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Rising Star Neo 21 Has Big Plans With Latest Release “SGMA remix”

Neo 21 is a rising talent in the world of music and content creation, blending his unique sound with

By TCR Staff

October 22, 2024

Rising Star Neo 21 Has Big Plans With Latest Release “SGMA remix”

Neo 21 is a rising talent in the world of music and content creation, blending his unique sound with an engaging digital presence. With over five years of experience curating viral content and dropping infectious freestyles across social media, Neo 21 quickly gained recognition, securing a top 5 spot in a 2022 Nigerian talent exhibition from over 1,000 entries. Since moving to Bradford, UK, Neo 21 has carved out a niche in the Arts and Culture sector as a Product Manager while hosting a popular biweekly Afrobeats show on BCB Radio.

With a musical style rooted in Afrobeats, HipHop, and Trap/Melodic Rap, Neo 21’s sound is a captivating blend of smooth melodies and sharp lyricism. Drawing inspiration from industry icons like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Kendrick Lamar, and Gunna, Neo 21 delivers music that is both relatable and aspirational. His songs are crafted to inspire, with messages of hope, growth, and resilience—perfect for fans who seek meaningful, yet catchy tracks.

The “SGMA” Remix is a bold reinterpretation of an already powerful track by Dave & Jack Harlow. Inspired by the original’s concept and visuals, which didn’t get the widespread recognition they deserved, Neo 21 brings his unique flair to the remix. During a personal transition, Neo 21 used this project to process his life’s direction, turning the track into a self-dialogue that allowed him to reaffirm his growth, decisions, and path as an artist.

The music video for Neo 21’s “SGMA” Remix is a visually captivating piece, blending inspiration from the original Dave & Jack Harlow video with Neo’s narrative and style. Set against iconic landscapes from Bradford, UK, the video reflects Neo 21’s journey. Neo 21 adds his flair by incorporating a striking neon green tie, a pop of color in an otherwise black-and-white visual setting. This bold fashion represents his individuality and creativity, standing out against the grayscale backdrop as a symbol of his evolving identity as an artist. The black-and-white filter gives the video a timeless feel, while the neon accent brings a modern twist, mirroring the blend of old-school reflection and new-age energy in his music.

What inspired you to create the “SGMA Remix,” and how does it build on the original version of the track?

I was inspired by the track’s theme about how people can’t truly relate to how you go through experiences as an artist and person, no matter how close they are to you or how similar your circumstances can be, like if they are a peer or a colleague. The original version approaches this theme from a world-class artist’s perspective while my remix is tuned from an artist’s perspective on the come-up.

How does the remix reflect your evolution as an artist, and what new elements did you want to bring to this version of the song?

SGMA remix was the perfect canvas to display my skillset as an artist and as a creative. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to portray my city, Bradford, in the Music Video. I was also able to showcase my artistic foundation of storytelling through this track which was very important to me in introducing new audiences to my sound.

What message are you trying to convey in “SGMA Remix,” and how does it connect with your experiences in the rap scene?

The core message behind the remix is an appreciation for originality and to highlight the importance of resilience in the pursuit of one’s goals.
It is directly connected to my experiences in the rap scene as I have gotten loads of suggestions and opinions about the viability of my creative direction and vision as an Afro fusion MC. It also touches on the lack of support artists receive on the come-up, while asserting the notion that the only way to get out is by going through it. While the process can be tough and frustrating, it is ultimately rewarding if you see it through

The remix brings a different energy compared to the original—what was your thought process behind that shift in vibe?

That wasn’t intentional. I aimed to reflect as much of my artistry and reality as possible into the remix while sticking to the theme of the track. I wasn’t sure during the process how it would all come out, I just kept my focus on being original. It was pleasant to see how the energy was transformed in the remix while still maintaining the core theme of the original track

How does the music video for “SGMA Remix” enhance the song’s message? What themes or visuals were important for you to include?

I just wanted the music video to speak ‘Bradford’ really, cause its such an interesting place to live. I feel like the history and potential of the city and its people is massively underrated, a feeling I can relate to artistically, so it just made sense to do my bit in trying to reclaim that narrative. It was also important to try to stick to the black-and-white aesthetic of the original track as well while infusing my environment and its stories into the remix. I went for the neon green to complement the mono theme of the visuals as it is representative of my home country, Nigeria, as well as being one of the brand colors of Bradford ahead of it being the UK City of Culture 2025.

Can you describe the creative process behind both the song and the music video? How did they come together and complement each other?

When I started the composition for the song, I had an idea of how I wanted it to sound but I wasn’t necessarily sure of the lyrics that could capture that energy. It took a bit of time, focus, and reflection to get it all to come together but when it did, it just felt right.
The music video was a bit tricky at first, because I put myself under a bit of pressure to do justice to the track I had composed, and I had to be careful in selecting the right team to execute the vision I had for the visuals. I contacted a couple of videographers who couldn’t work on the project for one reason or another, but when I met Joel and Patrick of Toothless Media, it was clear they were the right people for the job as they had a similar work ethic and passion for creativity like myself, and they just basically understood the assignment. They executed it perfectly as well!

What challenges did you face when remixing “SGMA,” and how did you overcome them to make the track stand out on its own?
The challenges I faced during the creation of this track I think, are generic project challenges. Scheduling, managing resources, and communicating the vision clearly to all stakeholders involved in one way or another. Meeting deadlines was an important challenge as well.

How does your personal style and flow set you apart from other artists in the rap genre, especially in the “SGMA Remix”?

I think there are a lot of rap artists who like to share stories in their music, I think there are also loads of Afrobeats rappers. But there are relatively few rap artists in the UK who blend both Afrobeats and Storytelling, as well as combining that dynamic with trap melodies and catchy rhyme schemes. This window is where my style is situated, and I’m quite comfortable with switching flows on different soundscapes be it Hip-Hop, Afrobeats or Trap.

How do you want listeners and viewers to feel after experiencing both the song and its video? What emotions are you hoping to evoke?

That’s a good question. I think I want people to reflect after listening to the song. If I could have inspired someone to do something positive no matter how small by listening to the track, then that would be a big win for me.
I like to think of the track as a Weekday kind of jam, the sort of track you listen to when you have a long day or week ahead and you just need something to keep you motivated and pushing.

What was the most exciting part of creating the music video for “SGMA Remix”? Were there any standout moments during filming?

Visiting some of the locations of the shoot for the first time was quite nice. I could just tell that they would raise the levels of the video. Big ups Joel and Patrick once again for doing their groundwork.
It was also satisfying to see the pieces come together for the final cut of the music video. It’s just a cool feeling knowing the ideas you had in your mind have relatively fallen into place and are now a tangible piece of work that can be shared anywhere and everywhere.