Tributes

By Timilehin Salu Fela was a Nigerian musician born on 15th October 1938 in Abeokuta, Ogun State to Reverend Oludotun Israel and Funmilayo Ransome Kuti. He was born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti.  Fela attended Abeokuta Grammar School and was later sent to study Medicine in London. In London, his rebellious and artistic spirit came out, and he decided to study Music instead of Medicine. He enrolled in the Trinity College of Music and formed a band named the Koola Lobitos where his band played highlife. After marrying his first wife, Remilekun (Remi) Taylor in 1960, he moved back to Nigeria in 1963.  In 1969, Fela took the band to the United States where they spent 10 months in Los Angeles. While they were there, Fela discovered the Black Power movement through Sandra Smith (now Sandra Izsadore), a partisan of the Black Panther Party. The experience would heavily influence his music and political views and he decided to switch him message from mainstream to a more conscious form of music addressing colonialism, oppression and tyranny by the ruling class in Nigeria. It was on this trip that he realised how valuable an understanding of Africa’s history could be to the expansion of music’s outreach, and it was during this trip too that he was able to record some of his latest compositions with a new group of musicians who interpreted his musical vision with a greater level of commitment and ability. He called this group Nigeria 70. On his return to Nigeria, Fela renamed the group a second time, calling it Africa 70. Fela soon dropped “Ransome” from his surname because it was a slave name and replaced it with “Anikulapo”, a Yoruba phrase meaning “one who has captured death and put it in his pouch”, to convey a sense of invincibility. He became a fierce critic of the Nigerian Military Government who he regularly criticised in harsh terms in his songs including “Zombie”, “Unknown Soldier”, “Coffin for Head of State”. Fela’s music was popular among the Nigerian public and Africans in general. He made the decision to sing in Pidgin English so that his music could be enjoyed by individuals all over Africa, where the local languages spoken are very diverse and numerous. He is credited as the originator of the popular Afro beat genre, a blend of traditional Yoruba and Afro-Cuban music with funk and jazz. He is known for the signature length of his songs often reaching 10-15 minutes long before the actual lyrics to the song.  Around the 1970’s, Fela had begun reading esoteric literature promoting the belief that African history had been distorted and misrepresented by Western academics, and his interpretation of these ideas and transformation of them into musical themes became his main concern. Reflecting this embrace of Pan-African revisionism, he now called his group Egypt 80 In 1970, he founded the Kalakuta Republic commune. “Kalakuta”, derived from the word “Calcutta, was the name of the cell he was kept in at Alagbon Police station during his numerous arrests. It was named after the infamous Black Hole of Calcutta dungeon in India.  He declared Kalakuta Republic independent of the Nigerian government saying… “I wanted to identify the ways of myself as someone who didn’t agree with that Federal Republic of Nigeria created by British man. I was in non-agreement.” When he abandoned Christianity as a relic of colonialism and embraced local traditional religion, the Afro-Spot where he usually performed started to be known as the Afrika Shrine and him as its Chief Priest. He was popular for his constant faceoff with the military government and regularly suffered beatings and frequent incarceration by the military government on mostly frivolous charges. In 1984, Muhammadu Buhari’s government, of which Fela was a vocal opponent, jailed him on a charge of currency smuggling which Amnesty International and others denounced as politically motivated. After 20 months, he was released from prison by General Ibrahim Babangida. On his release he divorced his 12 remaining wives, saying that “marriage brings jealousy and selfishness”. He also composed Beast of No Nation in which he mocked Buhari for launching a public “discipline” campaign which was used to brutalise citizens. The paradoxical character of Fela was there even at his death. In the weeks leading up to his death, Fela’s condition deteriorated while he refused to accept treatment from Western-trained doctors. His last record, “Condom Scallywag and Scatter” deplored condoms as un-African. Aids, he declared, was a white man’s disease. In the end, Fela, the one who had begun to live out the true meaning of his name “Anikulapo” when he dodged death severally at the hands of the military, succumbed to the disease on 2 August 1997. Now in the 21st century, a large number of successful artists in Nigeria including Burna Boy, Falz the Bahd Guy and Wizkid have at various times portrayed the lifestyle of Fela in their music. It is therefore no surprise that decades after his death, His music still symbolises the spirit of truth for a vast number of struggling people in Africa and beyond. References: How Fela Kuti came to be celebrated by those he sang against- Fela Kuti remembered: ‘He was a tornado of a man, but he loved humanity’ Fela Kuti: Chronicle of A Life Foretold

