Cojo Rae – Iskoki

In Hausa, the word refers to spirits, the unseen beings that feature in many northern stories and traditions. Anyone who grew up hearing tales told at night will know the feeling, with elders lowering their voices and children pulling closer. In everyday speech, it can also describe something mysterious or hard to explain.

Using a Hausa word on a highlife album is an interesting choice, since highlife is usually linked to Ghana and southern Nigeria. It shows a project that reaches across languages, a habit that fits the album’s title, where a young artist mixes sounds without worrying about borders. I will not describe the music, since I cannot confirm it, but the title suggests mystery and attitude.

That crossing of regions is what I like. Many Nigerians and Ghanaians share more than they admit, from food to slang. By the time a friend asks what Iskoki means, you may be telling a spooky story from your own village.

Anyone who enjoys music that borrows from many places will see the appeal. It suits late evenings and gist sessions where stories get taller.

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