It's Just Mobolaji | Music & Entertainment

DICE Summer Party with Section Boyz, Nadia Rose, SG Lewis

2016-08-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year again, DICE are bringing the biggest new names in music to Hackney Wick this August.

The six-strong fast rising rap collective Section Boyz who are known for their originality, creativity and energy, will headline the DICE summer party on August 21st.

Joining them is a real breakthrough act on DICE in 2016, Nadia Rose, whose catchy new single ‘Skwod’ gained major buzz online for it's originality and verbal eccentricity. As well as SG Lewis who will come clutch with his DJ sets - a perfect mix of house, disco and techno. More acts to be announced.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, August 10th at 6pm and are available exclusively on DICE for Apple Pay customers.

The DICE summer party will take place from 2pm - 10pm, at Mick's Garage in Hackney Wick. Visit: dice.fm/summerparty for further details.

Marbek Presents: Frisco ‘Garn Again’

2016-08-03T08:37:00.001-07:00

As the world of music and fashion becomes further intertwined, Marbek embark on a quest to tell of ‘Untold’ journeys.

The perfect soundtrack for a combined statement of a generation's rebellion, Marbek present a collaborative EP with a selection of the most bold and edgy grime musicians.

The first taste of the union comes from Boy Better Know's Frisco with the Rude Kid produced ‘Garn Again’. Featuring flashes of the latest capsule from Marbek, the video captures the raw edge of fashion and places it against the energy and bass of the record.

As the book unfolds and the story unfolds, come along with Marbek on this venture to hear of the ‘Untold’.

Download for free at www.marbek.co

Tory Lanez Announces Debut Album ‘I Told You’, Releases ‘Flex’

2016-08-03T06:19:00.000-07:00

Tory Lanez has revealed that his debut album is set to be released later on this month.

Over the last 18 months, the singer/rapper has wowed us with his music and electrifying stage presence at sold-out shows and is now ready to release a full body of work.

The Canadian native has released back to back hits since his debut single ‘Say It’ in 2015 and has added his new track ‘Flex’ to the list; both taken from his highly anticipated LP - ‘I Told You’.

This year saw Tory Lanez dropped his breakout single ‘LUV’ sampling Tanto Metro and Devonte's 1997 dancehall classic ‘Everyone Falls in Love’, and is currently climbing radio and Shazam charts nationwide.

The album is set for release on August 19 via Benny Blanco's Mad Love imprint on Virgin EMI and can be pre-ordered now at torylanezitoldyou.com

Shay La Rose Returns With ‘Make It Happen’

2016-07-15T10:32:00.003-07:00

Sultry South-London songstress Shay La Rose has returned with her summer single and first single of the year ‘Make It Happen’, an ode to chasing dreams and letting go on the dance floor.

The song mirrors reality: Shay's star has steadily risen from pleasing with her raspy tones on the underground circuit, to a successful single premiered on popular UK entertainment platforms - MTV included.

With Mikey SOS on production, ‘Make It Happen’ is the first from Rose's fourth coming EP. “I wanted to write a song that not only empowered others to make things happen, but told my own story”.

Listen to ‘Make It Happen’ below.

New Video: Kwamz & Flava - Take Over

2016-07-15T08:13:00.003-07:00

In a year already loaded with releases from Afrobeats heavyweights, it's safe to say that Kwamz & Flava have one of the biggest Afrobeats songs of the summer on their hands with ‘Take Over’, and is one of their best songs to date.

Since its debut in January, the song has racked up over 3 million hits on YouTube, inspiring fans to upload their own dance versions making it a viral sensation.

Kwamz & Flava first met in school and quickly became friends, their passion for music and their Ghanaian heritage has joined them at the hip. The pair have since then gained a huge buzz with ‘Take Over’ and even recently signed to Black Butter Records, home to Rudimental, J Hus, Wiley, DJ Khaled, Kent Jones and more to mention a few.

The accompanying visuals was directed by Geoff Levy and is a vibrant three minutes of Afro infused heart racing dance routines on the colourful streets of New York. Choreographed by Tanisha Scott, who has worked with Sean Paul, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Drake and more, the result is a perfect blend of African and Hip-Hop dance styles to Afrobeats.

