Alt茅 hive, arise! Cruel Santino has rejoined the group chat. Three years after releasing Mandy & The Jungle, an album that cemented his position as a leading voice among a new group of Nigerian creatives pushing the musical thread, Cruel Santino 鈥� formerly Santi 鈥� has made a major comeback with his new 21-track album, Subaru Boys: FINAL HEAVEN. For Love It/Hate It, we asked Nigerians what they think about the new album, and this is what they had to say. 

鈥淎jebo agberos, rise! Don鈥檛 waste this album鈥� 鈥� Josh  

Cruel Santino is the only one that can unleash both the ajebutter and agbero side of Nigerians at the same time. You listen to him and you want to break bottles but you also want to talk to your girl about romance and anime. This album is peak cult茅. It鈥檚 insane because no one man should have all this power. Is this the best album I鈥檝e listened to this year? Yes. People may say I鈥檓 capping, but my question is: and so fucking what? Is it your cap?

鈥淚 see we鈥檙e back with this pretentious shit. Alright.鈥� 鈥� Khadijah 

Fake alt茅 people will not allow us hear word for the next one week because of this very mid album. Their oga may have changed his name, but everything else is still faux-intellectual rave BS. I listened to it because, honestly, I want to like his music. I don鈥檛 know where the hype is coming from, but 21 songs where I couldn’t hear you properly on like 18? Oh wrong nau. Old Nollywood called, they need their aesthetic back. 

RELATED: Love It/Hate It: Asa鈥檚 New Album, 鈥淰鈥�

鈥淭his is the type of album you release when rent is due. Inject it inna mi veins!鈥� 鈥� Tobe

Subaru Boys for life mehn! I don鈥檛 know how he does it, but Cruel Santino is way ahead of his time. My brain cells can only comprehend like three of the songs on this album, but that’s what you get when you listen to an artist who鈥檚 experimenting with his sound. Now I want to listen over and over again until I actually get it. This is what good music is about and I鈥檓 soaking it in. The man did a madness abeg. 

鈥淲erey will not touch me IJN (Amen)鈥� 鈥� Lara 

Why does Cruel Santino like to play with demonic spirits? It doesn鈥檛 sit right with me and my heavenly race. His music reminds me of the evil Mount Zion films preached against, but my coconut head will still listen, and I will be jumping up and down to the songs. Please and please, this album is elite. But as much as I love vibing to it, I鈥檒l never shout, 鈥淲erey touch me,鈥� because na from clap, dance dey start.  

鈥淕orgeous gorgeous girls do usually listen to Cruel Santino鈥� 鈥� Ashley

Instagram stories and TikTok will ban me from using songs from this album before next week, let鈥檚 bet. I can鈥檛 believe he made us wait three whole years! This album was totally worth the wait because it鈥檚 the most cohesive album I鈥檝e heard in a long time. Everything just blends and no song feels out of place. It鈥檚 easy to get bored listening to an album with 21 tracks, but this man had me in a chokehold and I lowkey liked it. Hey daddy!

鈥淐ruel Santino needs to push himself with collaborations鈥� 鈥� Uchenna 

In my opinion, no one makes alt茅 music like Cruel Santino. He knows what works for him and he has mastered it. But at what point do you actually reach outside the box? This album is golden, but the collaborations are predictable. The guy needs to work with people with different sounds. Can you imagine how much a Cruel Santino and Zinolesky track would bang? Santi鈥檚 collaborations need to come out for air once in a while. 

CONTINUE READING: The Year in Alt茅: 12 Songs That Got Us Through 2021

Joey B 鈥� “Over You” ft. Odunsi & Santi

Ghanaian rapper, Joey B is already a towering star, and with his latest project, Lava Feels 鈥� he says it’s not an EP nor an album, but a “collection of songs” 鈥� he manages to add new layers to his artistry.

The project features memorable assists from gifted Ghanaian stars like Sarkodie and Stonebwoy, but it’s “Over You”, which features Odunsi (The Engine) and Santi”, that immediately caught our attention.

On the Odunsi-produced track, Joey B raps about making money, chasing women and ignoring his haters. It’s a stellar song that’s elevated by a solid hook and Joey’s fun cadence.

In many ways, multi-hyphenate creator, Santi has become the conter-cultural poster child for what is now designated as the alte scene; a cultural movement鈥搃nspired by influences as varied as contemporary Japanese anime, the pop culture of Nigeria’s 80s and 90s, or 2000s soul鈥搕hat is emerging primarily out of Lagos, Nigeria.

