wizkid • made in lagos (2020)

we’ve been patient, very, very patient, but it has arrived at long last: Wizkid’s Fifth, after Superstar (2011), Ayo (2014), Sounds From The Other Side (2017), and last year’s SoundMan Vol. 1 EP.

https://i1.wp.com/gramng.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Wizkid-2.jpg?resize=686%2C688
https://bonnewshaiti.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Wizkid-unveils-official-artwork-and-tracklist-for-Made-In-Lagos.jpg

let’s talk about it here.

I will be checking in again tomorrow after I’ve actually listened to the album myself
but if it turns out to be Just A Disillusion I might do a Twice as Tall and ghost on this thread!

Loving the first 2 mins lol

― rob, vrijdag 30 oktober 2020 0:17

really like this on first listen, great vibes with sax everywhere

just a sublime album

"true love" sheesh... "essence" and "grace" as well

Sounds really good, yeah.

I keep getting interrupted before getting all the way through, but so far this is absolutely SLICK in the best way.

s(l)ick

heh yes that too

album really starts to kick into gear with the damian marley song imo... it’s pretty enjoyable before that but it really locks into that perfect laid back, lush, slight twist on reggae/dancehall groove after that. from “no stress” on it’s just crazy good

i think my favourite section is "true love" through to "essence" which is just sublime but it's great the whole way through

i can't get over how good both of those are

finally listening to this on speakers, drinking some special rum, and J0rdan otm: the back 2/3 of this is just right, I want to hibernate in this sound (and tbc there's not a bad track here—Reckless is a perfect opener, Ginger is maybe not the tour de force I would have liked from that combination but it's good)

Very consistent vibes, Wizkid's performance outshines most of the feats, except H.E.R and Ella Mai. Highlights definitely include Reckless, Piece of Me, True Love and Sweet One besides the two songs that were known. The last third is less obvious to me, it's maybe very slightly in automatic mode, except for Grace which is a beautiful closer.

There's a real satisfying thickness to the sound of this, I've not even especially engaged with the songs themselves yet but there's this soft but firm bass sound that you can just sink into like a really good chair.

Exactly. I think Nabozo's "automatic mode" for me is more like "hits a sweet spot and luxuriates in it". "Consistent" was definitely my overwhelming first impression too.

RE the features: I'm not v familiar with Tay Iwar, but his voice is a huge part of "True Love" for me and Projexx adds the perfect garnish. It's nice to hear Ella Mai, but that song might be the one I find the least interesting musically. H.E.R./"Smile" sound great in context, but I liked that song a lot already and was puzzled by the "meh" consensus on other threads. Tems' hook on "Essence" is also crucial, and I predict "you don't need no other body" will be the bit from this album most stuck in my head in days to come.

It's a testament to how deep this thing is that I'm only just noticing how good the more traditional (so to speak) afrobeats of "Roma" is.

Haven’t had the opportunity yet to *really* delve into this album, but I’m appreciating it more and more with every play. I wasn’t sold right away, which had a lot to do with my expectations for this - and there’s all sorts of expectations you build up when a project has been dangled in front of you for three years.

(here’s a timeline - note: the year in the first paragraph after the intro is incorrect, it should be Feb 18, 2017 - also lol at the Soundman EP assessment)

My expectations were heavily coloured by knowing there was a ready-for-release Made in Lagos (2019) with dominant input by Killertunes and Northboi (hello, “Joro”!) - but it (and they) were sidelined, and we might never hear it (including the Northboi-produced tracks with Teni and Buju Banton), which is a crying shame.

I definitely wasn’t expecting a whole album of Loverman Wizzy, and much as I love him in that particular mode, it took some adjusting on my part. My first impression was, yes, it sounds great, it’s a whole mood, but perhaps a bit too... tasteful?, also, the songs/melodies aren’t quite there, plus a definite lack of bangers. The great number of features felt like a weakness to me too, a lack of confidence, focusing too much on the crossover, instead of the ‘made in Lagos’ concept.

But I’m close to 180’ing on all that now (not quite there yet tho). The album really works as a mood piece, and soundwise it really is of a *piece*, with P2J (co)producing 11 of the 14 tracks as well as being the executive producer. I haven’t had an on-speakers-with-special-rum moment with this yet (envying you, rob!), but it does sound extremely good and yes, consistent and *thick* on headphones. “Roma”, as the only real afro jam, actually feels a bit out of place here.

What strikes me most now in the features is Wizzy’s generosity there, often having his partner setting the scene for a whole minute or more before he enters the track. This doesn’t work with Skepta, but it does with Tems, and Tay Iwar is sensationally good on “True Love”. Agree with everyone here that this is the clear highlight, and it’s also the most collaborative track (noteworthy that it’s the only Juls-produced one).