"There is a huge appetite for African music and we are so proud to be apart of this movement", says Kwamz. Flava went onto add "we love that we can fuse our British and African upbringing together in our music. ‘Take Over’ is such a feel good track, and we hope everyone enjoys it as much as we do."

Mabel Releases Video Project With Tate Modern

2016-06-18T12:51:00.002-07:00

Rising songwriter and artist Mabel has been commissioned by the Tate Modern to create a video project to commemorate the opening of the new building.

The video is directed by acclaimed choreographer Holly Blakey and the song in the video is an original composition for the project created by Mabel specifically for this special collaboration. The video is reflective of Gustav Metzger's Liquid Crystal Environment 1995, remade 2005 which is displayed within the new Tate Modern. The colourful, psychedelic patterns produced by light displays such as Metzger's became icons of London's cultural scene in the 1960's, as musicians in particular sought to create total sensory environments for the appreciation of their work. Metzger's own liquid crystal projections found wider fame in 1966 when they were displayed during a performance of the bands Cream, The Move and The Who at the Roundhouse in London.

Mabel comments, “it was fun working on this project with Holly and Tate. As a kid I adored music videos with choreography. Destiny's Child routines were often rehearsed with my sister and then we forced our family to watch multiple performances. I wanted to try to do an up-to-date version of that, using Metzger's Liquid Crystal Environment and the incredible Tate Modern building as our setting.”

The new Tate Modern opened to the public on Friday 17 June, 2016.

New Video: Geko - Y ft. Afro B

2016-06-18T06:41:00.002-07:00

Summer is officially here and Geko is bringing the heat with his new single ‘Y’.

The video revealed earlier this week has racked up over 100,000 hits on YouTube and was shot in sunny Portugal, is a fusion of Afrobeats, dance and rap music all in one.

Geko enlists Afro B for the catchy hook and bridge of the summer anthem. Enjoy below.

Soulohlove Reveals Soulful House Debut ‘La Madrugada’

2016-06-18T06:15:00.002-07:00

Soulohlove a new face in the music world has cooked up a soulful house creation, with her debut ‘La Madrugada’.

The new record is an introduction of what's to come from Soulohlove, as she sets to release her forthcoming EP ‘The Streets’ within a matter of months.

‘La Madrugada’ which means “the dawn” in Spanish, sets to pause reality and transport listeners into another world.

Speaking on the inspiration behind her debut, Soulohlove says “it was spring in London and it was snowing, then it was sunny - then it rained. I saw how happy the sun made people so I decided I wanted to 'bottle' that and put it into a song.”

Soulohlove who grew up on soulful house music hails from the urban area of Brixton in South London and is versatile in her releases. “Soulful house was a love of mine growing up, especially growing up in the UK. I wanted to bring that love back.”

“It's a bit nostalgic for me when listening,” she says “but it's definitely a sound I want to hear more of right now. I wanted people to forget the weather, depending on your location (especially London), seasons don't often do what they say on the tin.”

Whilst the lyrics creates imagery, the infectious beat transports listeners to a summer feel no matter the weather. ‘La Madrugada’ entices listeners to forget the time and surroundings and is a definite summer sixteen playlist addition.

New Music: Ezi Emela - No Lele

2016-06-13T04:55:00.003-07:00

Earlier this year Ezi Emela released her single ‘Voicemail’ just in time for Valentine's Day and received raving reviews from critics and fans.

Now the British Nigerian singing sensation returns with her brand new single ‘No Lele’, which is produced by frequent collaborator Omeiza. Taken from her forthcoming EP, Ezi Emela sings about her hustle over the AfroTrap-leaning record.

“The song is about my hustle. It came from a time when I was feeling that people were not paying any attention to me and not feeling like I was working hard enough.” says Ezi.

She went onto say: “However, they didn't see what I was dealing with behind the scenes, so it's just telling myself not to care what people think and whether they love me or hate me I'm still going to win.”

[Listen]: ‘Saturday Playlist’ featuring Travis Scott, Kevin Gates, Vanessa White & More

2016-03-12T06:30:00.000-08:00

Decided to switch things up this Saturday and include more rap music. I've got music from Kevin Gates and Travis Scott in the mix, as well Desiigner who currently has the hottest song out ‘Panda’, that Kanye West sampled! (YES, thee Kanye West!!) Vanessa White of ‘The Saturdays’ has released some new solo music and it's very impressive.

