finally, a thread for nigerian-born, london-based singer/rapper obongjayar, owner of one of the most otherworldly and powerful voices in music today. hard to describe his style, somehow soothing and aggressive, informed by hip-hop, yes, but also african influences that don't usually inform the popular wave of nigerian afropop. but the main attraction is his voice, a cragged, ancient-sounding thing that seems like he conjures from a lovecraftian ether.
anyway, enough words. he has a new ep out called 'which way is forward?' and everyone should listen to it.
'frens' was one of my favorite songs of last yearhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pewGVdnjV8
another single from last year, 'still sun,' is also fantastichttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba2NdGIXcu8
and definitely check out his live performances. that voices coming out of that young face is a frisson-raising bit of cognitive dissonancehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6JI6tDSlTM
― ooga booga-ing for the bourgeoisie (voodoo chili), Friday, 7 February 2020 16:44 (five years ago)
This is fantastic. So much ground covered in such a short time span.
His voice and phrasing occasionally reminds me of Sizzla.
― Tim F, Saturday, 8 February 2020 03:12 (five years ago)
I like his current ep. He uses some old-school Nigerian afrobeat rhythms on it without sounding retro or forced.
― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 5 August 2020 18:11 (four years ago)
new ep with nigerian producer sarz is a bit of a smoothing out of his signature style, but you can't fully tame that voice. it's more of an attempt to fit within more of an uptempo, danceable, mainstream afrobeats framework and i think it succeeds, especially on the first two tracks "sweetness" and "gone girl."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsW209gAYR4
― bezos did the dub (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 3 August 2021 22:10 (three years ago)
new song! not sure how i feel about this one, but always interesting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm4tFkMnjyY
― roflrofl fight (voodoo chili), Thursday, 3 February 2022 15:43 (three years ago)
new song is a bit more romantic than usual
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-BsluU-pYI
― in places all over the world, real stuff be happening (voodoo chili), Monday, 28 March 2022 16:34 (three years ago)
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1917/0121/products/5y8vjxgc_460x460.jpg?v=1644015499new album Some Nights I Dream Of Doors is out
― butt-mooning is a polysemous word, hoss! (breastcrawl), Saturday, 14 May 2022 09:31 (three years ago)
really digging it. “i wish it was me” is gorgeous.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8sUYanjk4I
― in places all over the world, real stuff be happening (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 17 May 2022 13:01 (three years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtR-Kuthq50
― in places all over the world, real stuff be happening (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 17 May 2022 15:41 (three years ago)
new album is sounding great. the simz collab on here is a much better "point & kill" sequel than the one simz released earlier this yearhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MivKEI_DtS4
"instant animal" is also great, a freakout i wasn't sure he was capable of!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBU4_dBho6Y
the afrobeats-leaning songs are also stronger than usual, imo. "holy mountain" is lovely, "strong bone" stankface-inducinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHHunsf0B5Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j99GHZmP8M
― gestures broadly at...everything (voodoo chili), Friday, 30 May 2025 14:53 (one week ago)