’ is a birthday gift to himself, working with J Balvin, and more.

Burna Boy Tells Apple Music About “For My Hand” and Ed Sheeran’s Genius…

Ed is probably the most amazing guy I’ve met in my life, man. He got me because he showed nothing but love from day one. You understand? So it’s something that was really natural, you get me? And it’s one of the ones where it’s just like back to back, you get me? It’s so natural. We made like five songs on the same day. That’s how organic it was. That’s it, man. The guy’s just such a genius, man. He just knows what’s what, and when. This was the last one we did, we started working on and he was like, “Yeah, this is it. This is the one. This is it.” You feel me? At the time I wanted one of… There was another one I thought, “Okay, this could be cool.” You feel me? “This should be the one.” You get me? And then we made this one and then boom, it was just next level.

Read Also: Burna Boy releases his sixth album ‘Love, Damini’

Burna Boy Tells Apple Music His New Album ‘Love, Damini’ Is a Birthday Gift To Himself…

This is like my birthday gift to me in a way, because there’s no better gift to give myself than something personal. And literally giving a part of myself to the whole world. So it’s really special.

When I’m making a project, I know what the project is. It has to start with, with the name of the project. And then we build… It’s like a movie. If the movie is called Matrix or whatever, you get me? Then in the movie, there should be some matrix things going on and some zeros and ones and some… You can’t have a movie called Matrix and then there’s flowers and what’s the guy? Seth Rogen smoking weed and stuff like that.

Burna Boy Tells Apple Music About Working with J Balvin…

An amazing guy too, man, amazing person. But yeah, kind had that connection. Yeah. Sometimes I’ll shoot him a text, he’ll shoot me a text. You get me? Make sure, you get me? Head is right.Y ou get me. So that’s how it is, man. So I love it at the end of the day. You get me? It’s a global village.

Burna Boy Tells Apple Music About Avoiding Politics…

I’ve turned down things that even greater men than me could not turn down. Because I do not want any involvement in politics and trickery. And I’ve always made my stance clear where all of that is concerned, so as you know, reason for surprise. It’s like drinking water. It’s natural for me. I can only speak for now because I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow as regards to the world, and who may come into the picture. I can’t really say, but I can speak for today. As of today, I don’t believe that there’s anybody that’s qualified enough to play God. It’s not something that I blame anyone for. Because at the end of the day, there is God. So that’s who we should be looking up to. Everything else is going to be flawed. So for me, that’s why I stick to music, and I don’t really… At this point, I feel like I’ve seen all there to see about the realities and everything.

Burna Boy Tells Apple Music About His Philosophy and the Beauty of Planet Earth…

We are all the same yet so different. People don’t understand that’s the beauty of planet earth, man. It’s the diversity and the fact that you can go and explore and find out and learn and implement and all types of… That’s the beauty of the world, man, right down to the beginning of time, from when they discovered boats, that they could go places and find land on boats. You understand? That’s what the world was about. It’s been about.

Credit: Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1.

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OLATUJA RETURN WITH “IJO”

Published

3 hours ago

April 20, 2024

Ameyaw Debrah

Olatuja – the acclaimed project from bassist/composer/bandleader Michael Olatuja and renowned vocalist Alicia Olatuja – has announced today’s premiere of the new single, “Ijo,” available today via Whirlwind Recordings. Fusing the rich heritage of Michael’s Yoruba culture, the evolving popular music of West Africa, the gospel and jazz traditions that inform Alicia’s musicality, and the strong links that tie these threads together, “Ijo” heralds the duo’s long-awaited new album, Olatuja, arriving Friday, May 31. Pre-orders are available now.

“We wanted to merge our visions to create something greater than what we could create on our own,” says Alicia.

“Alicia is my longest and closest collaborator,” says Michael. “This album comes from a place of knowing and growing.”

