Yes

Wow! Don’t you just wish we had a president that looked like he stepped out of a John Woo movie? I think he would kill that Red Galactic Dragon with teh power of pure awesomeness…

I must confess that I know next to nothing about J. Martins and so my opinions of him are strictly what I can muster from his music. There is no real background history, nor expectations for me to measure him against. Apart from his hit single Good or Bad, he is practically an unknown entity to me. Maybe I missed it all but I’ve heard damn near nothing about him on radio, tv and the web. It’s almost like he is some kind of ghost entity. I managed to find one interview he did pretty recently where he claims his album sold 3 million copies and also drops this gem: “…when you make a great beat, you know. Like one of my friends, Peter of  P-Square will say : If you’ve got the beat right, the next thing is the lyrics. And once you’ve got a good hook, you’ve got it all.” Hmm very confident words and something I believe is true most of the time. That said, lets get cracking!

Good Or Bad (Oway) ft. Timaya
This song consistently put a smile on my face every time I heard it in a club (which is damn near every time I’m in one). I consider it a good song not because of any insightful or “deep” lyrical content nor because it’s very well produced. It’s a good song because its one of those songs that is helping to create a very distinct Nigerian pop sound and it does that effortlessly. Between J. Martins and Timaya, the chemistry is very interesting and I’d really love to hear more from these two cats.

Swagger Dance
Ah He just had to go back to the classic imitation sound (Snap Ya Fingers). But! It’s done in a very interesting way. I honestly just wish our musicians will stop the unbelievable wackness with the “phoneh”. It is not necessary. Keep the “phoneh” for interviews if you must but on your songs I think it has the opposite (and very negative) effect of reducing both your credibility and chances of acceptance outside Nigeria. If J. Martins wants to be a local champion, no problem but I think he wants more. By the way the lyrics don’t exactly rock my world, the beat is a typical dime-a-dozen clone and the hook is at best amusing.

Cool Temper
Sounds so P Square. I never thought I’d say something like that but that’s the best way to describe this song. I think I understand why I’m starting to like J. Martins. This song, obviously influenced by Lagbaja’s Coolu Temper (duh!), provides brief glimpses of the sort of depth and talent he has. The lyrics are the typical cheese but they are delivered well and for what the song is, they work quite well. Except for where he goes something like “if your wife is cheating around sleeping with your friends…” yeah… cool temper? right… There’s a time and place for everything, and I think right about that kind of time is when every man got a license to get gully and whoop that cheating ass trick and your mans…

Stay With Me
This is a very weak attempt at Boys II Men. It’s not painfully bad though. Just not there… Some will love it though but ballads are not J Martins strong point. This is where proper (read: the intended) use of autotune would have worked wonders. Next!

Money Good ft. 9ice & ID Cabasa
A decent collabo. Not ground breaking on any level with a mildly interesting execution of an overused concept.

U Say Ur Love (Remix) ft. P Square
A great remix of P Square’s song. Dare I say its better than the original? It’s better than the original. Pretty sick beat and while J. Martins strong point is not his vocal strength, he definitely understood how to ride the beat. The synergy between his singing and the beat got me thinking he might have been slightly disappointed with P Square’s original use of his beat and decided to show them how it should have been done. I approve

Get The Vibe ft. Wajeh
Wajeh can sing no doubt and girl got a strong voice but I think even she couldn’t pull off that weak Spiderman hook. Could have been great, that hook just dropped it down to decent.

So Fly
R. Kelly meets Young Joc kinda sound. I love the beat and the hook is sick. Yes boss! you sound tech! Respect. The track makes me want to start kicking a freestyle.

Think Twice ft. Busta & Ester
Who’s that rapping like Jim Iyke learned how to? J.Martins? lol Not bad sha. Just don’t do it again lol! Busta got a nice flow but if that was Ester with the adlibs through out she made the track for me. Those little tid bits here and there really lifted this song from run of the mill to decent.

