Author: Spirit 3:6

Glory to Glory – Manji Spice (song review)

Glory to Glory is a single by singer and songwriter, Manji Spice featuring Degeneral. It was released on the 9th of January, 2022. The total play time of the song is 224 seconds (3 minutes 44 seconds). The genre of the song is a mixture of funk and Christian Hippop.

General Overview:

Glory to Glory is the kind of song that would get you nodding your head to the rhythm or maybe even on your feet and jumping if you’re in the right mood. It’s a song of excitement about Christ and what He has done. It would also make an excellent Christmas song.

Strong points:

Great vocal delivery. Manji Spice did a great job with his vocal delivery of the song. Asides the fact that he has a very sweet voice, he used it in way that correctly passes the message of the song.
Relevant message. The song also has very relevant and Biblically accurate message. Simply put, the song reminds the believer that Christ is the reason their lives move from one level of glory to another. Like Scripture says, “the path of the righteous is like a shinning light that shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.” Also, it reminds believers that Christian celebrations like Christmas are basically about Christ not about the feasting.
Beautiful melody. The song has a beautiful chord progression. Even if the song were sang with just a guitar, it would still be very pleasing to the ears.

What could have been improved:

The intro of the song was not quite fitting. The song is an exciting the song and so an exciting intro to the song would have been much better than the one it had. The intro of the song made it look like it was a sad reflective song when it is the exact opposite.
The tempo of the song was slow. Considering that the song is an exciting song, a much faster tempo would have been better.

Conclusion:

Glory to Glory is a beautiful song. I enjoyed the song. On a scale of 10, I would rate the song a 7/10. You can download the song here or listen to it on Audiomack here.

You can also check out other music reviews I’ve done here

Confession by Cypzy featuring AlphaBaze (Song Review)

This review is for Confession by Cypzy featuring AlphaBaze. It was released on the 26th day of January, 2022. The song has a total play time of 208 seconds (3 minutes 28 seconds). The genre of the song is Christian Hip hop.

General overview:

Confession is a song to get you to sit and reflect on the lyrics. People who struggle with their identity and accepting that they’ve been forgiven would definitely relate to the lyrics of the song. It is not the kind of song you can dance to.

Strong points:

Great vocal delivery. One of the strongest points of this song is the vocal delivery of Cypzy and AlphaBaze. Cypzy’s delivery of his confession in the verses was on point; you could hear the emotion in his voice and that’s very commendable. AlphaBaze really took the song to a whole new level with the hook and the chorus. I completely fell in love with the song when I heard the chorus after the second verse.
Great production. Next to the vocal delivery is the production of the song. It very skillfully done. The producer’s choice of instruments was very good. The manner in which the tension of the song gradually rose from just one keyboard (in verse one) to full instrumentation (in the chorus) was also apt. I really love the production of this song.
Relevant message. The song is basically a confession of someone who had derailed in the past, but who is trying to retrace his steps back to God. People struggle to accept the fact that he is truly repentant, but he knows he’s been forgiven by God. Like I mentioned in the general overview, people who, like the prodigal son, has lost their way and people who struggle with accepting that God has forgiven them of their past would definitely relate to the lyrics of this song.

What could have been improved:

It would have been nice if the song had a third verse or bridge after the hook and in that verse talk clearly about God’s forgiveness and the truth that there is no sinful past that God can’t forgive. That would have helped drive home the message of the song.

Conclusion:

Confession by Cypzy featuring AlphaBaze is a beautiful song. I enjoyed listening to it. On a scale of 1- 10, I will score it 9/10.

You can download/ listen to Confession by Cypzy here. You can also read other song reviews I’ve done here.

Heart Of A Soldier by Kazi (Song Review)

This review is for Heart Of A Soldier by Christian rapper and Pastor, Kazi. The song was released on the 29th of October, 2021. It has a total play time of 220 seconds (3 minutes 40 seconds). The genre of the song is Christian Hip hop.

General overview:

Heart of a soldier is the kind of the song that would easily get your attention once it starts playing. It has this bold and “in your face” kind of feel. If you’re a hip hop head, then you’ll most likely fall in love with the song. The tempo is fast enough for someone to be able to dance to it.