LISTEN TO “IJO”

PRE-ORDER OLATUJA

Michael “Leye” Olatuja and Alicia “Lisa” Olatuja have been a presence on the New York City music scene for many years, spanning the worlds of jazz, Broadway, film, and more. Born in London and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Michael is one of the most inventive and in-demand bassists in contemporary music, currently serving as US Musical Director for 5x GRAMMY® Award-winner Angelique Kidjo having previously worked and recorded with the likes of Diana Ross, Terence Blanchard, and Shakira and released his second album as a leader, Lagos Pepper Soup, in 2020. Vocalist/composer Alicia has put out two solo albums (Timeless and Intuition: Songs From the Minds of Women), appeared in operas and musical theater productions, and worked with such esteemed artists as Chris Botti, Gregory Porter, Billy Childs, and Christian McBride. Originally from St. Louis, Alicia found a global audience in 2013 when she stunned millions during the second inauguration ceremony for President Barack Obama with a soaring featured solo during the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir’s rendition of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” She currently tours the world with her own jazz band.

The two uniquely gifted musical talents first met as students at NYC’s prestigious Manhattan School Of Music. They soon married, and in 2011, joined forces as Olatuja Project to create The Promise, an innovative collection hailed by NPR for “combining Yoruba vocals and talking drums with familiar and funky Western music languages.”

However, as time passed their relationship evolved. No longer husband and wife, but still close friends, each pursued their separate musical careers, and each succeeded in establishing themselves at the highest level of their respective professions. Now, after a more than decade, they have reunited creatively as Olatuja.

Their first new album together in more than a decade had its genesis during the global pandemic in 2020 as Alicia found solace in listening to The Promise for the first time in years. She reached out to Michael and floated the idea of making new music together, asking, “We’ve gone through so much, we’ve learned so much, grown so much, worked with so many incredible greats – what do we have to say now, with this new, evolved rendition of who we are?”

The two began writing together and their collaboration swiftly blossomed into the new Olatuja, a thrilling progression that picks up where their distinctive sound and storytelling left off.

“We talked for hours about what was on our minds, our hearts, what we’re observing,” says Alicia, who writes the bulk of the lyrics and melodies. “Getting it back to that truth and how we create music that’s going to speak to people.”

“Our previous album touched Afrobeats and jazzy soul and gospel,” Michael says. “We created a certain way of blending those sounds, and I wanted to explore that and take it further.”

With an A-list supporting cast including drummers Obed Calvaire and Joshua Keitt, guitarists Femi Temowo and David Rosenthal, percussionist Magatte Sow and GRAMMY® Award-nominated pianist Christian Sands, Olatuja is at once cinematic in scope and intimate and personal in its message of trust, joy, and the power of honest communication. Michael’s Nigerian heritage deeply informs songs like the irresistibly joyous, talking drum-driven groove of “Ijo” and “Bright Side,” the latter sung in Yoruba and inspired by a visit the couple took to London to see Michael’s family. Indeed, all of the Olatujas’ many musical associations and adventures contribute to the ambition and growth revealed on the new album. Though born from a time of unprecedented alienation and disconnection, Olatuja stands as a tribute to the accumulated wisdom and maturity of two remarkable musicians, a way for friends and artists with a long history and wide range of experience to move themselves and their work forward.

“Working with some people, one plus one equals two,” says Alicia. “But working with Michael, it feels like a multiplication, so together we are more than the sum of our parts. Together we are a crowd.”

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HEADIE ONE X STORMZY RELEASE “CRY NO MORE” – FIRST SINGLE FROM HEADIE ONE’S NEW ALBUM

Published

22 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Ameyaw Debrah

Today UK Drill pioneer Headie One releases his first single of the year, “Cry No More” ft. Stormzy. The song is taken from his forthcoming new album The Last One, set for release June 2024.

Stream “Cry No More” ft. Stormzy HERE and pre-order The Last One HERE.

