Here’s NET’s list of albums whose upcoming release have generated the strongest buzz…
By Chiagoziem Onyekwena
10. Mo Cheddah – The Franchise Celebrity
A good name is always better than riches. Well, except in the rare occasion when your good name and riches mean one and the same thing. With a name like Mo Cheddah, it’s no surprise then that everybody wants a piece of Knighthouse’s diminutive first lady. And in 2009, Mo duly obliged. The talented songbird had a good showing at the Hennessey Artistry Search, played a pivotal role in making The Finest and Won beri become two of the biggest singles of ’09, while still managing to grace the cover of True Love magazine and release a free True Christmas album in the same year. Mo Cheddah refuses to allow her sound be pigeonholed into rap or R&B, and this has given her the license to roam. Her solo singles If You Want Me and Uncensored are currently on the radio and Mo’s debut The Franchise Celebrity is set for release at some point in 2010. Guess it’s safe to say that in 2010, Knighthouse will be smiling to the bank, in more ways than one.
9. Durella – The Ginger Is Constant
If there’s one word that describes the oft misunderstood Durella, that word would be ENERGY – lots and lots of energy! Luckily for him, the D’Banj comparisons have finally piped down and people have come to accept Durella’s energy as solely his own. Towards the tail end of 2009, TC Records may have re-released Durella’s overenthusiastic debut King of the Zanga with a few new songs included, but that’s only half the story. As the year drew to a close, Durella released two blazing singles My Life and Hustler and in keeping with the theme of the latter record, he announced the launch of his brand new sneaker line called 2Gbaski. While the jury is still out on how many Nigerians would actually shell out N25, 000 for a pair of sneakers by Durella, there’s no denying the fact that there are few CDs in 2010 that would offer you more value for your N150 than his sophomore album The Ginger Is Constant.
8. Waje – Words Ain’t Enough
If you lived even close to the Nigerian border anytime between late ’07 and early ’08, then chances are that of all her colleagues in Nigeria, Waje is the female artiste whose voice you inadvertently listened (and mimed) to the most in 2008. How? You might ask. It’s really simple, two words Do Me; the swaggering female voice on the hook was Waje’s. Capitalizing on the exposure that the monster hit afforded her, Waje went on to snag the first runner-up tag in MTV Zain’s Advance Warning Competition later that year. Though her growth might have been punctuated by one or two underwhelming solo singles, her hit single Kolo helped get her career back on track, becoming an important part of most Nigerian DJ’s sets. In addition, her outstanding features on such high profile albums as Kel’s Investment and Illbliss’ Dat Ibo Boy certainly haven’t hurt her cause. Waje is slowly gaining the kind of recognition her talent deserves.
7. Timi Dakolo – Timi
Ever since he won the maiden edition of Idols West Africa in 2007, the gifted Timi Dakolo has had a thorny ride to get to the point that he is today. First was the sad news that his grandmother, who’d practically raised Timi since his mother died, had passed on herself while Timi was away at the Idols. Next was Timi’s own near-death experience on New Years’ day 2008 when he survived gunshot wounds from a random attack by Niger Delta militants. As if all that wasn’t enough, Timi’s image took a thrashing when allegations that he had falsified his education credentials surfaced in the media. In hindsight however, it’s always better to pay your detractors no mind and to let your talent do the talking… and talk it did! In 2009, Timi shared two very well received singles with the Abaga brothers, MI and Jesse, in Heaven Please and I Love You respectively. Entirely produced by Cobhams, his debut album Timi is finally scheduled to hit shelves in March… the wait (it seems) is finally over.
6. Terry the Rapman – Boyz R Not Smilin
After his long-awaited debut The Rapman Beginz was largely overlooked by the mainstream, Terry refused to let that setback put him down; he went all the way back to square one, back to the grassroots. No longer signed to November Records, Terry called up longtime collaborator Pherowshuz and hood-favorite Original Stereoman and together (with a little help from Stereoman’s monster jam Ekwe), they crafted arguably the biggest single of the talented wordsmith’s career thus far, Sample. Terry then went on to record show stealing verses on OD’s well-received If I Catch You and the remix to Cartiair’s chart-topping Owo Ati Swagger. The Joe Spazm mixtape was to follow in November but perhaps Terry’s biggest achievement in ’09 was the birth of his Boyz R Not Smilin movement, complete with colorful branded tees. That movement has in turn paved the way for Terry’s highly-anticipated second album (going by the same title) and with his recent collaboration, Ojoro, with namesake Terry G growing steadily, that anticipation will only grow larger in the coming months.
