Widely associated with mega rap star Flo Rida, the budding singer/songwriter who is steadily carving a niche for himself with unique experimentation of sounds (which has earned him millions of streams), made a video confirmation specially addressing his Nigerian fans, where he expressed eagerness to answering any and all questions pertaining to his music career. Despite his recent entry, Marco, who just signed a deal with Artbeatz/Sony Entertainment has been making quite a number of high profile guest appearances, including the Wendy Williams Show and Nickelodeon’s Halo Awards.

With questions ranging from Marco’s performances at sold out stadiums and dimly lit bars to his debut single, “Simple Things” among topical issues to be addressed, Celeb StopOver intends to connect the New Yorker closer to his growing fan base in Africa. After being confirmed as the June 24 Celeb StopOver guest, Marco would be joining the league of superstars across the world including Queen Brittany (USA), Eckoes (UK), Banky W (Nigeria), M.anifest (Ghana), Eddy Kenzo (Uganda), Stanley Enow (Cameroon), Reggie Rockstone (Ghana), Mi Casa (South African House band), DJ Ganyani (South Africa), Vector (Nigeria), Kwesta (South Africa), iLLBliss (Nigeria), Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania), Frank Donga (Nigeria), Lady Jaydee (Tanzania), Zakes Bantwini (South Africa ), Aisha Wanjiku (Kenya) and a lot more who have been featured on the show.

So when I found out about Johnny Drille, I was fascinated by how he found a way to fuse this alternative sound I was used to with some Nigerian flavor.

Anyhoo so I’ve been appreciating his music from a distance for a while. But I just heard this beautiful song by him called ‘Finding Efe’ and it has made me no longer want to appreciate from a distance – I think I’m ready to submerge myself in a river of Johnny Drille. I’m literally about to go crazy with my iTunes purchases right now. What a beautiful song and video!

Guys, you’ve gotta hear this:

On Tuesday’s episode of HBO’s Game of Thrones, popular character Missandei, played by actress, Nathalie Emmanuel, got killed on the show. She took to Instagram to write a heartbreaking farewell message, detailing how much playing the character over the years has meant to her.

 “She represented so much for me, personally, that I have no choice but to carry the things she has taught me into my life going forward.”

According to Buzz Feed News, On Sunday night’s episode, Emmanuel’s character, Missandei of Naath, the interpreter and close friend of Queen Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), met her demise after being captured near Dragonstone during a surprise attack from Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk).

She was then imprisoned and held hostage on Cersei Lannister‘s (Lena Headey) orders and was subsequently beheaded when Daenerys refused to bend the knee to Cersei, who currently occupies the oh-so-coveted Iron Throne.

Emmanuel said that stepping into Missandei’s shoes had been one of her greatest joys,  and  further described her character as “a brilliant woman who overcame so much suffering and found herself, her voice…and her one and only love.”

Missandei who was once a slave, rose to become one of Daenerys’s most trusted advisers, and closest friends, throughout the series. She also fell in love with Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson), the leader of the Unsullied, who was obviously distraught at being forced to watch her execution.

The death of Missandei caused an outcry from some viewers because Emmanuel’s character was one of the few black figures on a show that’s overwhelmingly white cast-wise.

Writer Mikki Kendall said:

“Missandei’s story is what happens when the writers can not imagine a world where Black characters are fully developed so…not surprised.”

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay, also said:

“So… the one and only sister on the whole epic, years-long series? That’s what you wanna do? Okay.”

Viewers had hoped that there was a going to be a chance for Missandei and Grey Worm to live happily ever after, but the show producers clearly had other plans.

In her lengthy caption, Emmanuel wrote about how much being Anderson’s co-star meant to her.

“I found performances I didn’t know I had inside me, simply because you gave me so much to work against,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for a more generous and supportive co-star.”

Emmanuel also thanked Clarke, calling the actor “a source of light and laughter.”

She wrote: “I love you… SO much,” she told Clarke. “I’ve loved playing your BFF for the past 7 years. Thank you for being such a wonderful person in my life and a source of light and laughter.

“The Bad Ass Boss Lady Warrior Goddess club will live on forever ,”

Finally, the actor ended her caption with a message to fans for their love and support.

We will definitely miss seeing her on the show.

In the spirit of #throwbackthursday I’m gonna be reminiscing on all those love songs that we  “slightly older millennials” used to sing along to word-for-word. Come along with me on this nostalgic ride!

I’ll Always Love You – Whitney Houston

Boy, do we miss Whitney. I remember belting out this song at the top of my lungs, as though I understood the pain of heartbreak. lol. Do y’all remember doing that too? This song will always remain a timeless classic.

I’ll Make Love To You – Boyz II Men

Boyz II Men stole every heart with this song. I really didn’t know what “making love” meant at the time this song was released LOL. Nonetheless (just like you probably), I enjoyed the melodies and heartfelt rendition by these 4 uncles who were singing their hearts out.

