Five years after releasing his debut studio album “Magic,” Bolaji Odojukan, popularly known as BOJ, reels out his sophomore star studded LP “Gbagada Express” named after the place he grew up. The album not only served as a dispatch to his hometown, but also a vehicle for deeper connection to it. BOJ, has been anchoring the altè movement since 2010, alongside a slew of creators earmarked from the popular music group DRB Lasgidi, formed in 2007, and have been poised to exporting and have famed the altè subculture in the mainstream.
“Gbagada Express” reflects a range of topics, drilled from a collection of sounds including afro-fusion & afro-pop, alongside a slew of spontaneous artistes from the Altè pioneers and Afrobeats Blockbusters. The power of this project is on its star-studded nature, it had 20 creators at its helm of affairs, meanwhile BOJ, had his solo space which was introduced on a triple track effort were he expansively explored his range with as much as every single collaboration on the album adds to its magic and supports the movement.
The album is a golden offering that takes him back to his roots coupled with a plethora of experiences hinged, a track in form of an interlude influenced by Teezee, also one of the core altè pioneers on “Yarning Many,” is coined to story how the movement began and where it is currently approaching. While a track like the English rapper Enny assited — “Culture”, crowns BOJ as the prince of senrere (a Yoruba lingua to address one who does anyhow he/she wants), senator of jaiyé (enjoyment), and the governor of merriment.
Fireboy DML’s Influenced “Owo Ni Koko” is the right opener. “In A Loop” featuring Ghanaian Moliy and Melissa strikes the chord specially by using watery piano and its progressive sonic experience which cuts across the thematic nature of the record “In A Loop” talks about a problematic and a cheating love interest that have gone stuck and is described as one in a loop.
“Emotions,” Victony’s Influenced “Unconsciously”, Bnxn and Fresh L’s contribution on the mellow “Lekki Love”, alongside “Abracadabra” fortified by Davido & Mr Eazi, and Prettyboy D-O’s edgy assist on the Dancehall rhythmic “Confam”, are stand out records from the LP. Tiwa Savage and Afro Nation Influenced “Your Love (Mogbe)” closed the album on a quiet and proportional state by influsing afro-pop, and serene R&B fusion exquisitely.
“Awolowo” remix featuring Wizkid and Darkovibes was good, however, I couldn’t help but wonder whether a Burna Boy assist could’ve put it on a higher pedestal. with a Burna Boy assist should have put the track on the best pedestal. While the feel good “Money & Laughter” assisted by Zamir and Amaarae talks about a love that piques the interest of BOJ, as he requested to know what she’s after either money or laughter and he proceeds to describe how he feels about her as much as he unveils his abundantly risque prospective intentions.
Zamir and Amaarae are special to the core, they reflected their range alongside as Kofi Jamar and Joey B assisted “Get Out The Way,” coasts and expands the beauty of Brooklyn’s drill music with efforts of each act laid down respectively.
“Gbagada Express” should be respected for several reasons as follows: first for a resounding qualitative LP that drives its way through 13 packed features which was successfully developed and strongly executed the idea of BOJ dispatching to the place he grew up. Secondly enhancing the alté movement by cherry picking the right selections. And apart from that, the album also cuts across several topics and sounds that fully stakes BOJ as the Daddy of the movement he proclaims.
