When To Start A Branding Process By Wunmi Eruaga

There is a plethora of talk on branding circulating in business today. Most of what is being said is too ambiguous for the average business owner, who thinks only in return on investment and sales (black and white). It is becoming increasingly hard to convince entrepreneurs about the vital role branding plays in the world of business. Strangely, with all the information on branding available today, entrepreneurs are aware of the magnitude of branding but are just confused about the concept. This blog will shed as much light on the subject not only to stress its importance but also to eliminate any confusion. I would be willing to answer any questions on branding in the comment section.

Today, we would look at the reasons to start a branding process. I’d like to call it a business diagnosis that tells you when you need the branding medicine. This information is supposed to guide today’s entrepreneur on when to decide to get a brand catalyst to work on the brand. Yeah! Yeah! I have heard a lot on branding but how do I know then I need to get a branding process started? Here are a few reasons or situations or symptoms that require an entrepreneur to prepare a budget for branding and start investing.



I’m starting a new business.
I need a business card and a website
We’ve developed a new product and it needs a name and logo yesterday.
We need to raise millions of Naira. The campaign needs to have its own identity
We’re going public next year.
We need to raise venture capital, even though we do not have our first customer.
Our name no longer fits who we are and the businesses we are in.
We need to change our name because of a business registration conflict.
Our name has a negative connotation in the new market we want to enter.
Our name misleads customers.
We want to reposition and renew the global brand.
We need to communicate more clearly about who we are.
We’re going global-we need help to enter new markets.
No one knows who we are.
We want to appeal to a new and more affluent market.
Our website doesn’t work on smart phones.
We are a great company with cutting-edge products. We look behind the times
Will our identity work on the web?
Our identity does not position us shoulder to shoulder with our competitors
I’m embarrassed when I give out my business card.
Everyone in the world recognizes our icon, but admit it- she needs a face-lift.
We love our symbol – our market knows it. The problem is you cannot read our logotype.
We do not present a consistent face to our customers.
We lack visual consistency and we need new brand architecture to deal with acquisitions.
Our packaging is not distinctive.
Our competition looks better than we do
All of our marketing looks like it comes from different companies


For every point in business when you have any thought about these things to yourself or shared it with other stakeholders, that moment is when you should consider kick starting a branding process.



Feel free to contact me on my personal website www.wunmieruaga.com

Music Mondays With Femi Samuel: 5 New Music Videos You Should See

The main purpose of visuals to a song is somewhat undermined in this part of the world with our music industry's refusal to take the music videos which they put out and place on rotation seriously. A huge shout out to the set of artistes & video directors that put in work to create amazing music videos. Here is a review of 5 of the latest music videos out now.


Banky W: “Gidi Love”
Director: Banky W
Banky W released the visuals to this lovely tune which was the soundtrack of Femi Odugbemi's romantic movie "Gidi Love" starring the likes of Gideon Okeke & the legendary Bukky Wright. The video was shot on location in New York to be precise and had its primary setting in a court room. A very hilarious video that was spot-on with its storyline and content. Everyone felt comfortable in the video; from the actors to the extras and Banky W. It was very exciting to watch, the performers in this video were hilarious from the start to finish. The best feature had to be the scene were Hauwa Allahbura of the Gidi Love fame walked-in during the court session which was a breathtaking sight as she was ravishing in her orange dress which made the court room to stop and stare which was appropriate as it blended well with the lyrics of the song.


Kiss Daniel: “Sin City”
Director: HG2 FILMS
When Kiss Daniel decided to include Sin City on his debut album "New Era", it already felt as if he had major plans for the song's video with the song's content. In the visuals to this record, we see Kiss Daniel performing on the streets of a downtown American city. The location where this video was shot links appropriately with the lyrics to the song. It might not be an original concept with the output but it had a decent story line to it.


Koker: “Give Dem”
Director: Director Q
In Give Dem, we see Koker going from being a regular diner kitchen staff that had to deal with a nagging and difficult boss, to being the Star boy everyone loves and admires. Koker was nicely dressed in all the scenes, as he connected well with the eye-catching video vixens that were looking really good. We also see a well-orchestrated choreography performance in the video with everyone being on the beat and sticking to the script. Director Q definitely did a good work with the pre-production and post production of this video as it was crispy clear to watch. It had the distinctive feature as the title of the song "Give Dem" which was personified by burgers and fries that were served to the customers.


