BIONIC 'The Poison Pen' Speaks!

INTERVIEW WITH BIONIC da EMCEE


Y'all know Bionic, right? A household name in Nigerian Rap music especially around Eastern Nigeria. Well,whether you do or not, check this out!
Bionic steps into the spotlight on this interview with Buchi Steve.
The Poison Pen a.k.a Wawa Boi speaks on a million issues ranging from his personal life to his music to the state of Nigerian Hiphop. Plus his highly anticipated album! Nuff said!
Read below and enjoy. Comments are welcome.This is it!

BUCHI STEVE: Good day, Mr. Bionic, How are you doing? Thanks a lot for granting me this interview, I'm so delighted to meet you.
BIONIC:Its my pleasure.

BUCHI STEVE: Well, Mr. Bionic, though a lot of your fans know you as Bionic, who infact is Bionic?
BIONIC: Well,Bionic is a Lyricist, Rapper, Writer and Rap Producer.

BUCHI STEVE: When did you get into music and at what point did you 'specialize' in Hiphop?
BIONIC: Specialize,ke? No one specializes in rap. You either know or you don't. For us, we met and fell in love...in the late 80s - I had just gotten into Command Secondary School,Kaduna...and I have lost my mind ever since.

BUCHI STEVE: What was it like during your early years in Hiphop? Trying to get tapes and stay current with latest songs? How was the acceptance of Hiphop by the Nigerian society at that time?
BIONIC: For me,its always been fresh. I see it as it is. It really is a state of mind thing. It's in the discipline. I've always stayed true to myself first, then other things fall into place. Getting tapes back then and staying current was never a problem. Acceptance at the time was minimal besides we were just finding our footing. Oddly enough, Hiphop in Coal City was booming back then. We were performing twice or three times every month doing university campus shows all around the East. I actually began to write rap officially...I think it was in 1992 in Owerri with my homeboy, Stephen Anasoh (a.k.a. Tipsy Dogg) Hahahahaha - what a corny name,right? But dude was way ahead of his time. He wrote some pretty amazing stuff at the time. Now he runs his own studio and label outta Liverpool,UK. Beautiful producer too.
Thinking back right now just gives me goosey! We actually pioneered this right here,baby! Yeah,the year was 1991 when Mama felt she'd had enough of the army so we moved back home finally in 1994. I met up with my brothers from another mother, the illest super rap group you ever heard outta Nigeria became D.O.H. "DEFINITION OF HIPHOP" (Mr kyddx, Dat Nigga Bleak, Smooth B, Def C & I) Take it from me - we were the illest when we did it. Pure knucklehead s**t! (Most of these rap cats out now were gatecrashers when I did my thing! (Laughs)
Then from D.O.H. we reduced to the ''Bomb Squad'' (Me, Bleak and later Codename a.k.a. Hot Dog). Other pioneers were ''DA LYNCH SQUAD'' (Poach, Stitchie and Snatch), MC L.O.P.H. (from the ''Osondi Owendi'' fame), Lord Eli and Pirates (now known as 2face & Blackface - the original Plantashun Boiz crew), II Hype MCs, ''One Brother Gang'' (Busta and his brother Rex)...I'm just trying to do a quick recap. There's so much more I'm skipping. It really was something back then.
Later others followed ''The Nigerian Rap Syndicate'' (Lone MC, Mr Effectx), Kaha, Rub-A-Dub master, Mr. Singles (A reggae phenom back then), 6 Foot +,...
We were doing shows for five hundred nairas. Organizers would give us a downpayment of 250 nairas. Our meet was at RAP CITY Records which was like our one stop Hiphop spot in Enugu at the time. It was a place we all connected at. This was between 1995 and 1998. (LAUGHS) You know most times the show organizers would pull a Whodini on us at the end of the concert! Not paying the rest of our fee...It was crazy but somehow we didn't mind. We were loving it!

BUCHI STEVE: That's quite some history man.Now, when did you start recording?
BIONIC: Ah,we were doing all kinds. What didn't we record on or record with?! (LAUGHS)
We 'd play an instrumental tape on a mini player/transistor, put in an empty ''Maxell'' normal tape - and not chrome because the former had a clearer output than the latter - in another boom-box, pressed the red record and just rhymed. What a process,huh?!
Then we upgraded (LAUGHS) onto Mr Goodnoiz, our #1 neighbourhood DJ - and also the originator of Igbo rap - who'll spin our favourite instrumentals on vinyl (like GOODIE MOb'S Cell Therapy, Geto Boyz' ''Mind Playing Tricks...etc. He had them all!) throw on some scratches while we voiced. Reminds you of mixtapes,yeah? (Laughs)
My first official studio recording was in 1998. The song was called...and is still called,''Africa''.

BUCHI STEVE:So remniscent. Good old days..But, how many songs have you recorded?
BIONIC: A Million & one! (LAUGHS). I have quite a collection and still going strong. I record all the time.I was actually planning a double cd but my management advised against it. Then I decided to split it down the middle & put out two albums this year. Let's see what happens.


BUCHI STEVE: Are you on any record label?
BIONIC: Yes, I'm working with an amazing label called Huntaz Records. We partnered up a few months ago. We got two videos, another in the works and the Lagos launch coming up. So much going on in just a few months...and not eight years!

BUCHI STEVE: Do you have an album out already or are you working on one?
BIONIC: The album is ready to come out. Like I said before I'm always recording. It never stops. The tentative tilte is 'BRAKE IN THE SILENCE'

BUCHI STEVE: You just said the anticipated album will be termed 'BRAKE IN THE SILENCE', in the past I've read or at least heard your anticipated album was going to be titled AFRICANISM, later it changed to WAWA BOY and now 'BRAKE IN THE SILENCE'; whats behind these transitions?
BIONIC: Smart man,you! You are almost correct. It was originally ''Brake In The Silence''. Like I said, it would've been a double cd that I was going to call,''African-Izm: A Brake In The Silence''. 'Wawaboy' is a song not an album title. I changed the song title and took it out this album because it became cliche with all the ''boys'' springing up everywhere (Yoruba boy, Hausa boy, Ibibio boy, Efik boy, and so on)

BUCHI STEVE: How many songs will be on the album and do you have any singles from the album out on air?
BIONIC: It'll be a 15 tracker! We put out ''Chelu'' in 2008. I've got a three-song EP (''CHELU'' Produced by J. Martins, ''JONES'' crafted by producer extraordinaire Beat-Oven & ''BIG TIME HUSTLER'' also produced BY J. Martins) coming to radio next week but the songs have been buzzing on the internet for a while now. We've I've been shopping them to DJs around the globe, UK, US, South Africa, Malaysia, Japan and China, India too. Wherever there's a DJ,we sent it there. I'm still amazed at all the feedback from these guys. They are loving the motherland sound.

