Justifying A Dialectical Affinity Between Music And Heroism: A Review Of Faze’s Originality Track

Chibuzor Orji (Faze)

In 2008, precisely four years after the foreseeable and what turned out to be the final collapse of Plantashun Boy, a group consisting 2face Idibia, BlackFace Naija and Faze himself, Chibuzor Oji, known by his stage name Faze released his sensational and nationally endorsed album titled Originality. And due to the gradual and incredible improvement reflected in his previous albums, coupled with the expressed optimism on more progressive shift towards perfection in the next one, probably did Faze have the premonition that the album Originality, would make him one of the Nigeria’s best-selling artistes, and thus put his name into the cannon of musical legendries by the time he might have tailed behind epochal relevance. 
 

But releasing the album with all his passion and ruggedness, which later turned out to be ‘the most anticipated album of the year’ seemed to be the wisest decision ever taken for his musical carrier. This unarguably is due to the fact that the album, through its most hit and eponymous track Originality puts Faze on the trajectory of casual remembrance by the time he has irrecoverably lost his then powerfully flamboyant, though lingering musical spirit in the contemporary Nigerian musical spotlight.

Undisputedly, whenever we are talking about the evolution of R&B, hip-hop and reggae music in Nigeria, Faze would always have his name written with indelible ink at the centre page of musical history. This is a man whose musical development could be traced to the second, if not the first generation of hip-hop exponents to have magnificently graced Nigerian musical scene. No wonder he himself proudly claimed that he has been in existence “since khaki turn to agbada” and that he “don tey since the time of Nelson Mandela.” This boastful lyric credited to him connotes that he was part of Nigeria’s democratic development after a long enduring disruption of the nation’s polity by the military coup that kept coming and going like wandering spirits. 

And ever since his activeness from 1995 with series of successful synergies with the likes of iconic rapper Ruggedman, Mc Loph, Wyclef Jean, Akon, Africa China and his ex- Plantashun boys co-travellers, the Delta State born but Lagos bred, who Terry G was sometime a backup singer for, braved all odds to make an exceptional feat through the blend of his musical style – R&B with pop infusion which has a perfect match of beat and great lyric, possessing strong African undertone and creating effects that project an easy national appealing to people’s psyche and sensibility.     

    

Defunct Plantashun Boys

Faze was never a failure, never! Ever since the inception of his solo carrier as an artiste after the untimely death of the group which many believe was traceable to the tussle for supremacy, jealousy and lack of leadership control between 2face Idibia and him, all his albums recorded incredible exploit on Nigeria musical chart and had (and still having) consistent acceptance on the nation’s radio wave. His first album, Faze Alone, recorded more than three million sales, while his second, Independent created an incredible wider margin of acceptance than the former by recording over seven million copies sales- a scale-breaking single that conferred the honor of ‘the king’ of Nigerian R&B to Faze.   

And like his previous albums, Originality, Faze’s third album – his most reflective, rhapsodic and revelatory collection of personal experiences – came out with a further vigour – a crystal clear fact that he has stepped up the game with energetically raspy vocal. Originality, originally original, classy in tempos, voices and beat went platinum within one month of release, and Faze became the first Nigerian to have three consecutive albums on platinum. The album which has seventeen tracks received good review and made Faze the boss of his craft. But of the seventeen tracks, the first lead single, Originality track dominated the radio wave and had myriad internet downloads. 

He later released another album in 2010- his fourth- which unfortunately never met the general expectation- a signpost that he was losing attention and gradually fading due to what is apparently owned to the fact that the Nigerian musical sphere was becoming competitive, as new faces with another dimension of the same brand of music were fasting coming and getting attention from the populace. Quite unfortunate enough, Faze completely lost his magic and went into oblivion, though through his Originality track- a celebration of heroes both primordial and contemporary, political and musical- he has ultimately set a goal of musical legendary for himself. The reality of this is when he sings that “una go hala my name one day” which we still do since his heydays have fallen behind the pendulum of relevance. 

A vivid appraisal of the Originality track, it can be said that Faze has successfully created a dialectical affinity between music and heroism by taking us down to the memory lane and the renaissance projected in his musical exploit in the face of unstable political transition in Africa, specifically Nigeria, coupled with the impact of feisty warriors and actors like “(Ken Saro)Wiwa, Bola(Tinubu), Fashola (Tunde), Nelson Mandela and Fela Kuti” in the process. But of the interesting point of contingence is when he was mentioning the names of the key political personalities who have imprinted their feet in the sand of time. The names of Major General Rahmat Muritala, Yakubu Gowon, Dele Giwa, Wole Soyinka, MKO Abiola, Shagari, Obafemi Awolowo, Oduduwa, Moremi, Tafa Balewa, Herbert Macaulay, Ahmadu Bello, Jaja of Opobo are synonymous to Nigeria’s independence, freedom from slavery, liberational struggle and fundamental human rights in the history of Nigeria from the 19^th century.

Similarly, of the limpid point of Faze’s self-immortalization and identity is the way he mentions the names of some of the greatest and legendary musical icons to have ever toured the soil of Nigeria right from the 20^th century. Faze’s kowtow to people before him shows his obedience, after all a young man that knows how to wash hands well will dine with his elders as a popular axiom posits. Re-echoing names like Ebenezer Obey, Sunny Ade, Reggae King Majek and Fashek, Charlie Boy, Fela Kuti, Onyeka Owenu, Prince Okotie, Mike Okri etc, which cut across cultural boundaries in Nigeria is an indication of Faze’s consciousness to the clarion call to promote national harmony, which he hearkened to. 

Faze the king

Whatsoever maybe be said of him –whether of his glistering heyday, his artistic ingenuity or his disappearance from Nigeria’s musical scene –Faze remains an icon and a significant reference point whenever we are talking about the growth and evolution of Nigeria’s modern music. He is a self-immortalized hero- a music amazon that continues to dwells in the hearts of many Nigerians. 

**first published on NaijadopeReview