The first time I saw NSG live was at Nativeland 2019. They came on after a mishap with the main stage and raised the energy. They danced in sync, filled with excitement, and successfully turned lime into lemonade, “That was our first show in Nigeria, so it was crazy, that was a moment in itself, the energy the crowd gave us was amazing.”
NSG are in Lagos again, but this time for the “Area Boyz” media rounds and activation. They join in via Google Meet, and laughter fills the air, NSG is every interviewer’s dream. Considering the calm vigour and poise they exude, they speak with the casual intensity of someone with something to say. Every sentence imbues a sense of clarity and is filled with great stories.
Their journey started in Hackney, East London with five out of the six people—Kruddz, Mojo, OGD, Dope, Papii Abz, and Mxjib. They went to the same school, lived in the same area, and used to chill and do music together. Three of the members are Nigerians while the other three are Ghanaians.
They started making music in a studio behind Kruddz and OGD’s childhood home. The studio also kept them safe and out of trouble. It was in this DIY studio that OGD stopped producing dubstep and started working with his brother JAE5 to produce NSG’s signature sound.
They released their first single “Whine and Kotch” in December 2013, a rework of Charly Black & J Capri’s 2012 reggae track. The record was a merger of Ghana and Nigeria as they proudly wore African pride.
When considering the fusion of cultural sounds from Ghana and Nigeria, Mr. Eazi and Juls emerge as notable figures. Through purposeful collaborations, they strategically position themselves at the crossroads, where these influences meet.
NSG understands the cultural differences in the UK and also understands the common thing everyone appreciated was music, so they appealed to everyone, from the Caribbean to the West Africans. They were connecting the dots.
Since then, they've experienced success through collaborations, such as “Forget A Hater” with J Hus and the release of their debut tape “Grown UP”. NSG's first mixtape marked the culmination of their expression of the environment around them. Functioning as African ambassadors, the influences drawn from their environment were unmistakable, showcasing their status as attentive students of the music industry.
Consider "Grown UP" as the initial strides towards a worldwide takeover. However, their vocal delivery remained distinctly indebted to the emotional appeal of Afropop.
NSG's musical foundation is grounded in their genuine love for music. Notably, Kruddz and OGD are the younger brothers of producer Jae5, with OGD also being a part of the production team called 4PLAY.
In 2019, they released the hit sing_le_ "Options" featuring Tion Wayne. They have evolved from university raves to two tours, and a memorable moment joining Drake on stage at the 2019 O2 Arena show.
If “Grown UP” was the Boys Meet the world, then “Roots” was a refined taste of how they see the world, they had honed their sound, NSG's production technicality was sharper and the storytelling was more cohesive.
As they gear up for their first album, NSG is tapping into their creative reserves. In 2021, the group unveiled “Area Bar” A restaurant they launched in Ghana, a venture that not only celebrates their cultural roots but also integrates music creation with branding, establishing a sustainable business model.
I asked the difference between their first release, how they’ve nurtured their sound over the years and now dropping their debut.
Abdul of NSG explains “Yeah, I feel like between then and now, we have nurtured ourselves, if you listen to the AREA BOYZ album, you will hear like a distinct NSG sound, and from there we have been able to experiment with different kinds of sounds like the amapiano, so I feel like in this album there is a lot of that, like us just kind of honing on much of our sounds. And also, the experience, because life is about the experience, and you can hear that through our lyrics and what we are speaking about, because it’s real life, it’s not just made-up things, so they are things that people can relate to.”
On ‘AREA BOYZ’, they invite a large but deliberate ensemble of features which includes the ghetto Preacher Seyi Vibez, The soulful Libianca, family ties Jae5, Nigerian breakout star ODUMODUBLVCK, and Ghanaian heavyweight Sarkodie, and more. The oldest song on ‘Area Boyz’ was “Lonely ft. Sarkodie '' recorded in 2019.
Abdul broke it down,“Sark came to London and obviously you wanted to link us…It was just that yo, you guys are cool like we represent the movement of African... And then we just linked up and for us, it was just a big blessing because growing up, Sark was definitely the hottest best rapper. No, I mean, so is that someone we grew up listening to. So I remember that studio session clearly, it was like it was a surreal moment and we got other songs on there that we made for maybe three years.”
Expanding more on the making of the album, they shared “Even before we started thinking about making an album, we were just making music across the world. We went to the Netherlands to make “zombie”. It's been a work in the making for a while now. We concluded that we needed to drop an album. I think the end of 2021 and we were anticipating dropping it in 2022. Everyone felt like the moment was right, but in the creating process we just felt like we needed to tap into the “Album Mode” and then the end of 2022 was when we had a camp. We went away to a little town called Bath (Somerset) in the UK. We lived there for a week..Just studio, nature, and different producers coming in from the likes of Rise and Shine from France, Legendury Beatz, obviously 4play (The executive producers), which is everyone, and it was just a moment of just trying to get into that moment that “Area Boyz” feel of life.”
