If you live in Nigeria or find yourself under the influence of Afrobeat wherever you live in the universe you have heard about The Pluto president- Shallipopi.
He entered our airspace in 2023 with the song Elon Musk, and it has been impossible to not find the plutomania leader on the playlists.
18 months after his first project “Planet Pluto ”, he is back with a new body of work, Shakespopi, and this is where in this article, I get into the ring with the haters of the president of plutomanias, not because I’m a citizen, but I might as well be as it has been impossible to hide away from Shallipopi even if I wanted to. But no, I don’t want to hide, I can live with what I hear, even if I don’t understand it all the time. I groove to it.
Before I make this about me, I have only one question – “who do you want Shallipopi to be”?
Usually when people say they have one question they really have two, so here is the second “what is your problem with Shallipopi” ?
Before we settle in to do some analysis, let me remind us that Shallipopi is one of the phenomenal 3 of 2023…that is if I add Mr Money, who already shot to the roof in 2022 but we can agree that he shot again – well as usual you can argue this, but this is my opinion, the third will be Odumodu Blvck. Those three showed up from nowhere as it were and rented ( or bought) the entire airspace as they ushered the new sounds of the era that brought us global superstars within months of their discovery. I’m talking about acts who made wizkid into an ancestor. Let’s call him WizDaddy, and the other one BurnaUncle, Davido, reverts to Mr David. Olamide knew those were coming, he bailed before the shuffle. This is another conversation.
Either thanks to the streamers, internet or Afrobeat to the world at its all time peak, these “no cats” became “big cats” when we all went to bed, just last night.
In the course of writing this article, I spoke to a number music heads, let’s just call them highly opinionated music lovers and they had a lot to say which I wasn’t really interested in but I had to listen to ensure I deliver a balanced article, however I still understood that I was writing an opinion and analysis piece – so I didn’t forget my freedom to write what I want as I perceive it.
I fought against getting carried away by their eloquent analysis but I’m here to fly the flag of my own opinion, and how better to push my personal agenda if they weren’t there to compare notes with.
The first comment I got when I asked about Shallipopi, someone said
“these yahoo boys trying to make fame with music”
I quickly reminded them that a lot of alleged yahoo boys have failed in that regard…I don’t know if shallipopi is a yahoo boy. Please reach out to me if you have more information on that.
Still quite in the energy of a lot of what I had read on Twitter, this person echoes the sentiment that Shallipopi has no talent for music.
I think Shallipopi himself is aware of this (sentiment), and it must have led him to say
“Forget English, money na major language” are you 21 savage or Tiwa savage “
And to seal the conversation he decided to name his latest album Shakespoppi.
Who is Shallipopi to you?
You may not know who he is but the Pluto president is not at a loss about his identity. He is who he says he is.
He said
“Billi billi billion, stack my billi to the ceilion…I don’t want your opinion”
What exactly is the issue?
P (The music commentator and critic ) said to me
“It’s the constant lack of effort. Not taking the time to write and work on the music even though they have no talent for it.
Wizkid through his track record we can say he has the talent. Davido we can say he’s a hard worker. Burna has both.
I wonder (Does this mean Davido only works hard because he has no talent?) We will discuss this another day.”
He continues
“But these lots don’t have any. Just enough money to get beats and promotions”
Do you agree with P ?
Anyway I shot back a weak argument saying
“If the audience is moving to a beat and making people happy is the goal, then the goalpost for quality might have shifted but not in a bad way as purists would argue”
I get it if you thought that was indeed a weak argument because what do I mean by goalpost shifting- is quality not quality?
Anyway my point is that “the audience is moving to it, is there a better way to determine what people want”?
The listeners celebrate who they want? It’s the listeners choice anyway. So the purists might just be a minority here. Shallipopi caught the attention of the listeners, shot to the top of the charts…what exactly is the problem?
“He farmed the playlist!” – says another person. See I don’t intend to write about his fame from that angle, and i am not dodging any conversation, I will do some investigating and get back to you on that. He wouldn’t be the first farmed and failed artist if he failed to arrest our attention the way he did.”
After a long argument, I decided to go back and play the album shakespopi again.
And my half assed take? In fairness I was skipping through, just to get a vibe of it first then listen later.
Shallipopi is the not the first artist to pretend to sing while he talked on beats, although I didn’t think he was pretending if you ask him – he knew he was talking.
I think the purist anger and criticism might have been expressed in this statement someone made to me.
“Just look at Asake, the new reality of hit makers. Asake was loading up for years and he bursted out from zero to the top. Odumodu accidentally started recording and look what we have, two incredibly talented musicians both in lyrics and delivery, then some yahoo boy showed up from benin city, claimed to be the president of Pluto, shot up to become one of the biggest rave but…(emphasis on but) he’s just talking on tracks, his lines are hardly coherent, how’s that a legit musician?”
At this point I ask for your forgiveness – I forgot to add Seyi Vibes as one of the phenomenal revelations, moving on, but coherence hasn’t been on the table for a long time and we still enjoy music and continue our global trek or flight as the case is to the world, with afrobeat balanced on our head like the hawkers on the expressway in Lagos traffic.
So scroll back up and add Seyi Vibes. To make them 4 phenomenal, not 3…just scroll up and come back immediately so we can continue.
Welcome back!
Before we continue, I think the Lagos gatekeepers need, first to understand that they live in a bubble, Benin city is a different space entirely and their vibe, though not yet mainstream but very recognizable deserves its place and respect and if you don’t understand the vibrations, then be humble and explore it. That is how music is discovered and enjoyed.
A day in Benin city, Warri, port harcourt shows you how diverse the fusions of Afrobeat can be and it looks like we are just getting started.
