‘Made In Lagos’ Proves Albums Still Matter
Six months after, Made In Lagos is still burning hot.
It’s been six months since Wizkid released what is largely perceived as his masterpiece album, ‘Made In Lagos’ and it still remains relevant.
It hasn’t faded to oblivion or forgotten in the abyss of DSP algorithms. Six months might not be a lot, but in today’s music industry it is almost the same as a year. Made In Lagos is on the number one spot on Apple Music. It has raked close to half a billion streams on all major DSPs. It is rare to see an album on top for half a year.
The longevity of ‘Made In Lagos’ proves that albums still matter. I have gotten tired of the narrative that people don’t listen to albums anymore and artists should focus their time and energy on releasing singles.
I am also tired of artists lumping four singles together, attach a few loosies to it and call it an album. Over the years, we have seen albums with this format fade away just after the weekend it was released.
What makes ‘Made In Lagos’' longevity more impressive is that it was released within a five-month period that saw some of the biggest artists drop albums. The strength of Wizkid’s latest album is in its cohesiveness underpinned by a smooth sound. It’s an album that was crafted with a strong idea and a conviction to follow through.
Most albums are haphazardly put together followed by unimaginative marketing plans. With a mid approach, why won’t albums fade away quickly?
The truth is that it takes a lot of work to come up with a good album and most guys in the game are not up to the demands. They want the quick buck instead of building a legacy that lasts.
I hope other artists have learnt from Wizkid’s bold creative decision. He didn’t chase algorithms. He aimed for a cultural reset and achieved it.
To be a great artist you need to make great albums. I am yet to see an artist in this era achieve greatness off singles alone. I bet this will never happen. You can fluke a bunch of hits. You might be on a hot streak but to score an album that lasts takes work.
‘Clone Wars IV’ For Therapy In These Buhari Times
“If you're living here in Naija, ya some form of depressed” - Ghost on ‘Duade’ off Clone Wars IV
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is stuck in an endless loop of bad news (“Ever felt like you're in a low budget Nollywood flick And it's a crap scene? the Naija version of groundhog day - Ghost on ‘Epigenetics’).
Stories of terrorism, ethnic clashes, ethnic tension, kidnappings, murder, inflation and crime have dominated the news cycle.
While the soul of Nigeria slowly descends into darkness, members of the political elite have remained on brand with a clear lack of empathy. Emperor Bubu fiddles while Rome burns. (“Lack of empathy from the presidency, cuz evidently shit hole lives don't matter” - Ghost on ‘Hunger Cries’).
To be a Nigerian especially in these times is to deal with a lot of trauma. We are all on the edge, expecting another dose of devastating news. (“Whole country got post traumatic stress” - Tec on ‘Epigenetics’)
How do we navigate through the madness?
Clone Wars IV: These Buhari Times is the best project for this. You can see from the lines above how Ghost and Tec touch on the mental stress, trauma and hopelessness of living in modern day Nigeria beset by woes. Nothing much has changed since the duo released the project on December 31, 2019.
While we wait for the fifth instalment of their famed mixtape series known for its political commentary and introspective bars, Clone Wars IV should hold us through the politricks and lies.
Hopefully, Clone Wars V comes soon…
Burna Boy Covers British GQ
The African Giant is on the cover of the British edition of GQ. Written by Aniefiok Ekpoudom, the article touches on Burna Boy’s Grammy win, the impact of his historic feat, the Nigerian educational system and other related things.
Burna Boy has also released a new single called ‘Kilometre’. You can listen to it and share your thoughts about it in the comment section.
New Releases
Adekunle Gold has dropped a new single ‘It Is What It Is’.
Big Brother Naija winner Laycon has released his debut album titled ‘...Shall We Begin…’
Blaqbonez is out with this third offering ‘Sex > Love’.
Milli is back and he has just released a new single ‘Been Long I Seen You’ off his forthcoming EP titled ‘Dark Horse’.
Tiwa Savage is set to drop a new EP ‘Water And Garri’. Savage dropped a clip of her playing the project for super-talented producer Skateboard P.
Nice work sir!