Still feel the album values mood over melody, but this is mainly a problem on “Longtime” and “Mighty Wine” in the first section. (Those Wine/Whyne songs are becoming a running gag btw, he’s had one on each of his four albums now - you’d think he’s doing it on purpose!)

As for the singles, released and potential: I’m underwhelmed by the Burna collabo, “Smile” sounds *great* coming in after “Blessed” (it also feels less stodgy in the album context), and man, “No Stress”, that song only gets better and better. It has a video now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veIK9yEabNc

Moka made an interesting point with regard to the new Ariana Grande album, which is also very low-key and intimate and has a notable lack of bangers, where she ascribed the choice for a stay-at-home, stay-in-bed vibe to the pandemic situation, where touring (and I might add clubbing) won’t be possible in the foreseeable future.
I feel this might have been a factor in the way Made in Lagos ultimately turned out as well.

Ah that is interesting. Also helps me understand why, for example, I initially thought the Jessie Ware album was thrilling AOTY material, but then didn't feel much of an urge to return to it after the first few excited spins, it felt incongruous stuck in my apt.

Anyway, good post! I'm kind of glad I didn't really know those details about the 2019 version of the album (Buju? oof). As usual you've reminded me that I should check out the producer credits.

FWIW, while the rum was special, the speakers were just a portable bluetooth device. I think it mostly helped to listen to it with someone else in the room rather than listening intently on headphones solo while trying to work out my ~opinion~ lol

I hear you, breastcrawl, but to me, at least, this particular mood is where I’m at right now. And I even have a job where I get to dj once a week in spite of the pandemic. This album lets me breathe, and I’m thankful for it. Also, No Stress is such a jam. And Smile sounds way better in the context of the album.

I wasn’t complaining tho! As I wrote in my post, I’m close to 180’ing on my initial impression.

(also, the Ariana album sounded very good to me)

feeling “Grace” this morning. It and”Reckless” are a perfect pair of bookends.

also “Roma” 👌🏼

good album this, no?

the smoothness of it all is a huge bonus for me

“Smile” sounds *great* coming in after “Blessed” (it also feels less stodgy in the album context)

very otm, was surprised by how much i enjoyed it.

i've listened to this about three times already, mostly as a whole so i don't have much to say about individual songs. it's just a vibe--confident, laid-back, with some creamy bass sounds.

great use of *that* Loleatta Holloway sample in “Essence”

Coming back to the first songs:
The percussion and bass in Reckless make for a splendid arrangement underneath his flow, it's very subtle and organic, the tropical flourishes are almost distracting from it.
Ginger feels incomplete and it's so strange to have featured Burna Boy on the chorus and Wizkid on the verse rather than the rather obvious opposite.
Wizkid's on his near-best on the second part of Longtime. Those percussions are so right again.
I don't get Blessed more than I get Mighty Wine, tedious song.

album is flat incredible

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMIlZFNX5Qc

interviewer doesn't really ask the most probing questions but wizkid comes off as very likable in this video and there is some interesting insight about each song

hearing the songs in this context actually gave me a real appreciation for "ginger" and "longtime" ... "ginger" in particular. this album is really about the final 2/3 for me but that song is pretty great

I enjoyed that interview.

the super collaborativeness of “True Love” makes more sense now: it came about in a session for a Juls project, but Wizkid liked it so much that he pleaded with Juls to give the track to him.

Interesting--though that makes it even weirder that only Wizkid is credited (on streaming)

I put this aside for a little while and right now it really does sound incredible. I'm at the phase of noticing the details deeper in the mix, and the opening third benefits quite a bit from it, e.g., I too like "Ginger"

that’s been corrected - in stages: Tay Iwar first, and as of yesterday (?) Projexx is tagged as well

xp

Oh good!

Justice for Tems too I see. Good news, that was def a sour note

yeah, that was really sloppy, given that the artwork is crystal clear about it:

https://theinsyder.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/wizkid-made-in-lagos-tracklist-tgj-600x600-1.jpeg

i love this.

roma feat. terri is so good.

so this went out live last night on YouTube, as I discovered after the fact. have yet to watch it, but everybody seems to be raving about it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9knXaWFC-FQ

”a three-hour live-stream starring WizKid culminating in a full-on, live interactive performance”

that live performance is the last hour of the stream, it starts at 2h19

that set is **lush** as fuck

skip the first two hours and enjoy
(the vibes start at 2h01, not 2h19!)

