By Flinster Austin
Published on 2024-01-26 10:41:56
Mr Eazi recently released his debut album, The Evil Genius, which combines art and music. The song Òròkórò was recorded in Accra, Ghana, and Ouidah in Benin, featuring lush guitar arrangements and percussion drums. The song is primarily performed in Yoruba, and revolves around themes of gratitude.
The music video for Òròkórò was directed by Thomas Leloup and filmed in Paris and la forêt de Fontainebleau. The video seamlessly blends modernity with legacy, capturing a rich tapestry of spirituality and cultural heritage. It pays tribute to the historical site of Benin, the birthplace of Angélique Kidjo, a five-time Grammy Award winner and 2023 Polar Music Prize laureate, and draws upon the aesthetics of West African traditional religion.
In the video, Mr Eazi embodies a prophet conveying a message of thanksgiving, while Angélique Kidjo symbolizes strength and resilience as a queen.
The Evil Genius album, recorded over two years in various global cities, showcases Mr Eazi’s seven-year journey in the Afrobeats genre. The project features a blend of Afrobeats, Afropop, gospel, hiplife, highlife, and folklore, with production from international artists and guest appearances from Nigerian star Joeboy and the South African group Soweto Gospel Choir.
The album also includes 16 art pieces, each representing a track and commissioned from contemporary visual artists from across Africa. Mr Eazi aims to highlight the collaboration between Africa’s pop music industry and its fine art creators through this project.
With over 4 billion streams, Mr Eazi is known for Afropop hits like ‘Pour Me Water’, ‘Skin Tight’, and ‘Leg Over’, as well as collaborations with artists such as Beyoncé, J Balvin, and Bad Bunny. He also founded emPawa Africa in 2018, a talent incubator program for African artists. His global travels have led to the release of acclaimed mixtapes, Life Is Eazi Vol. 1: Accra To Lagos and Life Is Eazi Vol. 2: Lagos To London.
The release of the album and the music video further cements Mr Eazi’s position as a key figure in the Afrobeats genre, showcasing his ability to blend traditional and modern elements to create a unique and powerful artistic expression.