““, a cut off Santi’s just-released studio album “Mandy And The Jungle” is a testament to the global aspirations that have helmed his approach since the career-defining “” put him on the radar鈥揳nd got nods by Ebro Darden and OVO Sound.

“You rock steady, I rock hard, yea, yea“, Santi opens a tale of two ragers, riding hard, away from all distractions on an island of his own design. It is a soundtrack to a fated love; Santi’s worries ask on the hook, “Can I trust you with my life?” ever so smoothly over groovy percussion-driven production by Odunsi The Engine, a frequent Santi collaborator and another face of the alte scene.

Not many Nigerian fans will be familiar with Barbadian Singer, Krisirie. She introduces herself as the fellow rager/love interest in Santi’s jungle with the kind of ease that I aspire to reach across every aspect of my life. Her impassioned take on reggae and R&B melodies complements Santi’s hyper-melodic crooning, thus providing some needed tailwind midway through the song.

In a manner similar to cuts like ““, another Santi & Odunsi collaboration, melodies hold it all together. Since its first sprouts emerged in the early 2010s, there have been fears and assertions that the alte scene may not be everyone’s cup of tea. For what it’s worth, RX-64 is one of those songs that defy specific or mainstream tastes. It’s just enjoyable; you can’t fight that.

Stream Santi’s “ here.

Every week, 91大神 will take you through the moments that defined Nigerian pop culture or signalled a shift from the status quo or the birth of a new approach. Let鈥檚 take you through the WATERSHED鈥搈oments from which things were never the same.

As the hottest name in the alt茅-verse, Odunsi had quite a few doubters to silence in 2017 when “Desire” was released.

It was understandable. Why, for instance, was a 19-year old who had only been making music for a year heralded as the future? One of the more common questions was whether Odunsi and his fellow 鈥楽oundCloud artists鈥� could deliver on their potential. Other more worrying questions and suggestions followed. Do they plan to be successful? Why are they lighting marijuana blunts with candles? Are they cultists?

February 19, 2019 marked the second anniversary of Desire鈥搕here are fewer doubters now. In that time, the song has turned out to be an answer to many of those questions. One thing particularly stands out鈥搕he issue of what exactly alt茅

is all about. Nothing is the same anymore.

Every culture obsesses over its own history, and rightly so. From music to language, we鈥檝e never been able to explain how art evolves. All we have are benchmarks or better still, 鈥渕oments鈥濃�揻lashes of innovation that change how we see everything.

Nigerian hip-hop has collectives like Swatroot and Trybesmen. Afropop has albums like 鈥淕rass 2 Grace鈥� and 鈥淭he Entertainer鈥�. The English Premier League has Cantona鈥檚 arrival and Aguero鈥檚 winner at QPR in 2012.

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Moments.

Odunsi鈥檚 Desire, released on the hip of a bubble created by events like Idris King鈥檚 90s Baby Pop Off and Minz鈥檚 first steps towards pop success, is one.

For starters, Desire is still one of Odunsi鈥檚 most streamed songs. It鈥檚 remarkable given that it came at a time when 鈥榓lt茅鈥� referred to a class of rich hobos who were on an exercise of hope.

Much like the LOS鈥� night in the stars at Federal Palace Hotel in 2012, or Tay Iwar鈥檚 鈥溾��, Desire marked the beginning of an era.

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Lifting The Veil

Before its release, the community that birthed the alt茅 movement had grown into a loose group of diverse creatives. Today鈥檚 alt茅 artistes are mostly second-generation creatives. Like Odunsi鈥檚 mum who ran a culture club and played the music that formed his tastes, they were shaped by free-thinkers around them, in family, friends and on the TV.

Over time, they would take their inspirations from everywhere. In some cases, those influences are as close to home as Nigerian disco music and Nigerian home videos. Others looked to the distant and unlikely, like Japanese anime, grime and dubstep.听

Most outsiders, however, saw only the taste for the unusual. In a sense, it was a veil of sorts that covered the alt茅 scene. In the period since DRB released 鈥淢arry You鈥� as an email blast in 2008, many explained the DIY culture and innovation that connected the scene as a rich kid鈥檚 fad.

It鈥檚 common with certain sub-cultures. But in the case of the alt茅 scene, when Desire dropped, a lifting of that veil was long overdue.

鈥淒esire was more radio-friendly and got more people to get accustomed to me.鈥�, Odunsi would 鈥榮 Ehis Ohunyon in 2018, weeks before his first tour of the UK.

