WHAT HAPPENED TO REALM SQUAD AND FLURI BOYZ? (THE EVOLUTION)

When it comes to music groups in Cameroon, few have really impressed me. Most could not stand the test of time, and when they finally separated, they still could not make it as solo artists. One of the most real groups to have ever come from Cameroon is X-Maleya. They started as a rap group, switching styles and sounds and trying new things… Representing their nation from one country to another, X-Maleya were and are still culture ambassadors and a pride to the nation. I hope they remain together. Well, my focus of today is not X-Maleya. I decided to take a look at these two Cameroonian music groups Realm Squad and Fluri boyz. We shall also be looking at what they have become.

Fluri Boyz

The first time I ever saw the Fluri boyz perform was Buea 2012 during the annual “Trade fares” we used to have back then. I noticed they had so much energy, and more to that, they had good songs. They were not a household name yet. Just two upcoming artistes with big talent. Askia climbed on stage after that. Her song “Tate obesseh”  at the time was still very new and hot. It was not long deom there when Steves lil dropped the banger titled “Ebangha”. I just knew Fluri boyz had something special. They could create “hits” but could not promote them and also sell their image well to the public. Good performers, they were too. I further discovered most of their tracks were “hit materials” though they were facing difficulties penetrating the Cameroonian market. They had good songs like Shalé, centa, marabout, Mougou faroteur, Tomber and even a collabo with Locko titled “Jamais vu”. They also appeared on mboatape vol 3 in 2015 with a hit titled “hollam”. All this happened while they were signed to STM Records. The label did not brand this group well despite the fact they had good songs. They had catchy and commercial hits but they did not go mainstream,  and these songs were favorable to the French-speaking audience which is most of the times an obstacle to English speaking artists. Well, without enough success, the group broke up and today we have “kalambar” on his own and  “Rich B” struggling to make ends meet. It’ll be a tough ride, given that they took it back to square one. Today we don’t hear much about them anymore.

Realm Squad

The first time I ever listened to Realm squad was when they released what i usually refer to as one of the most underrated songs ever released from here. They were signed to Calabash Records, and it was a collabo with the artiste and owner of calabash music, Wax Dey. This song was a good makossa piece with a great message. Titled “Chop no dey”, they pictured the stories of struggling families and kids coming back from school and finding nothing to eat at home. Abz rapped on the song in vernacular, and it was still hot. I knew something new was born. Well, it turned sour when they fiscal issues and agreement disputes between the artistes and the label started. It was a whole feud and I remember their song/video featuring the Fluri boyz titled “C’est la vie” was taken down from youtube due to these issues. After all the hullabaloo, they succeeded in leaving the label, but with a focus as solo artiste. Abz and Vivid became two separate artistes. It was not the end of their story though!!!

What amazes me is the energy these two have succeeded in maintaining till today. Despite all the struggles, they kept their heads high. Abz under his producer pseudonym “Abztrumentals” focused more on production while building on a low. He kept the fire burning till he started trending with his song “Allo boss” featuring Don Jumper on Boom TV. Excellent melody with good vocals. The “Allo allo allo allo boss” hook made it catchy and Jumper’s OG flow. He, later on, exploded with another collabo titled “Ololiyo” featuring Daphne. Ever since he has been the talk of the day. On the other hand, Vivid made it back to the scenes through Tzy Panchaks “Na so” project, and he has been doing just fine. His songs “my love” and “C’est pas les ndjangsang” are on everyone’s lips. These two former squad members have succeeded in surrounding themselves with the right people, and with the right energy. Today we have the two separately making more waves than when they were a duo. This is due to consistency and handwork. If the Fluri Boyz left with this same energy, they would have been the talk of the day too. Its never too late to restart from scratch though. Vivid and Abz are not yet established artistes yet, but from every indication, the future is very bright for them. Like it usually said “the downfall of a man is not the end of his life”. You just have to ask yourself if you ready, then you make the move without looking back. Have a great week.