DO YOU LIKE RAP?

Sometimes I imagine I can rap, good quality rap; that is in my dream life. But whenever I start rapping real time, the words are usually deceptive. They refuse an already agreed accord. So in my mind I rap so well but in reality it is just blah. I'm tired. I can't deal.

Whenever I listen to rap music, it sounds like electrified poetry with the healthy capacity of shocking; of naked words running after each other trying to put on some clothing. Sometimes, I just shake my head to the rap's fluid sensation,
Ti, KaTi, TiKa, TiKa, Ti KaKa, TiKa...
The rise and fall of the springy beats can heal the sick and make the lame walk. But that is story for another day.

In the wake of this my new found love, I have come to notice how my generation has witnessed a surge of domestic creativity in Nigeria's music industry; not just rap. Gone are the days when western music stripped our indigenous music of its massive potential. It's something that makes me proud of being Nigerian. And when you hear good rap music calibrate your ears, you thank the Lord for the gift of creativity.

Phyno is the current rave of the moment when secular rap is concerned. If you don’t know him, he is a Nigerian rap sensation that uses Igbo language to slice through his music. The first time I saw Phyno was at Farafina 2014 final event at Eko Hotels, Lagos. He was looking fly with the microphone going up and down with chants of
'Alobam, Alobam...!'
Wetin konsain mi, eh? I no send.
I did not even sing along. Who's this one
wearing sunshades in the dark?

But my neutrality to his then-capacity would be later overwhelmed by his originality. And he had quite an honourable following. Fast-forward to today, Phyno is now a national riot. He's blazing hot with the way he has overrun Nigeria's music air-space.

Now when you go all over the place, you'll see young men fighting a lost battle with low self esteem wearing the Phyno look. They'd leave their beards like a burning bush and strut around feeling fly like Phyno. They think they'd become Phyno by keeping beards and inspiring it with a little touch of bleaching. But sad news. If it's not Phyno, it can never be like Phyno. What makes people is on the inside of them, every other thing is just branding.

Sorry for the digression. But because of my faith, I sieve the kind of rap I listen to because of the gangster culture and funny lyrics often associated with secular rap. Who are the rap artists that you would recommend for a brother? And if you are a rap artiste, I look forward to listening to something innovative from you.

Personally, I am not planning to start rapping any time soon; but then, I still like rap. And this brings me to the point of identity. That I like rap doesn't mean I have to be a rapper. You have to find what works for you and then create your ecological niche. Don't over-struggle where you haven't been called, just cruise in your expertise. Every star has been given the permission to blossom. Shine. Just shine.

And you don't need to be a rapper to shine, you can like rap; that's fine. The thing is to discover you and be beautiful being you.

What was I trying to say again?

Do you like rap?