Uti’s Party (Pix)

Swag…

Sweet…

eLDee’s dancers

Rita Dominic

Ofunneka

Tinsel Fine Boy- Gbenro

Twins…

THE MAN!

Video Monday: Kanye, Mo’Cheddah, eLDee

Artiste: Kanye West
Song: Runaway
Album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

 

Artiste: Mo’Cheddah
Song: Ko Ma Roll
Album: Franchise celebrity

Artiste: eLDee
Song: Cash out
Album: [freestyle]

 

 

Artiste: Bez, Sir Shina Peters, MOI, Ice Prince, Nneka
Song: Like a bottle
Album: [Hennesy Artistry release]

Charly Boy and Derenle kissing?!

"Abeg naa"- Derenle seeems to be saying here...

 

"Oya manage this kiss"

 

While looking at this picture and others circulating the internet right now, ponder these facts:

*Charly Boy has always styled himself as Nigeria’s chief agent provocateur.

*While still PMAN President Mr. Charly Boy had nude pictures of himself published in some tabloids: no full frontal, but we got the idea anyway.

*With his signature crazy hairstyles and punk rocker clothings, Derenle has chosen to style himselfas  the “weird child” of entertainment. He is different, we know that.

*Derenle has also had deny several insinuations over his sexuality. (Like its anyone’s business anyway which team he plays for! Although taking pictures like these and publishing it for everyone to see sort of makes it our business now.)

 

The irony of these pictures would be lost on many people, even fewer would consider it a joke. There may or may not be backlash or consequences. But in the final act, did we really  need to see highly-suggestive pictures of Charly Boy and Denrele together. How is that supposed to help our day?

Bieber raps, Kanye rants and Tyra gets sued!!!

Kanye West screened  a forty minute movie written, directed and staring him for journalists, friends and industry insiders in Hollywood on Monday.  The movie titled Runaway is set to usher in his fifth studio album which will drop before the end of this year. Runaway  would be premiered simultaneously on most MTVand BET on Saturday (23rd October).

Poster for the single "Runaway" that Kanye West performed at the VMAs 2010.

Following the screening, Kanye West took umbrage at what he deemed as a condescending review by a Los Angeles Times reporter on their website. He wasted no time in making his feelings felt onhis latest sounding board Twitter. Apart from the tone of the review, the writer had also dared to get the title of the forthcoming album wrong, calling it My Dark Twisted Fantasy instead of  My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. According to Kanye this gross fault “diminished the image of the Los Angeles Times.”

The necessary corrections were soon effected with a SORRY to @kanyewest. All most have  been well received because Kanye has since take down his “discontent”.

Tyra Banks sued

Tyra Banks

A mother of a teenage girl who was invited to Tyra Banks show to talk about dealing with sex addiction is now sueing the super model. According to the woman, her daughter was contacted by the show after she responded to the show’s online request for guests, picked up in a limo, flown to New York City, put up in a hotel and taped in an episode of the show about sex addicts — all without her mother’s permission.

The woman whose name is Beverly Clendon is now suing Tyra’s show and Warner Bros TV group to the tune of $3 mil for damages.

Next time Tyra get permission, right?

Justin Bieber raps

Or speaks in tongues. Justin Bieber posted a less-than two minutes video in which he raps on his Twitter. The song is titled Speaking in Tongues and Justin is represented as Shawty Man, his alter ego.

The song is not that bad. Actually, it’s cool. And according to the Babay crooner, he just did the “skit?” to show off his skills inthe rap game.

So what do you think?

BBA’s Winner’s Party starring UTI

Yep! Nigeria is hosting a winner’s party two years in a row and we are so excited!!!

The official invite is below.

Are you gonna be there to celebrate UTI?

 

For those who won’t be able to make it, just stay tuned to this page for details- after the PARTY!!! There will be pictures!!!

 

Celebrating Uti’s Win at BBA All Stars

When Uti won the grand prize on the fifth episode of  Big Brother Africa (tagged All Stars), he celebrated on stage by dancing “alanta” popular Nigerian dance style that involves beating an imaginary drum across your chest and abdomen. He was  joined by the host, Ik who is also Nigerian.

