Sunday Snapshot w/c 26.02.24

Addictions, the sounds of Jungle and and the delectable taste of Nigerian meat pies (but not as you know it).

Bon après-midi (Good Afternoon)!

Coming to you slightly later today, but it’s still the same great content (in my humble opinion, of course). I normally aim to have Sunday Snapshots written and automatically sent on a Sunday morning for you to wake up to. However, this week I’ve gone rogue and chosen to live a little instead and move things around.

I was at a fantastic birthday party last night that reminded me how much I love to be in the company of like-minded Africans. It was a trip around the world 🌍 where each guest had to bring a dish from their country. There was so much on offer, from the infamous Kentucky Fried Chicken 🍗 to Gizdodo, Ghanaian special fried rice, jerk chicken, and so much more.

So, what was your contribution, Otega?

Well, a great Nigerian party has Jollof rice, but not just any common jollof rice, the smoke-infused A1 party type (IFYKYK). But a great Nigerian party with a bit extra has delectable snacks like puff puff, chin chin, and meat pies (the Nigerian kind). Since transitioning to plant-based living, I’ve not had a meat pie (🥲), so for this party, I decided to make my own with my go-to meat replacement - Soya.

They don’t look perfect, but they tasted divine.

So let’s get into the regular programming of Sunday snapshots.

Sonic sanctuary (music):

Avelino - Late Night Rolling

Avelino has to be one of my favorite UK artists. He has a way with words and a confident bravado that’s in your face yet subtle at the same time. I’ve always found the contents of his lyrics to contain truth and real-life. Lyrics like “25 what they gave my chargie, if I was with him then they would've charged me” encapsulate the life of many young black men who want to change the circumstances they were born into but “might have to do road” as they chase riches.

In last week's SS, I shared the DOAC episode with Daniel Priestley. In that episode, he shared his take on the fact that a lot of people who may end up in prison are just entrepreneurs, but the model of business they see growing up is one that leads to prison if caught.

Overall, this is a great song and has been my hyper-focus song of the week. The production is also 🙌🏽. The backing trumpet takes you on an uplifting journey that accompanies Avelino's storytelling.

Listen here - Youtube

Bnxn - Balance It

Buju AKA BNXN is a 🐐. He changed his name to BNXN in an effort to prevent confusion with the dancehall artist Buju Banton.

Hailing from Nigeria and coming on the scene in 2018, everything he has touched has a level of finesse that I’m lost for words trying to describe.

I’m a fan because he exemplifies 'Afro fusion' as a genre in all its forms. This song is poppy yet unmistakably African. He also has a versatile voice that is infectious and will make you want to dance/have a good time.

Listen here - Youtube

Jungle - Back on 74

I’ve just noticed that every song this week has a red hue in the album art. Hmmm, I wonder why 🌞

When their album Volcano was announced in early 2023 I was excited firstly, by the simple yet radiant cover and secondly because I knew it wasn’t going to disappoint.

I love that every one of their albums cover art have the same theme but are all so different at the same time.

Jungle are one of those artists that have carved out a unique sound and every album sounds like them but also evolves and showcases their evolution - not many artists can do that IMO.

I have been a Jungle fan boy for the longest time. Their first album ‘Jungle’ was on repeat all of summer 2k14. I’ve seen them live at least twice and will be seeing them again this summer - cant wait! I find their music to be infectious and oozing with uplifting positive energy.

This song for me signals that arrival of warmer months and I can’t wait to shed the winter scruff for a summer glow.

Listen here - Youtube

The Socratic segment (thoughts/ideas):

I really enjoyed listening to this episode of the ‘Think fast, Talk Smart’ podcast. It featured Huggy Rao, a Professor of Organisational Behavior and Human Resources at Stanford University. Huggy was discussing his new book - The Friction Project. He describes friction as anything which is an obstacle to doing your job and in his opinion isn’t always a bad thing.

In a business, bad obstacles create time poverty and hinder curiosity whilst good obstacles can lead to reducing impulsivity when making important decisions. I took so much from this episode but simply understanding that in organising business processes managers/leaders can elicit certain behaviors from staff based on how much friction they put in place. I don’t think people typically think about this as a standalone theme; it can be very easy to just be wrapped up in the process and the standard of how things are done. But anyone wanting to create a thing can really boil down on reducing or increasing friction to bring about a desired effect.

Huggy also shared some great tips on how to communicate without jargon and telling a good story. Check out the episode [here].

"The State of the Culture, 2024" was the highlight of my week's reading. Ted Gioia encapsulates something I've been contemplating for a while. The world is evolving, and corporations now aim not just for your business but to distract you by exploiting the addictive cycles of our brains.

The article's message echoes the sentiments of the Free Your Mind show at Factory International in Manchester (you can watch my review here). Advances in science and a deeper understanding of the human brain empower corporations to craft products adept at seizing our attention and leading us astray. It feels like a form of cheating. Every day becomes a battle for autonomy, a concept growing outdated in this new world unless you choose to check out of the matrix. Despite reports of organisations like Facebook being aware of the impact on young, impressionable minds, they persist, prioritising shareholders over ethical considerations.

Ted paints these organisations as Mafias aspiring to create a world of junkies where they are the dealers. Their merchandise isn't typical class A drugs; what they're pushing is 'Addiction.'

As someone who's nicknamed themselves 'dopamine hunter,' largely due to having ADHD, I resonated with Ted's description of our 2024 content consumption habits as compulsive and dopamine-inducing. Albums are no longer savoured in the same way; videos have transformed into reels, and relationships are just a swipe away.

The alarming reality is that dopamine's euphoria is short-lived, reaching a point where it creates anhedonia—the complete absence of enjoyment in an experience supposedly pursued for pleasure. This phenomenon has certainly manifested in my life, and I'm sure some of you have felt it too.

So, what's the solution?

Ted proposes a 'dopamine detox,' an approach I am personally adopting this month - eagerly anticipating the reset it brings.

Read the article here

My final idea for you this week revolves around the concept of choice, and it's a personal insight from me.

At times, clichés like "it's all about perspective" or "glass half full or half empty" can seem challenging, especially when you find yourself in a rut. I believe in the power of compounding when it comes to altering thought patterns. It takes just one small positive event to occur, and by expressing gratitude and acknowledging that occurrence, you make a choice for positivity. This sets the stage for a chain reaction where you continue to make the same positive choice for each subsequent event that unfolds.

p.s. its easier said than done and I struggle with this too, so this is note to myself as well as to you.

Seeing (images):

This is from my time in Baltimore, USA and was captured on film. I was playing American football with some boys in the park and had my film camera with me. The sun was setting, casting a warm glow, and I decided to take some pictures. There's a distinct charm in capturing moments on a sunny day, especially with a Kodak Ektar 100 film roll, and black skin - it adds an extra layer of richness.

Last week I shared the ‘fragile rock’ picture from Brighton and this week I’ve got another one from Brighton. This was taken during Brighton pride. The colours and the smiles make this picture for me.

Lastly, this image was taken during my time in Kenya, 2017. I always liked the composition of this picture - the child enjoying a ride in the foreground being pushed by what looks to be his father and the other children playing in the background. It brings back great memories.

That’s all for this week!

The sun is shining and I’m really looking forward to going out and running 🏃🏾‍♂️.

See you next week 👋🏽.