The lockdown sure helped creatives come up with ideas to keep themselves and the coerced introverts entertained. The Verzuz battle is another product of the good of the lockdown. Verzuz is an American webcast series created by record producers, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. The Verzuz battle gained a lot of momentum with fans cheering on to a lot of battles and even suggesting battles between their faves. Talking about momentum, the Verzuz broadcast of Brandy v. Monica broke records in numbers over Instagram with over 1.2 million live viewers. Now, imagine the record breaking numbers a Verzuz battle featuring HOV will get- especially with Lil’wayne.Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter began his music career in the 1980s, building a reputation as a budding rapper in his hometown. Jay-Z who is also referred to as HOV is an iconic rapper with a great number of fans. I mean, he created a massive buzz on the internet by simply opening an Instagram account. HOV is considered a rap legend by his fans, celebrities and even himself. He reiterated this in his recent comment on the possibility of a Verzuz battle between him and whomever. HOV claims that “no one” can compete against him in a Verzuz battle. This came after Rick Ross hinted a possibility of a battle between himself and Jay-Z.HOV- TunechiHOV does not see this happening. In fact, he says there is not a chance in hell. This statement got a lot of reaction and sparked a debate online. While some agreed with HOV on his GOAT status, others disagreed and even dropped a list of rappers that can take on HOV in a Verzuz battle. The likes of Eminem, Drake and Lil Wayne were listed. “I like Jay-Z but I’m not playing 20 of his songs” a fan wrote. Tunechi is definitely a valid candidate to take on HOV. One of the points fans raise most times is that other rappers do not have enough songs to go head to head with HOV but Lil Wayne is clear on that. Countless rappers have tried to claim the title of the Best Rapper Alive, but Jay-Z and Lil Wayne are the two artistes who have held on to that title for an extensive amount of time. Lil Wayne’s solo debut album Tha Black Is Hot (1999) was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and his twelfth studio album Tha Carter V which was delayed multiple times with no schedule date was eventually released in 2018 and it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with the second-largest streaming week for an album of all time and with 480,000 units sold. Tunechi can dissect through contrasting eras just like Jay-Z as he can also boast of a large catalog. I mean, Lil Wayne’s discography is solid.The Verzuz is a head-to-head battle which may consist of up to 20 rounds of what would be an artiste’s hit songs or hit features. Now, picture Holy Grail v. Mirror. Both songs received positive reviews from most music critics and went platinum in the US. HOV comes on stage and drops a punchline “fuck that shit y’all talking ‘bout, I’m that nigga”. The crowd is going crazy. Tunechi comes on stage, rightfully egotistical and ready to battle, “who that said they gon’ beat Lil Wayne?” Don’t forget Tunechi is the shit, now you got loose bowels.Hits against hits, it’s round 5! Public Service Announcement v. Uproar, HOV reintroduces himself in case you have forgotten that he is the music biz number one supplier. Tunechi isn’t backing out at this point. After all, if you are a roughneck, Tunechi is a cutthroat. We can list 20 songs from both artistes to go head to head on each round of a Verzuz battle while the fans go wild and if hit singles from albums get exhausted, we can move to mixtapes.The mixtape game has been nice for Tunechi and a big part of his career. Tunechi is clear on this. This battle is definitely going to be entertaining and Lil Wayne will be a challenging opposition for Jay-Z. There are more artistes that can go head to head with Jay-Z but the question still remains, “Will Jay-Z ever take on a Verzuz battle?” HOV is HOV. He has been relevant for three decades now and that is something. Your faves better pick their best song to go against ‘Grammy Family’.If you are just finding out about the Verzuz battle, it’s okay, you are not too late, I’m happy to put you on.

