Downpour displaces 10,000 in Borno, washes up 500 bodies from graves

MAIDUGURI—A heavy rainfall in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, from Wednesday evening till the early hours of yesterday, has displaced over 10,000 residents, with property worth millions of naira destroyed.

In Jajeri Moslem Cemetery in Maiduguri and Jere Council Area, over 500 dead bodies were washed up from their graves. A 10-year-old, who was buried two days ago, was also washed up.

The rainfall, which started at 5.00pm, Wednesday, stopped at 7.00pm; continued again by 2.00am till 6.00am,  yesterday. The down-pour was said to be the heaviest in the state since the commencement of the rainy season.

The most affected areas are: Bullumkutu, Ajillari, Jajeri, London Ciki, Polo, Bolori, Ummarari, Maduganari, Gomari Airport, Gwange and Mary wards of the metropolis. Most of the residents in these areas had to stay indoors. Others were seen evacuating their property and laying the items under the sun and on trees to dry.

Mallam Bukar Maina, a resident, said the affected people have met and unanimously endorsed a letter to Governor Shettima to come to their aid.

Maina said: “This is not the first time we have taken our complaint to the governor on the devastating effect of flooding in the area due to our proximity to River Gadambul. But all our cries fell on deaf ears. We hope this time around the governor will listen to us.”

One of the victims of the flooding in Bullumkutu, who is a senior civil servant(names withheld), said the state government, under Governor Kashim Shettima, was paying lip service to the environment sector.

A woman, who gave her name as Hajiya Asabe Umara in Bolori area, described the situation as very pathetic and destructive.

She said: “It is by the grace of Almighty Allah that I was able to deliver a baby boy in our house this morning(yesterday).
“The massive flooding prevented any vehicle from coming to take me to a nearby hospital.”

Meanwhile, Governor Shettima has said the state government has awarded contracts worth N14 billion for the construction of roads and drainage in Bullumkutu, Dala, Abuja Talaka, Bullumkutu Tsalake, among other wards of the metropolis, to check flooding.

He said there was ongoing planting of over 10 million Arabic trees/seedlings across the 27 council areas of the state.
He said there was need for Borno State government to embark on massive construction of roads and drainage networks in the flood-prone areas of the state.

He said: “It is unfortunate that apart from some of my valuable documents and property which were destroyed, some section of my only hard-earned two bedroom bungalow was brought down by the flood. I am now totally confused as I have nowhere to go to with my family of 10.”

D’Prince, Wande Coal, Tiwa Savage, Dr SID shutdown Industry Nite

The Mavins – D’Prince, Wande Coal, Tiwa Savage, Dr SID
Lagos stood still on July 4, 2012, as MAVIN Records showcased their acts – Tiwa Savage, D’Prince, Dr SID and Wande Coal at the weekly Industry Nite event.

The Ballroom of the Oriental Hotel in Lekki, Lagos, was specially opened for Don Jazzy and his crew, who treated a mammoth crowd to a series 0f performances. From their reactions, fans were obviously thrilled, roaring louder  each time Don Jazzy got on stage.

Wande Coal got everyone on their feet, performing back to back hits from his repertoire, as did Dr SID and D’Prince, but Tiwa Savage  stole the show with an electrifying live performance delivered like a true diva.

The gig, hosted by BEAT FM Sports newscaster Jimmie, was attended by a number of Nigerian celebrities including 9ice, Modenine, Weird MC, Tee-A, 2shotz, Praiz, Sexy Steel, Storm Records‘ Naeto C, Tola Odunsi and Ms Jaie, Durella, Samklef, KCEE, DJ Caise, Harrysong, DJ Sose, DJ Xclusive, and many more.

Indsutry players including BEAT FM’s Deji Awokoya, Olisa Adibua and Toolz, Toke Makinwa, COOL FM’s N6, Dotun and Kaylah, Yvonne ‘Vixen’ Ekwere, Kemistry, X3M Music boss Steve Babaeko and others were also present.