tracklist:
2h01 intro
2h03 Smile
2h06 Jam
2h08 Mighty Wine
2h11 Grace
2h15 Blessed
2h18 Energy (Stay Far Away) with Skepta)
2h20 Longtime (with Skepta)
2h23 True Love
2h26 Naughty Ride
2h29 Gyrate
2h31 Piece Of Me
2h33 Joro
2h37 Soco
2h38 Ghetto Love
2h40 Ojuelegba
2h44 Ginger
2h47 Reckless
2h51 Come Closer
2h54 No Stress

The Guardian is the first publication (AFAIK) that has Made In Lagos on its EOY list. They have it way too low obviously, but the write-up is pretty apt:

43. Wizkid – Made in Lagos
Nigerian pop continued to establish itself more firmly on the international stage in 2020 with successful albums by Burna Boy, Davido, Tiwa Savage, Tems and more. The best of them all was this lilting, versatile record by Wizkid. Guest stars from across the Black Atlantic – Skepta and Ella Mai from the UK, HER from the US, Damian Marley and Projexx from Jamaica – create the sense of a diasporic dialogue, where reggae, dancehall, rap and Afro-swing seamlessly and sensually intertwine.

may just be very stoned but there's some three dimensional sound design going on here

also i fucking love this album

the sound design is indeed incredible and sooo lush

Brad, ufo, others, did you watch the YouTube concert I posted two weeks ago? it’s such a vibe and yes, lush.

i only watched some of it but what i did watch was great. even the weaker tracks on the album like "mighty wine" came across even better live

Could we perhaps try to agree on one or two Wiz tunes for the EOY 77? I fear vote splitting might become an issue with this album. So many good songs.

def voting for this album, but my wizkid song will likely be dj tunez' "cool me down"

sorry longneck, i know wizkid would want us all to come together

will def vote for “No Stress”, and probably also for either “Cool Me Down” or “Pami” (torn between those non-identical twin songs). “True Love” also one of my fave songs of the year, but three Wizzy tracks is probably too much.

three Wizzy tracks is never too much obv, but *voting for three* probably is

I can get behind No Stress but I'm not sure it is the best song on the album.

it’s def its best single tho

not sure why we’re even discussing vot(esplitt)ing when we haven’t even done the nominations yet. not sure I’m a fan of this pre-poll/pre-nom thing.

A Wizkid special from Nigerian music mag The Native:

https://thenativemag.com/cover-story/wizmag

I watched the YouTube concert the other night, and it was awesome. Plus I don't think there's a minute of this album I don't love now

I can understand the love for this record, but after repeated listens over the past few months, I've found that it's just not for me. There's no dynamics? It's so slick that it just passes by like nothing happened, not a single track stands out for me. That would be fine if this was ambient music, maybe, but this is supposed to be pop, and I find it completely unremarkable.

duly noted

ride on time: video for "Essence" with Tems:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jipQpjUA_o8

.@wizkidayo’s “Essence” (ft. Tems) has debuted at #25 on Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart! 🤯🔥

This is Starboy’s fifth entry on the chart, extending his record as the African artist with the most entries here — his second as lead. #MADEINLAGOS baby!!!! 🥳🎉🥳🎊 pic.twitter.com/fypElEm4g1

— MIL - OUT NOW 🌍 (@WizkidSource) June 4, 2021

also here’s the first Wizkid sighting of the year, from Lojay’s fantastic new EP with Sarz:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4IEaUhIuCs
Lojay & Sarz ft. Wizkid • LV N ATTN

Lojay’s reaction on first hearing Wizzy’s feature on his track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqW37gmxJoU

Nice to see Essence lasting this long. A true highlight on a great, great album.

apple music has some sort master version of this up now, they need to continue to develop new technologies so i can continue hear this record in better fashion over time

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ_oCO-CSam/?utm_medium=copy_link

North American tour dates

got my new york tickets a few weeks ago B-)

"essence" has climbed into the top 20 on apple music, think it may have a shot at the hot 100

song of the summer (this year, last year, every year)

tickets for the Toronto show sold out in minutes, i coulda gotten a ticket but waffled for like literally 5 seconds and it was gone :(

Joey Akan taking stock of “Afrobeats to the World” on the occasion of “Essence” becoming the first Afropop song ever to crack the Billboard Hot 100:

link - hope it works

Tems' hook on "Essence" is also crucial, and *I predict "you don't need no other body" will be the bit from this album most stuck in my head in days to come*.

ha! Essence did persist as my favorite from the album

And it is pretty wild how much this blew up. That Akan piece is interesting, though kinda thinly sourced in terms of explaining the song's crossover—not that I'm saying he's wrong, I don't really know what influencers are up to lol