Christopher Lee Rios (November 10, 1971 – February 7, 2000),better known by his stage name Big Pun (short for Big Punisher), was an American Rapper and Songwriter. Pun’s lyrics are notable for their technical efficiency, having exceptional breath control, heavy use of alliteration, as well as internal and multi-syllabic rhyming schemes.  He is frequently cited as one of the best MCs of all time. Emerging from the underground hip hop scene in the Bronx borough of New York City in the early 1990s, he came to prominence during the latter half of the decade for his work with Fat Joe and the Terror Squad. Rios was born in the Bronx, New York City, to parents of Puerto Rican descent. He grew up in the South Bronx neighborhood and had at least two sisters and one brother.  While he did well in school and participated in athletics in his early years, he left home at the age of 15 because of his difficult family life and eventually dropped out of high school. Taking over his own education, Big Pun was an avid reader. He also became interested in breakdancing and rapping. It was a difficult time for him as he was sometimes homeless. Within a few years, Big Pun had the added pressure of being a young father when he and his junior high school girlfriend Liza had their first child together. (They married in 1990 and had two more children.)  He reportedly responded to the life’s stresses by eating more and became overweight. Performing as Big Moon Dog, he formed the rap group Full a Clips Crew. Big Pun stood out from the rest of the group with his complex rhymes and the ability to rap for a long time without taking a breath. Big Pun caught his first big break when he met successful rapper-producer Fat Joe in 1995. Recognizing Big Pun’s talent, Fat Joe asked him to appear on his song “Watch Out.” The two oversized talents formed a strong friendship and working relationship. Inspired by a comic book character, he took the new name, Big Punisher, and joined the Terror Squad, a group of Latino rappers associated with Fat Joe. Fat Joe even helped negotiate Big Pun’s contract with Loud Records. In 1997, Big Pun had his first hit, “I’m Not a Player,” and it quickly rose up the rap charts, peaking at No. 3. His first album, Capital Punishment (1998), followed suit, making it to the top spot on the R&B/hip-hop album charts. It featured cameos by such established rappers as Wyclef Jean of the Fugees and Busta Rhymes. The album was nominated for Rap Album of the Year category at the 1999 Grammy Awards, but he lost to Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life by Jay Z. The album eventually sold more than 2 million copies, making him the first Latino rapper to go platinum. In a short time, Big Pun developed a substantial fan base and became a hero in the Puerto Rican community. He was proud of his heritage and often mentioned it in his lyrics and even draped himself in the Puerto Rican flag at times. Weighing around 400 pounds at the time of the album’s release, Big Pun grew heavier as he became more successful. At the urging of friend Fat Joe, he tried to lose weight, even attending the Duke University diet program in North Carolina in 1999. Big Pun did lose weight, but not for long. He regained the 80 pounds he lost and steadily added more. Just getting around and handling day-to-day matters became a challenge because of his size.  But Big Pun still managed to wow audiences when he performed live. He was also in demand for his amazing skills, making a cameo appearance on Jennifer Lopez’s “Feelin’ So Good” with Fat Joe. In fact, Big Pun was supposed to appear on Saturday Night Live with Lopez and Fat Joe to perform the song on February 5, 2000, but he cancelled because he was not feeling well. Around this time, Big Pun, his wife, and children were staying at a hotel in White Plains, New York. They were there because their Bronx home was being worked on. On February 7, he experienced difficulty breathing and collapsed in his hotel room. His wife called 911, but emergency medical workers were not able to revive him. Only 28 years old at the time, Big Pun died of heart failure, weighing nearly 700 pounds. The hip-hop and Latino communities mourned the passing of one of its stars. Thousands of fans attended his wake in the Bronx a few days after his death. To honor him, a local sign painting company, TATS Cru, painted a large mural about him on a building in his neighborhood.  Two months after his death, Big Pun’s second album, Yeeah Baby, was released. The record, filled with his trademark tongue-twisting lyrics and Latin cultural references, received warm reviews and quickly rose to No. 3 on the album charts and reached the top of the R&B/hip-hop album charts. The next year, a compilation of his work, Endangered Species, also performed well, serving as a final sendoff for the larger-than-life rapper. On the 22nd of March 2021, The late Big Punisher received a big honor in his home borough. An intersection in the Bronx was co-named after the legendary lyricist. The intersection of Fordham Road and Grand Concourse was rechristened for the late Big Pun; city officials have officially renamed the intersection “Big Pun Plaza.” In 2014, Liza Rios (Big Pun’s wife) filed a lawsuit against Fat Joe seeking more than $1,000,000. The late rapper’s widow claimed that she had struck a deal with Fat Joe to split any money made by Big Pun following the rapper’s death, she however later alleged that despite the deal, she hadn’t received any money since 2005. On episode 261 of the Drink Champs podcast, Fat Joe declared that he doesn’t have control over anything related to Big Pun and that he makes no money off the deceased rapper, including a documentary on his contribution to the culture.

