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#BlueTunes: Show Dem Camp, Blaqbonez, Bella Smurda Top Album Picks For October
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#BlueTunes: Show Dem Camp, Blaqbonez, Bella Smurda Top Album Picks For October 

By Omotayo Olutekunbi

Several albums and E.P.s were released in October. From Johnny Drille’s “Home” E.P. to Young Jonn’s professing his love on the “Love Is Not Enough, Vol.2” E.P. and Taylor Swift’s Midnight album, among many others.

Palmwine Music 3 – Show Dem Camp

Show Dem Camp has shown passion and consistency to its craft since its debut in 2010. Ghost and Tec have made their imprint on the music and rap industries. They have demonstrated their originality in the “Palmwine Music” series, in which they provide fierce rap and sweet melodic melodies. The 17-track New album offers greater insight into the ups and downs of romantic relationships and companionships. It has been said this would be their last album for the “Palmwine Music” series, and the theme is love and relationships.

In the “Palmwine Music” series, the Rap duo has demonstrated excellent narrative abilities, and “Palmwine Music 3” shows this on all levels. They featured various musicians, including Tems, Lojay, Oxlade, Moelogo, B.O.J., Victony, Bella, ToBi, and many more, who showed versatility on multiple tracks.

Two songs on the album, notably “First Time Caller” and “Bad Breakup,” feature various persons discussing the issues in their relationships.

The album is introduced with the song “Intro,” which has a quiet, mellow melody playing in the background as a media personality explains what the album is about.

In the song “Head over Heels,” in which Show Dem Camp and Victony discuss their romantic relationships, victony doesn’t disappoint with his intriguing vocals. The verses on the song, the Ghost and Tec, trade love stories while victony serenades us in the chorus.

With her distinctive voice and rhythmic delivery of more profound words, Tems is featured on “Live Life.” The song encourages people to live without giving a damn because there is no time to waste. In both the chorus and the lyrics, the instrumentals are prominent. This is not the first time Tems has been featured on a Palmwine Music project.

In the song “Mine Alone,” Oxlade displays his vocal prowess as the rap duo drops bars about their romantic life. Simple descriptions of their love interest, no heavy rap. This song is a repeat of my current playlist.

B.O.J., who has been part of all the Palwine Music projects, returns with another banger. He enters the scene on “Kele” with the words, “Came here to show them again (Again).” One of the duo, Ghost, continues by discussing how they rose from humble beginnings to achieve fame, their legacy and the model they set for future artists.

In the song “W.Y.W.,” Bella’s voice captures the feelings of a devasted Ex after a breakup. The song gives insight into what bitter ex-partners think following a split—the rap duo rap about ending toxic relationships. Bella expresses resentment at the ex by saying, “I hope she cheats on you; I hope she makes a fool of you. I hope she carries Belle for your friend, oh baby, I hope she, I hope she cheats on you,” The song differs from the album’s usual love ballads. I was compelled to reflect on a previous relationship with this music.

The song “Feel Something” begins with a saxophone, and Tim Lyre’s soothing vocals support it as he sings the chorus. While Ghost discusses his love interest in his verse, Tec raps about looking for something he is passionate about. Their raps blend perfectly with Tim’s singing, giving the song a sentiment of love and passion. Tim’s chorus sings to a potential love interest about how much he longs for her.

In the song “Freaky,” Mannywellz leverages his soothing voice to guide us through this sensuous melody. The rap duo communicates to their potential love partner their fantasies and desires. You get sensations of pleasure and sensuality while listening to the song.

Lojay delivers his lover boy vocals to the dancehall hit “Your Love,” while the rap duo uses their storytelling lines to depict their love interest. On the song “Rolling,” ToBi serenades us with his sensual voice. The rap duo sings and raps about their path to fame, their love of their art, and the people that stuck with them during the difficult times.

Tay Iwar addresses the effect his love interest has on him in the song “Apollo” about Pink Eye inflammation. Show Dem Camp delivered their lines as they celebrated their accomplishment and serenaded their partners.

The album came to a stunning conclusion with a song that detailed Show Dem Camp’s reflections on their path to success, their challenges, their rejection, and eventually their ultimate achievement on the theme “No Regrets.” The track advises people never to give up and keep fighting for their dreams. Moelogo takes us through the emotions in the chorus that implores us not to look back with regrets. The Saxophone serenades us at the song’s end, giving us the feeling that all will work out in the future.

“Palmwine Music 3” is a perfect ending to the trilogy. The production, vocals, featured artists, Show Dem Camp, and other parts came together flawlessly to create a unique project. Ghost and Tec’s skill as songwriters was evident in every song on the album.

I found the album to be a great listen, and during the record’s release week, I kept playing it over again.

9/10

Personal Favorities – Head Over Heels ft Victony (Live Life ft Tems) Mine Alone ft Oxlade (WYW ft Bellah) Feel Something ft Tim Lyre (Freaky ft Mannywellz) Your Love ft Lojay (Rolling ft ToBi) Apollo ft Tay Iwar (Old Flame ft LADIPOE & Nesta) No Regrets ft Moelogo

Young Preacher – Blaqbonez

On his latest album, “Young Preacher,” Blaqbonez discusses the importance of expressing the truth. This is a new theme from Blaqbonez, whoSE standard message Is sex above love. In the under-appreciated rap scene, Blaqbonez has persisted in showcasing his originality. He has amassed an enormous fanbase by consistently releasing new music and using innovative marketing techniques to promote it.

