I TOLD THEM

By KAT

I got seriously hooked on West African music when I stumbled upon Cathrin Finch & Seckou Kiatra. They're a cool duo who make these dreamy Kora and harp tunes. Then, when I was living in the UK, I randomly discovered Burna Boy. He's a game-changer, pushing Afrobeats (or Afro-pop, whatever you wanna call it) into the mainstream. His last album, Love Damini, blew up and even hit number one for Nigerian albums on Billboard, so this new one had a lot to live up to.

The title track, I Told Them (with GZA), kicks off the album and nails what it's all about. The sound kinda reminds me of Shaggy's stuff from the late 90s and early 2000s. And tracks like Sittin' On Top Of The World (featuring 21 Savage) have a beat that's similar to Shaggy's It Wasn't Me, with Thanks (feat. J. Cole) having similar vibes. I really dug that spoken-word part in the title track too.

There are other cool spoken-word bits on the album. 12 Jewels stands out. RZA lists off these important values: knowledge, wisdom, understanding, freedom, justice, equality, food, clothing, shelter, love, peace, and happiness. The recording has this raw sound, like it was recorded on an iPhone.

There's a bit of UK drill mixed in as well. In Cheat on Me, Dave brings in that UK drill rhythm and style. And those high hats give off a trap feeling, which is common in drill music. Plus, Big 7 uses some UK-drill slang, which fits right in with the album.

Even with all these upbeat West African pop songs, the simple moments really hit hard. If I'm Lying is one of those. It's got a real, heartfelt message. It gave me a lot to think about and it stands out as a good piece of work.

Here’s my rating for each song on a scale of (1-10):

“I Told Them” (feat. GZA) – 10

“Normal” – 7

“On Form” – 7

“Sittin’ On Top Of The World” (feat. 21 Savage) – 10

“Tested, Approved & Trusted” – 7

“Cheat On Me” (feat. Dave) – 8

“Virgil” – 7

“Big 7” – 10

“Dey Play” – 6

“City Boys” – 9

“Giza” – 10

“12 Jewels” – 10