Ric Hassani… the Lagos Lover Boy

Ric Hassani’s most recent album, Lagos Lover Boy, is extra than a comeback file for the Rivers Impart indigene. It’s a torrent of his upgraded vocal textures, A&R ability, as effectively as his thematic storytelling, all layered out within 21 songs, with an mettlesome playback time of 56 minutes, one amongst the lengthiest in fresh cases for an Afrobeats act.

The rancour that greeted Ric Hassani’s Allege Fire You song begin, off his The Prince I Turned album in 2021, which purchased the NBC to ban the file, shook the general Nigerian song neighborhood. Per its vocal deserves, the song rose to change into his magnum opus on the time, with the The Prince I Turned album also playing certain fundamental acclaim, despite the preliminary setback.

If transforming chaotic eventualities looks to be any musician’s recipe for creating masterpieces, then Ric Hassani ranks excessive on that checklist. Correct love he did alongside with his file, Hassani’s most recent album, Lagos Lover Boy, is a kaleidoscope of the gritty, thrilling, tortuous and unpredictable nature of discovering and conserving esteem in the bustling city.

All the most realistic scheme throughout the 21-note file, Ric Hassani, born Ikechukwu Ahiauzu, sweeps through his experiences with esteem, romance and heartbreak, with a line-up of of stellar customer appearances that encompass Nonso Amadi, Odumodublvck, Transportable, Ne-Yo, Joeboy, Tolibian, DOTTi THE DEITY, and Phyno.

A graduate of Energy Economics, Ric Hassani stepped into the general public radar around 2017, after the begin of his debut African Gentleman album. With nearly a decade on the scene, the award-a hit singer has carved a distinct identification for his vocal texture, storytelling and RnB prowess.

Catching up with Guardian Music, the RnB maestro opens up on the backstory on the support of Lagos Lover Boy, detailing his ingenious muses replacement of collaborations, as effectively as his plans to proceed making evergreen song.

Congratulations on a recent album, Ric. How discontinue you are feeling about it?
Thanks so worthy. I in actuality feel in actuality happy that it's out and folks can now be conscious the roughly artist that I am and what I can discontinue.

Order us how long it took to electrify the song and the keep did it happen, mostly?
It took approximately a month to discontinue.

What inspired the title, Lagos Lover Boy?
While you hear of Lagos, you believe you studied of chaos, web site visitors. You understand the general harsh traits. I needed to express my own self into the traits of Lagos. Since I’m RnB and soul and esteem, I determined to combine them.

Order us about the foundation on the support of just among the important thing tracks.
I am very happy to sing I worked with just a few of basically the most fabulous writers and producers. About a of the songs came from them discovering out who I in actuality were throughout the years and curating the song with what the imaginative and prescient of the album is. Others came as an inspiration of listening to the beat and telling precise tales

How became once it love working with Transportable?
Transportable is an fabulous and unbelievable artist. I’ve persistently wished to work with him. Once I sent him the note he related with it and delivered such an gorgeous verse on it. Mountainous esteem to him.

What told the replacement of collaborations?
Like I said, I needed to infuse the character of Lagos in its raw make to my form of song. With Odumodublvck who's candy an gorgeous human being, I persistently knew he became once going to be on the note known as Falling. He became once in London on the time and it took a whereas, but he came through and even visited my dwelling with basically the most fabulous vitality I’ve felt in a protracted whereas.
I respect Phyno so worthy and this became once one feature I in actuality most traditional. DOTTi THE DEITY did precisely what I had imagined the interludes can like to sound love. That’s my brother and I love him. Tolibian is candy colossal fabulous. He sent his verse in no longer up to 24 hours. I in actuality take care of his soul and ardour.

How did the collaboration with Ne-Yo arrive about?
This became once mostly handled by my distro firm, but I’ve persistently wished to work with an RnB narrative. It became once a wide opportunity.

How would you checklist your headspace on this album compareto the actual person that birthed The Prince I Turned?
I needed to be intentional about creating one thing assorted from what folks like known me for than from what comes straightforward to me. I became once lots extra calculating on this album than my outdated physique of work.

Any favourite moments from the general album advent direction of?
Engaged on the album became once fun, from the recording classes with my fabulous producers to the writing. When making the final song, TUALE, the gospel song on the album, we had numerous fun with the choir dancing around the studio.

With RnB now being one amongst Afrobeats strongest exports now, what discontinue you believe you studied about the genre’s future in Nigeria?
Of us must watch that Afro RnB can prevail. RnB requires precise singing, stacked vocals, and considerate arrangements. So it takes extra time and intentionality to electrify. That’s why I am contributing the appropriate I'll perhaps.

You would were steadily known as the King of Afro Rnb. Can you defend that title?
I mediate that goes without asserting. My song is curated in such intentional vocal affiliation, and I set up fabulous attention to precise singing and making song. I am persistently proud that folks watch that and accord me that title.

Order us about just among the recent Afrobeats acts in your radar.
There is a man known as Kummie. I can watch his trajectory and he’s on a wide course.

What discontinue you in most cases discontinue can like to you’re no longer making song?
I love watching motion pictures.

The keep are your favourite conventional spots to lollygag around within Lagos?
My dwelling. This form of dope drawl for me to lollygag around.

What is your favourite meal to eat after making song?
Semo and Afang soup.

Lastly, what's your imaginative and prescient to your stamp as Ric Hassani?
To eradicate doing my ideal. I’ve been in the exchange for 10 plus years, and folks already know what I can discontinue. The imaginative and prescient is to eradicate doing extra. There remains to be lots extra success to attain.