Strong points:

Relevant message. Being a pastor, Kazi passes across deep scriptural truths, as usual, using this song. The song reminds believers that they are Soldiers of Christ here on earth and this has two implications; (1) they cannot afford to live like ordinary men without purpose (2) they have what it takes to wrestle with and resist the forces of darkness.
Awesome production. Another strong point of this song is the production. It’s bold, daring and beautiful. The production helped to pass the message of the song. I particularly loved the energy of the 808s and how they were beautifully used in the song. The mix was also very good. It’s not easy to have very loud 808s and still maintain a clear mix. I really must commend whoever mixed this song.
Great vocal delivery. The boldness with which Kazi passed across the message of the song was on point. Considering that the song dares believers to fight the good fight of faith, it was necessary that the vocal delivery be strong and Kazi did justice to that.

What could have been improved:

There was no dynamics in the song. The entire was made up of two chords and that progression was repeated from beginning to the end. Though the song was not boring because the message was relevant and enriching, yet I wish there was a little change (maybe in the chords or something) at some point in the song to create dynamics.

Conclusion:

Heart of a soldier by Kazi is a beautiful song with a relevant message. I loved the creativity in adding a native language (Igbo) to the rap verses. And I really love the production. On a scale of 1-10, I would score this song 9/10. You can download the song here or watch the lyric video here.

You can also read other song reviews I’ve done here.

Beyond the music; an interview with Aizek

Today, on Musicians Corner, I’ll be featuring an interview with Aizek. Aizek is a rap artist with D.P.E Records. He has two published projects and several other singles. He is also a part of the HBR Squad, and in collaboration with the other artist in the group, they have two published joint projects. So, let’s get on with the interview.

Spirit: Please can you share with us a little about your childhood days before music?

Aizek: I grew up in Rukuba Road in Jos, Plateau State, moved when I was 10. I’ve always been the laid-back person, had a couple of friends. You know how childhood days are na; playing, eating, getting into trouble ?, and all that. Fun memories and not so fun memories. It was good though.

Spirit: So, what or who motivated you to start rapping?

Aizek: Okay, a little background before I answer that, before rapping I used to sing, ?? I remember being in a boy band in school that eventually had female members?. And back in Sunday School I remember presenting ‘special numbers’ with some friends. I joined the church band in my church and all that… Music was kinda part of me, and I love rap. Back in secondary school I loved hip hop, used to search for lyrics and try following some of the songs, fast forward in 2006 I got introduced to CHH and man, it was a great experience, having Christians rapping and sharing their faith in hip hop, it was something else. I enjoyed listening to amazing songs back then and the desire to rap kept increasing, I believed this was something I was supposed to do, sharing from my experiences and worldview, basically the things I believe in. So, in ’07 I and Bwans co-founded a hip hop group named Da BOARD, we talked to some of our friends that shared the same passion for music, CHH…and some became a part of it. Cross Movement was a big motivation back then. Shout out to my big bro Wanger, he was my first plug that year to CHH, access to the music he shared with me played a key role in me doing this now.

Spirit: That’s interesting. So, what were some encounters you had in your early days of your music career? Was it easy?

Aizek: Honestly it wasn’t easy. First there’s the process of actually growing and becoming better, taking criticism and stuff. Then support, raising support and money wasn’t easy, cos you need money to do this… Like you really do. Great thing we had people that believed in us when we started (I’m saying we cos I started rapping with a group). The whole thing about rapping in church or at church events was a strange thing to a lot of people, so different people kicked against it and stuff, some legit couldn’t hear what we were saying.

Spirit: I can imagine… But, despite all these encounters/ challenges you continued. Why? What is your drive/ motivation?

Aizek: I’ve been down different times, thought about quitting, I’ve actually said ‘I quit’ different times too, but somehow, I get back. I believe this is something God wants me to do right now. Using my experiences and what I believe in to just speak to someone… In most cases I’m the someone. It’s beyond me and it’s beyond just the music. Being part of a community also helps; as you renew your mind with the word, you renew your vision with the community around. So, I keep pushing hoping that God will use it all for his glory, the good, the bad and the in-betweens.

