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Lagbaja didn’t allow me see his face during our recording session, says Fireboy

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On his self-titled fourth album, Fireboy features Nigerian music legend Lagbaja, Grammy-nominated Afrobeat star Seun Kuti, Grammy winner Jon Baptiste, and sensational hitmaker Lojay.

In an interview with Apple Music Africa Now, Fireboy talks about his new album and the experience of collaborating with Lagbaja and Seun Kuti.

According to the award-winning star, he couldn’t see Lagbaja’s face as he wore his famous mask all through the recording session of their collaboration ‘Back & Forth’. Fireboy also shared he wanted to collaborate with legends in Nigerian music to add a touch of nostalgia and depth to the album.

“That’s a special record, right there. It means a lot to me getting a legend like Lagbaja on that record, in [the] time that we are in now. One major theme around the album is nostalgia—there’s this nostalgic feeling when you listen to the album, so it’s only right that I employed my legends in the game to help me push this message. Right from the very beginning, I knew this record was special, and I could not wait for everyone to listen to it.

You would not believe this: [Lagbaja] was masked up in the studio. It was crazy—I did not get to see his face. I had a few interesting thoughts; I wanted to ask him if I could see his face! But you know, all that matters is that we made the music. That’s what makes Lagbaja, Lagbaja. You know, “Lagbaja,” where I’m from, in the Yoruba language, means, “Mr. Nobody,” an anonymous person; so it’s only right that I do not get to see his face. I’m glad he got to be on the record—a special person, a special artist, a special record.”

On his collaboration with Seun Kuti, Fireboy credits the album A&R and YBNL label boss Olamide for suggesting him for the track while describing the Afrobeat star as an amazing and funny person.

“Big shout out to Olamide, one of the A&Rs on the album. When we worked on the song together in the studio, he advised me, “I hear Seun Kuti on this,” and the moment he said that it just clicked. I just imagined him in one very dark room, spotlight on him, with the sax just blowing away, and it just made perfect sense to me. He’s a very cool guy, Seun Kuti. Amazing person, very funny, down to earth, and really hilarious. He has a very colourful personality and it was fun making the record with him.”

On his fourth album, Fireboy named a song after the seminal Afropop star Wande Coal. He says the song and the album are a tribute to legends who have shaped African music over the years.

“I recorded that in 2021 I think, in SPINALL’s studio in Lagos. I was like, “When the time is right, this record will come out”—it just made a lot of sense. I listened to the beat once and it just immediately took me back to 2015-2016, when I was listening to one of Wande Coal’s records. It just sounded like something Wande Coal would love, something he would have loved to have spit on. I was like, “What would Wande of 2016 do? Let me just try that.” It’s sort of like a tribute to him; [everyone] knows I respect him so much.

This whole album is more like a tribute to all the legends that shaped African music over the years, and also a testament to myself, of course, and my growth over the years.”

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Mercy Johnson under fire for campaigning for APC’s Okpebholo

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Mercy Johnson-Okojie, the Nollywood actress, has been criticised on social media for campaigning for Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate in the upcoming Edo election.

A now-viral video shows Mercy soliciting votes for Okpebholo at a rally. She also assured the crowd that the APC gubernatorial candidate will “bring positive changes” to the state.

“Are you not tired? No light, water, healthcare, security and good roads. If you will vote for senator Monday, raise your hand,” she said.

“…So when you get to that field early in the morning, vote for Monday, vote for APC, vote for the broom.”

The video has triggered backlash on social media with critics slamming the actress for supporting the ruling party despite widespread economic hardship.

“Mercy Johnson is just a cheap opportunistic agbero with zero class and zero morality in my opinion. Imagine supporting blabbing Tinubu and now also supporting Illiterate Monday Okpebholo of all people. Talent is really not enough,” an X user wrote.

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Justin Timberlake sentenced to community service for drink-driving offence

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Pop star Justin Timberlake was sentenced to community service on Friday after pleading guilty to a drink-driving charge, according to US media reports.

The 43-year-old was arrested on 18 June in Sag Harbor, approximately 100 miles east of New York City, after police observed his BMW running a stop sign and swerving between lanes.

In August, Timberlake pleaded not guilty to driving while intoxicated during a virtual court appearance before a judge, who ordered the suspension of his driver’s licence in New York state, US media reported.

However, Sag Harbor Village Justice Court justice Carl Irace later handed Timberlake a community service sentence and ordered the star to make a public statement after he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of driving while alcohol-impaired, The New York Post reported.

The officer who pulled over the “Cry Me a River” singer said Timberlake was in no fit state to drive.

“His eyes were bloodshot and glassy, a strong odour of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath, he was unable to divide attention, his speech was slow, he was unsteady on his feet, and he performed poorly on all standardised field sobriety tests,” the police report stated.

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Patoranking’s sister and husband die in gas explosion, leaving 3-year-old son

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The Police Command in Ebonyi, says the explosion that claimed the lives of a couple, Mr and Mrs George Onuabuchi in Abakaliki, Ebonyi’s capital was from a gas cylinder and not from an inverter battery.

DSP Joshua Ukandu, spokesman of the Command in the state told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday that the incident occurred on August 25. Ukandu said that a preliminary investigation showed that the couple died from a gas explosion.

“It happened on the waterworks axis in Abakaliki on August 25. The residents living around the scene called the attention of our personnel who visited the place but the couple has already been taken to hospital.

“It’s very unfortunate that both finally died. The wife, Chioma died sometime in August while the husband died this month, September.

“We gathered that the wife was a younger sister to the popular Nigerian Afrobeat singer, Patoranking.

“There are no much details because the victims could not survive to tell the story. So, what killed them was gas and not inverter explosion,” the police spokesman explained.

Also speaking with NAN one of the relatives who refused to mention his name described the incident as bad for the family.

“They were young couple. They had only a child, a three-year-old son.

“Please I have more to say. I cannot say more than this. They have gone,” the relative said.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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