 P Square: “Bank Alert”
Director: Clarence Peters
Everyone's favorite twins are finally on rotation once again on our television screens with this comedic drama music video, which had notable Nollywood actor Mr. IBU and the legendary Onyeka Onwenu starring in it. A really nicely done typical P-square kind of music video; it had the required props in it. It also depicted the grass to grace story of having to fly in a private jet, then moving into their own mansion. The choreographers were also dressed in their individual traditional attires, as they created a picture of the cultural greatness that can be associated to the sound of this record.


Lola Rae: “One Time”
Director: Clarence Peters
Pretty face Lola Rae is back on the scene with the visuals to her previously released reggae tune "one time". This song and video has been accepted into the music industry on a friendly note but is subject to scrutiny with the fact that this record has similarities with the melody and beat of Tiwa Savage's Wanted jam. The video has an innocent-looking Lola Rae getting into character as she possessed the persona of a rude-gal with naughty mannerism. It also featured dancers and models, which were rightly placed in the video as they displayed some theatrics. The club scene had decent angles with its shoot-technique and proper lightings.

Femi Samuel on Twitter: @Femi_RichNation

Wunmi Eruaga

Wunmi Eruaga is a Nigerian multi-disciplinary maker of useful, curious and beautiful things.  His Core skills are in Graphic/Web design, Illustration and branding.

Wunmi’s journey is a little different than most. He started his career after graduating with a B.Ed in English Education from the University of Lagos, and made grand plans of becoming an Editor-in-Chief of a prominent magazine. After realizing he quite frankly couldn’t fly the rungs, Wunmi began teaching himself design at the age of 22. Fast-forward a few years and through a whole lot of ass busting, Wunmi is now a designer, founder, and maker.

After kicking off his career as a designer, Wunmi had the honor to develop ideas and design for companies such as M1oAfrica, RedboxAfrica, Popcentral, SupremeDremeTeam (a Hip Hop collective he is a member of) and Josh Manuel Co.

For the past two and a half years, Wunmi has steadily built and honed his skills under some of the biggest creatives in the industry. He considers life a learning process, following the advice of one of his mentors, still hasn’t seen his best at his endeavors.

In his spare time Wunmi is the founder of MADE BY DESIGN ™, a project dedicated to Lagos City’s creative business, culture and education. The project through collaborations, product design, content creation and education is aimed at engaging, promoting and empowering creatives, people & brands. Wunmi enjoys reading and writing.

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Find out more on his Website www.wunmieruaga.com
Follow these links to articles on his blog:
 Naming Ceremony Business
Kaption Photography Business

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All Or Nothing Fitness With Dizzy: Lend A Helping Hand

Hello guys, whoop! “LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL”, *takes picture of a guy or girl using the wrong form or the fat man on the treadmill*. Unreal!

 I really don’t get people that do this. Someone’s made an effort to take a step in the right direction and your welcome is to laugh, you are a real genius, you are. It’s quite unfortunate, but we have such people and if you’re one of them reading this, shame on you! And, if you’ve been subjected to such I apologize, not everyone is that idiotic. So yeah, why not hand a helping hand next time and show support?

 We all started somewhere and if everyone gave us such a welcoming, I’m sure some of us won’t be where we are today. Or be headed in the direction at all. Luckily, as there are morons out there, there are also great people out there willing to help. I personally love to see first timers because they have a lot of positive energy and enthusiasm.

 At times, this lifestyle is like a jungle, the newbies come in more or less like newly born animals (no offense), not everyone will make it (into a lifestyle), but we serve as their parents (so to speak), it’s up to us to help these newcomers in the quest to survive as you were helped when you started (I say this because I know some people are hopeless and don’t want to be helped).

Before throwing the fat lady on the treadmill under a bus (you probably won’t have the strength anyways), or skinny guy struggling with five push-ups, have this in mind; you too couldn’t lift as heavy as you do now, nor were you as fit as you now are.  So, come on man, help them out and don’t be that guy taking pictures, posting on social media to feed your low esteem (at least, help first).  Signing out and if you need any help whatsoever , I’m always available.
You can keep up with me on social media:

Twitter: @AONFitness
Instagram: @AONFitness
Facebook: https://t.co/GougsGtIkw
E- mail: aonfitnessnigeria@gmail

Music Mondays With Femi Samuel: 5 Hot Songs on The Dodo Gang Playlist

#TheDodoGangPlaylist - This is the official #DodoGangEndorsed playlist that gives a proper insight on 5 of the  hottest songs at the moment and also assists gangsters as to what music they should have on their playlist.