I believe this is something God wants me to do right now. Using my experiences and what I believe in to just speak to someone… In most cases I’m the someone. It’s beyond me and it’s beyond just the music. Being part of a community also helps; as you renew your mind with the word, you renew your vision with the community around.

Spirit: Wow! There’s a whole lot of message in there. I think I need to take a minute to let it sink…

Back to the questions, I still remember the first time I heard one of the songs from your first mix tape. I did not believe you were Nigerian because of how good you were. What would you say made you become this good?

Aizek: I appreciate that. I believe in having the desire to keep growing and striving to be excellent. As I grew in my work with God, I realized sometimes we don’t put in work to be good at various giftings God has given us, especially within the church, you see people that will just do whatever and not give their best. God wants us to be excellent with whatever giftings we have. That’s something my group back then believed in, so we strive to be better. And believe me, it’s a lifelong process because most times I don’t think I’m that good.

Spirit: You are part of the HBR squad. What does it feel like working with a team now, especially since you used to be an independent artist?

Aizek: It’s not a new thing, like I pointed out cos I actually started rapping with friends in a group. It’s a great feeling. I do music with some very creative and artistic individuals, like they’re all good. It’s fun, engaging, pushes me to be better. I mean when I look back to how we worked on our various Cyphers, you should check them out if you haven’t, from the concept and ideas surrounding each one… Crazy. Then our joint projects; The Unserious Project and We Are Serious (WAS)… Creating those two projects was mad amazing, it was really good.

Spirit: Ok. Do you think your faith as a Christian has limited you in your music career in any way?

Aizek: Nah… I don’t think so. There are people that definitely won’t listen to me but I don’t see that as a limitation, there are places they won’t call me to perform at… Still. Something to point out here, being a Christian doesn’t limit the kind of songs you do, cos I believe whatever song you’re working on will be from the worldview you have and your belief system. There was a single I had some years back, ‘Kpomo vs. You’ featuring Haye, a Christian blog didn’t publish it when I sent it, they said it was more mainstream than Christian… I don’t know what that means sha ?. Limits here is very relative.

Spirit: Are there benefits you’ve enjoyed as a musician because of your faith?

Aizek: Some respect and admire what I do and support it.

Spirit: Ok. One of the qualities you have that I admire a lot is your humility. Are there things you consciously practice to stay humble?

Aizek: Hmmm… This is tricky for me. Humility is thinking about yourself correctly, like C. S. Lewis said “Humility is not thinking less of yourself but think of yourself less.” That’s something I try to do cos believe me I think less of myself sometimes. It’s a continuous process…

Spirit: Yeah, I totally agree… So, what should we expect from you with regards music in the future?

I’m working on a project, so hopefully this year, hopefully I’m dropping another project. Different stuff are coming too… Fingers crossed.

Spirit: Any final words of advice for upcoming Musicians and Producers?

Aizek: Stay true to what you believe in and keep striving to be better, even when you have setbacks and mess ups. Fall, get up and keep moving. Keep your eyes fixed on the Son.

Spirit: Wow! It’s been a great time with so much to learn. Thank you so much for your time, Aizek. I really appreciate this opportunity. And thank you, especially for your honesty.

Aizek: Thank you for having me. I’m grateful.

Well, guys we’ve come to the end of this interview with Aizek. I hope you learnt some things from it. I’d love to hear feedback from you guys, so please feel free to reach out. Also, you can check out music by Aizek using this link.

One last thing,

I have started doing song reviews for both published songs and songs that are yet to be published. The reviews could be private (for your consumption only) or it could be published on our site. If you’re interested to get your songs reviewed. Send an email to jeplunemusic@gmail.com and attach an mp3 of the song to be reviewed with the artwork and release date. Also, state if you would like a private review or if you would want it published. You can check other song reviews I’ve done here.

encouragement interviews

“Oh yah yah yah” by Lawrence Ibrahim ft. Zack Silva & Degeneral (Song review)

This review is for a song titled “Oh yah yah yah” by Lawrence Ibrahim featuring multi-talented rapper and poet, Degeneral and Zack Silva. The song was released on the 23rd of January, 2022. It has a total play time of 223 seconds (3 minutes 23 seconds). The genre of the song is Christian Hip pop.

