Afrobop recording artist, Idris Lawal’s new EP, GIDI WATER, is a 4-song project that builds on themes of love and water. Weaving poetic lyrics about love, melodically over energetic instrumentals, Idris Lawal, like many Nigerian artists before him, is making deep and thought-provoking but danceable music.

“Fela Kuti once sang “Omi o l'ota o” which means water has no enemy,” says Idris Lawal. “I also once read a quote that compared love to water - you can fall in it. It can cool you down. Sometimes, too much can drown you. But ultimately, you cannot live without it.” 

“These lyrics / quotes plus some of my own personal experiences are what inspired the themes of GIDI WATER.”

GIDI WATER kicks off with the funky, yet short & sweet ‘Look What God Made’. It’s followed by ‘Water’ which includes an interpolation of the Fela Kuti lyrics quoted above. “Story” is the 3rd song on the project and includes a verse from rising Nigerian-born, Ottawa-based afrosoul artist, Kar33m - the only feature on the project. These 3 songs were produced by Kyu, who also mixed and mastered the whole project. The 4th and final song is ‘Go Slow’ and plays on the popular Nigerian slang for traffic jams. This was produced by Buzzerbeater. Both Kyu & Buzzerbeater are alums of Le Four Studio in Toronto where the EP was recorded.

GIDI WATER was released on September 30th 2022.

Go Slow

Water

Look What God Made

H2OPACK contains two songs, ‘Bright Side of Life’ and ‘Tiki Taka’ - both recorded last year at the end of the GIDI WATER recording sessions but initially lost due to a ransomware hack.

Both songs were produced by Grammy nominated, Toronto based French producer, Kyu and sees Idris tapping into the fast-rising Amapiano genre, with a soulful touch

Bright Side of Life features RnB / Opera singer & Canada's Got Talent nominee, Christina Smith, who brings a soulful touch to the Amapiano sound of the song.

Tiki Taka juxtaposes a relationship with the futbol / soccer Tiki Taka style of play i.e. keeping possession of the ball instead of playing in isolation.

Both songs are meant to serve as a palette cleanser ahead of newer releases from Idris Lawal.

Tiki Taka

Bright Side of Life (ft. Christina Smith)

 [prod. ChrisB]

Up north where the day's short, and the nights stay longer
Drinking out the bar till we under, digging out her back till we slumber
Relive it all again if we wanna

Maple Syrup

Sampled, Cut & Flipped a Burna Boy freestyle for a new beat ✂️🎹🎶

Twitter asked for it here: https://x.com/idrisxlawal/status/1723857665649156368?s=20

Enjoy!

Lo Lo Riddim

Scary hours for all the dogs
We’ll bury ours, for all it cost
We barely out, it's a world at war
From shore to shore, rebellion
Not shown when the tele on
Clearly powers be are all aboard
So, Pen to the paper.
I know poetry won’t put an end to the hate or
policies spread by dictators.
But I do my part as a creator
slash relief fund donator
& sayer of prayers
So tag along, 
Paragons of patience
It’s a marathon it ain't sprints
A walking paradox like cease fire
Broken rules & white lies
Closed doors & glass ceilings
I'm outside, melanated
No floors, I'm past kneeling
on cloud 9, elevated
Tapping into tapestries
&  answers to my ancestry
Black and Muslim and proud of my heritage
Used to think it was a double negative

Evil Ways Freestyle

A freestyle over 'Call Me Everyday' by Chris Brown & Wizkid

Call Me Everyday (Freestyle)

http://smallworldottawa.com/tade-releases-golden/

INTRO:
Green grass & golden sands, me & my lover holding hands. She a butter toasted lass, she call me her choco lad. We test trees like a botany class, then sail our souls like a boating class. The sun is out, not for long though. So come along, don't be Gong-ho

PRE-CHORUS 1:
Summertime ... Autumn skies ... I'm gon' glow ... Before the times ...

Fall in line ... Watch the skies ... You gon' glow... Before the times...

CHORUS 1(x2): 
Summertime so golden. Autumn skies, golden. I'll glow with the seasons. 'fore the times go frozen

VERSE 2:
I hope the grass is greener, on the other side. I hope there's liquor, so we can galvanize. I hope I get to see my lover's eyes. hope my kids see their mother's eyes. Hand in hand as we meet, those above who govern us. 

You in that blue and white sun dress. Skin, sun kissed. Joy in abundance. Glow you a goddess. Lo and behold, we were gold all along. Lo and behold, we were gods all along. I don't wanna watch the throne, I just wanna watch the skies. I don't want a crown of gold, I'm a god I won't disguise.

PRE-CHORUS 2:
Summertime ... Autumn skies ... I'm gon' glow ... Before the times ...

Fall in line ... Watch the skies ... You gon' glow... Before the times...

CHORUS 2 (x4):
Summertime so golden. Autumn skies, golden. I'll glow with the seasons. 'fore the times go frozen.

Bandcamp

GOLDEN (prod. by  BENOIT)

Omo is the debut EP by Toronto based, Nigerian artist tadé. It is Yoruba and can be directly translated to ‘Child’. Conceptually, it is a 4-song project that touches on youth, love and growth. Embedded within the EP is a story of a boy who comes of age, finds love and purpose. Sonically, the EP combines elements of hip-hop, world music, afro music and r&b creating a truly unique sound. The EP also mirrors tadé musical growth as he took on production & mixing duties for the first time in his short musical career.

