The Lagos International Jazz Festival 2015 (30th April – 2nd May)

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The Lagos International Jazz Festival 2015
‘Jazz In The Megacity’
Tomorrow Thursday April 30th 2015 – May 2nd 2015<-
At Freedom Park Lagos
Tickets 1000Naira ONLY

Leading the pack are Nigerian-born United Kingdom-based two-time Grammy Award winning mega-percussionist Lekan Babalola; United States-based multi–instrumentalist Adeniji the ‘Heavywind’; Bass virtuoso and director of the Span Academy of Jazz and Contemporary Music, Bright Gain; veteran musician and classical clarinetist Tee Mac; vocal sensation Ego and neo-highlife musical icon Nomoreloss amongst a long list of other accomplished and upcoming musicians.

Various genres of music ranging from traditional Jazz, Naijazz, Afrojazz, Fuji, Afrobeat, Apala, Highlife and Naija-Hiphop will all be represented on 5 stages named after prominent Nigerian musical icons of blessed memory namely the Fela Kuti, Elder Steve Rhodes, Fatai Rolling Dollar, Osita Osadebe

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Download African Hip Hop: HENCH

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Sornen Ukoh is HENCH. Born and raised in Jos,Plateau State, this budding hip hop, spoken word and freestyle artist chose a career in music and liberal arts after graduating from Lead City University Ibadan where he studied Politics and International Relations. Inspired by top notch Nigerian acts such as MI Abaga, Mode 9, Jesse Jags and Ice Prince Zamani, Hench carves an artistic path for himself fusing golden age rap styles with imaginative poetry rendered over moving rythimic instrumentals. Hench is an avid reader, movie buff and art enthusiast who describes his artistic influences as “too many to list and forever evolving”. Currently focused on a mixtape project titled “Escape From Jay Town”, Hench lives in Lagos city.

Hench received recognition following his feature on MI Abaga’s Illegal Music 2’s hit track Ridiculous. Respected for his incisive lyrics and smooth flow, this is the dude who gave us the epic line: “if you ain’t tryna be rich then you ain’t broke enough“. The mixtape album’s title has gotten us curious and utterly excited!

Download and enjoy his new singles!

DOWNLOAD: Coming Soon

DOWNLOAD: U No Sabi Rap

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HENCH: the Man, the Rapper, the Poet

Henchino
Sornen Ukoh is HENCH. Born and raised in Jos,Plateau State, this budding hip hop, spoken word and freestyle artist chose a career in music and liberal arts after graduating from Lead City University Ibadan where he studied Politics and International Relations. Inspired by top notch Nigerian acts such as MI Abaga, Mode 9, Jesse Jags and Ice Prince Zamani, Hench carves an artistic path for himself fusing golden age rap styles with imaginative poetry rendered over moving rythimic instrumentals. Hench is an avid reader, movie buff and art enthusiast who describes his artistic influences as “too many to list and forever evolving”. Currently focused on a mixtape project titled “Escape From Jay Town”, Hench lives in Lagos city.

Hip Hop from Africa: HENCH

Hench rap artist

Nigerian hip hop… Scratch that! African hip hop, get ready! HENCH is coming for ya! On the 8th of June, this young hip hop artist, acclaimed as one of J-town’s finest, will be releasing 2 NEW SINGLES: Coming Soon and U No Sabi Rap, from his upcoming mixtape titled Escape From J-town.

Hench received recognition following his feature on MI Abaga’s Illegal Music 2 hit track Ridiculous. Respected for his incisive lyrics, smooth flow and intuitive freestyle skills, this is the dude who gave us the epic line: “if you ain’t tryna be rich then you ain’t broke enough“. The track titles have gotten us curious and utterly excited – and how about that mixtape album title, huh? We can’t wait to hear what this emcee has cooked up.

Free download: Hip Hop from Africa – L.P’s P.O.V tha Mixtape

Jos City, famously known as J-town, is home to some of the best hip hop talents in the country (and indeed the continent). One of its most promising talents, a young emcee who goes by the name Pizzo da Lyrical Praxis recently released a mixtape titled: L.P’s P.O.V tha Mixtape.

We’ve got the lyrically luminous street-hop for you right here, so start downloading and get your ‘Afro’ hip hop on. Check out the tracklist below, with brief comments. Let us know what you think of the tracks by leaving a comment below.

