MUSIC REVIEW: In ‘Winning’, Mr P addresses PSquare rift, shuts down naysayers

Nigerian singer Peter ‘Mr P’ Okoye, one-half of the disbanded famous music duo P-Square, dropped a captivating new single titled ‘Winning’ on Friday.

‘Winning’ marks Mr P’s assertive re-entry into the music scene following his latest split from his twin brother, Paul ‘Rudeboy’ Okoye.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr P’s decision to drop the song, produced by Vampire Craze, reignited the brothers’ long-standing feud.

In his announcement, Mr P promised fans an exceptional musical experience, with a message of mutual triumph in line with the song’s title.

Beyond reviving tensions between the iconic duo, ‘Winning’ delivers an infectious beat, rhythmic flow, and an uplifting energy to get listeners moving.

Track

P-Square rift

‘Winning’ is a mid-tempo Afrobeat track that arrives amid controversy surrounding its ownership. The song’s production is solid, with a catchy chorus and a well-executed instrumental.

The song centred on the themes of perseverance and success. Mr P emphasised the need to be optimistic about one another and to jettison hating fellow human beings.

Mr P’s ‘Winning’ was released amidst a storm of familial discord. The song, while a solid Afrobeat offering with a catchy chorus and well-executed instrumentation, is overshadowed by the public feud between the singer and his twin brother, Rudeboy.

The controversy surrounding the song’s ownership impacted its reception, generating significant buzz and increasing its visibility. This heightened interest has led to a broader audience and a more diverse range of interpretations. Some listeners view the song as a direct response to the feud, while others see it as a wider message of unity and perseverance.

Unity and success

Despite the underlying tension, the song carries a powerful message of unity, perseverance, and the pursuit of success. Mr P encourages listeners to celebrate each other’s victories rather than harbouring resentment. The lyrics, though straightforward, resonate with a universal desire for progress and positivity.

The singer’s personal touch, particularly in the verse where he addresses the issue of familial strife, adds depth to the song. He urges his brother to let go of negativity and embrace unity, highlighting the importance of family bonds.

The verse goes thus: “Tell me why you dey hate on your brother, why you dey stab am for corner, and why you wan push am for gutter. Why you dey hate one another. You suppose stick with your brother and stick with your sister.”

The repetitive chorus, “I see you winning, I’m winning, we all are winning,” serves as a powerful affirmation, reinforcing the song’s central theme.

Musical analysis

Winning is a well-produced track. The arrangement is effective, building anticipation and releasing it with infectious energy. However, the song’s reliance on familiar tropes and lack of innovative elements limit its impact.

The song has a personal touch. Mr P’s candid lyrics delve into the complexities of family relationships, particularly the tension between brothers. This personal element adds a layer of authenticity to the song, making it more relatable to listeners who have experienced similar familial struggles.

The energetic and infectious beat, combined with the soulful vocals, make

‘Winning’ is a quintessential track.

While the song is undoubtedly catchy and danceable, it falls short of reaching the heights of Mr P’s previous work. The controversy surrounding its ownership further detracts from its overall impact, making it a somewhat bittersweet release.

‘Winning’

Earlier, this newspaper reported that Rudeboy alleged that Mr P stole ‘Winning,’ noting that he wrote and performed it, intending it for his album, which is set for release in June next year.

Additionally, Rudeboy claimed it was one of six songs he submitted for P-Square’s 2022 album, which followed their reconciliation.

In response to Rudeboy’s claim of Winning ownership, Mr P stated on his Instagram page Saturday that he co-wrote and composed the song with his colleague, Calypso.

He explained that ‘Winning’ was one of five songs he submitted, along with Attention, Jaiye, Find Somebody, and Legendary, for P-Square’s 2022 album titled ‘Legendary.’

Mr P also said he introduced Vampire Craze, a Ghanaian producer, to his brothers (Rudeboy and Jude), asking if he would be interested in collaborating on the Legendary album.

He said, “If you have followed my journey as a solo artist and even before, you will notice that I give people their due credit where necessary, as I am a firm believer in teamwork. I know my strengths, and where I need assistance or guidance, I am not afraid to ask or work with those who are strong in the areas I am not. This includes creating music, executing concepts and ideas, etc. I will always credit people for their contributions to my projects.

“Sometime in June 2022, I stumbled upon a producer based in Ghana named Vampire, and my team and I also reached out to him via DM, saying that I liked his work and was interested in working with him. Before getting him to Lagos, I presented the idea of this producer to my twin brother and our team, getting them buy-in before I got him flight tickets and flew him to Lagos.”

Agreement

Mr P stated that their agreement for album production when they reunited in 2021 was to “arrange the song, leave a verse for the other person, then they both harmonise the chorus and refrain bits together.”

Additionally, Mr P stated that his five songs were first submitted for the Legendary album, adding that Winning came from one of Vampire Craze’s beats.

He noted that he came up with the idea of changing the song’s chord progression from the original version to what it’s now with his producer, Goldswarm, the co-producer of Winning.

“I had also engaged a songwriter known as Calypso, who wrote and composed the song Winning for Me and sent it to me on the beats through a voice note. And we started working on the music. Mind you, he worked on some other songs to make the album as well, so my brother was aware of his input on the production as we were all in the studio during this period.

“Then, when my twin brother heard the song Winning, which we had already created the hook/ chorus for, he wanted to start creating a verse. He wasn’t supposed to until Calypso, and I finished it as part of my song submission to the Legendary Album. After that, we finished and shared verses among ourselves”, said Mr P.

The album

Mr P stated that the proposed album was never released, adding that since he released ‘Winning,’ his brother has labelled him and called him all sorts of names.

He claimed that his twin brother demanded the song be removed from all streaming platforms.

“I do not wish to get into details of why the album didn’t see the light of day to date, but it takes a different level of psychosis for one to steal what is theirs already. It was never part of his 5, now 6 (according to him) songs for submission, yet when he felt I was not interested in making music because I chose my sanity over the constant berating and drama that seemed to come up over creative direction in the group.

“If it were his song, why do I have all the music data, including initial conversations and picture/video evidence on the titles/songs? Which of his songs do I have its data in my possession in that case? All because he was hoping for me to quit music.”

Vocal removal

Mr P also alleged that Rudeboy removed his vocals from all their songs, even those he had intended to submit for the Legendary album, without consulting him.

He expressed his wish for their success, emphasising that he is in a positive mental and creative space.

He urged Rudeboy to let him enjoy and celebrate his achievements, big and small.

Mr P further stated that he is exhausted by Rudeboy’s negativity, appealing for the freedom to release his music, manage his business, and live peacefully.

“Even when I learned that he had removed my vocals on songs we did together, suggesting that he sing the entire songs, including the ones that he planned to present for the album, without my input (a very absurd idea as we both make up the duo not just the one), but we both perform them on stage, I begun to have a rethink of the entire situation. Let me leave this here.

“Maybe because I was not posting anything music-related on my social media page for over 4 months. He believes I have lost interest in music. I took a hiatus to get my mind and head in the right space, and when that was done, my epiphany

was Winning.”

The twin brothers first separated in 2017 after a four-year rift marked by several public controversies that alienated colleagues and fans. They patched things up in 2021, only to face a fresh twist in their relationship.

The latest split of the 42-year-old singers, who started their musical career in 1999, came more than two years after their highly publicised reunion in 2021. As of press time, Rudeboy is yet to respond to Mr P’s claims.

Watch ‘Winning’ visuals.