By Onochie Anibeze, Ayo Onikoyi, Emmanuel Edukugho, Ishola Balogun

Our cover last week was on Nigerian music. We titled it NIGERIA’S MUSIC IS NOW ALL ABOUT SEX AND NO SENSE. We pointed out the emptiness in the lyrical content of Nigerian music but commended their rhythms for providing danceable vibes.

We recalled that the lyrics of Nigerian artistes in the past were rich in philosophy, life experiences, love etc and wondered why today’s Nigerian musician doesn’t give a hoot about creativity that could engender imagination.

We recalled the performances of artistes and groups like Fela, Victor Olaiya, Osadebe, BLO, One World, Ofege, Wings, Apostles, Funkees, Chris Okotie, Jide Obi, Onyeka Onwenu, Mike Okri etc and wondered why the new generation sing all about sex with no story or message to even make their songs meaningful. We even published the lyrics of many international artistes to illustrate our points – that even if you are singing about a woman’s waist, there should be a story to it.

Today, we conclude that cover although many called to commend our story and ask for more. Chidi Okolo, a popular music presenter in the 80s said that “the story of Nigerian music cannot end in one edition.” We intend to do more but today we want you to appraise the lyrics of some of our top artistes of today and pass judgment yourself.

We will also bring you an interview with the legend, Victor Olaiya and Ray Mike Nwachukwu, another legend who was more into music production in those days and does a music programme on Classic FM every Wednesday. Let’s start with our artistes of today.

One of the songs ruling the airwaves right now is Lil Kech’s Shoki,a song whose only meaning is a patterned dance rhythm it generates. Throughout the song, no meaning is ascribed to what Shoki means except the beat, which has caught on like wildfire in the clubs.

It reminds so much of Skelewu, another hit that delivered virtually nothing but a dance style which has mysteriously disappeared same way it appeared on the scene. The Shoki is mentioned more than 100 times in the song, without any story, direction, instruction or philosophy, just dance and dance

(davido)

oya show me shoki, shoki shoki

everybody shoki, shoki shoki

and the request say shoki, shoki shoki

everybody shoki, shoki shoki

oya show me shoki, shoki shoki

everybody shoki, shoki shoki

oya shoki, shoki shoki

shoki, shoki shoki

i am looking for that shawty

with the baddest shoki

when everybody they shoki

abi you still dey look for johnny

but if you get case for body

the town will go make you the shawty

david please don’t stop it

i wanna see you drop it now

for me now

on this ground

oya daun

(kesh)

oya shoki kin shoki

bami wa omoge to ba yodi ha

mi o ni ko wa twerk to wa gbon’di ha

all i want her to do is to shoki

shoki kin shoki ha

shoki kin shoki ha

bami wa omoge to ba yodi ha

mi o ni ko wa twerk to wa gbon’di ha

all i want er to do is to shoki

shoki kin shoki ha

shoki, shoki ha shoki

shoki ha shoki

shoki ha shoki

shoki ha shoki

shoki ha shoki

shoki ha shoki

shoki ha shoki

shoki ha shoki

wo n lewo mo gbe de yi

ejo ijo shoki leleyi

ejo ijo igboro leleyi

anyway awon butty le jo si no problem

no’wo si’waju

k’ejika ma lo so tun, so si

ma fo soke di e, di e

ose oya f’ako si

The MAVINS crew led by Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Dr. Sid, D’Prince and others have made music that sold in millions across the African continent with many awards to show for it. While no one would question Don Jazzy’s talent as a music maker, lyrical content of his productions have raised eye-brows many times over. Their latest effort Dorobucci was a good example. The beat was top draw but people have continued to wonder what the music was all about.

Was it sending a message, instructing on some social issues or telling a story? Nobody seemed sure. Even the MAVIN crew themselves seem clueless as the only explanation they could offer is that, “Dorobucci means anything that has life and good”. But try following and making sense of the lyric and see if you could connect the explanation to the lyric. It just doesn’t click. Unless they are giving their fans a jigsaw puzzle to confound their musical minds.

(Verse – Don Jazzy)

Ehn dorobucci

Don dorobucci

Doro jazzy

Ehn doro boss

Doro big

You know say doro heavy

Doro skillful

You know say doro bloody

Doro get the biggest label wey you

Know of course

Doro tush pass anybody wey doro meet

Doro gather pass anybody for

The gathering

Doro get money pass everybody there

(Hook – Reekado Banks:)

Oya doro… dorobucci o…oh na na na

Doro… dorobucci o

Doro doro dorobucci mama n mo o

Doro… dorobucci

Bo nye be o

Doro fresh….nkwanu

Doro big…..nkwanu, nkwanu

Doro flashy

Doro classy

Doro fine pass anybody wey doro see

Doro get pass anybody wey doro meet

E o

(Verse – Tiwa Savage:)

