You know an artiste by the stories they tell and Blaqbonez reminds me of the typical Gen Z artist who tilts toward money, sex, and hedonism and when he deals with these as topics, he is unstoppable. His Target audience hears him loud and clear. Blaqbonez has always experimented with bold ideas in his music and Emeka Must Shine is his latest collection, featuring an array of even better songs than you have ever heard from him. Emeka Must Shine is a prayer. He wills the album to dominate. But does it? Let’s dig into the drags.
But of course, Blaqbonez is very particular about money. One phrase you hear in this album is Nyem Ego, which means give me money. Road Runners is a song that welcomes Blaqbonez home. This sits perfectly because Emeka Must Shine was pushed back twice before its release and it must have been a relief when the album was finally complete. Black Sherif joins this track and lends a fresh energy to the heralding.
The next two tracks, 6 Business Days and Kilo sound great but are missing the bite that we have come to love Emeka for. The thing about Blaqbonez’s artistry is that when he has a complete and defined idea, he is unstoppable. When there is a complete idea, Blaqbonez can make a banger. Ice Spice is a perfect example of it. It is a catchy song, an infectious beat that you cannot help but sway to.
Nyem Ego is a magnum opus, a homage to his roots. South Eastern Hip Hop has always been flavored with high life, incorporating elements of Igbo traditional music into the composition and you would hardly find a livelier song that blends all three kinds of music as smoothly as this. It stands a cut above the rest of the tracks, no doubt buoyed by a very talented production team.
His collaboration with Victony on a dancehall-inspired track leaves very little room for them to do anything extra and they do not push it beyond two minutes, beyond where the idea expires.
Odumodublck joins Blaqbonez on Dollerz. Maintaining the same call-and-answer format for the hook, the track starts out flat, but comes alive when Odumodublvck is engaged. The instrumentals have one of the boldest ideas on the project.
Masquerade is a thoroughly enjoyable song. A complete club banger. This is perhaps Blaqbone at his most creative on this project.
Bad Till Eternity is the song where we get to meet Emeka and hear what he has been through on his way to becoming Blaqbonez.
He is a better performer than he is a producer though. No Sleep $$$, arguably one of the best tracks on this project works with Young Jonn’s direction. While it talks about hustling from Monday to Sunday, it is a song that is entirely for the dancefloor. In other words, it is a banger.
Blaqbonez tells us how much he bets himself on a track that should be one of the most intimate cuts we have heard from him yet. You would need to know that intimacy is not his style. He constantly deflects when things get too personal with the hook. Nonetheless, it is a wonderful trip.
Wait Let Me Get The Tissue is his attempt at making a sexy song. It works in the way that Blaqbonez songs work. Put a slow beat, some good bass, a soft sax and anything Blaqbonez says is sure to set the mood.
Cinderella Girl is another great song. Taking Ludacris along for the ride, this is another Blaqbonez-style love song, very fitting for his brand.
This album has some of the best beats you will find. The strengths lie in the compositions, the drums, and the atmosphere they create. Blaqbonez is not as lyrical as the other rappers in the industry. He makes music for the radio. Just something to vibe to as you drive about. Something to nod and laugh to as it plays in the background. When he is not telling his personal stories, which he rarely does, he is singing about enjoyment. It is lovely that he sings almost as much as he raps. It is even more amazing that there is great attention to detail in the sound production and mastering of the tracks on the project.
Blaqbonez presents a more refined style in this album and his creativity has taken shape. If there is an Emeka Must Shine II in the works, just know that it is going to be great.