So without further ado, press play and enjoy this week's ‘Saturday Playlist’.

Calvin Harris, J. Cole, Chase & Status and More Announced to Perform at Wireless Festival

2016-03-09T04:32:00.000-08:00

Festival season is in full limbo and Wireless Festival are the latest in revealing their much anticipated line-up.

The music festival held over a 3-day period at London's Finsbury Park had festival goers pumped after a fake line-up was released with Drake, Rihanna, Stormzy, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Nicki Minaj over the weekend. Wireless did confirm that the line-up was indeed fake and they'll be releasing the real line-up this week.

Well today at 9am, Wireless Festival took to their official social media accounts to announce the real line-up and confirmed acts fitted for the bill. Festival goers were less than impressed as they were disappointed about the “downgrade” from last years artists (Drake, Major Lazer, Avicii, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, David Guetta) to this years one. Questioning why Geko, Lady Leshurr and Jess Glynne to name a few were set to perform?

Day one of the music festival Calvin Harris and The 1975 will co-headline the main stage, with Bryson Tiller and Miguel among other artists taking to the different stages to perform.

Electronic music duo Chase & Status who have collaborated with major artists such as Rihanna and Tinie Tempah will headline Saturday's 11th annual festival along with rapper J. Cole. Future, Craig David, Krept & Konan will also perform as well as chart-topping British group WSTRN.

Grime is set to take over Sunday as Boy Better Know will close the third and final day on the main stage. Joining BBK on stage is Norwegian DJ and record producer Kygo, 19-year-old Dutch DJ and composer, Martin Garrix will also bless festival goers with his set. Other Grime/UK rap artists Newham Generals and Section Boyz will also perform.

Wireless will announce many more others that will perform at the 3-day festival presented by Live Nation. Check out the full line-up here >>>

Wireless Festival - Full Lineup

Day 1 (Friday 8th July): Calvin Harris, The 1975, Bryson Tiller, Miguel, Kurupt FM, Kwabs, Disciples, Vic Mensa, Big Narstie, Anne-Marie, Yungen, Geko, Petite Meller

Day 2 (Saturday 9th July): Chase & Status, J. Cole, Future, Sigma Live, Krept & Konan, Craig David's TS5, A$AP Ferg, Wilkinson Live, Maverick Sabre, WSTRN, Bugzy Malone, Lady Leshurr, Jahkoy, Nadia Rose, DJ Semtex

Day 3 (Sunday 10th July): Boy Better Know, Kygo, Martin Garrix, Jess Glynne, Action Bronson, Kehlani, Section Boyz, Young Thug, Jeremih, Vince Staples, Yelawolf, Ty Dolla $ign, Dillon Francis, Newham Generals, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Bomba Estéreo, Logan Sama

Tickets for Wireless Festival go on sale this Friday, 11th March and will be available for purchase here. For more details about Wireless Festival, check out their official website: http://wirelessfestival.co.uk/

New Music: Chip - Reaching ft. Burna Boy

2016-03-07T15:16:00.000-08:00

Chip has decided to bless the scene with new music, and take a break from the back to back diss tracks he's been firing out to any and everybody over the past couple of weeks.

Crossing the border into Nigeria, Chip features one of Nigeria's most prominent artists Burna Boy on his new song ‘Reaching’.

The song kicked off the weekend after being premiered on Stormzy's ‘MERKY’ show on Beats 1 (Apple Music) on Friday evening. Thereafter it was quickly released onto digital streaming outlets.

Chip who is already familiar with the Nigerian music scene appeared on Ice Prince's ‘Mercy’, off his album ‘Fire of Zamani’ back in 2013. He now adds ‘Reaching’ to his long and growing list of international collaborations.

Smooth, well composed and diverse are the words that best describe ‘Reaching’, listen below.

[Listen]: ‘Saturday Playlist’ featuring Kojey Radical, Kiersten Anais, Rebecca Garton and More!