General overview:

“Oh yah yah yah” is a song of praise to God. Though it’s not the kind of song you can dance to because the tempo is slow, but it will definitely get you nodding your head. It gives you that feel of victory, hope, and excitement, especially if you are a Christian. Personally, I think it would be perfect as theme music or end credits for Christian movie with a message of victory for the believer.

Strong points:

Beautiful melody. The melody of this song is it’s strongest point. I could play this song over and over and not get tired of listening to it. It’s just so beautiful. I love it. (Don’t blame me, I’m a composer).
Great production. Next to the melody of the song, the production is the second strongest point of the song. The choice of instruments were creative. If the wrong instruments were used for this melody, it would have ended up sounding very emotional and moody, but the producer’s choice was really creative. Also, I love the way the tension in the song builds up gradually, and consistently, from the intro to the second chorus. It created dynamics in the song. It also gives the impression of moving from a tough situation to victory at last (which is why I will totally recommend this song for a movie’s theme music). I must commend the producer of this song.
Relevant message. The message of the song is simple, yet relevant; God alone is worthy of praise. And our experiences or the struggles we go through personally does not change that truth.
The artists featured, Zack Silva and Degeneral added their own spice to the song in a beautiful way.
Excellent vocal delivery. Everyone on this track, Lawrence Ibrahim, Zack Silva and Degeneral did a great job with their vocal delivery.

What could have been improved:

The song title did not do justice to the message of the song at all. Honestly, the only reason I decided to listen to the song in the first place was because I knew one of the artists personally. It was only when I listened that I realized the song was more than the title. I feel a better and more appealing title should have given to the song. The title doesn’t even have to be a line in the song.
I didn’t quite like the way Degeneral’s verse ended. I appreciate the creativity in sharing what looked like an honest confession of someone struggling to see reasons to praise God, but I wish he ended the verse on a positive note (that God still deserves praise despite his experiences).

Conclusion:

“Oh yah yah yah” by Lawrence Ibrahim is a beautiful song. I love it. I had played it repeatedly for more than 3hrs before I decided to review it and I enjoyed listening to it. On a scale of 1 to 10, I will give this song an 8/10. You can download the song here. You can also read other song reviews I’ve done here.

N’Obi by Miracle Paul (song Review)

This song review is for “N’obi” by Nigerian Gospel artist, Miracle Paul. Miracle Paul was signed under the same record label as popular Gospel musician, Ada Ehi last year. “N’obi” is an Igbo expression which literally translates “in my heart” in English. The song was released on the 29 th of October, 2021. It has has a total play time of 210 seconds (3 minutes 30 seconds). The genre of the song is a blend of Afro pop and Contemporary Christian Music.

General Overview:

N’obi is a love song to God. It redirects the mind of the listeners (especially Christian believers) to the truth that Christ is not only their Lord, but also their lover. It’s not the the kind of song to dance to, rather it’s a song you sit back and enjoy. Due to the fact that it is calm and non-distracting, it would really do well as background music in any Christian gathering and can serve several other purposes.

Strong points:

Great composition. The song was composed in a way that enhanced the message of the song. The choice of chords and their arrangement was good.
Great production. It’s true that that the song was beautifully composed, but the production made the composition more appealing. The production of this song was quite good. Considering the message of the song, I must commend the choice of instruments used in this production. They enhance the emotion of the song. And they were skillfully played too. Also, the mix was good. There was clarity and balance in the mix.
Relevant message. Like I stated at the general overview, it’s a love song to God. The song talks about the loving way in which God relates with believers and in response to that unconditional love, Miracle Paul affirms his love for God, calling Him “odim n’obi” which translates “the one in my heart” or “the one my heart yearns for”.
Another good thing about this song is that there was dynamics. And it’s beautiful. You could play the song repeatedly and not get tired of it.

What could have been improved:

The chant at the beginning of the song was misleading. It gives you the feeling of a very sad/ sorrowful song. Thankfully, when the instruments were introduced, it changed that feel.
The backing vocals lacked emotions. This song is a love song and the words depicted a lot of emotions welling in the heart of the writer. But the backing vocals sounded flat with no emotion at all. They sang it like it meant nothing to them. Personally, I began to think that the song would have been better without them.
The point where Miracle Paul spoke in tongues at the end of the song didn’t seem natural. I could argue that it was unnecessary in this song. There are other songs where it would naturally blend with the message of the song, but it didn’t quite sit well in this song.

