Baskadia

Nigerian artiste, Bella Shmurda, made a grand statement in the year 2019, with the release of the song “Vision 2020.” The single got a boost via a brilliant sixteen-verse contribution from Nigerian rapper, Olamide, for its remix. It was a cultural moment. The title is a swipe at a failed economic postulation made by the Nigerian government. The song became a catalyst for Shmurda’s full introduction to Nigerians. He raised questions about the state of the nation, but answers were not provided. Nigerians danced, made merry, and kept it going.  

It has been four years since. Bella Shmurda has continued to grow from strength to strength. An album has been released, two extended plays have been churned out, and his latest EP, titled DND, was released on July 26, 2023, under the artiste’s record label Dagbana Republik. In the course of his career development, Bella Shmurda has been involved in label issues, controversy with colleagues, show flops, and many more. These are what make up the industry, and he has been an unlucky victim. 

Bella Shmurda has always been a fan of Fuji music, it shows in his songs. His debut EP, High Tension, was filled with Fuji tunes mixed with Afrobeats, with topics swirling between personal struggles, tribulation, and triumph. But things took another turn on his last album, Hypertension, as he explored the high sides of life. The project failed to elicit much reaction from fans and music critics.

DND, the new EP, sounds like a way to right the wrongs of the previous album, with Bella Shmurda returning to his Fuji forte. The six-track project had sonic support from Tiwa Savage, Pheelz, and Lil Kesh. The project rollout began in March 2023. Slowly, it seems the fans started to get the memo that he’s not joking with his craft.