Have you ever wanted to tell someone something and anticipate a bored or unexpressive response? Let’s say it's a review for an album by an artist you already spoke about. I’m happy to tell you this is not one of those instances. In this instance, we’ll be talking about Odumodublvck’s freshly served ‘Eziokwu Deluxe’ album.
If you’re not sure what this is, you can find a link to the first ‘Eziokwu’ review here so you can catch up. For the Katakata Rangers, curious readers, fans and opps; let’s dive in!
Odumodublvck had already established his dominance on the pop and hip-hop sounds with the first tape. On this extension of the tape, however, the keywords to bear in mind are principles and ambition. It’s also about range as seen on the first track ’Abuja People’. This simple song exists in a frequency that separates traditional African highlife from gyration. In a way, it can be easily put in the same category. It is both the music for going to the village in a Benz as well as music to ‘ginger’ your guys.
The gears quickly shift to another principle as the next track ‘Hotel Lobby’ is dedicated to Marijuana. The glorious plant has become part of Odumodu’s daily routine. But that’s not the best part, Odumodu has the ‘Anti World Gangsters’ on ‘Hotel Lobby’. The group is an Abuja-based collective which Odumodu is a part of with his friends. Odumodu holds his friends dearly and this tape expresses how much loyalty and friendship means to the rapper. Hotel Lobby also provides insight as to what the ‘Anti World Gangstars’ are about. They are a collective which are opposed to doing things in a generally acceptable way. A simple ideology carried along in all their careers but is most visible in Odumodublvck’s career timeline. Names on the Anti-World Gang roster include Reeplay, Shagba, Agunna, Man Like Aimz, Mukty and Cross. Their existence, delivery and ideology give a lot of hope not just to the hip-hop communities in Africa but in Nigeria in particular, where Hip Hop is all but dead.
Odumodublvck moves on to a new track and this time switches gears to ambition again. Badman Bounce features the music icon ‘Duncan Mighty’ and Fellow Anti World Gangstar, Reeplay. While expected Duncan Mighty would kill the track, the melodies spun in the track take the win for me. The Reeplay verse makes you want to find more from the artiste and get familiar. The production doesn’t hold back. It’s laidback, but assertive in its way. Something about it makes you feel like this song would be a hit in Ghana. Maybe it’s just me sha.
Perhaps in a bid to take us back to familiar territory, on ‘Minimal Fuss’ Odumodublvck taps Boj for an assist goes great. A fun fact that seems right to drop is that Boj, Fresh L and Teezee are members of ‘DRB Lasgidi’, a group regarded as pioneers in the Alternative music space in Nigeria. 'Minimal Fuss' takes us easily as the song suggests, it’s not hard but it is hitting. It's delivered so easily that the title is seemingly perfect. But it also leaves you asking when Odumodu would offer us a hard-hitting track.
The answer to that one is the next track ‘A1 Perico’!
A1 Perico pushes Odumodu’s ambitions beyond Nigerian music and making drill music in the UK. It packs a punchy feature from South Africa’s Nasty C and an assist from Mizzle who is a friend and compatriot to Odumodublvck. If you have any doubts as to Odumodu’s prowess as a rapper, when compared to other rappers, this song clears your doubts. It also reinforces the idea that Odumodublvck is an international artiste through and through. While other artists might rest on their oars having dropped a beautiful project, Odumodu scouts across Africa and dishes out a Nasty C feature. While many would want to question the dynamic of the track because of the distinct styles between Nasty C and Odumodu alongside the completely unpredictable style of Mizzle, A1 Perico allays all fears and defends Odumodu’s stand. And it is beautiful to listen to.
However, the most unpredictable feature of the deluxe perhaps is Teni. On a song titled ‘No Protocol’, Masicka and Teni stride alongside Odumodu to pay homage to the idea of being opposed to a way of doing things (Principles again). And the difference is not only in the words that are said in the music. Teni known to lean to more traditional music genres, comes in hot! Hot enough to check the new wave she’s on. The first few Teni lines that attack this song come in notably enough to catch your attention. Teni should just move to Abuja for 6 months and make a tape. Masicka handles the song smoothly enough for you to remember his name if you’ve never heard it before. It’s a catchy tune that everybody delivers on.
The final track on the deluxe is another collaboration worth its weight in pounds! Wotowoto seasoning is that track. It comes in with Odumodu’s verse that had been on the initial tape however, Ghana’s Black Sherif is on to give us a new perspective on this song. It is little wonder that at the time of writing this article, Wotowoto seasoning is the number 1 song in Ghana. The melodies are divine from Black Sherif and it’s the perfect song to end your day if you’ve had a long 9-5 and you just want to chill.
Eziokwu Deluxe puts Odumodu in perspective, not in the way the original tape does it but in many other ways. In the original tape, Odumodu perhaps puts himself on the spot by introducing his music to the world and while we welcomed him into our hearts; Odumodu needed a deluxe to prepare us for the things to come. This artiste intends to be faithful to his friends and family, by taking them along in his glory. But that’s not all Eziokwu Deluxe tells us, at the end of the deluxe you will also come to realize that Odumodu’s Okporokpo Music will not change. No matter the artiste he has to go toe to toe with, Odumodu will stick to his sound, his friends, his ideals and his principles. And as weird and as Anti World as it sounds, it is safe to say Tochukwu Ojogwu is a top human being!
If you’re wondering where to find the rest of our thoughts on Eziokwu, hit THIS!