Conclusion:

I listened to “N’obi” several times before reviewing it. It’s a beautiful song. And the melody sticks quite easily. On a scale of 1- 10, I would give this song a 7/10. You can listen to the song on Deezer. You can also read other song reviews I’ve done here.

See What The Lord Has Done by Nathaniel Bassey (song review)

This song review is for ‘See What The Lord Has Done’ by Nigerian Gospel singer, Nathaniel Bassey. It was released on the 6^th of January, 2022. It has a total play time of 450 seconds (7 minutes 30 seconds). The genre of the song is Contemporary Christian Music.

General Overview:

‘See what the lord has done’ is a calm reflective song of worship with lots of emotions. The entire song was composed and sang in such a way that it gets you to reflect on the faithfulness and goodness of God. It also stirs up faith in the listeners that God is able to do whatever they are believing Him for. I can say the song is both a worship song and a prophetic song.

Strong points:

The message of the song was clearly passed across in a very simple way. There was no ambiguity in the lyrics.
The instrumentation of the song was not distracting. The instrumentalists kept it simple in a non-distracting manner, such that the message of the song sinks in as you listen. Also, the choice of instruments was perfect for the song. The use of many stringed instruments added to the emotion of the song.
The vocal delivery of Nathaniel Bassey and the backing vocalists was great for this song. Considering that the song was meant to be an emotional song, the manner in which they sang was quite perfect for the song. Also, the modulations in the song added some more emotions to it.

Conclusion:

Due to the fact that ‘See what the lord has done’ is not a regular kind of song, I will not be able to do a detailed review of the song. I’m also not going to rate it, for personal reasons.

You can watch the song on YouTube. You can also read other music reviews I’ve done here.

Daddy You Too Much by Judikay (song review)

This review is for ‘Daddy You Too Much’, a gospel song by Nigerian Gospel singer, Judikay. The song was released on the 17^th of December, 2021. It has a total play time of 366 seconds (6 minutes 6 seconds). The genre of the song is Contemporary Christian Music with a little of the ‘Naija’ Afro pop flavour.

General Overview:

‘Daddy you too much’ is the kind of song that could be sang in church, during a service, as a praise song. It is easy to sing along and it is also danceable. Add that to the fact that it contains Biblical truth and you see why I said it would perfectly fit as a praise song in Church.

Strong points

Beautiful production and mix. The production is the song was sweet. The choice of instruments were great. There was this sweet blend of virtual instruments and some live instruments. And it was pleasing to the ear. I particularly enjoyed the bass line of the song. The mixing was superb. Despite the fact that there were many instruments and voices, there was still clarity and balance in the mix. Everything was well panned across the stereo space.
Great back up singers. The backing vocalists were talented. The harmony in their voices was heavenly. I dare to say that the backing vocalists made the song what it is. They were very professional and I enjoyed listening to them.
Sound Biblical content. This is another great plus for this song. The song praises God for his goodness and inexplicable love. Judikay tried to mention a few of the wonderful things God has done for those who are in Christ, one of which is the fact that He has won the victory over sin and the world on their behalf.

What could have been improved

The drum fills were too frequent. At some point in the song I got completely tired of hearing the toms because of how frequent they were played. Drum fills are great but when they are too frequent they start to be a nuisance.
Judikay was screaming in way that was unnecessary for the song. I understand that that’s her own style of singing, but for this song, the screaming didn’t quite fit. I wish she had continued with the calmness with which she sang the first verse of the song, or just raise the volume a little. But the screaming was just too much, and in my opinion, it was unnecessary.
The repetition of “I will sing…thank you” and “I will shout…” was too much. It lasted for 118 seconds non- stop (that’s about one-third of the song) and yet it was repeated for another 32 seconds at the end of the song. At some point, after the first 70 seconds of singing those phrases, I got tired of hearing it. It would have been okay, if I was hearing it in a live performance, but for a recorded piece, it was too much.

Conclusion:

‘Daddy you too much’ is a beautiful song; Judikay and her team did a great job. I enjoyed listening to the song and for sure, I danced. On a scale of 1-10, I would give the song 8/10.

