On his latest album, Chocolate City’s prospect Blaqbonez tempers with all sorts of genres, stirring his music pot with lots of varieties, delivering his greatest project ever. Profiled by The New York Times as one of the new guards of Nigerian music, the rapper had it all to prove on his latest album. At the age of 16, he began his career as a battle rapper, winning 1st place out of 3000 rappers at Terry Tha Rapman’s Zombie competition and earning him a spot on the Terry’s 2012 World Domination Mixtape, he was bound to make it and this album says it all.
Photography by Wacko JackoThe 14 track album is one of the most transparent works you’ll ever hear, directly tackling whatever issue with a hands-on approach. On “Novocane”, fractured trap beats laced with strings of electric guitar and thick bass succumb to Blaq’s relentless flows, as he traces his newfound vanity and the lifestyle it comes with. “Heartbreaker” continues the pattern of the intro, but begins the presence of a stuffed featured list, South Africa’s Nasty C delivers a cold verse on here, summing up this playboy’s anthem.
Currently the no.1 song in Nigeria, “Bling” is a smashing hit, flashing the peak of modernized afrobeats engineered by this trio of nu age acts with all three stars stamping their trademarks all over Type A’s production. With an excellent assist from Ghana’s Rockstar Amaarae & Spaceship Record’s Buju, it’s just that song on the album that has incredible replay value.
Blaqbonez gives himself some space to reflect on “Never been in love” & “Don’t Touch”, dancing around the pains & happiness love comes with. “TGF Pussy” stands as the most explicit song on the project. It sees the rapper getting sexual as ever but remaining versatile as Blaqbonez pivots between breakneck raps and sensual crooning on a hard slapping beat.“Faaji” is the type of track that you blast out loud after a lit night, and with an ambitious verse from 1da Blanton and Bad boy Timz on there, it’s the kind of party starter anyone could turn to. “Zombie” is simply the best rap performance on the project, with three volatile personalities. In almost battle rap style, on a guitar-stringed trap beat, the flows here are nothing short of straight fire with PsychoYp & Laycon riding the beat with ease. For me though, it’s A-Q who takes home the bragging rights with a verse that just overs everyone else’s!
Photography by Wacko Jacko“Okwaraji” is a healed Blaqbonez flexing. As ruthless as ever, he describes how his countless heartbreaks have made him who he is and how he doesn’t waste energy on relationships. “Fendy” continues the trend of super features, this time it is Joeboy’s smooth vocals that polishes off the song. On “Fendy” there’s this mass appreciation and zeal for love here, showing patches of vulnerability from both acts. Think the 6th song is sexual? Wait till you hear what he did with Tiwa Savage on “BBC”, it’s the perfect duo, and with a catchy chorus that can have you screaming three letters that carry a lot of weight, but that’s apparently Blaqbonez for you. As savage as he can be, there’s a proper vulnerability in “Bonez”, and “Best Friend” which sees him pair with Cheque, an old-time acquaintance and friend. The duo set up a love story that revisits their come-up, their victory, and their love for each other giving a buoyant vocal performance on the trap-soul-like production.
Speaking on trap soul, “Cynic Route” is a powerful step in R&B, almost like an interlude with dark sonic textures and moody SoundClick-ready beats that succumbs to Blaqbonez’s quavering. “Haba” is still an anthem for the baddies and their bodies, the Hennessy-fueled song served best as a bedroom banger.
Blaqbonez is in another dimension now, his ability to freely experiment sounds and record on his own terms is another set of qualities that serves as a dernier morceau to his overall musical skills, and this alone sums up why he currently has the no.1 album in the country.