1. Pana - Tekno

Tekno, undoubtedly has to be /everyone's favorite boy/ right now, dropping hits after hits with; Duro, Wash, and Where. He clearly isn’t ready to slow down, when he decided to put out the most popular song at the moment "Pana". Everywhere you go; you find the next person saying "Baby Pana" or hear something put out the sentence "Folake give me love ooh". This tune has the right melody that makes it an enjoyable one. Nothing can arguably be found lacking in this song.

2. Love At First Sight - Legendury Beatz ft. Ceeza

Love at first sight which was produced by the heavyweight-production duo of Legendury Beatz,. They had upcoming Afro-reggae/pop singer Ceeza Milli delivering the verses on this record. This song switches up between R'n'B & Reggae, showcased how versatile & talented the new kid on the block can be. Ceeza was decent vocally. He bossed the matured instrumental through the song. His sound & delivery reminds me of the version of Wizkid before the AYO album. Ceeza had a superb outing on this one; he is one for the future.

 3. No Forget – AdekunleGold ft. Simi

On his debut album, Gold, popular alternative singer AdekunleGold showed us how great he can be as a recording artiste, with his impressive performance on the album. No Forget featuring the delectable Simi, is a very good tune that sets itself apart from similar songs in its category of music. Both artistes, created a picture of the problems two young lovers face on their quest to freedom and happiness. The chemistry they had together on this piece of work was a very much needed one, which yielded into a great record. The melody of this song makes its listeners relate well to it. And the song is currently one of the hottest songs out there at the moment, most especially with female ‘DekunleGold music lovers.

4. Kontrol- Maleek Berry

This fresh tune from Berry's Room is one that is setup to get you in the right mood; (positive vibes only), as you slowly proceed into the right frame of mind. Maleek Berry who is originally a record producer,  beat the odds as he was comfortable cruising through his verses and delivering a massive hook to this smooth dancehall beat.

5. Little Bit More- Jidenna

Jidenna dropped this hard tune ‘little bit more’ a while back and was in the country not too long ago to promote the record and his debut album. The entire package of the song is that it kicks off in suspense (with the drums in the background) and builds up to an up-tempo song that has "everything" needed in it. This type of record goes on to stipulate the fact that music is powerful; because from nowhere you just feel like dancing to this song that has a mixture of Afro beat, Hip-hop & Rap in it. And its overall production is also a brilliant one.... /wahala she no dey give me/... /I dey want it plenty plenty/.


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Too Much Talk Episode 5: Teyana and Suicide

The Talkatives are happy to present to you Episode 5 of Too Much Talk titled Teyana and Suicide. NK is finally back from her wedding absence and had a lot to say. This episode features suicidal talks and the new Kanye West video that had the whole world yapping about Teyana Taylor's amazing body.

Enjoy Too Much Talk Episode 5: Teyana & Suicide

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All Or Nothing Fitness With Dizzy: Pump It Up

PUMP, PUMP… PUMP IT UP!

Hello people, don’t we just love a good pump? I really do not understand why many bodybuilders love to focus on their chest and arms. I guess they’ve given up hope of ever reducing their belly fat, so they rather make the chest protrude to cover the tummy.

Oh my! I might be on to something here.  Ha! Another could be the fact that these parts are the most “visible” and often used as a scale to measure strength in some fitness worlds (not mine though). Then again, perhaps the most logical is the feeling it brings, the amazing pump and satisfaction of the chest and arms growing as you lift.

 These muscle groups show an immediate (temporary) blast when they are pumped. Oh Chest Day! Oh Arm Day! EVERYDAY! Unfortunately I don’t fall into that category of chest and arm day everyday bodybuilders.  BUT! Today, I got the chest pump of life! And, check this out! NO WEIGHTS REQUIRED!

YES! No Dumbbells! No Barbells! No Cables! Just body and blood (as per usual). By the end of this workout, you’d feel a feeling you’ve never felt before. Parental Guidance is seriously advised! IT IS NOT FOR BABIES! Before I yap too much, let me get straight to it:

Push ups (4X to Failure)
Push Suspension (4X to failure)
Isometric Wipes (4X to failure)
Hand Release Push Ups (4X Failure)
Take 1 - 2 minutes rest (depending on fitness levels) between activities, as written above, complete 4 sets of push ups, all to failure before proceeding to the 4 sets of Push Suspension each to failure, and so on.

