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Emmanuel Daraloye
Hip-hop in Nigeria has endured mixed perception amongst music lovers within the country. The prominence of Afrobeats led to hip-hop being neglected by artists and listeners alike, as it does not offer the same level of fun and freedom that Afrobeats represents on our shores. However, hip-hop is enjoying a resurgence that is breathing new life into our soundscape, providing a certain fearlessness and braggadocio that started to seep away from our music as more lighthearted records made their way to the radio. Our collective consciousness resonates with rap music but a major stumbling block is how the music is presented by our musicians. DJ Medlan understands this and sought to inject more life into the rap scene with heavy hitting mixing and collaborations with some of the most skilled MCs in our space.
As a DJ and producer, DJ Medlan has kept his ear to the ground for many years, studying the genres in our soundscape to understand what exactly makes them pop. He combines his personality as a student of the game with his technical skills that have only gotten stronger from intense hours honing both aspects of his craft. Eniola Havoc, one of his frequent collaborators, links up with him for a skull-crushing rendition titled Necessary. Eniola Havoc trade bars over DJ Medlan’s mix, who puts in a top performance composing the instrumental as is characteristic with him.
Skull-crushing is an adequate description for the intensity that DJ Medlan applies to this instrumental. He decides to tap into foreign influences to create Necessary as a slow paced hipo hop mix, where he mixes and matches different elements to give it a unique Nigerian flavor. As is typical with trap and drill beats, DJ Medlan lays a drum kit foundation of the instrumental, arranging the progression similar to the ticking gears of a clock. The intensity of the song is driven by the engulfing kicks that envelop the listener’s senses. As with many hip hop and trap beats, the kicks are a significant part of the instrumental and they have an influence on how enjoyable the record is. They provide a bounce but not in the typical way an Afrobeats record would. DJ Medlan set the tone for the powerful verses laid by Havoc who showcased the depth of his rap skills.
In recent times, there has been a tendency for Nigerian rappers to present their verses in a way that panders towards the Western idea of hip-hop, down to their cadence and accent. Not Havoc, He is unapologetic in his delivery, weaving words through DJ Medlan’s mix with metaphors that remind the listener of his identity as Nigerian MCs.
If you had never come across them, Necessary is a worthy first impression of a trio of talented musicians with a unique view of music. DJ Medlan adds another top notch record to his already impressive growth and if he continues in this way, it won’t be long before he’s a household name within every aspect of Nigerian music.