Produced by Tay Keith (Travis Scott, Drake), Tommy Parker (Ariana Grande, 21 Savage) and Pooh Beatz (Jack Harlow, DaBaby), “Cry No More” features Stormzy (who featured on Headie’s UK #2 hit “Ain’t It Different”) and sees Headie in a reflective mood: “Sometimes you gotta lose the battle, just so you can win the war, you gotta go back and forth, from the court to the roads to the court.”

The accompanying music video, directed by RAWTAPE (Keshi, Kasabian, NTS) shows both artists on the streets of their hometown, portraying the good, the bad and the ugly side of London life with Stormzy rapping, “I just laugh when they say that I can’t go higher, I’m a frequent flyer, my last albums cold but my new ones fire, I might call it Maya.”

Headie One says of the track and video: “This is one of my favorites from the album. I loved the sample and 808s straight away when Tay (Keith) and Pooh (Beatz) played it in the studio. Stormzy went crazy on it, too.”

“The video concept was to show people that everyone has struggles they have to deal with daily. That’s no different to myself and Stormzy, regardless of what people think we’ve achieved in our careers. We still have things in life we have to deal with like everyone else.”

Watch the music video for “Cry No More” ft. Stormzy HERE.

The Last One is Headie’s second album following his debut, Edna in 2020 which reached #1 on the UK album chart, making history as the first drill album to achieve the milestone.

The new album completes the narrative of Headie’s story that began with his 2018 The One mixtape: from pain and regret to progression and finally, a new chapter and a new beginning. He has touched on some of the subjects and circumstances in previous projects but the lyrics on The Last One aim to dig deeper. The artwork also signifies the arrival at a destination. One where he now stands alone, free from the oppression of his past and on the horizon of a new life.

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K.Ytee Drops “Life” As He Rebrands

Published

1 day ago

April 19, 2024

Ameyaw Debrah

Budding Hip-hop Act Emmanuel Gyimah, formerly known as Ferrari Boy releases his first single of the year featuring Joey Blaq.

Dubbed “Life”, talks about life struggles and his personal experience as young artist in Ghana.

Link To Song https://kytee.fanlink.tv/Lifee

K.Ytee, born Emmanuel Gyimah, is a vibrant and talented musician hailing from Spintex a.k.a the Bank city in Ghana . Born in April 2002, K.Ytee’s journey into the music world came at an early age. Drawing inspiration from some of the greats like Sarkodie, J.Cole , Kendrick Lamar & Dave.

Growing up, K.Ytee was exposed to a diverse range of musical genres that permeated the Local sense. His unique style puts him on top of the list for up and coming acts who could go on to become greats. Within his music you’ll hear the experience he’s outlived whether it’s rap songs, love songs , drill songs he’s got something for everybody in his discography.

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UNCLE WAFFLES RELEASES NEW SINGLE “WADIBUSA”

Published

3 days ago

April 17, 2024

Ameyaw Debrah

UNCLE WAFFLES RELEASES NEW SINGLE “WADIBUSA”

Today, multi-platinum international DJ-producer Uncle Waffles released her first single of 2024, “Wadibusa.” In this new song featuring Royal MusiQ, Ohp Sage, PCEE, and Djy Biza, Waffles returns with the iconic upbeat dance rhythms that propelled her into stardom.

LISTEN HERE

Hailed as the “Princess of Amapiano,” Uncle Waffles is back with the ultimate summertime banger as Amapaino continues its meteoric rise within the music scene. Following the weekly cadence of teasers Waffles began to deliver across her social media platforms, fans anxiously awaited the official release of the single, yearning to finally indulge in the full track.

The song begins with a steady tempo of traditional Amapiano sounds as vocals seamlessly blend in over Waffles’ euphoric and buoyant production. Her iconic tribal beats culminate in a melody of drums, cymbals, distant sounds of alarms, and swift reverbs.

