Empire took the African music industry by storm, especially the Nigerian and Ghanaian music space, signing the best of the finest music talents to a deal that covers the distribution of their music and sounds to other African cities and beyond the shores of the motherland. This deal came on the verge of Afrobeats breaking borders in 2020 and ever since it has been nothing but a blessing to Empire and their African signees. Beneficiaries of the Empire deal include Olamide and his YBNL label mates (Fireboy DML, Asake, and the newly signed Senth), Legendary vocalist Wande Coal, Ghana stars like Kuami Eugene, Yaw Tog, KiDi, and Black Sherif, Cape Verdean June Freedom, Navy Kenzo (Tanzanian music ensemble), and a host of others who featured and didn’t feature on the compilation album, “Where We Come From, Vol. 01”.
The aim of Empire with this debut album is to introduce their sundry audience to the beautiful, amazing, and diverse music from Africa which is propagated by the brilliant and audacious artistes rooted deep in the culture; “I Feel Nice” by Kuami Eugene and the South African female trio Group Chat served as nice intro.
Each song gives off a different flavour of music blended in the African music hemisphere either through the production, vocals, or lyrical content. Black Sherif shows off his proud Ghanaian heritage in the Hiplife “Run”, Olamide infuses the Nigerian Pon Pon sound with melodic rap in “Wound Someone”, BNXN‘s soulful vocals is soused in Afrobeat(s) production which receives jazz up in its tone from Leil‘s pop approach by utilising Arabic. Kizz Daniel‘s go-to Afro-Pop style did not fail him on “Cough (Odo)” while Cheque sticks to his known Hip-Hop sub-genre, Trap in “Off White”. Yaw Tog infuses Ghanaian Highlife production in his song “Ring My Phone”; Fuji, Amapiano, and Pop are blended smoothly in “Loaded” by Tiwa Savage & Asake, Tolani & Wande Coal softly carry the R&B sound in “Slow Motion”.
Bad Boy Timz (“Faya”), L.A.X (“Bank Alert”), June Freedom (“Thing For You”), Navy Kenzo & Fireboy DML (“Hold On”) also delivered stellar music quality in the album, “Where We Come From, Vol. 01”.
Producers also had their fair share of excellence on this album. Blaise Beats & Philkeyz conjoined their abilities for “Cough (Odo)”, Magicsticks shined on “Loaded”, SAK PASE made “Umbrella” instrumental, Leandro “Dro” Hidalgo & Phil Mango combined their efforts to produce “Thing For You”, Hitmaker (“Dance 4 Me” & “In The Middle”) and a bunch of others had the opportunity to show off their music making skills.
Listen to the new compilation album “Where We Come From, Vol. 01” by Empire and Africa all-star: