Months after dropping one of the best albums last year, Nigerian music star BlaqBonez ushers in another phase of his career with his new album “Young Preacher”, where he seeks not only to assert his position in Nigeria and Africa’s music space but also to provide a medium for reechoing his belief in self-liberation and spreading his truth.
His persona as someone who loathes the institution of emotional attachment and monogamy and a preacher of doom of the institution of love has garnered support and disagreements from all angles. You may not agree with his theories, but you cannot deny how talented and versatile he is as a creative. He has constantly churned out content to drum home his theories as well as showcase his creativity.
His album “Young Preacher” was ushered in by his internet-breaking video for his lead single, “Back In Uni”. The 14-track project features Lojay, Amaarae, and Tekno, among others. The album is a sequel to his previous album, Sex > Love, where Blaqbonez made known his belief that sex is the best medium for expressing one’s love. In his new album, he reechoes such beliefs as well as takes time to address other things about himself, and life and spread the gospel according to Blaq. One thing that caught my attention is how he was able to beautifully sample classics ‘Run Away’ by Styl Plus and ‘Forever’ by Paul play for his songs in ‘Young Preacher’ and ‘Loyalty’.
The album’s narrative is built on the youthful experiences of today’s young adults which hinges between sex, drugs, and relationships we form along the line. Sonically, Blaqnonez has always been on point with his genre-bending abilities. As such we see him move through diverse genres on this project while maintaining his originality and sticking to the theme.
He takes a small diversion on songs like Young Preacher, I’ll be waiting, Hot Boy, Fake Nikes, and Starlife, where he delves into his past by addressing issues about his father’s absence, and how fame and stardom continue to shape his mindset. While he enjoys the girls and the attention it brings, he is taking his time to do the right thing and take the right steps as he uses his fame to fight the demons that he has been fighting. Blaq truly is a family man. He recognizes how important family is and he desires to do anything it takes to be there for them.
His stance on Fake Nikes may be controversial, but this writer understands the message. Because life gets sticky, it would be best to spend the money you make wisely because when all the fame and attention is gone it is just you. He also talks about how all the glamour of the star life gets pretty lonely and he needs something more than a casual sexual encounter which in my view is a brief moment of weakness. Blaqbonez may not admit it, but there is still pain from his past which he still deals with but would rather bury his pain in lust and music.
The other themes of sex and polygamy of the project are seen through the other songs starting with the first song ‘Young Preacher’ to Back on my BS. Even in YP where he seems to go a bit off the main theme, there are lines where he talks about turning to sex to cope with what he is dealing with. At some point, this writer must admit that Blaq is not all talk. He knows what he is about and how to go about his business.
In Blaq’s opinion, everything centers around sex and it is a strong way of expressing one’s love among many things. Blaq comes off as a very sexually active person. His love for sex is so much, he admits that he may never be loyal and as such would stay away from a relationship. He recognizes that there are women that would want something stronger but ‘Streets na cruise and them go cheat on you’ rings heavenly in his head. It is my opinion that Blaq may actually be scared of being hurt after the pile of heartbreaks he left since his uni days. His streak is so much, he believes only God can save him. For someone who has served a lot of breakfast, it is understandable why he is constantly preaching against commitment.
In She Loves Igbo and FashionNova, Blaq shares light on other lifestyles exhibited by young people, in this case, women. The latter talks about women who love living a rich life and like to spend on themselves to look their best. This song alludes to the fact that to look that good, you need to spend money, and all the fine babes do not come cheap. The former touches on how young adults love the consumption of drugs. Sex and drugs move like 5 and 6. Blaq uses this song to celebrate women that give off a vibe as they consume the substance.
A preacher, a teacher, and a genius are all attributes Blaqbonez embodies through this project. This project provides us with some clarity into why Blaq is bent on fighting the institution of committed relationships. His trail of heartbreaks in Back in Uni and testimony on Whistle are warning signs to people venturing into relationships that while you may love your partner with all your love, they may end up cheating on you and breaking your heart. Blaq’s reality is like many young adults who have been left with so many broken hearts they would settle for something casual than something more because, in the end, loyalty has become rare.
Dominated by multiple genres, the album depicts his rich range of artistry. He may not be an excellent vocalist, but he sure knows how to sync his vocals with the production to sound just right. The different elements (samples, collaboration, genres, and writing) of the project mean this album can enjoy a good amount of commercial success across multiple genres.
