Born in Lagos, Nigeria, but now living in Atlanta, Georgia, Ugotaya raps and sings with authority and the air of a statesman. His music is a lot of fun, as he skilfully blends into his music the perspective of an African, and an African-American. His new single, ‘No Dey Lie’, lets his voice go full throttle, and the track is the perfect example of his style: drawn from Dirty South rap, deep-rooted gospel soul, and dancehall that’ll melt your socks off with its island heat.
The beat of the track is both propulsive and danceable; the synths play off a staccato guitar riff, and you can feel the steam of Atlanta coming off Ugotaya’s vocals. With a certain amount of urgency, he’s about to get the party started – and we’re ready to party with him.
In the video for ‘No Dey Lie’, we see Ugotaya’s talent shine through as he brings a charismatic screen performance to the clip, which he directed himself. We see him cruising the aisles of a black-owned local market, pausing between the spices and the cans of tomatoes; wearing his Auburn basketball top he’s the prefect representation of Southern pride. But Ugotaya isn’t the star of the video – that honour is given to the African-American doughnut makers, personal trainers, independent gallerists, truck drivers, electronics salespeople, and tropical market owners. Together they’re all riding the storm of the pandemic – and whatever happens next, you know they’re going to make it.
Watch the video for ‘No Dey Lie’ below and find out more about Ugotaya and his music online on his Instagram.
