I’m gonna get in trouble with this one, but I’m just going to speak my truth. The best is Lagos from about the 10th through 20th of December. But by the 21st you start hearing the accents: It’s all the IJGB (“I just got backs”) expats. No disrespect, but it starts to get super packed and hard to get into the clubs. That’s when it’s time to go to Ghana, where you can have more fun on a budget.
Where’s the first place you head to in Accra, whatever the time of year?
My favorite spot is Republic Bar. It’s nothing fancy, but has the best vibe and energy. It’s small inside, but outside by the road they put chairs, turn over empty oil cans for tables, and the DJs are right there. It’s all very, very local, including the drinks. Their cocktails are made with apetishi, the local sugarcane brew.
In my song “Werser,” I say, “Ginger shot, five fingers, what a mismatch.” Ginger shot is a drink from Republic, and five fingers refers to a drink from another great street-style bar, the Purple Pub. Don’t ask me what’s in five fingers, because I don’t know, but if you do drink them together, you’re lit.
Tips for the best music night out in Accra?
Start with drinks at Sky Bar, then go to Republic or Front/back, which is a bungalow-style bar inside, and a backyard with another party experience outside. Then go to Twist, my favorite club. For live music there’s also 233—they play Highlife, jazz, sometimes salsa on weekdays.
At the end of the night, there are two places for hangover-busting food: Breakfast to Breakfast—have the spicy chicken wings—or 80-20, for late-night burgers. If I’m out till 6:30 a.m., I’ll have breakfast at the Kempinski—it’s also the only hotel you should stay at, and where Gallery 1957 is.
Let’s shift to Lagos. Walk us through a perfect night out in the Nigerian metropolis.
First of all, the only hotel you should stay at is the George Hotel. It’s not a boutique hotel, but you have privacy—you can stay poolside and just chill and have drinks. It’s also in Inyoki [the neighborhood], which means all the places you want to go are just 10 to 15 minutes away.
