IJAMOT, a powerful acronym for "it's just a matter of time," is pushing the boundaries of the new wave of African Rap. From Warri, Nigeria, he's endeavoring to make music across continents and cultures, working with producers in Kenya and blending French culture to create what he proclaims is an honest and emotional sound. Fusing consciousness, melodic rap, rhythm, and Afro-grit, his sound hits with purpose.
Self-taught, self-driven, and self-believing, he spits not just to entertain - but to testify and remind the world where he's coming from (Warri, Southern Nigeria) and where he's headed - making an impact through music. Till then, he keeps turning his journey into sounds in which every verse tells a story of survival, ambition, love, and faith. Sounds that are honest, hard-hitting, and unmistakably his own.
His latest release, Chill Drive EP, a collection of songs co-produced alongside eKbeats, was done entirely over phone calls and video chats, 5,400 kilometers apart: Ijamot in Lagos and eKbeats in Lagos. This EP features five tracks: Hard, Roadside, Evening Sun, Happy Place, and Euphoric.
Roadside
In Roadside, IJAMOT highlights the voices he and others hear in our own subconscious. Driving emphasis repeating the lyrics "There are so many voices in my head, they keep telling me I need to make it." Bringing to life the many voices in his head is a universal experience for us to hear and experience in our own minds.
There’s so many voices in my head
There’s so many voices in my head
They keep telling me I need to make it
They keep telling me I need to make it
If I scream now will you feel my pain
If I scream now will you feel my pain
I’m tryna bring this to your understanding
I’m tryna bring this to your understanding
Meeting IJAMOT was not only an introduction to a new type of music I hadn't personally experienced, but also opened me up to a new space of colloquialism and slang from Nigeria. In Roadside, IJAMOT raps, "I don't wanna just get by, I wanna chop life"
Chop, as a slang term for me, means "you don't have the chops" - you won't make the cut - but in Nigerian slang, "chop" means "to eat" and by extension it’s used in a versatile way - and in this case, it's an expression of desire, a way to say what they want in life. So "I wanna chop life" means I want, I need the best in life, and to enjoy it to the fullest. And who doesn’t want that for themselves?
You’re just a comedy (comedy)
That’s why I keep praying money money fall on me
Fall on me so I can ride this economy
I don’t wanna just get by, I wanna chop life
Euphoric
Euphoric blurs the line between rapping and singing, giving the listener a melodic rap experience to, pardon the pun, take a chill drive to. The song is gentle, yearning, and honest- much like the rest of IJAMOT's discography. The subject of the song is the soap, washing away the stress, the day, the sadness felt by the singer - the perfect song to unwind with and then start fresh, like it's morning.
Another day stained with stress
And I really need your love to get
Fresh like it's morning
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