Other performers who rocked the stage include Tunde Ednut, BiggSplash, Oluwasegun and Benny P.

Police Arraigns Abuja Pastor For Allegedly Molesting Female Members

A pastor of a new generation church in Abuja was on Thursday arraigned before an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court, Karu for allegedly molesting young female members.
Pastor Basil Princewill, the General Overseer of the Mountain Movers Fire Ministries International, Nyanya, Abuja was arraigned by the Commissioner of Police, FCT command alongside Ms Paulyn Ode, the church coordinator on charges of conspiracy, criminal impersonation, criminal intimidation, and criminal force and assault.

The pastor was accused of having carnal knowledge of two 14 year-old female members of the church under pretense of offering them prayers in July, 2011 and later aborted the pregnancy of one this year at the Fountain Health Clinic, Nyanya, Abuja after telling doctors he is her father.
According to the charge which was transferred from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) where parents of the victims lodged initial complaints, the pastor also parades himself as a lawyer.
When the charges were read to the accused persons, they denied the allegations.
Consequently, defence counsel Uchenna Anayo applied for bail of the accused persons which was opposed by Police counsel Oyewusi Abiola.
Magistrate Ahmed Shuaibu ruled in favour of the defence and granted bail to the accused persons in the sum of N2 million and two sureties in like sum.
The sureties, the judge said, must be civil servants of no less than Grade Level 15 and must have a property in Abuja valued at not less than N5 million.
He consequently adjourned the case to July 25 for hearing.

Bloodbath: 3 Persons Killed In Ogun Community Over A Prostitute

Bragging rights over a commercial sex worker has led to the death of, at least, one person and the destruction of property worth millions of naira. 
Spoils of the fight
Ibese town in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State was on Wednesday enmeshed in crisis following a bloody clash caused by two men, allegedly fighting over a commercial sex worker, in the town.

The ensuing violence in Ibese, which hosts a Dangote Cement Factory, recorded the death of about three persons with many more injured. About twenty-five trucks and five motorcycles were also set ablaze.

Similarly, a number of shops were set on fire with goods consumed in the raging inferno.

The genesis of the mayhem has been traced to a tussle between two men over a commercial sex worker, which metamorphosed into the use of guns and cutlasses.

In the course of the face-off, a man was allegedly shot dead; which resulted in a retaliatory attack from the deceased’s supporters.

As at the time of filing this report, some traders who escaped being killed, were seen evacuating remnants of their destroyed goods.

One of the traders who gave her name as Olufunke told Premium Times that the fight started at about 5.30am and lasted for over eight hours.

“There were gun shots everywhere, shops and vehicles were set ablaze and some people got killed in the process. I miraculously escaped with my children,” she said.

In an apparent move to avoid a spill-over, of the violence, to the Dangote Cement Factory, an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was stationed in the front gate of the company.

In the same vein, over 100 policemen have been drafted to the troubled area.

When contacted, the Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed that the crisis was caused by a woman following a fight between two men

Exclusive Pictures from The Stage Show @ Koga Lounge Ikeja Lagos Nigeria

Exclusive Pictures from THE STAGE Show, June edition at Koga entertainment. It holds every last sunday of the month. THE STAGE is a platform for talent and skills, its open to music, dance, fashion, poetry, comedy, visual art and so on. Its absolutly free to participate.

N300,000 church offering turns into paper in Jos

Wonders, they say, shall never end. The leadership and members of St. Marry’s Parish in Hwolshe, Jos, Plateau State were shocked recently when the N300,000 that was realised as collection suddenly turned into bundle of papers.

Olufamous.com gathered that the strange incident happened at the banking hall of Zenith Bank main branch in Jos, where the Church Secretary, Miss Ifeoma Eze had gone to deposite the collection.

