Zlatan is now a serial hit-maker, everything he touches becomes gold. Even the DJ Cuppy single is a hit!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2kPRC7FAM_/
You know, we’re all somewhere thinking Zlatan Ibile should get the “Artist Of The Year” as the guy has been doing the streets and the industry as a whole proud, for a couple of months.
Maybe Zlatan is just the one who has the moment, and his time will soon pass. Maybe not. Who cares, anyway? He’s the rave of the moment and he got tunes, let’s enjoy them. Right!
But he’s street, and honestly not everyone likes those kinds of music that are hot on the streets, the hi-tempo thing they nickname “tungba” that you hear at barbershops, clubs and a couple of other places where a ‘Child of God shouldn’t be at.’ (Oh, yeah, someone used those exact lines for me.)
Not everybody wants to be stuck with Zlatan because they like Nigerian music. Some fans just wanna hear something that’s local, and cool and have good vibes. For a while, that wasn’t Zlatan. Because, like his friend Naira Marley, Zlatan has been doing some really crazy street stuff, creating the “Zanku” movement that has taken over the streets, and the streets on IG, too. And many artists have bought into the style, and even Wizkid says “gbese”, these days. But it’s easy to say, “well, this is too street for me, I like good music.” Until now.
I was in a cab, when I first heard “Bolanle”, as he started singing, I knew it was him, so I just glued to my phone and continued chatting. Then, the chorus came and then the verse. I still don’t believe I sang along to the chorus the next time it played. Meanwhile, I wouldn’t mistakenly sing “baby girl you’re a puta” for any reason. But I digress.
So, that got me thinking? What kind of vibe is this, really? Then, I went on YouTube (still in the cab) and played the music. A couple of times.
“Bolanle” is the same tempo as “This Year” but this is the first time I’ve heard a storyline on a Zlatan song, in a while. It’s capturing, somehow. And then the hook, the pause of the beat, and the systematic “bolanle pepper dem” makes the song catchy. Catchy enough that you would start singing it, unconsciously. Street aside, this is real music that you can feel in your veins. It’s just like when Small Doctor‘s “Penalty” was street, but then was more than just street.
If Zlatan wasn’t in the mainstream, I’d say this song has given him a permanent mainstream registration. And it’s getting all the reactions a song can get at this time. Trending, yeah. And although I can’t figure, I believe there’s a reason IVD is on it, anyway. It’s a big hit, a plus for the streets and Zlatan in a way we’ve never experienced before. Smash!
I passed my bus stop that very day, though. Whatever.