Have you ever walked into a shop, convinced that the item you desire must be available in multiple variations, but your arrival is met with a disappointing curiosity as to why the place is even open for business? Like…..so what the hell do you now sell? This was the case with the attempt to present the 10mcs poised for dominance in 2014, with a close consideration of 4 females almost deserving of recognition, but measured along with the 5 titans featured in this list, they prove to be just like our destitute shop mentioned earlier…they ain’t got s**t.
So without further ado, we bring to you, the illest MCs to look out for this 2014,counting down from number 5-1. Benchmarks: Lyrical content and delivery. (Regardless of their messages,be it jewellery,furniture,climatic conditions or cooking ingredients)
#5. TESH CARTER
Female hip-hop is culturally characterized by themes such as splendour, flamboyance, narcissism wealth…..the works, and as a preacher of the grandiose gospel, Tesh Carter is worthy of fair marks for her contribution. The content of her lyrics firmly addresses her theme of choice, in which case the delivery soundly incorporates such lyrics, in perceptively penned rhymes. Listening to Tesh, you can tell that she employs a detailed writing process fueled by thoughts as to how best to lace the expressions in rhyme.
The delivery may outweigh the content by an ounce, given that her rap style scores very high marks for attitude, however tracks such as ‘In the air’, ‘Money In Abundance’ and her verses on ‘Gbogbo Hustling’ and “Omo Naija the Remix” prove that Tesh is a rhyme mine set to go off at any moment.
Check out In the Air below to gauge the attitude,and then bump to Money In Abundance.
Money In Abundance
#4. BLINK
When the single ‘Of Life’ dropped, not everyone may have caught the underlying proficiency in Blink’s writing style, but a look at other material by the young rapper may offer some revelation. On ‘Wanmata’ or ‘Oya Twerk’, Blink may not give reason to be taken seriously as a lyricist, until listens are stretched further to the realms of a JimmyJump off with his Synik8 label mates or other tracks like “Super”, an underground track he recorded prior to his moveback to Nigeria. These materials if given attention, reveal that there’s way more to Blink than meets the ‘Wanmata’.
The delivery is incontestably strong and fresh. As for the lyrics, listen below to The Countdown,compare it to ”Of life” and then decide if this kid on fire or what? And then feel free to wonder why he is ‘Of lifing’ and ‘Wanmataing’
Countdown
#3. OZONE
Aristokrats Record’s Ozone, a.k.a O.Z has used a single single (yes I just did that) to display tactful ability in fusing commercial delivery with good old fashion rhyming prowess. The single “All Night” at first hits you as a radio friendly, mainstream banger driven by Leriq’s sensational instrumentals, and then the next thing to hit you is the cautious construction of his bars, dropped effortlessly in sync with the rhythm you are already bumping to.
As a passage rite for marking territory in the open field of Naija hip-hop, Ozone has paid his JimmyJatt dues, where he whipped out an alphabetical slaughter from letter A, and thereby ensuring that the discovery of a more explosive Jump Off session than his would be a quite a task.(Why do I keep remembering that shop?)
Our delivery and content criteria demands that regardless of the theme of the verse or entire track, the expressions must hold comprehensible meaning, while piecing of rhymes together must display thoughtful craftsmanship. On his underground singles such as his Gone till its gone cover and others, satisfactory performance by those standards spur us to allot good grades to Ozee.
If you are in doubt, checkout the Jump Off below,and listen to the single ”All Night”
All Night
#2. ECLIPSE
Winner of the recent Hip-Hop freestyle battle session MADC FightNight, Aboriginal Music’s very own Eclipse is another force to be frightened of rather than reckoned with. Fury and finesse constitute this man’s method of upholding hip-hop standards, with originality stored abundantly in his style, making him freshly relatable as your average neighborhood guy. He’s not pretending and he’s not preaching, he’s all about what you are all about. Eclipse brings a formidable composure of rhymes, the energy packed in his voice and actual words are turned up and down to match the distinct thoughts he is expressing in lyric. On the single ‘Money, Power, Respect’ he sailed through the bars seeming as a warrior wielding a weapon and at the same time a potter molding clay.
The bridge between hardcore and commercial delivery is where Eclipse stands firm, thus suggesting potential success, whenever he eventually chooses which boarder to cross that is.
The final battle from which he emerged winner was against Nokia’s Don’t Break the Beat winner T.K.O. Rest assured that T.K.O went down swinging, but the asswhooping baked and served by Eclipse was not one for leftovers. Listen below to Money power respect, and check out his video ”How Far na”
Money, Power, Respect
#1. BOOGEY
If Talib Kwali was ever reborn as a young Nigerian rapper who is battling pressure to stoop his game lower and signed to Aboriginal Music, he would be called Boogey. With singles such as Damage Control, 5am in Lagos and Sanctum, Boogey showcases superiority in lyrical structure and rhyming techniques that may fleetingly remind you of Eminem. Yes it packs that much of a wallop. And the content is easily thought-provoking. The rap tact here is not mere energy without depth. On the contrary, Boogey’s lyrics travel the realms of Societal, religious and occupational woes of our modern times.
‘He needs to tone it down’….’he gas do commercial’ are the accompanying remarks with every mention of Boogey, whereas the rapper himself proves his awareness of the mainstream loving community’s disapproval of his content and style on the song ‘5am in Lagos’ accusing them of hypocrisy by commending his skill but stating it to be incomprehensible, despite supporting the rap of foreigners with foreign dialects.
In justification, Boogey holds down this number #1 spot because his art patronizes a hip-hop trait possessed by some of history’s greatest MCs. Rap music is the expressions of your thoughts, emotions and opinions, simply presented in poetry and rhyming lines, and thus, Boogey brandishes one of those methodic skills of using rhymes seeming automatically placed in the expression, as opposed to most rappers’ choices of words in a sentence and their sought out rhymes.
Listen below to 5am in Lagos and see the video,Sanctum
5am in Lagos
If our predictions are accurate, these 5MCs shall kick up dust this 2014!
culled from Lobatanafrica
No comments:
Post a Comment