'The Live Report' is a timely study of society and a response to conundrums by AQ and MI Abaga [Review]

ALSO READ: AQ – God’s Engineering [Album Review]

Whereas AQ had swarm in belated Rose(s) since his Headies-nominated album dropped, this one was completely different. From all indications, he realized it too – as roses and commentary got here off materials moments from his followers, he replied with the innate vanity of an OG lastly at peace with himself. The peace appeared like one peculiar to demise – for AQ, it represented the demise of doubt and hassle.

Within the following days, the odd tweet dropped a Molotov Cocktail to commend AQ‘s lyrical mastery and musical supply on God’s Engineering. Then on April 2, 2020, a twitter consumer, @M_CEO requested AQ, “@thisisAQ Chief, what number of Rts for a joint album with @MI_Abaga?”

AQ replied that, “I am not the one try to be asking bro.. Ask @MI_Abaga.” When MI Abaga noticed the tweet, he replied, “See this lifeless man!!! Lol.. let’s do it.. report a complete challenge earlier than subsequent week Saturday. And put it out.. down?”

Curiously, this additionally got here just some weeks after MI Abaga launched Judah EP – his ninth studio challenge. Abaga is likely to be a problematic human being, however he stands tall with the regal exuberance of Xerxes as arguably the best Nigerian rapper of all-time.

When Judah EP dropped, it solely confirmed what the world had recognized for a very long time, M.I. is a genius at this music factor. On Bobrisky‘s web, not even stan tradition or allegiance to a different artist would make you deny that. Everytime you hearken to him, you perceive that he has perfected the artwork of constructing music. In his aspect, he is like Bach to a music sheet or a piano.

However not like Bach, Abaga doesn’t write sofas with a pen, he writes bars. Despite the fact that he may flip a Requiem for a banging Hip-Hop monitor with misleading cadences, Abaga doesn’t compose Requiem not like Bach. In between Judah EP and The Reside Report, South African rapper, Nasty C named MI Abaga because the No. 1 rapper in Africa throughout a chat with Pulse Nigeria.

Only a day earlier than this assessment dropped, Abaga additionally acquired an immense present of respect from one other nice African rapper named Tumi – popularly often known as Stogie T. In simply over 50 seconds, Abaga annihilated an instrumental of Drake‘s timeless report, ‘Pound Cake.’ For these causes, a collaboration challenge with AQ is not only a big second in Nigerian Hip-Hop.

It’s a watershed second that sees two of Nigeria’s finest and largest rappers collaborate on vital topics which have most likely been rumbling of their minds and combating their intestines for weeks, months and years. Greater than the challenge itself, it’s a legacy challenge in collaboration – one thing Nigerian Hip-Hop desperately wants.

By April 9, 2020, MI Abaga despatched out a tweet that pointed to the concept behind this EP. A line from that tweet reads, “#TheLiveReport A 5 Day Journal.” The challenge was blended by MI Abaga. On that have, he writes, “Can’t consider we did this!! @beatsbyBDJ made beats in 2 days .. we recorded in isolation for Three days.. final two days I’ve been mixing.. haven’t slept in two days.”

By April 11, 2020, The Reside Report was introduced as a 6-track EP and was set to drop 4 days after that tweet. On April 15, 2020, The Reside Report debuted on all platforms within the thick of accelerating lockdown measures throughout Nigerian states to sluggish and hopefully comprise the unfold of COVID-19.

ALSO READ: The power of collaboration in Nigerian Hip-Hop

As a Nigerian, this second has celebrated among the well-documented ineptitude of Nigerian governments and put them on present. As folks have change into unable to work, some have misplaced their jobs as a consequence of financial strains whereas avenue boys have taken to sunlight armed theft.

On the worldwide stage, it has been a battle of capitalism that doesn’t precisely worth human life. It doesn’t assist that one thing about COVID-19 appears sinister. However as folks attempt to discover solutions and blame somebody, they’ve hilariously taken intention on the 5G community for spreading COVID-19 – no matter meaning.

Even worse, some Nigerians are nonetheless contending with the federal government over faith. As a substitute of seeing the lockdown and close-down of church buildings and mosques as security measures, they suppose they’re being censored. Individuals appear to have selected human-inspired types of dedication to faith over dedication to God himself. Unhappy

The Reside Report is then just like the dense, advanced and written speculation of two Nigerians who maintain up a bodily illustration of the globe, take a look at the results of COVID-19, capitalism, company espionage, faith, vainness and the inevitability of demise vis-a-vis how they have an effect on humanity.

