Show Dem Camp has been at the forefront of the Alte culture and community for years. The Cavemen have been one of the most successful alternative acts in the mainstream for a while now.
Nsikak David is one of the most interesting acts in the game right now.
The three combine to deliver one interesting body of work titled No Love In Lagos.
The project dwells on the stories around love in the entertainment hub in Africa, the personal experiences of the creatives behind the project and the reality of young people chasing substance in love right now.
The 10-tracked body of work is interesting and full of stories. It gives listeners a lot to dwell on, triggering PTSD along the way.
The album opens with a soft solemn instrumental graced by a pain-stricken voice asking for love, and then rolls into the lead single off the project No Love In Lagos. Tec opens the floor with a rendering of his knowledge of love in the city and issues a warning to all those seeking the drug.
Ghost comes in after the chorus, bragging about the perspective of love from fame and how he does not need to be in love to do the lovemaking.
They proceed to talk about Johni in the next song, with our highlife brothers shouldering more of the creative responsibility here. ‘Johnny just come‘ is a phrase coined by Nigerians for someone new to an environment and unfamiliar with its working systems.
The fusion-based record sees our creatives tell listeners to wise up and not be likened to Johni, as there’s no love in the jungle again. “You can’t fuel your drive with the local pump price” Ghost says in a poetic warning to love-seeking individuals. Cavemen alternate between the hip-hop preachers, fueling the message with angelic melodies.
Why is a beautiful story about a young man not allowed to enjoy the fickle things of life. Heavily soaked in high life, this young man fights through the voices of our artists, asking why there’s a restriction on his desire to simply enjoy the life he has to live.
Fall witnesses awareness and gratitude. This is their story, this is their song. Coming from a city where you’re recognized by your car plates and your bank accounts, making it out is a big deal for the five of them. The track serves as a testimony, making friends from the cave to the journey up and showing them what you’re all about. The stellar production on the album continues here, and the guitarist deserves a cold beer.
Tim Lyre opens Buga with a big flex. At this point, it’s obvious the album was made to invoke feelings, thoughts and memories while being carefully sound-engineered to be taken to the road. Tec and Ghost are Tec and Ghost as usual, and they make the record feel like a late-night drive through Bourdillon Road.
OMFTR is a perfect blend of Afro-Pop and Highlife, and who better to grace the song than Ogbonjayar? He’s very direct in talking to his haters, and how he cleared their doubts.
There’s barely any room left to impress after he delivers an amazing hook and guest verse backed up by signature ukulele vocals from the men from the mountains, but the rap duo will always show. Geniuses combining to deliver magic will never not be appreciated.
Moelogo, oh the fairytale that you are. Tec, in a prayerful mode, opens Blessings with a thought-invoking verse, showering prayers and declarations upon self and witnesses and the man with the grace on his life calls on his creator to fight for him amidst his actions in life. Moelogo is beautiful. Moelogo is a married man, and music is definitely a stingy bride where he is concerned.
Ghost re-fires the prayer guns, likening himself to the national grid while shutting down Lagos. He prays they keep coming. The verses, the peace and prosperity. I do not understand what The Cavemen said right after, but I know that it is correct.
As Moelogo closes the song, I imagine something. You know that meme, that one where two men are on fire and holding a briefcase, that’s used to describe artists after they’re done recording fire in the studio, yes. That one. That’s what comes to mind. Only here, there are six people on fire.
Train has Ruti gliding, like the moving train she says she is. Her vocals are definitely something I want to keep listening to after this project.
The first two minutes of Sudden Day have spirit-filled melodies and instrumentals taking you somewhere. Somewhere you do not know. A beautiful journey, till Ghost drags you back with a cohesive delivery of well-written rap. Four bars, but enough to put you in awe. He raises the mood, and the highlife duo bring it back down with the chorus.
Tec and Ghost then bounce off each other like Garri Ijebu and cold groundnut, and then we see our Highlife ambassadors wrap up the project, accompanied by an amazing blend of instruments. I really do hope the saxophonist on this record is friends with the guitarist because I’ll be sending two cans of beer to them.
Final thoughts on No Love in Lagos by Show Dem Camp and The Cavemen
No Love in Lagos is a spectacular album that every Lagosian at least should listen to. It’s melodic, heavy on lyricism, cohesive to a fault and blessed with stellar production. Definitely ranks up there as one of my favourite albums this year, I admire the collaborative effort on the album.
Another interesting thing is that it’s the fact that we see two duos coming together to make a project, something that would have been argued to be impossible. Their blend? Impeccable. The possibilities birthed by this project are immense, and I definitely am here for it.
Oh, I forgot to tell you. The guitarist I’ve been mentioning all though is Nsikak David, the third guy on the project. He’s so good, he had to be featured. I personally believe his strings are guided by God. Nsikak, three cans for you especially.
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