by Danny Mdluli -

Mr Eazi Unveils “The Evil Genius” Album with a Unique Blend of Music and Art

Recorded across multiple countries, Mr Eazi’s latest album, “The Evil Genius,” explores personal themes, supported by an impressive lineup of guest features and diverse producers. The artist also dives into the world of fine art, creating a unique fusion of African music and visual art.*

In a musical journey that spanned across borders and touched on deeply personal themes, Mr Eazi has released his highly-anticipated album, “The Evil Genius.” With a unique blend of music and art, this project is set to be a groundbreaking release in the world of contemporary African music.

Recorded between the picturesque settings of Ouidah and Cotonou in Benin, Kigali in Rwanda, Accra and Kokrobite in Ghana, Lagos in Nigeria, and major global cities like London, Los Angeles, and New York City, “The Evil Genius” features some of Mr Eazi’s most personal work to date. The album delves into topics such as love, betrayal, loneliness, and family, and it is expressed through three distinctive acts.

What makes this album even more exciting is the star-studded guest list. Angelique Kidjo from Benin, Tekno, Efya, Whoisakin, and Joeboy from Nigeria, and the renowned Soweto Gospel Choir all make appearances on the project. The diversity of talent highlights the international nature of Mr Eazi’s music and its ability to connect with audiences around the world.

Behind the scenes, an impressive array of producers worked on the album, including Kel-P from Nigeria, Knucks from the UK, Michael Brun from Haiti, M.O.G Beatz from Ghana, and many others. This collaborative effort has resulted in a diverse and rich musical landscape.

But “The Evil Genius” doesn’t stop at the audio experience. In a pioneering move, Mr Eazi commissioned visual artists from various African countries to create unique physical art pieces that represent each of the album’s 16 tracks. Recognizing the lack of meaningful collaboration between Africa’s booming pop music scene and the continent’s fine art creators, Mr Eazi personally selected 13 artists from eight African countries. This addition of art curator and patron to his extensive resume showcases Mr Eazi’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of his creative pursuits.

To accompany the release of the album, Mr Eazi has been hosting multi-sensory exhibition listening experiences, inviting the public to immerse themselves in the music alongside the art. The first two events took place in Accra, Ghana, and London, where it was a part of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair. More exhibition locations are set to be announced shortly, promising to bring this innovative fusion of music and art to a global audience.

Notably, the album’s cover art was a result of collaboration with celebrated Nigerian stylist, designer, and photographer Daniel Obasi, known for his work with Beyoncé and Louis Vuitton. This collaboration underscores the album’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of creativity and aesthetics.

“The Evil Genius” culminates with “Exit,” the final track and the centerpiece of the project. Conceived during a tumultuous period, “Exit” represents one of Mr Eazi’s most personal and introspective songs, beautifully enhanced by a powerful choral arrangement from the Soweto Gospel Choir. The song’s infectious production from Nigerian beatmaker Kel-P, known for working with Burna Boy and Wizkid, creates a memorable sonic backdrop.

In the words of Mr Eazi, “‘Exit’ is a song of disappointment and thankfulness.” It reflects his journey through the music business, feelings of betrayal by friends, and, amidst all the disappointments, a profound sense of gratitude.

The accompanying music video for “Exit” is set against the breathtaking backdrop of South Africa’s Drakensberg, the world’s oldest mountain range, and was directed by Allison Swank Owen. It perfectly captures the song’s spiritual theme, offering heavenly visuals that match the profound emotions of the music.

The album’s cover artwork for “Exit” was created by Samuel Tete-Katchen, a Togolese painter based in Accra, Ghana. His piece, titled “You Prepare a Table Before Me,” draws inspiration from DaVinci’s “The Last Supper” and beautifully reflects the spiritual essence of the song. Tete-Katchen shared that he felt a deep spiritual connection with the song and aimed to depict a king humbly serving those blessed by God, surrounded by his brotherhood. This powerful image captures the themes of gratitude and betrayal that are central to “Exit.”

With “The Evil Genius,” Mr Eazi has not only crafted a remarkable musical journey but has also broken new ground by seamlessly blending music and fine art. The album showcases the depth and diversity of African creativity and marks another milestone in Mr Eazi’s ever-evolving career.