Regular price tix for the 2 dc area shows sold out quick. Venue and live nation just listing resale price ones for 3 times the original price :(

same here in Toronto :(

London date just announced

you're in Sacramento, a wonderful town
sing, sing, sing, din, din-din

https://pitchfork.com/news/burna-boy-and-wizkid-to-headline-lost-in-riddim-festival/

https://media.pitchfork.com/photos/60ee0fe22263890acdbe7839/master/w_1600%2Cc_limit/Festival.jpg

that line up is insane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeMeopQqB6s

"essence" remix ft. bieber, he doesn't really add anything to it but it's fine

would be great if it can propel it into being a proper global hit though

i don’t blame them for trying to despacito it but totally useless addition

in more inspiring news he’s putting out a deluxe of the album in a few weeks so we should get a few new songs out of it

i haven't listened to it but i'm mad it exists

it would have made me mad if he'd ruined it or something but if it helps it become an international hit i don't really mind. his presence is thankfully unobtrusive

He's got a decent appearance on the Dave album.

second show added in Toronto, presale tomorrow prayers up 4 me plz

got a ticket to the second Toronto show, stoked

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_O4u_nDbGs
Wizkid feat. Buju - Mood

"essence" (remix) is #17 on the hot 100, my god

i haven't heard the bieber version yet, the rap stations here play the original and the pop station hasn't started playing it. one of my friends at w*rk is a big bieber fan so when this came on off her playlist i was sure it'd be the biebs version but nope! the original is outselling/-streaming the remix now it seems so i guess billboard is crediting it like that b/c of the initial boost + that's presumably what the pop stations would play

recorded stream of his third night playing the O2... he comes on about an hour or so in. just super fun to see a full arena rocking to his music, but he's also got a fuller band than when he was touring in the US, i think. a lot of the songs sound great esp w/ the back up singers. he also brings out most of the guests on the album... i highly recommend finding the spot in the show where burna boy comes out in a full rodeo outfit w/ cowboy hat and cowboy boots, their energy together is really funny. also tems! not sure if she came out at the other london shows but i wouldn't be surprised if it was the first time they performed the song together

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBBv-JT0-gE

also wiz says he & burna have a new song together, video already shot. seems like it's coming out fairly soon. appears to be called "ballon d'or," looks like it's a burna song w/ wiz feature but i guess we'll see

supposed to see him in January, hoping omicron won't mess up his plans

he does a great version of "blessed" at like 1:53:00... he pulled out a lot of tricks for this show that he didn't on his US tour (understandably)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OJ_5aS-PdM

Ten minutes of aesthetics, top fashion and indulgence featuring the songs from Made in Lagos deluxe.

deep cut / fan favorite “True Love” gets an official video release:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RstK5waga3o

video does the song no favors at all. the absence of Tay Iwar makes this a rather weird, even uncomfortable, watch

was always my favorite on this album

wiz kid is dead! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaaqj9EQ6h8

jesus. go away

Made in Tappahannock:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syItp7nKTik
“Call Me Every Day”

Killer tune. CB should just go make a full afropop album.

hadn’t listened to the new tracks on the Deluxe in a while. that is one hell of an EP - the old-fashioned 4-track kind, that is.

(…)

oops, checked the thread and “Anoti” (peak P.Priime, that slippery busy bassline!) and “Steady” (my favourite, loverboy Wizzy, a continuation of SoundMan’s highlight “Electric”) weren’t even mentioned on here. “Mood” with tafkaBuju is a great repurposing of the eternal “Don’t Dull” beat for the Made in Lagos era.

FYI “Don’t Dull” is another one of my Wizkid nominations for the 2010s Poll. Don’t dull and waste your vote!

Or vote for Superstar as the school-days teenage album of untrained genius and fresh fun that it is. The cheap production is fantastic. Essence of early afrobeats charm.

new single (presumably the first from his new album) is out next wednesday

“Bad To Me” is out, it’s a P2J production. log drum and post-Asake group-chanted chorus notwithstanding, it’s very old-school Wizzy (I’m thinking “Bombay” era, but of course there’s also the “This Kind Luv” self-rip).
it’s a fool’s game to rate a Wizkid track on the first day, but it’s probably safe to say it won’t be among his classics. that riff growing out of that guitar lick in the intro is super positively nagging tho.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw3e6mRWLHY

i think i like this more than you, but i don't like it more than "majo" from the dj tunez ep

lol to clarify: “super positively nagging” was my clumsy wag of saying that it’s nagging in a very good way

*wag => way

ah yes. i love that little guitar line, especially when it comes back at the end of the song

listening to this on headphones now and it’s zooming up in my estimation already - I love it when a plan gels together

His voice is on point but that track is all over the place, shame, and I don't like the chorus.