CRITIQUE MUSIC PRESENTS: L.P’S P.O.V tha MIXTAPE

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1. True Confession feat Tommy Shields
Pizzo raps to a hook sung by Tommy Shields, giving his “true confession of love” to an unnamed lady who wants to call it quits on their relationship.
Ace lines: I always thought we was a perfect match/After fish in the ocean you was worth the catch

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2. Questions feat Remarkable
Pizzo gives lyrical insight into the curious workings of his mind, asking question after question of a Nigeria that could have been.
Ace lines: What if, death was hard and life was easy, would poverty still be/ Or just a thing of the mind state?/ Or maybe that’s the reason why we having these crime rates/ coz ghetto people tired of waiting for His divine grace

3. Duwawu feat Illmasta Chif
“Duwawu” in Hausa language translates to “booty” (à la Beyonce’s “bootylicious) in English. This club banger has one of Pizzo’s best verses in the mixtape. If you don’t get the lines rapped in Hausa just shake your “duwawu” and enjoy the damn song!
Ace lines: show kada duwa duwawu/ zuba ya taru, wuta ya karu, ka za ta paru/ got you looking dangerous, but yan mata wanna hang with us

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4. Aikin kowa feat Baysticks
A patriot’s song which has the two rappers calling for peace, love and unity. A better Nigeria after all is “aikin kowa” – everybody’s duty.
Ace lines: It’s all about responsibility, get strong, you feeling me?/ slept on, the realest D!, dead wrong stupidity

5. Murna Murna feat Lucase
A feel good track bound to get you off your feet and keep you jumping with chants of “murna murna”!
Ace lines: call me asthma coz I got a really bad attack/ I dey select oh, no be every kind girl I dey knack

6. Good Love
Hey, we all need some good love, right? Pizzo raps about various trysts and love-scapades over a soul inspired beat.
Ace lines: met this fine PH resident, got oil money her brother’s a militant/ I’m impressed she’s a rebel for the cause, struggle for the poor/ one day she said she was wondering/ if I would love to kidnap and go bunkering

7. For You feat Ruby
Loopy music’s Ruby laces this track with soulful vocals as Pizzo breaks down his passion of doing music for the listeners
Ace lines: music helps me appreciate the beauty in life/ the proof is in the way I’ve been consuming the mic

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8. For John My Friend
Producer Tommy Shields creates an emotional beat sampling Janelle Monae’s “Oh Maker” over which Pizzo tells the true story of a friend whose tale may not have been told otherwise
Ace lines: After fighting wars from Chad to Lebannon/ in the Middle East keeping peace that never comes

9. Come On feat Deep Thot tha Blaq Ego
A throwback to hard, head bobbing hip hop which feature Pizzo and Deep Thot giving a shout out to J-town and other hip hop loving states.
Ace lines: I can’t stop the way my heart beat boxes/ until my lungs collapse and tongues spit hip hop

10. In da City
In the city of love you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for, just be careful not to get lost while doing so. Pizzo raps about finding love and the determination to preserve it.

Ace lines: I’m no stranger, I’ve been to the place called love/ where the sidewalk is smooth and the main road is rough

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11. I love UJ feat Illmasta Chif
An anthem of the (sometimes juvenile) pleasures of being young and in college, rapped appropriately to Asher Roth’s “I Love College”. A party-ode to one of the oldest Universities in Nigeria, the University of Jos – the alma mata of Pizzo and Illmasta Chif.
Ace lines: I made a lot of cash from extorting my parents, school fees was 27 I told them 46/ spent all the profit on Rosay and Bacardi mix/ fellowship with holy dames, wild out with naughty chicks

12. Rayuwa feat Chrome and Illmasta Chif
Rayuwa! “Living.” Pizzo, Chrome and Illmasta Chif give three perspectives on violence that has seen a peaceful city torn apart, and hatred wrought on a people’s ability to live as one.
Ace lines: If religion has a way of blurring your rational thoughts refrain from it/ tell you what I’ve seen so many mentally deranged from it

13. Lonely Road feat Chrome and Illmasta Chif
Tommy Shields evokes the Greenday classic for this track of personal trials, tribulations and redemption.
Ace lines: I keep my eyes on the road/ and I aim for the prizes like diamonds and gold, ready to blow/ like crude oil I steady the flow

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L.P’s P.O.V tha Mixtape, 14th Feb, 2013

THE BEST OF J-TOWN’S ARTISTS ARE COMING OUT FOR THIS ONE!

20130213-093821.jpgLP’s P.O.V tha Mixtape dropping 14th Feb, 2013 @ Lashomz Grill n Bar.

