By way of Chinonso Ihekire
February 24, 2024 | 4:14 am
For over a decade, Illbliss has been a rigorous marketer of indigenous hip-hop within the Nigerian music group. The rapper's eight-album discography has elevated the status of the indigenous rap scene
For over a decade, Illbliss has been a rigorous marketer of indigenous hip-hop within the Nigerian music group. The rapper's eight-album discography has elevated the status of the indigenous rap scene, making it cool to rhyme within the native language. From his 2009 debut album Dat Igbo Boi to his just-released album Sideh Kai, the rapper has continued to hold the torch for his tradition and indigenous Nigerian hip-hop.
Sideh Kai runs by way of 16 songs, all written to strengthen the themes of fatherhood, entrepreneurship, survival and love, whereas subtly reiterating his prowess as a prolific rapper. Apparently sufficient, the album's title can also be derived from the names of each his daughters: Kachim Sideh and Sochikaima.
With strong standout performances such because the Odumodublvck supported monitor, Full Chest, the trio with Made Kuti and Cobhams referred to as, Spirit, the highlife ringer with oriental superstars Umu Obiligbo referred to as Chukwu Ebuka, in addition to the tributary monitor for his a lot anticipated youngsters, titled Daughters, is spinning the album as a agency reminder of Illbliss' signature light-hearted efficiency and acutely aware lyrics.
The album's sonic development has a up to date really feel, with the enchantment of soppy percussion, RnB, pop and lure melodies broadening its enchantment to a youthful viewers.
Born Tobechukwu Ejiofor, Illbliss has refined his legacy as a rapper and inventive entrepreneur. His administration label, The Goretti Firm, has produced superstars like Chidinma and Phyno and reigns as one of the influential cultural rappers from the jap a part of the nation.
His debut in Nollywood began in 2019 with the character Odogwu within the Kemi Adetiba-directed Netflix thriller King of Boys. The daddy of two additionally lately co-produced an authentic seven-part documentary on the Igbo apprenticeship system, titled Freemen. He additionally produced all the soundtrack for the movie.
In as we speak's Guardian Music, we sit down with the daddy of two as he delves into his newest and most private work thus far, Sideh Kai, and displays on the recollections, muses and inventive ambitions that formed the undertaking, all of which coherently mirror the present sweetness of the music. his bliss and the way that shapes his imaginative and prescient for the remainder of his profession.
So, to begin with, how does it really feel so that you can have a brand new album popping out since your final one?
It's an ideal feeling. My final album was in 2020, throughout COVID. Many issues have modified round me. So yeah, it feels good. It simply feels good to return again and reply to the followers. It feels good to be again. I hope I can deal with the brand new vitality. I feel I can.
Your new album known as Sideh Kai. Let's check out what that basically means for you and why you went that route.
Okay, when you have a look at the album cowl, it's an image of two women, my daughters, Sochikaima and Kachim Sideh. Their names are coined, Sideh Kai, within the album. Each youngsters got here into our lives miraculously, my first daughter got here after eight years of marriage and the second got here throughout COVID.
She arrived at 25 weeks and was a untimely child. So I simply really feel like getting to some extent in my profession the place it wasn't even nearly me. I’ve advised lots of my tales. I've been telling my tales about how I acquired into the sport and all of the experiences I’ve that I've shared in my life. That is my eleventh compilation undertaking, as a recording and performing artist, and I felt I wanted to take a very totally different, recent course. You already know, simply the brand new pages that folks don't find out about, after which I made a decision they're going to be on the duvet after which it's going to be fatherhood, , simply having fatherhood, elevating women, elevating youngsters and household and simply all my experiences . In order that's what Sideh Kai is basically about, that is maybe my most private album.
Let's check out the options you had on the album. What have been you making an attempt to infuse this album with?
“For everybody, you see on this undertaking, I’ve to be a fan of yours, like a giant fan of yours, earlier than we make music. So I've by no means made music from the standpoint of it is a scorching man, after which we have now to place this man on such a scorching document to make him explode. Beginning with Cobhams, who so far as I'm involved is the top of the Nigerian classical music division, if there may be such a factor. I made two data with Cobhams, Spirit and Maale. I despatched them each to Cobhams, and he had to decide on one, and in the long run he took them each and mentioned to me, 'Illy, you must preserve this.' So I continued making data with Fave. I've all the time loved Fave's texture of her vocals. And I felt like we might come collectively and create magic. I contacted her. For all these artists, from Fave to Cobhams, Odumodu Blvck to Vector, all of them signify a sure a part of my thematic vary, which I attempted to realize with this album. I'm an album artist. In case you look actually carefully at my profession, you'd be hard-pressed to seek out instances the place I solely put out one document and it was a standalone document. They all the time result in an album. So these are totally different tales I attempted to inform with the featured artists. With Odumodu Blvck it’s a document referred to as Full Chest. Odumodu's vitality is so contagious in as we speak's hip hop and afrobeats world. I made a decision that was the suitable man to placed on that document. We made that document earlier than Odumodu made Declan Rice. Odumodu was on his means up once we made that document. And sure, who else am I leaving out? It's basically for every place, like I mentioned, a web page within the books, and it was a narrative that I used to be making an attempt to inform, and I felt just like the featured artist that I did would embellish the story. It got here collectively completely.