It’s very asake

Rolling Stone weighing in:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/wizkid-bad-to-me-1234592255/

Good maybe not great song, though it also took me two listens to fully hear it; the hitch for me was his lower register, which sounded strange to me at first. I also recall the early singles from MiL being slightly underwhelming, or at least "Smile" wasn't v well received around here pre-album.

I get the Asake ref. Yet it doesn't really sound much like him, specifically, in the rest of the singing or production. Obviously choral chanting is a hot trend but I mean...Fela also had backing choruses, and I think something breastcrawl posted mentioned fuji or juju antecedents, and Asake himself cited gospel. Full credit for making it such a phenom in 2022, absolutely, but it's not like Asake invented the idea.

re: that RS piece, "Soweto Baby" was 7 years ago! Obvs that's not amapiano but clearly Wizkid pays attention to SA

The amapianthem now has a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mkhevOXVNk

…which includes (apart from more exquisite wardrobe samples) five seconds of another, presumably soon to be released, new track.

…which sounds pre-tty gooood.

…which goes without saying.

I’ve come around on this slinky little tune btw, but it’s hardly the most exciting thing out. Wizkid’s usually one step ahead of the competition.

agreed

i think most artists these days aren't coming out of the gate w/ their best single. they're prob considering this one the "teaser" or w/e

he allegedly performed the new album in full in london last month for an apple event but i don't see any write ups or anything about it

missed that, but here’s a report:

https://www.bellanaija.com/2022/09/wizkid-album-preview-london/

Wizkid performed his new album “More Love Less Ego” live with the Apple Music in UK last Tuesday night 💿🇬🇧

It’s now confirmed that Big Wiz unreleased album will features; TravisScott, RoddyRicch, Don Toliver, AyraStar, NairaMarley, Buju Banton & Ty Dolla $ 🎤🦅 pic.twitter.com/DfbpZZ9kID

— World Music Republic (@WMREPUBLIC) September 28, 2022

roddy and don toliver are pretty good picks stylistically

at least no Ed Sheeran

When Ty Dolla is on, he’s on. And on paper, at least, the two should be a good match. But this definitely smells of Sounds from the other side 2, in which case… oh well.

But this definitely smells of Sounds from the other side 2, in which case… oh well.

― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Wednesday, October 19, 2022 3:04 PM (twelve seconds ago)

i mean, the songwriting could just end up being a lot better

That is what I’m hoping. On the other hand, there’s also Twice as Tall.

the two tracks he did with T$ on SftOS are among the biggest duds of his career. they are besties tho, so…

there’s also Twice as Tall.

― human and working on getting beer (longneck), Wednesday, October 19, 2022 3:06 PM (four minutes ago)

there's also african giant!

I think we can all agree Wizkid (and Afropop in general) is past that stage, where it be African Giant or Twice As Tall. we’re in an era where Asake can crack the Billboard album charts with some Yoruba shit.

*whether it be

I assumed longneck was thinking AG : TaT :: MiL : MLLE
it's a bit premature for these worries though, no?

Asake is notably free from ill-fitting crossover features, which hopefully bodes well for the future

Made in Lagos would be the equivalent of African Giant in my analogy… I’m just saying these blatant crossover attempts rarely work very well. If he has made a pure afro’n’b album, however, I’d say there’s a chance he might pull it off.

(oh wait I forgot about Russ on the Asake)

I think we can all agree Wizkid (and Afropop in general) is past that stage, where it be African Giant or Twice As Tall. we’re in an era where Asake can crack the Billboard album charts with some Yoruba shit.

― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Wednesday, October 19, 2022 3:16 PM (three minutes ago)

not that artists at this stature are ever divorced from commercial concerns but i would think of it less as "we need to work w/ these artists in order to crossover" and more "i want to work w/ these artist because i like them and it would be fun"

Yeah that’s my point. If Wizkid plays the Twice as Tall game he’ll surely miss. If he’s mainly aiming for an African audience - like Asake - he could actually cross over big time. I think.

well, exactly, in the sense that aiming for an African audience means you’ll have the ear of the world

US r&b is already chasing the afropop sound. As long as he’s not too actively trying to adopt his sound to the American market he’ll probably do fine. Wiz is always at his best when he’s at his most relaxed and comfortable, not when he’s trying to fit in.

but I get Jordan S.’s point - and to be honest, the collaborators on MiL didn’t look all that exciting on paper either

cp

xp

US r&b is already chasing the afropop sound

oh yeah? can you list some examples? (not challenging you, I would like to know)

whatever he does, it will be quality, but I wouldn’t like to see him rest on his laurels (although of course he has long been deserving to).

one of the most beautiful things he has created through MiL is that Naijapop artists feel confident and free enough now to make albums that create a specific mood that suits them, instead of chasing crossover clout by trying to cover all bases through strategic collabs and different styles. thinking especially of the Omah Lay and CKay albums here.

