Issue 32 // June 2016 // Complimentary Issue
Issue 32 // June 2016
NEXT AFROPOLITAN VIBEs SHOW WILL BE ON FRIDAY JUly 15TH, 2016 SEE YOU THEN! 1
Viewing Time Tuesdays 23.30 Wednesdays 7.30 & 15.30 Saturdays 23.30
AFROPOLITAN VIBE ON TV IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GETTV The shows will be available to view on our Youtube Channel at www.youtube.com/afropolitanvibes
Channel 129 on Startimes
Issue 32 // June 2016
Issues with printing have meant that we had to make the decision to issue only digital copies of the magazine for May and for this June issue, but there is no cause for alarm; in July, we shall be printing all three editions separately and will distribute them at the show because we know that many of you collect them. The beauty of this June edition is that because we were able to wait until after the show, for the rst time we have used an image from the same show that features the artists proled in the magazine. For this reason, this June issue of Afropolitan Vibes magazine is special and highly collectible.
We prole our three guest artists: Niki Tall, St. Janet and Sean Tizzle. We feature some of our favourite pictures from the 37th edition of Afropolitan Vibes, which was held on May 20th, 2016.
You can email us with your thoughts at info@afropolitanvibes@gmail.com. We also read all comments and respond to questions on all of our social media platforms. We have a limited number of back issues of Afropolitan Vibes magazine. If you would like a copy, please contact us via email or on +234-803-493-7094.
Editor: Abby Ogunsanya
Guest artists' pictures: Courtesy of subjects
Guest artist proles: Chris Ogunlowo Abby Ogunsanya, Oris Aigbokhaevbolo
Cover Image: Dohdohndawa Photography
Graphic Design: Ayomidotun Freeborn
Show pictures: Kola King
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Contact and advertising enquiries: info@afropolitanvibes.com Tel: + 234-803-4937094
Issue 32 // June 2016
Sean Tizzle: Man on a Journey
“I come dey Jones like say I be Indiana...” is perhaps the one line, backed by a kicking beat, that brought Sean Tizzle to the notice of the Nigerian public. The year was 2013. The producer was D'Tunes. The song was 'Sho Lee'. It became a hit sung by a not very well known artist. By the time the year was over, his days of not being very well known were over.
B
o r n M o r i h a f e n O l u w a s e u n Oluwabamidele in 1989, Sean Tizzle grew up in Lagos, the city of his birth. The fourth of ive children, he spent a number of his schooling years in Ibadan, irst attending the town's Command Secondary School in Ibadan and later studying Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan. Initially a rapper, he was a member of a group called 2B-ONE as a secondary school student in Ibadan. He, however, drifted away from that form after an uncle told him his voice was meant for singing. His uncle was just one more family member in support of his music dream. “My parents supported me from day one,” he told an interviewer. “They are so proud of what I do. Their support has been encouraging. I went home...and everyone came out to welcome me.”
by Oris Aigbokhaevbolo Oris lives in Lagos and tweets from @catchoris
In 2009, Sean Tizzle met the producer D'Tunes. Both singer and artist formed a friendship—one that would contribute signi icantly to the pop scene and rescue Sean from obscurity. The decision to be a singer was, however, yet to yield considerable dividends. The artist is said to have once slept at a security post after a performance. His irst af iliated with the group Naija Ninjas headed by industry vet Sound Sultan. For the hit song 'Sho Lee', both Sound Sultan and D'Tunes played a part. The former, it is said, contributed to the lyrics of the song and the latter supplied the beat. Sean Tizzle laced it with his voice and the result was a song that would be played across the country and launch the career of the
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Issue 32 // June 2016
Ondo state indigene. Speaking about the song later, Sean Tizzle attributed the song's success to powers beyond himself, saying, “That song was inspired by God. Not forgetting the beat m a d e b y my b o s s D ' Tu n e s . I t w a s n' t premeditated that the story line would go in that direction. It just came and for that I'm grateful to God.” In the midst of all of this success, it became known that Sean Tizzle had left Naija Ninjas for the D'Tunes owned Difference Entertainment and the departure was hardly in the greatest of circumstances. The issue was settled, with Sean describing Sound Sultan as “an uncle, brother and friend”. The success of 'Sho Lee' and other singles would lead the artist to the Headies where he won t he