BUCHI STEVE: Who are the producers and guest artists working on the album?
BIONIC: Beat-Oven did 5 songs, J. Martins did 4 songs, Jeremiah Gyang (Callen) did one song, J. Molless did one song, Def C did one song, Major Bangz did 2 songs and Soge did one song too. These guys put in massive work! I gotta few features from O.D. (Overdose), Ajuju, L.A.C.E., Def C, legenday Okey Oku, a young R&B crooner named ''Wow!'', J. Martins also lent his vocals and Waje came through as well.

BUCHI STEVE: The $5 million question: when is BREAKING THE SILENCE set to drop?
BIONIC:Indeed! (Smiles) I keep pushing it back. It's about timing - It has to be really right. Right now,we are looking at Easter.

BUCHI STEVE: That's wonderful and nice to hear. Now, how can people listen to your songs online? Any website or download links?
BIONIC: Right now, my site is the best place to listen www.bionicmusic.com
No downloads for now. Also on myspace.com/officiallybionic and I gotta little something on youtube as well. My people are working on i-Tunes. We just wrapped up ASCAP. Doing some other sites where we can let folks download for a fee. Yup!

BUCHI STEVE: What else does Bionic do apart from rap and music recording and I don't mean hobbies?
BIONIC: I does wat I do and I does it like I'm Ibo/...(Laughs) Buchi,you must be crazy to think that I'll think you mean hobbies.

BUCHI STEVE: I understand you are a major stakeholder in the Hiphop community of Eastern Nigeria and especially Enugu state.Why is the East still not on the front line in Nigerian Hiphop the way it ought to be? What have you done as a person or as a rap artist to move Hiphop in the East up to the limelight?
BIONIC: There you go again with this 'Stakeholder' bulls**t, that's one word that I don't really care about. (Chuckles) I wouldn't call me that! I think it's in the upbringing. The process of the come-up. Most of the truest cats in the game grew up,musically in Enugu. Many more wack and recent ones too. They graduated out of here and forgot the basics. So it got redundant. The few who are from here get out there, lose their footing, become lost in the whole scheme of things then the remember they are from Enugu & they scream out ''Coal City'' on their songs from time to time. No one is giving back. And that's an open secret!
I had a rap show on Coal City FM where I paid attention to the underground rappers, the local emcees. I gave them their much deserved ait time. These were fresh cats that needed tha little time to prove their mettle. Young rhyme gunners like Def C, like Books, like Prophesy, Brogues, L.A.C.E., etc. I gave them priceless spins, once the song was good! I broke a lot of them on radio for the first time. I gave them their shine,which was the least I could do. No one knows this (well,apart from my homie Mr ReHd) but I broke Naeto C's first World Famous Akademy mixtape cd on radio in Coal City like 3 years ago.
But you know, one has to get a foot in the door first before one can carry their city on their back.

BUCHI STEVE: Where do you see Nigerian Hiphop and especially Hiphop in the East in the next five years? How do you think the ideal can be achieved in the East?
BIONIC: Nigerian ''hiphop'' is in a coma! And no ''doctor'' can tell you when or if it will come to. But I see Nigerian rap making good advancement. We have a few beautiful minds stepping up and doing it right. Rappers need to awake form all this rap beef bulls**t! I still wonder how can a rapper have a full album about dissing another rapper. A full album?? That tells me all about you! And it's a sad situation whereby a rap fan is subjected to only two or three good rap albums. We need more people. So,in the next few years - I see us having better choices to make, from over twenty good rappers and oddly still, a lot of these ones you hear now will not be around then. Ideally,to keep our fire ablaze we should get together more often - like have a Hiphop Institute and have a Hiphop Summit/Seminar at least one a month where Hiphop will meet and have discussions on issues that plague us right now, and teaching to focus on good writing on the part of the emcee and the rapper, on advancement of the business side of rap music, on spoken word, deejaying correctly, real mixtape knowledge, on networking and proper distribution of rap music, on educating youngsters on our own ''rap kulture'', talk shows where we invite true ''knowers'' (like EL DEE XL from the legendary ''Black Masqueraders'', Rap veteran Chamberlain Ukenedo, Rap icon B-Elect, Junior from Junior & Pretty...etc) to speak on Rap from the 70s, 80s & 90s...so much to do. The right people are still positioning to achieve this as we speak.

BUCHI STEVE: What advice do you have for upcoming emcees and Hiphop heads in the East and Nigeria in general?
BIONIC: None! When you advice a grown man he thinks that you think you are better than him. But I will tell my fellow rap fans (Cos I am a fan first) "No matter how much, do the little you can do. Support ''Rap''. Learn the 'kulture''. Attend the shows. Buy the cds. Keep converting ''unbelievers'' the ones who think that we are all a bunch of gangsters, and that all we do is smoke dope and talk garbage and not make sense on a song!" To Hiphoppers, keep bringing the ruckus! To 'true' Hiphop heads, you make it all worthwhile.

BUCHI STEVE: Lastly, what are your hobbies? Are you married? If not, why?
BIONIC: Buchi,you and I know that's not very important. Ehn? You self!

BUCHI STEVE: Alright, alright...alright!
Thank you very much Mr. Bionic for granting us this exhiliriating interview, it has been an interesting session.
I wish you success in all your endeavours. When the album drops, we will be the first to tell the world. Keep in touch. One.