“The money was intact when I left home for the bank but on getting to the counter, I opened the polythene bag only to discover that it has turned to bundles of papers. I was so confused and scared; I started screaming and was oblivious of the attention I was attracting as bewildered customers tried to console me,” she said.

Miss Ifeoma said she was particularly confused because she was wondering how to relay the story to the Parish Priest who entrusted the money to her. “It is a story I find difficulty in telling anyone because not many people can believe it,” she added.

Confirming that she actually took the “real” money with her, Miss Ifeoma said she even changed the smaller denominations into bigger ones to ease the deposit processes in the bank.

Although some members of the church thinks there was a foul play somewhere, but Rev. Father Emmanuel Ray-Ikpe, the Parish Priest, described the incident as “unfortunate, surprising and mysterious”.

“I have never heard of such a thing before but it has happened to us; to our Church. There is nothing we can do about it. My secretary came back from the bank crying. Only God knows what exactly happened… We have left everything in the hands of God our creator,” the Reverend Father said.

Men beaten to death while trying to hijack plane

TWO men who allegedly tried to hijack a plane in China were beaten to death by passengers and crew.
The Global Times newspaper reported that two of the suspects died in hospital from injuries they suffered during the ensuing fight with passengers and crew on board.
The men were part of a six-strong gang involved in the foiled hijack of a Tianjin Airlines flight bound for the regional capital of Urumqi last Friday.
Just minutes after the flight took off from Hetian, southwest Xinjiang, the men, all aged between 20 and 36, stood up and announced their plans to terrified passengers.



The gang reportedly broke a pair of aluminium crutches and used them to attack passengers while attempting to break into the cockpit, Hou Hanmin, a regional government spokeswoman said.
They were tackled by police and passengers who tied them up with belts before the plane, carrying 101 people, returned to the airport safely just 22 minutes later.
Hanmin added that police were still testing materials they had been carrying, thought to be explosives.
The men were reported to be Uighurs, the local Muslim ethnic minority. There have been clashes between authorities and Uighurs resentful of government controls over their religion and culture.
Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the German-based World Uyghur Congress which campaigns for Uighurs’ rights, said that it wasn’t a hijacking attempt, rather an in-flight brawl over a seat dispute.
“We warn China not to use this incident as another excuse for crackdown,” he said in an emailed statement.
Two more suspects are reportedly being treated in hospital after mutilating themselves.

Fresh facts emerge on Farouk/Otedola bribery scandal

*Telephone conversation between duo released
LAGOS – Fresh facts emerged yesterday to corroborate Sunday Vanguard’s story of the alleged telephone conversation between Mr. Lawan Farouk, House of Representatives Committee Chairman on the management of subsidy funds, and Femi Otedola, Executive Chairman, Zenon Oil and Gas, in the unfolding $3 million bribery scandal.

Channels Television yesterday obtained the recorded audio conversation which transpired between both men as reported in the Sunday Vanguard edition of June 17, 2012.

Sunday Vanguard’s report had exclusively disclosed that Hon. Farouk, whether acting on premonition or instinct, decided against going to the airport to collect the alleged of $2.5m – having allegedly collected $500,000, earlier.

The Sunday Vanguard report of June 17, reads:
“Now, whether Farouk had a premonition that he was likely to be set up or that he just didn’t want to be spotted at the airport in the company of Otedola, he simply refused to meet Otedola at the airport afterwards.

”Instead, according to records of the telephone conversation that was bugged, Farouk instead suggested that he would send a third party to collect the money.”

According to the recordings, he gave the telephone numbers of the nominee.

He, according to the recorded conversation between him and Otedola, actually spelt the name of the nominee to Otedola.

”But all these were activities in futility.
”The high command of the SSS would not have a third party collect the balance of $2.5m.

”A senior security source told Sunday Vanguard that the reason why the airport operation was aborted was that since it was Farouk that was being expected to show up and he was now planning to send another party, there was no need to continue.

” Had he shown up and collected the money, he would have been arrested immediately, a source confirmed.”


