Everyone loves a good beat, a soulful melody, or lyrics that resonate deep within our souls. Music has the power to elevate, inspire, and transport us to different realms. But let’s face it, sometimes our favorite artists decide to take a detour into the land of the absurd, the explicit, and the downright vulgar. So much so in Nigerian music.
The use of profane and vulgar words in Nigerian music, has alarmingly increased since the unveiling of some notable artists today.
A large percentage of most Afrobeat artistes in Nigeria can hardly do a song without using vulgar or profane words. Infact, some of them have become champions in this new ‘Genre’ of music, even stylishily handing the baton over to their protege.
Let’s embark on a perilous journey into the depths of Nigerian music to unearth some of the most questionable lyrical gems, as we have compiled a list of ten songs that made us yank the headphones off our ears (Mourinho style).
1. Kpomo remix – Reminisce x Seriki x Lil Kesh x CDQ x Falz
This song is a five-man demolition derby of linguistic decency. It’s as if these artists decided to hold a competition to see who could string together the most vulgar, offensive, and utterly pointless phrases.
“Let me fry your kpomo..” “Let me fry your dodo..” and a whole lot of God knows what.
There’s no rhyme, no reason, just a relentless barrage of expletives and bodily function references. It’s like watching a toddler explore a swear word dictionary for the first time, but with a much louder and more aggressive delivery.
Plus, I wonder, what was Falz even doing on the song?
2. Forkanizer – Skuki
The concept of a singer calling himself a “vulcanizer” to describe his alleged prowess with the female anatomy is not just cringe-worthy, it’s downright baffling. It’s as if they’ve mistaken a garage for a bedroom. The entire track feels like a desperate attempt to create a viral moment, but it’s more likely to induce a collective facepalm.
What do you mean “Kokoro meji’ ti pade ni corner, sare wole baby ko gba Agama”
This song is a prime example of why we need more substance and less surface-level shock value.
3. 69 missed calls – Jahbless ft CDQ, Lil Kesh, Olamide, chinko ekun, Reminisce
The term “69 Missed Calls” promises a certain level of intrigue, perhaps a dramatic tale of unrequited love or a suspenseful mystery. Instead, we’re treated to a lyrical cesspool of monotony. The song is essentially a glorified phone log, detailing a woman’s alleged nocturnal escapades with an alarming level of graphic detail.
While there’s a certain shock value to the sheer audacity of the lyrics, it’s a shock that quickly wears thin. The song offers nothing beyond a crude and repetitive exploration of sexual acts, devoid of any real creativity.
And the moaning sound added underneath at some point? God abeg.
4. Pass the Agabara – Skuki
This song is the auditory equivalent of a neon-lit strip club, complete with suggestive lyrics, rhythmic basslines, and the unmistakable sound of simulated pleasure. It’s a blatant attempt to titillate and provoke, and in that, it undeniably succeeds.
The concept of assigning explicit meanings to the alphabet is so crazy. Also, the inclusion of moaning sounds is a particularly low blow, reducing the song to pure exploitation. It’s a cynical attempt to create a hyper-sexualized atmosphere without offering any artistic merit.
While there’s a certain undeniable energy to the track, it’s a hollow victory. The song lacks depth, substance, or any form of artistic integrity. It’s a disposable piece of music, designed to be consumed and forgotten, leaving behind a bitter taste of exploitation. Little wonder it works for Nigerian men.
5. Falila Ketan – Olamide
Being a culture that focus more on the beat and sound of a song rather than the lyrics, falila ketan ate that year.
The song has various lines that are, quite frankly, nonsensical but three were popularized; fisi, debe and ponke which literally translates to having sex.
I’ve always admired Olamide for his lyrical depth but I wonder, what was going on through his mind that year?
Perhaps there’s a hidden meaning or a higher level of interpretation I’m missing, but nine years down the road and I just have no idea.
6. Ladi – Olamide x Phyno x Lil Kesh
“This is nonsense” is a line from the lyrics of the song and quite frankly, sums up the whole thing.
The concept of condemning a sexual act while simultaneously glorifying it is a level of cognitive dissonance that is both baffling and disturbing. You consider ‘eating ass’ an abomination but you pictured a vivid sexual act in the same song?
7. Kerewa – Zule zoo
This song undoubtedly captured the attention of the continent, becoming an infectious earworm that’s difficult to shake off. Another example of beats and not lyrics.
The lyrics sparked a significant amount of controversy. The term “kerewa” itself carries a sexually suggestive connotation, which raised eyebrows among parents and guardians. The song’s playful and often nonsensical lyrics, while entertaining to some, have been deemed inappropriate by many, and rightly so. There’s literally nothing meaningful about the song.
8. Kondo – Dagrin
Growing up, this was a very popular song and looking back, it’s just sad that the lyrics were deeply rooted in our heads. But, thank God we know better now.
A prime example of how music can be used to normalize predatory behavior. The lyrics are nothing short of disturbing, as it explicitly encourages young people to engage in sexual activity in the absence of parental supervision.
9. Story for the Gods – Olamide
Many people were furious that this song wasn’t banned when shoki by lil Kesh was banned for being a street synonym for “quickie.”
While this song was a jam, it is also terribly inappropriate.
Story for the gods” is street speak meaning “what you’re saying is of no worth or value”. Other iterations you may be more familiar with are “You’re yarning dust” or “Story for tortoise” or “Bull shit.” It literally speaks about aggression being interchangeable with sexual prowess, a miscommunication common in Hip-Hop as a whole, this is one of the pervasive downsides of hip hop, the unchecked macho posing that often comes across as unthinking at best and down right masochistic at worst.
10. German juice – Cynthia Morgan
Was this song celebrating or insulting women with big behinds? Honestly, I don’t know. In the lyrics though, Cynthia Morgan asks them to come forward to an obvious party thrown by, maybe, a big spender, (Definitely a man). ‘The girl
with the German juice….the girl with
the biggest behind….’
With her fake Jamaican patois accent, you begin to wonder, what is she even saying?