Everything I do (I do It For You) – Bryan Adams

Bryan always had this timeless voice that is so difficult to forget, even till this day. That sweet, raspy voice broke hearts back in the day y’all. And hey what can I say, Bryan still has a piece of my heart.

My Heart Will Go On – Celine Dion

“Jack, I’ll never let go.” Whenever I hear this song, I am transported back to that heartbreaking scene in Titanic when Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet were holding on to that iceberg for dear life, floating on that deep, blue sea.

This song was an emotional, feel good song for all the lovers and Titanic fans.

As Long As You Love Me – Backstreet Boys

This song was particularly popular amongst teens growing up. I remember the video was super creative and fun to watch. Who was your favorite Backstreet Boy? Mine was Nick.

I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing – Aerosmith

This song grew quickly amongst all age groups, so much it became an anthem. First time I heard it was from my dad and it is arguably one of the biggest love songs ever.

Do y’all remember the movie, Armageddon? This song was it’s official soundtrack.

It Must Have Been Love – Roxette

This was the ultimate “getting over a heartbreak” song.

You’re Still the One – Shania Twain

This was one of the smoothest love songs out there. It was definitely a favorite amongst lovers back in the days. The chorus as well as the lines were catchy and easy to sing along to.

I think this was played at virtually every Nigerian wedding back in the day, for the couple’s “first dance.”

This I Promise You – NSYNC

This song is a classic for days! This was released back when Backstreet Boys vs. N’Sync was “a thing.” In our minds, we weren’t allowed to love them both. Fans had to pick a side. But not me. I loved them both whole heartedly.

This song was and is still so beautiful.

I Swear – All-4-One

This was one of my favorite love songs. The lyrics were so pure and honest. We need more songs like this now!

These ten are just a few of the many classic love songs that lifted spirits and put smiles on faces of many, and are worthy of checking out again.

Photo Credit: FreePik

Today, we are taking a trip down memory lane to a time when some of Nigeria‘s most iconic rappers changed the game in the music industry.

The Nigerian rap music scene has been missing some girl action lately, and  I really miss that. These rappers showed that they were fearless and not afraid to be heard.

Sasha P
There was a reason why she was called the ‘First Lady.’ Sasha was such a brilliant wordsmith! This is what  truly made her stand out. From “Adara” to “The Only One” to her hits as part of Trybesmen, she made an indelible mark on the Nigerian music industry.

It has been a long while since she released any songs. There were speculations that she has quit music forever, others say that she only took a break to delve in entrepreneurship with her clothing line: Eclectic by Sasha..But all we know is: We miss her.

Eva Alordiah
Eva‘s sultry manner of rapping has always been one of the major qualities that her fans love. Her versatility in choice of subject matter when rapping is also something we love about her. She can rap about just about anything – From heartbreak, to love, to beef, to societal issues, and everything in between.

She was a breath fresh air when she first hit the scene and her career was steadily rising back in the day. From the “GIGO EP”  to “Deaf” to “Lights Out”, Eva kept her fans wanting more with the hits.

Whenever she decides to make a comeback, we will be totally here for it.

Kel
Who remembers Kel? The rapper with a beautiful voice and infectious swag? She was also regarded as the “Queen of Features” – everybody had a song with her. With major hits like “Too fine”, to “wa waa alright”, to “give it to me”, she always had a way of getting us on our feet. I think she switched career paths to broadcasting at some point.

Blaise
Blaise‘s rap style stood out because of her multi-lingual ability –   she could easily switch from English to any other language and back. She was around for a short while but she made sure her presence was felt heavily during her birdie period in the industry. Her verse on Obiwon‘s “Obimo” remains legendary. Right now, I’m not even sure she has an active social media page but I’m sure she’s thinking about us and planning for her big come back.

Mocheddah
Don’t be surprised to see her name on this list. Before Mocheddah became your favorite fashionista and beauty influencer, she was a rapper and a very talented one at that. She was only 18 years old when she dropped her first single “Won be ri”, and she captured our hearts continously since then. From “Ko ma roll”, to “See me“, to “If you want me,” baby girl had back to back hits!

Although she has been away from the music industry for a while, she is still making us proud with her other achievements regardless. She is the owner of a fashion label: Mocheddah Clothing, a skincare brand, Mocheddah.glow and does mental health activism work with newly founded initiative, Just Be Brave.

Weird MC
Weird MC is known to be one of the pioneer contemporary female rappers. She came onto the scene when she dropped her first hit, Allen Avenue, which quickly became an anthem all over Nigeria. Afterwards, Ijoya was dropped. Who can forget Ijoya?  This was THE jam of life! Weird MC recently re-dedicated her life to Christ and is now a minister.