5. Naeto C – Super C Season
Like a lot of other African countries where his infectious music has found a home, Nigeria has two seasons; the rain and the Harmattan. If music had the power to change the weather and if Naeto C could have everything his way, then 2010 would have to make space on its choked calendar for a third one, just call it the Super C Season. Since his rather impressive debut U Know My P dropped in 2008, with the exception of the occasional cameo and the odd local or international feature, the debonair Naeto C has been on something of a sabbatical. Regarded as one of the brightest and most decorated emcees in Africa, Naeto C took a ‘brief’ study leave in Ireland, and watched his WFA movement experience a lull in recent months. But all that is probably going to change in 2010 as the emcee returns to the charts armed with Ako Mi Ti Poju in one hand and Duro in another. But it’s the rest of Super C Season that would really help Naeto reassert his presence in Nigerian rap music’s crowded space.
4.YQ – TBA
Trivia question: Which Nigerian R&B star on the cusp of greatness doesn’t have a single vowel in his name? That was easy, right? But for YQ, the road to 2010 has been a long and arduous one. Once one-half of the duo – QKrest, the young starlet from Kwara has been knocking on the game’s door for a minute, and it’s finally beginning to open up for him. YQ caught his big break when his 2008 hit single Efimile stood him out as an artiste with skills beyond the ordinary. Ever since that brief introduction, YQ has gone on to add to his credentials by crafting the choruses of some of the most catchy songs on radio including, Knighthouse’s Ijinle Pam Pam, Naeto C’s Duro and 2 Shotz’ Oyoyo,. Being labeled one of the most gifted Nigerians to craft a chorus is one thing, making whole songs is another while creating an entire album is another ball game in another park entirely; only time can tell how all this pans out, but YQ’s making all the right moves so far. His debut album is due for release sometime in 2010 via a partnership between QKoncepts and Storm Records, Nigeria is waiting…
3. Jesse Jagz – Jag of all Trades
Charity should begin at home; supporting far away Haiti with our prayers and donations is good and fine, but let’s spare a thought for our brethren in Plateau as Jos once again threatens to smash the self-destruct button. Moving away from all the negative stuff, the Abaga brothers are the newest in the long line of talents to be birthed in the city and go on to be celebrated nationwide. You already know about Mr. Incredible but to actually get a feel of how big his younger brother, Jesse Jagz, truly is (no pun intended), you might need to take a trip up North – Jesse is almost a legend in these parts. His earlier singles Judile and Sugarcane Baby were well-received in Abuja and other major northern cities but it was his monster club single Wetin Dei (along with a little help from his triumph at the Hennessey Artistry Search) that truly introduced Jesse to the rest of the nation. His debut album titled Jag of all Trades (tentative title) is due sometime this year but will probably be preceded by his mixtape The Jagged Life (tentative title).
2. 2Face – Unstoppable 2
For the first time since his debut effort Face 2 Face, 2Face Idibia is releasing an album from a position where he finds himself as somewhat of the dark horse. While the talent that endeared legions of fans in Africa and beyond to him haven’t gone anywhere, the mystic and innocence, no pun intended, which surrounded his sparkling public image certainly have. Then there’s the small issue of his ’08 album, Unstoppable, an album which till this day still elicits verdicts that are as varied as those concerning the future of Super Eagle’s coach Shuaibu Amodu. Unperturbed by all the fuss, 2Face is gearing up for Unstoppable’s sequel but once again 2Baba’s name isn’t far from controversy. In December 2009, Dublin-based rapper Badman Floss claimed that producer Jay Sleek had sold the same beat for Unstoppable 2’s lead single Implication to him a few months earlier . Whatever might be the case, there’s no denying that Nigerians are silently rooting for 2 to remind us once again why he is the Golden Boy of African music, and nobody else.
1. MI – MI 2
There’s simply no escaping his voice, no dodging his lyrics, no evading his wit. The way he was recording music last year, this man might want to consider swapping the initial ‘I’ in his name for ‘TN’; because M.I is simply ‘everywhere you go’! No?