With the push suspension, hold your position as shown in the photo below. The remaining exercises can be found online. Good luck (you’d need it), tell me how it goes. This routine is off my “Home Grater” program. PUMP IT UP!

You can keep up with me on social media:
Twitter: @AONFitness
Instagram: @AONFitness
Facebook: https://t.co/GougsGtIkw

E- mail: aonfitnessnigeria@gmail.com

Music Mondays With Femi Samuel: Reekado Banks Spotlight Album Review

ARTISTE NAME: REEKADO BANKS
ALBUM NAME: SPOTLIGHT
RECORD LABEL: MAVIN RECORDS
RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2016

Reekado Banks, whose real name is Ayoleyi Hanniel is a talented vocalist, songwriter and eccentric performer who started rhyming and putting down lyrics in his notepad as far back as when he was just 15. Soon after, he decided to believe in his craft and started recording music professionally with the guidance of his elder brother who is now his manager.

He released his first singles under the Mavin Records imprint; “Turn It Up ft. Tiwa Savage” and “Chop Am” which received massive airplays and are still enjoying excellent reviews from fans and the media all around Africa. He developed his own style, carved a niche for himself and became well known for delivering distinctive unique verses and hooks on hits like Dorobucci, Adaobi and Looku Looku.  These made him a formidable force to be reckoned with and set him apart from the regular fast rising recording artiste.

The recent graduate from the University of Lagos where he studied History and Strategic Studies became the talk of the town after he won the prestigious Headies Next Rated Artiste award. On the birk of this achievement, he decided to announce of the release of his debut album “SPOTLIGHT” last month.

The album opens with "Hey stranger" which is a smooth song with a great storyline, but should be regarded as a very weak intro to this body of work and its inclusion on this album was poorly arranged.

It is followed with album’s second track, "Killah Whyna" featuring Patoranking which is a slow-tempo groovy reggae song, and the use of the flute as the sole wind instrument present, made the record have a distinctive style to it. Which both artistes made decent efforts to deliver their content.

Track 3, "Problem" produced by Mavin's in house producer Baby Fresh is not an exciting effort by Reekado with his choice of lyrics. The only spectacular thing here is the drums and relatable hook in the song.

"Koloba" produced by the talented Altims is the type of song that everyone would ultimately be accustomed to. It has that cultural-dancehall feel to it and the live-production on it is a brilliant one.

The album officially kicks off with "Biggy Man" featuring Falz which is a complete record in its own right. The arrangement with its additional vocals, the instrumental and plug-ins on this track is spot-on and both artistes had a fantastic outing on this song.

The idea for the next track "Ladies and Gentlemen" is a good one. One that was set to have a Fuji effect to it, but ended being a very boring and manageable song.

Track 7 "Baby Oku" is the regular highlife song that we hear every day. Its highlight is that it showcased Reekado Banks’ vocal strength which resulted into a sweet song.

“All your love” which featured D'Prince is another below par effort which was simply saved by its additional Indian vocals and beat. D'Prince came out to deliver his unserious lyrics and there was nothing intriguing about his verse.

This track is followed by Change which is a song with a very important message. The song has all the necessary ingredients in the sound to make it an enjoyable one as he paid homage to late Afrobeat legend, "Fela".

Up next, is the skit on this album performed by the fast rising & talented comedian "Kenny Blaq". The Kenny Blaq brand in my opinion is a goldmine that hasn't fulfilled its purpose. I'm glad he caught the eye of Don Jazzy who saw it necessary for him to contribute to this album and add a comic relief feel to this piece of art. Kenny Blaq, however didn't disappoint as he had a decent outing.

Track 11 "Move" featuring the multi-award winning Tanzanian princess, "Vanessa Mdee" is a really nice composition on this album. It had different genres coming to play on this record. A song that is sure to build upon Reekado Banks’ fan base. Vanessa’s delivery was in her local dialect which added a flavor to this track.

 Gbagbe produced by Altims is another tribute on this album to Fela which was fused with his famous "a rararara o rorororo" line. It has a decent live-production credit by the mixing engineers on this album.

This track is followed closely by "Love my baby" which has a mixture of the pop & r'n'b feel to it. This is a song that has happiness all over it and very difficult to hate-on.

Track 14 "NA Ur Boy", here Reekado Banks shows how thankful he is as to how far he has come and how grateful he was to his fans and Don Jazzy. The idea on this song is similar to "Say my name" on Wizkid's debut album.

