GlamReview: Bashorun Gaa by 9ice!

Released: Dec. 2011

Label: Alapomeji Records

Distributor: T. Joe

Length: 60:09

Producers: T.Y Mix, Spellz, Sossick, Cheepo, Pastorchild, Puffy T.

After a brief hiatus from the music scene, the Alapomeji Records artiste returns with his 4^th studio album, Bashorun Gaa (same name as the title of legendary Yoruba warrior who dethroned and murdered kings in his time). It is one of the double albums released by 9ice in Dec 2011- the second being “Versus”, both being distributed by T.Joe.

The album was first announced after the release of its first and only single “Shakashiki” which shows 9ice deviating into the Juju genre. The single was well received by fans and it received as much air-play and club spin. Bashorun Gaa, though delayed, was much anticipated due to the publicity gained from the 9ice-Ruggedman beef during the year.

Contribution to the album’s production came from a wide range of producers including T.Y Mix producing almost half of it. Others include Spellz & Cheepo, Bashorun Gaa was the first 9ice album to feature works from Sossick and Pastorchild also the first not to include I.D. Cabasa production.

It is not much of a conceptual album, covering the regular braggadocio theme on most tracks and spreading other topics on the remaining few. The album shows 9ice’s knack for boasting lyrics. 

CONTENT
The album opens with “Pacesetters”, the only song with a featured guest. It is the perfect opener for a comeback album and it features the fast-rising rapper, Vector. The YSG artiste took the first verse after the hook on the T.Y Mix beat. Though a line like 'getting you higher the brandy' may seem a little weak for the closing bar, Vector still held his own against one of the best lyricists in the country paying back the favor for 9ice's killer chorus on his own single “Angeli Mi”.

“Everyday” is the second track on the album. On the song with a love theme, 9ice appreciates and talks about proposing to a lover who stood by him through hard times. The video of the song was recently released.

“Mu Number” incorporates an Indian tune in the instrumental produced by Spellz. It is a semi-dance song which is sure to get constant spins in the house parties and local/indigenous events.

           
“3310, Ori Olowo and Attitude” are based on a braggadocio theme. On "3310", he boasts about his lyrical prowess, on "Ori Olowo"; his money and on "Attitude"; both. Only that “Attitude” compensates with a nice up-tempo instrumental best fit for any dance party and is a potential hit if pushed as a single.

“Simple Strategy, "Adigun Ojuwon’lo" and "We Are Ready” all take a Juju/Fuji turn. 9ice switches his style into a more indigenous and unpredictable flow. The instrumentals of these songs especially "Simple Strategy" creatively incorporates local drum patterns and percussions and the 3^rd verse lyrically sounds Afrobeat.

“I Rule” and “Display” bring back the 9ice we fell in love with on the “Gongo Aso” album. 9ice emphasizes his rhymes on both songs. “I Rule” is spiced with adages and the Pastorchild-produced song is a southern hip-hop instrumental similar to ‘‘My People’’ produced by Cheepho on the ‘‘Tradition’’ album. "Display" is a dance track sung in English and it’s the only song on the album produced by Puffy T.

“Omo” and “Takoto”, both dance songs, follow each other. While the former, produced by Cheepho has the fastest tempo on the album, "Takoto’s" beat is of a slower tempo and is more hip-hop and is the second Pastorchild production. 

“Enife” and “So Fun Won” are both produced by Sossick and 9ice directs the message of the two songs to anyone bent on bringing him down saying he’s unstoppable and backed by God.

“Don’t Go” is not a song we usually hear on Nigerian albums these days. It is the kind of song you will expect from the likes of the legendary Ebenezer Obey and I.K. Dairo, only on a higher tempo. The ballad is directed towards wives urging them to respect their husbands and warns them of the outcome of the opposite. 

The album closes with ‘‘Buje Budanu’’. This is another detour into the Juju/Fuji genre. On the song, 9ice eulogizes the rich businessmen and politicians just like a regular Fuji artiste would do.

Considering the album’s time, length and number of songs, the 18-tracker comes with a couple of songs with short verses making the album sound rushed or improvised. Though with few album fillers, Bashorun Gaa makes up with great production. It is the kind of album that you have to listen to over and over again before it can be felt.

      
Unlike Gongo Aso and Tradition, Bashorun Gaa may be a setback from 9ice’s hit-making status with little probability of spawning as much hit singles, but 9ice still keeps it as tuneful and melodious as possible.

      
Bashorun Gaa may not be the perfect comeback album and might not have presented the performer as his usual distinct self, it is sure to still keep 9ice relevant as far as the Nigerian music industry is concerned.

by @itspunchline

GlamReview: VERSUS by 9ice!

RELEASED: December, 2011

LABEL: Alapomeji Records

DISTRIBUTOR: T. Joe

LENGTH: 76:39

PRODUCERS: Cheepho, Spellz, Puffy T, TY Mix, D Tunes, El Ghana, I.D Cabasa, Red Eye.