US r&b is already chasing the afropop sound

oh yeah? can you list some examples? (not challenging you, I would like to know)

― rob, Wednesday, October 19, 2022 3:31 PM (one minute ago)

would start w/ the chris brown + wizkid song that is as close to made in lagos cosplay as you could ever achieve

also the future/drake song that is essentially just a remixed version of tems "higher"

i wouldn't necessarily say US r&b is chasing afropop so much as afropop is simply just considered part of contemporary R&B now. if you are a fan of modern R&B you are listening to african artists. the wall has completely collapsed. "essence" is prob the biggest pure R&B song in years. tems is easily the biggest breakout R&B singer of the last few years.

and Asake obv, but his approach (in close collaboration with Magicsticks) feels like a next step already

xp

here are the top 5 songs on the billboard hip hop/R&B airplay chart (to me the best measure of what songs are being served to very core, mainstream rap and r&b listeners) this week

1. future ft. drake & tems - wait for u
2. tems - free mind
3. diddy & bryson tiller - gotta move on
4. burna boy - last last
5. lil baby - in a minute

as to longneck’s point, also a sign of the times that a track from Niniola’s sort of side project r&b ep from last year is now used in some US tv drama:

A song by @officialniniola was featured on episode two of the U.S television drama All American: Homecoming 🌍 🔥 #homecoming #drama #niniola #africaentertainmenttv pic.twitter.com/pgMLxHWsgW

— Africa Entertainment TV (@africaenttv_) October 18, 2022

xp
ah ok I guess I already knew all that (though I'm not a chart-watcher and did not realize Last Last had penetrated there), thought longneck meant something a little different

doja cat "woman" is also an afrobeats song which went top 10 and was no 1 at pop radio

^yeah that's more what I thought he meant (and is new to me for some reason)

i think there's a stronger case to be made that african artists are taking over R&B (i.e. asake outstreaming ari lennox first week) than american artists chasing the sound per se, but there are def some prominent examples (the ones i listed) of the latter. to chris brown's credit he was maybe the first big american artist to really recognize afrobeats artists? so his rip off of 'made in lagos' doesn't feel that galling

CB def one of the first - he’s one of the earliest friends Wizzy made in the US industry. they made “Shabba” in 2016 (with Trey Songz there as well!) and iirc “African Bad Gyal” may have been recorded even earlier - too bad they sat on it for too long. when Wiz finally dropped it it no longer sounded current.

Jordan, are there any other afropop (-adjacent) tracks in Billboard’s hip hop/R&B airplay chart? it’s one of their many subscribers-only charts, so I have no access to it

All of the above. Doja is a really good example, as is Call Me Every Day. There's also stuff like Kelly Rowland jumping on the Bloody Samaritan remix and Rema and Selena actually charting now. Jordan gets it right: african artists are basically taking over r&b now, for better or worse.

Kelly has form as well: she was on the remix for Korede Bello’s “Do Like That” five years ago.

there was "heated" from the beyoncé album

As I believe deej pointed out some years ago, it all started with this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeJhi1-C7G0

+ the entire lion king soundtrack xp

Jordan, are there any other afropop (-adjacent) tracks in Billboard’s hip hop/R&B airplay chart? it’s one of their many subscribers-only charts, so I have no access to it

― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Wednesday, October 19, 2022 4:13 PM (seventeen minutes ago)

just "call me everyday" at no 34 which is a new peak

ah cheers. no sign of Oxlade’s “Ku Lo Se” breaking US r&b radio yet then?

Well, it's #5 on the Billboard US Afrobeats charts this week: https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-u-s-afrobeats-songs/

well, sure - waiting for it to infiltrate beyond that, like it has in the UK and Europe

I'd say it has a decent chance.

doja cat "woman" is also an afrobeats song which went top 10 and was no 1 at pop radio

― J0rdan S., Wednesday, October 19, 2022 2:47 PM (four hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

random but I believe this was cowritten by jidenna, and it definitely feels like some of the best retro-afropop songs that were on his album

the earliest person to observe the rise of afropop was Kanye that I can find. He cosigned DBanj -- honestly I think he just noticed how "oliver twist" sounded like paul johnson "get get down" lol .

