Love Remain shares ‘Is What It Is’ EP, reveals poignant tribute song to Gboyega Odubanjo

nme.com:

reported missing at Shambala Festival in August last year. His body was discovered a few days later by police, who ruled out any suspicious circumstances in his death.Now, Love Remain has released a new EP ‘Is What It Is’, with its first track paying tribute to Odubanjo.

The anonymous producer was reportedly friends with the poet, and features his vocals on ‘LDN GRLS – Gboyega’s Theme’.“This song means so much to me,” said Love Remain. “I was sitting on the instrumental for about a year, then during a studio session I had an idea that only yega would really get, his energy was the light that the song needed, and it came at a time when we were both in a place of Joy, we had so much fun throughout the process of putting it together, and they are memories I will cherish forever”.He continued: “I’m so grateful we were able to have something that is reprensative of the time and place we were in and where we grew as friends.” Listen to the new tune below:Following the news of Odubanjo’s passing, his family have started a fundraising campaign in honour of his memory.

The money will go towards supporting low-income Black writers and continuing Odubanjo’s legacy. You can still donate here.Odubanjo was an editor at Bath Magg (“a magazine of new poetry”), along with being a Roundhouse Resident Artist.

The poet also won the 2021 Eric Gregory Award for his New Poets Prize Pamphlet Aunty Uncle Poems.One of his pamphlets titled While I Yet Live, was published by Bad Betty Press in 2019.