Hood Hymns: Tobe Nwigwe’s Afrobeats-laced, Family-refined Spiritual Message
“Imagine me Little Tobechukwu Dubem who grew up with every ounce of Awka and Uturu in his skin,” Tobe rapped when he did a tribute for music legend Pharrell in 2023. It was also partly a tribute to his ancestry. He has never been one to hide his skin.
When he was invited by Pharrell to Paris for a fashion show, he surprised his mum who became the cynosure of all eyes faraway from their two homes - Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria, and Texas.
Tobe is not just a rapper - he is one of the most conscious of them. His deep lyrical mastery and rhymes make him special and he never runs from his roots. He’s Igbo and he wears it like a badge of honour. He’s Texan and he is a legend in that state. Who could be better than Tobe in sending a familial message that’s not so familiar to the world while sticking to his spirits, origins and arts? Tobe!
On his latest album Hood Hymns, he holds his family along and makes music for generations and nations. His children are laid on the path of greatness and his wife Fat (iconically) and siblings all make music memorable. It’s a family tree watered by art and maintained by the glittering sunshine of a head who drives everyone along.
His vision has always been to make purpose popular but Tobe in recent time is one whose purpose has made popular. Hood Hymns feels like a purposeful adventure into spirituality and deep messaging. Sometimes it feels like a personal journey into heavenly directions but it holds humanity and his home along as stamps as evident in his features.
Anointing where Tobe features American gospel artiste, Yael Hilton and has the pretty, sonorous voice of Ivory Nwigwe, his daughter is a classical gospel song raving about the anointing of God. What starts as a gospel mission soon stars Big Kala - Odumodublvck. Plot twist, right?
With two of the most controversial rappers across the world Jay Electronica and Odumodublvck, Tobe sings about the state of the universe and what a madhouse it currently is. He wants all of his N****s to be in heaven as he envisions a light and glory in his friends. Odumodublvck doesn’t stop short of selling Pidgin which is the Lingua Franca of Afrobeats.
It feels nice to see Big Kala in a slow, sensitive and soulful state as he brought the song home, exploring a deep versatility which tells of his quality in a positively different light. Jay Electronica, a member of the Nation of Islam reads a verse of the Quran before delivering silky punchlines and double entendres in a rounded musical and spiritual experience, from both a religious lens and philosophical worldview. BJ The Chicago Kid and little Nwigwe, Sage Nwigwe completed the spiritual message.
‘Heal’ is a gift to mankind. It’s a message of hope against trials, and with one of Tobe’s little angels Ivory also offering that cute final word in what’s a consistent appeal with the project, it is a familial territory but a usually strange sight to see. Tobe is a family man.
Andra Day, former American Idol winner Fantasia and Tobe speak to humanity on ‘I’m not God’ reiterating their mere mortality in a world many see humans as their joy, peace and hope. ‘I wanna save you but I’m not God’ is a line that tells the heart of the average human whose responsibilities have been overblown. Tobe wraps the story up in deep lyrics and rap lines including using one of Maya Angelou’s beautiful poems “Why Caged Birds Sing”. The twist is “even if you know why caged birds sing, you might not get to set them free” Tobe rapped.
On ‘Help You Understand’ Tobe with Foggieraw and Sam Hemshaw sing about life and people and the many things hidden in human pursuits. He explores the depths of average human existence and the things everyone chases - the fast cars, the good life and wealth. It is a reminder of the things that matter and not getting lost in the search for a popular purpose.
Jacob Akintayo Akinoso known more popularly as Jacob Banks is a soul singer of Nigerian descent and was born in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Jacob Banks’ partnership with Tobe on ‘Moon & Sunlight’ is a depiction of love and light as both artistes brought their brightness to the fore. What that transits into is incredible as Tobe explores a distinct pattern of arrangement and musical transition with “N****s Need Jesus”. Jacob Banks delivers beauty here with the ever alluring innocent voice of Ivory Nwigwe giving the perfect denouement before the next show.
‘We Need Angels’ - everyone of us needs one. ‘I swear it feels like hell around here’, the chorus goes. An impressive storytelling is let out with Chance the Rapper bringing his excellent rap to the fore. Everyone is soulful, it just takes moments to let out the inner depths. Sorrow and joy are like rainfall, ‘when it falls, every roof gets its fair share’, Tobe tells the hearts of men.
On “When God Cracks the Sky”, he talks about his family and friends and the beauty of having a greater, somewhat unexplainable purpose that often offers direction. Grammy-nominated OLU of Earthgang also brings his southern hiphop brilliance and soulful state to the game, exploring the deepest ends of a spiritual journey.
David Michael Wyatt wasn’t an ordinary passerby on ‘Passing Through’ as he brings a brilliant interpretation to soulfulness before Tobe’s continuation of a blistering rap adventure. ‘This world is not my home, I’m just passing through’ Wyatt sings before Ivory Nwigwe helps our ears to the distinction of what this project is - family.
What’s a ‘GOLD’ title without AG Baby-Tio Tequila-Adekunle Gold? With Afro R & B brought on to the scene, AG dips deep into his spirits to bring a uniquely African touch to the song in what was an excellent closure to a truly remarkable, world-enhancing and soul-lifting project. ‘If I talk something I go do am, e sure for me on God’ AG sings. It’s a message that is dominant on the project - God. Jacob Banks and Keisha Reene complete the outro on the 11th and final song on Hood Hymns.
This is a constellation of star-spangled, soulful storytellers and it is indeed a worthy listen by every means. Forty minutes and one second of classic, cultural, familial and soulful adventure. It’s Tobe Nwigwe, with him, every second of lyricism counts and this isn’t an exception.