Ladies and gentlemen, that was the ish! Let me know what you think by dropping your comments below. Remember to visit his site and support his music.Cop Bionic's album when it drops. Do it for HIPHOP! One.
You can also get more on Bionic-pics,music on realhiphopng.blogspot.com
Holla!

LYRIKAL vs M-TRILL:PH IS ON FIRE!

For those unfamiliar with Lyrikal, he is a PH city rap veteran who was once part of the 15 man deep crew, same team that produced Frank D Nero, Duncan Daniels and a few other notable PH artistes.

On this joint he is taking direct shots at another PH city rapper and Channel O award winner M-Trill. From the lyrics it appears that M-Trill may have disrespected Lyrikal at his (M-Trill’s) album release party.

I hope these 2 settle whatever issues they have sooner than later.

NEW MUSIC
DOWNLOAD the following spanking new tracks from Nigeria's Finest- Fecko da Emcee
Overkillin' Freestyle - http://plunder.com/ba6814298b
Letz Go There - http://plunder.com/efb7d03ab0

Alternative links
http://palmwinevillage.com/music/introducing-fecko-da-emcee-2/
http://www.timmynaija.com/blog/tag/exclusive-new-hot-tracks-by-fecko/

Let me know what y'all think about 'em! Holla!

DOWNLOAD 'The First Impression EP'

FECKO is slowly establishing himself as an avant-garde lyricist and I don’t think a lot of underground heads are paying attention to this prolific A+ rhyme ‘spitter’. ‘The First Impression’ is clearly an example of pure hip-hop at its best with breath-defying and head-spinning lyricism that will make you fall in love with the art form again. Musically, the EP is diverse, rhythmic, and gritty. The production of MHP and Teckzilla (Str8Butthah) serves as a backdrop for FECKO to raise awareness of important issues as well as educate the hard listeners.

It's 101% Hip-Hop! It's unique! It's a classic.....It's The First Impression EP (The official pre-mixtape release) by Fecko da Emcee. Follow the link to download the mixtape http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HV6BY5CX
Track list

1) ANOTHER DAY - FECKO

2) PAPER PLANE REMIX - FECKO FT. THE CLIQUE TEAM (NIGERIA)

3) SPOKEN WORDS FT. POETIC SERAPH (BELGIUM)

4) ILL THOTZ (INTERLUDE) - FECKO

5) DANGER AWAITS (HURRICANE ALLEY FREESTYLE) - FECKO

6) SPITOLOGY - FECKO FT. NAYCHA (SOUTH AFRICA)

7) CONTROL THE MIC - FECKO FT. STR8 BUTTAH (NIGERIA)

ON THE SPOTLIGHT-CHUCKS da SPACEMAN

The veteran
Chucks da Spaceman a.k.a Spaceboogie was born in Lagos, Nigeria and started rapping in the early 90s.
He released his Debut album titled MARCH 26 in 2008. The album is regarded as the first rap album out of Eastern Nigeria.
Spaceman whose real names are Chucks Roberts has been a radio host for almost a decade now and has anchored on Cosmo FM in the past several years. Spaceman was a finalist in the 'OAP' Category at the Future Awards 2009 Season 4 which held in Lagos, Nigeria. He is often regarded as one of the best Hiphop hosts in Nigeria and happens to be a correspondent for Radio Express, U.S.A.
Spaceman has also guest appeared on such album’s as Overture by Obiwon; Get Serious by J-Martins; Obim by Wizboy. He is also putting finshing touches to his Sophomore project titled 'SPLIT PERSONALITY'.
I'd like y'all to check this emcee out on my www.myspace.com/chuksdaspaceman
Listen, Enjoy and let me know what y'all feel about his music.
Peace.

YOUTUBE: Fecko Storms The Stage!

Hi there,
follow the link to check out my performance at the Boyz Are Not Smiling Edition of CLUB ROCKAWAY. Your comments will be highly appreciated. Much love!
http://www.facebook.com/l/f6f4d;www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_3ljML0wwE

UPCOMING EVENT: MUSIC NA MY HUSTLE

Club RockAway - da IllBliss-dat Ibo Boy "Music Na My Hustle"--Independence Weekend Edition!
Starring: IllBliss; Feat: Roof Top MCs, Amaka "da Chief Rocker", Ruffman, Durella, Mode9, 5Mics, Mo'Cheddar, Tha Suspekt, Teeto, Kel, B-Elect, Terry G, Terry da Rapman, M.I., Elajoe, Eva, Str8Buttah, Kalifate et al (final details l8a); Djs NepTuNe, Tronix, Spin'All, GeeMoNey, TiMmoJo

Club Rockaway is a once monthly Club 9te, which strives 2 showcase da various genres of hiphop in 9ja. It is held @ cosy venues 2allow da fans an up-close & personal experience wiv dier music idols & upcoming stars alike. The upcomers also shoulder-rub wiv da made artistes, while learnin' some new tricks on how 2 blow.

This Independence Weekend Edition is centered around top notch, award winning, naija based lyricist, da original IBO BOY, IllBliss who keeps his hustle on both in the music business and as a project manager.

He was an original member of Coal City's Finest b4 becoming a member of the rap collective "Thorobreds" alongside B-Elect, Elajoe, Obi1 et al. His album "Dat Ibo Boy" was released a couple weeks back to much critical acclaim.

This CR edition will feature performances from da "Dat Ibo Boy" album, alongside several of his associates, who will also be performing some of their own songs.

U already know y'all ve got 2b in da building 2support sum real hop! Its still all luv. 1luv

Be There!!!

Wale

ALBUMS & MIXTAPES-An Indepth Analysis

An Album or a record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public.
The most common way is through commercial distribution.
It could also be sold at live concerts and websites.

The tracks on an album may be related by subject, mood and sound. They may also be designed to express a unified message or fell a story.

An album can also be described as a convenient grouping of recordings made at one time or place.
It could also comprise recordings whose commercial rights are controlled b a single record label. A group of audio tracks is considered to be an album if it has a generally consistent track list.

The term album is also applied to any sound recording collection such as those on compact disks.
UK Charts rule that a recording counts as an Album if their or and it has more than four tracks or lasts more than 25 minutes.