Nex t Ra ted awa rd, announcing to the music audience the potential of this particular artist. Sean Tizzle ful illed that pote ntial when the next year he released his debut album 'The Journey'. The album produced 'Perfect Gentleman', 'Kilogbe', 'Loke Loke' and a couple other hits—most of them to commercial success. He has performed at several events in Nigeria, including the annual Felabration, Star Trek and Hennessy Artistry. In 2014, he toured the UK, performing in six cities. In the same year he returned to the Headies. There, his album won the Best R&B/Pop category, over Burna Boy's 'LIFE' and 'Me, My Mouth & Eye', an album by his former boss Sound Sultan. The next year, he toured seven cities in the US. Not satis ied with his pop music success, Sean Tizzle has veered into cinema, tapping from his Theatre Arts background. In 2014, he featured in the ilm 'Dazzling Mirage' and in 2015, he starred in 'Astray'. Music is still the man's major art. In May 2016, within days he released the singles 'Like to Party' and 'Murder Me'. Both are expected to lead to his sophomore album. The title of that album is unknown. What is known is that the Sean Tizzle journey is far from over. Twitter & Instagram: @Iamseantizzle facebook.com/seantizzle
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Issue 32 // June 2016
St. Janet: Our Lady of St. Bottles Cathedral by Chris Ogunlowo Chris is a writer and culture enthusiast, he tweets from @chrisogunlowo
The aisle stretches into a midsection, seeming shy of the altar. It bears a rug that has crooked patterns. As though in defiance, the rug stretches beyond the pews, beyond the offertory box, beyond the podium, and settles in front of an antique candle stand. The stand is composed of bottle-shaped receptacles. Wax from the candles collide with the floor and dissolve into millions of mini drops of wax. Flickers from the candles compete with hundreds of chandeliers showering disco lights into the sanctuary. A looker is at their mercy to discern who the subject in the giant portrait hanging in the altar is.
A
woman, obviously. Perhaps, the Holy Mary. Maybe the Mona Lisa. But these guesses quickly fade in the face of obvious contrariness. The subject is without a halo and without a famous child. She beams a smile wider but less enigmatic than that famous avatar. One notices an ample display of bosom, a careful outflow of breasts from a patterned blouse. She has been smiling, for God-knows-how-long, and with a pose that appears more mischievous than infectious. These are not pews. Only round tables and chairs as in a beer parlour, and they are arranged to keep focus on the giant portrait. Only the choir's seats are arranged in a semicircle. Today's service will be typical. A congregation gathers, exchanging pleasantries and taking their places at the round tables. An agogo suddenly launches into a routine that alerts other instruments and the congregation.
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Issue 32 // June 2016
Our lady strolls in from the altar, hype man in tow. She looks trimmer than her likeness in the giant portrait. She takes a position close to the choristers and gestures for the instrumentalists to take the music low. In a quick rendition, she acknowledges the congregation and welcomes them to St. Bottles Cathedral. She acknowledges the night's sponsors whose advertising adorns the walls. As usual, her performance begins with a gospel song. Acknowledging God is necessary because the next songs are, by conservative standard, abominable. But the Christian God is easy to patronize. St. Janet is a juju musician. Her brand of juju music is a brew of common and gospel songs, spoofed with sexual and humourous Yoruba lyrics. Whoever is judging, this is an art form of a sort. Gospel meets perversion. She combines elements of juju into a form that impresses in a contemporary sense. Her musical adventure, perhaps inventiveness, sometimes allows her to blend into highlife and fuji. Time will tell if St. Janet will rank alongside juju greats. Her devotion, so far, is more to her lyrics than the musical form. And she seems unapologetic about it. In an environment with much conservative pretentiousness, St. Janet's music easily raises eyebrows. She is daring. She makes passersby look uncomfortable as suggestive lyrics belch from loud speakers across the streets. Some people take the joke and repress laughter. St. Janet music is not for moral vigilantes. Her themes are mostly about man-woman relationships, sexual intercourse, genitals, and making funny commentaries on everyday life. She goes straight for the shock value, albeit laced with humour. Where Obesere is the captain of naughty lyrics, St. Janet is the General.