ALSO READ: The Robbers of Lagos State

The challenge is extra a victory for what it represents than the musical expertise it sells. Right here is why;

Tone of The Dialog

The Reside Report and this five-day journal opens as much as the brilliance of Beats By Jayy. After a sampled vibrant epilogue from an unknown man who presumably galvanizes his troops with discuss of the inevitability of battle and their participation in it, Beats By Jayy is sensible with the warped out vocal samples, thudding Hip-Hop drums and cloud strings simply earlier than the bass traces usher MI Abaga in.

Women and gents, Mr Abaga went brazy. In a single swoop, he set the tone for the track, the challenge and AQ‘s verse. ‘Tone of The Dialog‘ is like manifesto premised on braggadocio. It is nearly like MI Abaga and AQ learn out their CVs after which say, ‘Simply due to what you simply heard, we’re the one ones deserving of claiming the issues we’re about to say on this EP.’

It is also fairly attention-grabbing that the track is titled, ‘Tone of The Dialog.’ MI Abaga raps, “You are all about to witness the litmus of excessive vibration…” earlier than extolling his 13 years of excellence and his defiance to demise. That is just like the appetizer or like wall screeding that comes earlier than the gloss. MI Abaga‘s method is switched up like a mixture of Pusha T and iLLBliss, however with MI Abaga on the helm.

Even when he switched up his vocal texture like Kendrick Lamar round 1:27 simply as he dropped the superb line, “I earned my spot defending you nigg*s, I am Amotekun…” and gave a salute to all of the rappers who got here earlier than him, together with…

AQ enters with weapons blazing regardless of his admission, “By no means held a gun…” He adulates himself for being the one hardcore rapper getting cash. He then fires pictures, “Humorous how all these rappers wanna get cash on IG reside. The issue is, you do not get cash on IG reside…” The ultimate piece of impression comes as AQ in flip exhibits respect to MI by exhibiting pleasure at being on the identical challenge with MI.

The Reside Report

The infamy of COVID-19 has introduced with it some questions, stupidity and conspiracy theories as a result of all the existence of this virus is sort of sinister. As said earlier, a variety of Nigerians nonetheless consider the 5G community emits coronavirus. On this monitor, MI Abaga and AQ reply to a few of these questions, acts of stupidity and conspiracy theories.

MI Abaga went first as he rapped in one of many opening traces to his verse, “I hear y’all speaking about 5G like rattling, y’all nig**s want widespread sense. However it’s that brainwashing in y’all’s defence…” Simply earlier than that, MI Abaga gave a shout-out to Boogie and after that, he took intention on the well-documented Nigerian drawback of misplaced precedence and extensive dearth of data.

To MI Abaga, we have to put money into training greater than faith. Do not get him flawed, he is the son of a Reverend who has made Christian music previously and who nonetheless most likely practices Christianity. Nonetheless, there is a distinction between idolatory of faith and logic. AQ is available in and completely blasts the monitor with intellectualism of conspiracy theories.

To AQ, the issue is capitalism. He took intention on the features of capitalism from this complete lockdown and COVID-19. Pharmaceutical corporations will make a killing, unusual shops now promote sachets of Panadol for N200, streaming corporations are making a killing whereas telecommunications corporations and web suppliers are the most important gainers.

AQ is indignant at how we ignored the issue of organic warfare and the addictive nature of the web. He gave an instance with the deft line, “As your time goes TikTok, they cashing out too. It is including up and so they’re including up a brand new problem #FlipTheSwitch to #ToosieSlide all been organized…” TikTok will make a killing off adverts throughout this era.

MI Abaga got here again with theories framed as questions by means of which he goals to make folks questions the system. By means of the existence of all different viruses just like the Spanish Influenza, MI Abaga jokes that God won’t finish the world with a chilly whereas theorizing that the vaccine is likely to be a part of the plan.

For his half, AQ thinks this can be a ploy to make the whole lot go browsing and raps, “This isn’t the tip of the world, it is the tip of an period…” He then raps in regards to the well-documented tech wars and cases of company espionage that is been happening between China and America for over 20 years. It piqued with Samsung vs. Apple within the early 2010s.

The final of these circumstances was when the American authorities banned Huawei from getting used. Phrase was that Huawei merchandise used within the pentagon could possibly be reverse-engineered to mine American information. However like AQ raps, “The place is Africa in all this?” If there was ever a time for Africa to face tall by creating its approach out of this, it is now. As a substitute, we waited and allowed the virus to develop.