Doro na diva….doro

Doro na tiwa

Doro na leader….doro

Follow the leader…doro

Doro doro do do doro….doro

Doro is bigger…doro

Doro is higher

Follow the ladder…doro

So follow the ladder

Doro get liver

She no dey tire

Doro hot

Doro eminado

Doro fine

Do do dorobucci eh

Doro me

Doro you

Doro mavin

We the baddest crew

[Verse – Dr. Sid:]

Doro suru

Doro lere

Doro grab

Doro carry

Doro fast pass anybody wey don dey

Fast before

Doro sleek pass anybody wey doro jam

Eh ehn

Doro hammer

Doro pako

Doro knack pass carpenter wey don

Dey knack before

Doro nado

Doro messi

Doro dribble anybody wey try to mark

Doro

(Verse – Korede Bello:)

Doro doro

African prince doro

See doro dey make all the girls dey feel

Robo robo

Doro o

Doro catch anybody wey doro fish doro

Doro chop anybody wey doro beef

Doro

Doro mega

Doro super

Doro star

Doro mega super star o

Doro catch anybody wey doro fish doro

Doro chop anybody wey doro beef

Doro

[Verse – Di’Ja:]

Doro bad

Doro double-o-seven….doro

Doro na yaro

Doro wey get e money….doro

Doro like for do anything wey doro like

For do

Mey nobody try doro

Cos dey go wound o

Doro bad

Doro double-o-seven….doro

Doro na yaro

Doro wey get e money….doro

Doro like for do anything wey doro like

For do

Mey nobody try doro

Cos dey go wound o

[Verse – D’Prince:]

Doro is a cheerful giver

Doro is a kind of boss…..a kind of boss

Doro is a money spender

Doro too dey floss…..too dey floss

Too dey floss o

Anywhere wey doro dey

You know say wahala dey…..wahala

Dey

Chickalas dey…..chickalas dey

Cos doro gallant eh

Anywhere wey doro dey eh

Wahala dey…..wahala dey

Chickalas dey…..chickalas dey

Cos doro gallant o

Omoba

Doro money

Doro baller

[Verse – Reekado Banks:]

Doro popping

Doro naughty

Doro fly pass anybody wey dey the

Plane ehn ehn

Doro ball pass anybody wey dey the

Pitch yeh

[Hook – Reekado Banks:]

Doro… dorobucci o

Doro… dorobucci o

Doro doro dorobucci mama n

Mo…..doro fine pass wey anybody

Doro see

Doro…..doro get pass anybody wey

Doro meet

Bo nye be o

Dorobucci

Doro big

Doro street

Nkwanu doro big

Doro chuck norris

After winning the MTN Project Fame music competition, the song that launched Iyanya into super stardom in the Nigerian music industry is arguably a hit tract ‘Kukere’. The music audience swallowed the single, hook, line and sinker. It even won him many awards and the door to many other endorsements, aside the doors the MTN opened for the singer.

No doubt the song was a musical exercise but one with plenty of beat and no bit. Though it was clear enough from the lyrics that the singer is praising his God for having blessed him, but for what, why and how were completely missing in the song. No story at all. Check it out:

All my ladies

All my ladies

Nse nse decale (oya decale)

ale, ale ale

All my ladies

All my ladies

Nse nse decale (oya decale)

Kukere kukere kukere

I get money o

Kukere kukere kukere

Oya make we rock o

Sangele sangele sangele

Till the early morning o

Sangele sangele sangele

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

Thankful for all he has done

So me I wanna have some fun

Steady rocking to the early morn

Call your friends dem, make dem come

Yes you could see a star was born

I am a Don Corleone

Come get some

I am on the run

Enemies dem fire burn

Who God don bless e

No man can curse e

You say, you say

ale, ale ale

Kukere kukere kukere

I get money o

Kukere kukere kukere

Oya make we rock o

Sangele sangele sangele

Till the early morning o

Sangele sangele sangele

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

All my ladies

All my ladies

Nse nse decale (oya decale)

All my ladies

All my ladies

Nse nse decale (oya decale)

Today na for jolly e

So shakey ur body

This one na happy day

Oya make we dey rock o

Kukere kukere kukere

I get money o

Kukere kukere kukere

Oya make we rock o

Sangele sangele sangele

Till the early morning o

Sangele sangele sangele

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

All my ladies (na so o)

All my ladies (na so o)

Nse nse decale (oya decale) (na so o)

Etighi (5x)

Who God don bless e

No man can curse e

You say, you say

ale, ale ale

Kukere kukere kukere

I get money o

Kukere kukere kukere

Oya make we rock o

Sangele sangele sangele

Till the early morning o

Sangele sangele sangele

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

oohhh na na na na

ye ye ye ye ye

We leave you, dear readers to appraise these. And to add to our cover we bring you an interesting interview from Ray Mike Nwachuikwu, a music buff.