World-renowned DJ-producer Uncle Waffles is taking over the music scene by bringing the South African Amapiano genre to the forefront. Often referred to as the “Princess of Amapiano,” Uncle Waffles has been making her rounds with international tours/performances and most recently performed at Coachella and Cannes this year. Despite being only 24-years-old, Waffles has solidified her position in the industry in a way that hasn’t been done before. Last year, she was nominated for a BET AWARD, nominated for a Headies Award, honored as the first Amapiano artist to perform at Coachella 2023, garnered nearly 2.4M followers on Instagram and over 2M followers on TikTok, and has amassed over 100K+ subscribers on YouTube. Since the beginning of her musical journey, she’s garnered major cosigns from top artists including Drake, Beyonce, Ciara, and more.

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LaaMi: A Vocal Powerhouse Making Waves

Published

5 days ago

April 15, 2024

Ameyaw Debrah

Born Rauhel Halidu Yakubu, LaaMi emerges as a notable Ghanaian singer, renowned for her commanding voice, exceptional vocal range, and unwavering passion for catalyzing positive change.

Her musical odyssey began on the grand stages of some of Ghana and Nigeria’s premier reality shows, including Stars of the Future 5, TV3 Mentor 6, and MTN PROJECT FAME WEST AFRICA 7.0. Swiftly rising as a distinguished alumna of these competitions, LaaMi has graced events hosted by industry giants like MTN and GTV, alongside captivating audiences at esteemed lounges and weddings nationwide.

https://www.boomplay.com/share/album/85030751?srModel=byWH&srList=ANDROID

LaaMi’s musical repertoire boasts her latest single, “Izan Bakasaniba,” showcasing her dynamic talent. Collaborating with esteemed Ghanaian artists such as Okyeame Kwame, Iwan, and Blakk Rasta, she continues to elevate her craft and inspire audiences far and wide.

Beyond her musical prowess, LaaMi’s multifaceted abilities encompass crafting, culinary arts, content development, and beyond. With a fervent dedication to effecting change, particularly among the youth, she harnesses her music and diverse skills as potent instruments for societal transformation.

Her melodies not only captivate but also convey poignant messages that resonate with individuals from diverse backgrounds, making her a beacon of inspiration in the Ghanaian music scene.

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Wrench Kidd Enlists Gaffi for His New Single “Going Up”

Published

5 days ago

April 15, 2024

Ameyaw Debrah

Wrench Kidd Enlists Gaffi for His New Single "Going Up"

Hailing from Umtata,Eastern Cape, Wrench Kidd emerged as a dynamic force in both music and fashion. Born on December 17, 2004, his creative journey began to flourish in 2019 when he delved into the realm of music. After honing his craft, he seized the stage at various talent shows in his hometown of Tsolo, culminating in a standout performance in January 2021.

It was on this auspicious occasion that he unveiled his inaugural body of work, the “Escape Puzzle of Fear” EP, crafted alongside collaborator Yung Potion. This debut release not only garnered local acclaim but also caught the attention of international figures such as Kiki X Chucky, Thxbi, Tru Crack, Logical Rhythms, and Lil Ivy, who praised his distinctive sound and vision.

In addition to his artistic endeavors, Wrench Kidd achieved a significant milestone by completing his Matric in the same year, underscoring his commitment to both his education and his passion for creativity. With his multifaceted talents and unwavering dedication, Wrench Kidd continues to captivate audiences and leave an indelible mark on the global cultural landscape.

Recently, Wrench Kidd teamed up with the hard-hitting Eastern Cape rapper Gaffi to drop his latest single, “Goin Up.” This track serves as a testament to his relentless ambition and drive to thrive in the music industry. Through compelling lyrics and infectious beats, “Goin Up” captures Wrench Kidd’s determination to ascend to new heights and make his mark on the musical landscape. With this powerful collaboration, Wrench Kidd continues to push boundaries and solidify his position as an emerging force in the industry.

Stream Wrench Kidd – Going Up (feat. Gaffi) here

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