2016-03-07T14:12:00.001-08:00

This weeks ‘Saturday Playlist’ (5th March, 2016) puts the spotlight on emerging new artists Kiersten Anais, Rebecca Garton and Ella Mai with their stunning yet delicate vocals. As well as artists you may already be familiar with such as Stalley and Katy B. The playlist also includes uber-talented artists whose music that you just need to have in your musical library: Sango, Kojey Radical, Victoria Monét, Sipprell and the lovely Tiffany Gouché.

Listen back to last Saturday's playlist here if you missed it. And make sure you follow me on Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/itsjustmobolaji

New Music: Iman - Naïve

2016-03-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

‘Naïve’ is the brand new single from emerging pop artist out of London, Iman.

Born of Middle Eastern and African decent Iman has songwriting credits with Ed Sheeran, Rudimental (whom she also toured with), and was asked to do some writing on a Kanye West project he had set up in London, where she collaborated with Kanye's producer Mike Deen (College Dropout, Late Registration).

‘Naïve’ has the perfect vibe to it. Dreamy, ambient and classy all in one with Iman's powerful yet emotive vocals that compliments its message; following your voice regardless of the naysayers. The track is written by Iman and features impeccable production by Robert Rosiji.

The end of 2015 saw the release of her debut ‘Golden’ which garnered great online media attention and she is set to repeat the feat with ‘Naïve’. Following this she will self-release new material throughout the year. Co-directing and co-editing her own music videos, she is an artist with strong identity and a clear vision for her music.

Honest lyrics, raw vocals and a distinctive writing style truly make Iman one to watch.

New Music: WiDE AWAKE - Love Me ft. Jacob Banks

2016-03-07T13:19:00.000-08:00

2016 is already off to a promising start for UK DJ & production duo WiDE AWAKE, as they have unveiled their new single ‘Love Me’ featuring the talented Jacob Banks.

The song follows widespread tastemaker support across BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, Capital Xtra and Kiss off the back of the previous tracks ‘HaKKaTron’ and ‘AFRiCA’, taken from their debut EP ‘Hard as Nails’.

CJ Beatz & Jordan Crisp who make up the duo caught the worldwide attention from their Justin Bieber ‘Sorry’ remix, amassing over six million views in a few short months; whilst rapper Bonkaz tapped them up for his new underground smash ‘And Dat’ featuring Stormzy.

It's no surprise that Skrillex is a firm supporter of WiDE AWAKE.

Zayn Reveals Tracklisting For Debut Album ‘Mind Of Mine’

2016-03-07T12:39:00.000-08:00

The tracklisting to Zayn's highly anticipated debut album ‘Mind Of Mine’ has been announced.

‘PILLOWTALK’ the first single from ‘Mind Of Mine’ truly cemented Zayn as one of the most exciting solo artists of the time. Upon release, the single debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and the video has now amassed over 180 million views since it's reveal in January.

Following behind the success of ‘PILLOWTALK’, Zayn released the video to his second single ‘iTs YoU’ exclusively via Apple Music.

The standard edition to ‘Mind Of Mine’ features the following songs:

MiNd Of MiNdd

PiLlOwT4lK

iTs You

BeFoUr

sHe

dRuNk

INTERMISSION:fLoWer

rEaR vIeW

wRoNg ft. Kehlani

fOol fOr You

BoRdErSz

tRuTh

lUcOzAdE

TiO

With the deluxe edition featuring an extra four:

BLUE

BRIGHT

LIKE I WOULD

SHE DON'T LOVE ME

Grammy nominated Cali-singer Kehlani is the only artist Zayn collaborates with on ‘Mind Of Mine’, on a song they wrote together on titled ‘wRoNg’.

Both editions are now available for pre-order and in advance of the March 25th album releasee, fans will instantly receive the tracks ‘iTs YoU’ and ‘PILLOWTALK’ upon pre-ordering. The video for ‘iTs YoU’ is available exlcusively on Apple Music, and is directed by Ryan Hope.

#ThrowbackThursday: Santana - ‘Maria Maria’ ft. The Product G&B

2016-03-03T09:27:00.002-08:00

The legend Bob Marley once said “one good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” And that's exact feeling that happens to me whenever I hear the sounds of Carlos Santana's guitar and the song ‘Maria Maria’.

The feel good classic is an immediate mood lifter and features The Product G&B. The R&B duo stepped on the scene in 1998 and are associated acts of Wyclef Jean's The Refugee Camp.

