This Week’s Episode Features a Conversation With Blaqbonez and the 5 Hottest Tracks of the Week!
Tune in to Africa Now Radio with Nandi Madida this Friday, October 31st at 8a London / 9a Lagos / 10a Johannesburg/Paris / 1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1 and broadcast on YFM Accra every Sunday at 2pm, YFM Kumasi on Saturdays at 3pm and YFM Takoradi on Saturdays at 6pm
Cover Star Interview
Nigerian rapper and singer Blaqbonez joins Nandi Madida via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about his latest single “ACL”. He also discusses the album title ‘No Excuses’, the pride he takes in his discography, and whether his beefs are PR stunts.
This Week’s Hottest New Tracks
Nandi Madida shares the hottest new African tracks of the moment. This week’s selection includes new tracks from Damie & Dolapo Martins, Ossi Grace, Seyi vibez, Cheque, and Vico Da Sporo feat. Xolani N.
Tune in and listen to the full episode this Friday, October 31st at 8a London / 9a Lagos / 10a Johannesburg/Paris / 1a LA / 4a NYC on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/_AfricaNow broadca
Blaqbonez tells Apple Music about the album title ‘No Excuses’
I’ve made three albums already and it felt like I had set a crazy standard, right? With each album, I have to try to outdo the other albums and when I went into the studio, I was like, “Okay, I have this beautiful discography that I only want to make better.” I was like, “I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that I keep this standard.” And that was the energy, the whole process of creating it and just working so hard, putting in so much effort. One day in the process of creating the album, I saw a book written No Excuses, and I was like, “This is exactly what I’ve been doing this whole time.” Creating the best thing that I can so that when I put it out, I have no excuses, I have no regrets, no feeling like I could have, I would have. I put out my best and I’m excited with how it’s being received. People are already calling it one of my best projects and that’s exactly why I put in all that work.
Blaqbonez tells Apple Music about the pride he takes in his discography
It’s there. It’s one of my proudest accomplishments, the fact that I can always say, “Look at what I did.” And nobody can question it, because each one is just amazing. And this one just takes it to a different level. It’s four now, four certified crazy albums. I’m so proud of myself.
Blaqbonez tells Apple Music about his beefs and whether they are PR stunts
No. For me, it’s just building my own legacy and the type of rapper that I want to be seen as. It’s not really PR, it’s just me saying whatever I do is for the legacy that I intend to build. It’s for the image that I create for myself. It’s for who I believe that I am and that’s how I carry myself.
Blaqbonez tells Apple Music about the single “Everlasting Taker”
I don’t even know the bag that I went into when I was writing that song. Sometimes I feel like I’m writing, but something else is writing through me, because everything was just falling into place with the bar like, “Last real… I might be am. Them know the theory, but me I dey practice am. I put my heart in this shit, I dey carry am. This no be quick fame, this is a career.” It just felt like everything was just lining up correctly. I was like, “Damn, Shakespeare should come and learn some work on this pen game.”
Blaqbonez tells Apple Music about “Despacito” feat. FOLA
Ah, man I just wanted to make a beautiful song for the girls, something that the girls will put on and just love it, make them feel sexy, make them feel good and stuff. And then it’s a middle ground of meeting FOLA in the pop space, but still having that hip hop element and then a sprinkle of Amapiano vibe… I feel like it sounds like AKA when he made “Fela In Versace”. It has a little bit of that sauce.
Blaqbonez tells Apple Music about the themes he explores on the album
For me, it’s just me living my life and telling you the story of my life. So, it’s like my life is multifaceted. There are so many things that happen in my life, so if something happens that’s crazy today, I’ll tell you. If today’s a chill day and I’m emotional, I’ll tell you. If somebody is billing me too much, I will tell you. So, that’s just the themes of the album. It’s just my life and all the different things that I go through on a daily basis.
Blaqbonez tells Apple Music about experimenting with his music
I’m so proud of every sound, because I feel like I invested so much in the production of this album. I didn’t cut any corners. I worked with the best producers that I admire and everything. I had Jae5 produce two songs on the album. I had Blaze Beats. Blaze Beats worked on so many different songs in so many different ways. He worked on Despacito, he worked on Go Crazy. He also did some work on Good Time, he did some more work in so many… He did some work on California Issues. I had Tellz, I had my guy that produces most of my albums Ramoney, working hard, I had Ragee. I had all these amazing producers that I absolutely respect for the amount of quality that they’ve put out. So, sonically, I’m so proud to play this album anywhere, because it’s like I know that production wise, this is crazy already, before you even talk about what me, I decided to do on the records. Pushing the boundaries is just always something that… I don’t know, I feel like that’s my thing. I always want to stand out. I always want to be different. I want you to hear it and know that this is not like anything else. That’s what I pride myself in. Thank you. I appreciate that, because I’m proud of who I am. I feel like I’m one of the few people that is not engineered in a way. I’m still myself. I do everything to still be myself. In everything that I do, I want it to represent me in the way that I actually am and I appreciate how I’ve become such a voice.
Source: ameyawdebrah.com/