  

Versus is the second CD from the double album released by Nigerian artiste 9ice under his label ‘ALAPOMEJI Records’.

It was also distributed by T.Joe Distribution Ltd. This album is one of the most anticipated of the year due to the concept behind it. It was said that 9ice would work with an artiste on each song, then the duo would go head to head in the friendly battle as it is written on the album cover ‘THE BATTLE LINE IS DRAWN’. The album art shows 9ice’s shirt being pulled by some of the featured artistes.

Unlike 'Bashorun Gaa' where production was mostly handled by T.Y Mix, Versus features more of Cheepho’s work but still garners instrumentals from other producers like Puffy T, Spellz and also 9ice’s long time friend I.D Cabasa producing one song on the 17 tracker.

The theme of the album ranges from sex, relationship and love to braggadocio and growing up. The album does not only feature mainstream artistes but also showcases up and coming talent mostly from his Alapomeji Records.

CONTENT

The album opens with one of the most anticipated song, the 9ice-Tuface duet, a slow tempo track titled ‘Beautiful’ where Tuface shows his dexterity and 9ice talks about coming up and learning from hard experiences. 

It follows with ‘My Way’ which features Ghanaian musical trio ‘VIP’. This song may not have pulled it off lyrically but still complements with good chemistry. The song was produces by both PuffyT and Ghanaian producer El Ghana making it the only song that features two men on the board.

The tempo is sped up on the 3^rd track ‘On Point’, a dance collaboration with Wizkid. It contains an easy to memorize hook and the usual Wizkid repetitive lyrics. It is a perfect Nigerian club song.

            

The track ‘Increase the tempo’ follows even though the title contradicts with the pace of the song. The song features Banky W and it covers a sexual theme. It is similar to ‘Bluetooth’ from the Tradition album. 

On ‘Safe Journey’, 9ice and Kayefi talks about moving on after going through a dysfunctional relationship. The song highlights an outstanding chemistry between the pair.

          

Next is ‘Everything’, a 9ice-Tiwa Savage duet. This song can be regarded as a sequel to ‘Safe Journey’. On this track, both singers talk about their past painful relationship and also plans on forgiveness and reconciliation. It is the only T.Y Mix-produced piece on the album.

‘All The Way’ follows. The song features the Okoye brothers, P-Square, in which they deliver a semi-gospel/party anthem. 

Following 9ice vs P-Square is the song titled ‘I Matter’ featuring Timaya, the other half of the 2 songs is produced by Puffy T. It is of a braggadocio theme and it depicts 9ice at his cockiest.

           

Whenever Seriki breathes on a song, it becomes as humorous as it can get. It is no different on the next track which focuses on a more sexual theme. Both 9ice and Seriki brag about the size of their genitals where the upcoming Alapomeji Records rapper kills it in less than a standard verse. 

It follows with the 9ice vs Kwa Kese track. The Ghanaian act sings his local dialect making it hard for an average 9ice fan to sing along but later breaks into pidgin at the end of the song. This is only the song produced by Red Eye.

        

The Duncan Mighty feature comes next. It was produced by Duncan Mighty himself. The song features a more conscious 9ice in which he takes a shot at the government and their followers tagging them “deceivers and fools” respectively. 

The song gets a bit humorous when 9ice suggests that the country will be a better place if elected politicians, swear in to local gods, Ogun and Sango to be precise.

           

The next two tracks 'Safarawe' and 'Agbamatase' features rappers M.I and Mode 9 respectively . 

On Safarawe, 9ice sends out a diss message to someone he claims his fans know and then goes head-to-head with Mode in  an ‘adage vs punchline’ song on Agbamatase . 

'Health is Wealth' follows as 9ice and KWAM 1 dish out health tips and advices. The song also talks about cleanliness, environmental management, disadvantages of self medication.

         

‘Loni Ni’ which features the the Late DaGrin is next. This is probably the most popularly accepted song on the album. Though it was released earlier this year, it still sounds fresh enough to make the album. 

Following it is collaboration with Wizboy. The up and coming artiste outdoes 9ice in just one verse and also delivers a fine hook in Igbo language on a classic Cheepho instrumental.

The album closes with 'Appetizer'. It is also another song with a sexual theme. It features Alapomeji Records 'Ajayi Brovas'. The song has a remix with the same verses and hook but different instrumentals though it does not show up in the album.

With every song on the album being a duet, it gives 9ice half as much chance to experiment and shine which he still does showing his lyrical prowess and making use of Yoruba adages which isn’t so present in 'Bashorun Gaa'. 

Another incredible fact is that the album cuts across all genre of music from R‘n’B, Rap to Juju and even Fuji. Even with that 9ice still blends in and develops the necessary chemistry to produce tracks with a broader soundscape.

          

Though the album may not have seen 9ice at his peak and the most anticipated D’banj feature was probably a hoax or couldn’t just materialize for some reasons even as his picture was on the album art with the other featured artistes, it still came out satisfactory and therefore receives a B-rating.

                                                  

by @itspunchline