“Wizkid: Long Live Lagos” is distinguished from the endless parade of musical documentaries that fill out the film’s holiday programs in its very first moments. What other recent doc started with the son of the legendary Nigerian activist and artist Fela Kuti, Feri-Anikulapo Kuti, invoking the lasting effects of colonization on African culture and people? It is an entertaining film, which offers an overview of the life of the Nigerian singer-songwriter of 31 years Wizkid, but also provides a framework for his celebrity, explaining the political and social impact of his music.
The story begins when the Grammy winner is invited to play the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. As presented in the film, it would be an important step not only in Wizkid’s career, but also symbolically: as progress for all African artists, and Nigerians in particular. Only the biggest superstars in the Western world generally play this massive place. From then on, “Wizkid: Long Live Lagos” follows two stories simultaneously. One is a countdown of the concert, showing rehearsals while presenting the artist, his production team, his entourage and his family. The other more absorbing story returns to its ascent of Lagos to the Superstom of world pop.
The film is dotted with the usual headlines expected in such a documentary: journalists and music historians, Wizkid managers and, of course, the artist himself. But director Karam Gill manages to frame the real context, beyond the usual positive readings of the fight of a musician to succeed. “Long Live Lagos” tells a complete story, starting with Wizkid, born Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, rising from her granular district of Surulere, explaining what inspired him and what his success means for his compatriots and the African diaspora around the world.
The film, through music experts, criticizes the term “Afrobeats” and how it decreases the many musical influences from Africa. The geographically reducing nickname does not capture the cultural roots of Wizkid music, nor its predecessors or contemporary. The film underlines how the colonial heritage, in particular the relation of Nigeria with its former colonizer of Great Britain, has an impact on its current culture.
The biggest assets of the film are Wizkid and its music. With a calm and unpretentious behavior in the interviews, he turns out to be cool and collected – at ease with his position and the responsibilities he brings. Once the film arrives at the London concert, it reaches its strongest summit with Wizkid performing on stage. Watching him order the scene is intoxicating and will surely win many new fans when they discover this film on HBO. Gill turns these scenes with kinetic energy, giving songs time to resonate while highlighting the charisma and artistic talent of Wizkid. The performances are interspersed, thanks to the fast and precise edition, with images of dancing fans and have fun.
But Gill’s singular addition to this familiar format of the musical documentary includes the testimony of a fan: an ordinary man, Matthew Temitope Solomon, who also grew up in Surulere. Its perspective adds a new lens to examine why Wizkid inspires an entire generation. Solomon is a budding musician and the film follows his attempt to go to London to attend the concert. By showing the story of Solomon, the film manages to make the scope and popularity of Wizkid in a simple and palpable way. No expert proclamations; The honest and without ornament reaction of a single person to music.
If there is a quibble, it is because the countdown of the spectacle pales in relation to other segments. The film implies that production has some obstacles; However, this never materializes in a specific problem which is treated and resolved, beyond the weight of the responsibility of the head of such a large international place. Instead, the film repeats a subject of discussion on the importance for Wizkid to represent his nation on this international scene.
“Wizkid: Long Live Lagos” is distinguished by providing a social, cultural and political context to the history of this popular musician. The filmmakers amply give music to music itself, so wizkid fans will be happy, and that should also earn him many more new fans.
