Rising Nigerian artist Apelete Victor, known professionally as Apelete, has released his debut extended play, Jiggy’s Heart. This dynamic five-track project highlights the rapper, singer, and fusionist’s storytelling ability and distinctive African Hip Hop sound.
The EP opens with Young G, where Apelete delivers his ghetto gospels, focusing on maintaining sanity and pursuing prosperity amidst life’s struggles. He continues his street-centric narrative with Jiggy Bop, crafting a motivational hustler anthem driven by lush 808s and a heavy Hip Hop bounce, referencing late-night realities and encounters with police. “2AM we dey for Folixx/Think about police/Na popo dey guide me,” he sings.
On Superstar Life, Apelete blends themes of hedonism and self-determination over breezy piano chords and a vibrant bounce, urging listeners to prioritize living life on their own terms as the key to stardom. The fourth track, Bad featuring DTO, showcases Apelete’s sing-rapping skills as he celebrates his lover’s captivating sensual energy.
Closing the EP, Jiggy Boys 4L sees Apelete radiating heartfelt devotion, tenderly expressed over guitar riffs as he promises unwavering affection. Collectively, the tracks affirm his self-defined Jiggy Boy identity – a multifaceted persona fundamentally rooted in the power of love, whether for self, family, or a significant other, inviting listeners to make love a priority.
The entire EP affirms his pedigree as a ‘Jiggy Boy’, which expresses a multifaceted identity that remains primed on the power of love, either of self, of family, or of that one special person, inviting listeners to prioritize love in all their dealings.
“The creation of this project started off with a motive to express and showcase myself, my perspective of my own life and how I feel as a person, a human being; differently in a very (masculine) way that feels so attractive that I can see and make out beauty out of everything and every situation,” Apelete quipped, detailing his muse for the EP.
He further describes his sound as “raw, energetic and original,” championing the need for artistic authenticity as he makes music based on relatable experiences among hustlers.
Looking ahead, Apelete is dedicated to crafting more genuine and relatable music, with the core aim of “connecting with and impacting his listeners” through every release.