To make matters all the more interesting, M.I didn’t even have an album in ’09. The man with the most features in ’09, MI simply takes as many studio invitations as his calendar permits, and we all know that a co-sign from Mr. Incredible is usually enough to make Nigerians listen to any newcomer’s music. 2010 should easily see M.I dominate once again, but this time with some brand new music of his own. Now a multiple award winning artiste with a continental buzz that’s growing by the day, fans of Hip Hop are gearing up for the release of his second mixtape IM2 (Illegal Music 2) and his sophomore effort MI 2. Without a shadow of doubt, MI 2 is the most eagerly anticipated Nigerian album of 2010 and if Talk About It really did sell 50,000 copies in 30 minutes, expect MI 2 to surpass that achievement with change to spare.
17 comments
Men, i just feel M.I album (MI2) shouldn't be the most anticipated, he's had a lot of cameos and we are still reeling over the videos.
Terry da Rapman on the other had hasn't drop an album for about 3 years or so, the success of his much talked about mixtape ("The Joe Spazm Mixtape" Presented by KnightHouse, Hosted by Dj Jimmy Jatt) only built anticipation for the B.A.N.S album. Also, the singles (Sample ft Pheroshuwz, How far ft Sound Sultan) have been receiving massive airplay NATION WIDE.
Also, I feel Tu face Album should be the last on the least, the other guys easily knock him off.
MY LIST THEN GOES THUS:
10.2Face – Unstoppable 2
9. Durella – The Ginger Is Constant
8. YQ – TBA
7. MI – MI 2
6. Timi Dakolo – Timi
5. Waje – Words Ain’t Enough
4. Mo Cheddah – The Franchise Celebrity
3. Naeto C – Super C Season
2. Jesse Jagz – Jag of all Trades
1. Terry the Rapman – Boyz R Not Smilin
"These are just my thoughts"- Jay-Z (The Rulers's back) The BluePrint '01
2FACE, NAETO C,MI AND MAYBE JESSE JAGZ…….OTHERS NA LIE
D most anticipated album is 2face album, followed by jesse jagz, YQ, MI, naeto c, durella, mo cheedah, terry, timi & waje. Watch out 4 d unstoppable 2
Not surprised MI is on top of the list. 'Talk about it' was incerdible, though i havent heard this one am sure its gonna be great.
Good listing. But YQ’s from Kogi, not Kwara.
Its really an honour to be on this list,you can’t imagine.
From the bottom of my heart I say thank you. God bless y’all
Very nice list,the only names you left out were konga, rasqie & slam and you would have been styling.
Who is anticipating waje,YQ,mo cheddah & jesse jagz
Iam not sure you guys really know the true meaning of anticipation…………….LOL
IS THIS AN EARLY APRIL FOOLS JOKE!!!!!!!!YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS.
I'm a true loopy fan and not surprisingly because of m.i, but i think the most anticipated album for '10 will be unstoppable2. Many nigerians stil dont know who's lying or has low memory: 2face or kells. But believe me, wit a true collabo with the queen of r'n'b- i mean blige, then everybody's going to forget the r kelly mess.
I think 2face shud be on no1 list.wat of 9ice,dbanj,timaya,wande etc
2face idibia's unstoppable 2 album i believe and know is the most anticipated because we all still believe his collaboration with mary J. will spring up surprises.
"played a pivotal role in making The Finest and Won beri become two of the biggest singles of ’09" – WRONG
the finest & won beri is one and the same.
"along with a little help from his triumph at the Hennessey Artistry Search"
Jesse jagz didn't triumph at henessey artistry,ice prince did.get your facts right next time and stop misinforming the people.
only one thing shocks me about this list….where the hell is rebirth by timaya??…with singles like plantain boy, who born you and luv is blind…i think that album deserves to be on this list
Jesse and M.I too much,shout out to chocolate city una too much,2face u too much.I yung kals(shut up records)
yeah choc boiz keep inspirating….i really d trip caz i wanna be whare too…don f.
—–I Hope this site is not goin to crash like the others. Well what happens to STATE of SURPRISE by VECTOR. Hip hop album of the season 10/11
2 baba should be ontop followed by p square