Olaoluwa produced by Don Jazzy is a very good song this album. The targeted audience of this song is the elderly & aged people that just want to vibe and praise God in their own way; a type of record specially included for the Owambe Saturdays.

The next track "Today" is a song that shows how versatile Reekado Banks can be, as he kept the mood on this song on a very high note and didn't let the pressure of the up-tempo beat bother him. Reekado Banks got everything right on this song.

Track 17 "Dangote" is an excellent effort by Reekado Banks as has a message in it,  he tries to encourage people to keep doing what they do. The only down side to this record is the fact that it is quite repetitive.

The album closes with "Turn the lights on" which is a spot-on closing on this album, relating to the title of this body of work; the spotlight is finally switched on by Reekado Banks. Here, he signs out and finally has time to tell his fans about his musical journey thus far, and how he plans to take on the world as he repays the belief that his well-wishers have in him.

The next three bonus tracks which made this album much longer than it needed to be; Katapot, Standard & Oluwa Ni (featuring Sarkodie). The track with Sarkodie isn't all that different with the original one, Sark just gave it his own style, bossed the song and made it an interesting one to listen to.

Making the needed judgement as regards to the hype that Reekado Banks had, the general performance on this album is really an average one. Most songs are really just there, some are old and forced. Only a few great songs that would actually do well. On a lighter and more important note, I refuse to believe that Don Jazzy isn't confident of his own craft anymore as I'm surprised as to why he produced not more than just 6 songs on this album. For a man that has sole-production credits on multi-award winning albums in the past during the Mo'Hits reign and Dbanj's rise to his legendary status.

I rate this album 6.5/10.
Follow Femi Samuel on Twitter @Femi_RichNation
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Plantain Goodness With OunjeAladun: PrawnDodo

A few days ago, my Gizdodo  was featured on a blog and it really cheered me up. Thing was I had been ill, drifting in and out of sleep from being heavily medicated with flu pills and antibiotics,  I had initially thought it was malaria and so I self medicated (don’t be like me).

That blog post reminded me a lot of a part of my life that I had not paid attention to at all this year. Cooking!

Not just cooking, because of course I have cooked food this year, but being a mad scientist in my kitchen.  Using my cooking as a therapeutic outlet and chronicling it.

Not quite sure how I would fit this back into my life right now, but I’m sure I won’t let myself go too much to the extent that I’d neglect the things I love.
I love seafood as some people would know and this here is Prawn Dodo made using Gizdodo recipe.  You should try it out.

Recipe

•    500g Fresh Prawns

•    3 Ripe Plantains

•    1 Large Onion

•    4 Tomatoes

•    Jalapeño peppers ( Bawa / Sombo / long tatashe ) As many as you want depending on how much heat you can handle. I used more than 10 pieces

•    3 medium sweet bell peppers  (i used yellow, red, green)

•    Scotch Bonnet  (Ata rodo) as many as you want

•    1 cup beef Stock

•    2 Bouillon Cubes (knorr beef cubes in this instance)

•    Salt to taste

•    Vegetable oil ( to fry )/ Or Air fry

•    1/4 Coconut oil

Procedure

–    Dice up your plantains and fry till golden brown and set aside.

–     Coarsely blend your tomatoes, onion and peppers. You can use as little or as much of any of these ingredients. What we want to get is at least 1 1/2 cups of the coarsely blended pepper.

–  Chop you bell peppers.

–    In a pot or wok add coconut oil, blended pepper, add 1 cup of beef Stock,  taste for seasoning, if necessary season a little more. Cook with lid off till the water is reduced completely, turn the heat down a notch and allow the pepper simmer, then add chopped bell peppers and prawns.

–     Turn the heat down completely and  cover the pot/wok  for 2 minutes to allow the prawns cook, take off the lid and cook for an additional  5 minutes, then stir it in well and add the fried plantain and stir in using a wooden or plastic spoon/ladle  so as not to mash up the plantain.

–     Stir in well and turn off the heat. Serve warm

Our guest writer, Omolabake Bode - Matthew is unscripted , a lawyer turned virgin cocktail and fruit juice expert and she'd charge you to see her skills. To relax, she cooks, she loves to play with food, that she can share with you for free.

You can find her sharing her food therapies:

Blog: ounjealadun.com.

Instagram: @ounjealadun

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ounjealadun

Ounjealadun is #DodoGangEndorsed

Recap On Too Much Talk Episode 4: The Afro Wave

It was the fourth episode of Too Much Talk and NK's sister finally got married so she was unavoidably absent. The Talkatives gave a shouts out to the married couple as they also apologized for not being able to attend the wedding due to the recording schedule.