Good Loving
Too much going on. Next!

Am Real ft. Sugar Boy (Bonus Track)
Makes sense as a bonus track. Nuff said.

Swagger Dance Remix ft. Sugar Boy and Spaceman
Well the song got the swagger but unfortunately I don’t think either of these cats featured could bring it. Apart from a few flashes here and there very flat lyrics and unimpressive flows from these MCs.

FINAL WORDS

Get Serious is a good effort from J. Martins which has all the expected goodness from a producer turned performer in addition to all the typical shortcomings; like simply not having the vocal strength fully power the tracks nor dexterity and range necessary to propel the songs far beyond the “above average”.  The production across the album though is a very different story entirely. J. Martins brings his “A” game to the table with solid work across the entire album. I think J. Martins has a lot more to offer Nigeria and Nigerians if this album truly represents his creativity.

I was pleasantly and consistently surprised through out much of this album and found myself cheering him on. The creative harmony evident through out the albums beats and vocals is only possible from someone who truly understands music and it leaves me wanting more. I think he has a bright future ahead of him and I’m hoping he gets signed by Storm Records (according to rumors), I think then he’ll definitely get the media attention and hype that matches his talent and skills.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS
Hmm in this case I’ll say skip the bonus tracks (except the instrumentals).

PS: When I started listening to this album, I knew nothing about J Martins. Halfway through I had to make a couple of calls and found out that he was responsible for the beats on most of P Square’s last album. Which also helps explain why I thought he sounded like P Square (its more like P Square sound like him lol!)

I’ve had this album on solid rotation for well over a month now and I’m still trying to wrap my head around why I’m just writing a review. To say I was eagerly anticipating this album is the understatement of the year and boy when I finally tore the wrapper of this gem, I was grinning ear to ear and practically shivering with excitement. Ill Bliss has such an intense focus and drive that it practically oozes out of his music. He is probably the only rapper who could stand toe to toe with elDee on business acumen and passion.

But I kept wondering, will that be adequate? Can he adapt to the new Nigerian hip-hop  scene? Will the album just be another typical “boom-bap” and irrelevant in today’s Nigerian (and truly even on the world hip-hop scene) ode to the old school?

He was (and according to gist has returned fully to being) the driving force behind The Thorobreds, who are according to reports, back together and currently in the studio recording a new album. I can’t compare Ill Bliss to any rapper currently living or dead because he stands out, with his painstakingly nurtured identity, so I’ll use his own words: “…I’m a hustler with mic skills…”

INTRO

Very “grand” intro and with a sample from one of hip hop’s living legends, I think it sets a nice tone for what to expect on the album. “In a league of my own, international but still locally known”

U GO WOUND

I’ve heard so many versions of this track including the Thorobred version which I thought was hotter than the version with Kel and Tha Suspeckt BUT I must say I still find myself impressed with a song that’s like almost a year old. Frenzy created a beast of a track and Ill Bliss tamed it. Full control. Never once let the beat overpower him. This is one of the best hip hop tracks ever made in Nigeria.

DAT IBO BOY

Another Frenzy production and after more than a year listening to this track it still grips me. “I’m what the games’ been missing, reason why your’ dough’s decreasing…”. Have I found my hip hop hero? hmm maybe… Listen, enjoy repeat till three thousand and 8. Its so unrepentantly and deliciously Nigerian, it really makes me proud.

ENUF SPACE (AIYE PO GAN)

You’ve got to give it to Ill Bliss, this track was very necessary knowing how Nigerians get all tribalistic for no good reason (not like any reason is good). The concept is simple, very well executed, the message timely. “Some say Ill bliss had a lot of guts (for Lagos?) Some say is the boy going nuts? Ibo people better than us? Never!, but you like the swagger, still a maga when I recite, but you can’t really bite..” This song is directed at all those “hip hop heads”. STFU there’s enough space for everyone, do your thing, I’ll do mine and don’t tell me its not hip hop. I concur and me likey very muchy!