You can listen to ‘Daddy You Too Much’ by Judikay on Deezer .

You can also read other music reviews I’ve done here.

Pose by S.O.N (song review)

This review is for the song, Pose by S.O.N. Pose is a song by Jos based multi- talented artist and producer, S.O.N featuring Oluwadrumma. It was released on 29^th of October, 2021. It has a total length of 224 seconds (3 minutes 44 seconds). The genre of the song is Afro pop with little dash of Electronic Dance Music.

General overview:

Pose is a dance song. It’s the kind of song that you play in a celebration like wedding, birthday, and it will definitely get everyone on their feet and dancing. It aims at encouraging believers not to hide testimonies of what God has done for them, but rather to share them.

Strong points:

Great production. The very first thing that you hear when you play the song is this beautiful synth bass accompanied with a soothing piano. The production of the song is the strongest point of the song. It’s beautiful. The choice of instruments were perfect and they were skillfully played.
Great composition. The chord progression was beautiful and there was dynamics in the song. Even though the chord progression was the same throughout the song, yet the production was done in such a way that there was dynamics in the song. There was this beautiful interlude after every verse/Chorus that kept the song interesting from the beginning to the end of the song. You could play the song over and over and not get tired of it.
Relevant message. The message of the song was relevant.
Great vocal delivery. SON did a great job. His vocals depicted the message of the song well and blended well with the instrumentation. Also, the artist featured in the video, A Mose, did an awesome job as well. His verse added spice to the song.

What could have been improved

The words used in the lyrics to pass across the message is a bit limiting. The slangs used are not timeless and excludes the older generation from understanding the message of the song. Only the younger folks would understand the song’s message well. Considering that the message of the song is not exclusively for young people alone, the use of words that would be easily understood by everyone (including the older folks) would have been better.

Conclusion:

Pose is a beautiful song. Personally, it ranks among the most played songs on my playlist. On a scale of 1- 10, I rate this song 9/10. You listen or download the song using this link. Or you could watch the video here.

Check out other music reviews I’ve done here.

Song Review Of Life By Freeman Fanatic

This review is for a song titled, Life. ‘Life’ is a single by Christian hip pop artist, Freeman Fanatic featuring Mary David. The song was released on the 23 rd of September, 2021. It has a total length of 170 seconds (2minutes 50 seconds). The genre of the song is Christian Hip pop.

General overview:

Life is a song of reflection. It reminds the listeners that we all, have a brief time to spend on earth, as humans, and that none of us knows when we are going to die. Being a song written to make one reflect/ think about life, it was not composed/ produced to make you want to jump and dance; both the lyrics and the melody were intentionally tailored to make you sit back and think.

Strong points:

Great vocal delivery. As mentioned in the general overview, the song was meant to make listeners reflect about life; not to dance and both Freeman Fanatic and Mary David did that effectively in their delivery. They were able to drive home the message of the song with the way they presented it.
The lyrics of the song were on point. They clearly passed across the message of the song. There were no ambiguity in the lyrics; anyone who listens to the song would get the message clearly.
Great composition. The song was composed in a way that depicted the message of the song and that’s a big plus. The choice of chords was perfect; they give you that sober, reflective feel that makes you sit back, listen to the lyrics and reflect.
Good production. The choice of instruments were just fitting for the song. The production was also very good.
There was dynamics in the song. Even though the mood of the song was reflective, yet it was dynamic enough to keep you listening to the end. In fact, you could listen to the song over and over and not get bored. I particularly like the twist at around 1:48 where the beat changed from Hip pop to Naija Afro pop and returned to Hip pop.

What could have been improved:

The speech at the intro of the song was not clear. And I’m not referring to the filter applied to it. Anyone listening to the song would barely understand what was said there.
There were many producer tags in the songs and some of them were in the middle of the song. Hearing producer tags in the middle of a song is a big turn off for most people. It sounds very unprofessional. Producer tags should be either at the beginning or end of the song, not in the middle.

Conclusion:

I would say Life is a beautiful song with a relevant message. I enjoyed listening to it and would recommend it. On a scale of 1- 10, I would rate this song 7/10. You can listen or download the song reviewed in this post using this link.

You can also check other music reviews here