Shiny Object Syndrome by Modenine
Preliminary Impressions: My preliminary impressions of Modenine’s album Shiney Object Syndrome are that the rhythm is euphoric, the lyrics are highly effective, and the tone is passionate. I used to be stunned by how a lot English there was within the lyrics as I believed there would have been extra additions of Nigerian languages like Yoruba, Hausa, and extra, in addition to French. My preliminary thought relating to the beat of the songs is that they remind me of “old-school rap,” with a combination of chill and “vibey” components, because the beats had been sturdy however not intense and highly effective, with euphoric undertones. I can image listening to this music after I must focus, for instance, whereas doing an project or after an extended workday after I wish to really feel energized however not overwhelmed.
Modenine is a well-respected English-born Nigerian Rapper who has been within the rap scene for over just a few many years. Modenine has expressed in interviews that music, however most significantly rapping, has at all times been a vital a part of his life, upbringing, and self-development. Furthermore, Modenine attributes his love for music, particularly rap and hip-hop hop, to Grandmaster 5 Flash and the Livid 5, a well-known and impactful hip-hop group from the Bronx in New York. Modenine launched his first album in 2006 referred to as Malcolm IX, and since then has launched a number of different albums and mixtapes and been featured on different artists’ albums. A lot of his albums and songs are about social and political issues that black folks, particularly Nigerians, face within the trade and the world.
Modenine has gained the Headies Lyricist on the Roll award seven instances, proving that his lyrics constantly break limitations all through his albums and songs. It’s clear that Modenine has made a really vital title for himself within the rap and hip/hop group within the UK and Africa, and the discharge of Shiny Object Syndrome is a testomony to his persistence in creating and releasing music.
Shiny Object Syndrome is an album that dives into Mondenine’s thoughts. Once I listened to every music, it felt like I lived inside Modenine’s thoughts, as every music brings up facets that seem like individualized to his life experiences. Total, the album has a narrative theme that permits the listeners to be taught extra about Modenine and the motivations that led him to decide on the lyrics and beats that he did.
The lyrics on this album are very fascinating and supply perspective to Modenines’ life, profession, and experiences. In his music “One Form,” he elaborates on his life experiences, and the lyrics “Alhumdallilah, I noticed my time” are an ideal instance of how Modenine makes use of a number of totally different facets, like faith, to diversify his lyrics and supply a good broader that means to his phrases. The phrase “Alhumdallilah” means “thank god” in Arabic, as it’s a phrase of prayer generally used within the Islamic faith and the Arabic language. Combining his English lyrics with strong and non secular Arabic phrases indicators the significance of variety and that means in his lyrics. One other lyric that I discovered tremendous fascinating is in his music “Adidas” when he says, “It goes, uh, black and white checkers, recent out the rocks you may examine my observe information, for a rock in my bootleggers, that is means chee your enjoying checkers.” What’s fascinating about these lyrics is how nicely the rhymes are, though there are totally different syllables and beats behind them. All of it sounds very cohesive and easy, which may be very spectacular to me as I battle with liking the rhymes of many American millennial and Technology Z rappers who don’t rhyme in addition to him.
The primary observe of the Album, “One Form,” stood out to me due to the fixed use of the Lyric “Alhumdallilah, I noticed my time”. This stood out to me as a result of, upon analysis, I didn’t see that Modenine had an Islamic/Arab affiliation, and I believed that in a time the place Islamaphobia is a number of the highest, it stood out that an artist that has no ties to the phrase would come with of their lyrics.
One other observe that stood out to me is “Poet”. I actually loved this observe because it jogged my memory of the “old-school rap” that my mother and father would present my siblings and I once we had been youthful. One thing else that stood out to me from “Poet” was how Modenine would discuss down new rappers who contemplate their lyrics poetic and name them “good day recent rappers,” which, to me, means two issues. The primary is that they’re younger and “recent” to the sport, that means they don’t have as a lot expertise as him. Second, the phrase “Hey Contemporary” is an organization that usually makes use of well-known folks as ambassadors, nevertheless it’s for clout, which factors to a broader picture of rappers on this era solely doing issues or saying lyrics for clout.
If I’m being sincere, I’ve not listened to a lot rap and hip-hop earlier than taking the Hip Hop in Africa course; nevertheless, to check it to those we have now divulged to date, it appears a little bit bit mainstream and never as related to African roots as different albums. By way of lyrics, this album compares very nicely to others on this style, because the lyrics are impactful, cohesive, and transmit a narrative.
Total, I loved listening to it a number of instances and can hearken to it once more and present it to my music-lover buddies. I’m nonetheless figuring out if I might present this album specifically. I really feel a few of his different albums convey up extra social and political challenges, like Malcolm IX, as I’m occupied with how artwork impacts it. I do want there have been a better incorporation of Nigerian beats and afrobeat.