Many albums also come with liner notes and inserts giving backgrounds information or analysis of the recording, reprinted lyrics, images of the performers or additional artwork and text. These are found in the form of CD booklets.

Notable Nigerian Hiphop albums include Thy Album Come by Ruggedman, Pentium IX by Mode9, Talk About It by M.I, Pain Plus Work by Gino, Dat Ibo Boi by Illbliss.


MIXTAPES

A mixtape or a Mixed tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order traditionally onto a compact audio disc.
A mixtape which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a theme or mood to a highly personal statement tailored to the mixtape’s intended recipients.

Many mixtape enthusiasts believe that by carefully collecting and ordering the tracks in a mixtape, an artistic statement can be created much as an Album.

A distinction should be drawn between
a private mixtape which is usually intended for a specific listener or private audience and
A public or party tape usually consisting of a recording of different songs by DJs and intended to be sold to multiple individuals. This is also known as a BOOTLEG

Songs on mix CDs are created by combining fragments of existing songs (which need not belong to the same genre). The resulting REMIX appropriates existing songs to give them new meaning through their juxtaposition but does so in a quicker and more integrated style.

Mixtapes can be differentiated from bootlegs in that the compilers of bootlegs seem to be anonymous.

but similarly, Mixtapes' Compilers & Bootleggers generally do not obtain permissions for the use of copyright materials.



RULES OF MIXTAPE CREATION

i) Songs of distinguishable tempo cannot be placed back to back.

ii) Music of different genres should not be placed back to back unless they sound alike.

iii)For bootleggers, songs from the same artist should not be arranged side by side unless all the songs have been arranged in pairs.



There is a tendency of mixtapes' creators becoming more concerned with making surprising combinations of tracks than with creating a tape that is listenable, enjoyable or appropriate to its intended recipients.

Basically, mixtapes are expressions of the compilers musical taste often put forward for the implicit approval of the recipients. It is also a tentative step towards building the compilers personal canon of music.



RELEVANCE OF MIXTAPES

Well, throughout the 1980s, mixtapes were a highly visible element of youth culture.

Nowadays, mixtapes are commonly used by labels and new artists as a promotional tool and as a way of generating hype.

An unsigned artist might release several mixtapes to generate buzz leading to interest from record labels.

A signed artist may release a mixtape to promote a future studio album in a sales model relying on word of mouth to increase the artists' street credibility.

Most mixtapes usually have much lower production values than a standard studio album.

They may also contain numerous collabos, remixes, freestyles, voice-overs often arranged in a flowing fashion as real albums.
Many mixtapes can also be downloaded for free in MP3 format over the internet.

Notable Nigerian mixtapes include Malcolm IX by Mode9, Illegal Mixtape by M.I, Illustrate by Str8 Buttah e.t.c

In the words of Nigerian emcee Iceprince,"...Some rappers who start out to make an mixtapes end up with albums and vice versa."
Now, you know the differences between an ALBUM, A MIXTAPE and even a BOOTLEG.
Don't get them twisted!

BOUQUI's REDEFINITION ALBUM DROPS

THE REDEFINITION ALBUM DROPS AT LAST.. GET YOUR COPIES AND BLESS SOMEONE WIT IT...ITS LIFE TRANSFORMING...LYRICAL DEPTH AND SKILL AT ITS BEST.
FEATURING FOUR KORNERS,(UKS MOST ELECTRYING BOY BAND);
COLD STEPS AND BIGMAN ZEST..(UKS MOST RELAVANT FUNKY HOUSE GROUP)
COBHAMS(NAIJAS PHENOMENAL PRODUCER)
TILLAMAN(TALANTED PRODUCER/SINGER,UK)
MIXMASTER JAY(PROLIFIC SOUND ENGINEER,PRODUCER AND SINGER)

IT ALSO FEATURES SONGS LIKE MORILE,TAKE YOU AWAY FT FOUR KORNERS,LUV U 4EVA FT MIKE AREMU,OGOGORO FT TILLA MAN,SUNSOUN,JUMPING FT COLDSTEPS AND BIG MAN ZEST AND OLUWA FT COBHAMS ETC

THE ALBUM WAS LAUNCHED AT THE PRESTIGIOUS GRAND BALL ROOM OF THE EKO HOTEL AND SUITES ON JULY 5TH 09,SORRY IT TOOK A WHILE TO HIT THE STREETS,BUT GUESS WHAT, IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT..

B.O.U.Q.U.I IS PRESENTLY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON TOUR AND PROPAGATING WHAT SHE BELIEVES MOST, HER CORE MISSION,THE GOOD NEWS.
PLANS ARE BEEN PUT IN PLACE TO SHOOT THE NEXT VIDEO OFF THE ALBUM,TENTATIVELY TAKE YOU AWAY FT FOUR KORNERS.

SHE WILL BE AT JESUS HOUSE ON SUNDAY THE 6TH,FOR THOSE THAT WOULD LOVE TO SEE HER PERFORM LIVE...
Talk about hiphop and religion...Great one baby!

NIGERIAN HIPHOP CHART (updated weekly)

Ladies and gents,
Welcome to this week’s edition of our Famous Nigerian Hiphop Chart. Suspekt spent 11 weeks and left the chart with I No Send U and to compensate for that, we’ve got one brand new joint on the chart this week from Dj Neptunes.
In general, 8 songs moved up a few notches, 6 songs maintained their spots and 5 joints slipped down the ladder.
BIGGEST GAINER OF THE WEEK: Hustler by Jaffar
BIGGEST LOSER OF THE WEEK: Sample by Terry da Rapman Ft. Pherowshuz
And for the 3rd week running, the 4th Republic have topped the chart with James Bond !
Check us out next week to see if they will be kicked off the number one spot and who does that.
Of course, y’all can vote for your favorite joints right here and see them move up the charts.
Enjoy!
Hiphop lives!

