As part of Spotify’s celebration of Nigeria’s musical history & diversity throughout October, Nigerian singer Cruel Santino has remixed Omoge Wa Jo, a pop classic by Sinzu (also known as Sauce Kid), for Spotify Singles.
Putting his indie-pop spin on a Nigerian classic, the Alté vanguard applies his worldly twist to a smooth Hip-Hop collaboration that cuts across decades. Speaking about his approach to the cover, Cruel Santino says, “the difference between the original Omoge Wa Jo and mine is that Sinzu’s version is more laid back and chill. Mine is just freeform sprinkled with Santi madness.”
Originally released in 2006, Omoge Wa Jo is a Naija classic courtesy of Sinzu, who is most known for pushing Rap farther into the Nigerian mainstream with hit tracks like Edondeymadt and Under G. The track also features legendary Nigerian singer, Mike Okri, who is most famous for his 1989 hit, Time na Money.
“My favourite part of the original song is the whole song! I spent like two weeks cracking my head on it”, Santi explains. When asked about the inspiration behind his choice and rendition, he says:
“When people listen to my version, I want them to be happy that those times were here but sad that they might never get them back again”
Cruel Santino’s constantly evolving music is a genre in itself – drawing from his love of Pop-Indie, Alternative, Rap, Dancehall and Afropop. Known to fans within the Alté scene, Cruel Santino first burst into the limelight with a duo of early mixtapes, building a cult following with evergreen tracks like Gangsta Fear. His critically acclaimed debut album, Mandy & The Jungle was released in 2019, with tracks like Sparky, Freaky, and Rapid Fire. He’s also built a reputation for edgy visuals inspired by anime, the occult and Nollywood films. Following a 3-year hiatus, he returned in 2022 with the 21-track conceptual album, Subaru Boys: Final Heaven.
To celebrate the legacy of Nigeria’s rich music history, Spotify is unveiling reimagined renditions of what many consider modern-day Nigerian classics, performed by selected artists. Cruel Santino joins RADAR Africa 22 Alumnus, Victony who covered Dami Duro by Davido.
Listen to Cruel Santino’s rendition of Omoge Wa Jo down below: