As of late, Patoranking has broadened the continental horizon, appearing on Major Lazer\u2019s \u201cParticula\u201d and performing as a special guest of Lauryn Hill\u2019s Miseducation 20th Anniversary tour in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These brushes with international stardom have done little to take away from the homegrown message and neighbourhood anthems that Patoranking continues to produce. We spoke with Patoranking about his latest album Three<\/em> and the down-home themes that characterise his work as well as his perspective on Pan-African music and how we can give back to our communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We started by asking Patoranking about the lead single off Three<\/em> entitled \u201cAbule\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAbule simply means hood or ghetto, Patoranking explains, when making a song, all I do is just have a reflection about where I come from and then I write. I was thinking about the party life in the ghetto, how we party, how it is, the things that happen there\u2026\u201d <\/em>It\u2019s apparent Patoranking still feels a close connection to his upbringing and it\u2019s reflected throughout his work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The feeling is matched with a contagious lightheartedness. Speaking to the album title Patoranking explains Three<\/em> as \u201cnot trying to struggle or think of a plan. It came as an inspiration. The whole mindset sums up to three<\/em>.\u201d Three<\/em> is, of course, Patoranking\u2019s third album, but there are layers to the triad. \u201cGood things come in Three<\/em>, he says, regardless of what is happening we need to make the best out of it by staying happy and loving each other<\/em>.\u201d In a final interpretation Patoranking explains Three<\/em> as \u201clove, happiness, and life<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether it\u2019s the Ghanian highlife of \u201cOda Bra\u201d or the heavyweight reggae of \u201cLion in the Jungle\u201d Patoranking continues to show interest in a Pan-African sound and audience. He explains, \u201cI\u2019m a Nigerian artist, so I\u2019ve got followers and friends around the continent and it\u2019s important that I carry them along and continue in that spirit, trying to touch everyone we can. In Africa we tend to see each other as one regardless of your country or where you come from<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Multinational collaborations are of course included in Three<\/em>, from Tiwa Savage and Sauti Sol to Ghana\u2019s King Promise, these touches bring the work an expanse and rapport few contemporaries can match. \u201cCollaboration is key<\/em>, he says, I like to work with people when I\u2019m a fan of their work. If I love your music I want to work with you. I look at the magic we\u2019re going to create together. Most of the people I work with are fans and friends<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Summarising his work he says, \u201cwe\u2019ve got some conscious music we\u2019ve got some love songs, some dance songs\u2026<\/em> emphasising more than anything, I want to speak to people through music. I want to be the voice of the voiceless<\/em>.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n While this may be ambitious for a recording artist, Patoranking has taken a dive into the world of philanthropy, notably through the ALU Patoranking Scholarship. The program provides 10 fully-paid scholarships for promising students from across Africa to attend the prestigious African Leadership University. \u201cIt’s the next generation leaders<\/em>,\u201d says Patoranking, making it clear, we never even thought of doing only Nigeria, it was always obvious to offer it to everyone<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition Patoranking was recently invited by Skip Marley to perform on a \u201cOne Love\u201d original where all revenues from the track will be donated to UNICEF for children affected by the pandemic. \u201cEveryone who listens to my music knows how much Bob Marley means to me, <\/em>Patoranking explains, when I was called to do it I was very excited, I usually perform One Love in concert.<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Patoranking lives the credo he sings in his music, spreading love, happiness, and life in the studio and beyond. On Three<\/em> expect to hear an artist with a mature vision of the world and a love for his homeland, even if his Pan-African reach has extended well beyond the Abule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In conclusion Patoranking reminds us, \u201cIt\u2019s not just about the album. We need to keep supporting African music, and to everyone who\u2019s been supporting until now, we are thankful.<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Listen to Patoranking\u2019s latest album Three<\/em> here<\/a>. If you want to learn more about the ALU Patoranking Scholarship visit this link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Find Patoranking in our Songs of the Week playlist on Spotify<\/a> and Deezer<\/a>. Patoranking releases his third album Three, a Pan-African project that touches more than music.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":57807,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11036,8532],"tags":[4794,20821],"location":[8172],"yst_prominent_words":[20814,8403,20810,18366,8414,8447,20804,20806,20809,20800,8402,19281,20803,20807,20805,20813,20801,20811,20808,20812],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57779"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/52"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57779"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57779\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57779"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=57779"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pan-african-music.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=57779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/97d3d870-patoranking-2-1010x1515.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n 3 albums, many collaborations<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/3a421037-patoranking-3-1010x1515.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nOne Love, One education <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pan-african-music-production.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/a8673467-patoranking-three-album-art.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"