Talking about the issue, Creative Director of the shoot Bella Adeleke says
“Nigeria is still a dynamic modern jungle and one must wonder if the same music business structure in developed countries can work in our nation. This brought us to the decision of picking the extremely talented and knowledgeable Folarin ‘Falz’ Falana as our cover personality. Not only is he one of the biggest exports in Nigeria at the moment, the award winning rapper and entertainer is a Lawyer and a label owner. We discussed his growth as an artist as he sheds light on what it takes to be an artist in this generation. We also discussed the law behind music and if record deals/labels really work in a environment like Nigeria and so much more.
Riding on the strongly on the coattail we have ‘The ones to watch’. These talented individuals really highlight the unique and dynamic sound which represents the diversity of the genre we call Afrobeats. The music is not all about the somewhat monotonous over synthesised beats, 2liner choruses about popping bottles which will include new slangs/phrases that make no sense whatsoever that would later result in a dance…I’m not usually one to stereotype.
With creating their own individual spin on Afrobeats these artists have been able to invite many new international listeners to the genre with their authenticity and relatable melodies. Will these individuals lead the pack with their unique sound or succumb to the trending Afrobeat wave. On the visual side of things we speak to one of the most promising video directors in the Afrobeats game recently. Meji Alabi has insidiously risen to the top by creating seemingly effortless, aesthetically pleasing and world class videos for the Afrobeats market. He speaks candidly about his thoughts on the industry, why a music video is as important as the music and so much more.
As always all of these amazing features is followed by editorials reflecting the style and identity of the personalities interviewed. With a themed editorial and on trend fashion finds we have kept true to this issue with the heavy focus on music.
Fela once said ‘With music, I create change…music is my weapon’ With the world listening artists can use their voice to revolutionise the nation. If Hiphop can do it for America, i don’t see why Afrobeats cannot do it for Nigeria. Happy tunes and trendy dances are great but the ones that stand the test of times are those that ring through to the plight of the masses, artists that use their voice to challenge the injustice their society faces. In creating a genre we are insidiously creating a culture, and it needs to stand for something.
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