The creative journey was as enjoyable as one could imagine. Typically, the producers were present in the studio, fostering an environment where candid discussions took place alongside the collaborative music-making process.
“We added a lot of tracks from that camp to the album and then some old stuff and that's kind of what made “Area Boyz” and that's why you kind of had a sense of It's been a long time in the making because we have tracks from years ago. And then we have tracks that are current for the moment that Mojo mentioned the “Cola” and “Stevie Wonder” are very present and very current for the new sounds that are going on today.”
Speaking on the album, I ask how they feel and they share,
“You know it’s definitely been a long time, Obviously it’s great, it’s a good feeling, it feels phenomenal to have released a body of work to the world, a body of work that has taken us so long but it’s like we put everything we have learned, everything we have gone through in life, and it’s just like a way to kind of summarise where we at now in the calm moment, with the calm goings in the, and it’s just world and it’s just a great feeling, and it also just feels like the beginning of the next chapter for NSG for AREA BOYZ, the next step. It definitely feels like the start of something new as well.”
As much as NSG makes music that has your head nodding to the beat, they also make music that seeps into your subconscious, that you subtly take note of in doses.
They shared the process of putting all these experiences into the music;
“As individuals of the world, we kinda learn things as well, when we touched on one of the richest men in the world was an African man ‘Mansa Musa’. It teaches others while giving a vibe, because if you heard the start of the song, it is very politically advanced, we talked about the ongoing of October 2020. Even though we reside in the Western World in the UK, we have family back home, and they were heavily affected. A lot of Nigerians were… MJ's verse was like he's got family back home, a lot of us do so we just touched on that and then brought it back to the vibe. It's about balance, you know, deep topics and then also let's get the vibe and that's how we lure people into just You're gonna dance but then you're gonna cluck, this is what they're talking about. Yo, this is deep. You know, I mean, that's like the balance, you know, catching the best of both worlds.”
For years, young Nigerians expressed concerns about the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a rogue police unit involved in torture, maiming, extortion, and murder. These concerns led to two weeks of peaceful #EndSARS protests, predominantly in southern and central Nigeria.
On October 20, 2020, amidst a short-notice curfew, peaceful youths gathered at a toll-gate plaza in Lekki, an upscale Lagos district, to continue demonstrations. The Nigerian Army responded by firing live rounds into the crowd at the Lekki Toll Gate, resulting in casualties among the peaceful protesters.
Nigeria has historically found resilience in its music. Artists have often used their platform to address pressing issues, including corruption, social injustice, and government accountability. From the pioneering works of Fela Kuti, whose Afrobeat music challenged Nigeria's military regimes and spoke out against oppression, to contemporary artists like Lagbaja, Eedris Abdulkareem, Burna Boy, Falz and more, who incorporate political themes in their music, Nigerian musicians have been vocal advocates for social and political change.
This spirit of resilience endures, as seen in contemporary expressions like NSG's album ‘Area Boyz’ and its standout track "Area Boyz Prayer" featuring Seyi Vibez. Exploring how guest artists seamlessly integrate into NSG's musical universe offers insight into the power of music to bridge divides and inspire hope even in the face of adversity.
I asked how the record happened and the reaction in the room when they made it.
“That record was made via email o,” Abdul of NSG says. ”I’ll be real, me personally, I'm a big fan of Seyi Vibez, you know when I got my Spotify 2023 wrapped, Seyi Vibez was top 5…I’ve been listening to him and a lot of the guys as well as hearing his jams. We just felt like we needed to get something with Seyi.”
He breaks down “Area Boys Prayer” a bit further “When we came out from Ghana in 2022, the start of 2023, it was tough times for a lot of people, things were changing, things were happening and that's when “OGD'' started the idea of “Area Boys Prayer” and then when we all heard it, it was this is deep! And it was a thing of ‘who would go on this?’ it is a prayer like the title says.
With “Seyi Vibez” you can hear the religiousness in his music, this is within his music, and we were like let’s send it over to him to see what he can do. He (Seyi Vibez) sent it back to us as soon as I heard it. This is short and sweet, what he did was magic, it’s amazing”
With culture playing such a big role for NSG, I ask “What’s home to the team?”, “what does home mean to you? and “Where is home for you ?”
The team retorted jokingly; “We don’t have a home o, we are homeless, Area boy!” they took turns explaining“I think there is a term called “Nomads”, like everywhere is their home, we can go anywhere and still feel at home simply because we live in the UK. The UK is a very multicultural place, we have people from every background, and we go out with them, we go to school with them, we can integrate into any culture, and obviously we are African as well, so that on top of being grown up with Caribbean, British people, American people. So everywhere is our home. That’s why we call it global music.”
I heard once that 20 kids can’t play together for 20 years, while NSG has been in the music industry for 10 years, they’ve been friends for much longer, I ask them how they stay in check, and retain the bond.