Munachi Abii
Muna‘s career switch came as a big shock to us back in the day. From being a beauty queen as winner of  Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2007, to delving into rap career. What a transition!  From her feature on Waje’s hit track “So Inspired,” to  “No Tomorrow,” one of her solo efforts, Muna’s rap career was just beginning to thrive before she took a break from music. The former beauty queen also dabbled into acting by featuring in her debut film “Indigo” in 2014. She is also into modeling.

Baby Mamas, the first ever South African film to show in Nigeria is set to premiere in Lagos on the 1st of March, 2019 at all Filmhouse Cinemas’ locations.

Baby Mamas follows the daily lives, loves, and drama of four professional women – who are all in different stages of their own real baby mama drama. The term “Baby Mamas”is a term that has now been permanently included in pop culture and colloquial language to mean a mother who is not married to her child’s father or is not currently involved with her child’s father. As the four women explore the many dynamics of being baby mamas, they open themselves up to pain, healing, sorrow, joy, friendship and indeed, love.

The writers and director of the movie, both South African women (Stephina Zwane and Salamina Mosese) are passionate about changing the narrative! As young black women, they are able to bring to the forefront, topics in their films that are relevant to society, in a fun and unique way. And in this way, they have developed into storytellers who are bringing to the forefront, stories that are both entertaining, thought-provoking and compelling.

With an ensemble female cast of Salamina Mosese, Thembisa Mdoda, Dineo Ranaka, and Kay Smith, with Stephina Zwane in the director’s seat, the film makes a strong case for sisterhood, female empowerment, and pure black girl magic. Many of the themes explored in the film are the journey to motherhood, the stigma, and shame that comes with pregnancy out of wedlock, the pain of dealing with a failed relationship, the courage to leave an abusive situation and of course, dealing with the absence of a child’s father.  A sisterhood develops among these four very different women, as they find in each other the strength and courage it will take to navigate the treacherous waters of the relationships, good and bad, that they have with the men in their lives

These various themes explored in the film thus birth incredibly honest and vulnerable performances that are really relatable, heartwarming and quite moving.

This film comes at just the right time because of the many conversations in recent times, and the director of the film believes we need to take control of the narrative!

This film highlights the fact that none of us are really that different; we generally go through the same things and it’s important that we remember to connect as human beings and be kind to one another for we are all struggling to make it through each day.

When asked why she wrote this story, and why it’s important for such stories coming out of Africa to be told, Stephina Zwane says “our generation is fortunate to have the privilege of being able to tell our story ourselves, so the first thing I’m going to do is always to tell the other side of our unique African story.”

She says of the film’s four female lead characters. “I’m tired of images that don’t celebrate me as an African, and instead shows me constantly lacking and struggling. This is not all that we are”.

We urge you to join in the conversation by following @filmoneng on Instagram . Baby Mamas is out in cinemas across Nigeria on March 1^st 2019.

The host, Ife Ajagbe, is a seasoned broadcaster, who has worked with four radio stations (Zuma FM, Gold FM, Metro FM and Lagos Talks) in ten years.

Speaking on why she decided to create this podcast, Ife says:

“This podcast is genuinely born out of a passion for Nigerian artistes and the need for the upcoming acts to get the attention of the media space by getting the basics fixed.

There are too many musicians competing for attention so the press kit, the song format, clean songs for radio, etc are not issues that media personalities want to have to worry about.”

Each episode of the podcast is one-minute long, and is available on Soundcloud and YouTube.

Check out the first episode  titled, ‘Why should I care?’

Photo/Video Credit: We Don’t Like Your Song | Ife Ajagbe

One Queen that is seriously slaying both in and out of the continent is South African actress, Pearl Thusi. 

The star has indeed come a long way in her career. From her early beginnings as a presenter, to landing roles in popular international series like Quantico, to starring as a warrior princess in fantasy thriller, Scorpion King.

And now, Pearl is set to star in Netflix‘s first African original series, Queen Sono, which is set to begin production in South Africa in 2019.

According to Daily Sun:

Pearl will play a top spy in a South African agency who must tackle dangerous cases while facing the changing relationships in her personal life.

The series is created and will be directed by comedian and actor Kagiso Lediga.

According to Netflix, the series is set in the world of espionage with a touch of humour.

Announcing the news, Pearl took to her Instagram to state:

“It feels kind of crazy overtime I’m about to say it, I’m going to be starring in Africa’s very first Netflix original, this is crazy it is amazing not just for me but for everyone.”

We totally agree with Pearl. When one of us wins, we all win!

Photo Credit: Capacity Relations

And now, another career win is this ‘Undecided’ song and video he recently released. We just love the ‘feel good,’ breezy vibe of this song, as well as the fun choreography in the video. If you are a fan of the TV series, Empire, then you would be super stoked to see singer/dancer from the show, Serayah.

To all our  90s’ babies, don’t be surprised if you suddenly get a feeling of nostalgia when listening to this song. It’s probably because of the fact that Chris sampled Shanice‘s “I love your smile,” which was a huge R&B hit back in the day.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy this super cool video/song.