For a very long time, Friday was my favourite day of the week. Not just because of the TGIF-themed parties, but because that was the unofficial release day for new albums. Throughout the week, I’d try to unwrap the layers off new rap albums and share my theories with my friends while anticipating new ones. There was always something new to hear on Friday.
You would always catch me strolling with my earphones plugged to my ears or dangling around my neck. I never really liked headphones. They always felt heavy and made my ears itch after a while. It was also difficult listening to songs in bed. You had to lay up straight. No twisting, no turning. Please where is the fun in that?
I also took pride in the quality of my earphones back then. I had a plug in Computer village who sold these expensive but really good ones. My friends always saw it as a waste of money but would still come around to borrow it every single time. Of course, I learnt to say No.
Even among my friends and schoolmates, I was the go-to guy for new albums. People either reached out to get links to download the new releases or just find out if they beat me to it. “Cabal, you don hear this new … mixtape?” But many also trusted my judgment and really wanted to know what I felt about the new drops. I’d spend precious time defending why I thought the album was dope or not. I made a lot of friends this way.
The Blog Era
There was a time I would stay glued to radio stations like Cool FM, Rhythm FM and Beat FM for updates on new music. When I heard a song I liked, I’d either record it on the phone or download it on Wapdam. Then I’d reach out to my friends that I had the new-new. We’d then link up, trade songs via Bluetooth and argue about who we thought had the best verse.
After a while, I started to get ahead of these stations. I graduated to stalking music blogs like hotnewhiphop, Datpiff, Audiomack, Dope BoyZ for news on new drops, then go cop them on Audiocastle, 4shared, Hulkshare, Rapgodfathers. When they would pull down a file-sharing site, we’d simply hop on to another. Paying for music seemed like the strangest idea to me at the time.
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I can remember how the world stopped for a minute when Kendrick’s ‘Control’ verse dropped. I remember how bad I felt for Big Sean and Jay Electronica whose equally dope verses melted before Kendrick’s magma. I always thought those two were the biggest casualties of that culture-defining track. I can remember the whole polarizing “King of New York” conversation that sprung up as a result. And I remember the heated arguments that verse sparked in different corners. That was a moment. Interesting times.
The Current Tsunami of New Releases
However, all that excitement is fading fast, it’s not just as thrilling as it used to be. Hunting for new music has gone from a hobby to a chore ever since the lockdown started. And I don’t like that. There are too many songs coming out these days, and all I want is to run to the comfort of my old favourites.
Honestly, I don’t think I’m equipped for the uncertainties that come with new releases. I’m too mentally weak to decipher their meanings and make connections. Yet, the world won’t stop because of me. Artistes have to eat. They also have to feed their fans. They need to keep churning out new music and develop new ways to market, or else the fickle fans move on to the next act. Even when I’ve fallen in love with a song these past couple months, TikTok yanks it from me with overplays.
Since I earn my bread as a music writer, I’m expected to discover new songs and write about them. But with the democratisation of music releases through social media and streaming, every Friday now feels overflooded. I rarely hold my breaths for the weekend anymore.
The Pandemic and Restoring the Thrill of Discovery
Everyone is trying to deal with this pandemic in their own way. People expect that with so much free time in our hands, they should be converted into value of some sorts. Learn a new skill. Create like never before. Listen to more music. But for some, it isn’t just as simple. We can’t just pretend like nothing is happening.
The pandemic and the resulting lockdown is mentality stifling for many of us. You can hear Little Simz’s frustration when she raps “Guess life forced me to calm down, get my mind right / Livin’ day by day, sleepless night by night / Bored out of my mind / How many naps can I take? / How many songs can I write?” on ‘You should call mum’ off her latest tape, “Drop 6”.
There was a time my dream job was getting paid just to listen to music, but right now, it’s starting to feel like work. I really don’t like that. I know what you’re thinking, all of this is going to end soon. Maybe we’d just find our way around it. But whatever it is, I can’t wait. I just want to feel that thrill of discovery again. I want to be able to wag my tail at the sight of new music again.