Lawan Farouk and Femi Otedola
In the recording, the voice said to be Otedola’s asks how the outstanding bribe money should be delivered as Lawan is unavailable.

The audio conversation started with the MD/CEO, Zenon Oil and Gas, Femi Otedola saying he did not want to take the money to his house. “I don’t want to take it to my house; it is a lot of money” he said.

Then the lawmaker replied that he was on his way out and by the time he returned, he would have to head to the chambers of the House of Representatives.

Otedola then asked, if he should reschedule his planned trip to China, but Farouk said no and offered to bring in a third person to collect the bribe.

The lawmaker gave the phone numbers 08036513355, naming the person as TJ.

Acknowledging the transaction, Farouk responded affirmatively to Otedola’s remark that if he received the initial payment, then there would be a balance of $2.5 million, saying “that’s right” while he said, he would be calling the third person to ensure the collection of the initial payment.

The conversation verbatim

Otedola: How are you sir? I don’t want to bring it to my house

Lawan: Oh, you would take it to your house

Otedola: No, I don’t want to bring it to my house; it is a lot of money

Lawan: err… so where? Because I’m rushing to the… they are at the airport now?

Otedola: ? Yes they are in the airport in the aircraft

Lawan: Well, I can’t come over now and before they can come over now unless I send somebody to but
I can’t because…by the time they come I should be…I have a lot of things to do myself

Otedola: Is there anybody you think I can give it to or maybe I should just postpone my trip to China till tomorrow?

Lawan: No, no it’s ok…I’ll arrange it with someone…let me give you his number 080

Otedola: hold on hold on

Lawan: 08036513355

Otedola: (Repeats number after him)What’s the name?

Lawan: TJ

Otedola: Sorry?

Lawan: aaarrh… TJ

Otedola: Ateezay?

Lawan: TJ!

Otedola: Teezay?

Lawan: No, Tj

Otedola: OK. So I will give him the balance; that is erm… 2.5 million dollars, yea?

Lawan: that’s right. Hold on. I’m calling him to be sure his phone is on…..

Lawan Farouk reacts

Meanwhile, Mr Farouk Lawan has reacted to the audio conversation which was broadcast on Channels Television saying Mr Otedola manipulated the audio and challenged the business mogul to produce the complete audio video unedited and undoctored.

In a statement issued on behalf of the lawmaker by his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, he said,

“we have listened to and watched the audio with our client, Mr Farouk Lawan. On his instructions, we hereby  state that the audio is infertile, vague, puerile and inadmissible in evidence by any Court Of Law or Tribunal.

“Professionally, Channels did make the vital point that the audio was “purported to be their voices”. One simple question here: where is the visual of the audio? Recall that Mr Otedola had told the whole world that he used SSS to carry out a so called “Sting Operation”, which showed Farouk Lawan not only pocketing the sum of  N500,000 US Dollars, but also putting some under his cap, in Mr Otedola’s Lagos home. On Farouk’s instructions, we had debunked this allegation and challenged Mr Otedola, or the Police and SSS to produce this complete audio video, unedited and undoctored.

“Mr Otedola had the opportunity of doing this through Channels TV. But he did not. Rather, he brought highly doctored, manipulated and incomprehensible voices purported to be his and Lawan’s. He will certainly require forensic evidence to prove this to be true in this highly technologised world of manipulative evidence that can easily turn a man into a woman. Certainly, the audio was a sorry anti-climax to what Nigerians had been expecting.

“Even at that, let us take the audio “evidence” itself for whatever, it is worth. The conversation started somewhere in the middle, not from the beginning and ended abruptly. Our client hereby still challenges Mr Otedola to air the entire audio visual and also the complete video for Nigerians to see the setting and  environment in which the alleged bribe took place, who said what, to whom and for what.