The beat is once more spectacular like one thing off Ryan Leslie and Kanye West within the 2000s. Significantly, it sounds shares delicate similarities with the Ryan Leslie-produced ‘Fly Collectively‘ and shares a looped vocal pattern with the one on ‘Runaway’ by Kanye West.

Jesus Stated Use Your Head

Within the thick of COVID-19 lockdown to manage the unfold of a deadly virus, Nigerians battled in opposition to the federal government making an attempt to avoid wasting their lives and jobs. They accused the federal government of over-bloating COVID-19 with a purpose to stop them from serving their variations of God. Elsewhere, some Muslims beat up members of a Nigerian safety set-up as a result of they needed to attend Jumat.

On a very good day, Nigerians worth their pastors and place their faith even above different types of faith. In 2019, Pulse Nigeria revealed a critique of comic, Maraji’s take on the prevalence of Christianity to different types of faith. In different points in opposition to faith, folks exhibit worrying sings of extremism and hypocrisy with their thought course of.

Then, there’s the ever-polarizing tithe situation which I cannot extol – for now. However to AQ and MI Abaga, the negatives of faith are value canvassing. The hook is superb as MI Abaga and AQ take the place of Jesus and intention to emancipate the folks from psychological slavery imposed by the excesses of faith – a human idea.

MI Abaga – not for the primary time – embodies The Lion of The Tribe of Judah. On the hook he sings, “Jesus stated, use your head, use your mind…” AQ criticizes the extremism of non secular ideologies, iconography and the idolatory of faith as folks now see their pastors as gods who may flog them with sticks and whips.

AQ importantly slams the folks for his or her willful ignorance and fostering the excesses of faith. MI Abaga refuses to have interaction call-out tradition, however he tells a extra private story. What MI Abaga raps from, “However within the meantime…” is simply fact. He then raps, “Faith is the opium of the folks…” simply as he examines the broader issues from extreme monetary obsession with faith.

One factor we neglect is that faith was created by human beings based mostly on what we really feel was divine inspiration. As soon as we notice that there might be faults in that arsenal, we will transfer on and reside proper. Faith needs to be a channel to God, not a mannequin to worship pastors or denigrate humanity.

“Do not let one other sheep persuade you that you’re sheep” – MI Abaga, 2020

“A few of your pastors aren’t Christ-like…” – AQ, 2020

Clap For Your self that includes Huge Daddy Jayy (Beats By Jaayy)

That hook is simply psychological because it satirically examines the ability of lies in inter-personal relationships. MI Abaga‘s and AQ‘s verses are satires in regards to the energy of lies and vainness in Lagos circles. MI Abaga examines the affect of lies whereas AQ raps in regards to the vicious circle of clout-chasing and philandering ladies.

Simply as he’s sensible on the hook, BeatsByJayy crafts a entice beat on a tempo much like one he crafted for AQ on ‘Hmmmm’ Below the thudding drums and Travis Scott-esque psychedelic strings is a loop that was first heard on ‘Solely‘ by Nicki Minaj that includes Chris Brown, Drake and Lil Wayne.

“All the cash wey you get, I hear say na mp3..” – Huge Daddy Jayy, 2020

Once I’m Gone that includes Nawe

On ‘Flux Capacitor‘ off Jay Electronica‘s debut album, A Written Testimony, Jay Z rapped, “Once I die please do not tweet about my demise (demise), tryna get mentions, bringin’ consideration to your self. Please do not publish some pic from within the membership, with some quote you stole like we was tighter than what we was, tryna get likes from my love. If you cannot go by the crib then give my momma a hug…”

Rappers are obsessive about the idea of demise. On this sample-heavy Hip-Hop beat, AQ and MI Abaga go darkish and discuss in regards to the idea of demise. For therefore many individuals, demise is to be unstated, however to humanity, it’s extra inevitable than taxes. AQ makes use of the second to debate his needs upon his demise. Importantly, he exhibits he nonetheless desires to reside, “Give me my flowers earlier than I give it up…“

MI Abaga doesn’t tempt the angel of demise, as a substitute he addresses demise from the angle of suicide. Apparently, a pal of his – a DJ – dedicated suicide and he claims that he was shocked when it occurs. MI Abaga desires all of us to know that we’re prone to the whims of suicide as he raps, “We wish to lie that we’re robust, however inside we’re weak…”

Thus, Abaga claims that individuals ought to converse up. These deaths and the ability of suicide then makes MI look at his personal life autopsy. Like AQ, he desires his roses whereas he lives – he does not need folks to take a seat on the fence anymore. Phrase on the road is that Nawe is Jesse Jagz‘s daughter with Ruby Gyang.

