Why Entertainment Express chose PSquare as Entertainer of the Year

PSquare

With five critically-acclaimed albums to their credit, it was very easy to assume they have reached creative menopause. Not the P Square twin brothers. To the showbiz savvy duo of Paul and Peter Okoye, there was no room for complacency They are like classic wine; the older they grow, the sweeter their flavour.
Their oeuvre continues to rise steadily to amazing new heights thus placing them remarkably as joint most favourite choice in the yearly review series as Entertainment Express Newspaper’s Entertainer of the Year for 2013. They are the third recipient after Wizkid (2011) and Iyanya (2012).


It was a year that produced what in some quarters is adjudged as their magnum opus entitled Personally. P Square’s record has a unique ring to it – they did not surpass the success of any other artiste other themselves. And this they did stylishly even without any album released in the year under review.
The Anambra State-born duo rode on the wings of their critically-acclaimed upbeat anthem entitled Alingo which was released at the close of the preceding year. Satisfied at the saturation of the song among their fans, the showbiz savvy duo knew it was time to push the envelope and consolidate.
That was when they followed up with the 2013 release of their career redefining song and popular anthem entitled Personally. It was a song that got Nigerians and the rest of the world singing and dancing just as the term ‘personally’ was adopted as a local parlance during regular conversations.
This was a familiar recipe and tradition that rings through their flourishing music career. Time and again, the brothers have continued to show an uncanny understanding of the dynamics of music business.
Perhaps, this explains the genius of dedicating the video of a completely thematically unrelated song to late renowned American pop icon, Michael Jackson. Although it was four years past the death of the king of pop, yet P Square managed to make the world stop for a moment of reflection and respect for a man who revolutionized pop music.
The twin brothers also managed to bend the attention of the Jackson brothers. A moved Jermaine Jackson went as far as recording an emotional thank you video in acknowledgement of PSquare’s tribute to their late iconic brother. According to the American, PSquare’s tribute sent him a journey through memory back to his Jackson five days. He also expressed a wish to meet the Nigerian twins in person someday.
It is unsurprising that in six months, the video has officially notched up well over 11 million views from around the world through their Vevo Channel on youtube. By all standards, this was a no mean feat for any Nigerian artiste thus ranking them high among some of the big names in global ‘musicdom’. Personally pushes Ada Ada by Flavour to a far distant second place with just about six million views.
On the 100 Most Downloaded Songs on popular music sharing site known as 360nobs, Personally occupies the second spot with about 148,000 hits only 15,000 mark behind Iyanya’s hot single, Jombolo featuring Flavour.

Awards and accolades
With just two monster hit singles entitled Alingo and Personally, they grabbed two major awards and two other prominent nominations in addition to packed performance schedule. They include Channel O Awards Special Recognition and Most Gifted Africa West Video and CAAN Awards Dance Song of the Year, for Personally. Other two nominations include the BET Soul Train Best International Performance nomination for Personally and MTV Europe Music Awards Best African Acts.

Recognitions
Their upward trajectory from an obscure background as hip hop wannabes in the Tin City of Jos, Plateau State continues with unrivalled velocity into international prominence. For instance, the twins were given honourary citizenship of Cagliari in Canada. Their talents also took them into the corridors of powers of various African leaders. One of their high points was serving as part of President Goodluck Jonathan entourage to African leaders summit in South Africa.
Unarguably, the two are the most sought after performers on both the continent and international tour circuits. Pundits have rated them as Nigeria’s biggest hip hop exports.

Personally
Their commercial success also translated to their private lives. While Peter consummated his long relationship with Lola Omotayo, Paul who welcomed his first child during the year also engaged the mother of his child. The two also declared their new foray into Oil & Gas business as part of their plans to diversify their investments.
By FEMI SALAWU