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 “Exit” artwork by Samuel Tete-KatchenEvil Genius Tracklist

1. Olúwa Jọ̀ 
Produced by: E Kelly, Stikmatik, Timmy, Mr Eazi 
2. Advice 
Produced by: M.O.G Beatz
3. Òròkórò (feat. Angélique Kidjo)
Produced by: Kel-P
4. Chop Time, No Friend
Produced by: Killbeatz, Andre Vibez 
5. Notorious 
Produced by: Kel-P, AoD
6. Panadol
Produced by: Type A
7. Jamboree (feat. Tekno) 
Produced by: Yung Willis
8. Good Lovin’ (feat. Efya)
Produced by: Type A 
9. Lack of Communication
Produced by: Kel-P, Mr Eazi
10. Fefe Ne Fefe
Produced by: Kel-P, KDaGreat
11. Legalize
Produced by: Michaël Brun, E Kelly, Nonso Amadi
12. Show Dem (feat. Whoisakin)
Produced by: Phantom 
13.  We Dey
Produced by: Knucks, AoD, E Kelly, Wade Oghenejabor and Venna
14. Zuzulakate (feat. Joeboy)
Produced by: Type A, Kel-P
15. Mandela
Produced by: KDream
16. Exit (feat Soweto Gospel Choir)
Produced by: Kel-PABOUT MR EAZI

MR EAZI is a musical innovator, business leader and philanthropist. As a recording artist, the Nigerian multihyphenate is the voice behind afropop hits “Pour Me Water,” “Skin Tight” and “Leg Over,” as well as groundbreaking collaborations with the likes of Beyoncé and J Balvin, and the creator of Banku Music, a fusion of Ghanaian and Nigerian sounds and culture. A serial entrepreneur, he founded emPawa Africa in 2018 as a talent incubator program designed to accelerate the careers of African artists.

Hailed by CNN, Rolling Stone,Billboard and Forbes for its innovative approach to expanding African music’s global reach, emPawa Africa has since grown into one of Africa’s largest independent music companies, with a track record of breaking global stars like Joeboy and Major League Djz. Mr Eazi has clocked over 4 billion streams of his songs across DSPs, making him one of the most streamed African artists worldwide. 

Connect with Mr Eazi
Facebook: @officialMrEazi
Twitter: @mreazi
Instagram: @mreazi
by Danny Mdluli -

STINO LE THWENNY KEEPS THEIR FANS WARMED UP & MOVING THIS WINTER WITH THEIR DEBUT ALBUM TITLED ‘YOU WANT SOME MORE’

Johannesburg, 14th July 2023 – Today, the so ever hardworking duo drops their anticipated Debut album titled ‘You Want Some More’. This album comprises of South Africa’s powerhouse artists such as Cassper Nyovest, Nadia Nakai, Tyler ICU, Khuli Chana, Magleradoeboy, caask_asid just to name a few.

The duo shared their track list on social media and their fans have been receiving it quite positively, looking forward to the album drop, the focus track being Karika – Stino Le Thwenny Featuring Khuli Chana.

LISTEN HERE

When asked about what inspired ‘You want some more’ the duo said:

What inspired you want some more is the people, our fans, since we dropped Mshimane and Tsele and having our hardcore fans that know our old music they felt that it’s time now South Africa hears what’s being cooked in the free State, they felt like the sound is ready to be part of the whole industry.

How was working with South Africa’s powerhouse artists and how did you guys manage to bring them in studio?

It was an honour because we are really fans of the people we featured on the album.

Some of them were in studio with us and some unfortunately we had to work in separate spaces because of different schedules and distance sometimes but the songs came out like we were in the same studio, the energy was unmatched.

Having your idols and people who make music that you love on a song with you it’s just an exciting feeling on its own. We’ve been excited about the album ever since.

The nerve wrecking side of it was working with someone you’ve been idolizing for so long, them watching you work and hoping they love it- The urge of making a monumental song with the opportunity presented is just a feeling we’ll never forget.

All in all, the journey of the album was a beautiful one.

When asked about what they are most excited about for this project and what should people look forward to they said:

What we most excited about for this project, is the variety that people are going to hear from Stino le Thwenny and having music out that will have us interacting with our fans, giving new fans a chance to fall in love with the music ,what sound they love more, and how much more they love that sound, what they don’t like maybe and just getting closer and making the music better to suit our fans. People should be looking forward to the features on the album and finding your favourite song on the album.

this world class music international album that represents us as a nation.

We believe all 16 songs will be someone’s favourite song after listening to the album let us know what’s your favourite song.

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