Marvin Moore and Sincere Gubano make up The Product G&B and have lent their vocals to numerous tracks and have aided the success of several singles and albums. ‘Maria Maria’ being a prime example.

‘Maria Maria’ is without a doubt one of my all time favourite songs. If it's not my favourite, it's definitely in my top 5. It was only right that I put the spotlight on ‘Maria Maria’ for this weeks ‘#ThrowbackThursday’.

Initially I didn't think to post a TBT for the blog, but I had heard this song over the weekend and it instantly reminded me of my childhood. In that very moment I remembered when and where I was when I first heard it. And wanted to share with everyone a classic that we once loved, or still may love, and have forgotten about ‘Maria Maria’, with this ‘#throwbackthursday’ post.

Guitarist Carlos Santana is part of the American Latin rock band ‘Santana’. Together they have earned a total of 36 awards including eight Grammy awards, three Latin Grammy awards, a Billboard Century award and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Whilst Carlos Santana has gone on to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Grammy awards as a solo artist; among many other awards.

‘Maria Maria’ is certified platinum in the US and spent 10 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, from April 2000 to June of the same year, before being succeeded by Aaliyah's ‘Try Again’.

The song was produced by Wyclef Jean and Jerry Wonder, and was awarded for ‘Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals’ at the 42nd annual Grammy awards in 2000; beating out Backstreet Boys and TLC.

Well, what are they currently up to?!

At present Carlos Santana is on tour together with the Santana band, and they plan on releasing their twenty-third studio album ‘Santana IV’ on April 15th, 2016. The album reunites the original 1970's Santana lineup of Carlos Santana, Gregg Rolie, Neal Schnon, Mike Carabello and Michael Shrieve and marks the first time in 45 years - since 1971's multi-platinum classic ‘Santana III’ - that the quintet has recorded together. As for The Product G&B? Well they are in the studio working on new music with producer and affiliate Jerry Wonder.

Oh the joy if the groups were to reunite to perform this live, or even release new music together.

Reminisce back to 1999 with this one! Press play below and enjoy the sounds of Santana, Carlos Santana's famous guitar strings and The Product G&B!

New Video: Major Lazer - Light It Up ft. Nyla & Fuse ODG

2016-03-02T14:27:00.001-08:00

It was a massive year for Major Lazer and the group's creator Diplo, who won Grammy awards alongside Skrillex for Best Dance/Electronic Album for Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü and Best Dance Recording for Where Are Ü Now with Skrillex and Justin Bieber at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

Coming off the heels of their success, international superstars Major Lazer - the collaborative project of Diplo, Walshy Fire and Jillionaire - premiere their video for ‘Light It Up’ featuring Nyla and Fuse ODG.

The video filmed in Fuse ODG's native Ghana appears on the extended edition of the group's highly acclaimed 2015 release ‘Peace is the Mission’, and was directed by Sam Pilling.

“The whole sentiment of this Major Lazer track is about overcoming negativity and sadness, coming together, and rising up in dance to ‘Light It Up’,” says Pilling

“Because Fuse's family is from Ghana we thought it would bring a really interesting aesthetic to film the video there. Delving deeper into Ghanaian culture, we found that their traditional funeral ceremonies perfectly exemplify the sense of coming together to rise up against sadness. The whole community joins together, first in mourning the death, then in celebrating the life that was lived. We worked closely with a Ghanaian family and village, meeting the elders and receiving their blessing to film a real funeral ceremony.”

“I found a poem 'Kae' [Remember] written in traditioanl Ghanaian language - Twe - which felt like the perfect companion to the video as it is about reflecting on sadness but rising up and looking to the future and to new life.” Pilling went on to explain.

Major Lazer and Sam Pilling knocked it out of the park with the visuals to ‘Light It Up’, definitely heart warming.

New Video: Teyana Taylor - Undercover

2016-03-01T18:08:00.000-08:00

It's pretty obvious that Teyana Taylor is feeling quite nostalgic as she takes us back to her favourite era, the 90s, in her ‘Undercover’ video.

Teyana wasted no time getting back into her regular formation after she gave birth to her daughter, Iman in December.

90's sitcoms, fashion and music videos is what the clips screams as Teyana Taylor pays homage in the Elijah Steen directed video. ‘Undercover’ is taken from Teyana's ‘The Cassette 1994’ mixtape, dropped August 2015 and bites from Bell Biv DeVoe's 90's Classic ‘Poison’.

