Johnel Talks Nigerian Hip Hop & R&B Scene

"Unpredictable" would be the best word to describe fast-rising Nigerian artist Johnel NG. In a short period of time Johnel, born Nnamani Chimaobi John, has created a buzz around his hip-hop-meets-R&B music that smoothly infuses trap music production.

Born and raised alongside his siblings in Lagos, Nigeria,
Johnel's interest in R&B and soul was nurtured by artists like Fridayy, Drake, Tems, and Burna Boy. He would applaud these influences in his 2018 debut studio album, rare. But Johnel's journey to stardom hadn't always involved smooth sailings. His teen years saw him striving for attention and subsequently getting turned down even during school.

In those low moments, Johnel found solace in making beats on his Phone using FruityLoops (FL studio). This marked the beginning of his musical journey.

"Making music saved me," he says about feeling overwhelmed about what to do with his life. "Making music kept my mind away from peer pressure and that's why I kept going on with it. There is so much noise and many voices telling you things. A lot of voices are telling you stuff, and there's a lot of noise. If you're not doing well, things could grow crazy for you; this was what was happening to me."

Adding, "I had no idea who I was or why I was in this place., which is something that happens to most kids."

Johnel felt like with every form of success, no matter how little, comes a silent pressure to surpass your current reality. In his early days of producing music, SoundCloud and Audiomack was the global destination for young people looking to find new music. There he thrived and Johnel, along with fellow young artists.

Not long after joining the platform,. Johnel emerged the winner of The Next Star Awards. He began enjoying traction due to his five-track EP under ONErpm 'Happy Story, Sad Reality'. The pressure set in soon after.

On his new EP 'Happy Story, Sad Reality' Johnel delves into an atmosphere of confidence, eloquently expressing the desire for more grace, acknowledging the repetition of rejection. Johnel's strife is also his superpower as a member of Nigeria's burgeoning R&B and hip hop scene, comprised of young people looking to express themselves freely in a predominantly traditional and conservative society like Nigeria. The sub-culture has faced pushback from some cultural gatekeepers determined to maintain the usual state of affairs. Lyrics from his opening verse in "Hear Me Calling" (All my life I've always wanted to be heard / but they don't wanna see me here) reveal that the new school continues to thrive, regardless.

On his new track "Mercy" featuring American rapper Daine Steele, Johnel takes a direction contrary to humanity's ability to forgive and find redemption. "When I feel a grudge in someone or something I just want to dismantle it and start all over. It's like a self-destructive thing my mind tho," he says. "It's like building LEGOs. You build something then when you're dissatisfied, you use different blocks to build something diverse."