Hennessy Cypher 2019: A continued problem of execution or a problem with Nigerian Hip-Hop?
In 2019, Hennessy cypher gets props for consistency and effort, but it continues its run of a lack impact caused by systemic issues.
Freestyle sessions are sequenced into Hip-Hop’s DNA.
It was not just for the competition that became synonymous with the culture, it was also for mutual development and camaraderie. Another thing is also fostered during freestyle sessions; respect. You earn that by showcasing your craft through battle rap or hoping on a solo mic.
As Hip-Hop progressed and started its journey to the mainstream and as a staple of modern culture, freestyle evolved and media got interested in Hip-Hop, freestyle/battle rap became an object of mainstream obsession.
ALSO READ: What is the origin of rap cyphers?
But then, as freestyles further evolved, cyphers were born so rappers would gather to provide their audience with a taste of competitive collaboration. Usually, cyphers are put together for celebratory/commemorative purposes. These days, the BET Cyphers provide the best cypher experience in Hip-Hop.
In Nigeria, its the Hennessy Cypher. Hennessy, an arm of french company, LVMH takes time out of its quest for sustainability to aid Nigerian Hip-Hop. Annually, it gathers the best Nigerian rappers — legends, contemporary,unsung and up and coming — for different rap sessions that are then uploaded to YouTube.
When it started the idea made sense and it was a most anticipated moment in Nigerian Hip-Hop. Fans would wait for videos and tracks to drop and pop culture-inclined media would dissect and analyse.
However, over the past three years, the Hennessy Cypher has gone from being anticipated to commendable and now to unimportant. In 2019, the cypher barely made any mark on the mainstream or the niche. It wasn’t for a lack of willingness from Hennessy, it was visibly down to a lack of attraction.
The 2019 Cypher made an effort by making the visuals more appealing, creating segments and investing in costume and props. Word on the street also says rappers were paid this year.
However, something still not working. The cypher is still not impacting the Nigerian Hip-Hop culture or even igniting quality conversation. Instead, it only steadily gets criticized.
Instead of becoming a platform to ignite or celebrate Hip-Hop in Nigeria, it is basically another ground that sleeps like almost every other thing that remains obscure in Nigerian Hip-Hop.
But then, there are a few problems that could have intrinsically affected Hennessy cyphers
1. Hip-Hop cyphers are not what they once were. Even the BET Cyphers or the XXL Freshmen cyphers don’t generate as much noise as they used to. What they are now is basically a showcase of upcoming talent or a gathering of a bunch of rappers that fans want to see spit under one popular face.
Nonetheless, they’re still better than the Hennessy Cypher for impact because unlike in Nigeria, the pulse of Hip-Hop drives more passion. Don’t get me wrong, people still love BET/XXL cyphers, but they just haven’t been generating noise like say the BET Slaughterhouse Cypher did in consecutive years a while back.
2. Can the cyphers perform better? The answer is not straightforward. A video of the Hennessy Cypher 2016 has generated 174,000 views in two years. One of the videos from the 2019 cyphers has over 8,000 views in under one month.
The followers of Hip-Hop who will watch the Hennessy Cyphers in Nigeria are niche. When you then consider how most Nigerians don’t really watch YouTube videos except Davido and Wizkid are involved for reason of ‘expensive data,’ you understand that those are good numbers.
3. Is the state of Hip-Hop in Nigeria a factor? The answer is simple and it is yes. Nigerian Hip-Hop is having a better year than 2016/2017, but it’s ‘flagbearers’ are still not making impact. Nigerian Hip-Hop only has impact with mainstream acts like Zlatan, Olamide and Naira Marley.
But sadly, the people who watch those rappers are unlikely to be interested in watching the current cyphers because they can’t relate. Thus, the lack of mainstream impact by Nigerian Hip-Hop will definitely impact what cyphers the same Hip-Hop produce. The mainstream cannot relate to raps like that.
The Hennessy Cyphers don’t have the perfect blend of rappers that mainstream wants to see rap and the rappers that represent ‘the real’ to full-fledged Hip-Hop heads.
These points make sense, but the major issue is that that even with these factors, Henessy cyphers should still make impact within the small Nigerian Hip-Hop demographic that recognizes ‘the real.’ It doesn’t because Hip-Hop heads don’t care.
These questions might then make you ask what Hip-Hop fans want and if criticism leveled against the Hennessy cyphers are fair. The truth is those criticisms both fair and unfair. It is unfair for above reasons given and it is fair because the Hennessy cyphers are still not making impact and they should.
What we want is simple, the cypher should perform better in the area of impact, and not just viewership.
ALSO READ: #LAMBCypher and how Nigerian Hip-hop did effortless brand promotion
With one Martell Cypher, M.I. Abaga and his chocolate city crew of AQ, Loose Kaynon and Blaqbonez showcased how cyphers should be done. M.I. even fired shots at what we thought was Hennessy. He rapped, “… And yet that cognac, this is how you spend your budget.”
For these reasons, these changes can be done;
1. Vector: The man had his time in Nigerian Hip-Hop, but it’s time to up the ante.
2. Formulae: Appeal to the Nigerian mainstream, not the niche. Bring in Naira Marley, Zlatan, Picazo Rhap, Davolee, Lil Frosh, Zeenoleesky and so forth. You can then blend them with rappers people that represent ‘the real.’
In 2019, Ycee — especially a rapper I actually like — and Ice Prince are just wrong in 2019. Blend those guys with Olamide, Naira Marley, Zlatan or even Zoro. Be strategic. Granted, Marley and Zlatan might be a brand nightmare due to their image, but the hemorrhage can be managed. After all, it’s Nigeria.
3. Production: The beats rappers are saddled with on Hennessy cyphers are terrible. That has to change.
4. PR: You can’t expect things to work out immediately you put them out. Hennessy cyphers have no roll-out or PR. That must change.
