Hip-Hop Lives Here
Hip-Hop Lives Here
As soon as Eazie Boi’s new Afrobeat single “Normally” comes on, you probably won’t be able to stop dancing long enough to think about what it means. That’s the point.
Beneath the catchy melodies and pulsing rhythms, there is a sharper message. Written and recorded amidst Nigeria’s ongoing political and economic strain, in which speaking out about the situation can be dangerous, “Normally” disguises deep social criticism as a celebration.
It’s a song that works on two levels at once. Normally, Eazie Boi is saying, we would dance. But what’s happening now is not normal.
All my pretty ladies, oh go shake it slowly
All my pretty ladies, oh go take it slowly
Normally we supposed to de dance
Normally, hard work should be enough. Normally, speaking up shouldn’t be a crime. Normally, life shouldn’t feel so heavy.
It’s a thought-provoking and clever way to frame this message. Eazie Boi speaks to everyday frustration without naming names. He lets a simple concept speak for itself: is this normal? It’s a deliberate choice in a country where open political criticism can carry real consequences.
“That’s why I hid the message inside the song,” Eazie Boi says. “If you’re not careful, you’ll just dance to it. But if you listen, you’ll understand what it’s really about.”
Eazie Boi is following in the footsteps of the legendary Fela Kuti, the Nigerian musician whose hot band moved the world while his hot takes infuriated the powers-that-be. This combination of social consciousness with an irresistible sound is the sweet spot for Eazie Boi.
“Normally” was produced by Benzer Republic, Eazie Boi’s collaborator for the past 2 years. For Eazie Boi, the track was built from instinct rather than instruments. Eazie Boi doesn’t play any instruments, so he constructs songs by imagining full arrangements in his head. He then vocalizes rhythms and textures to producers until the track takes shape. The result is a record that feels organic, urgent, and straight from the mind of Eazie Boi.
Born Raymond Isreal, “Eazie Boi” was a nickname derived from his last name, as in “Izzy” boy. Originally from Akwa Ibom State, he is fast rising to prominence in the Nigerian Afrobeat and hip hop scene. He was raised on a wide spectrum of music, from reggae and highlife to Afrobeat and conscious rap. And he has steadily built a reputation for blending socially aware themes with contemporary African sounds.
“Normally" joins previous releases like “No Para,” “Oshey,” “Dispare,” and “Burning Bridge,” all of which hint at politically conscious messages.
The single is released via Omo Records Entertainment, led by CEO Frederick Omo. Omo says Eazie Boi’s work stands out for its willingness to challenge listeners. And for its presence on the dance floor.
With “Normally,” Eazie Boi aims to reach audiences beyond Nigeria. He says, “Music is revolutionary. It opens people’s eyes. There’s power in music, and there’s power in telling the truth, even when you have to say it quietly.”
“Normally” is out January 30th with support from Starlight PR. Follow Eazie Boi at the links below:
Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok
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Charles Barton is an electronic music artist who creates emotional and reflective songs. His latest track, “Lost Space,” is a minimal house and pop song that you can sit back and relax with but also get up and dance to. The atmosphere Charles crafted is centered around the whirlwind of emotions people can go through as they lay in bed at night.
When creating “Lost Space,” Charles wanted to capture a floaty feeling of being lost in your mind. By combining synthesizers and gentle percussion, the floating journey eases into an energized outro. The outro captures the controlled chaos of thoughts fully taking over the mind.
“When I was writing the lyrics, I was thinking about the times in my life when I’ve been trying to sleep but that anxious feeling is still there. It’s that experience of being lost in the stress. The lights are out and your mind is going crazy. Part of it is also surrendering to these feelings temporarily because fighting them is even harder. Sometimes you just have to let your mind do what it’s going to do,” he said.
His upcoming project, Grey Thoughts contains other tracks that deal with internal thought processing. There are songs centered around identity that discuss how people view themselves and how others view them and how these two perspectives can overlap together in moments of reflection.
“You’re in this gray space of having those outside influences but also your own feelings and thoughts. You’re caught between them,” he said.
In addition to the reflective soundscapes Charles creates, he also does something unique with his electronic music - he adds acoustic elements. With his background being the symphony orchestra world, Charles is well versed in a variety of instruments including guitar, violin, clarinet and unique woodwinds like the ocarina. By adding these acoustic elements, he aims to enhance the texture of his music with warmth.
“I like building the electronic soundscape and then bringing in the acoustic elements to add color, texture and an organic feeling. I don’t want it to feel too saturated with the digital sounds,” he said.
While the electronic music world is known for pulse pounding club music, Charles purposely sought out to do the opposite with “Lost Space.” By creating something with a slower tempo, he wanted to give people something different from both a tempo standpoint and a song structure standpoint. The track does have a hook, an entrancing vocal loop from Charles himself, but it has no verses.
“I wanted to play around with the idea of a non-traditional song structure. I wanted to do lyrics that are just the chorus. I was thinking of doing something simpler that people can still enjoy and appreciate the unique chorus focused aspect of it,” he said.
In addition to his solo music, Charles has also worked with multiple vocalists, especially ones from the R&B world. When collaborating with vocalists, Charles says he lets himself become the “background” and allows the artist to step into the foreground. In a literal sense, his production is the background for the artist’s vocals but he is also providing the sonic bed for those vocals.
Charles Barton is looking forward to releasing Grey Thoughts soon. He has plans for more music too which will take a different route sonically and have a new special aspect.
“Lost Space” by Charles Barton is available on streaming services now.
You can hear more of Charles Barton’s reflective music by keeping up with him on these platforms.
Website | Apple Music | Spotify | Instagram
The Starlight PR Team thanks Charles Barton for taking the time to speak with us.
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