THE CUTS: EP 04 Vol. 1
THE CUTS reviews songs, videos or album we think you need to hear or watch. The music covered are not genre and/or region specific. Once it is good, it would be reviewed here. THE CUTS is available each FRIDAY
Mensa – God Is Good
After a video surfaced of prominent pastor Mensa Otabil tasking his church members to ward off any enquiries about his role (directly or not) in the collapse of Capital Bank, where he served as a ‘non-executive chairman’, with the phrase ‘God Is Good’, many have interpreted it to mean a denial of any responsibility. Like many of his critics who have adopted the phrase as their new excuse for ‘irresponsibilities’, Mensa, a musician, has latched on to the phrase in his new song.
https://youtu.be/7Kowg_beDVA
‘God Is Good’ has the rapper- one- half of the irreverent FOKN Bois- mocking and chiding religious figures who use the gospel to exploit their congregants for their own material benefits, and the gullibility of the highly religious who blindly see their pastors as next to God. This doesn’t come as a surprise since Mensa (no relations with Pastor Otabil), has been an ardent critic of western religion and how it robs it’s followers of their critical thinking skills. ‘God Is Good’ is the latest phrase to enter our everyday lexicon.
Juls feat Kojey Radical – Normal
After laying the blueprint for today’s afropop/afrobeats sound, music producer, Juls has touched base with his UK roots on ‘Normal’, his latest outing. Featuring the talented Kojey Radical, the song breathes the UK grime hip-hop influence. Over its riveting kick and drums and afrobeats sound, Kojey raps: ‘we make shut look normal’.
The video for the song is directed by Juls and employs camera works reminiscent of earlier videos by Busta Rhymes and Missy Elliot. The close-up shots are often caricatured with bulging eyes, large lips. The use of colour and graphic to accentuate the video makes it both fun and intense.
Joey B feat LaMeme Gang – Stables
When Joey B released the Prince Dolvo directed, spaghetti western themed “Sunshine” a year ago, we (at culartblog) thought he was going to run with that theme in subsequent releases. It has taken a year for him to return to this cowboy theme.
‘Stables’ is a song about kicking with friends of same vision, love, chasing money and sex, of course. Featuring LaMeme Gang, the video has them in cowboy apparels, riding horses on an open field with cars and bikes. ‘Stables’ has a hypnotic beat and surely recorded for open air events. However, one wonders why RJZ’s vocals were pitched the way it was (it was woozy). Same with KwakuBS. Thanks to Darkovibes for another excellent and vibrant hook.
Ko-Jo Cue x Shaker – Unity
The trap beats and its inherent bounce, along with the catchy hook are the essentials on ‘Unity’, the new single from the two rappers. ‘Unity’ celebrates the beauty of Ghanaian women. Cue and Shaker assume the roles of groupies fantasizing about their crushes.
Shot by Akwadaa Nyame, the video switches from Shaker in a room whose walls are decorated by pictures of his crushes. Ko-Jo Cue is seen in his ‘kitchen’ ‘feasting’ on the pictures of women he admires. The beginning of the two emerging from behind the walls of a derelict building, followed by some women wearing faces of some the ladies the two rappers mention in the song.
”Unity” reminds me of Shaker’s “Jackie Appiah” single, and the BraKevin Beats, Shaker and J-Town’s celebration of Jackie Appiah, Mercy Johnson and Yvonne Okoro. Despite “Unity” being a fun song, the two could have been generic in their celebrations by not mentioning names. Also, this song is below their ‘pay grade’ – should be left to upcoming acts to do such a song. True, nostalgia is good to evoke (a la Shaker as his style reflected circa 2007). But again, what don’t know.
Darkovibes – Stay Woke
‘Stay Woke’, a dancehall tinged, slow burner from Darkovibes and Stonebwoy, has a video. The Juston Campos directed visuals shows Darkovibes in a steamy romantic frills with a female companion as he assured her of his unwavering love. The video evokes the same feeling that the song drips. The only issue is that, the colour grading of the video could have been sharper than what it is. And Darkovibes really looked too laid-back. This video is a mile improvement of the “Bangers” video that he released weeks ago. One step towards perfection at each turn is great.
