Busy Body by Naomi Achu
Lyrically creative and meaningfully pregnant; this phrase pecks squarely into Busy Body, Naomi Achu’s latest single track whose official video is just a couple of hours old.
This time, the USA-based Cameroonian rapper completely tells the story of her song in clear, simple, yet cajoling terms.
This style is a purposeful option, employed by the author of Busy Body to whip across a message whose salience cannot be overemphasized. In this latest track, the talented musician sees women as epitomes of virtue by using Busy Body’s protagonist, an exceptionally motherly/wifely woman whose family/social task locomotive steams forever.
In her heroic tendencies, Naomi’s iconic woman wears multiple caps on her single head, just to ensure that wrongs are righted and rights are consolidated.
When she stays up all night, reflecting on what tasks she should complete for the sake of her husband and child, it is simply a display of responsibility which culminates into some unconditional love women are commonly known to show to their spouses and offspring.
That a woman engages in socio-economic activities is normal, but when Naomi is specific on her protagonist going to the farm and cultivating ‘njama njama’ (vegetables common in Cameron’s North West region), the artist is portraying women as being models in fending for their families and why not bread winners.
Farm (sometimes indigenously called ‘bush’) is like the main source of bread (livelihood) for middle-class Cameroonian families. Meanwhile ‘njama njama’ could be considered as a staple food item in most places in the North West region of Cameroon. If the woman is situated in this salient activity, it clearly explains the significance of her role in the family movement.
In branding the woman in her virtuous role further, the songwriter portrays her as an example of financial responsibility. Her being up-to-date with ‘njangi’ (thrift and loans) attendance and savings is clearly indicative of this assertion.
Back home, she cares by the true sense of the word. The artiste does not only choose achu (a traditional delicacy of the Ngembas {tribe} in the North West region of Cameroon), but talks about its richness in ‘kanda’ (beef skin with which achu source is prepared). A reasonable quantity of ‘kanda’ served on an achu plate is usually considered special treatment which is what the woman provides all the time.
Interestingly, in caring and catering for others, the Busy Body heroine forgoes her own ‘nyanga’ (make-up, usually intended to make one beautiful). ‘Nyanga’ is so valuable to women, but if a woman forgoes it, there is something in the air. It takes sufficient selflessness to do.
However, in such stupor of love for family and others, women do not compromise their rigid disciplinarian nature, the reason why Naomi’s queenly mother in Busy Body vehemently refuses to spare the rod and spoil he child. So, even if she uses her ‘koboko’ (whip) on the ‘mboko’ (delinquent) child, she is only helping to straighten his behavior and protecting him against future trouble.
Perhaps, the Woman of God in the Busy Body heroine portrays her God-fearing nature, now typical of most African mothers.
The use of familiar pidgin words, acronyms and expressions such as ‘memba pikin’, ‘njama njama’, ‘kanda’, ‘nyanga’, ‘njangi’, ‘mboko’, ‘koboko’, ‘cold wata garri’, ‘seba’, ‘CWF’, etc., is intended to oil the understanding of consumers of Busy Body, especially Cameroonians west of the Mungo.
Just like the lyrical strength of Busy Body, the track’s video is a good example of conceptual brilliance. If the choreography depicts Naomi Achu (usually skilful dancer), the ‘kabba ngondo’ (loin cloth gown commonly won by Cameroonian women) costuming speaks more in relation to the theme exploited in the masterpiece.
Speaking to African Fiesta on Apex 1 Radio (www.apex1radio.com) recently, the Maryland-based singer explained that Busy Body was inspired by her mum who on a visit to the USA impressed the singer with her assiduous nature.
It took her and the production team one to two months to put the well-crafted track together. “We wanted to ensure that it was palatable to ladies and everyone, so we built the beats from scratch and made the video as relatable to the theme as possible,” she told the show.
The singer announced that she will be performing Busy Body at a January 2016 African entertainment concert in Maryland and would do same at her album launch in March or April of 2016.
The award-winning Naomi Achu was propelled to prominence in 2011 when she released Alhadji. She has had other 'mouth-watering' singles including Suga and It’s My Life, etc. She is currently working on her 2016 album.
Enjoy the video below.
