I know talking about the year 2014 is like 5 days stale already in the new year, regardless one can’t move on too quickly from how really big the year 2014 was in the entertainment sector… yes! I’m talking music. It became the wake for so many ‘under-g artistes’, has-beens made a healthy comeback, albums were released in continuous succession, one kid stayed winning on-top for a while, another fine lady got epic bashings for perceived media stunts, two songs wrestled heavily for a particular award, oh! there was even the protracted social media spat between two of our industry’s big weights, alotta shots were fired… jesu! If this isn’t entertainment in itself, then tell me what is (or supposed to be). Let me take some of your time and share the highlights of music and entertainment in the 2014 year.
I’ll try hard to date stamp events but you’ll have to forgive me if my timeline doesn’t exactly fit or if I even overlooked a couple of haps. I remember watching Olamide’s Eleda Mi video first in 2014, after his Turn Up video which wasn’t exactly turnt in my opinion, Eleda Mi was new and different from what we’d had from the indigenous rapper. He started out being thankful for the lot he had already prayed to receive (or can I say achieve). Now Seyi Shay followed close with the video to Ragga Ragga. Some fine fine something she delivered with the visual ingenuity of the prolific Clarence Peters. Like baddo, it was the start of something new and beautiful for the vocal savvy Ms Shay. Speaking of the vocally savvy, along came Praiz (Nigeria’s John Legend) who had started testing new waters in the afro and pop fusion category. I especially loved his collabo with Soukous master, Awilo Logomba on Oshe and he impressed when took on some suave moves in the video, which was worth something in the end. Flavour became the man who sealed the deal to featuring the pretty-faced Dillish Matthews (winner BBA 2013) on his high life and dance music video, Ikwokrikwo. Those two brought effervescent chemistry! Ehen. Dr Sid and Don Jazzy’s Surulere video. For me, the song was just fine but others disagreed. The video made them love the song even more. Can I also say, they started the agbada trend of 2014?
Mavin Records boss, Don Jazzy unleashed three hot new acts in consecutive succession. Yaro introduced Di’Ja, Turn It Up introduced Reeky Banks who even had Mrs Billz on the opening verse and African Princess, Korede Bello. They would later know what it feels like to be part of the number 1 record label in Nigeria. Valentine’s season ushered the first contender for song of the year. Davido’s Aye was IT! Yemi Alade still riding on the wave of her Johnny frenzy, fired back with the visual premiere starring Alexx Ekubo, Comedian Bovi and Beverly Osu amongst others. Like a special friend of mine says, some mgbeke tins happened in that video. Now can somebody say PHYNO!!! The Man of the Year crooner released his debut 18-track LP, No Guts No Glory to critical acclaim. YBNL Nation also unveiled their own next-to-blow superstar, Lil Kesh with Shoki. I’m sure he nevurr hesperrerit when it finally hit him. MC Galaxy’s Sekem had a cataclysmic reception. Okokobioko has become part of our everyday slang. Runtown will never forget that moment when Davido lent his vocals to his biggest hit, Gallardo – same year the video came through. Lest I forget, Twitter went agog when DJ Spinall called out Flavour and Phyno on alleges of a stolen chorus from his song with Burna Boy, Gba Gbe E and their Authe (Authentic).
This next phase was one of breaking the internet. I remember reading something on Twitter as the year drew to an eventful close. The tweep wrote “2014 was going well until tooXclusive posted Davido’s Back When Remix feat. Wizkid & Ice Prince…” talk of breaking the internet! Mo’Cheddah woke from her beauty slumber with Destinambari and our irate nature over how Sarkodie schooled Ice Prince on Shots on Shots hasn’t chilled. Wizkid and L.A.X got us dancing to Ginger while Sean Tizzle took us on The Journey with his debut LP. In their typical enviable fashion, the Mavins Dorobucci was an epic industry shutdown. We still wonder how Don Jazzy comes up with these things. Afrocentric duo, P-Square gave us a foretaste of their money (Taste The Money), Patoranking and Tiwa Savage’s Girlie O’ have remained one of the most talked about collaborations till date, she even got us yapping a whole lot more with Wanted – the video. Oritsefemi did a remake of his hit single Double Wahala with D’Banj, and Skales’ Shake Body got even those of us without bodies trying to shake.
Omawumi broke her silence with the tribute Megbele. Waje didn’t dull on the comical video for Onye. Olamide kept things heated with Story For The gods as did Cynthia Morgan with I’m Taken (whose song by the way, has become my kryptonite). Add Burna Boy’s Don Gorgon to that list too with jaw dropping visuals. 2face Idibia dropped his sixth studio album, The Ascension to critical reviews that were neither ‘here’ nor ‘there’. Another monster collabo was Lil Kesh’s Shoki Remix. It had YBNL and HKN bad men, Olamide and Davido respectively on it. Patoranking and Olamide made an unforgettable freestyle cover of the uber familiar Loyal. They called theirs Bora. Emmy Gee got the stellar-est of rappers on the remix to his Rands & Nairas jam. That one sure got us talking as did Wizkid’s Show You The Money. Iyanya got every mans singing his ‘black & proud’ anthem, Mr Oreo while Olamide who never rests on his oars shot back… again with Goons Mi – a not-so-typical chip off the ol’ block kinda song. Timaya didn’t miss out on the rain of street anthems, he gave Sanko. Forgive me for totally forgetting Alhaji Orezi and his Shoki. To be continued… In the mean time, do me a favour and comment your best moments of the 2014 entertainment year.
Written by Jim Donnett
@jimancipation