Blaqbonez showcased his songwriting skills on this 14-track album while fusing dancehall, rap, and Afropop. Instead of lecturing about love and relationships, he talks about growing up from being an unrepentant playboy, how he currently views life, and how he has survived despite his hardships.

Lojay, Amaarae, Blxckie, Cheque, Tay Iwar, Tekno, Bien of Sauti Sol, and Takura are among the artists on the album who each provide their unique feel, sound, and rhythm on their featured tracks.

The first song on the album, “Young Preacher,” is about being a preacher but still having sex with anybody he wants and being cautious not to cause any women to become pregnant. Initially, he states how difficult it was, but his songs have been topping the charts. He continues to preach about promoting sex over love.

The song “Back in Uni” was released before the album’s release and has performed remarkably well on the charts. The piece focuses on his playboy lifestyle during his time at university. He continues by preaching about how he deceived women into having sexual relations with him while promising them a relationship. Due to his repeated push to prioritize sex over love, it is not surprising. He also disclosed how he had been unfaithful to his girlfriend then. He said that females weren’t faithful, but now that he’s rich, they run to him when he calls.

The lyrics of the song “FASHIONNOVA” is about him hanging out with his buddies in a club while hunting for a female to take home. It generally refers to how much money he spends on the female who enjoys nice clothing, shoes, and other things.

He features Blxckie and Cheque in the song “Fake Nikes.” He talks about buying fake Nikes not because he can’t afford them but because the price is too high for his current status. He talks about having the right priorities. Instead of buying fancy goods, he would like to invest in cryptocurrency. Living within his means is more important to him than spending money to meet social expectations. The sounds and rhythm of Blxckie and Cheque go well together.

The song “Mazoe,” which features Bien of Sauti Sol and Takura, is about desiring a romantic partner to satisfy sexual needs and constantly wanting to fulfill one’s sexual needs yet being constrained by circumstances. The song is a masterpiece thanks to the seamless blending of the three artists’ rhythms, vocals, and styles.

He talks about his life as a superstar in the song “Star Life.” The advantages and disadvantages of how everything impacts your thinking. He expresses how lonely it may be even when there are people around him and how he wishes someone would comfort him. He also talks about how he maintains composure as a public figure.

In the song “I’D Be Waiting,” on which he samples Asa’s song “360,” he discusses the various things he has observed in the music industry. He is acting independently, moving at his speed, and not comparing himself to others. He is appreciative of his present level. It’s a great way to end the album because it encourages you to keep going, to keep trying, and to stop comparing your path to success to that of others.

Compared to his last album, “Sex Over Love,” this one has a distinct vibe. It shows his songwriting depth and his fluid flow. His features were spot on, and the album gave us a deeper look into his life. The album is a good listen if you are a fan of rap.

8/10

Personal Favorites – Young Preacher (FASHIONNOVA), Back in Uni (Fake Nikes ft Blxckie & Cheque), Mazoe ft Takura & Bien (Star Life), I’D Be Waiting 

Hypertension – Bella Shmurda

Bella Shmurda has gained widespread recognition since his breakout in 2019. Bella went from being a newbie to a rising celebrity in the industry in a relatively short time. His numerous successful tunes and collaborations have demonstrated his commitment to his craft. Your body will move to his music’s rhythm and melody.

“New Born Fela” and “Philo,” which features Omah Lay, are two of the album’s songs that Bella had released ahead of the album. The 15-track album includes notable musicians such as Simi, Phyno, Victony, Popcaan, Backroad G, Not3s, and L.A.X.

The album does not have a theme but gives a better vibe when listened to individually. He talks about prosperity, love, and the challenges of the music business.

He portrays being the new-age Fela in the song “New Born Fela.” He continues to praise his talent and himself throughout the song.

In the song “Ase,” Bella asks for blessings, which he responds to with Amen. He references life’s milestones, such as building a house, graduating, vacationing, etc. Also, in the song “Level Up,” he expresses his need to succeed in life and asks for prayers.

He discusses his business and not caring what other people think in the song “Contraband.” He has no time to listen to critics since he is just interested in making money.

A love interest is discussed in “Loose” ft. Simi. The tune has a fantastic vibe since Simi and Bella blend well together, especially when they harmonize towards the end.

Bella displays his Igbo-speaking side in the dancehall track “Converse,” which features Phyno. He talks about his love interest and how he wants to speak to her after a stressful day at work. Phyno flows effortlessly on the track. In the song “Philo,” he talks about Philo, his love interest. To give the song its flow and precise harmonies, Omah Lay infuses his lover boy’s emotions into it.

The Song “No Other” features Victony. Bella talks about his love interest, the only girl apart from his mother in his life. Victony comes in to serenade his love interest with praises.

It can be not easy to produce an album with ten or more tracks, especially if the artist is well-known and attempting to surpass the success of earlier singles. Considering the buzz around it, the album did not precisely connect with me. There wasn’t a theme for the album, so the songs were scattered. Although it’s a terrific listen, I wouldn’t repeatedly listen to the entire album. The songwriting was below standard, and practically all the tracks had a similar sound. The featured artists made an effort to live up to their standards. However, some weren’t able to accomplish that. Although the production wasn’t great, several of the tracks benefited from the inclusion of backup vocalists.

The album has several hit-worthy tracks if there is excellent P.R. to promote it. 

4/10

Personal Favorites – New Born Fela (Ase), Contraband (Loose it ft Simi), Converse ft Phyno(Fire), Philo ft Omah Lay (No Other ft Victony)

Asake, Ckay, and Waje’s projects were featured by #BlueTunes last month. Check it out here:

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