In celebration of Uti’s win (two times in a row Nigeria!), X2 is bringing you top 5 popular Nigerian dance styles of recent times.

(Read about Uti’s victory)

No. 5: Ijo Shina

Made popular by Afro Juju Maestro/founder (Oludasile…!!!) Sir Shina Peters, the dance involved moving your shoulders back and forth as you lower your body to the floor and come back up, shaking your body all the time to the heavy beats of the drum/bass. If you are a lady, you can add some chest (see: bust) wiggles to that.

It was considered a sexy dance depending on who was doing it.

No. 4: Fuji Garbage

“Especially for students who know how to dig it!”

This was the top dance of the eighties. It was made popular by Wasiu Ayinde Barister from his hit song of the same name.

You moved your arm from the elbow in a fluid snake-like motion with stiffened shoulder while the rest of your body jerked to the rythm of the music. You could add your own style to it by  going up and down, doing the  backslide, using one arm or both arms as you “just dance to (the) music.”

The lady below does it rather enthusiastically, more like a parody,still she’s got the general idea.

No. 3: Alanta

Made popular by the duo: Artquake.

With your hands, you tap an imaginary drum against your stomach, your chest or in the air to your side. Then, you raise one “leg up” at will all the while “forming attitude” with your mouth opened in a sneer or a “duuh”.

This dance has a series of variations depending on the individual dancer. You can move to the side in a shuffle (just like Uti did when he came out of the house), take a walk (like IK) or beat your “drum” to the ground.

No. 2: Yahoozee

This is the most popular Nigerian hip-hop dance style of this decade. Made popular by every hip-hop act in their video.

Yahoozee got its highest recognition when it was “danced” by former United States Secretary of State Colin Powell on satge with Olu Maintain and his Kentro crew.

It has variations but the basics still are: Stand with one foot in front of the other,  then raise arms up and away from you then down, always moving to the ryhthm or the beat.

Then finally No. 1: Galala (Garala)

This is actually an imported dance style from the West Indies, precisely Jamiaca dance hall. But Nigerians so owned this dance style. We put our special “thing” to it. The dance started in the mid-nineties and continued into the millenium holding its own againsts skonto and even swo.

It was popularized during the AJ take-over in the nineties when we artistes like Daddy Showkey, Daddy Fresh, Baba Fryo, Father U turn and later African China became very popular.

Daddy Showkey made it his signature style infusing his own theatrics to it.

You did the dance like this: Spread your legs. Bend at the waist. Push out your bottom so that you are almost bent in half. Then you move each foot forward and backward, one after the other.

Special mention: Swo!

Swo! was also very popular.  Made popular by the Danfo Drivers video of their song Danfo Driver. With Swo!, all you had to do is “tear am!”

Tells about your various dance styles. Create your own or rearrange this list!

Onyinye Muomah

Video Monday: Asa, Omawumi, Fr3style…

These are the videos that are getting/would be getting super airplay on your favorite music channel in the coming weeks.

Asa
Song: Be my man
Album: Beautiful Imperfection

Omawumi feat. Naeto C.
Song: Chocolata
Album: Wonder Woman

Fr3style feat. Brace
Song: Ariwo Ko
Album: My Name is Essien

Fragrance
Song: Toba Fejo
Album: [in the works]

And then on the foreign scene, we’ve got Willow Smith with the video for her song Whip My Hair. The 9 year old has tween heartthrob, Justin Bieber promoting her song on Twitter even as she has taken lots of flack for everything from her dress sense to her age and record label.

The little cutie looks so much like her big bro Jaden who featured in Bieber’s song Never say Never which was part of the soundtrack for Jaden’s movie Karate Kid

 

(Read about upcoming Hennesy Artistry 2010 and other celebrity news here)

Kanye West’s album cover banned

 

 

Kanye's avatar on Twitter

 

Following Kanye West on twitter (@kanyewest) is like a real dream. There you get to get all the dirt on the controversial star from himself by himself.