It鈥檚 easy to see why. The biggest songs from the alt茅 scene at the time were more quirky than anything else. Take the instant classic, 鈥溾��, for instance.

Odunsi鈥檚 verse is one for the history books. I鈥檝e seen fans rage to the line 鈥�I鈥檓 only 19, but shawty, I can change your night鈥� for two years and counting. But on either side of that verse is the hyper-melodic mumbling that the mysterious Santi has become known for. For his tribe, it was true to form; for first-time listeners though, it often proved difficult to absorb.

Desire is as familiar as an R&B song about impassioned love could be. It鈥檚 done in the typical verse-hook-verse format, held together by a breezy instrumental that screams secluded nights with a love interest. And as if to let you know where he鈥檚 coming from, the song is built around a sample of 鈥溾�� by Nigerian reggae/dancehall veteran, Baba Dee.

In the weeks that followed its release, this familiarity spurred new interest in the artiste and the scene that birthed it.

More than anything, Desire created a point of reference for a new set of ears to understand alt茅.

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To Be Alt茅.

In 2018, as the anticipation for his album heightened, Joey Akan and I interviewed Odunsi for our 鈥�鈥� podcast. By the time we got talking about the community he represents, I tried to stop Joey from using the term 鈥楢lt茅鈥�. Odunsi didn鈥檛 mind. He had embraced it; he was an alt茅 artist if it meant people understood him more.

To be alt茅 in 2019 means to be part of a community of creatives that are documenting influences in a manner that is at once subversive and stylish.

Take Santi, for instance. OzzyB鈥檚 evolution into the mystery that is Santino is almost parallel to the culture he stewards. On Friday, as fans awaited the next chapter before his album鈥檚 release, the dreadlocked singer, producer and director released a trailer of the music video for the unreleased 鈥淪parky鈥�.

And after years of missing the point, critics and spectators finally recognised the movies that raised us in Santi鈥檚 visual style.

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Welcome To Shalt茅.

That lifting of the veil has also helped to widen the umbrella of what this sonic movement is. For the longest time, the slightest sprinkling of 80s pop or a disregard for formats, almost natural for a post-Kanye West creative, was all it took to be alt茅. But those lines in the sand have been cleaned out.

The murky place where those two classes meet is now home to an interesting class of musicians. Some describe them as shalt茅鈥揻rom the words 鈥榮hepeteri鈥� and alt茅.

There鈥檚 Teni the Entertainer, a multi-hyphenate who freestyles eventual hit songs on a whim and has fans across the board. Ears are perking up to the sound of Barry Jhay, a vocal powerhouse who writes preachy pop songs inspired by his father, Fuji pioneer, Chief Sikiru Ayinde Barrister. Oxlade, a playful R&B fan who makes infectious Afropop currently has one of the hottest songs in the country. GoodGirl LA, a sultry singer/songwriter who feels as at home across genres is racking up buzz. Olamide recently introduced us to Fireboy DML whose turn on songs like 鈥淛ealous鈥� has us excited for what鈥檚 next.

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The best example of Desire鈥檚 impact is perhaps Odunsi himself. Months after he released Desire, Odunsi created another watershed moment with 鈥溾��. It is a song that seemed to capture the movement鈥檚 energy so much that Spotify named an entire playlist after it.

Notable performances at NATIVELand and Homecoming followed. Then, in 2018, he released 鈥溾�� with Davido, proof that the mainstream was being won over. 鈥樷��, his debut album was released to favourable reviews. He鈥檚 kicked off 2019 with an appearance on Apple鈥檚 Beats 1 and a single with UK singer, Raye.

This Tuesday, Odunsi tweeted to mark the anniversary of the project that really kicked off his career.

鈥�thank you @TayIwar @Funbimusic & @HigoMusic for creating this classic with me. & thank you @_Falomo_ for bringing my vision to life.鈥� he wrote.

Hours later, Tay Iwar debuted a scenic music video for 鈥淪pace鈥� available only on Tidal. Days before, Lady Donli had shared and photos from her sessions with Jamaican producer Diplo and singer Mr Eazi in South Africa.

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Everything Is Alternative Till It Becomes Pop.

And Desire was the first step on the road to bringing a somewhat-hostile audience to understand that. It wouldn鈥檛 have been possible without the doubtless gifts of Funbi and Tay Iwar, two talented acts in a league of their own who are racking up their own benchmarks. The man who produced Desire, GMK, is now known for crafting, alongside BankyondBeatz, the sound of the alt茅 scene. They must feel like proud fathers.

