Doloquee
Iportay Natif, a prominent figure in Liberia’s music industry, has called on backbiters to desist from criticizing him for not singing in other accents. The artist released his eleven-track album tagged “Paula” on July 11, 2023, and since the launch, the album has gotten over 80,000 streams on Audiomack alone.
While “Paula” continues to captivate music lovers, a minority of individuals have expressed surprise or criticism towards Natif for not incorporating Nigerian or Ghanaian accents into his music.
Responding to these handfuls of critics, Natif recounts his love for the Liberian accent and lists it as a reason why he was allowed to travel out of Liberia.
“If it wasn’t for (Kolokwa) seh I don’t think I was going to ever ride plane. To see Nigeria /Ghana or other countries I been to,” Iportay wrote.
Read Also: Iportay Natif Set to Drop Highly Anticipated Album “Paula” on July 11, 2023
Natif further asserts that Nigerian and Ghanaian artists have never considered incorporating Liberian koloqua into their own songs. At most, they might utilize koloqua when featured on a track with Liberian artists, thereby gaining a glimpse of our unique accent.
“Have u ever seen a Nigeria, Ghana or other
Nationality singing in kolokwa,” Natif rhetorically asked. “Unless if we feature dem on our song. Dem we show dem small kini kini kolokwa,” he continued.
Natif injects a renewed sense of hope into Liberian culture, declaring that he “bleeds Liberia” and remains steadfast in his commitment to preserving his style, regardless of external influences.
There have been huge arguments recently on social media about Liberian musician changing their accent to fit other people’s cultures. The stance of Natif not to do other countries’ accents is not only a win for him but also for everyone advocating for the country’s culture.
You can stream Natif’s album from the Audiomack link below: https://audiomack.com/iportay-official/album/paula