“Secondly, our client believes that the entire footage is devilish, satanic, luciferous, mischievous and completely taken out of context. Even then the audio shows that it is Mr Otedola offering to pay the balance of the alleged bribe of N2.5 million US Dollars, not Mr Farouk Lawan.

“Even from what was said, there was no mention of the purpose of the alleged balance of N2.5 million US Dollars, or any mention of Mr Otedola’s indicted companies, Zenon Oil and AP Petroleum, Whose desired removal from the Committee’s indicted companies list allegedly formed the fulcrum of the bribe itself. If it was actually a “sting operation”, why is it Mr Otedola and not the SSS officially releasing it on Channels TV?  The audio has raised more questions and doubts than answers. Mr Farouk Lawan says it is a doctored anti-climax”

Police uncover ‘baby factory’ in Rivers

PORT HARCOURT – POLICE in Rivers State have smashed a syndicate, that specialised in selling new babies. Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr Ben Ugwuegbulam, who confirmed the development to 3m360, said the Police arrested a husband and his wife involved in the illicit trade.

He said the two specialised in kidnapping girls and arranging for them to get pregnant, while they would hide the pregnant girls in their custody until they delivered.

Ugwuegbulam said the suspects confessed that as soon as the girls deliver, they would sell the babies. He said: “Rivers State Police Command had arrested one Chigozie John and his wife, Akwarama  and rescued three pregnant women held as captives in the suspects place or residence somewhere in Akpajo.

“On interrogation, the husband and wife confessed to the offence of trafficking in new babies and further admitted that the three pregnant women found in their house were procured to deliver babies that would be sold as soon as they were delivered of their babies.”

He added that investigation was on to unravel details of the operation of the suspects.

3rd Mainland Bridge: FG, Lagos to parley on new repair date

LAGOS – Federal Government, yesterday, said a new date for the commencement of repair of the Third Mainland Bridge would be announced soon.

It would be recalled that the repair on the bridge which was scheduled to commence on on Sunday, was postponed due to  logistic reasons by the government a day before.

Federal Comptroller of Works in Lagos, Mr. Ejike Mgbemena, at a briefing, said: “You will be informed when the project will commence between today (yesterday) and Tuesday (today). We will hold a briefing on Friday where the Minister of Works will brief you on the details.”

“The minister will be coming to Lagos on Thursday to meet with Lagos State governor on the project before a world press conference on Friday.”

He noted that this will douse the tension that the Federal Government was suspending repairs of the 22-year-old bridge indefinitely.

He, however, blamed the anxiety created over the project on the ineptitude of the contractor.  “What we were considering was first week of July not a specific day in July.”

The controller stated that the Federal Government will collaborate with the Lagos State Government to ensure a hitch-free repair.

Also speaking on the project, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Aderemi Ibirogba, assured residents that the government would be working closely with the Federal Government to ensure that motorists experience minimal discomfort.

Ibirogba said the state government had effectively managed such issue of partial road closure through the joint efforts of the various state traffic control agencies before now, urging the residents not to panic whenever the government begins the repair.

He said: “There is no need to fear, it’s all about management, the government has done this before, and when we did it, we all remained calm, there were some little traffic, but we are better off now than where we were then.

“What the government did was to divert traffic to Funsho Williams Avenue (formerly Western Avenue),  Ikorodu Road and also through Murtala Muhammed Way, through Carter Bridge, Lagos Island and out.

Family celebrates Christy Essien-Igbokwe one year after

Family members and fans of the late Christy Essien-Igbokwe on Sunday, July 1, 2012 gathered at the Archbishop Vining Cathedral, Ikeja, in Lagos, for the one year remembrance-thanksgiving of the late singer.

The thanksgiving service which kicked off shortly after the Holy Communion service, saw friends and fans join the family members of the singer as they danced to the alter. A short prayer was rendered by Reverend C.K Olubodun, in appreciation of the life and works of the late singer and also for the life of her son, Chinwuba Igbokwe, who survived an armed robbery attack on  Sunday, April 22, 2012.

In a chat with NET, Christy Essien’s widower, Edwin Igbokwe  says ‘I am coping by the grace of God but it’s not been easy and it’s still not easy but we know that with God, everything is possible’.

When asked what he misses most about his late wife, he responds ‘There is no single thing I don’t miss. I miss her a lot, every moment of my life; I know I really miss her’.

Igbokwe tells us there are plans to continue with her foundation, which he announced has been renamed Christy Essien-Igbokwe Memorial Foundation.

The foundation, he says will carry on with her philanthropic activities and seek to help abandoned and disabled children.

The singer who died on Thursday, June 30, 2011 began her musical career at age 17 and released several albums including ‘Ever Liked My Person’ which was produced by Lemmy Jackson and released in 1981


Culled from the NET

Pastor Bakare Hits Harder: “Down, Down Jonathan”

Fiery Pastor Tunde Bakare, who was last week declared wanted by the State Investigation Bureau over a sermon proclaiming President Jonathan as determined to bankrupt Nigeria, today hit even harder in his latest sermon.
 
Mr. Bakare, who heads the Latter Rain Assembly, began on a musical note, imploring the congregation to join him in singing a popular Pentecostal retreat song that inserted “Jonathan” into the lyrics.
 
“Let us carry Jesus up and throw Jonathan away. Up, up Jesus; down, down Jonathan,” the pastor proclaimed, warming into his sermon this Sunday.
 
Wanted by the SIB over a recent sermon, Pastor Bakare told his congregation that the letter inviting him to attest to the rippling sermon he gave last week arrived while he was
away in Ukraine. He said he had defied the advice of many who counseled that he should not return when he was being sought by the government’s security department.
 
“I received lots of calls and I was advised not to come to Nigeria until Monday, but I have nothing [to hide],” Mr. Bakare announced, narrating his experience of last week.
 
The pastor also reacted to the news of a N25 billion lawsuit reportedly filed against him by a firm owned by oil magnate Femi Otedola over the pastor’s statement accusing Otedola of fraud in last week’s sermon.
 
“I am now in the country for anyone that is looking for me,” said Mr. Bakare, adding, “Let him bring his lawsuit so that we can put his integrity to the test.” Mr. Bakare stated, “He wants to see the lawyer in me.” 
 
Mr. Bakare also announced that his church was planning a prayer event for the nation this July, adding that the fraudulent party and people in power would be swept away for a new dawn in the nation, come Nigeria’s next national anniversary in October.
 
“I invite the South, the North, the East and the West on the 22nd of July to join us in sweeping off the frauds in the government of Nigeria. Only the foolish will wait for 2015 or 2020. We are throwing the corrupt people out of power. July will be intense for them, August will be more intense for them and September will be the darkest night that will usher in the new dawn for Nigeria,” he declared as he raised his voice. 
 
Last Sunday, Pastor Tunde Bakare had claimed in his sermon that President Goodluck Jonathan’s destiny was to run the nation bankrupt. The SIB had reportedly sought to invite Mr. Bakare for questioning, but he was away in Ukraine as the letter arrived. The SIB’s invitation has been widely perceived as an attempt to arrest and detain Pastor Bakare who was a vice presidential candidate to General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).
 
Pastor Bakare gave assurances today that he did not flee the country to evade detectives, adding that he was back now and ready to receive those seeking him.