NIGERIAN HIPHOP CHART (updated weekly)

Ladies and gents,
Welcome to this week’s edition of our Famous Nigerian Hiphop Chart. We’ve got four spanking new joints on the chart this week from Cashino to Jaffar to Mc Loph to the new kid Young Teddy (with Unsafe-the M.I diss).
A few coasts are keepin it real on the chart this week. Illbliss is bright at No. 4 with Reppin CC, the new anthem for all Hiphop lovers in the Coalcity. Scalar represents PH City with Bad Man.
In general, 5 songs moved up a notch, 4 songs maintained their spots and 4 joints slipped down the ladder.
BIGGEST GAINER OF THE WEEK: Overkillin [Rmx] by Djinee Ft. M.I, Jesse Jags
BIGGEST LOSER OF THE WEEK: Sample by Terry da Rapman Ft. Pherowshuz
I’m glad to announce that we have a brand new, yeah, brand new NUMBER ONE SONG! Repping Hiphop to the fullest, ladies and gentlemen give it up y’all for the 4th Republic crew-James Bond parole baby! Dunno what happened to the duo of Terry da Rapman and Pherowshuz, sorry guys!
Of course, y’all can vote for your favorite joints on by dropping your comments and see them move up the charts.
Hiphop lives!

HIPHOP TOP 20 (updated weekly)

ILLBLISS-'DAT IBO BOY' ALBUM REVIEW

DAT IBO BOY a.k.a ILLBLISS was born in Enugu, Nigeria. He acquired a B.Sc. Hons In Political Science/International Relations from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka(UNN). There, he met an upcoming RnB star called Obiwon and they formed the group known as Coal City’s Finest (CCF). Right now, Illbliss is a member of the reknowned Hiphop group Thoroughbreds.

Ever since the single Dat Ibo Boy dropped in 2007, an album from Illbliss has been highly anticipated. This yearn came to a halt on May 16th 2009 when the album DAT IBO BOY was released.
With its beautifully designed sleeve, the album boasts of a total of 21 tracks-18 songs; an intro and an outro.
A good listen to this album puts one through a variety of beat makers ranging from Jonah the Monarch to Micworx to Frenzy to Terry G and a whole lot more. With names like these, DAT IBO BOY is dope beat wise.

1: Intro 8: Don't Dirty My Shirt 15: National Cake
2: U Go Wound 9: Currency Boys 16: Blessing
3: Dat Ibo Boy 10: Da Boss 17: Lead The Way
4: Aiye Pon Gan 11: Leader 18: Music Na My Hustle
5:Glory 12: Tobechukwu 19: Change
6: Feelin U 13: Side of Ur Mouth 20 Uwa Afufu –(Life)
7: Turn My Head 14: Limelite 21: Outro

Vocal Assistances: Terry G, Waje, Eldee tha Don, Suspekt, Durella, Ijeoma, Pype, C-Mion.

The album kick starts with U Go Wound. Here, Illbliss introduces himself and defines his persona. With lines like “…could it be the swag…could it be the fame…if I left off, you still wouldn’t make a name…”, haters and would be haters better recognize dude has got a lot of ego.
And then comes the anthem Dat Ibo Boy. Since this joint made it to the airwaves in 2007, it has become an anthem for all who trace their roots to the Ibo ethnic group of Nigeria. Dat Ibo Boy portrays the activities, upsides and the uniqueness of the Ibos, encouraging all Ibos to stand tall.
Aiye Pon Gan (Enuf Space) is a club banger. Who says rappers shouldn’t hit the club, you know’ I mean?! With a groovy beat from Terry G, Illbliss advises haters to give him some elbow room. “…the field is large enough…don’t hate cos the Ibo boy is getting it right…don’t hate cos I’m next to blow…” . Aiye pon gan!
Ill goes a lil’ soft and fluffy for the ladies in Turn My Head and Lead The Way. With hooks delivered by Waje and C-Mion respectively, the love messages were surely driven home.
With the weight of Notorious B.I.G and the swagger of Rick Ross, Da Boss and Leader express not just the swagger but the lyrical weight of the “…Number 1 Ibo Boy” .
Dude comes deep and passes strong and thoughtful messages on National Cake and Change.
Tobechukwu and Uwa Afufu serve as windows into the life and history of Tobechukwu Ejiofor a.k.a Dat Ibo Boy a.k.a Illbliss. These two tracks happen to be my favorites not just because of their beats but also for their versatility. Hardcore lyrical verses with vernacular hooks on an underground beat, what a combination!

DAT IBO BOY is a 75 minute journey into the long awaited revelation of the world of lyricism, deep messages and swag characteristic of one of Nigeria’s finest emcees, Illbliss.
Personally, I think the only downside of the album is the missing presence of the other members of the Thoroughbreds. An Obiwon/Amaka hook, Elajoe verse, even B-Elect is not on the list of producers (though Elajoe produced a track).
Illbliss’s fans and hiphop heads alike have awaited this album and I think the album finally turned out to be worth the wait.
GO COP YOURS !!!
Editor’s Rating: 4/5

NIGERIAN HIPHOP TOP 20

INTERVIEW WITH FECKO a.k.a RAPLOGIC

Fecko a.k.a Raplogic is a promising and upcoming Nigerian emcee. In this interview with Buchi Steve, the Lagos based rapper talks about himself, his music and the Nigerian Hiphop scene. Enjoy!

Buchi Steve: Please tell us about yourself. Who is Fecko?
My name is Ifeanyi Ibegbunam. I’m a native of Oba, Anambra state, but I grew up in Lagos. I attended Army Children School, Bright Future Primary School, Unity College (Ondo), Lagos State Model College Igbonla and STA Int’l College where I had my primary and secondary education. I’m still an Undergraduate.

Buchi Steve:I have always known you as Fecko but recently you sent an email to all your friends indicating a change of name from Fecko to Raplogic.Whats up with that?
What name do you still go by?

Well my stage name is still FECKO, and for the recs, ‘Raplogic’ is my other alias, more like ‘Fecko aka Raplogic.’

Buchi Steve:Let’s focus a little bit on the game of Hiphop...How long have you been doing Hiphop?

If memories serve me right, then I guess I’ve been a hiphop buff since 1999.

Buchi Steve:What did Hiphop mean to you when you started and what does it mean to you NOW?

