It provided the home feels, retained the cultural identity, amplified it’s own artist and promoted the core value of unity as it brought creatives from various places across the region together.
Gen Uru is an initiative of the Hero Lager Beer in it’s mission to uplift emerging voices and give platforms to future voices. It just embarked on it’s “Uru Dia” campaign which stands for “Revealing Inner True Worth“. It is an academy where emerging talents are trained and guided through the process and intricacies of making music by some selected leaders which acts as guardian to help through their transformation process.
The “Worthy” album comes as part of it’s package to empowering talents while fostering unity and cultural appreciation. Just in its first session, it pulls a wide range of fast rising artists like Acetune, DanDizzy, Ifé, Sparkle Tee, Zanivibes et cetera with other established acts among them such as: Rudeboy and Jeriq. It is also noteworthy that renowned rapper and lyricist Illbliss filled in as the creative director for the academy.
“Worthy” is similar to other compilations projects with features scattered all over. It contains 13 tracks which seamlessly fuses traditional eastern rhythms with contemporary elements that brings about a very soothing experience which highlights the musical heritage inherent in the South East and South South region of the country.
The energy is upped straight from the intro “Hit“. Heavy bass drums, spare lushes of trumpet above, highlife shakers gives it an instant edge. The artist did well to match up with the energy of the production. Ifé did well with her hard-core approach to the hook whose message of self assuredness and validation rightly complements the manner at which the hook was executed. I also like the dynamism too amongst the artists with the verse. It only felt complete when the verse only filled with the indigenous Igbo language came through. This is a hard one, too much energy and it elevates it so well that you could find little flaw in it.
Major Banks helms production on “Wait“. It’s still heavy, but the bounce is Caribbean with Reggae-like feels. It feels like the journey is about to begin properly after a thrilling opener. When this comes on, it takes over instantly without drop-off. The artists combined well too, everyone found good pockets of spaces to express themselves.
Amapiano is given a new feel on “Sure Banker” when it is fused traditional rhythms from the South. There is some sort of originality in this track and that is where it get it’s edge. Major Banks was also kept things tidy with those log drums so they don’t get out of hand. Zanivibes had an impressive outing once again. Her verse was well taken and the way she lit up the hook with her soulful vocals is pleasing to the ears.
My love for traditional highlife from the east is reignited on “Sure Odd“. From the fist second, it already had me on hooked. It’s the one that gets you grooving instantly even to the extent that you try to mimic the Eastern dance when you can’t even do it. I love the direction of the song. It’s strictly Eastern in its overall rendition. The drums, the bounce, the shakers, the crowded vocals uniformly align with themselves for a pleasurable combo. Nearly four minutes long, but you won’t feel an inch of its longevity because you are busy grooving or moving your body to the beat while sitting.
“Sogbulema” still remains within that highlife waters. It is more stripped back than its predecessor. It’s interesting to see Kodopearl on this track again, he brings an important uniqueness just as he did on “Sure Odd“. It’s an subtle idea to go one better on the highlife soundscapes, which was done well. Although, “Sure Odd” is the elite, this is a worthy follow-up to it. It excels in its basics and keeps things running smoothly.
Highlife has so many facets. It’s easily malleable into different forms. We are presented with another dimension of Highlife music is on “Uru Dia“. The song is giving an highlife band performance at an event, specifically a wedding occasion, where everyone is merry and having fun with each other. Acetune owned the song, Ifé should have had more time. Nonetheless, it’s a great song. My favorite keeps changing as we move on.
It’s been about captivating rhythms and instrumentals since the intro till this track comes on. “Chop Chop” takes another dimension with it’s retro early 00’s vibe. It is pure and unfiltered with great deliveries to back it up. It makes you wonder how fascinating eastern frequencies are. While not much effort is based on the lyrics – as it was driven by the melodies and the production – its message is quite clear without doubt.
It will not be easy to have an eastern centered project and not have a trap influenced song on it because the amount of trap songs out of the region in recent time keeps growing by the day. “Awawa” is a break from Highlife, which has pretty much being the sonic direction of the project till now. Versatility is on show here with everybody out to hold their own tight on a track which seems like the survival of the fittest. Had Illbliss been on this track too, it will increase its appeal a lot.
Surprisingly, Rudeboy joins in for “Oshimmiri“. It is mid tempo, mild and slow-burn. Having a direct thematic relations with Omah Lay’s “Soso” plus it’s emphasis on “Oshimmiri, wash my scars away“, the best way to describe the track is Soso rendered in traditional and undiluted African rhythms. You could hear the desperation to be free, despite it being playful and groovy like its counterpart. I get excited whenever Ifé features on a track and she rewards my expectations well with another flawless verse. Rudeboy is sensational, he showed why he is a legend. Sparkle Tee, impressive in all he had to do. This one is from the top drawer.
Party bops are an inevitable in Afro-Pop project, and Kosa satisfies that requirement for this project. Kosa is the one to get the people moving to the dance floors. It is Amapiano with commercial appeal in mind when it was crafted. It may succeed as the most mainstream export, but there are already plenty of songs to groove to already.
Jeriq, I believe, is a name quite associated with top quality the east has to offer when Hip-Hop is considered. Already cemented his place as one of the top voices out of the region, it was only fitting that he lends his voice into this project. On “Worthy“, the title song of the project, he doesn’t depart from his familiar sonic background, making for much needed sonic diversity. He gets it right however, scaling fiercely through the bouncy drill beat.
A love song on the close ? It’s an unexpected twist and direction. Compilation projects like this rarely need an outro created in the regular fashion as albums do, so it doesn’t take away from its overall brilliance. Emotions are flying over on “5 & 6” with Zanivibes spearheading it with her sincere toned confessions on the hook and both verses sitting well on her hook.
The vision and direction of the project was clearly defined before the recording process began, the artists did well to stay in line with it in their contributions. The artists had an impressive cameo across various tracks on the project, and understood the assignment when they are called upon. They’re all set for a fantastic journey through the industry with beautiful moments set to accompany them. Truly, there is an inner worth within them.
Just like many compilation tapes all over, it is the execution of it’s vision that determines how well its fares. “Worthy“, without bias, was able to showcase the musical heritage of the east and torchlight all sonic styles unique to the region. It provided the home feels, retained the cultural identity, amplified it’s own artist and promoted the core value of unity as it brought creatives from various places across the region together.
[LISTEN]: GenUru’s New Album “Worthy”