‘Regulate… G Funk Era’ is the debut studio album by American rapper Warren Griffin III a.k.a. Warren G. It was released on June 7, 1994 by Violator Records and distributed by Rush Associated Labels. The album’s biggest hit was the eponymous single ‘Regulate‘, which was a gritty depiction of West Coast gang life. The album was executively produced by the late Chris Lighty. On this album, Warren takes us on a journey through the G-funk style which him amongst others including Dr. Dre populated in the 90’s era. The 12 track album features different shades of G-funk. If you have not listened to it yet, here is what to expect. Regulate ft. Nate Dogg This song which is self-titled after the album is heavily modeled after the G-funk era. It features a fresh looking Warren-G driving through the neighborhood. He is on his way to woo some ladies but is stopped by some guys around the corner who robs him of his rings, rolex jewelries and other possessions. Fun Fact: Nate Dogg makes mention of the 213 multiple times in the song. Asides being the area code for long beach California, 213 in the Californian penal code refers to robbery-which is exactly what they were doing to Warren G. Do you see ft. Nate Dogg This is the second song off the album and represent the struggles of Warren G as an artist. He talks about the neighborhood he grew up in and how people died by gunshots on a regular basis. He also talks about the 213 gang which was made up of him, Snoop Rock (now Snoop Dogg) and Nate Dogg. Gangsta Sermon ft. B-Tip & Ricky Harris In Gangsta Sermon, Warren is with his gangsters in a place that seems to be a church talking about bit**** and Ho** that want……… Recognize ft. The Twinz The place is here, the time is right for Warren G and the Twinz to kill this beat. And just like ‘Do You See’, they talk about growing up in LBC. You have to watch your back because someone is always out to hurt you or the ones you love. But despite the anger you might have, you have to be on your grind and gain respect by pushing back the people who try to check you or try to pick up a fight with you. In essence, you have to check or be checked. Super Soul Sis The song showcases Warren G’s stellar production as well as the mic skills of his affiliate, Jah-Skillz. The song samples One Way’s “Don’t Stop (Ever Loving Me)” which can be heard at 20 seconds into the song. ’94 Ho Draft On this track, Warren G samples the beat of T- connection in their song; groove to get down. So many ways ft.lady levi and Wayniac An original G-funk maestro, this song talks about Warren G’s G-funk flows and features lady levi and Wayniac. This Dj (ft. O.G.L.B) This track talks about the G sound which is known as the G-Dub or G-funk, and was pioneered by Warren G and Nate Dogg. G-DUB is a nick name for Warren G who also produced this track. Warren G takes listeners on a ride down his earlier years when he hung out with college students after school and sold drugs to them. This is the Shack ft. the Dove shack This song is about Warren and his goons running a marijuana shop and ready to deal with anyone that messes with them. He says “plot on the shack if you wanna but if you get caught slipping, we will be dippin, down your block” meaning try to come get us, but if you aren’t quick or good enough, we will take revenge on you and your neighborhood. What’s next ft. Mr Malik This song is largely a freestyle by Warren G and Mr. Malik. On this freestyle, Warren G makes a mistake on the spelling of next but decides not to change it and put it on the album. And Ya don’t Stop This song was produced by Warren G. he gives a shout out to his pals and talks about the importance of hard workwhere he says “And ya don’t stop, and ya don’t quit”. Runnin’ Wit No Breaks ft. Bo Roc, Jah Skillz and Twinz In runnin’, Warren features his goons where they sample the G-funk sound.