Well, it started off as a hobby but now I’m a junkie to the art form. Nowadays I see hiphop as a medium of expressing myself through rhythmically applied poetry.

Buchi Steve:I can see you are workin on your album What is the title of this anticipated album gonna be?

Yep! Tentatively, the title of my album will be “The First Impression”.

Buchi Steve: Wow! That's a good one.When did you make your first record?

Uhm..I made my first record in 2005 which was a 2 tracker demo tape. Then after, I recorded a 9 tracker album in 2006 which wasn’t released due to a snag that was caused by my record label back then.

Buchi Steve: How many tracks do you have now? In other words, how ready is your album?

Well I’m still recording, but I currently have two singles on air off my forthcoming album, which are titled Phunky Somethin and Nollywood featuring Terry tha rapman (y’all can follow this link to download ‘em http://www.zshare.net/download/571971017d2bc1a6/ )

Buchi Steve:Thanks for sharing that with us.Who and who will be the guest appearances?

I already made a record with Terry tha rapman and there would be more guest appearances on my album from acts like Pheroshuwz, Illbliss of thoroughbreds, Saucekid, Iceprince, Str8 Buttah, Psalmurai of the Kalifate, Chrest, Naycha from South Africa and so on.

Buchi Steve: Those are big names up there.Who are the producers you have and will work with?

I’ve worked with Venomous & Bigfoot of Micworx Beats, E-twinz (Boom Box), Zenious(Zeni Beats, USA) and I hope to work with more producers like Dr Frabz, Dekumzy, Pheroshuwz, Jesse Jags, Knighthouse and Kraft.

Buchi Steve: Away, from your album now,
How do you see the Nigerian Rap scene? Is it wonderful at the level it is right now?

Commercially, the Nigerian Rap scene is yet to be in its pure form. But all the same, I got to give it up to some real emcees that are holding it down. I think rap music is gradually gaining acceptance in this country, but in a pop-like manner, which might end up being a gateway to real rap in Nigeria.

Buchi Steve: Where do you see the Nigerian rap scene in the next five years?

H’m, in the next five years I guess the Nigerian rap scene would have grown bigger than it is today, considering the fact that a couple of Nigerian rap artistes are beginning to work with other International acts. That way, I think we’re expanding the frontiers of hiphop in Africa. It can only get better.

Buchi Steve: Mr. Fecko, thank you for granting this interview. I would like to encourage you on your road to success. I support your efforts and realhiphopng.blogspot.com would always get your back covered.
I would be the first to review the album when it drops.

You’re welcome. Thanks for having me on your blog. No doubt, I’ll keep y’all posted. One love!
Hiphop lives!

Y'all can hit Fecko up on myspace.com/fecko
Peace.

ALBUM REVIEW

M.I who is known to have recorded over fifty songs has TALK ABOUT IT as his debut album. The album was released in October, 2008 and was reported to have moved thirty thousand units in thirty minutes! With its simple but beautifully designed cover, the album boasts of thirteen songs and five skits-a total of eighteen tracks.
1. Outrageous Intro 7. Safe 13. Money
2. Anoti 8. Skit 14. Forever
3. L. Boogie Intro 9. Blaze 15. Jehovah
4. Short Black Boy 10. Area 16. Hustle
5. Teaser 11. Fast Money Fast Cars 17. Thank You (Skit)
6. Talk About It 12. Skit 18. Crowd Mentality

Vocal Assistances: Gabriel, Pype, Leony, Djinee, Jesse Jags, Ice Prince, Blaise, Y.Q, Wizkid, Eben, Lindsey, Uche.
The album kick starts with Anoti, a high tempo song with a Yoruba hook. Here, M.I introduces himself and gives out the various meanings of M.I. Dude has got a lot of aliases! “…Mr. Incredible…Mic Innovator…MC Interrogator…”
M.I comes strong in Short Black Boy, my favorite! With a low tempo beat, M.I defines his persona and describes the reception of his style by the ladies. With punchlines like “… he wrote the crowd mentality, reality, equality and no formality could silence his originality…”, Short Black Boy is a must listen to.
Listening to Teaser puts one in a Jamaican dance hall. With General Pype, the song definitely beats expectation.
M.I turns an activist on the track Talk About It. He hits hard on corruption and abuse of public funds.
And here comes the ‘7th wonder’ of the album-Safe. Eighty percent of the success of this album owes it to this explosive, lyrical, conceptual and intelligent piece of music. On a funny hook delivered by Djinee, M.I rhymes with the titles of so many contemporary Nigerian hits and delivers like never before.
Blaze-an ode to marijuana relates the ‘highness’ of puffing cancer sticks to rap. With vocal assistance from hiphop heads like Jesse Jags (M.I’s younger brother), Ice Prince and Blaise, the lyrical strength of this song is better weighed than described.
M.I endorses himself in the industry on Area. With lines like “…I’m not saying I’m the best but I’m asking who’s better?...”
“…they used to say I would never conquer V.I but now I’m the king of the south like T.I…”, everyone needs to recognize M.I is here to stay.
Fast Money Fast Cars and Money examines the direct variation between wealth and human relationships.
The album concludes with Hustle and Crowd Mentality. Two inspirational and thought provoking tracks preaching hardwork, selfworth and originality.
A sixty-four minute smooth journey through an intelligent, low-tempoed and tightly packaged piece of plastic, filled with smooth lyricism, strong messages and moral upliftment.
The only downside of this album happens to be the generally clumsy beats though I think dude made it that way to suit his smooth style of rap.
Even though the album is basically Hip hop, the message no doubt passes across all ages, fans of all genres and practitioners of all endeavours.
TALK ABOUT IT is highly recommended, good value for money.
Editor’s Rating: 4/5
Drop your questions and your comments about the Album Review section on the Comments Section below.
Next Month Review: LIFE & TIMES OF KILLS 2 by IKECHUKWU.
Watch Out!
Peace!

BEEFS!