I Did Not Shun Jonathan, Anenih, Others ... Oba Of Benin

Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo , Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Erediuwa, has denied reports in some Blogs (Not Obehi Okoawo's Blog) and national dailies, which suggested on Sunday that he shunned  President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Tony Anenih and other chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during their visit to the Benin monarch at his palace.
Jonathan and other leaders of the PDP were in Benin City, the Edo State capital, for the governorship rally towards the July 14, 2012 governorship poll and was reported to have been shunned by the Benin monarch.
The monarch, while reacting in a press statement signed by the secretary to the Benin Traditional Council, Mr. Frank Irabor, described the report as mischievous.
“The attention of the Palace has been drawn to certain mischievous publications in some national newspapers on the recent visit to Oba’s palace by President Goodluck Jonathan. The palace would like to make it clear that the Benin monarch did not shun Mr. President and the PDP members that came to visit him,” the palace stated.
The Oba advised politicians to avoid violence in the forthcoming election, stressing that the meeting with the president by the monarch in his inner chamber was, indeed, a mark of respect and love for the president.
“It was respect for the monarch to see the president under the difficult circumstances.”
 “The public is reminded that, two weeks ago, the Omo N’ Oba waited for over two hours in his open office, where he received the vice-president, Dr. Namadi Sambo. The monarch uses the medium to advise politicians to shun violence in Edo State,” as politics should not be seen as a do-or-die affair, he added

Beyonce And Jay-Z Double Date With Kanye West And Kim Kardashian At BET Awards 2012 (PHOTOS)

KIM Kardashian and Beyoncé dispel rumours at this year’s BET Awards
Though this year’s BET Awards was jammed pack with celebs, all eyes fell to music icons Beyonce and Jay-Z when they arrived at Los Angeles’ Shine Auditorium to take their seats next to Jay’s Watch the Throne collaborator, Kanye West, and his girlfriend, Kim Kardashian

Kanye West And Pusha T Show Off Their 'New God Flow'

Nothing Kanye West does is by accident, so when Yeezy debuted a brand new a cappella verse at Sunday night's BET Awards, of course it was a sign of things to come. On Monday (July 2), 'Ye and Pusha T dropped "New God Flow," a single they have been teasing for the past week, and boy, was it worth the wait.
The track starts off with a vocal sample from Ghostface Killah's "Mighty Healthy" from his 2000 classic Supreme Clientele LP. "Shake that body, party that," the Wu-Tang Clansman is heard saying in the track's opening seconds.
Though the track for "New God Flow" is markedly different, like Ghost's "Mighty Healthy," it does sample its drums from Melvin Bliss' 1973 break record "Synthetic Substitution." Pusha, who has been on a tear lately, appearing on G.O.O.D. Music's "Mercy" and his own "Exodus 23:1," sets things off lyrically with a spirited verse. "I believe there's a God above me, I'm just the God of everything else/ I put holes in everything else, new God flow, f--- everything else," he rhymes.
In his verse, the Clipse MC references his drug-dealing past, vacations to Ibiza and exotic car collection. "Well, if you goin' coupe, I'm goin' four-door," he playfully spits, challenging Kanye.
In his second verse, Pusha baits all his competitors, though just like on "Exodus 23:1," they go unnamed. "Step on their necks till they can't breathe/ Claim they five stars, but sell your dreams," he starts off before he steps it up further, spitting "F--- 'em, 'Ye/ I wouldn't piss on that n---a with Grand Marnier."
Once Push gets all of his rap frustration off his chest, Kanye jumps in for the song's climactic third verse, the same one he performed at the 2012 BET Awards. "Hold up, I ain't tryna stunt, man/ But the Yeezys jumped over the Jumpman," he raps, referencing the popularity of his sneakers in comparison to the industry standard: the mighty Air Jordan.
Like on "Mercy," West commands a beat change for his bars. Three-quarters of the way through his closer, the dusty hip-hop track changes and takes on the characteristics of a stadium chant — think Queen's 1977 classic "We Will Rock You." "Did Moses not part the water with the cane?/ Did strippers not make an arc when I made it rain?/ Did Yeezy not get signed by Hov and Dame?/ And ran to Jacob to make the new Jesus chain," he asks in a rhetorical rhyme.
The truth is, Kanye cemented himself as a rap God way before releasing this new single, but just in case fans forgot, the "Jesus Walks" rapper turns musical water into wine with his "New God Flow."
What do you think of "New God Flow"? Let us know in the comments