I-tobilou

Wamkelekile kwiRapper Tobi Lou's (Ngokuvuyisayo) Ilizwe eliphambene
Amazwi kaShaday Stewart

Ukuba ubusoloko ufuna ukukroba kwiphupha lasemini lomntu ongamaziyo, Igcisa lehip-hop uTobi Lou uyavuya ukukuvumela ukuba uthegise kwikhanivali kwindalo yakhe yokuyila. “ndonwabile kwaye ndilusizi ngakumbi” iingoma. I-rapper eneminyaka engama-32 ubudala yaseNigeria kunye nomvelisi waziwa ngokwenza amazwi acacileyo ahamba ngokwendalo ukusuka kwi-srcastic ukuya kwi-ellow ukuya kwi-wistness kangangokuba uvakalelwe ngathi iingcinga zakhe ziyakhula kanye ngalo mzuzu.. Nangona iingoma zakhe zihlala zingena kumava ufumanisa ukuba lusizi okanye kuyakhathaza, UTobi uhambisa imigca yakhe ngomva nje, isimbo esikhaphukhaphu esenza into enye icace: Uyonwabile.

Wazalelwa uTobi Adeyemi, I-rapper esekwe eLos Angeles yafudukela e-United States njengomntwana kwaye wakhulela kwidolophu yaseChicago.. Emva kokudlala i-cello njengomntwana, wadlulela kwimidlalo kwisikolo samabanga aphakamileyo nakwikholeji, kodwa ingcamango yokuba yimvumi yayisoloko isengqondweni yakhe. “Bendiya kuba kwigumbi lam lokufundela kwisikolo samabanga aphantsi, ndicula nje iingoma kwaye ndihlala ndiphosa igama lam kuyo ukwenza abantwana endifunda nabo bahleke kwaye baphinde baxube iingoma esizaziyo sonke.,” utsho uThobi. “Ithe gqolo ukuya kwijunior high ndade ndafumana imakrofoni kwiRadio Shack.”

Ngelixa ulandela umsebenzi we-baseball ye-semi-pro, wayebekwe ecaleni ngenxa yokulimala kwemisipha - umqobo ongalindelekanga owamkhuthaza ukuba angene kumculo. Ngaphakathi 2018 yedwa, wakhupha iiEPs ezintathu, kwaye kwi 2019, wakhupha icwecwe lakhe lokuqala elipheleleyo, “Hlala kuMkhenkce.” Ngoku isayinwe ne-ARTCLUB International, UTobi unokhenketho lwelizwe lonke phantsi kwebhanti yakhe kunye nokusebenzisana nabanye abaculi abakhulayo, njengo Smino, Dreezy, Rockie Fresh, kunye no-Erica René.

Apha endleleni, igcisa lehip-hop lithathe ixesha lokuzilungisa kakuhle isitayile sakhe, ngoko akakhe abambeke ekwenzeni izinto ezifanayo. UTobi uchaza irepertoire yakhe ekhulayo yomculo njenge “imvukelo ngokuchasene nesakhiwo sepop” ukhule ephulaphula. “Xa ndifika LA, Bendisenza uninzi lokubhala kwe-pop kwiminyaka embalwa yokuqala…ngoko, yonke into yayiyiformula kakhulu. Ndicinga ukuba xa ndiphuma kuloo nkqubo kwaye ndizama ukucinga indlela yokwenza ndedwa, yaba malunga: ‘Ndiyenza njani ingoma ukuba ivakale ngathi iyashukuma kwaye ayipheleli nje?'”

Ngoncedo lomlawuli wevidiyo yomculo uGlassface, the self-styled scientist has figured out how to transform his imaginative musings into witty, entertaining visuals. Fans are quickly drawn in by his unique animated escapades and surreal dreamscapes. In a beautifully melancholy song like “2 hrs,” he serves up a teary-eyed performance set against a background of fluorescent floating jellyfish. The video for his three-song project “Lingo Star” showcases the rapper wielding butterfly wings, setting his body aflame, and transforming into a dragon. At other times, Tobi’s impish cartoon alter ego is thrown into one humorous predicament after the next, as in the video for his 2020 certified-Gold single “Buff Baby.” The song went viral in a TikTok dance challenge, helping to launch the rapper’s career to new heights.

The diverse musical and pop culture influences stewing around in Tobi’s mind are apparent from the varied and often surprising ways he combines different elements into a multilayered story. While Tobi counts musicians Kanye West and Frank Ocean among his top inspirations, he grew up in the golden age of MTV, absorbing a wealth of musical styles, ranging from NSync to Yanni. “There were a lot of things coming across my ears and even if I didn’t fully dive into something, I could pick up on the beauty in it. I felt like my mind became like a database for everything I was hearing. And then growing up and hearing Kanye, the musicality he brought to hip-hop, it really egged on my musical nature.”

Tobi’s energetic individuality and willingness to be vulnerable are key reasons fans love to inhabit his world. Reflecting on how his confidence has evolved over the years, Tobi notes, “A lot of my style came from starting to be comfortable with myself and actually not caring what people thought. You just own whatever you’ve got and you find yourself feeling really comfortable in your own skin and not competing with other people anymore.” From his signature dyed afro puffs to the bold, graphic prints he dons in his performances, everything about the musician grabs attention.

And thanks to social media knocking down many barriers between artists and fans, genre-defying musicians like Tobi have more access to broad audiences that just want to feel moved by good music. “I may not have been able to exist if I came out 10 okanye 20 Kwiminyaka eyadlulayo,” utsho uThobi. “I’m existing at the right moment because music is so direct, it allowed me to break through.” True to his prolific nature, Tobi used the pandemic lockdown as an opportunity to grow, learn guitar, and work on his upcoming album, “Parrish Blue.” Whatever the artist is cooking up in that delightfully inventive brain of his, fans will undoubtedly get a fresh dose of cheeky brilliance when it drops.

Umcimbi waseMetamorphosis 14