After relocating to Hamburg in 2003, Nneka has been working closely with the hip hop beatmaker DJ Farhot. As a young singer she first gained public attention in 2004 while performing as an opening act for dancehall reggae star Sean Paul at Hamburg Stadtpark. After much acclaim, Nneka released her debut EP The Uncomfortable Truth with the music label Yo Mama's Recording Company after which she performed on her first tour with Patrice, playing shows in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
She finished recording her first album in the autumn of 2005. Entitled Victim of Truth. Garnering rave reviews from the media, the UK's Sunday Times later declared it “the year’s most criminally overlooked album”, comparing it favourably to 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'.
In February 2008, she released her second album, No Longer at Ease. The title of the album is taken from a novel of the same name by Chinua Achebe and reflects the lyrical content of the record. Most of the songs are political, talking about the plight of the Niger Delta and the corruption in Nneka’s homeland. “No Longer at Ease” combines the political and the personal in “a winning mix of soul, hip-hop an reggae”. The lead single from it, "Heartbeat", became her first song to break into the German Top 50.
In November 2009, Nneka staged her first concert tour of the United States where she performed shows in New York City, Vienna (Washington DC), Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Furthermore she was a special guest on The Roots Jam session. Her first US release Concrete Jungle was set for 2 February 2010.
Nneka recorded her last album Soul Is Heavy in Nigeria. She also co-founded a charity foundation called the "ROPE foundation" with Genda, Ahmed Nyei from Sierra Leone. She has worked extensively in charity and arts with the foundation in Sierra Leone. Nneka has also worked with Reebok and her track "Shinning" topped global charts in 2013.
Material Things
Nneka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Private jets, limousine chauffeurs, all of that
Money, clothes and oh, diamonds, cars, rims, shining
None of this compares to what I see in you
Materials don't mean a thing to me
Girl, you are the world to me
If I had to pick a favorite thing
Materials don't mean a thing to me
If I lost you, lady, then I'd go crazy
And I wouldn't have anything
Black cars, fly homes, condos with the chefs
Personal assistants, corporate, real estate
Yachts that will take you far away to islands
bungalows, Costa Rica, Mexico
Girl, none of this compares to what I see in you
Materials don't mean a thing to me
Girl, you are the world to me
If I had to pick a favorite thing
It would easily be my baby
Materials don't mean a thing to me
If I lost you, lady, then I'd go crazy
And I wouldn't have anything, oh
Nothing without you, you make me wealthy
I'm all about you, so special to me
I turned off the phone, spent time alone
I don't wanna be selfish, girl, you're the one
I put you above all the superficial things
Materials don't mean a thing to me
Girl, you are the world to me
If I had to pick a favorite thing
It would easily be my baby
Materials don't mean a thing to me
If I lost you, baby, then I'd go crazy
And I wouldn't have anything
Materials don't mean a thing to me
Girl, you are the world to me
If I had to pick a favorite thing
It would easily be my baby
Materials don't mean a thing to me
If I lost my lady
And I wouldn't have anything
After sets, cell phones, Internet, Vegas bets
Private jets, limousine chauffeurs, all of that
The lyrics of Nneka’s “Material Things” talk about the love and admiration the singer has for her partner, acknowledging that she values their relationship over the material possessions and luxuries that money can buy. The first verse lists a variety of lavish and extravagant items such as private jets, limousines, and diamonds. Nneka then follows this up by stating that these things mean nothing to her in comparison to what she sees in her partner, emphasizing the emotional connection and fulfillment she gets from the relationship. In the second verse, she continues to list off more worldly possessions like yachts and vacation homes, but once again reiterates that none of it compares to the love she shares with her partner.
The chorus of “Material Things” is poignant and heartfelt, as Nneka admits that if she lost her partner, she would be devastated and all of the material possessions in the world couldn’t fill that void. By repeating the line “Materials don't mean a thing to me,” Nneka is driving home the message that true happiness and fulfillment come from love and companionship, not from accumulating wealth and “stuff.”
In a world that often prioritizes materialism and the accumulation of wealth, Nneka’s “Material Things” is a refreshing reminder that true happiness and fulfillment come from the relationships we build and the connections we make with those around us, not from the things we own.
Line by Line Meaning
After sets, cell phones, Internet, Vegas bets
After all the luxuries that people seem to want such as expensive clothing, cell phones, gambling, and easy access to the internet
Private jets, limousine chauffeurs, all of that
Even after privileges like private air travel with chauffeurs, and many other common luxuries
Money, clothes and oh, diamonds, cars, rims, shining
Despite the allure of wealth, expensive clothing, gleaming jewelry and fancy cars and their rims that catch the light
None of this compares to what I see in you
What matters most to me is my partner, and no luxury can compare
Materials don't mean a thing to me
The possessions don't have any worth to me
Girl, you are the world to me
My love for my partner is much greater than anything material
If I had to pick a favorite thing
If I had to choose what meant the most to me
It would easily be my baby
It would be my partner without hesitation
If I lost you, lady, then I'd go crazy
If I were to lose my partner, I would feel like I'm losing my mind
And I wouldn't have anything
I would feel like I have nothing without my partner
Black cars, fly homes, condos with the chefs
Even with luxury cars, vacation homes, and rental properties with personal chefs
Personal assistants, corporate, real estate
And personal assistants, business transactions, and investments in real estate
Yachts that will take you far away to islands
As well as owning a yacht, which can take you far from the mainland to remote islands
bungalows, Costa Rica, Mexico
Along with the possibility of owning a bungalow in a tropical paradise like Costa Rica or Mexico
Nothing without you, you make me wealthy
My partner is the only one who completes me, and therefore makes me rich in life
I'm all about you, so special to me
I prioritize my partner above anything material or superficial because they are very special to me
I turned off the phone, spent time alone
I disconnected from technology temporarily to focus solely on my partner instead, giving my full attention to them
I don't wanna be selfish, girl, you're the one
I don't want to take them for granted or be selfish towards them because they are the only one for me
I put you above all the superficial things
My partner is more important to me than anything superficial, and so they come first in my priorities
If I lost my lady
If I were to lose my partner
Contributed by Hailey S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.