No doubt, Street music has taken its toll on the music scene, as of recent. If it’s not Zanku, then it’s shaku or Soapy, or anything, as long as it resonates with the street. Either it’s a street slang made into a song or a dance given a name, street-ish elements have infiltrated every part of our music.
In the front line, we’ve got a couple of artists who continue to stun us with their street style of music, bending the rules and giving us numerous hits. Two of such guys are Zlatan Ibile and Naira Marley, and fortunately for us, they’re not rivals. In fact, they are frequent collaborators and they’ve done quite a number of stuff together. At least, they were close friends, before EFCC came around.
Everyone knows what direction the music is going to now, it certainly depends on what these guys continue to give us. When Zlatan came on board, he came with Zanku which quickly became a viral trend, inspiring more and more trends. Be it dances, songs or slangs, most of what’s hot on the streets have been inspired by Zlatan, directly or indirectly.
Naira Marley also has been kicking it, first alongside Zlatan and now he seems to be doing exceptionally on his own. What’s the word on the streets now? Naira Marley. “O wa sope o mo Naira?”
Their influence on the industry as a whole is indispensable. Zlatan, at his peak, had pop stars like Davido and Burna Boy coming to him for hits. Naira Marley who hasn’t really been in the mainstream, until not too long ago, has also had a good run doing collaborations with top artists like Olamide, Lil Kesh, Falz, Simi and others.
So which of them is really having a huge effect on the industry?
Assuming that’s not rhetoric, the answer would be both. But it’s based on what way we decide to look at it. Zlatan has got the music, and although this is subjective, he seems to be more talented than Naira when it comes to the music. So, he’s got the vibe more and more artists will want to have on their songs, thus birthing bang collabos. With that, most hits may just start to have the Zlatan effect.
Marley, on the other hand, is a crazy and creative artist, who doesn’t rely on being dope on a track, to make a hit. He’s got fire, in his own way, yeah, but what really makes his stuff stick is the viral style he always uses. All of his songs have this sense of urgency that just make them trend. From “Issa Goal”, to “Opotoyi” to “Am I A Yahoo Boy” and now “Soapy”, he sure knows how to exploit street tactics to make his jams bang. Also, with the cult following he has, social media has become a crucial tool in his campaign.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw-VvqNDWGr/
Bottom line is, while Zlatan Ibile is so good at making the music(he was a rapper), Naira is a trend guy, and that’s why their collaboration is usually formidable. They are both affecting the taste of the Nigerian Music Industry, at different levels, however.
But If I May Ask You; Is it for Good or Bad? Be The Judge!!!