Stoner Nwaigbo – I DONT CARE

Everybody has said it, and almost nobody means it fully. It is what a person says after a breakup while still checking the other person’s page, or after a rumour spreads and the neighbours start talking. Said with a shrug, it is freedom. Said through gritted teeth, it is hurt wearing armour. The spelling without the apostrophe gives it a typed, texting feel, like a reply sent quickly before second thoughts arrive.

That tension is what makes it interesting. In Nigerian life, so much depends on what people will say, from weddings to careers to who you date, that a line declaring you are done worrying carries real weight. Elders sometimes call it pride, and young people call it peace. Either way, there is a particular relief in finally saying it out loud, and a title this blunt does that on the listener’s behalf.

I will not pretend to describe production details or lyrics I cannot confirm, but a title like this suggests a defiant record, probably built on attitude and a bit of swagger, the kind made for loud speakers and people tired of explaining themselves. The Igbo surname in the name also hints at roots in the East, where confident, street-flavoured music has a long tradition.

There is a small humour in how often the claim is untrue. By the time a friend texts you I DONT CARE at midnight after another argument, you will both know they care a great deal.

Anyone who has pretended to be unbothered, or finally decided to stop apologising, will see themselves in the idea. It suits late drives, confident evenings and any moment when you need to shake off other people’s opinions.

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