Prior to appearing at the MTV VMAs in September, Kanye tweeted a series of apologies to Taylor Swift whose moment he spoilt during last year’s VMAs. The tweets which were about 17 or more gave an insight into Kanye’s “soul” following the 2009 VMA event and revealed how bad he felt about everything. However, critics viewed the heartfelt- and umpteenth- apology as a publicity stunt geared towards garnering attention for his soon-to-be released album.

Still on Twitter, Kanye gave his fans and followers regular updates on the album, revealing some of the songs that would be released and people involved in production. He also gave a mini-rant when he discovered that the album had been leaked, said that he had made some changes but was still going to release the original songs.

Then this weekend, he uploaded a picture of the album cover after stating that it had been banned in the USA. (Find picture here)

After trying to make a joke of the ban, he stated that album covers in the 70’s had “actual nudity” and then later added: “So Nirvana can have a naked human being on they cover but I can’t have a PAINTING of a monster with no arms and a polka dot tail and wings.”

The album which is Kanye’s fifth in six years is titled My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

2shotz drops I AM WILLIAM

I AM WILLIAM album cover

The “Umunnamu” maestro recently dropped  his latest album titled I AM WILLIAM.

The fifteen tracker features collabos with Waje, MI, Jesse Jags, Ice Price, Zara and Olstars.

The single off the album Oyoyo featuring YQ was released earlier this year and had an enthusiatic reception. The album is supposed to continue where the single stopped. The artiste’s management who obviously have high hopes for it are already touting  as a contender for album of the year in an unspecified award show.  There are so many award shows so here’s to hoping it happens in at least one.

Look out for a review of the album in X2 soon.

Surprise party for MI

Mr. Happy Birthday

MI’s birthday was yesterday October 4th.  The rapper recognised as one of the “illest” of the year went on Twitter to announce the day. After getting the expected responses to his announcement he later came back on to thank all his well wishers.

A surprise party was thrown for him by his close peeps.

Tuface still on top

... aka 2baba (Photo courtesy vive-extra.blogspot.com)

His stage performance has always being lack-lustre as its typical for most Nigerian musicians who simply mime their songs anytime they have the chance to grab the mike on stage but Innocent Idibia recently made another indelible mark in his foot track as one of Africa’s finest performer on and off the stage with the Tuface in concert with a live band earlier in the week.

Introduced by Dbanj via short recorded intro as “the Adam” to symbolise the number of first Tuface bears for the Nigeria’s music scene, a number of other Nigerian and international act were full of great words for him in the intro as he gets set to rock the night. Amongst the first accolades that Mr Idibia has harnessed which the compeer-duo of MI and Banky W revealed included, the first Nigerian artist to win both MTV and MOBO awards just as he was also identified as the first to “raise the minimum wage of CD’s from N150 to N1500and the first to sell the same album twice (locally and internationally).

A short documentary followed, in which the personality of Tuface was analysed via the richness of his lyrical contents and rhythms he’s recorded. Described as a prankster, lover boy, poet, crusader, frank commentator, ‘pass animal’ amongst many others, from the contents of some of his ever-green songs, the crowded expo hall was set in top gear for a remarkable night.

Subsequently a chaotic scene occurred on the stage as a group of dancers invaded the stage in a very frenzied act with some stunning choreography, then came in the eagle (Tuface) in long chains held by high-heeled models (his captors) as he rendered the hit track ‘Odi ya’ from his first album ‘Face 2 Face’. The idea behind the performance was a campaign for peace. The excellent use of the stage by the artist and his brilliant choreographers was very impressive as he finally set himself and was engulf by the dancers which later unveiled Tuface in another outfit. His strong vocals were warming as he transcends from one track to the other with an excellent band to support him (beauty of a stage performance) in a very sublime and entertaining style.

Making true its pseudonym as a campaigner for peace, his first round of performance were tracks that preached peace and freedom. The flow from ‘Ala wa yi yee’ to ‘Free like a bird’ to ‘One love’ and ‘I wanna be free’ to ‘O di a yee’ was rendered back to back in a very energetic delivery.

The energy displayed by Tuface while performing ‘You no holy pass’ was incredible as the performance had a Carlos Santana like guitarist whose playing of the guitar was highly electrifying. Tuface tried to steal the guitarist shine by struggling to outdo the sound by backing and pushing the guitarist but the mild drama went on and the exhilarating sounds of the guitar earned a massive applause from the crowd.

