In 2007, Don Jazzy and his defunct Mo’hits record artists released the first major commercial collaboration album, Curriculum Vitae. The success of the album gave an insight into how collaboration projects were as crucial as Individual projects.
While releasing Individual albums were common, a collaboration project between two or more artists was uncommon.
This format isn’t new in the America Hip-Hop scene, it was however still a relatively new format in the Nigerian Music Scene.
Then in 2014, Olamide and Phyno proved that even the most uncommon of things could be successful with the release of “2 Kings”.
Though an Individual album and a Collaboration Project follow the same principles, a collaboration project requires two artists who have great and proven chemistry on a song to sell it.
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Olamide X Phyno – 2 Kings
In 2012, a relatively unknown Phyno dropped “Ghost Mode” featuring Olamide which was a breakthrough hit for him and dominated airwaves. In 2015, they released a collaborative album titled “2 Kings”.
Prior to the album’s release, they had dropped ‘Une’, the album lead single, and “Confam Ni” featuring Wizkid.
The 10 track album featured Wizkid, Lil Kesh, and Storm Rex and had production credits from Pheelz, Major Bangz, B.Banks, and Young John.
The album is a classic rap album as Olamide and Phyno manage to use language barriers to their advantage. The album opens with Cypers where Phyno and Olamide go back and forth on B.Banks produced beat.
The two are at the top of the hierarchy when it comes to indigenous rap and having both on a joint album was a thrill. Though the two have gone on to collaborate on more singles like, “Fada Fada”, “Onyeoma”, and the rest, we hope they release another collaborative joint.
Falz X Simi – Chemistry
Falz and Simi first collaborated on the remix of Simi’s 2015 hit song, ‘Jamb Question‘. Falz who was also featured on the music video for the original in his usual comic and witty manner made the song more groovy to listen to.
In 2016, the two collaborated on the successful “Soldier” song which was off Falz’s “Stories That Touch” album. They even released a short movie also named “Soldier“.
Their infectious chemistry on the collaborations fueled dating rumors between the two. The rumors heightened when they released pre-wedding-themed photos on social media before finally announcing the release of the EP in an industry night event, where they jointly performed.
The EP which was titled ‘Chemistry‘ was single-handedly produced by Sess. The Seven track EP has people falling in love again.
Love was the major theme of the project and Simi and Falz used people’s curiosity about their supposed relationship to their advantage.
Though the two later collaborated on Simi’s “Mind Your Bizness” in 2019, we are hoping they could release another joint project.
Ycee X Bella Alubo – Late Night Vibrations
Ycee and Bella Alubo used to be labelmates in Tinny Entertainment and first collaborated on Bella’s “Radio” in 2017.
In 2018, they teamed up to drop the storybook-like EP, “Late Night Vibrations” which tells the story of two lovers who are stuck in conflicting situations.
The Six Track project shows a different dimension to Ycee, the one most people don’t hear on the radio, and Bella who is a partner on equal standing doesn’t hold back with poetic-like lyrics on each song.
Listening to LNV, one can almost be tempted to believe that Ycee and Bella were real lovers.
Despite the fact that the two have both departed Tinny Entertainment, they still remain good friends and fans can only hope they release another joint project.
Flavour X Chidinma – 40 Years Everlasting
Flavour and Chidinma are two people that have got people fantasizing for love with their collaborations.
Their collaboration on Flavour’s “Ololufe” got people talking especially when they kissed in the music video. Before that, they had collaborated on the remix of Chidinma’s “Oh Baby“. Then later in 2016, they collaborated again on “Mama”.
Their collaborations always got sparked relationship rumors which how the chemistry seemed so believable on songs and music videos.
In 2019, they teamed up to drop a surprise joint project called ‘40 Years Everlasting“, this project just like the rest of their collaborations was Love-themed.
The 5-tracks project is a beautiful project that sees the continued musical chemistry between the two blossoms into an enchanting journey.
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M.I Abaga X A-Q – Live Report
M.I Abaga and A-Q are both amazing and prolific rappers respectively. The two have collaborated on A-Q’s “Class Act” and on M.I Abaga‘s “The Trinity” both released in 2020.
However, they were not done as a fan of both artists requested for a joint project and within a few days, the two had recorded a few tracks for the joint project.
“The Live Report” is a Research project that Hypothesises Human ideologies, the effect of COVID-19, corporate espionage, religion, vanity, and the inevitability of death vis-a-vis how they affect humanity.
M.I Abaga and A-Q are like greek philosophers doing surgery on Society and the ideologies that have formed it.
Released in the thick of Lockdown in 2020, the project was a prophetic one in a sense.
Top Joint Collaboration Projects by Nigerian Artists
- Olamide X Phyno – 2 Kings
- Falz X Simi – Chemistry
- Ycee X Bella Alubo – late Nights Vibrations
- Flavour X Chidinma – 40 Years Everlasting
- M.I Abaga X A-Q – The Live Reports