GLORY

On first pass I detested this song and found myself getting pissed off that he wasted this genius beat from Wazbeat but I think this song requires a slightly different mind frame to understand. Ill Bliss has a very uncanny ability to read and use beats in unusual and refreshing ways. Most rappers would not have taken this approach but Ill Bliss did and made it work. The hook is quirky as all hell but its part of the charm of this song.

FEELING U

Yikes! Autotune… aw hell naw!! Its not exactly terrible, on the contrary I think the beat is one of the best on this album but autotune just rubs me the wrong way nowadays. What I’ll say is that this song just entrenches Ill Bliss’s creative talent and versatility. He is certainly doing his part in tearing down all the restrictive barriers that Nigerian hip hop artists have set for themselves.

TURN MY HEAD FT. WAJEH

The track has a very nice Nigerian reggae feel to it and I think the ladies will love this track… Wajeh does a great job as usual and when is her album coming out? Ill Bliss tells a nice story and he does know how to keep you engaged in his lyrics if you drop your preconceptions of what hip hop is or isn’t and just enjoy the music.

DON’T DIRTY MY SHIRT

Just a decent song, nobody is perfect. Next!

CURRENCY BOYS FT. ELDEE THE DON

Listen to this song on good speakers. The song is in the bass. You won’t get the song on your shitty ass computer speakers you need some powerful sub-woofers. I thought elDee was going to murder Ill Bliss on this track but man its a tough call… “rap Dangote, I go change your fortunes man” that’s a hot line in context. Man, I don’t know hip hop heads should love this song. This is one of those tracks that I’d love to hear more people use on mixtapes and such. And did Ikechuckwu just get called out? lol! Hmm “that other fake Ibo boy…” I know there was some shady stuff going on with “someone” trying to “acquire” the Ibo Boy image.

DA BOSS

I’ve learned not to underestimate Ill Bliss’s range and depth. Tha Suspeckt is on some weird ish on this track but it grows on you and (I hesitate to use this word, its really its embarrassing) is actually quite cute. There I said it. DNH. I think I’ve found my hero.

LEADER FT. DURELLA

First song that really disappointed me, Durella could have offered so much more on this track but instead just kind of ruins it in my opinion. However, this song is not really on the album for its strength, its a marketing tactic so I’ll just keep on moving. Next!

TOBECHUKWU

Oh shit! That classic sound. Sick beat. Just to let you know he still got it but before certain kinds of heads start getting too smug he drops this gem: “This is how hip-hop is supposed to sound. Underground, main stream, f*ck classifying it…” I agree boss. Elajoe is crazy for this one. What!!!

SIDE OF YOUR MOUTH

Hands down, I think this is my favorite track on the album. Most people might find this strange but I has a very Tupac meets Wu Tang Clan in 2009 feel. Just listen to the lyrics and soak up that ill beat. Just let it flow over you, don’t fight it. Ill Bliss switches his flow a little bit here and shows yet another dimension to his skill.

LIMELITE

Another song I didn’t like at first. It’s not a very typical song, even though it uses elements of the currently reigning formulas. Again his storytelling is quite engaging and compelling, I find myself getting sucked into his world and seeing things from his perspective. This is great music. I can feel it.

NATIONAL CAKE

Pure throw back track. Would have been sick to have Modenine or the other Thorobreds on this track! Oooh the possibilities. Jonah The Monarch did brilliantly with this beat, its very powerful and soaked in a painful emotion that Ill Bliss echoes. I think most Nigerians can relate to the content of this track on some level.

BLESSING

It’s not a bad track but no matter how I flip this track I just can’t get into it. Even Pype’s very well vocal’s couldn’t lift this track up for me.