Dipo and Bash started off the episode talking about weddings, the stigma of weddings, crashed marriages and the many pressures from the society concerning marriages. This led to Dipo talking about love and sharing a very important lesson his father shared with him concerning love, marriages and relationships.

The Talkatives went ahead to talk about the VMA's and the interesting highlights at the event. Drake, Rihanna, Beyonce, Chance The Rapper, Kanye West and Tiwa Savage were all at the event and The Talkatives discussed this and other international acts visiting Nigeria.

International acts visiting Nigeria  that were discussed included Jidenna and Mark Zuckerberg. They talked about Jidenna, his appearances and show in Nigeria. The discussed at length, the Afro wave and the impact Fela's  Afro Beat has on the sound of the new generation of Africans all over the world. The also compared music of the old generation to recent music.

The Talkatives discussed Mark Zuckerberg in relation to his investments, research and food in Nigeria. They also discussed the impact his visit had on social media concerning the twitter fights that went down between Nigerians and Kenyans on the platform. They also discussed at length the impact and growth of technology industry and concluded the episode on the note that it is an awesome time to be alive.


Listen to Too Much Talk Episode 4 here

Too Much Talk Podcast Episode 4: The Afro Wave

The Talkatives are back again with episode 4 of the Too Much Talk Podcast.
Once again, Nkiru was absent and had to attend to some wedding matters. However, Dipo and Bash held it down dropping some knowledge about some interesting topics and shedding light on the wave of Afrobeat in the world we live in today.
They also made some very interesting comparisons and observations. Without Talking Much anymore, we present to you, Too Much Talk Episode 4: The Afro Wave.



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All Or Nothing Fitness With Dizzy: Music

RAAAAhhhhh!!, that's exactly how I get when my song comes on especially when I'm on the verge of giving up while either lifting or running. I know many people that lift do not think music is very important. They feel like it’s mainly for aerobics, cardio and spinning, but not me. To me music is life, it is important while lifting. With music, especially when it's your favourite, it helps you push through your workout, puts you in a better mood as you will not be concentrating on your soreness. It puts you in the zone.


 In addition to putting you in the zone, the right type of music combined with the right workout helps maintain a good pace. You'd notice that your workouts are more defined and would have a definite pace to it. That's good for form and isolation exercises.  You can hardly be static to the right song. Your mood is enhanced and hence, you work out better. This is merely an observation from my personal experiences listening to music while working out. If you don't have a power song already, you probably should, or a power playlist and do tell us how it goes in your next workout. Workout safe and let the music take control.

You can keep up with me on social media:
Twitter: @AONFitness
Instagram: @AONFitness
Facebook: https://t.co/GougsGtIkw

E- mail: aonfitnessnigeria@gmail

Music Mondays With Femi Samuel - Reminisce 'El- Hadj' Album Review

ARTISTE NAME: REMINISCE
ALBUM NAME: EL-HADJ
RECORD LABEL: LRR
RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 29, 2016

Reminisce, who besides Olamide is one of the most highly regarded indigenous rap musicians in Nigeria. He put out the infamous motto "street ti takeover, punchline o ja wo mo" even though perceived by many to be a petty output from a rapper of his caliber, he is still successfully riding on the impact and effect that the particular line is continuously having in the Nigerian music industry of today. Remilekun Safaru is back at it with the release of his fourth studio album titled "EL-HADJ".

The album opens with its lead single which was released earlier this year, "Asamalekun" produced by Sarz; which is a brilliant hip hop record. Reminisce got the right instrumental to suit this type of song perfectly. The entire content is spot-on, though a hip hop song you'd be urged to groove to it.

The next track "Where I Come From" produced by Sossick is another decent piece of work on the album; a simple beat, simple content & storyline and is Baba Hafusa's contribution to give a brief message about the current state of affairs of our great country Nigeria.

The third track on this album “Ibadi” is a smooth and enjoyable song. Here, we see how he channels his inner Christian Grey fantasies to a female that he is supposedly having regular sexual activities with.

At this point in the album, Reminisce decided to switch up the style and make one for the clubs "Konsignment" produced by promising record producer "Jomane". The song came with the needed percussion instruments, samples and background vocals, this made it the perfect dancehall jam.