“My goal is to bring real black America — just as it is, not watered down — to people everywhere through music, through films, through everything we do,” Andre Harrell told The Los Angeles Times in 1992 after signing a $50 million deal with MCA for a new company, Uptown Entertainment. Andre Harrell— a one time rapper and half of the rap duo Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde— was an innovative music executive who in the late 1980s founded Uptown Records, a formidable link between the hip-hop and R&B worlds. He gave Sean Combs (Puff Daddy) his first career break, setting the young upstart and future founder of Bad Boy Entertainment, the definite force in East Coast Hip-hop in the 80s and 90s, to become one of hip-hop’s signature moguls and global ambassadors. Uptown Records was an American record label, based in New York City. Founded in 1986, the label was a leader in R&B and hip-hop from the late 1980s into the early 1990s. During the 1990s, aided by its A&R worker Sean Combs, Uptown led the fusion of R&B with hip-hop. Harrell’s label is responsible for many R&B and Hip-hop genre defining successes, most notably, Mary J Blige. Harrell paved the way for Blige to become Queen of Hip-hop soul. The American singer-songwriter, actress, and philanthropist, began her career in 1991 when she was signed to Uptown Records. She went on to release 13 studio albums, eight of which have achieved multi-platinum worldwide sales. Blige has sold 50 million albums worldwide and 80 million records worldwide. She has won nine Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards. Mary J Blige’s breakout album, “What’s the 4-1-1?” inspired confidence in a generation of Lagosians whose teenage years began in the early 90s; these kids internalized the words and street style from the hit singles “Real Love” and “You Remind Me”. As they explored a new world of house parties and secondary school socials, the style and message in Mary J Blige’s music set the foundation for young girls growing up in Lagos to define authentic positive identities for themselves. Andre O’Neal Harrell, who died on May 7, 2020, at his home in West Hollywood in California, USA, at the age of 59, was born in The Bronx, New York City, on September 26, 1960. His father, Bernie, worked at a produce market in Hunts Point; his mother, Hattie, was a nurse’s aide. In 1978, he graduated from the Charles Evans Hughes High School. As a teenager, Harrell and Alonzo Brown, a friend from high school, formed a rap duo, Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde The group had the hit songs “Genius Rap” in 1981 and “AM/PM” in 1984. Harrell studied at Baruch College, then transferred to Lehman College, where he studied communications and business management with the intention of becoming a newscaster. Harrell was interested in more than just music. He wanted to shape culture. That was the drive behind setting up Uptown records. Harrell wasn’t satisfied with just making music as a rapper, he wanted to shape the culture of cool around the world. The success of juggernauts like Mary J. Blige and Sean Combs are clear markers of Harrell’s vision, and he can also be credited with paving the way for Jodeci and Heavy D, and BIGGIE who left Uptown for Bad Boy entertainment at the same time Puffy Daddy was leaving. Following repeat successes in music, Harrell set his sights on movies, producing the cult classic, “Strictly Business” in 1991 with the backing of MCA. The comedy directed by Kevin Hooks, brought visibility to actors Halle Berry in a leading role and Samuel L. Jackson in a supporting role. Its comical portrayal of the complexity of black on black race relations in the United States resonated with audiences, earning the film $7m+ in the box office. https://www.youtube.com/embed/u0II5c_6Dgg In 1992, Harrell signed a $50 million deal with MCA for a new company, Uptown Entertainment, which spanned music, film and television. Speaking with the Los Angeles Times about the deal, MCA chairman, Al Teller praised Harrell, “Ultimately, this business is about instinctive creative judgment, and Andre’s instincts about artists and music and what audiences want are absolutely superb. His track record of success has positioned Uptown to become the black entertainment company of the 1990s.” Uptown records reign began to decline at the height of the 90s, with the departure of Puff Daddy, and acts like Mary J Blige and Jodeci signing directly to MCA in search of greater independence. After a series of purchases that led MCA to become part of Universal Music Group, the Uptown era finally came to an end. Harrell moved on to MoTown records as CEO; and in the later part of his career worked as Vice-Chairman on his protege, Diddy’s REVOLT digital music network, extending Harrell’s vision and cultural influence from the mixtape and VHS era into the streaming era.

