The CUTS: EP 05 VOL. 11
THE CUTS is a weekly review of songs, videos and albums you need to hear. The songs and videos covered are not a genre and/or region specific. Once it is good, it would be reviewed or featured.
Yung Bazz – Untill Next Time (UNT)
It always pays to keep things concise especially music. That way, the artist places his best foot forward and offers the listener an opportunity to appreciate their creativity. That’s exactly the approach Yung Bazz takes on his latest project ‘’Untill Next Time’’. The 5-track project is Bazz’s introduction to new listeners as well as project, not only his rapping skills but an ear for great beats. These qualities shine throughout the tape.
The soulful ‘’Mama Don’t U Cry’’ is a narrative about the passing of his dad and how his mum inspires him. On ‘’Blessings’’, he raps about facing his demons while expressing gratefulness to God. “Flames” breathes with soulful magic thanks to Maj’s infectious delivery. Almighty Trei makes an appearance on “Cheating” and “Better”, the latter being a consummate afropop track that could easily become a mainstream success. As a cohesive body of work, “Untill Next Time” trickles with excellence. As a hip-hop product, it ranks among the best you would hear in 2019.
Bryan The Mensah ft. Blaqbonez – Grease
On his new single ‘’Grease’’, Bryan The Mensah does not deviate from the template of motivating and inspiring the listener not to take their feet off the pedal of their hustle. This, he does on the opening of the Emmanuel Okai co-produced song: ‘’I can never sell my soul for some progress, If I did, I’d be broke’, he raps over a Japanese sounding guitar solo riff.
Bryan The Mensah’s flow intensifies just like the bounce that accompanies the song. Blaqbonez, one of the talented rappers on the Nigerian rap scene- and signed to M.I Abaga’s Choc City label is featured on ‘’Grease’’. In his laid-back flow, he raps from the perspective of a successful rapper; making references to his drip which is ‘too hard than a diamond’. Blaqbonez does not want his name to be associated with the broke talk. Success does not come cheap thus Bryan The Mensah’s reminder for everyone to ‘go all in, stop the talking, get your bread’.
Joey B ft Kwesi Arthur & Sarkodie – La Familia (Gang)
A rap tale about their come-up, success and burning ambition are the themes that float across Joey B’s “La Familia”. The hip hop sounding track is opened by Joey B, touching on, among other things how success breeds company and his past: ‘Na I dey wear my brothers’ dema clothes’; a description of his come-up. Fueled by ambition, Joey B, the patron saint of new age music can today celebrate little mercies.
Kwesi Arthur approaches ”La Familia” from a different angle: the success that has come his way and how his friends stay winning. “Even when I’m I lay on the ground, I standout”, he raps (lyric translated from Twi). When Sarkodie takes the baton, he delivers a verse that bridges his come up and success stories. The raps aside, it’s the recurring and gripping Arabian guitar (or is it a violin?) that stands out on the track.
Tonero – Screaming ft. AYLO
The soft bounce and the bright electro synths that filter across “Screaming” is one of the enchanting qualities that Tonero exhibits on his latest offering. With snippets of his life as fodder- like ‘staying off the internet’ to ‘focus on his intellect’, the Nigerian crooner makes use of autotune to great effect: as an aesthetic to add a shade of colour to the song rather than a vocal enhancer.
”Screaming” is the 5th song from the 22 year old Tonero – after Thunder, Believer, Energy and Do Better. AYLO, one of the new breed of artists on the Nigerian alte scene makes an appearance, delivering a soulful verse that fuses excellently with the RnB/hip hop sensations that “Screaming” emit.