It鈥檚 impossible to ignore the influence of alte on the mainstream in the years since 鈥淒esire鈥�.

鈥淩endezvous鈥�, MI Abaga鈥檚 first release of 2018, was basically a showcase of the scene鈥檚 finest talents. The veteran has repeatedly told of how he surrendered artistic direction on the year鈥檚 second release, 鈥� Yxng Dxnzl: A Study On Self Worth鈥� to Odunsi and GMK. Lady Donli, who appeared on the album, has featured on some of the most popular projects in the last year as well.

What does it mean to be an alt茅 artiste in 2019? To be unafraid and intent on reflecting your influences, in your own voice, with no eyes for limitations. That鈥檚 the only thing that ever mattered anyway. We just understand it more now.

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While you鈥檙e here, let me tell you about the 91大神 Pop Newsletter.

It鈥檚 called Poppin鈥� 鈥� everything you should know happening in pop culture, plus recommendations, our fire playlists, info on all the best parties and freebies you won鈥檛 get anywhere else. Do the right thing and , my gee.

2018 was, in ways, a watershed moment in Nigerian music. A new king took the throne, a new queen sent out her statement of intent, and on the international stage, we won big.

The question will now be asked of the people who dominated the conversation in 2018, like Burna, and those who, like Peruzzi, have everything to prove.

These artists may still be reeling from the hangover of a very detty December but it鈥檚 never too early for new music.

Some of my faves have already announced they鈥檒l be dropping new music this year. Others are, well, toying with our emotions.

But that never stopped anyone from expecting what we deserve. Definitely not me.

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Davido – TBA

It seems like a century ago that Davido dropped that debut album.

Ice Prince was the superstar. Reminisce was finally breaking out. And Davido鈥檚 music seemed, to most casual fans, like a labour of love.

Now, he鈥檚 the big dog鈥搑ecord label chairman, international hitmaker and father of two daughters. He鈥檚 entering this year at the peak of his powers, with two of the best songwriters on his team and an expectant audience.

David鈥檚 mentions of the project have hardly gone past references to 鈥淢y album鈥︹�� but it鈥檚 almost certain OBO鈥檚 sophomore drops this year. The timing couldn鈥檛 be better. God safe us when it happens.

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Maleek Berry – TBD

I can imagine a future where a white-haired former journalist explains to a room full of kids how a record producer reinvented himself as a pop star over the course of two brief, delicious EPs.

After learning the ropes as part of Wizkid and Wande Coal鈥檚 teams, Maleek is now a verified heavyweight on his own.

Now established on two continents, and already shaking the right hands in the US, Mr Berry鈥檚 debut is due, and he knows it.

Melodies abound for this man, and Maleek on his day can take you from Ikoyi to Rio in the same song.

That and his Afropop leanings have reflected on two stellar EPs鈥搉ow it鈥檚 time for the coup de grace and the final chapter of a transition made in Gbedu Zion.

Santi – TBA

鈥淪antino has this city in a headlock鈥濃�揳 tweet read after Santi, the mysterious, dreadlocked rager who makes anthems for a generation rocked a crowd of his peers to a sweat-soaked frenzy at a concert last December.

Over several years, Santi has built the cosigns, the records, the loyal cult following for the moments that are bound to come.

He may be little more than the face of the alternative music scene in Lagos now but almost everyone who鈥檚 a fan of the kid swears he鈥檚 the one.

After ending the year on a high with 鈥淩apid Fire鈥�, it鈥檚 a good thing that Santi began the year by announcing an album for January. We鈥檝e been waiting for a while.

Wizkid – Made In Lagos

If you listen to the people who treat music as a lifeforce, the face of Afropop鈥檚 tour of the UK and the US is on his way back home.

Few pop stars can spend a decade topping charts while carrying a genre鈥檚 finest elements to new ears around the world.

But it would be unwise to count Wizkid out.

His fourth studio album has been touted as a return to the source 鈥� to Lagos and the overcrowded studios where it all began.

It may be where Wizkid finds the sauce to blow our minds again.

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Burna Boy – TBA

Burna Boy鈥檚 2018 was written in the stars鈥揳 beautiful story of overcoming one鈥檚 predilections that you could adapt into 30 languages.

But it鈥檚 over now. And no-one will know more than Burna that you鈥檙e only as good as the people鈥檚 last memory of you.