Then came the classical and much demanded by the crowd “Only you” from his latest album “Unstoppable” and this got the hundreds of fans on their feet as those on the exclusive/VIP tickets ditched their exclusivity and climbed on their chairs as everyone tried to outdo each other’s dance step.

“Sex” on stage

Simulated show (Photo courtsey lindaikeji.blogspot.com)

One of the several high points of the concert was the performance of ‘Flex’ where Tuface took, stage performance in Nigeria to new heights by performed a pseudo-sex scene with nollywood actress; Tonto Dike on the stage as she played a stripper. The female seemed nude by wearing a skin-tight gold coloured body suit and after the initially foreplay, where Tuface showed the skills he uses in louring the mothers of his broods, the duo proceeded to the back of a transparent wall in the darkened hall with a beaming red light behind the wall. The ‘pseudo’-sexual exploits then continued with their cloths being pulled off and thrown and some form of oral sex beamed out by their silhouettes movements and gesture to the admiration of the cheering crowd who chants that this will be the next mother of Tuface’s kid (referring to his recent profligacy with women and a number of child-births.) It was a very entertaining saga that earned Ms Dike a standing ovation after her introduction.

The slow reggae tune of the ‘Flex’ was afterwards mixed with the dexterity of the live band’s Igbo dance tunes with the traditional white handkerchiefs waving as Tuface called on the audience to join him in the waving the handkerchiefs as he sublimely transcends to ‘No be small thing o.’

Without a doubt, Tuface is not a good dancer but he was seen regularly using his signature jogging steps and at some point made reference to the gunshot wound he got from the attack in 2007 as the reason for his inadequate but fairly impressive dance steps which were aptly compensated for the his very rich vocals.

The slow melody continued with ‘Outside living in paradise’, ‘Keep the fire burning’ and then the ultimate award-winning ‘African queen’ which had an array of ‘queens’ of different shapes and sizes line up the stage. From the very skinny to flat-tummy and plus-size (real African queens), Tuface kept the mesmerisation to a pulp which culminated in a pretty little (not shy of the stage) girl sitting on the throne with her crown. Tuface introduced her after a peck on his cheek as “little Miss Ene Idibia.” The stage got heavenly for the track ‘Thank you Lord’ again from his first album as kids of different age grades and heights straddled the stage in white robes and angelic wings, holding a lighted candle for the praise song. The magical feel to the song was well complemented with the superb lightning effect of the Expo hall.

Featured acts

Tuface has had some of the greatest collaborations with diverse musicians and we just couldn’t leave without a feel of them. He kicked of the collabo acts with ‘One in a million’ with his prodigy on his Hypertek record label and this was followed by the very classical ‘Street credibility’ with 9ice. The entire audience went wild with the coming on stage of 9ice and then ‘Stylee’ which had DJ Jimmy Jatt and Elajoe. Sadly Mode Nine who was also featured on the track was absent. ‘Seep easy’ with Freestyle and ‘Enter the place’ with Sound Sultan was very electrifying as the Expo hall transformed into a party scene with everyone dancing wild. Timaya and Madman-Terry G could not hold back their excitement as they ran up the stage to relish the excitement as well and join the acts with the alanta dance steps. He also gave the audience a chip of the old block with the performance of ‘Baby don’t you know’ and ‘Knock you off’ with his starting group the Plantashun Boiz which had just Faze present with Blackface absent. The morning was rounded off with much demanded ‘Implication’ and the hit party track ‘Keep on rocking’ that sent the entire audience into a frenzy mood and his colleagues all joining on the stage and raised the African legend shoulder high.

‘After the show is the party’ states the lyrics of ‘Keep on rocking’ and everyone couldn’t help but agree that for this night Tuface gave the party right within the show. But for the late kick-off of the event (as is usual of most events) and the scheduling the concert for a Sunday night which will affect people’s waking-up for work on Monday morning with the Lagos traffic, Tuface in concert as admitted by most present was one of the best the city has seen in a long while.

Ayo Okulaja