Before I dive into this article, I would like for you, the reader, to know that in a bid to get myself to write more, I’ve decided to try something crazy: write more.
The truth is that I have researched deeply to know how to get myself to write more but the common advice I’ve come across is to just write. So, I’ve decided to do that.
Sometimes the posts might appear random. However, it might happen that one of the random musings might spark a flame in your mind. Thank you for even bothering to read.
Now, this article is about something that’s hardly talked about. But someone has to do this. And if not me, who else? This is an issue that has lingered on my mind for sometime now.
WHY DO MANY NIGERIAN ARTISTS NOT HAVE SWAG?
I’ve gotten into several fights with different people, one of them being the manager of a fast-rising Nigerian act (I don’t want to mention names lest I cause trouble for myself).
Many of them find it unsettling when I slander their favorite acts for their dressing or how they look. Sometimes, I want to agree with them that it’s unfair to criticize their looks. Other times (and mostly), I know it’s important to judge an artist based on looks. I mean, appearance is as important to an artist as a sword to a gladiator.
As a kid, one of the things I found interesting was how *stylish* an artist looked in their music videos.
The look of an artist usually piqued my interest if it’s noteworthy. I remember drooling over D’banj’s style and turning the sitting room into a pool. And then came Ice Prince. I mean, the guy gave a new definition to dripping for Nigerian artists.
(I’m trying not to mention any foreign artist as it might be unfair to our Nigerian acts).
With the arrival of social media, it was easier to take a peek into the lives of celebrities and see their drip.
While artists in the western world are doing revolutionary things with their fashion, it is not quite the same in this part of the world. Unfortunate, but it’s the truth.
I can admit that having swag or simply dripping can be difficult for many Nigerian artists. Having access to the right drip can seem impossible many a time. All of that is understandable. But is it forgivable? You guessed right. It’s not.
I can forgive you if your music is not great but if your swag or drip is not impressive, ugh I can’t fuck with you. Even though it might not matter in the grand scheme of things.
I can only mention a few Nigerian acts that always come through when it comes to their swag.
Or I could just say it as it truly is: Dice Ailes has the best swag so far in the Nigerian music industry. No artist can come close. Maybe Rema.
I’m not saying there’s no artist can do better but you have to *actually* do better for us to believe. For me to believe.
As an artist, you can possibly escape a lot of harsh criticism if your drip is hard. No jokes. People can’t help but be drawn toward an artist who looks and appears stylish.
Although this write-up is not constructed in a manner that shows that the topic it’s addressing should be taken seriously, it would do the artist great help if he or she considered it.
Just dey try swag. Try to make a statement with your fashion. It doesn’t have to be something extravagant. It should, nevertheless, be ostentatious. You are a person of interest, after all. Act like one. That’s what the audience wants to see.
