By Ayomide Tayo
Album- Version 2.0
Artiste- Blackmagic
Guest Appearances – M.I, Sasha P, Banky W, Oritsefemi
Producers – Kid Konnect, T-Flava, Xela, Remi
Duration – 1.2 hours
So what’s all the jazz about Blackmagic (pun intended)? Well, the ebony singer is one of the most authentic alternative acts we have around. His style of singing and rapping continues to challenge what is acceptable in Nigeria’s boring mainstream scene. He has pushed the envelope thanks to the success of singles such as ‘Rainbow’, ‘Tomorrow’ and ‘Foreigner’ off his debut album ‘Version 1.0’ (it got a 4/5 rating from NET by the way), which I must say was hardly seen like Big Bird’s close pal Mr. Snuffleupagus on Sesame Street.
Despite the commercial failure of his first album, Blackmagic’s name started picking up in conversations. An increasing thirst for alternative music has helped boost his profile, and the successes of his new singles ‘Confam’ featuring Sasha P and ‘Repete’ haven’t hurt him too badly either. After cutting ties with the Syndik8 Records headed by Lynxxx, Blackmagic drops his sophomore joint Version 2.0 with the sub theme or sub title ‘Based on Belief’.
The album is 15 tracks long (18 if you copped the deluxe version), and despite its duration, you never get tired of Black Magic rapping and singing. The project starts with ‘R.I.P’– a track that boasts of church organs and strokes of the Lagos suburban feel. Blackmagic uses a choppy flow to introduce you to his new LP and as the track rolls to an end he says ‘and to those that did not believe, I still pray that you receive’. Blackmagic or Ejay as his friends call him is a master at transporting you into his unique groove.
On ‘Jericho’ he brings you into his world thanks to his beautiful hook and patent style of singing. He raps on the verses, and he couldn’t but help himself to flow biblical- ‘I’ve got a dream like Joseph/to part the Red Sea like Moses/they wanna sell me, but I’m cut like LV’. Black Magic heads to the strip club on the Kid Konnect-produced ‘Africa’, which has a rump shaking bassline, and can be best described as ‘twerky’.
When it comes to getting the ladies to remove their err…undergarments, Blackmagic doesn’t mince his words on ‘Body’ featuring Banky W. On the lusty track, which features the artiste’s laidback charm, Blackmagic goes straight to the heart of the matter when he sings ‘I just want to get next to you/I just wanna have sex with you/I swear I want this girl and her body’.
It’s not all love and lingerie though. Blackmagic goes full rap mode on ‘My Niggas’. He starts his verse with these (subliminal?) bars- ‘I say based on belief, in the streets is on/Syndik8? Not really, all I need is Ikon…I only say names worth mentioning/To elevate I think that some agreements worth entering/and some just want me to say some sh*t worth censoring-dear fuc*ery’. There are arguments on whether Blackmagic is a real rapper. On this song he makes his case as he goes conscious (‘we get oil but dey say na God go give us light’) and dips his toe in the wordplay pool (‘In a land where Christians bail, I am the dark knight).
‘Amnesia’ is one of the glittering gems on the album. It touches on famzers and fair weather friends. Even though it suffers an average verse from M.I, it is one of the highlights of the album. Experimentation is really Blackmagic’s calling card and this can be heard superbly on ‘Money’, a guitar driven track with a dash of Salsa.
The combination of Kid Konnect and Blackmagic strike again on the brilliant song ‘Rifle’ where he yearns for love or alcohol if he doesn’t find someone to share his heart with. The closest Ejay comes to standard Nigerian pop commercialism is on ‘Pass You By’ featuring Oritsefemi. Somehow Blackmagic uses Oritsefemi’s high-pitched street Gospel crooning to work in his favour.
Version 2.0 is a better upgrade than its predecessor. Blackmagic has infused so many genres Hip-Hop, Soul, Blues and Jazz to create a sound that is both timeless and contemporary. This album is for people who have a taste for the finer things of life. Just like his name, this album is deep and mysterious. You have to respect its superiority and complexity.
Rating- 4/5
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