Okay! Let’s go back to the argument about perception. I think Obapluto messed up when he granted an interview and said “ I don’t write my songs, I recorded my entire EP in 2 hours” he took the “make it look easy” too far, but it doesn’t look like it will have any effect on his rising fame and contagious music.
I also spoke to another music head Mary, she said “Shallipopi might be the Vic o that connected” and that is a blow below the belt but depends on your perspective – I choose to take only the last part of the sentence- “that connected”
Shallipopi is the VicO that CONNECTED.
What is an artist without connecting. Music isn’t about G clef or A Minor, it’s about how you make the people feel. We all know how classical music makes us feel, so mechanical and boring. How do you score afrobeat? Well you can after it is sung, so go ahead and score shallipopi’s music after you hear, it if it must be beethoven before it’s great music.
As usual I had a my strong opinion for everyone that said something negative about Shallipopi
I said to Mary
“He’s spending the currency of virality and visibility. He’s perhaps a social commentator who found beats to flow on and the producers didn’t have to listen to him while recording or they wouldn’t have dared to record the phenomenon we are now blessed with- Shallipopi!”.
And I’m not intending or not intending any pun. Read it from the angle you wish to. I don’t intend to make this a fair article. You can guess that already. You are either with me or not. But it’s all love still, none is lost.
A quick verbal altercation followed with P, from the comment about “lacking effort and just having money to promote”
I reminded him that Davido had the same perception years back – that “they” said he just had money to Payola, and didn’t have talent.
Anyway read the verbal spar here
Me – But you can’t deny the relevance of what he(Shalipopi) says to the hustle culture
P – What does he say? What’s his stance ?
Me- He’s not saying anything and that’s what the audience seem to want. It’s cruise and vibes. Are we not already sad and despondent-we can’t be too serious on these streets
P – Yeah but he should realize that music is an art form, if you have nothing to say then don’t give us vibes and cruise. There are songs that are vibes and cruise that still have content. It’s littered all over Burna’s discography
I think, That last line is a discussion for another day, so he implies that Burnaboy the African giant who claimed Afrobeat artists are shallow had some songs like that too?
Me – What if I show you 20 of his lyrics that are as profound AF
P – I’d like to see it
Me – “Billi billi billion, stack my billi to the ceilion…I don’t want your opinion
P – Profound? Lol I’m not sure we have the same understanding of profound
Me – Who do you want shallipopi to be ?
P – Nobody. But if he wants to be an artist he should at least try
Me – The Pluto president, like mark cuban said “money talks and bull** walks” , the presidents version – “Money dey talk wetin them dey say”?
But you will accept Mark Cuban as profound for saying “money talks, bull shit walks
P – Nah I won’t
Me thinking, He said he won’t…so what does he want ?
I think Shallipopi is our society and our prevailing society is Shallipopi.
Here’s a summary of the argument I have heard when I say Shallipopi is our society.
“They say that’s not where it should be. They say Fela was our society once and especially in the state of the country, Shallipopi shouldn’t be given an audience”
You see why I have problems with purists?
They always want to dictate. I remember not long ago, they said Davido would not last- now he’s a poster boy of the Afrobeats renaissance into Afrobeat.
The entire Afrobeat movement has been littered with one time wonders but Shallipopi is an anomaly, “on top” singing nonsense he’s dropped a second project and it went to the top of the charts- and they said he has no talent.
They said he’s the minister of agriculture, that it’s just money. But how did he farm into the heads of school kids, the streets and everywhere. Maybe I don’t know how these things work but sure the soil likes his type of crops no doubt.
Is he really singing nonsense or just different. Can you accept his maverick or live with it?
I had this to say to P who’s strong words about Shallipopi makes me suspect what he really is
I said to P
“Are you speaking now against the free will of the people, do you want gatekeepers back? There were way better sounding, moral models and finer musicians than Fela in his time. Felas music was banned when possible. But the people played it. Don’t you want democracy again? 😂”
But he didn’t want me to go there,
He said
“Lool no oh. Not at all. I’m just saying mostly, the people need to do better and stop giving randoms a platform”
He didn’t want to go there but he did go just there. What do you mean by “giving randoms” platforms?
We know gatekeepers when we see and hear them.
On a lighter note, I know my guy P just wants good music- let’s just say he wants familiar music and has little tolerance for what he doesn’t think is “good” music.
I think the problem with the effrontery to name his project after the revered Shakespeare is the problem with black people on black people.
I think the fusion of afrobeats that Shallipopi makes should be listened to by people who appreciate that street parlance and commentary for what it is. His rise to fame might continue to be judged as undeserving but by who?
We can only wait for future iterations of Shallipopi to continue to surprise us. He currently has the attention of the people and that itself says a lot, about either our society or what the audience wants and its temperature.
He hasn’t done anything out of place, only simplified the same rappers brag-ado, flaunt money and feign nonchalance -the perfect recipe for “love- hate to love: Superstar.
And instead of talking so fast, he spoke slowly and audibly – the agelong recipe for connecting to your audience, let them hear what you are saying clearly.
I’m definitely rooting for more music from the Pluto Presido and taking this democratized, no gate keepers era seriously even if we know that there will always be gatekeepers – the people.
They will open the gate for who they want- and now they have opened it for Shallipopi. Who do we argue with? Let’s start from his millions of streamers.
I’ll leave you with some lines from the track “dey” from Shakespopi, especially for those who think he won’t be here for long
“If I fall I go rise up again
Water can never fall again
Go and start from where I come from
So I Dey hustle hard again
There’s a reason why I stay with my lane”