The Oliver Twist video is a document for the ages: nearly all of Kanye's G.O.O.D. friends are in it.

oh, hey:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0kme1Fh6YA
Babyface ft. Amaarae • One Good Thing

New Wizkid is teh good Wizkid

https://open.spotify.com/track/3nIj7jkWVKKmmKPdhgrddu?si=qHRTknRNQFmFVkOYBvwgGQ

album out next week :) :) :) :) :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbATe_uZFTE

first ever song with a Buju Banton/Benson pun!

lol he should put them on a song together so we could all marvel at: f. BNXN fka Buju x Buju Banton

great track! I was sad when it ended

yeah this is fantastic

I appreciate the Timmy Thomas accents in P2J’s production

this looks like it’s going to be MiL - The Sequel

on the tracklist for More Love Less Ego on Genius.com there’s no track with Roddy Ricch - instead it has… Lauryn Hill

🚨Wizkid’s “More Love Less Ego” album release has now been shifted back to November 11.

Respect. 🫡👏🏽 pic.twitter.com/6d9mgEWdQV

— 𝗔𝗟𝗕𝗨𝗠 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗦 📀 (@AlbumTalksHQ) November 3, 2022

was wondering if he would do this. awful news about davido's son

yeah damn I hadn't heard about that

1. Money & Love
2. Balance
3. Bad to Me
4. 2 Sugar feat. Ayra Starr
5. Everyday
6. Slip N Slide feat. Skillibeng & Shenseea
7. Deep
8. Flower Pads
9. Wow feat. Skepta & Naira Marley
10. Pressure
11. Plenty Loving
12. Special feat. Don Toliver
13. Frames (Who’s Gonna Know)

You can tell Wizkid I approve of this list of feats

Yeah that’s more like it. I’m in.

I know, tomorrow is More Love Less Ego day, but I would just like to alert people to the new Masego single, "Say You Want Me", which is co-produced by P2J. very relevant to our recent afropop/beats-influencing-r&b discussion. check the rolling r&b 2022 thread.

🟣MORE LOVE LESS EGO🟩

it’s out, I listened to it, it’s great! - my first impressions.

I’d describe it as Made In Lagos - The 2022 Upgrade: More Log Less Languid

MiL_The Update: P2J is all over it, again. Juls has one track, again. “2 Sugar” is “Essence” with Ayra instead of Tems.
but: it’s even better sounding and more gloriously produced, and Wizzy’s vocals and phrasing are exquisite.

More Log Less Languid: most of the album sounds very piano-informed, without ever really going there. there’s only one track that out-pianos “Bad To Me”, that’s “Plenty Loving”, it’s a hit and an absolute highlight.

other highlights at first pass: Kel P’s “Balance” and P.Priime’s “Pressure”, plus P2J x Sammy Soso (who?)’s “Flower Pads”.
Soso also co-wrote “Bad To Me”, think he’s a (Nigerian) UK (or even Irish?) guy.

listening now and it's very good so far, keeping the same vibe as made in lagos with just the addition of some amapiano touches is a great formula

Sonically very much a continuation and I like all of it, although highlights seem less obvious (no No Stress / Ginger / Essence) and that Skillibeng really doesn't work on light touch soulful piano :)
Highlights on first listens for me are Balance, Pressure, Plenty Loving, and Frames. I'm warming up on Bad to me too. Deep and Flower Pads really slick in the middle.

This is pretty wonderful! It is hard to pick highlights, but that's down to consistency not quality. Gonna follow Nabozo's lead and make that observation followed by a list of highlights:
--Kel P's production on Balance gets into a glorious pure ear candy zone at one point, god he's good
--Everyday
--Skillibeng and Shenseea sound *really* good (I was worried), prob the best track I've heard her on in a while. I guess you could lose Skilli with no harm done, but you need to sandpaper to make things smooth iirc
--Then there's a batch of songs that all rule but I lost track of which were which: Deep, Flower Pads, Pressure. I'm sure their individual strengths will emerge after more time.
--I like how Special changes things up a bit at the end, the relative spareness really works after luxuriating for the preceding 11

My mild "really doesn't work" is Skepta, whose voice always sounds out of place on afropop to me, sorry to say, but even that is far from a problem: that track is still very good.

I didn't think 2 Sugar even came close to besting Essence (and Ayra << Tems imo), but I need to listen to it again.

Overall this exceeded my expectations, maybe by a lot. I'm not there yet, but there could be a "better than MiL?" convo to be had

the jazzy fadeout on Frames is a really lovely finishing touch too

Loving this but you already knew that. Will stay on repeat throughout the weekend.

