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Banggz Blasts Off with a Debut Full of Banggerz
Inspired by Nigerian legends and Ottawa’s vibrant music scene, the Afro-rap artist offers an immersive, multi-genre project that honours his roots.
by Ozioma Nwabuikwu
Photos by Tanitoluwa Olorunyomi
- Published on
I first saw Banggz perform in the fall of last year. An acquaintance had suggested a show of his at Club SAW in Ottawa. I love Afrobeats and hip-hop, the central genres that Banggz combines, but I hesitated. In the past few years, Afrobeats has been launched into the mainstream and with that came closer criticism as the genre morphed – and in some cases, has been watered down – to fit an audience who is none the wiser. Fusion and dispersion are good and natural, but it’s been disappointing to feel the essence stripped from the music I grew up listening to. Banggz’s high-octane performance, however, proved him instead to be a singular talent and an innovative Afrocentric artist paying homage to the greats that came before him. Following the recent release of his debut album, 4 THE BANGGERZ, RANGE caught up with Banggz to learn more about how he got here.
Banggz grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where he was exposed to all sorts of music, including the work of Afrobeat founder and legendary Nigerian performer, Fela Kuti. But before taking a deep dive into that influence, he got his first spark by studying popular hip-hop music videos he watched on TV. By reverse engineering the songs and studying their mannerisms, he discovered a foundation for song structure, production, and stirring performance. This fascination turned into writing his own songs and making his own beats, since he couldn’t afford studio time. While his classmates showed off moments and trinkets from their respective school breaks, he brought back beats and lyrics. “Community was always big for me…I always wanted people to rap with, rap for, rap to…I was always tinkering with music,” he says, explaining that it’s also where the name Banggz came from. “What do I want my beats to sound like?”
Banggz met many of his current creative collaborators and earned his “10,000 hours” making beats, playing live shows and practicing as much as he could after moving to Canada for school in 2016. “When something is dope, it’s easy for [Ottawa] to come together and just be like, this is something that we like…and we support it,” he says. Years passed and a formidable community was built while Banggz created 4 THE BANGGERZ.
It’s a project he’s been working on for three years, as something he felt got lost in translation kept prompting him to return to it for reworks. Like fate, Femi Kuti, son of Fela Kuti and legend in his own right, came to Ottawa Bluesfest in 2022 where Banggz also performed. “At a point, I started making songs just to make them,” he says. “After watching [Femi Kuti] perform and meeting him at Ottawa Bluesfest, he reminded me of my identity, being Nigerian and why I should even be making music in the first place.” Kuti’s performance instilled a new purpose in him that redefined the direction of his debut album. “People are generally not doing too well, like, it’s a strange time…I realized that I have some kind of power within my music, and also a responsibility, right? So I started to imagine this world where people can tune in and escape. So 4 THE BANGGERZ is…a sonic escape, for anyone who taps in. Press play, and we’re in, we feel amazing, we feel empowered,” he says.
Many artists promise a similar kind of sonic escape, but not every one delivers like Banggz does. 4 THE BANGGERZ is a multi-genre universe steeped in confidence, joy and gratitude. The titular ‘Banggerz’ are me, you and anyone who taps into this universe. Almost completely produced by Banggz, the project is wholly refreshing for fans of old and new generations of Afrobeats, with intriguing explorations of electronic, hip hop, jazz and punk genres mixed in as well. He is well-assisted by Ottawa faves and close collaborators including City Fidelia, Asuquomo, and T. Chandy, who mastered the entire album. Banggz’s commitment to providing a sonic experience is as much about performance as it is about the music – which is not a coincidence, given his love for unforgettable performers like Fela Kuti and other Nigerian greats like Asa and Burna Boy. “I want people to have that 40 minutes of something that’s not what they get everyday,” he says.
It’s not often you find debut albums as thoughtful as 4 THE BANGGERZ. With an earnest commitment to his craft and community, it’s no wonder that the Ottawa music scene has embraced Banggz so completely. When asked about his plans for world domination, he is patient, expressing immense appreciation for the community he has now. “Who’s going to help me move forward if not the people from Ottawa?”
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