RAVING BEATS AND HITS: A SIDE-BY-SIDE REVIEW OF “LUNGU BOY” BY ASAKE AND “HEIS” BY REMA

 By Olufunmilola Oludare

 

 

Photo Credit: Genius Youtube

Nigeria’s music industry has witnessed many generations of talented artists rise from humble and little beginnings to immense fame and refinement. This progression is undoubtedly a remarkable accomplishment for Nigeria and its people, setting the country apart with many thriving industries in the global music landscape. Notably, Nigeria’s pop music culture has transcended the conventional boundaries of lyrics and production, it has evolved into a vibrant scene where infectious beats and rhythms take centre stage.

The focus lies on how these beats resonate with the average pop enthusiast, sparking the urge to revel in the music and vibe. This transformation highlights the nature of the ever-changing music industry in Nigeria, which continues to thrive and motivate people around the globe. Two of the hottest new albums making waves in the music scene are Lungu Boy by Asake and Heis by Rema. These talented pop artists have recently released these albums to great acclaim, delighting fans at home and abroad.

The album: Lungu Boy by Asake was released on the 9^th of August, 2024 consisting of 15 hit tracks which include: Start, MMS featuring Wizkid, Mood, My Heart, worldwide, active featuring Travis Scott, suru featuring Stormy, skating, wave, featuring central cee, mentally, uh, yeah, I swear, ligali, Whine featuring Ludmilla and fuji vibes. The word “Lungu” is where smokers and drug-taking folks freely go about their business in the southwestern part of Nigeria- Lungu also means ghetto. The term ‘Lungu’ has now infiltrated pop culture and vocabulary, yielding to wider contexts and interpretations. Essentially, a ‘lungu’ can be anywhere a person feels most loved and has a sense of belonging, be it a bar or workspace, a favourite hangout spot, or even in the bedroom. This concept is ascribed to the ‘Asake effect’. Each song in this album has a unique tune and taste, the fuji vibes especially exude a mixture of traditional workings of beats like Tungba, usually employed by the typical fuji singer. Another notable song in this album is MMS featuring Wizkid who is very good in his craft. Wizkid adds spice to the song in a grander scheme with his unique style of singing. The others include Suru featuring Stormzy where he explores the idea of patience and how it affects a man’s life trajectory. My Heart, Worldwide and Skating are Asake’s other single hits which he has garnished with interesting ingredients.

Lungu serves as an adjective qualifying the renowned pop star and signifying his roots and loyalty to his little beginnings. The entirety of Asake’s new album is reflective of the transience of life and how a supreme being sits right at the top and determines everything. Overall, the album is good at its best, one of the many remarkable hits the Nigerian industry has seen.

Heis by Rema has generated a lot of controversies and met with polarising opinions. On one side of the bias, fans laud the album’s top-notch production, highlighting its captivating beats that instantly upturn even the most indifferent pop fan into a stickler for the hit. And to a few critics, the album is just one of the many nonsensical productions in the industry. The album was released on the 11th Of July, 2024 consisting of 11 songs which include: March Am, Azaman, Hehehe, Benin Boys featuring Shallypopi, Heis, Ozeba, War Machine featuring Odumodublvck, Egungun, Villain and Now I Know. Rema’s hit single “Hehehe” makes a unique impact, with many considering it the album’s core due to its distinctive beat and lyrics. In this song, the young artist assertively expresses his desire to pursue his goals without regard for others’ opinions. He proudly highlights his substantial contributions to the pop industry and demands recognition for his efforts. “Ozeba” and “March Am” seem to have similar beats however, it doesn’t make them less interesting and though the songs have undefined lyrics and chords, they still pass as raving hits.

This album builds upon Rema’s previous record-breaking success with his single “Benin Boys” featuring Shallipopy, which achieved the largest opening day streams for a song on Spotify Nigeria in 2024. Moreover, “HEIS” ranks third in terms of opening day streams for an album on the platform, closely following Burna Boy’s “I Told Them” With 2.93 million streams and Davido’s “Timeless” with 4.91 million streams.

Ultimately, the true measure of these albums’ success lies in their resonance with a broader fan base. Both Rema and Asake have delivered standout tracks. Regardless of individual perspectives or biases, one thing is clear: both albums have exceptional production quality, making them deserving of recognition.