”˜We don`t stop the best of me. It`ll be a hip hop album this time, no experimenting, just rap. I`m doing this for the culture and hardcore fans.` – Olamide
Artiste Olamide
Album The Glory
Features Akuchi, Davolee, Burna Boy, Phyno
Producers 2kriss, Pheelz, Young John, Sossick, Paul Clever Lee, Major Bangz
Label YBNL (2016)
Visibility, remains the most important criteria when it comes to rap. Your ability to ensure you are being seen, heard and felt, can not be overlooked but again visibility lacking the strength to keep your fans interested, is outright poo. Why waste so much effort if there was any and money on a project,when that project only births bad taste in our mouth reminding all health addict what a garlic ridden refrigerated salad tastes like. Whether we agree or not, Olamide, has somehow joined the bandwagon of artistes, who are plagued with sound indecision as the searing chirps from fans and non fans alike seemed to have finally settled in him. This has resulted in an all knowing sad embodiment of what can only be tagged as ‘Mama Africa’ otherwise meant or assumed to be a welcoming… oh well…
I am one of the few, extremely excited with the thought of getting an entire hardcore rap or at least an entire rap album from the same man who has been heralded as the ‘king of the street’ and we all know the Nigerian STREET doesn’t acknowledge rhythm and blues as its SOUND but of course, I over-reached and before my eyes saw my meticulously built palace of hope, excitement and bragging rights, crumble.
The Glory Intro
Opener to Olamide’s sixth album roughly knock the tooth out my mouth as I painfully realized that he was not going to come through as promised. A lot about the style employed in the intro carries with it tremendous admiration but so little substance to keep me asking for more. From his weak delivery for a supposed hardcore rap album to the mediocre lyric, down to the dastardly poor attempt at adding a sneh vibe to a wehdone sir sauce… I got this, The Glory, is a deliberate attempt at being messy.
Letter To Milli
Olamide’s hand crafted parenting guidebook. The song basically was Olamide dishing out some very important advices for his son Miliano. The production was okay and his delivery felt a bit fussy. Had these advises been dished out in the same language used in communicating when you as the father was going through them, perhaps the rawness of his wishes could have been felt. The track basically felt like Olamide was freestyling on a mightily important song.
Journey of A Thousand Miles
The production on this is beautiful, mellow and communicative especially the guitar. The song talked about destiny and his grass to grace story. For his Dremo and Mayorkun added lyrics, am assuming that garnered several applause from everyone in the studio, must have really felt smart, yeah?
Underground ft. Akuchi
Beat, delivery, lyrics were lit on this one. Loved the style as well.
Pepper Dem Gang ft. Davolee
I doubt there can ever be an album from Olamide without a song about his go to theme ‘Feminine Features’, I really doubt it. Club banger for sure. Davolee, came through, would have loved to hear more from him though.
Lori Titiyi
Basically Olamide promoting thuggery, flamboyant lifestyle and of course his now comfortable theme; ‘Show Off’.
Grind ft Sossick
He came through with his lyrics… enjoyable track.
Woyo
The delivery and lyrics, top notch. Loved the reggae infused tune in the hook. Beautiful track.
Be Mine
This track saw the singing Olamide emerging from the almost desecrated cage he built for himself in this album. It is an OK track. Pheelz, did come through on the production for this.
Oluwa Lo Ni Glory
Giving the fact that almost all the tracks on the album already talked about his struggle, loyalty and having no time for haters, I seriously wonder why this track was included.
Symbol of Hope
This song is his message to everyone out there to work harder if they yearn for success. He also used the track to sing his own praise… huh, ain’t we already doing that for him?
Sons of Anarchy
Pheelz! Pheelz!! Pheelz!!! Too much sauce… Phyno, Burna… delivered their fee’s worth hoping they got paid well the infusion of each person’s style on this track, succeeded in birthing something beautiful.
2Baba Zone
Now only hardcore 2face fans will get the vibe created here. The beat took me back to Nfana Ibaga, Right Here days… yaasss!!! Olamide thank you for this; you delivered the ‘2Baba Zone’ promise.
Omo Wobe Anthem, Owo Blow, Who You Epp, in my opinion are all anthems. On Omo Wobe Anthem however, Burna’s sweet smelling brilliance came charging forth and it is highly welcomed and giving what the anthem is about, he definitely made the right choice.
Knowing just when to show up its talent on it own and Olamide has this down. However, on this project, that did not seem to matter as each track felt like a thought out great idea desperately in need of a great song due to its knack of contradictions buttered across the album sabotaging what could have easily turned out to be classic. What could have otherwise been ‘Sneh’s’ way of shutting critics up due to a comprehensive hip-hop oeuvre we all assumed he should have amassed over the years, turned out to be to be a sprawling disjointed work of presumed art. One thing was certain though, he isn’t all hardcore as he wants us to believe or repeatedly spat throughout this project, he does have ‘feelings as shown in most of the songs. ‘The Glory’ is distraction personified, some sort of creative process for him, but no sir, this isn’t what was promised.
Rating – 3/5
Reviewed by Temitope Delano
@Tope_Delano