LEAD THE WAY FT. C-MION

This is world class music with that mid to late 90’s feel. You know you can just imagine Puffy and Mase on this track and C-Mion is so on point with his singing it almost hurts. Damn. I’m getting all emotional here. I’m sure the ladies will love this track. Beautiful track. It’s simple, elegant, well written and executed. Micworks needs to be flogged for this track! Its like he’s cheating for Ill Bliss.

MUSIC NA HUSTLE

You would imagine that I’d not forgotten not to underestimate Ill Bliss right? Well I’ve been thoroughly disappointed by many Nigerian musicians in the past but Ill Bliss is in a class of his own. Genius on the mic, he has a knack for taking you to a familiar destination in a very different and unique way and this track is no exception. One of the best tracks on the album, from the beats to the delivery to the lyrical content, everything falls precisely in place. “No godfathers, all I need is God the father for my success…”. With a line like that how can you go wrong?

CHANGE

Does he ever stop? I know I’ve definitely found my hip hop hero. Listen. Listen well. Listen until it sinks in.

UWA AFUFU (LIFE)

Another classic beat from Jonah The Monarch on which Ill Bliss tells yet another well told and engaging story. I like this combination. It’s unbelievably getting boring how he seamlessly blends into every track so effortlessly.

OUTRO

Well done. It is a classic.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Dat Ibo Boy is a delightful offering from rapper Ill Bliss, that redefines all the parameters typically used to measure a hip-hop. There are no self-imposed boundaries here and Ill Bliss makes it very clear that he intends to keep his music that way. Lacking the raw lyricism of a Modenine or MI (and that’s not to say he can’t hold his own with the heavyweights as he proved on Currency Boys), he more than makes up for what ever he lacks in lyrical dexterity with a persistent and skillful simplicity and with a clarity of thought that keeps everyone on the same page with him. You never for once feel that he is doing anything you can’t do and there, in that complex simplicity, is part of the appeal that will keep Ill Bliss relevant for years to come.

There is no half-stepping on this album, when he commits to a track, he goes all out and doesn’t hold back. Even with the overused autotune on Feeling U, he somehow manages to keep it under control and not let it overshadow him or his message. There is also a very strong pride in both himself and his country that can only be achieved when a person is comfortable in their own skin and identity. There are no fake or forced accents here, no pretentious attitudes, no arrogance. Just a simple confidence in his ability and a very clear and intense focus throughout the album.

Ill Bliss also manages drops several hints about what his game plan is and if you listen carefully you’ll get the message. To him, this album is nothing more than a stepping stone and maybe a blueprint for what’s yet to come. He is not just a rapper, he is a force of nature. You can not and should not even attempt to define Ill Bliss as he somehow manages to shatter all expectations and perceived limitations you place on him or his music. “This is chop music, music wey dey bring bread.”

Ill Bliss’s biggest strength and simultaneously his greatest weakness, is that he is so intelligent and skillful that he makes it all look too easy. So easy that people, including myself, tend to underrate him. He has with this album, sealed his place as my hip-hop hero. He is the vanguard in the struggle to define what it means to be a contemporary Nigerian rapper; boldly going where no man has gone before and making it work.

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS

U GO WOUND, DAT IBO BOY, TOBECHUKWU, AIYE PO GAN, SIDE OF YOUR MOUTH, LEAD THE WAY, MUSIC NA HUSTLE, GLORY

It is what it is or so they say, talent is not just a gift or calling, it’s a craft one must hone to perfection, making it distinct, so that no matter where say a voice is heard over the radio, TV or web, you know who it is, and Ohdichi’s one such talent whose singing ability and range is for lack of a better choice of words, astounding.

She got it, forget the looks*though she’s cute, i won’t lie*, from Neo-Soul, Soul and Hip Hop, she sings it as though she’s speaking one on one to any person who gives just a tad bit of their time to listen to her belt it like she’s on a mission.

