“I told them I’m a genius,” says Nigerian Afrobeat singer Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, in his recent seventh studio album, and he sure has many reasons to praise himself because “Odogwu no be nickname”. He is who he says he is.
Why? In June, the 32-year-old self-acclaimed African giant became the first African artiste to headline the 80,000-capacity London Stadium, amongst other feats.
Burna Boy hit the limelight after releasing ‘Like to Party’, the lead single from his debut album ‘L.I.F.E’. He has been nominated six times for the Grammy Awards, winning one in 2021 for Best Global Music Album with his project Twice As Tall.
On Friday, Burnaboy released his Seventh studio album, a 15-track music project, enlisting J. Cole, Dave, the rappers, and Seyi Vibez, a Nigerian singer.
The singer, in a recent interview with Apple Music, said the album encapsulates “not only my personal feelings but also the collective spirit of my unit”.
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The Grammy award winner also said the album showcases a side of himself not often seen publicly.
Speaking about how he came up with the title of his new album, Burnaboy said he went over some of his posts on Twitter.
The search took him through a rabbit hole, and in the end, he realised that he had tweeted many things about himself, like a prophecy.
It was surprising to know that everything he ever said about himself was his current success.
He noted that he told the world about his genius nature and that he has consistently proved himself, especially to people who initially doubted him.
In this review, PREMIUM TIMES analyses the tracks in the album and how the work of art echoes Burna Boy’s attempt at proving his versatility to the world.
The Prophecy
The first track, which is also the title of the album “I Told Them”, slowly sets the mood for listeners before they dive into its entire content. The lyrics validate his prophecy years before his bloom and feat in the music industry.
The track, which starts with its Afrobeats melody and traditional instrumentals, has Burna Boy spitting out ‘hard truths’ about what he said about himself. He talks about how he always knew about his extraordinary genius nature even when it was hard for people to believe.
The track outlives the adage that “the lizard that jumped from the high Iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no one else did.” It explains that sometimes we have to be our cheerleaders and celebrate ourselves and our accomplishments even when no one sees what we see.
“I told them I’m a genius, and I had to show them what the meaning is
Hundred thousand hands, where is the ceiling?
I told them I was, and they told me I was crazy…”
In the same vein, ‘Virgil’, Big 7, ‘Dey Play’ and ‘City Boy’, tracks have Burna Boy celebrating his accomplishments, particularly in Virgil, where Virgil hails the concept of his album and how it follows a storytelling approach to connect with his listeners.
“If I’m Lying” track further sees Burnaboy validating the sacrifices he makes, the fight he fought to be who he is. He also beckons that he needs support to lean on his shoulders.
“And, if I’m lyin’, let the ocean and seas start dryin’
The birds in the sky stop flyin’…”
Other tracks
His Tested, Approved and Trusted track engulfs listeners with an unexplainable feeling of a man professing his love to his lover. The tone is sexy in a way that makes a girl feel safe in a relationship. The dancehall beat leaves you to move your body to its irresistible beat and rhymes. It is currently on repeat because I can’t get over it.
Sitting on Top of the World, which features 21 Savage, the song is similar to ‘Tested, Approved and Trusted’, but it encourages the girl to chase her dreams and be the best she can be. “Go, go ahead, it’s your time, baby…”
“Normal” and “On Form” follow the same rhythmic pattern except for different lyrics. The Pop sound is soft and might not make you dance. However, it would have you nodding to the beat with a smile spread across your smile.
Features
The feature with J. Cole titled “Thanks” is a relatable Afropop verse that sees Burna Boy highlighting some of the controversies he faced in Nigeria and how he feels unappreciated at home.
The song connects you to his inner child, who feels like he is always misunderstood. It is right there yearning for acceptance.
He accuses Nigerians of being ungrateful for what he did for them. This is one song I feel should not have been included. It is like one bad apple on an apple tree.
Not because of the beat or anything, but the lyrics flow with controversial allegations. I’m certain Nigerians would not find it funny at all.
‘Cheat on Me’ featuring Dave also aligns with Burna Boy, highlighting how he is not appreciated at home.
He sings, “No, be everybody be a believer
Anytime that I pull up, I deliver
Before you start to criticise, consider, oh, consider, oh…”
Aside from the indirect shots it might seem to fire at Nigerians, it is one of the best features I enjoyed on the album. The sound is unique.
On the Giza track, the Seyi Vibez feature also gives it a different melody away from the regular Burna Boy we are used to. We hear Burna Boy explore his vocals, singing like Seyi Vibez would.
“12 Jewels” featuring RZA is not a song, but RZA, in a conversation with Burnaboy, lists the attributes he considers as the 12 jewels of which Freedom and happiness are a part.
On the other hand, “Talibans II” finds an excellent way to wrap up the album and leaves you with the same vibes and beat as the first track.
Final Verdict
In all, the album is an easygoing mix of Afropop, rap and R&B. As he recently revealed, Burna Boy cuts beyond sticking to a genre of music.
Here, he proves his versatility to jump on any beat or genre to express himself without being boxed.
He said, “Why I created Afrofusion is because I didn’t want to be boxed into any Afrobeats or boxed into Hip-Hop or boxed into anything because I don’t believe in genres.”
It is hard to tie him down to a particular genre. You can’t tell whether he’s an Afropop, Hip Hop or R&B singer.
The album is a mixture of different genres, and it’s interesting because you cannot get bored.
The album is loaded with texture, substance and irresistible melody held together by Burna Boy’s unique vocals. It might not necessarily be described as a work of genius, but it was certainly well crafted.
8/10
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