Abdul retorts, “Omo, it is God o…I always say the passion and the goal have been the same from jump and I think it kind of makes it easier when you know, everyone's on the same page and obviously, there are times when we are not on the same page. We tend to settle it with communication, six brains are better than one. Everything is a discussion with NSG, because as we all go out, we all see things, and we all have ideas, so as long as it matches the end goal, which is just world domination, we have learned to put the brand first. It is a good feeling knowing that we are still here together ten years later. And we make sure whenever we work, we carry each other along because the six of us make NSG. So little things like this just keep us in check and make the work smoother.”
A rock version of “OT Bop” rocked social media in November 2023, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Being global stars in every sense, the contagious energy reached even through screens, captivating thousands of viewers from the comfort of their homes. I asked about the evolution of their music and the term 'Afro Swing' in the context of their sound.
They explained “That Afro Swing genre has sailed…We don’t really think it's Afro-swing, because OT BOP, isn’t afro swing, and neither is OT ROCK. So, I feel like we are going to a new realm of music where it’s boundaryless, it has no limit, but it always has that afro element. I don’t know what I will call it. But I don’t think I would classify it as Afro-swing.”
The project “Area Boyz” also has records for women.“My Only” is an Afropop record that is an ode to a love interest, and “Tonight” with Libianca and Jae5 captures the essence of spontaneity, romance, and the pursuit of happiness. A juxtaposition between material desires and genuine love, the desire for money, and the uncertainty of whether someone loves them for who they are or for material possessions. Nevertheless, it's "Toxic Love" that steals the spotlight, featuring retro production that initially echoes the vibe of Sade Adu's "Sweetest Taboo."
Sharing the concept behind the song, they explain “It was in a camp, in a big studio with different producers, it was in the night, I don’t know if we were about to go out or, but I heard the beat and I was like this beat is spiritual, I felt it, so we went in the booth with dance and melodies and in the morning guys woke up and everybody just finished the song and the concept came about because obviously with the type of instrumental it would always give you the concept of a love song, because of like 80s music and everything, so we wanted to kind of put our own elements and put a real-life element into it as well, cause at the end of the day it’s true love is blind, but if you don’t have money you cannot get a woman.”
Out of curiosity, I asked how many songs from the camp made the album, “5 songs: "Toxic Love ", "Azonto ","My Only ", "Cola ", and "Seihor”.
NSG has bridged generational gaps, garnering support from boomers through a viral challenge and finding relatability with Gen Z and millennials through “OT Bop”. I ask about their definition of success. They indulge me saying, “For me, I'll just quickly go just to touch because you mentioned different demographics and different age groups. For me, success is for my music to be able to connect to everyone in the world, regardless of your location, regardless of your age, regardless of your gender. I want to be able to have my music and feel it because the main thing for me is vibrations. music is very spiritual and there's a way I take music and music and ultimate. I want to be able to alter people's mood especially positively when they are amazing to me if other people play my song and at least 90% of them feel Ah success Neil that's success for me.”
NSG possesses a strong work ethic and a potent manifestation power that has propelled them forward. In an interview with Fader, Papii Abz, one-sixth of NSG, shared his experience working in the electrical department at John Lewis, where he played the group's music for customers. Papii Abz emphasizes the importance of speaking things into existence.
Kruddz, another member of NSG, recalled doing bar work briefly. Despite getting fired for refusing a task at the Wireless festival, Kruddz confidently declared that he would be on the stage next year. True to his words, Kruddz and the rest of NSG appeared at the festival as special guests, performing their breakout hit, "Yo Darlin’," alongside Manchester MC Geko.
One noteworthy aspect of NSG is their belief in speaking things into existence, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. This confidence is highlighted in an interview where they emphasized their team's belief in themselves, making it inevitable for others to believe in them as well.
Abdul shared some insight, “My mom always says be careful of what you say because the tongue is powerful, when you put it into the atmosphere. I'm very spiritual. So I believe once your intentions are pure and you go about things the right way when you say certain things, it is powerful and just to relay it back to music if I am singing a song and I'm saying certain things whether it's a manifestation. It hasn't happened yet. Once the song comes out and you have hundreds of thousands of people singing along, how many people have now put it into the universe? Why would it not happen?”
Abdul adds “There was a Wizkid song, where he sings “I get Porsche, I crash Porsche, In another week, I get another Porsche”, so that line inspired me to say something like “crashing” and my cousin was like ‘nah, don’t put it out there’. I changed that line cos I deeped it, when I say positive things, it generally happens before I got my Mercedes GLC. I already said it. I was in a G1. I said it in ‘Roots’ and I got my Mercedes GLC Coupe, 2 years later.”
As the interview comes to an end, I prepare to return to my day, and then I pause and make a wish out loud. After all, all we need is faith like a mustard seed.