Born to Nigerian Parents, Ohdichi is a 1st generation Nigerian/American diva of Ibo descent, currently residing in LA, where she was born and bred, she’s cut from the same cloth for me as Toni Braxton, Sade Adu, Anita Baker et el. Talent wise she’s off the richter scale, however what’s amazing about her is that she didn’t just sit back and bask in the “am gifted, hence am a diva attitude”, she worked hard at perfecting this talent, finding her self, her range and believe me, hearing her sing is a testimony to her work as a perfectionist.

Her page on reverbnation http://www.reverbnation.com/ohdichi, has a list of songs using well known beats such as Those used by the Roots and Eva Laroux*the ones that were obvious to me* with tracks such as “I Bought A Smile”, “Speed It Up”, “It’s Time”, “I Can’t Breath”, “I Can Get By”*My Fav*, “Alright”, Oh Me Oh My”, “Standing Still”, “Life Is Too Short”, “Accident Of Love”, “It’s Time”, “Show You”, Ohdichinma unleashes an array of soft/subtle and at times bold inflections of her emotions giving her vocals a distinct feel to it, at 1st listen one would be forgiven to mistake her for any of her aforementioned Heroines, but the more you hear her sing, the stronger the urge to sit back, relax and absorb all the sweet serenade coming out from her is “soothing”.

Now will someone bring this gurl back home, hook her up with Don Jazzy, Jesse Jagz, Kraft, ID Cabasa and see her be the star, she was born to be, for once i do so strongly believe that in her, we’ve found our true muse, she’s meant for greatness and Naija is the very platform she needs to soar to those heights beyond even her wildest dreams.

This is a quick overview of Dare Art Alade’s last album; Un.DAREY.ted. A more detailed including track by track review will be coming up soon.

I admire Dare Art Alade. One does not need to listen to the album a million times to be aware of the hard work that went into its making. He has definitely worked so much on his singing since his last album and it has clearly paid off on his performance in un.DAREY.ted. His singing is much more confident, mature; and the singing gymnastics, simpler and better delivered. The feat could not have been achieved without hard work; only, I wished he had managed to make it all appear falsely easy, natural. His singing keeps hitting me from my speakers, powerful, bold and determined and I cannot but be totally soaked in the effort. I am glad he, at least, is making a serious effort to make music, unlike many…no, millions who now claim to have taken to music in today’s Nigeria.

Dare definitely stands out. However, if he is underrated, there might be a good reason for it. If I underrate him, I probably have good reason for it. It may however not be deserved. Dare needs to define himself musically. I would love to see him do so. There’s so much of him he appears not to be tapping into just yet! All the effort seems to be directed at tapping into some icons he really appreciates. That is good. It helps to develop musically but then, I believe there is always a time to look genuinely inwards- for self definition. For Dare, that should have been before un.DAREY.ted, not that it is now too late. Dare, we love you but then, where, really are you? True, you can sing juju, fuji, apala, R n’ b, jazz or whatever; it’s the result of hard work but to do that convincingly as self is another matter. Also, too much caution in singing helps to dull the sound, kill conviction. I blame a lot of the lack of conviction on the cautious singing. Yes, there’s an evident need, pressure to sing well but there’s also a need for a let go. Also, I am not sure being underrated should be celebrated. It should be fought…and defeated! Dare is yet to arrive. His being underrated is definitely undeserved if he hasn’t more to offer. I am waiting. I want to see more. We would be happy to see more.

Isn’t orchestration the use of orchestra instruments to create desired musical effects? From that perspective, there was definitely no orchestration in the entire album; not one orchestra instrument was used. Was confusion intended when the album sleeves were made to read “All tracks orchestrated in Nigeria by Tee-Y Mix…”? The album was definitely well produced. Tee-Y Mix did a good job producing, interpreting the songs; and the mixing was well done too, better than most works coming from Nigerian artistes. Cobhams Asuquo didn’t do a bad job either, on those two tracks.

If you haven’t seen his videos for this album, here they are in the order of release. Apparently, there is some sort of story being told across all three. In order, Not The Girl, More, No Stars. And don’t you forget to come back for the full album review!