I.N.B.G (If E No Be God) featuring Mr Eazi is that type of song that should be regarded as "back to regular activities" on the album. Here, Alaga Ibile showcased his rapping skills and Mr Eazi delivered a nice hook that is sure to grow on you.

A surprise guest in the person of  Solidstar featured on the next track "One for the Road"which simply showcased Reminisce's versatility as he decided to sing while proclaiming the activities he'd like to do with his special someone in a long distance relationship. Solidstar's performance on this song is an impressive one.

Track 7 "Ori" is a sweet song which would be enjoyed by the young and most especially the old because it has a fusion of the 80's Fuji sound, content and verses. One for the Owambe-Saturday-Scene. Reminisce had a nice time on this song and delivered effortlessly.

This track is followed up by "I Remember" which definitely came from a special place in his life. The song is very deep & magical that it almost brings the listeners to Reminisce's doorstep as they get more informed as to his entire musical journey. This is an exceptional track with timeless rap verses.

Track 9 which is an excellent skit done by the current face of the apala sound in Nigeria, "Terry Apala" which he delivered in Yoruba and has that Oriki feeling to it that makes it pretty enjoyable as he was praising Reminisce.

You could say the Nigerian rap game is quite predictable and not exciting because of the absence of any major beef to spice things up and the next track just backed up this popular notion in the manner of “Telephone” featuring Olamide; which is another type of song that Olamide would be associated with if both parties aren't being too serious and just having a good time in the studio and resulted in a nice record.

 This track is followed up with “Simple boy” featuring 9ice which is another exceptional song on the album as 9ice took us back to the way his sound impacted the Nigerian music industry during his Photocopy & Gongo Aso wave. He just reminded us of his evergreen coarse voice and serenaded us with his perfect delivery over the background bata drum as Reminisce was playful with his verses; this is also another one that should be relevant for the Owambe Scene.

Reminisce decided to be once again versatile as he pulled off a decent highlife track "Daily Basis" produced by Camo Blaiz; which might have slightly exposed him as to why he is clearly not a vocalist and a rapper is an overall good song with its conclusive storyline.

Track 13 "Nobody Knows" has the legend 2Baba on the hook. It is a good effort on the album with its Topnotch recording and got the perfect instrumental to back up the lyrics. As the album is about to get to its climax, Reminisce decided to switch things up by getting the arrangement right on the album and get people dancing by including the fan favorite song "Owo re" which might be another re-make of his popular Tesojue record but my guess is that he wanted to achieve a particular motive with the inclusion of this song and got it right; the beat of this song also goes hard.

The next track has the main man behind most of the instrumentals on this album "Sossick" in its additional vocals and hooks which made the song a standout track on this album. It has the components of what a proper hardcore rap record would be like; Reminisce delivered with his Gangster like verses (storyline), it features the new kid "Oladips" who did okay in his verses.

Track 15 featuring the talented vocalist "Sojay" is another perfect-like record; you find the right components that should be found in a great song here; another attempt by Reminsce to create a timeless record.
The album finally draws to a close with "Feego" featuring Seriki, Oladips & Iceprince; which is something like an underground cypher-session record with all rappers trying to outshine their counterparts. It's included as a bonus track on the album; I also think its inclusion paid off as it was highly important that this album ended on a really high note.

The EL-HADJ album is undoubtedly a masterpiece; and showcased how versatile Reminisce is. It also stipulated the fact that he is a brilliant recording-artiste from the choice of beats for this album and the entire lyrical content of the tracks on this body of work. This album is enjoyable from start to finish; it starts off like a movie that you'd want to sit down and be excited as to know what happens in the end. So many good songs on this album, a few timeless song materials too and the sound on some songs are really relevant that the album won't be forgotten so soon. Reminisce really delivered, the only downside on this album has to be Oloun featuring Oladips.




I rate this album 8.5/10

Follow Femi Samuel on Twitter @Femi_RichNation

Beauty Tips With Ada: Choosing The Right Cleanser For Your Skin Type

Following last week's post, I'll be sharing some tips today on choosing the right cleanser for your skin type. Generally, a good cleanser would take off any dirt accumulated on your skin but if you wear makeup, some cleansers can not take it off so make sure to use a makeup remover before cleansing.

For any product, looking at the ingredient list should be one of the deciding factors for if you should add it to your regime or not. It's good to read the claims on the packaging but they will only tell you the good stuff.