Reminding me of a bit of Janet Jackson, SWV, the sitcom ‘Martin’, it's no surprise Teyana paid homage to the 90's. It was truly a great era in time...

New Video: Jorja Smith - Blue Lights

2016-03-01T15:51:00.001-08:00

The message of a guilty conscience that Jorja Smith addresses in the lyrics of ‘Blue Lights’ is too important to ignore; and sets the ambiance of the music video.

The talented underground artist that is Jorja Smith released the video for ‘Blue Lights’ today, and it aptly captures the mind. Her social commentary is matched against a hard-hitting black and white visual directed by Drew Cox.

“Blue Lights is a song I wrote around a year ago. It questions why you should have a guilty conscience if you've done nothing wrong.” This she explained to i-D, where she premiered the video.

Jorja went on to say: “The video is about a black male who portrays three different paths he could've gone down in life... as a boxer, a police officer and just a guy in a hoodie. This man is fighting with himself and the perception that society and authority have given him. How can a young black male run away from the stereotypical stigma and hatred towards police if it is on every screen or paper they see? The boxer is quite literally being beaten up by society's perceptions. The video's narrative is just one example of the negative stereotypes many people suffer each and every day.”

Wow. That's some deep stuff right there.

Jorja Smith is currently based in London after relocating late last year from her home town Walsall. At just 18 years old she is definitely wise beyond her years. With a debut this consequential, I can only imagine what she has in store for us.

*side note: I loveeeeee her hair!*

Africa's Biggest Festival ‘Gidi Festival’ Returns! Davido, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade to Headline

2016-03-01T13:09:00.000-08:00

Africa's biggest festival ‘Gidi Festival’ returns for its third year. The annual festival bought to you by Eclipse Live Africa is a one-day beach festival with day activities ranging from beach sports headed by celebrity team captains, to tasting the very best of African dishes at the food court, and of course live music from some of Africa's best artists.

Held at Eko Atlantic Beach in Lagos, Nigeria ‘Gidi Festival’ has seen acts from across the African continent hit the stage including: Ice Prince, Burna Boy, Falz from Nigeria, Tanzania's Vanessa Mdee, Kenya's Victoria Kimani and Ghana's EL and Efya to mention.

The third edition is projected to clock in 8,000 festival goers whilst the previous years have seen an attendance of 3,500 (2014) and 5,000 (2015) attendees.

Speaking on the third edition of ‘Gidi Festival’, founder Chin Okeke says, “we are really excited to be back this year, having learned a lot from previous editions. We genuinely feel this one is going to put us on the global festival map and show the world that Lagos is the continent's melting pot for music and culture.” He went on to say, “it's about curating an experience for our people so there are some exciting upgrades that will surprise our guests!”

Click “read more” to find out which acts will be joining Davido, Tiwa Savage and Yemi Alade on stage. Plus need to know festival information!

Nigerian musicians Davido, Tiwa Savage, Phyno, Yemi Alade and Timaya have all been added to the bill as this years festival headliners. In addition South Africa's finest, K.O. and Ricky Rick will join them on stage as they'll be coming to Nigeria for the first time, for the festival. Other acts consist of Adekunle Gold and Small Doctor who will be opening up the festival, together with Somalian singing sister act Farrow.

Hosts for ‘Gidi Festival’ 2016 include MTV Base VJ's, Nomuzi from South Africa and Nigeria's very own, Ehiz, alongside City FM OAP, Sensei Uche. DJ Obi and DJ Kaywise will be on the decks with some comic relief from a couple of your favourite comedians. This year, Gidi Fest 2016 promises to be an astounding show with amazing vibes.

This years ticket prices are slashed to 1,000 Naira ($5). The reduction in ticket prices signals an understanding of the current Nigerian economy and an invitation to people from all walks of life to join the festival.

Need to know festival information
Date: Saturday, 26th March, 2016
Time: 12noon - 2am
Location: Eko Atlantic Beach in Lagos, Nigeria
Tickets are available at www.gidifest.com and via popular ticketing outlets. Further information on www.gidiculturefest.com

Continuing with last years theme: Africa on One Stage, Gidi Fest 2016 is the place to be!

