The Nigerian rapper has morphed into an amiable artiste thanks to his creative ingenuity in his songs and rollouts; a feat that has made him one of the best marketing geniuses in the country. Dubbed one of the new guards of Nigerian music by The New York Times in 2019, he lived up to it with his debut album in 2020. He follows up with an album that holds sombre truths about youthful living, dark yet fun and relatable.
“Young Preacher” is a full-fledged realization of Blaqbonez’s aspirations; on the intro, named after the album, he strays away from his core fun sounds and goes on an emotional rant over a classic production, touching on his childhood with the absence of his father. The intro is more like a statement and backs up his claims of being the best rapper on the continent. “Hot boy” refines his blend of improvisation on any genre. He surfs freely on a raga-inspired beat.
Switch between patois and pidgin. One of the album’s brightest moments comes in the early stages of the run, “Whistle” features LOJAY and Amaarae, and the duo’s vocal presence pushes each other into an atmospheric zone scouted by Blaqbonez. It’s your typical party song with massive replay. The album’s theme revolves around youthful dealings. On “Fashionnova”, the rapper explores girls’ obsession with America’s fast fashion retail company, appreciating their looks in them via magnetic hooks.
“Back in Uni” still sounds like a strong single, JAE5’s boppy beat gives an anthemic structure to the rapper’s playboy days, easily crafting a hit. One of the album’s qualities is its storytelling; it’s raw. Blaqbonez picks stories from all sides of his life, uncensored stories that add realism to his records, “Fake Nikes” tackles sneaker consumer culture on a hypnotizing wash of synthesizers and samples, the rapper recruits cheque and Blxckie, whose lyrics help decenter Western consumerist ideals, the song is a campaign that screams “wear what you can afford”.
Speaking to Apple Music, the rapper stated he recorded the song last year. An incident triggered the song, “someone was being trolled for wearing fake Nikes. Everyone was insulting the guy. And in my head, I was like, ‘It’s not that big of a deal. Half of the guys trolling are wearing fake Nikes too”. “Young Preacher” has a distinctive guest list. Tay Iwar’s appearance on “Ring Ring” further proves he is a feature killer, the Nigerian’s voice appears and dissipates, guiding listeners along on a gradual drift, and it’s all on a hip-hop production. But the song also says a lot about blaqbonez’s diversity. Regardless of the genre, he seems to make things work in his favour.
The album captures the sensory, abstract feel of blaqbonez’s craft. He makes impressionistic songs of love, sex and vanity; a typically wild and youthful project, songs like “Loyalty, She like Igbo” are prime examples. Behind all the rap lifestyle, Blaq still manages to slot in peak Afrobeats vibes, “Ess Mama” features Tekno, and he didn’t fail to bring the commercial success that has aided in giving him hits over the past years.
One thing about Blaqbonez is that there are zero fears and holdbacks regarding his sexuality. “Mazoe” takes more aesthetic cues from Eastern Africa. The song opens with a sleek intro from Takura, whose vocals sets the tone for Blaqbonez and Sauti Sol’s lead vocalist, Bien. The trio can make an adult-contemporary record, smooth but deadly. It’s easily the best song on the album in terms of vocal excellence and arrangement.
There are patches of vulnerability on this album, but “Starlife”, an Amapiano-tinged Afrobeats song, sees the artiste acknowledge the allures of fame, highlighting its pitfalls and negative effects. It’s a dive into celebrity culture from his view.
What’s a young man’s love story without a bit of toxicity? “Back on BS” sees the rapper craving for an old fling. He observes “hours” here on a low, steady production, which switches halfway to an outro led by a solo guitar performance. He ends the album with one of his favourite things he enjoys doing on records; rapping.
“I’d be waiting” samples Asa’s classic 2007 hit “360”, backed by moody and lushy beats. He turns his innermost thoughts, feelings, and an experience in the industry into breakthrough group therapy sessions, humbly waiting on his turn and nothing at his own pace. Young preacher continues Blaqbonez’s journey, where he carves his rhythms and moves at her own pace, dictating his career.
