Conscious music from Nigeria has never had a more stellar cast, and at the behest of the organisation Microsoft Internet Safety Security and Privacy Initiative for Nigeria (MISSPIN), a talented group of musicians penned a song to help fight cybercrime, the so-called ‘yahooze’ celebrated in popular culture in Nigeria yet proving the scourge of Nigeria’s international image. Helmed by the unfortunately blind but endlessly gifted Cobhams Asuquo, the producer who gave us Asa, and headlined by Banky W ‘Mr Capable’ and M.I. ‘Mr. Incredible’, these musicians have made it their message to discourage 419 scams. The idea is that there are other channels through which this obvious resourcefulness can be redirected. Some might call it a direct response to the indulgent party favourite ‘Maga Don Pay’ by Kelly Hansom, one of last year’s breakaway hits set cheekily to the tune of a popular praise anthem.
What I like most about this track is that the music is not preachy or self-important like the conscious music imported from the US. Instead it showcases some newcomers to the Nigerian music scene, many of them Cobhams’ own proteges. These singers do well to leave their personal signatures on the very brief cameos they have alongside the likes of Rooftop MCs, most notably Bez whose instantly recognisable vocal phrasing shows why he is the leading man for a small but growing indie niche in the Nigerian music market.
Enjoy.
Related posts:
. Remember to state if you want your track to be available for streaming or download only purposes.
Solid track right there and pretty awesome video to boot
“MISSPIN Ambassador Ohimai Godwin Amaize is working to shift cultural perceptions of scammers and their victims through the B.L.I.N.G. project, which unites some of Nigeria’s most influential musicians around the problem of cybercrime. Their song, “Maga No Need Pay,” challenges young Nigerians to resist the temptation of “yahoo-yahoo” and avoid creating more maga, or victims. The song, an Afro Hip-Hop and R&B fusion, is intended to help inspire both national and international audiences.” – Tim Cranton, Associate General Counsel, Microsoft