MI's Yung Denzl was the most high profile release of LAMB August and a lot of people expected it to be the focal point of his bid to give Nigerian hip hop a face-lift.The goal of his movement,if we understood it well was to loosen the grip of indigenous and 'pop' rap on naija hop hop and promote the purer aspects of the culture but on this album,we see an artiste distancing himself totally from the naija rap culture and trying too hard to prove he is of international standard.Yung Denzl suffers from an identity crisis so profound the first song-Do you know who you are?.Take your time and meditate on yourself is actually an anti-racist song.."Do you realize a negro is a hunted commodity/Look around you/Observe your ecology".What ecology around me,Nigeria?.
The album is pretty much a one-dimensional work with all songs either on the slow and mid-tempo range which technically puts a lot of dependence on his lyrical abilities,hip hop movement or not.If not thought-provoking then the very intriguing lines.The self-evaluation of Yung Denzl measures up to that standard with the very immersing "All i wanna do" vibe he was on.But on a wholesale,MI quite regrettably fails to do vocal justice and never really puts the icing on a some fabulously made joints.The worst victim being You are like melody.My heart skips a beat.Lorraine Chia is so breath-takingly awesome on the hook,you could listen to it forever and its really sad how MI ruins quite a high with his verses.
He gets the sound right on a couple of message-themed cuts but it doesn't help that he's set the songs up to rest on his flow.He ticks every box on Last night i had a dream about a hummingbird but on Stop! Never second guess yourself he tries to preach self-confidence and loving oneself with a big boss chic narrative.The last person that needs any such sermon.It pretty much captures the lack of effortlessness on most songs.
He beasts through I believe in me.You should too,believe in you but then there is the sheer arrogance in expecting the audience to feed off his cockiness.He doesn't in anyway try to strike a balance between his story and the listener he seeks to inspire.
Mr Incredible appeared to be having a mid-life crisis when he said he was better than 95% of american rappers and 2 years down the line, Yung Denzl only proves he still harbours such laughable thoughts.He says on I believe in me.You should too,believe in you that Pusha-T should be honoured to be mentioned in the same breath as an African King of the mic and that he was kin to BIG,2pac and Jay-Z.Thats highly outrageous.
Only bested by the irony of a rapper chastising his peers for singing on You rappers should fix up your lives and doing so himself on Love never fails but where there are prophecies,love will cease to remain.
Loyalty is probably hip hop's 3rd favourite subject after nothing to something and stunting on the haters.Hip hop isn't just music,its a culture and everyone keys into its universality with their very own reality.
MI talks loyalty to Choc city on Another thing! Do not be a groupie and it felt quite odd listening to him try to make a big deal of sticking to a label he became partner and Vice-President at since blowing up.Word had always been he was responsible for signing every artiste since Jagz and Ice Prince.Its as off as a father yelling for accolades for paying school fees.
Hip and catchiness to appeal to the core of the nigerian music market and a distinctive lyrical edge to re-awaken the consciousness of the average hip hopper.That is what nigerian hip hop needs and not a total inculcation of foreign values.MI's work can't seem to get a grip of anything.Loose and AQ's Crown works despite not having the mass appeal element because it is a lyrical magnum opus.And also noteworthily because they don't try too hard to be alien.
MI does.
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