Feuds and rivalries have existed since the dawn of Hip hop. Back in the days, MCs would speak over beats, introducing themselves, shouting out to friends in the audience, boasting about their own skills and criticizing their rivals..
While this was often done in good humor, the deaths of Tupac and Notorious B.I.G have shown that in today’s hiphop scene, it is feared that ‘beefs’ will develop into offstage feuds that become violent.
Observers have also claimed that the media on such rivalries to make catchy headlines and blow situations out of proportion.
One good twist to beef, Hip hop heads agree, is that beefs serve as watchdogs. It makes the rivals involved to step up their game and cover up any loopholes in their representation of the art thereby providing quality music to the public.
Cats also agree beefs help sell records as so much as was seen in the Jay-Z vs Nas feud, Tupac vs B.I.G, 50 cent vs Ja Rule, East Coast vs West Coast etc.
In Nigeria, lots of beefs and feuds have been experienced though none has really turned out violent. To mention a few are such beefs as Tony Tetuila vs Eedris, Ruggedman Ehen Cleanup, Freestyle vs Eldee the Don and the ongoing Ruggedman vs Modenine beef.

THE PLACE OF HIPHOP IN NIGERIA

The explosion of hiphop in Nigeria could be traced to the beginning of the millenium with the rise of the likes of Ruggedman, 2 Shotz, Freestyle, Eldee the Don, Modenine e.t.c.
Between then and now-a relatively short space of time, one would’ve expected a gradual rise in the game or at best a slow and steady kinda climb. Contrarily, Hiphop music and culture has rapidly grown, spread and permeated almost every corner of the nation.
Hiphop music is fastly gaining heavy air play on radio and television stations, there are more Hiphop On Air Presenters and Hiphop shows on radio than has ever been experienced. This has invariably caused a heavy influx of cats into the game and made more converts for the culture.
Hiphop in Nigeria has cut across all ages, gender, disposition and genres.
In the past couple of years, no fewer than multiples of tens of albums and mixtapes are released each year. More than a quarter of these make it to the mainstream thus boldening the outline of Hiphop on the music map.
Nigerian Hiphop videos recently, have been characterised by high quality, rich content screen play which has earned them heavy rotations on international Music Channels like the MTV, Channel O, Soundcity, Nigezie and the rest. Such videos have apart from making CDs move units, also won awards many of which are sponsored by internationally reknown awarding bodies. Examples include Kini Big Deal by Naeto-C which won an MTV Award in 2008; Cry by Modenine which won three Channel O Awards.
Nowadays, we hear a lot of songs which are products of the fusion of hiphop and other music genres. Even a few acts from other genres are sometimes erroneously referred to as rappers. This quite shows the level of appreciation Hiphop is receiving in Nigeria.
Furthermore, a lot of corporate organisations are getting involved, helping to elevate different parts of the culture to great heights. Several of them are stepping up to sponsor competitions. Examples include the Emcee Africa Competition; Malta Guinness Street Dance Competition, Gulder DJ Competition to mention but a few.
Some other bodies organize Hiphop shows and concerts sometimes with international Hiphop veterans and superstars performing live on stage on Nigerian soil. Such shows have drawn the likes of Nas, Talib Kweli, 50 Cent, Ja Rule, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Nelly, Ludacris, Kanye West, Akon, Wyclef to mention but a few.
The Hiphop culture in Nigeria has given rise to a lot of movements in different parts of the country. These movements provide a platform for hiphoppers to converge and articulate on issues concerning the genre and the culture as a whole. These meetings take place periodically and as regularly as possible. Examples include the African Hiphop Movement pioneered by Nigeria’s Modenine, Reflection Easternal which is a hiphop movement for hiphop heads in or connected to the Eastern region of Nigeria, Code 042 pioneered by the Hiphop Community Enugu State
Nigerian Hiphop heads are also heavily involved on online fora. On these fora, hiphop heads frankly express themselves on the goings-on in the genre. Here, they share news, music, videos, views; get involved in lyrical ‘battles’ , dropping freestyles and critical reviews. Worthy of mention are a few online fora like Africanhiphop.com, Nairaland.com, Nigerianhiphop.net.
From my long standing observation of the Nigerian hiphop scene, I’ve observed the seriousness and enthusiasm of hiphop heads around here. Pulling as much resources as possible into making joints and pushing them as far as possible to the mainstream. The calibre of some songs produced in Nigeria sometimes throw jaws apart, yelling “…man! that’s a classic!” .
Nigerian hiphop heads also organize shows where they come together alongside a few resident big names and kick the art of their heart right on stage.
One more thing I know about heads in Nigeria is their zero level of tolerance to wackness. Though praises are showered when due, cats would not hesitate to point out the weaknesses of an MC whether mainstream or underground. Any upcoming MC would be critically reviewed. Mainstream acts are not spared in this drill especially if he/she is ‘slipping’. Heads have argued about the necessity of such criticisms but another school of thought holds that “…if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”.
Inspite of the successes recorded in elevating the Hiphop culture in Nigeria, a lot of challenges still abound. While some of these setbacks could be caused by the Hiphoppers themselves, others are blameable on the environment.
A lot of rappers these days are so eager to rush to the studios and record a track. Such do not sit down, listen and improve on their lyrical content and articulation before jumping into the recording booth. At the end of the day, what comes as a finished product sounds like a rehearsal.
Quite a number of hiphop heads cannot draw the line between hate and criticism. Especially on the online forums, a lot of cats would want to talk dirty about another’s music. This solely and conciously stems out from the fact that they have an issue with the dude. Such ones instead of pointing out the loopholes of the artist and suggest how he can improve, bluntly declare “...that dude is wack.”
On the flip side, a lot of emcees have a little hitch with promoting their songs on the air waves (radio & T.V). There have been quite a number of cases where rap artists have to pay radio and T.V dee-jays before their songs receive any rotation. Many of these rappers fund themselves to book studio sessions, record their songs and then they are made to pay (most times) heavily just to be heard? That’s not fair and could discourage a lot of lovers of the game.
Futhermore, there have been heated debates in so many corners on what a true hiphop song should sound like. Should it sound like some Grandmaster Flash or DJ Premiere or Kanye West sample? Or, should it be a club banger which inevitably will sound like the local genres like apala, fuji, afro beat? The protagonists of the dance track thang argue that more people feel their style. They argue that consequently, their records move more units and so their style is real. The hardcore school of thought holds that their style is what hiphop should sound like. The problem with songs with the club/dance feel is that most of them contain poor lyrical content, junk rap and less creativity thereby serving ‘diluted’ hiphop. This has not helped matters as sometimes ‘non-hiphoppers’ are erroneously honored with hiphop awards while the true players of the game are left unrecognized.
Relatedly, there has arisen in many quarters the right language to be used on a true hiphop record: English? Or pidgin and local languages? Today, we have french rappers who rap in French, Puerto Ricans who rap in Puerto Rican, Spaniards who rap in Spanish even Chinese who rap in Chinese…why shouldn’t we rap with our own native languages or at least in pidgin English? There is no much fuss to this, I believe rappers should spit in whatever language that reaches their audience but they must represent Hiphop to the fullest.
Lastly, we have the big monster called lack of funds. A lot needs to be done to elevate hiphop, those initiatives cannot be executed without adequate funds. It is quite expensive to make an album less talk organizing a show or running an award contest. Most rappers in Nigeria are students and so not in the working class. They have to source funds from their meager accounts or a couple of ‘jobs’. This really is a setback.
Conclusively, more needs to be done to elevate the Hiphop culture in Nigeria if not for any other reason but for so at least it could be worth a living.
Firstly, the negative image of Hiphop being a violent or immoral culture should be erased. This campaign has to be spear headed by hiphoppers themselves.
More hiphop heads should get into enterpreneurship to help ease the problem of funding.Jay-Z wouldn’t have a problem carrying out any hiphop project he would want to.
Furthermore, the ‘fat envelope’ attitude of some On Air Hosts should be stopped. This is to encourage hiphop heads to come up with their records for airplay.
More Hiphop movements should spring up in many parts of the country to address the issues concerning the game in such areas. This will also help to sweep more people into the game and project the Nigerian Hiphop scene as one of the best on the African continent and the world in general.
Lastly, more corporate bodies should step up and sponsor Hiphop projects or even initiate some themselves. This will go a long way to put on the limelight skilled emcees who would’ve been otherwise underground.
I’ve tried my best to run an analogy of the situation of Hiphop in Nigeria. I hope this gives an insight to you, the reader.
Thanks for reading and please feel free to drop your comments.
One.