Ella Mai: ‘Time’ EP + ‘She Don't’ Video ft. Ty Dolla $ign

2016-02-29T11:56:00.002-08:00

DJ Mustard has added a new artist to his ‘10 Summers’ records roster, and she goes by the name Ella Mai. The announcement of the new signee came in January via OVO Sound Radio and social media, where Ella Mai took to her Instagram account thanking the producer for taking a chance on her.

Ella Mai a London-based singer, dropped her EP ‘Time’ just over a week ago, and it is already shaping her 2016 to be stupendous. ‘Switch Sider’ and ‘Don't Want You’ are stand out tracks on the new body of work, and has sounds similar to what's currently coming out of LA. The most notable record is her first single ‘She Don't’ and is accompanied by DJ Mustard affiliate, Ty Dolla $ign.

Mai's melodic vocals over DJ Mustard's R&B and trap infused production is pure bliss, to the ears of listeners. The EP compiles of break up records and self confidence.

Watch the new video to ‘She Don't’ below, and click ‘read more’ to hear Ella Mai's new EP ‘Time’. It's pretty impressive!

New Music: K. Michelle - Time

2016-02-29T11:00:00.001-08:00

Time is precious and K. Michelle highlights just that in her new single ‘Time’.

‘Time’ is the fourth single from the album and follows behind ‘Ain't You’, ‘Mindful’, and the first single ‘Not A Little Bit’ released in January.

K. Michelle plans on showing her musical diversity with her new album ‘More Issues Than Vogue’, the album will be compiled of tracks ranging from country, dance and urban music.

In an interview with Billboard, K. Michelle revealed that she did not want to have an “urban” album and wanted to take on different sounds.

“I want to be able to sing what I want, if I want to be able to sing country, I want to be able to show that. I want to be able to sing ballads that touch the world and not just one demographic. I'm just not going to be told that because I'm black, I have to do this anymore.”

‘More Issues Than Vogue’ eyes a March 25th release via Atlantic Records.

New Video: Seyi Shay - Mary ft. Phyno

2016-02-29T10:39:00.002-08:00

Seyi Shay released her highly anticipated debut LP ‘Seyi or Shay’ last year. The album has received critical acclaim with many hailing the songstress for her stunning vocals, diversity, lyrics and production. And all round musical direction.

‘Mary’ is the first video since the release of her album, and features rapper Phyno. The song has an Afro-Trap tune and sees Seyi Shay serenade listeners with her amazing vocals, whilst Phyno delivers playful lyrics which suit the occasion perfectly adding more colour to the anticipated club banger.

The video, dark and grungy, has a brilliant use of lights and effects and perfectly reflects the sound of the song, directed by Meji Alabi for JM Films.

Seyi Shay went on to explain the concept behind the song “the song Mary was inspired by a friend of mine who always attracted major attention from everybody whenever they would enter a party, or dance floor, because of her bold personality and funky outfits.”

‘Mary’ was produced by Otee Beats and co-written by Phame and Jade. This is the first in the series of music videos to come from Seyi Shay off her ‘Seyi or Shay’ album.

[Listen]: ‘Saturday Playlist’ featuring Yxng Bane, Ella Mai, Katy B and More!

2016-02-27T07:55:00.001-08:00

Ah! Welcome to the second instalment of my "weekly" (and I mean that lightly) ‘Saturday Playlist’.

The idea of the ‘Saturday Playlist’ randomly came to mind one morning and I just thought to put all these great songs that I'm either sent, or loving at that moment into a weekly playlist; to share with the rest of the world.

The first was released on Saturday, 6th February and featured music from Jorja Smith, SNE, Oh Wonder, BOSCO, Snakehips and more to mention. Listen to it here.

As you can see there's been a pause since the first playlist to the second. But I promise it'll be weekly henceforth.

The tracklist for this weeks playlist includes music from UK home grown talent such as Ella Mai, Yxng Bane, Katy B and PBGR to international acts Chris Brown, Kehlani and newcomer Calibrii. A wide variety of musical genres and songs that I think you should be listening to.

So get your Saturday going with this weeks ‘Saturday Playlist’ below, and let me know your thoughts also! Enjoy!

Xo Mobolaji