Blaqbonez Rave: An admirable effort and an explosion with no impact [Event Review]
All things being equal, he should have another show in 2020. We look forward to that and we hope the mistakes are corrected. Shalom.
In 2017, Nigerian rapper, Blaqbonez released his sixth project titled, ‘Last Time Under.’ As he told Pulse during a visit in September, he basically mixed and engineered the album by himself.
He had been popping in the rap circles before then, but Last Time Under resonated. It was a predominant trap project built on some of the most popular trap beats. Almost like never before, he had attention and critical acclaim. The album was also worthy follow-up to another popular moment in his discography, ‘Rambo (Remix)’ which featured Vector and Dremo.
After a slightly quiet start to 2018, news made rounds that he had signed a record deal with 100 Crowns, the Chocolate City subsidiary run and managed by rappers, AQ and Loose Kaynon. During his ‘silent run,’ he started building a social media following with skits, funny posts and freewheeling moves to connect with an audience.
In August 2018, Chocolate City sought to recreate the Kanye West/G.O.O.D Music run of earlier in the year. It was tagged LAMBAugust and three albums were scheduled to drop. One of them belonged to Blaqbonez and it was titled, Bad Boy Blaq. The album underwhelmed, but numbers were good.
A re-up was then released for the album in January 2019. Two music videos followed and so did social media ‘stan base.’ Later in the year, he released an EP that birthed a new persona and a new sound. It was titled, Mr. Boombastic. A good song also followed in ‘Shut Up’ which also had a smashing video.
Slowly, he had amassed a good following and his project was well-received. With Detty December looming, he must have harboured intentions to headline his own show - It’s a valid ambition. In previous years, people from the ‘alte’ community, with not as significant a standing or success as 'Blaq' can boast had hosted shows - successful or not.
Tagged Blaqbonez Rave, the show was planned for Sunday, December 9, 2019 at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos. It was scheduled to start at 7:00 pm in the evening with more than 15 opening acts - most of them are known. It was great to follow through on plans to headline his first major show. But then, in the plans laid the first three red flags.
Blaqbonez might be an emerging or fast-rising artist, but that’s all semantics. He’s still an upcoming artist like the rest of them. For that reason, Muri Okunola Park was definitely an over-ambitious move. It’s fine to dream big. But in reality, it’s good to always measure your ambition for your own mental health.
For creatives, no matter how nonchalant you are, if you throw a show and it’s not packed to the rafters, it can impact you in a negative way. There is no reason why Blaqbonez should have held his first show in a space that big. For his first show, CCX lawn or something slightly bigger wouldn’t have been bad. It’s better to underestimate than overestimate.
When this writer left the show at 10:36 pm on Sunday evening, Muri Okunola Park had less than 150 people. Kevin Abstract has one of the most dedicated stan bases of his generation in American market. When he goes on tour, he plays small locations. Only recently did he start getting medium locations on the request of his teenage fans who craved more comfort.
Even worse, when this writer left at that time, the show still lacked form. It was really impressive of Blaqbonez to give the spotlight to young rappers. He is doing something that older Nigerian rappers failed to do. They neither hosted great year-end shows nor gave ample spotlight to young rappers.
At his young age, Blaqbonez is doing it and he should be proud. However, there is no reason why people who came to see you were still seeing battle rap and obscure artists at 10:30 pm for a show that was meant to start at 7:00 pm. As an upcoming artist rising fast, you don’t want a bad reputation.
Concert culture is important. Both artists and the audience lack it in Nigeria, and artists should avoid that plague. For your first show if you pegged the time at 7:00 pm, even if you have 10 people there, start the show. It’s good for your brand. Equally, the opening act roster was too bulky - even if it was filled with superstars.
It’s nice to give a show, but the audience came to be entertained with an experience. When the audience starts getting bored, there’s a problem. You should regard your fans - however small they are. At that 10:30 pm, Blaqbonez was still not at the venue and neither were most of the more popular upcoming acts on the roster barring Oxlade and one or two others.
The setting of Muri Okunola Park was great for that event, but a beautiful set-up isn’t substance. The show itself and the headlining act represent the substance. Once you shirk that, the show is on its way to flopping. Granted, there might have been some unforeseen situations that delayed the show, but that’s not down to the fans.
A show headliner should ensure nothing negatively impacts his show. He should respect his fans enough to start on time and give them a great show. Blaqbonez failed to do that and earned himself a flack for his first show.
That said, it’s only his first show.He can come back. As bad as it is for his reputation as a headlining act, it was brave of him to have the ambition. The entire progression of the show was just really flawed. Nonetheless, he has the coming year to correct the flaws of Blaqbonez Rave.
The flaws of this show are an impediment, but the way the rapper is going, it looks like the only way is up. All things being equal, he should have another show in 2020. We look forward to that and we hope the mistakes are corrected.
Shalom.
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