Wizkid’s Made In Lagos album review
Made in Lagos, Wizkid’s highly anticipated album was finally released last night October 29th 2020 at 11:11. Social media was abuzz with expectation, and rightly so, it’s release date has been delayed once or twice.
We first heard about it in 2018 and then received a release date of October 15th 2020, but due to the events surrounding the #EndSars protests, out of respect, the album was postponed to the 29th.
Wizkid has not released an album since Sounds From The Other Side in 2017, that album featured strategic collaborations from a lot of artists on the US charts and failed to win over the hearts of his core Nigerian fans.
I finally had a chance to listen to it, and on first impressions, I like it, I like it a lot.
But I don’t love it.
The 14 track Made in Lagos features a blend of global sounds from Nigeria, Jamaica, UK and the US. It contains Nigeria’s African Giant Burna boy on Ginger, Tem’s Silky R&B voice on Essence, Kingston’s Damien Marley on Blessed – which I predict will be widely well received. London’s Skepta and Ella Mai on Longtime and Piece Of Me, and California’s H.E.R on Smile.
Wizkid’s sound here is sexier and more sophisticated than before; this is his most cohesive album to date. Every song flows well into the other; he merges the creative use of horns, (although it’s heavy on the sax) and guitar chords in Afrobeat with the mid-tempo groove of Afro-swing and Afro-fusion.
What we get is an album that has a very chilled vibe, definitely made for grown folks; however, none of the songs touches any of his greatest hits. I’m interested to see which of these songs will be performed at the next Wizkid concert.
That said Wizkid makes great hits, he always has, and this album contains a fair few. But some of them are growers and not showers.
If you think you don’t like it, I’d suggest you listen with an open mind and sit in it for a minute or two for you to find your faves.
Lastly, stay up to date with all you need to know about African music at SOA, right here.
