Teeklef, an artist known for winning contests that awarded him the spotlight of the Nigerian music scene and nationwide TV exposure as a teenager, is back with his latest single ‘Calling’. From his American home base of Indianapolis, he has been continually exploring the intersection of American Hip-Hop/R&B and Afrobeat culture since he landed in North America at age 18. ‘Calling’, out 1/18/19 via HipNavi Sound, is the first single from Teeklef’s upcoming AfroPop EP. It follows last year’s series of singles, ‘Over 100’ and ‘Day Ones,’ and the Afrobeat banger ‘Apart’ released by Jillionaire of Major Lazer via Feel Up Records.
In 2018, Teeklef made a long-awaited return trip to his birthplace of Lagos, Nigeria, re-engaging himself in Nigerian culture and the sound of African music. Upon his return to the US, he rebuilt his studio and immediately wrote and recorded
‘Calling’, a song that flowed from memories of driving the streets of Lagos at night.
This song was the seed of the AfroPop project, which would become the backbone of the EP’s sound. The song, sung in both English and Nigerian dialect, with Afro rhythms and R&B instrumentation, is a hybrid of Afrobeat and American Hip-Hop. There are an untold number of African artists creating new music in America and all over the world. Teeklef bridges a gap between cultures, the 2 places he calls home internalized and serving as inspiration for his art, the new places he travels bringing new life and new ideas to his music constantly. Afropop is a celebration of African heritage and an exploration of the sound of an increasingly global world, and ‘Calling’ is just the beginning.