HIPHOP 101: THE BASICS

A lot of dudes new to the game of Hiphop might not really understand the loads of terminologies used in this genre. These jargons are strictly informal and sometimes might sound more or less like Sanskrit to the ears of many but if you wanna fluently express yourself in the midst of Hiphoppers, you might wanna get these terms embossed on your skull like words on a tombstone.
Hiphoppers-Hiphop is a culture and so its practitioners or lovers are generally referred to as Hiphoppers. This term serves to include Rappers, Hiphop Singers, Dee-Jays (DJs), Breakdancers, Hiphop media hosts, Hiphop Entepreneurs, Graffiti Artists and Hiphop Analysts like me. Yea, me!
Hiphop Heads-A hiphop head is anyone who is knowledgeable in the game of Hiphop. This includes skilled rappers, hiphop analysts, hiphop music beat makers, hiphop On Air Presenters and Dee-Jays. It also quite excludes distant lovers of the game, entepreneurs or people whose roots are not deeply rooted in the game. One who does not have a long standing history of participation in the game is not a Hiphop head.
Emcee- An emcee simply refers to a skilled rapper. One whose lyrical abilities is sharp and brilliant. The short form of Emcee is MC which means Master of Ceremony. In this sense, MC refers to an event host or orator whose job is to entertain the audience by talking. Relating this to Hiphop, an MC or Emcee refers to one who is gifted in the art of rapping, oration and speech delivery. Many Hiphop radio hosts fall into this category.
Dee Jay-Basically, a dee-jay is one who plays songs at an event or radio show.This meaning has been highly modified ever since Grandmaster Flash invented scratch. These days, a typical dee-jay plays songs with a Turntable which allows him to mix songs, marsh songs and even extract samples from songs. A dee jay is also a beat maker! The art is called Deejaying or Turntablism. The short form of dee jay known as DJ means Disc Jockey and basically means the same thing. A DJ might be referred to as a Mixmaster or Grandmaster depending on how skillful he/she is.
Cats- Cats (singular. Cat) is a slang which basically means people or a group of guys. The term is used when referring to or speaking about a group of Hiphoppers in their absence.
Others include:
Wackness- Wack or wackness is a term used to describe something or someone who is rubbish or nonsense. Wackness in Hiphop generally refers to a rapper or a song or an album or even a show who/which is below standard. Wackness is also used to describe poor lyrics, weak rhymes or a clumsy beat.
Dope-This is the direct opposite of ‘wack’. The slang is derived from the feeling one gets from smoking dope. Dope, as used in Hiphop, refers to a rapper or a song or an album or a show who/which is above average. Dopeness is also used to describe tight lyrics, strong rhymes and good beats.
ILL or Sick-These two terms are the emphatic forms of ‘dope’. Ill/sick is an ironic expression used to describe a rapper with exceptional lyrical abilities, a smash hit, a brilliant punchline or a classic rated album.
Playahater-A playahater is one who is hating on (the game of) another.The word is derived from ‘player’-the hiphopper going about his hustle and ‘hater’-the dude trying to discredit the hiphopper.
A playahater would want to see the downfall of another on who he is hating. One’s playahaters don’t respect his guts, don’t feel his swag and most times label him wack just of course because they don’t like him for reasons best known to them.
Sucker-The word ‘sucker’ basically means freak. That means someone who is a freak for something. In hiphop music, it is used as a offensive word to refer to someone as a freak, faggot or fanatic.
Now you know some of the terms used in Hiphop, learn how to use them correctly in the midst of fellow hiphoppers.
Remember to use them in the right environment. You don’t go saying in a job interview, “…I’m the illest cat for this job…. All those suckers out there are bunch of wacks when it comes to this..!”. You would be kicked out anyway.
Hiphop lives!
Peace.