The skillibeng feature is great btw

the songwriting here def isn't as immediate... even putting "essence" aside there isn't anything as instantly memorable as "true love," "no stress" or "mood." but we're talking about one of the best albums released in the last 10-20 years so i'm not tripping off him being able to hit those same heights again. a lot of this sounded pretty great to me... the skillibeng & shenseea track was actually my fav the first few times thru. i think it gets better towards the end actually which is always nice. the way they bend don tolliver's parts at points to where it almost sounds like a sample is nifty, and "frames" is a wonderful closer.

i like that he stuck really close to the sound of made in lagos... aside from just being perhaps the ideal form for music period i do think that they show here there was a bit more for them to explore texturally, whether it's the itchiness of "bad for me" or folding some amapiano in, the guitar line on "special" which feels like a nod to fela-era afrobeat

Team Wizzy going straight for the Essence 2 (Sugar) jugular:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_oenl2Be-w

(no, the songs aren’t all that similar, but the concept is)

I agree that MiL is probably the better album with the stronger songs. There is also the sense that MiL sounded right for its covid stricken time - it was an indoor album, whereas the anthemic wave we're seeing now is all about release and the urge to go out. Buuuut... Wizkid makes it all sound so effortless anyway. Like MiL, this is an album you can live with and live in.

This is a lot more... dense. So far I kinda miss the open air spaces of MiL, but it has its own grooves.

think Wizkid might be doing a live thing on Apple Music right now:

We are live https://t.co/5hYhlW3WcX 🖤

— Wizkid (@wizkidayo) November 14, 2022

(I don’t have AM, so please tell me how it was later!

believe it’s the recording of the concert he played in london a few weeks back

i think this one is about equal honestly, i really love the amapiano-lite sound, it's probably more consistent overall but made in lagos had higher highs?

first impression: vibes and sound design are immaculate once again but made in lagos maybe had stronger songs?

the highs on this will probably grow on me, but the important thing is that he’s created another sonic world that i love swimming in

extremely otm

dj hyping up the crowd for the Wizkid show with hardcore piano ✅

DJ Tunez on stage ✅

okay, so now we have Eugy 💹

welcome, Pheelz ❇️

move over for L.A.X 🈯️

hey, Idaly repping for the NL 🔰

Wiz made it ♻️♻️♻️

this is a perfect fit for summer

i like how direct and snappy-feeling this is, gets in, bangs, gets out

as you may have inferred, I saw the man live last week. like Burna earlier this year, he sold out the biggest indoor (17,000-capacity) venue in Amsterdam.
it was a good-to-great show, quite different from what I expected. not some kind of MiL/MLLE suite at all, but a rough and tumble rollercoaster ride through his oeuvre, with pyrotechnics and stuff.
he covered most bases, there were unexpected inclusions: “In My Bed”, “Daddy Yo”, “Azonto” (yes!), and some surprising omissions (“Manya” for one). highlight was a blistering rendition of “Show You The Money”.
off the new album he only did “Money & Love”, “Bad To Me”, “2 Sugar”, and (surprisingly) “Flower Pads”, off Made in Lagos it was just “Ginger”, “Mood” and “Essence” (no “True Love” unfortunately). those he played with his band, the old hits were soundtracked by DJ Tunez. “Slow Down” (the R2bees slow jam) and “The Matter” (with Maleek Berry) are possibly his favourite oldies, he did both twice - and all through this he was in very fine voice.

all in all tho, I have to say I found him less… generous than the first time I saw him, in 2016. not just because the set was only slightly over an hour this time, also because he was less outgoing, just generic interaction with the crowd and no interaction with his band at all.

Thanks for that report, bc! He's playing in Montreal this spring at a big venue but tickets are surprisingly cheap (or at least the cheapest tier isn't bad), so I was considering it even though I haven't been to a show like this...ever really.

just do it, rob, it will be fun! the vibe will be great, no matter what, and you’ll get to catch Wizzy live. it just might be the best show he’ll ever give!

I’m really loving the album btw. after a slight lull I’m fully on board with it again now. the initial rush was very much sound palette-centered, but now it’s more about individual songs that are making cases for themselves. my new favourites are “Deep” (the only track I hadn’t saved after the first pass lol), “Flower Pads” and especially “Frames (Who’s Gonna Now)”, which is the real gem here imo. if we’re talking about songwriting, I feel that’s a song people will be wanting to cover (or interpolate or whatever). it has a pretty unique structure too, with the way the main elements meander through the song.

yeah last time I listened I was struck by how well it ends, opening up a bit on the way out