May 17, 2023 at PDT
Legend Or No Legend
“It’s always good for people to doubt, and it’s always good for them to see results,” Wande Coal tells Apple Music. “Whatever people say pushes me. Positive or negative, I pour it into the music.” After an eight-year wait, Legend or No Legend sees the artist born Oluwatobi Wande Ojosipe do just that. This album demonstrates his personal and artistic maturation since the release of his sophomore project, 2015’s Wanted. “I know it’s time for me to show my growth over the years,” Wande Coal offers. “I want people to soak it in and understand that I’m living my dreams as an African artist.”
Referencing a range of sounds and applying no limitations to his stylistic expressions, the Black Diamond folds fuji, amapiano, baile funk, cloud rap, and indie pop into his repertoire of falsetto-enveloped Afrobeats. “Music is universal and everybody knows I’m a sound man,” he says. “It has to be about the sound—then I can fix my African dialect into it. One thing about me is I’ll always blend, so I don’t discriminate—I’ll pick what I want and add it to my sound.” Wande Coal talks us through the sounds and themes that occur across Legend or No Legend below.
“Nobody Holy”
“‘Nobody Holy’ is an inspiration to myself and others. I’m pretty much saying, ‘Be yourself but you don’t have to be perfect.’ Nobody’s perfect and I’m not perfect, but I’m special. I’m explaining how special I am because I feel like people should show up for themselves and be responsible for their lives. My Nigerians, they’ll understand what I’m saying on this song.”
“Come My Way”
“At the time I started recording I was actually broke! I was going through a lot and this was just the opportunity to come out and record music. I already had this title and the amapiano feel of the beat was perfect. What I’m saying is, ‘I know they don’t want money to come my way, but God is gonna make it happen as long as I put in my work.’ This song is very special to me because the message I’m saying is actually everything that’s now happening.”
“3 Square Meal”
“On this song I pictured myself [as if] I had everything. Everything in my head looks world-class—all Hollywood and private jets. It’s like God’s grace on my life…fulfillment is the word. The title is ‘3 Square Meal’ because back in the day that was my dream: to be able to afford everyday meals for everyone, not just myself. I just put myself in the shoes of the big boys in the game right now. A lot of people are messing with big numbers so I’m pushing the numbers up and up, ’cause this new generation is working hard to get there. It’s my mindset and where I wanna be at. And of course we gotta put in the work.”
“Dues”
“‘Dues’ is self-explanatory and people are gonna be like, ‘What are you saying?’ I think a lot of people are going to be shocked because even I’m shocked that everything is all me. First of all, the voice texture is different and the things I’m saying are really real. A lot of people are gonna find this very explosive.”
“E Choke”
“This has that UK bounce to it and was produced by Kel-P. He’s phenomenal and very special in my life and career. There’s few people who understand you and understand your thought process, and he made me comfortable. ‘E Choke’ is more or less me explaining that I’ve got it in me and my talent is endless. It was just me flexing and putting old melodies into it. I have to cut across all my peoples ’cause my music is for yesterday, today, and tomorrow.”
“Let Them Know”
“‘Let Them Know’ is for the girls. You know how they say, ‘You think it’s about words, what are you gonna do for me?’ Well, I’m trying to tell the girls that I’m shy and I’d never walk up to you, but I’m a man that can do a lot of good things for you. It’s like, ‘I got plans for you, just don’t let them know.’ Show, don’t tell—that’s me.”
“Streets” (feat. T-Pain)
“I’d already recorded the chorus of ‘Streets’ with Kel-P, then there was an opportunity. The label called asking, ‘How would you feel if T-Pain would jump on a record?’ I was like ‘What? “Baaaaaar-tendeeeeer” T-Pain? What kind of song would he be able to jump on, ’cause I know he’s musically special, but which one?’ I didn’t hear anything, then they just sent me back the vocals and that was it.”
“Kpe Paso” (feat. Olamide)
“Me and Olamide is always a vibe. We did a record, [2022’s] ‘Hate Me.’ I called him when I was in the studio with Kel-P. We heard the beat and I just heard Olamide do that hook. I mumbled my melodies ’cause that’s what I do: mumble then write to my melodies. Only months down the line I got a verse, recorded it, sent it to Olamide, and the rest is history.”
“Ebelebe” (feat. Wizkid)
“Everybody knows I love Wiz. He’s been there from time; for me and for others. I’ll always be there for him too. With Wiz I said, ‘I’ll come meet you anywhere you are.’ So I flew to Ghana, and when I got to the studio, he already had the record! At first, I was confused, and that’s the first time I’ve ever been confused on a track. I took my time and was like, ‘I have to make sure I get it right.’ It’s just about flirting and expressing how you wanna be by your lady’s side, you know?”
“Genesis”
“It’s one of my favorites. I just feel like ‘Genesis’ was a statement. What I was saying is, ‘I’ve been here, I’m still doing this and I’m killing the game!’”
“Jabo” (feat. Fireboy DML)
“Fireboy is naturally like me. I love him. He knows how to write and create melodies on the spot. I’m happy to have inspired a lot of young artists and it gives me joy to know that music is everlasting. I’m grateful knowing that a lot of new artists are gonna take Nigerian and African music to the world. It inspires me too and shows me never to give up.”
“Sho Ma Gba”
“‘Sho Ma Gba’ is a danceable track for my people. It’s just a melodic party track that’s also dropping a message saying, ‘Please don’t allow people to use you or take advantage of you. Make sure you know what you want and take what you want!’”
“Don’t Feel Love”
“‘Don’t Feel Love’ was recorded two or three years ago, and at that time I was in a bad place. You want things to work out in a relationship and sometimes they just don’t. You don’t wanna over-sacrifice and hurt yourself…displease yourself to please others. I came to the realization at the time that, you know, I don’t think I feel in love no more. I just put it in the music and that’s why the verse starts with, ‘Love is wicked/Brick and Lace.’”
13 Tracks