Moonshine

Omo is the debut EP by Toronto based, Nigerian artist tadé. It is Yoruba and can be directly translated to ‘Child’. Conceptually, it is a 4-song project that touches on life, love, family and growth. Embedded within the EP is a story of a boy coming of age, from birth to discovering love, his idea of life and its meaning, and then building a family so he too can pass down the knowledge he has picked up on – both from the teachings of his mother and of life. Sonically, the EP combines elements of hip-hop, world music, afro music and r&b creating a truly unique sound. The EP also mirrors tadé musical growth as he took on some production & mixing duties for the first time in his short musical career.

Bancamp

Donor Ft.  Chérie

Motions

Beautiful (Cover)

My God's pretty like a girl
My God made heaven & hell
I've seen both sides like Chanel
been seen on both sides like Chanel x2

I aint never been perfect
I aint never laid verdict

God'll judge me too for my demerits
The law will  judge me too for my demerits

I aint never been a serpent
if I do you a disservice, 
I accepted it & then repented 
See I'm just a man

I spent years being selfish, 
Needy faces that I neglected
These the flaws that we inherit
See I'm just a man

God gave me all these blessings -  imma share it
Momma taught me all these lessons  - imma share it
My girl gave me her affection - imma cherish
It's really you on my mind

See both sides like chanel
I been seen on both sides like chanel
i've been through heaven, been through hell
I've seen both sides like chanel x2

È ban mi kira
È ban mi Kori 
Oya o 
È ban mi soke


mixed by tadé
mastered by LANDR

visuals

A Man [Frank Ocean "Chanel" rework] + visuals

JORDAN LIVE EVERYWHERE: https://song.link/JordanIL

Complex Magazine Premiere: https://www.complex.com/music/2019/02/premiere-idris-lawal-jordan

"I (we) flew around the sun last year, like the gods when i (we) orbit. maybe I'll (we'll( land on the moon this year, but this not Jordans."

Jordan was written and recorded as a re-affirmation of self. A reminder that we fly around the sun every year because of our innate greatness. Jordan was also written as a proclamation of black. A reminder that the skin is a gift from God, for the soul to live comfortably in. 

"I (we) spent some time with the sun, that's how I (we) got this dark skin."

TORONTO -- Tickets for Idris' first showcase - A TRAVELLING LIGHT: http://bit.ly/atravellinglight

Produced by Antion: https://soundcloud.com/antionmusic
Guitar played by Lã: https://lamakesmusic.bandcamp.com/
Art shot by Ryan Pimenta: https://www.instagram.com/pimenta416 ; edited by Idris.

FOLLOW IDRIS ON:
Website: http://idrisxlawal
Instagram: http://instagram.com/idrisxlawal
Twitter: http://twitter.com/idrisxlawal
Facebook: http://facebook.com/idrisxlawal

Jordan - Single

Stream

JORDAN ft. Lã (prod. by Antion)

I was reflecting on the last year – having moved from Ottawa to Toronto to get closer to my dreams. Dealing with new adult responsibilities in a new environment became tasking and in my reflections, I became a lot more appreciative of the effort my parents took – moving away from family and the familiarity of home in Nigeria to a foreign country in Qatar, and then South-Africa, before settling in Canada. All the while, they instilled in me the importance of always remembering your roots and where you came from. These experiences and teachings what was ultimately inspired Gung-Ho’s lyrics. 

Stream everywhere: http://idrisxlawal.com/gungho

Gung-Ho

STREAM EVERYWHERE: https://ffm.to/fools-omoge

‘Omoge’ translates to ‘Beautiful Girl’ and sees Idris recounting the moment he found love. He sings, “all in a moment, I forgot everything I’ve been longing and found everything I belong in”. Omoge is an afro-soul vibe produced by Idris Lawal himself and is his second collaboration with Toronto- based singer Sydnee Croft (backup vocals)  and Jelani Watson (Saxophonist) after Gung-Ho.

Omoge (ft. Sydnee Croft & Jelani Watson)

STREAM EVERYWHERE: https://ffm.to/fools-omoge

‘Fools’ is an afro-pop ode to those foolishly in love. In his native Yoruba tongue, Idris sings “we’re fools whether we dance or not, baby please let’s keep having fun” interpolating the classic line from Nigerian juju legend, Ebenezer Obey. Fools was produced by French born, Toronto producer - Kyu.

Fools (ft. Kyu)

Finished recording final vocals for my upcoming project today so me & KYU celebrated by jumping on TÖME's #themoneysongchallenge. S/O TÖME for creating a vibe!! and Much love to KYU for the assist.

Link to in-studio performance on IGTV: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9vKRGInjEa/
Link to TÖME's instagram profile: https://www.instagram.com/tomeofficial_/
Link to KYU: https://www.instagram.com/kyu_scifi/

LYRICS:
I do it for the money o o!
By land for my mommy o o!
My my, mo ti so ji o
I no be monkey
Banana no money o o!
Pay me what you owe me o o!
Cut to the chase & cut to the check
Small talk for small mind, I beg
I'm worth more, want nothing less
I hustle so I no go stress

TÖME - THE MONEY (remix)

Following the release of 3 singles - ‘Gung Ho’, ‘Fools’ & ‘Omoge’, and a multitude of performances in Toronto, Idris Lawal unveilsl his debut project. A 7-song effort titled ‘Young, Black & Blue’.

Young, Black & Blue is Idris’ life experience. In a world that he feels has been very slow to understand what it is to be black - from the different shades of our beauty to the intricacies of our diverse cultures - Idris Lawal is also slowly finding his own balance between his roots, self & identity.

Medals

Hey Colonizer

Heal

Drop

Idris Lawal is a Nigerian born, Toronto-based "gidibop" recording artist, producer & poet. GIDIBOP is Idrie' unique fusion of Afrobeat, Afrohouse, hiphop and soul music.

Idris Lawal

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