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Admittedly, her mention of sexual parts can make even the staunchest liberal minds flinch in embarrassment. And with Yoruba, a language that impresses with sensational descriptions of genitals – ask Yoruba speakers; she feeds listeners with a cocktail of sex-alluding words and metaphors. 'Vagina,' in lettering, this writer thinks, is visually laborious and vocally unmelodious by comparison to 'Òbò'. Again, ask Yoruba speakers. The latter sounds naughty from a Yoruba tongue. Look at it again and notice the three perfect orifices. One word programmed with such raunchiness. Left to this choir, òbò should be mentioned with such abandon. Maybe this writer is just silly.
members and visitors. The hype man is having a field day. His boss is in her full element. He doesn't match Yinka Ayefele's hype man in creative interjections, but he keeps his game naughtier, especially when interpreting the talking drum. And o'boy, she's a hustler too. She exchanges the 'abominable' for some good money and performs at clubs. Her concert banners are on Lagos joints. CDs of her live performances are in Lagos traffic. (This writer is a collector). She probably only knows why she uses Christian elements in her art. She's a saint. She chants Hallelujah. She borrows songs from the church. She welcomes everyone to a cathedral, a fictitious edifice, as fictitious as the one this writer paints. If these elements are for shock and marketing reasons, it works.
Now God is appeased. The congregation is in the spirit. St. Janet serves a sexual homily that sends the audience into frenzy. Alcohol fuels the gyration too.
To her fans, her art is fun and bold. She might not be nationally banned or haunted by a fatwa. She might not win a Grammy or get listed in Rolling Stones. But for those who appreciate her art, deviance and humour, she's already a winner.
One wonders if she is attempting a feminist agenda, perhaps unconsciously. These types of lyrics aren't easily associated with women, at least not in this clime. And she doesn't give a damn. A culture that adores Victor Olaiya for the original 'Mofe Muyan' track with its brazen mention of breast (breast, ọyàn in Yoruba) and a world that pardons Flavour N'abania for its creative remix of Rex Lawson's 'Sawale' for his 'Nwa Baby (Ashawo)' hit, can embrace a woman acting alike. If it's just an artistic endeavour for her, she does it well.
Hallelujah somebody. Twitter: @StJanet14 Facebook: facebook.com/stjanet Instagram: @St_Janet
She wipes some sweat now. Her confidence dominates the cathedral. No one dares lay siege against her creativity. She has just stirred the crowd with another verse, this time scolding ladies who aren't adventurous with penises. The crowd of mostly men is in a comedic heaven. She has a special fondness for the phallus. If inspiration comes to her, she might commission a wooden phallus to be installed in the altar. Its sight will be an interesting spectacle for
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Issue 32 // June 2016
Niki Tall: More than a cover artiste
Nicolas Georgakis aka Niki Tall is a Greek-German artist who developed a great love for Nigerian music in 2008 when, during a visit to a German club, he met a Nigerian DJ who played Afrobeat alongside hip-hop and dancehall music as part of his set. Frequent visits to the club soon got him familiar with the music of numerous contemporary African artists. In that same year, the music inspired Niki to come up with a unique cover and video of himself singing 'Gongo Aso', the popular song by 9ice. The video quickly became a viral hit, gaining attention of Nigerians on social media who were impressed that a white man could sing the popular Yorùbá hit song with such conviction.
by Abby Ogunsanya
Since he burst into the music scene with his novelty act, Niki has gone on to record many other covers by Nigerian artists such as Kiss Daniel's 'Woju', Wizkid's 'Ojuelegba', P-Square's 'Collabo' and the 'Double Wahala' by Oritshe Femi.
Abby wears many hats, and she doesn’t tweet.
His popularity has earned him invitations to perform all over the world. In his five plus years on the scene, the Oyinbo Boy - a nickname he was given by his Nigerian fans, has opened and shared the stage with artists such as Wizkid, Flavour Nabania, Wande Coal, J martins, MC Galaxy, Duncan Mighty, Bracket and Timaya during their tours abroad. He says he is regularly approached at gigs by Nigerians who express a lot of appreciation for the unique twist that he adds to his renditions of contemporary Nigerian music
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Issue 32 // June 2016
It wasn't until May 2015 that Niki was ďŹ nally able to visit Nigeria for the ďŹ rst time. His return to Nigeria again this June and his performance at Afropolitan Vibes will mark his ďŹ rst ever live concert performance in the country. On the main stage at Freedom Park alongside the 13piece Bantu collective, he will demonstrate that he is more than just a cover artist by performing some of his own original music as he continues to pave the path for a long term career for himself in the music business. In addition to his work as a singer, Niki is also a DJ, producer, songwriter and owns his own music label 'Niki Tall Music'. Twitter and Instagram: @iamNikiTall Facebook: facebook.com/Nikitall
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MAY 2016 Edition
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