Alingo

"Alingo"
Single by P-Square
from the album Greatest Hits/Double Trouble
Format Digital download
Recorded 2012
Genre Afropop
Length 4:31
Label Square Records
Writer(s) P-Square
P-Square singles chronology
"Beautiful Onyinye"
(2012)		 "Alingo"
(2012)		 "Personally"
(2013)
Music video
"Alingo" on YouTube

"Alingo" is a song by Nigerian R&B duo P-Square, released as the first and only single from their Greatest Hits compilation album.[1] The song is also the first single from their sixth studio album Double Trouble (2014). Upon its release, it eclipsed the 5 million views mark on YouTube. It peaked at number one on MTV Base's Official Naija Top 10 Chart from March 22 through March 28, 2013, surpassing 2 Face Idibia's "Ihe Neme".[2] The song peaked at number 61 on Afribiz's Top 100 Music Chart.[3] It was originally leaked to the public. The duo recorded the song prior to the "Love AfroBeats Festival" that occurred at the HMV Apollo in London.[4]

Music video

The music video was directed by Jude Engees Okoye and Clarence Peters.[5]

Dance crave and controversy

"Alingo" became popular due to its popular and somewhat controversial dance moves. The duo first hinted to the Alingo dance during the "Love Afrobeats Festival Press Conference". Furthermore, they went on to say that the pace of the dance makes it complicated for a lot of people. When the duo uploaded the music video for "Alingo" onto YouTube, they received a lot of criticism from people who felt the dance moves bear close resemblance to the Azonto dance. Puffy Tee, a music manager responsible for Olu Maintain's "Yahooze", VIP's "Away" and Becca's "No Away", said: "the music industry is a vast one so everybody has the opportunity to create a new thing, so if Ghanaians introduce Azonto and P-Square from Nigeria also create Alingo, it's all in the best interest of the African music industry as a whole".[6]

The Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) placed a ban on the music video, stating: "erotic dance scenes at the end of the musical video".[7][8] When asked how they received the news of the ban, Peter of P-Square said:

“ We heard about the ban. But when they ban a particular song, they are indeed helping to promote that song. By the way, if they ban a song from being broadcast in Nigerian stations, will they stop MTV, Channel O, Soundcity and other cable networks from playing the same song. It’s not possible. ”

—Peter Okoye, [9]

Press release

During an interview with Vanguard Nigeria, Peter Okoye of P-Square was asked about the making of "Alingo". His response was:

“ Psquare for the past five years hasn’t done any dance video and our fans expected to see something of that nature from us. So, ‘Alingo’ was just the first song we had even before the ‘Invasion’ album came out. We didn’t take the song seriously until when our fans started loving it. And before we knew what was happening, it caught fire. We have no choice than to give our fans a video. ”

—Peter Okoye, [9]

Accolades

The music video for "Alingo" won the "Most Gifted African (West) Video" and was nominated for "Most Gifted Video of the Year" at the 2013 Channel O Music Video Awards.[10][11] Jude Engees Okoye, the elder brother of P-Square, won the "Best Music Video Director" award at the 2013 The Headies for the music video of "Alingo".

Year Awards ceremony Award description(s) Results
2013 Channel O Music Video Awards Most Gifted African (West) Video Won
Most Gifted Video of the Year Nominated
The Headies Best Music Video Won

Track listing

Digital single
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Alingo"  P-Square 4:31
2. "Alingo (Instrumental)"  ———— 4:29

Video release history

Country Date Format Label
Worldwide November 17, 2012 Digital download Square Records

iTunes release history[12]

Country Date Format Label
Worldwide April 28, 2013 Digital download Square Records

Yearly chart

Chart (2013) Peak
position
Afribiz Top 100 61

References

  1. ↑ "Greatest Hits by P Square". iTunes. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "P-Square’s "Alingo" Steals 2Face Idibia’s Coveted Number One Spot on This Week’s MTV Base Official Naija Top 10". Bellanaija. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  3. ↑ "Afribiz Hot 100 charts". Afribiz. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  4. ↑ "P-Square 'Love AfroBeats Festival 2012' with Wande Coal, May D". Nigerianmusicnetwork. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "VIDEO: P Square – Alingo". Notjustok. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  6. ↑ "Ghanaians should accept P-Square’s Alingo - Puffy Tee". Ghanaweb. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  7. ↑ "NBC ban the video of Psquare Alingo,Take Banana, Shake Ur Bum Bum and others". Information Nigeria. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  8. ↑ "P Square's 'Alingo' Banned In Nigeria". HBR 103.5 FM. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Only ‘one thing’ can split us – Psquare". Vanguard Nigeria. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  10. ↑ "Channel O Music Video Awards 2013: Full List Of Winners". 360nobs. 30 November 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  11. ↑ "Channel O Music Video Awards 2013+ Complete List of Nominees". Naijanews. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  12. ↑ "Alingo single". iTunes. Retrieved 23 August 2013.