THE CUTS- EP 05 VOL. 16
THE CUTS is a weekly review of songs, videos and albums you must hear. The songs and videos covered are not genre and/or region specific. Once it is good, it will be reviewed or featured.
Kofi Kinaata – Things Fall Apart
Kofi Kinaata knows how to leverage exposure. Since releasing his hit song ‘’Things Fall Apart’’ some two months ago, the award winning artist has demonstrated how he could be part of the conversation around music for months and also inspire a new trend. Following the release of “Things Fall Apart”, Kofi Kinaata have had a run with media promotion while the music continue to earn rotation on radio and streaming platforms. With the momentum comes the need for a video. Kofi Kinaata thus enlisted Babs Direction for a video that does not stray away from the content of the hit song.
In the video, we get to see all the shenanigans of some modern day’’ church-goers: the hypocrisy, exploitation, moral contradictions (the same people you meet in the clubs on Saturday show up at church on Sunday as Kofi Kinaata explicitly observed on the record). The video direction is unsurprising considering it’s not the first time Kinaata’s video has laced serious societal issues with a pinch of humor, combining to chide and excite the listening public. (Think ‘’Crusade’’ with Donzy and ‘’Confession’’).
There are times I forget that Kofi Kinaata is a rapper. The sing-rap module he has gravitated towards and embraced seems to be working. Being his own boss, executing his plans with no one to exercise full control over him seems to be the best thing to happen to his career. Kofi Kinaata is winning and as one of the most talented artiste among his peers, these wins are what matters.
Kelvyn Boy ft M.anifest – Yawa No Dey
‘’Yawa No Dey’’, translate literally as ‘’No Problems or Trouble’’. And this song features M.anifest. The afropop jam from Kelvyn Boy is generating some traction and rightly so, deserves a video to push it further. The song rides on the theme of turning obstacles into victories. The well graded and visually appealing video is a celebration party- the all-white costume, the pool side scene etc.
2019 has been an interesting year for Kelvyn Boy and his journey as an artist. He has thus far succeeded in turning his lose into wins. He is gradually courting the attention that his talent warrants . He has been active – playing shows, radio interviews, engaging on social media. With the exposure comes the pressure to stay consistent and be better. Kelvyn, I’m sure knows this and has the right plan to leverage on this new found attention.
Kiddblack ft. Kwesi Arthur – Dirty Diana
Kiddblack’s name might not be known like those of his other LaMeme Gang colleagues- Darkovibes, $pacely or RJZ. Despite this, he has a steady and dedicated following. Kiddblack’s laidback demeanor makes him a curious character. If his lyrics define who he is in real life then one would understand why his core fans embrace him.
On ‘’Dirty Diana’’ featuring Kwesi Arthur, the rapper switches from his well-known trap influences to a mid-tempo dancehall cum afropop style. Kiddblack adopts a sing-rap style on the song, whose contents bothers on a sexual fling with a lady. Kwesi Arthur is drafted for hook duties. Though this song shows another side of KiddBlack, it lacks the verve he is noted for on most LaMeme Gang songs. ‘Dirty Diana’ is one of those records that may roll up on your shuffle rather than you deliberately adding to your own playlist, unless you are a big fan of his.
M.O – Ex At The Party
The UK girl group, M.O has been creating their own waves with their brand of R&B music like this latest release ‘’Ex At The Party’’ produced by Ebenezer. The song’s low-ebb beat is countered by their vocal performance while sustaining an excellent balance. The sleek video for the song paints a picture of resistance to bad relationships whilst capturing the importance of solidarity from others. The positive reception to their singles ‘’Bad Vibe’’, ‘’Wondering’’ featuring Chip, and ‘’Choose Sides’’ with A.J Tracey are precursors to their upcoming mixtape.
ToluDaDi – Stress
https://soundcloud.com/dadi-894126802/stress
Life is full of stress. It brings in its wake no breaks. Each moment and each move brings its own unique challenges. To survive, one has to make a conscious effort not to get consumed by life’s stress. On ToluDaDi’s new tune, stress is a central theme.
Built on a mid-tempo afro- dancehall feel courtesy BabaWvd, a producer with iSoRock, the label that houses ToluDaDi, “Stress” has the singer detailing his struggles as a musician, the social, economic pressures and its psychological impacts on one’s wellbeing. ToluDaDi tackles the song like a true afrobeat artist, confirming that with his vocal delivery and style. It’s no wonder he acknowledges afrobeat veterans like Fela Kuti and Lagbaja as musicians he finds healing in their songs.
Yanful – Awerekekyere (Cover)
Covers have been a gateway for kick-starting the musical careers of many. What covers does, when done well is to showcase the up-comers depth, style and versatility. Yanful is following the same path with his cover of ”Awerekyekyere”.
Originally composed by Kwadwo Akwaboh Snr in the early 90s, the love song became a defining one for Akwaboah Snr. The Rapha Records signee covering this song is no brainier considering his background as a live band performer.
Ovye – A Gathering
‘’Worry/Deny myself/ The right/To Keep hope alive’’. Words from the Nigerian act Ovye. Combining a choir-like style with RnB influences cast in the domain of 90s neo-soul musicians. ‘’A Gathering’’ is a simple song, minimal both in production and vocal delivery. With his falsetto style, Ovye sings about the traps of life and why you need not be stuck in its pit holes. The song carries an organic feel – like a crop of guys lost in a forest deciding to keep their spirit alive by singing around a bonfir