Sensitive Skin: Does your skin very often flare up with rashes when you try different products? Then you should be most weary. You should use a fragrance-free cleanser only to avoid skin irritation. Don't be enticed by fruity scents or claims that the additional grapefruit will brighten your skin. It won't be on your skin long enough to brighten because you will rinse soon after. Also avoid cleansers with menthol. You do not need the tingly feeling.

Dry Skin: If you have dry skin you should stay away from bar soaps. It will only make your skin loose more moisture. It is recommended that a cream cleanser is used for dry skin types. A lot of people with dry skin also have sensitive skin so as much as possible avoid fragrances because they irritate the skin.

Oily Skin: I'll be honest with you, a cleanser alone cannot control your oiliness but it is a good start. You should use a water soluble cleanser for your oily skin. It would be beneficial to get a cleanser with charcoal in it. Charcoal helps to draw out oil from the skin so it would help to control break-outs and tighten your pores.

Ada Beauty is a creative writer and a beauty enthusiast. She has worked as a blogger for onobello.com and as a copywriter for an ad agency. She is currently the editor of www.daisyada.com.ng


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Plantain Goodness With OunjeAladun: Igbindodo: A Dish Of Plantain And Snails

In my earlier post about GizzDodo,  I had described Gizdodo as the marriage between Gizzard and dodo made in plantain heaven!  If you love snails half as much as I do, then you’d love this Igbindodo.
Igbin being the Yoruba word for snails. Dodo is fried plantain in Yoruba too

Recipe

•    1 Kg well cleaned Snails

•    6 Ripe Plantains

•    2 Large Onions

•    4 Tomatoes

•    Jalapeño peppers ( Bawa / Sombo / long tatashe ) As many as you want depending on how much heat you can handle. I used more than 10 pieces

•    2  large sweet bell peppers (i used Green and Red)

•    1 1/2 cups chopped Carrots



•    Scotch Bonnet  (Ata rodo) as many as you want

•   * 1 cup meat stock (optional)

•    2 Bouillon Cubes (knorr beef cubes in this instance)

•    Salt to taste

•    Vegetable oil ( to fry )

Procedure

–    Dice, marinate Snails with cayenne pepper  (ground dried pepper ), salt and bouillon cubes for at least 30 mins, and fry till done.

–     While your snails are marinating, prep you other ingredients. Coarsely blended your tomatoes, onion and peppers. You can use as little or as much of any of these ingredients. What we want to get is at least 2 1/2 cups of the coarsely blended pepper. Chop you bell peppers.

–     Dice up your plantains and fry till golden brown and set aside. (I like to fry my plantain first and use the same oil to fry the snails )

–     Using some the oil you fried the snail in, in a pot or wok add the pepper blend, add 1 cup of *meat Stock,  taste for seasoning, if necessary season a little more. Cook with lid off, till the water is reduced, add the fried snail allow to cook till the water is completely reduced and the pepper starts to fry in the oil, turn the heat down a notch, then carrots, giving it a 5 minute head start before adding chopped bell peppers.

–     Turn the heat down stir the fried plantain and stir in using a wooden or plastic spoon/ladle  so as not to mash up the plantain.

–     Stir in well and turn off the heat. Serve warm.

Our guest writer, Omolabake Bode - Matthew is unscripted , a lawyer turned virgin cocktail and fruit juice expert and she'd charge you to see her skills. To relax, she cooks, she loves to play with food, that she can share with you for free.


You can find her sharing her food therapies:
Blog: ounjealadun.com.
Instagram: @ounjealadun
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ounjealadun

Recap On Too Much Talk Episode 3: The Police Is Not Your Friend

Hi Guys,



This weeks Episode was amazing for us here at Too Much Talk as it hit home on a few personal issues we had faced not too long ago. The episode had to be anchored by Bash and Dipo as Nkiru had to be absent to help her sister prepare for her wedding (We wish the couple a Happy Married life in advance!)

Dipo and Bash spoke on the Buhari dog fiasco where a man had to pay fifty thousand Naira in bail money. Dipo spoke on the declining quality of music generally however, Bash brought up a few examples of quality musicians still doing one or two things.



Dipo as usual spoke on relationships and love; talking about the effect money has on them both. Bash also spoke on the Nigerian police ensuring to give a public service announcement regarding the Nigerian Police and how to handle them, giving some really exciting situations.



Guys don’t forget to let us know what you think about the episodes, we will do our best to reply your thoughts either here or on the next episode of the podcast.



Till Next Week,

Dipo the Blackchild

For;

The Talkatives