*Update – “Simi” was improperly translated from Yoruba to English and assumed to be a love interest in the song. We apologize for the error and we’ve revised the post accordingly.
Now, I’ve done a lot of messed up things in my lifetime but nothing that I’d have to still be apologizing for 10 years down the line. R&B singer Clench recently released the third version of the song “Ma Binu Simi” and I’ve been spending the past few days listening through his 2 albums and wondering what he did to the young lady that made it hard for her to forgive him even after a decade.
Albums two and one
Clench first emerged in the mid-2000’s as one of the artists signed to Pindown Records which was overseen by Biola and Toks Adereoje. The label also had acts NepHew and Xcaper on the books at certain points but Clench was the label’s real moneymaker. He launched his debut album Nothing Comes Easy in 2006 off the strength of two hit singles, the album’s up-tempo title track and the slower “Mase Binu Simi”. OJB Jezreel produced the latter, this was when OJB at the peak of his powers but the album had other A-list producers as well, namely Nelson Brown and Rymzo.
With such a team, the album probably cost an arm and a leg to put together, that’s how highly thought of Clench was. He was famous for his songwriting skills, legend has it that the singer, born Mayowa Taiwo, would beat box on his chest while putting the lyrics to his hit songs together. He graduated with a degree in Physics Electronic but was expected to go on to do big things in the music industry, heaven knows where it all went wrong.
Anyway, the fictional or non-fictional story goes, Clench’s main lover bumped into the singer while he was brushing his teeth and Clench’s other lover, who probably spent the night at his place, was holding him from behind. You see, the main lover was in a polygamous relationship that she knew nothing about and when she did find out about it, she wasn’t pleased. Watch the video of the original song and peep the Nelly chain at 1:25.
Mase Binu Simi (Original)
Clench would re-emerge in later years as a sex symbol of sorts, titling his next album In My Room and posing in a yellow robe beside female accomplices in its cover art. The singer also floated his own label Up Hill Entertainment and remixed the original “Ma Binu Simi” with dance hall artist Prince Banton (no relation to Buju). This much faster version of the song was produced by K-Solo, who seemed only capable of producing music at over 100 BPM at the time.
Mase Binu Simi (Remix)
It’s 2016 and Clench is trying to make a comeback. What was titled as the second part of “Mase Binu Simi” hit the internet last week and it featured 9ice and LKT. This version was produced by Olumix.
Mase Binu Simi (Part 2)
The singer has tried to make comebacks before but they’ve been largely unsuccessful. However, he still performs his music in and around Lagos and Ibadan till this day, so perhaps there is a comeback somewhere in his future.
Will the third time be the charm? Will his lover finally accept his apology so that the rest of us can rest? We’ll see.
But personally, I think it’s time to move on. It’s 2016, we want to know more and more of what Clench sounds like today, not what he used to.