TIME: 2pm – 8pm.
GATE FEE: <Regular N1000. VIP N3000.

PERFORMANCES BY:

Naydo, Grandsun, Joleeta, Lucase 2, Extol, Anchorman, Deep Thought , Funny G, BaruQ, Remarkable, Darkie, Illmasta Chif, E Prince, Black Skills and lots more!!!

If you are in Jos city you cannot afford to miss this one!! (And if you aren’t get yourself over there!) Hurry over to any razor sharp outlet and buy goods worth 5K and you get a free regular ticket. Buy goods worth 10K and get a free VIP ticket.

Come let’s have fun together in this festive season of Love!!!!!

Presenting “Da Praxis”

From the dusty streets of the cold city Jos emerges another artistic maestro: Leonard Pizat Lepdung a.k.a Pizzo da Lyrical Praxis.

hip hop star

Photo by Flames da Critic

This young rapper, singer, song writer and actor is a product of the prestigious Open Air Theatre, University of Jos, Plateau state. Coming from a city famed for the production of such talent as MI, Asa, Desmond Elliot, the Amatas and Helon Habila, among many, we are most definitely excited to see what ‘J-town’ has got in store for us with Pizzo da Lyrical Praxis.

Over time Pizzo has been critically acclaimed as one of the best to ever put pen and paper together as a young writer in Jos. With a fast growing fan base, Pizzo’s first studio effort is set to be released on the 14th of February 2013.

20130212-214920.jpg The Mixtape is a collaborative effort with various Nigerian artists whom are passionate about the arts.

Pizzo over the years has recorded with Nigerian Hip-Hop heavy weights such as Terry tha Rapman, Pherowshuz, Hench, Grandsun of the Faculty, and his long time friend and collaborator Tommy Shieldz.

As any in which the artistic drive is passionate and true, Pizzo expresses himself through various art forms. Apart from playing a lead role in a short film shot by Umar Turaki of the Weaned Child film company, The Praxis is set to take the lead role in the upcoming TV series J Town Hustle, directed by Nollywood’s David Uro and slated to play key roles in upcoming theatre productions – this dude is the complete package!

rapper, rap artist

Photo by Kureng Dapel

A people oriented person, Pizzo’s major influences include Nelson Mandela, Fela Kuti, Huey P Newton, Malcolm X, Mahatma Ghandi, and Ojukwu Odumegwu. He listens to Bella Fonte, Tupac, Nas, Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Asa, DeadPrez, Corinne Bailey Rae, Shade Adu, Freshly Ground, Proverb, MI, HHP, Kendrick Lemar, Hench and lots of local music.

A traveler, lover of experience and cultures. His hobbies are cooking, writing poems, site-seeing and listening to good music. Hit up Pizzo on twitter @Pizzo_Da_Lp and get chatting with this lyrical maestro.

Pizzo’s management can be contacted via the following:
Email: critique.entertainment@yahoo.com
Mobile: +234 803 372 2839, +234 818 943 1734
Twitter: @Flames_dacritic

AUDITIONS FOR HIP HOP/BREAK DANCERS IN NIGERIA

AUDITIONS!!! AUDITIONS!!! AUDITIONS!!!
Are you a HIP HOP/BREAK DANCER?

Open Mic Forum Abuja is hosting a WORKSHOP/PERFORMANCE which is being organized by PROFESSIONAL CHOREOGRAPHERS based in the USA.

DATE: 9th February, 2013
TIME: 4pm
VENUE: Cultural Centre, Area 10, Garki, Abuja

Courtesy US EMBASSY, ABUJA.
For more info call:08099297999

SPREAD THE WORD!

J-Town, Nigeria, Presents – a New Age Hip Hop Movement

Microphone Throw Pillow

Microphone Throw Pillow (Photo credit: Five Wun O Clothing)

 

Check out this captivating article about a hip hop movement that has roots Jos city “J-town”, Plateau state. The ‘creativity capital’ of Nigeria.

 

“In Nigeria, battling the system one rap at a time”
http://www.rnw.nl/africa/article/nigeria-battling-system-one-rap-a-time

 

The article by Kingsley Madueke on Radio Netherlands Worldwide Africa (RNW) covers the Critique Entertainment crew and their music movement, the heart of which beats (pun intended) at the Basement studios in Kufang, Jos. The article features respected rapper/spoken word artist Pizzo da lyrical Praxis and ace producer Tommy Shields of illtouch records.