Nigerian musical heavyweight Olamide is back to top the charts with his latest release, Carpe Diem.
The rap icon proves to be getting better with age as this album gives fans a taste of how wide his reach and influence on the Nigerian music scene has truly been.
Appearances from friends, proteges and comrades like Fireboy DML, Bella Shumrda, Omah Lay, Peruzzi, Phyno and Bad Boy Timz, further highlight and emphasize his well deserved label as one of the best to do it.
And although Olamide has honed in his craft over the years, he is giving younger artists the space to flourish, with 18-year-old prodigy P.Priime leading the crew as lead producer, and additional tracks from a Nigerian super squad made up of Pheelz, VStix, ID Cabasa and Young Jonn.
Of the album, he says, “The project is a reflection of my mind, and also the current sound brewing underground in Nigeria. It’s a combination of a lot of traditional elements and also a sound from Nigeria called galala, which has a little bit of reggae/dancehall [influences].” Olamide went on to say, “It’s also a fusion of something we call Celestial, which is when you are playing secular music in church. It’s like taking pop to the church.”
Infamous for his ability to rap and sing stories in English, Yoruba and Pidgin, Olamide pushes the envelope even further with Carpe Diem. From exploring his abilities as a vocalist, traditional street rap elements clear in track “Do Better”, to radio-ready afropop bops “Green Light” and “Chimichanga”, fans are sure to be satisfied with the diverse genre bending album.
Carpe Diem comes as Olamide’s first album release since his partnership between his own YBNL Nation and US based indie label EMPIRE. “Music has always been my saviour, so I thought for once I should share with the world what happiness sounds like to me,” Olamide says.
Source: OkayAfrica
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