She put all doubts about her rap skills to rest with the release of her debut album ‘First Lady’. Now, Sasha, one of the most consistent female acts around, is trying to take it all to a new level.
Working on her second album for Storm records, the University of Lagos Law graduate is determined to break new grounds and reaffirm her position as Nigeria’s ‘first lady’ of rap.
Nothing suggests this more than the release last week, of her second single from the upcoming project. ‘‘Put it down’’, premiered on September 1, features rising Mozambiquan rapper Dama Do Bling. Pundits opine that the collaboration, and the ‘multi’lingual’ single, are calculated attempts to penetrate the southeastern African country and neighbouring Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Swaziland.
Although scarcely known in Nigeria, Ivannea Jose a.k.a. Dama Do Bling is regarded as the ‘queen of Mozambique hip hop’ and one of the more remarkable female emcess on the African continent.
Sasha herself, although yet to record a major commercial break, is one of the more dominant voices in Nigeria’s hip hop world, and she will easily pass as the country’s most prominent female rapper.
Her new album, titled SashaSpeaks, is nearing completion. Opinionated but reserved, and keen about exploring all entrepreneurial opportunities her recording career can facilitate, Sasha is carefully cultivating her brand, and steadily establishing herself as an act to court. To think it all started with ‘rapping’ in front of audiences at family parlour parties while she was a kid, with no clue in the world that she’ll someday make a living performing
The video for ‘put it down’, shot in Alexandria, South Africa, has already been released, further fuelling anticipation for the upcoming album.
For most artistes, the second album is very, very important. For Sasha, it seems, it is very very very important.
Will she break the sophomore jinx? Will she be the first Nigerian ‘femcee’ to conquer the African continent? Will she finally put to rest, all arguments on whether she’s a better rapper then Kel and Blaise and Bouqui andd Kemistry? ‘SashaSpeaks’ will tell…
1 comment
One problem with them Kel, Blaise etc etc is that they all sound the same…and they never give great punchlines. But giving credit where it is due, Sasha killed it on this her new track with Dama Do Bling. I really LOVE that track…the video is also really cool. That's one song that should be top of naija charts…but obviously the people in Naija entertainment have their priorities wrong so we will hear more ginja your swagga than such good music