As Majek Fashek leaves us, his over three-decade long call for black people around the world to unite for progress, rings true now more than ever before: “Arise from your sleep Africa / Arise from your sleep America / There’s work to be done Africa / There’s work to be done America / If we unite, we will be free so long, for too long / So long, for too long / We’ve been sitting down for so oooo long / We’ve been fooling round for too oooo long / We’ve been sitting down for so oooo long,” Like his predecessors, Fela Kuti and Bob Marley, Majek Fashek is the ultimate freedom fighter, who used his music as a weapon in the fight for justice and equity for black people around the world. The popular reggae star throughout his career, made music to advocate for freedom, justice and equality. In 1988, shortly after he was kicked out of his debut band Jastix, where he went by the moniker Rajesh Kanal, Majek began a solo career releasing the album “Prisoner of Conscience” and quickly attained Nigeria’s top reggae artist status after his hit single, “Send Down The Rain” became the most popular song of that year. At the height of apartheid in the late 1970s, Nigerian musicians played forceful roles, using their music to directly call out South Africa’s apartheid government for their injustices to indegnious South Africans. Artists like Majek Fashek, Onyeka Owenu, and Sunny Okosun, released songs that demanded the breakdown of segregation and kept the consciousness going even after late President Nelson Mandela, the South African leader of the fight to end apartheid, was released from prison. Majek Fashek’s ‘Prisoner of Conscience’, ‘Free Mandela’ and his remix of Bob Marley’s ‘Redemption Song ‘ added to the external fight against apartheid. Nearly every album released in the apartheid era by a Nigerian musician that did not feature a song calling for African liberation was almost incomplete. In as much as apartheid was concerned then, Nigerian singers were united in their struggle to end it and liberate indegenous South Africans, and Majek was the most visible leader in the music industry’s efforts for freedom. With features on the international scene, most notably an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman in New York City, Majek consistently advocated for global collaboration to deliver peace and justice to blacks all over the world. Fashek was born in Benin City to an Edo Old Bendel State mother and a Ijesha (in present day Osun State, Western Nigeria) but he identified more with his Benin roots. Various translations of his name Fasheke (Ifa-kii-she-eke) include “high priest who does not lie”, “power of miracles” and “(system or medium of) divination does not lie”. After his parents separated, Fashek remained in Benin City with his mother, and soon joined the choir in his local Aladura church, where he learned to play the trumpet and guitar as he composed songs for the choir. Majekodunmi Fasheke, popularly known as Majek Fashek was a Nigerian singer-songwriter and guitarist. Also known as The Rainmaker, he worked with various artists worldwide including Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Cliff, Michael Jackson, Snoop Dogg, Beyoncé and Danny Erskine. The beloved Nigerian reggae star died at age 57 in his sleep on June 1 2020 in New York City at the height of the global #BlackLiveMatter protests, where marginalised blacks particularly in the United States took to the streets to demand an end to systemic racism. Spurred by the brutal murder of George Floyd by a cop who knelt on the victim’s neck for almost 9 minutes in an attempt to detain him, while his cop colleague looked on indifferently, the protests began with public outrage over a published video of the fatal event. Today Majek’s words remind us that we are uniquely positioned to work for black progress because of a rich heritage and the vision and sacrifice of leaders before, “Remember, remember, long long time ago / When we used to live like prince and princess / Remember, remember, the pyramids of Egypt / When we used to live like prince and princess / Remember, remember, Marcus Garvey / Who had a dream for you Africa / Remember, remember, Martin Luther King, Who had a dream for you America.” “We’ve been sitting down for so oooo long / We’ve been fooling round for too oooo long / Arise from your sleep Africa / Arise from your sleep America.” So long Majek. So long.