We're so inundated with new music and artists that it's easy to forget that most artists don't even register on the public's consciousness at all. Or, if they do, how many fade just as quickly as they appeared, leaving no sign of ever having registered in the first place. And sometimes the difference between those who stick around and those who fade or fail to register isn't talent but merely a matter of luck or persistence.

Nigerian Dancehall artist Squeeze has got the talent, and demonstrated his persistence by plugging away at it for five years before finally coming to anyone's attention last year with the tracks That's What I Like and Party on a Friday (official video coming soon), both very credible efforts, especially the latter track.

Those singles earned him the oxygen any artists needs: local airplay. And on the back of those two we now have another pair. Both are from Hi-Voltage, a mixtape hosted by one of Nigeria's finest deejays, DJ Humility, and scheduled for a January 2012 release, ahead of the release of his "proper" debut album.

 

http://content.omroep.nl/ghettoradio/musicblog/squeeze_dutty_love.mp3 Dutty Love (DOWNLOAD the mp3; Download the video)

http://content.omroep.nl/ghettoradio/musicblog/squeeze_yanga_for_me.mp3 Yanga For Me (DOWNLOAD)

Both do the trick, but we're more convinced by Yanga For Me, which surely has to be the first song to reference Boko Haram as if they were just another piece of pop culture. Not sure how that reference is going to affect people's response to the song, but besides that, if the rest of the mixtape and the forthcoming album maintain the standard of these two perhaps Squeeze won't even need much luck to get him to the next level.

If you like what you're hearing, follow Squeeze on Twitter (or join him on Facebook) so you'll know when he drops the mixtape and album.