There鈥檚 word that last year鈥檚 鈥淥utside鈥� is the prelude to something else; a mixtape that took on bigger importance with an international record deal and a few collaborations.

Now Burna鈥檚 settled into big boy mode. Let鈥檚 see him swing for the stars.

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Falz – TBA

Steady, consistent, calculated. Falz is a marketing course waiting to be studied. First introduced to us as a quirky, funny gimmick, Falz now comes up in conversations about new Felas and the best Nigerian rappers.

All of this while taking statues at award shows and offering poignant commentary.

He is in the big league now, which is why he must punch at even higher weights. Can Falz take Nigerian hip-hop to a new place? Can he take a very vacant throne even? What happens when he stops trying to be funny?

This could be the album that answers all those questions.

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Tiwa Savage – TBA

The only woman in the game who can touch Tiwa lives in France.

Mummy Jam-Jam is proof that angels never die or get old.

Just when we thought we鈥檇 seen the best, Tiwa underwent a reinvention in 2018 helped undoubtedly by rumours of a fling with a certain Starboy.

Never mind that while all that was festering, she dropped one of the biggest songs of the year in 鈥淢a Lo鈥� and took a ride on the Duncan Mighty train with one of the better collaborations, 鈥淟ova Lova鈥�.

The Tiwa who made R.E.D seems so far away now. Which is why this one has to drop that album so we can get to know her better.

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Reminisce – TBA

Reminisce鈥檚 nickname literally translates to Chairman. Chairman in the sense of a gang leader who tries to usurp a king of boys, or an indigenous rapper who will hold his own in Queen鈥檚 English with the finest of the bunch.

Staying in the conversation in 2018 would have been enough for Reminisce, but the man鈥檚 role in one of 2018鈥檚 best movies reminded us of all the things we love about Baba Hafusa 鈥� grit, ambition and versatility.

2019 is the year where Alaga reminds us what he can do behind the mic.

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Lady Donli – TBA

To some, she鈥檚 the female face of the Alte community. To others, she鈥檚 the unknown young singer who made a criminally brief festival on the intro to Mr Eazi鈥檚 2018 album, 鈥淟ondon To Lagos鈥�.

Either way, Lady Donli is coming for your necks in a flowing dress, with cowries in her locks and the sensation of an old soul.

After a year spent in bars and arenas in Europe and North America, she鈥檚 back at home.

Her tweets suggest she鈥檚 in the studio, and with the experiences she鈥檚 gathered on the road for inspiration, we won鈥檛 be against Lady Donli striking gold on her debut.

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Runtown – TBA

Runtown is like the uncle from Texas who we hardly hear from, until he calls on a Friday afternoon and the entire family gathers around the phone like loyal fans. Label battles have played their part in keeping him away for stints at a time but the singer says the worst is in the past now. If songs like 鈥淥h Oh Oh (Lucie)鈥� and 鈥淣o Permission鈥� are anything to go by, Runtown has finally found his aesthetic.

It may seem obvious that we鈥檒l get the laid-back, dreamy Afropop he silenced doubters with in 2016, but that鈥檚 fine because it鈥檚 just what we want.

Teni – TBA

Love abounds for Teni. Unknown to most at the start of the year, she ended 2018 as the year鈥檚 biggest revelation, a viral sensation that is fiercely loved by her fans. Teni ticks all the boxes that should matter鈥搒he has the range, she writes like a ghetto poet and her talent for making songs is freakish鈥揳s evidenced in those Instagram videos where she makes demos out of unsuspecting friends.

She鈥檚 begun the year with a headstart鈥搕he absolutely uplifting 鈥淯yo Meyo鈥� and if we can rely on her record, another single should be in the offing.

Few Nigerian prodigies have ignored such raw desire for their music over time.

In Teni鈥檚 case, it would be almost criminal, because we know Makanaki can pull off something beautiful.

Tekno – TBA

As with most nascent spaces, Nigerian music has regularly churned out a new successor (or pretender to the throne) each year鈥搊ne artist听who changes the texture of the popular sound, puts out the year鈥檚 biggest single or just shows an astounding level of promise.

In 2017, that person was Tekno. Yet, despite heavy demand for a full body of work, Tekno chose to ride out on the strength of singles.

There is little doubt that the man knows his stuff鈥搈elody and an innate sense of rhythm drive听his music and has also provided hits for peers like Davido.

Sadly, illness ultimately slowed down his pace as 2018 wound down.

With all the big dogs dropping this year, it might be time for Tekno to put his hat in the race and finally claim his place.