Braveheart

You should have seen Braveheart, the fictional 1995 Mel Gibson basic in regards to the life and martyrdom of William Wallace as he leads the Scottish battle of Independence in opposition to England. You may also bear in mind the basic James Horner scores as they tore by means of your unconscious and helped you channel the feelings the film evoked.

Consider this AQ and MI Abaga model because the unification of the film’s themes with music and the Nigerian spirit. AQ opens the track with, “Mel Gibson as William Wallace, I am Bravehearted, preventing for love within the coliseum, I’d die for my freedom…”

As BeatsByJayy constructs a beat that reminds considered one of No ID, AQ once more embody the spirit of the intro ‘Tone of The Dialog’ for this outro. ‘Braveheart’ combines braggadocio with an epilogue that sees each rappers look at what they’ve stated and the themes they’ve examined earlier than principally saying, ‘Simply because we’re ****, we have now stated this. Take care of it, Nigeria *drops mic*’

From a spot of ache, AQ immortalizes his identify within the distance demise and systemic demise of Nigeria. Extra importantly, AQ values his house as he refuses to reply to messages or do giveaways – the litmus take a look at of true celeb in 2020. Yo, this beat is a magnificence with thudding drums and dangerous electrical guitars.

“See, the psychology of a winner is diabolic,” is among the largest issues that MI Abaga raps. Famously, MI Abaga is criticized by Nigerian Hip-Hop for being scarce. Typically, he’s at fault for not making sacrifices, however often, the tradition forgets that he’s additionally a human being with a life. MI Abaga addresses that with defiance, “I am busy.”

MI Abaga then addresses individuals who wish to beef with him. He raps, “I diss you, I make you well-known.” So, as a substitute of replying, he desires to maintain quiet. It is also fairly urgent that we have to ask, who is that this ‘Pricey Colleague’ that MI Abaga retains referencing. Maybe, he is a fictional illustration, created to handle sure questions.

Maybe, it is a sub as a result of pictures are being fired. No matter it’s, solely time will inform. When that occurs and we’re nonetheless in journalism, we will be there to unpack it. You understand you’re keen on me. xoxo.

“Giveaways, my household wants my earnings…” – AQ, 2020.

Last Ideas

First, one other two years like this from BeatsByJayy with manufacturing credit that stretch past MI Abaga, AQ and Unfastened Kaynon as he retains producing high quality our bodies of labor, he’ll discover himself in elite firm. Whereas MI Abaga and AQ would possibly take all of the plaudits, he would possibly simply be the unstated star of this challenge. Kudos, homie.

When all is alleged and carried out, MI Abaga and AQ – since 2010 – won’t ever launch a median challenge. Do not stress me, expensive, it is simply going to occur. As famous earlier than, take away the standard raps, the pedigree of the rappers and the empirical view/socio-politically charged messaging of this EP, this challenge represents one thing larger – collaboration.

That stated, it is superb how rappers may get out of their consolation zones simply sufficient to retain among the components of these consolation zones whereas addressing larger-than-life matters. MI Abaga and AQ showcased Jay Z, Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar ranges of acutely aware raps charged at totems of society. AQ‘s verse on ‘The Reside Report’ in addition to MI‘s verse on ‘Tone of The Dialog’ are world class.

The most important drawback although is slight. I didn’t benefit from the musical expertise like I would take pleasure in one other topically dense album despite the fact that the manufacturing can also be superb. There have been instances when the matters have been carrying the expertise, not the music. There are additionally one or two instances that momentarily underwhelm – not for any specific factor, however for the musical expertise.

Additionally noteworthy is how ‘The Reside Report’ seems like the right monitor one in its general spirit. The beat for ‘Tone of The Dialog‘ would have made it an ideal monitor two, however the manifesto-style to it causes a conundrum. One thing tells this author each rappers may need thought lengthy in regards to the placement of each tracks.

Scores: /10

• Zero-1.9: Flop

• 2.Zero-Three.9: Close to fall

• four.Zero-5.9: Common

• 6.Zero-7.9: Victory

• eight.Zero-10: Champion

Pulse Ranking: /10

Tracklist: 1.6/2

Content material, Themes and Supply: 2/2

Manufacturing: 1.5/2

Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.four/2

Execution: 1.5/2

Whole:

eight.Zero – Champion