As afrobeats continues to infiltrate global landscapes and bring Nigerian music to the world, it has increased the demand for African music on a global scale and spurred the growth of emerging Nigerian artists to meet this demand. Every other day, a new Nigerian artist gains global recognition from a song trending on TikTok, a record label launch, or sometimes from music academies.
For Gimba, the latter is the case. Having spent several weeks at the Sarz Academy, he released his first song, Jam One Kele, featuring Millymay_pod and Fortune—his colleagues at the academy. He later featured on DJ Tunez’s Blessings, alongside the talented Wizkid, and has since been in the public eye as an emerging artist with great potential. On September 27, 2024, Gimba released his debut EP, Amince Da Tsari, which translates to “Trust the Process,” with Olamide as the only featured artist on the project.
The project begins with Nightmares, a song that captures the artist’s state of mind prior to the release. In it, a voice note plays, with friends, fans, and others urging him to release a new project, to which Gimba sings a reply explaining his reasons for the delay. This track is followed by Fuck You, featuring the saxophone prominently in the Oddwave-produced beat, where Gimba sends a subtle curse to his fictional ex-lover while informing her of his current state in life.
Olamide joins on Tingrado, as the violins lead the way, with Gimba interpolating Burna Boy’s “23” in the opening line before breaking into a mid-tempo tune, with Olamide’s rap following closely behind. Only U is a fusion of R&B and Afrobeats that creates a soulful melody. Gimba’s expertise in understanding rhythm and flow shines through on this track, making it exceptional.
The final track, Happy, expresses the artist’s life and experiences, narrating how he has had to keep going despite the problems he continues to encounter, while advising others to take the same approach.
On this EP, Gimba shares his heart with everyone facing life’s challenges, urging them to trust the process and believe that everything will eventually align.
Chukwuebuka Mgbemena is a writer focused on the Nigerian & African entertainment industry. He loves fashion, art and is a staunch chess player.
