About Modenine
Is a Genre-Sliding, Beautiful Work of Art)“Griot” allows Modenine to play the role of an eponymous griot; an African traditional storyteller and musician (he even includes voiceovers that explain the cultural importance of griots). Thus, he glides over a synth-heavy beat to delve into a historical account of the great figures and kingdoms of Africa, orally immortalising them in his art as was the duty of the griots.Next is “Shiatsu Massage” featuring the soft and s onorous vocals of Maleiva. As has become typical of the project, the song begins with a voice over that explicitly addresses the topic of the song before Modenine delves into the theme with sharp topical focus, using clever wordplay to expose parallels and metaphors.Then comes “Super Star,” which is built on lighter drums and sparse pianos with hints of brass in the background. Modenine tells tales of limelight craving, and the lengths people can go to for the satisfaction of those lofty desires. Divy Reign’s emotionally-poignant singing on the chorus drives home the sadness that can follow the situations Modenine describes.“Jah Flow” returns to braggadocious Modenine as he raps aggressively about his pedigree and his rise through the ranks of the industry. The instrumental of this song leans slightly towards dancehall with its energetic drum pattern, and this dancehall tinge is cemented by the sampled vocals that make up the chorus.“A Hero Has Come 2” features playful deliveries that Modenine employ to recount his impact on the growth and revitalisation of rap. He does this by painting the picture of an action movie’s hero working his way through a number of villains that represent the aspects of rap that he seems to believe detract from the artform.“Keep My Name Out Your Mouth” is a song as direct as the title claims. Modenine rides an uncomplicated boom-bap beat with bold bars that serve as warnings to other rappers. The gist of the song is that Modenine is not to be tested, based on his pedigree, accomplishments, and ability. The song ends with recorded clips from radio shows where people gave shoutouts to the legend Modenine is. It also includes a clip of Modenine himself going on a lyrical tirade some time in the past.“Invicta” translates from Latin to mean “Undefeated,” and that is exactly the energy Modo approaches the song with. While not as topically focused as many of the other songs on the project,
Key features of the Modenine that are enabled through these drivers include:
- Modenine – Super Human Lyrics - Genius
- Modenine – Bigger Than This Lyrics - Genius
- Lagbaja ft. Modenine - Scream - YouTube
- Modenine: Elbow Room (Lyrics) - YouTube
- Modenine – NO MATTER WHAT Lyrics - Genius
- Modenine - INSULIN Lyrics and Tracklist - Genius
- Modenine – SAME GIRL Lyrics - Genius
In Popkorn! The Album, Modenine relies on his wide polymathic knowledge and thoughtful song-writing to disperse knowledge, craft clever metaphors, tell specific stories, and draw insightful parallels …By Yinoluwa OlowofoyekuIn a musical landscape that is currently dominated by new, young, and emergent acts, it seems that the veterans’ hold on the industry seems to have loosened. However, there is no substitute for experience, and Nigerian rap legend, Modenine, demonstrates this fiercely on Popkorn! The Album.Modenine is an undeniable pillar of Nigerian hip-hop. Debuting in 2004 with his Malcolm IX project, The London-born Babatunde Olusegun Adewale would go on to have an illustrious career comprised of over 8 solo studio albums, multiple collaborative albums, a bevy of hard-hitting mixtapes, and a repertoire of memorable verses. The self-proclaimed polymath, who credits the likes of Grandmaster Flash for his love of hip-hop, eventually etched his own name into the annals of Nigerian rap and would go on to inspire many others as well. With a firm understanding of his legacy and positioning, Modenine decided to sport his old-school influences boldly across this project.(Read also: Afrocritik Top 25 African Music Videos of 2022)The project begins with “Show Me Love,” a track that is centred around industry relationships. The song is kicked off with a voice recording of Davido appreciating Modenine who was there for him at the beginning of his career, and that underscores the theme of the song. Modenine reminisces on significant contributions various people and places made to his career over a heartfelt boom-bap beat. The simple call-and-response hook sees Modenine espousing that he owes love to anyone who shows him the same.The title track, “Popkorn,” is next, allowing Modenine to explain why the album is so named with the line “My life is a movie, grab your popcorn.” He proceeds to outline some of the highlights of this storied life over a bubbly bassline and soft keys that underscore classic hip-hop drums. A sweeping synth is introduced in the chorus that is anchored by dreamy vocals from Sista Dada.“All Time Great” is a braggadocious cut that sees Modenine make a case for his greatness over another classic hip-hop beat built over wavy pads. Modenine explores speedy flows and aggressive cadences over the laid-back beat that sometimes feel a bit misplaced. The chorus is extremely nostalgic, made up of simple vocals chopped and scratched the way hip-hop DJs were famed to do