This wasn't even my want record. A couple of folks I approached about making music have been both not on their agenda, , or they’d tasks they have been pushing. I simply determined to go together with this. I actually believed within the document I used to be making an attempt to make. I'm additionally a really collaborative artist, when you have a look at my previous you'll discover data like Jawon Laya with Reekado Banks and Mr Eazi, you'll discover Can't Hear You with RunTown, you'll discover Anam Achi Kwanu with Phyno In case you return a bit , you’ll find data with Vector. Sure, that's how the collaboration began.
Briefly, when did you begin recording this album?
I began recording in October 2022 and I recorded to complete this album in early January 2023. After which the elections got here. And I didn't wish to launch an album throughout the election as a result of it could distract folks. Or folks would get distracted and doubtless not take note of it as a result of it was comeback hour, I wanted the time to be proper. After which we acquired to 2023 after the election. And I acquired into one other aspect of my busyness, my life, which was tv. By the best way, I’ve a brand new present referred to as Free Males. It’s an authentic Showmax copy. You’ll find it on Showmax. It’s a seven-part documentary collection on the Igbo apprenticeship system. That's taken away nearly all of our 2023 shootings. I didn't wish to drop an album whereas I used to be on the street, I saved it. I needed to drop it in December and the great people at ONE rpm suggested me to drop it the next yr (2024) when it could have drowned with all that December noise.
What are your important memorable moments throughout the making of this album?
There are such a lot of memorable moments. To begin with, a shout out to my producer Skitter. Skitter is such an unbelievable little one. He grew up in Jos. I met Skitter and Skitter actually restarted my recording course of and my recording life. He made 14 of those plates, whereas Main Bang made two. The explanation Main made two of the data is as a result of Skittter didn't have time to complete the opposite two. I needed to get the document in too. Skitter has a studio in Lekki. I’m going there each morning after which I sit with him after which we begin. We had many conversations. Even from these conversations I keep in mind very clearly a document referred to as Masterclass; Masterclass is a document that may encapsulate Nigerian hip-hop historical past and what number of profound, amazingly gifted rappers fell by the wayside as a result of there was little or no house for them to discover their skills. I've seen this loads in my profession.
I've seen lots of people drop out, both due to funding or as a result of they merely don't have the suitable sources to incentivize them. I keep in mind the day I used to be recording the track. And it was simply goosebumps as a result of I didn't even know the music was that emotional, as a result of the chords have been so full and also you have been simply into it. And I'm there rapping, , sitting on the nook. I’m grateful for all times.
Thanks for household, freedom and peace of thoughts. The stress by no means acquired to me. And by the point I completed rapping and put the vocal samples on the track; I had vocal samples from my three favourite Nigerian rappers, Reminisce, MI and Vector. I had them at totally different elements of the track. That track lasts about six minutes. And once I seemed again, I noticed greater than 25 folks standing behind me within the studio, younger individuals who work within the firm the place the studio is positioned. And so they simply stood there and began clapping. They began telling me, boss, that we haven't had the privilege of listening to you for a very long time. We simply didn't know that. You could have been by way of a lot on this ministry.
And I simply watched them, a few of them 19, 20, 23. They're such an integral a part of my recording course of as a result of in the end they have been those who began it, a few of us used to make a document for this technology, for our technology. I ended up singing referred to as Gen Z. And I'm within the studio with them they usually inform me, and I acquired a line, Crimson Cops, SK, Omo na, Gen Z, Police, they don't care Gen Z. And so they say: boss, no, no, no, no. It's Canada, it's referred to as Canada. In order that they improve me, they replace my data of what's taking place on the streets.
You already know; the issues about them that they don't even like being referred to as Gen Z, though that's their demographic. You perceive? I've had so many memorable moments.
As somebody who has lived by way of totally different eras, how does the Nigerian hip-hop scene really feel to you?
Nicely, the hip-hop scene in Nigeria is attention-grabbing. It's in a really attention-grabbing place. It has grown by leaps and bounds. Over the past decade, we've had some superb success tales, , and increasingly rap artists have moved into the upper finish of the trade. Yeah, so it's a good time. It's a number of experiments. The sound is totally different now. It's an Afrobeats mashup with actual raps and plenty of singing. It's blooming, it's nonetheless rising. So far as I'm involved, it's nonetheless not the top-of-mind style in Nigeria. However I imply, the gang is rising. I pray that buying energy will develop as we transfer ahead. But it surely's in a superb place. It's in a superb place.
What legacy do you wish to go away behind together with your new music?
I simply need folks to recollect my albums as classics. I simply need them to be remembered by individuals who belong to this style and individuals who do, as a result of I additionally made a number of crossover data, consciously or unconsciously. I've made crossover data that had a number of industrial success. I simply need to have the ability to proceed to try this, , and proceed to encourage the younger folks.
