I think it’s important to start off this opinion piece by stating that I am a fan of Adekunle Gold. I won’t lie, I didn’t start jamming up to him during the whole ‘Sade’ phase just because I felt at that time it was reductive. However, it was when I heard ‘Orente’ that his sound really started to resonate with me.
I attended the album listening, which was more like an album concert, for his debut album ‘Gold’ and I remember being taken back by his ability to create an atmosphere with his music. Fast forward to 2018 when it seemed like everything in the world was working against me attending the album listening for his highly anticipated sophomore L.P. ‘About 30’.
READ TOO: It’s Here! Adekunle Gold Releases His Sophomore “About 30” Album
Everything about ‘About 30’ so far has been nothing short of genius. From the emails to the fans to the Upbeat listening exhibition, Gold is clearly operating on a different level from his contemporaries. Given this fact, the excellence of the album listening should come as no surprise. A number of Nigerian celebrities such as: Falz, Simi, Ric Hassani, Tobi Bakre, Alex Asogwa, Lasisi Elenu, Lamide Akintobi, Emma Oh Ma God, Denola Grey, Pheelz, Praiz and a number of others, showed up to support Mr. Gold.
One of the many things that made the listening a vibe was the atmosphere of camaraderie. From the cheers of his team when he dropped gems to him appreciating Simi and saying that he would not put any song she doesn’t validate, there was oodles of love in the atmosphere.
What made the album listening a truly remarkable experience was the attention to detail. From the #About30 goody bag which contained things that Gold loved growing up (Tofi, Sisi Pelebe, Baba Dudu, Coconut Tofi, Coconut,Ekana Gowon, A game, A kite) to the fact that the listening held at a mini amusement park, Upbeat Recreation Centre, and attendees were allowed to jump on trampolines and play like children after the event was over, everything was just cool.
We signed up for a night of good music but Gold and his team delivered a night of great music and great fun. Adekunle jokingly said during the event that he doesn’t get enough credit and after the fascinating event that he hosted, one cannot help but agree.
I didn’t get to ask Mr. Gold any questions but if I did, I’d have only question for him: ‘Can we do this again next week?’