Roughly a year and a half ago, PrettyboyDO, born Donald Ofik, released his genre-bending, eclectic and energetic debut project, Everything Pretty which relatively propelled him to mainstream consciousness after years of being underground. The Lagos-based artiste got co-signs from major acts like Davido and he went on to headline his first major show later that year. Standout tracks from the project like Footwork, Pull Up which features Love Renaissance signee, Santi, and Chop Elbow showcased his talent, range, and versatility and also made him one to pay attention to.
After a couple of singles and just enough snippets to keep fans entertained and expectant, PrettyboyDO is back with his sophomore project aptly titled Wildfire.
Wildfire is a perfect follow up to his debut project as he pretty much picks up where he left off. However, here, his sound is more refined. His effortless blend of sing-rap and dazzling, sweet-sounding pop hooks not only highlights his undeniable and unquestionable talent but also the maturity in his sound now.
‘Man I say na all of you, waka/ And when we come for you, you dey scatter’, the first two lines of the hook for ‘Waka’, the opening track of the project perfectly encapsulates PrettyboyDO’s energy. He’s not here for games. Unlike Everything Pretty which opens with his mother’s prayers, here, he’s coming for his naysayers right of the bat with his unmatched vim. This energy spills over to the pre-released, trap-influenced ‘Odeshi’. The word Odeshi was coined from the Igbo phrase ‘O Dighi Eshi’ which loosely translates to ‘There are no leaks’ or being impregnable. Again, he’s addressing his ‘enemies’ and naysayers and he’s daring them to take their best shots as he’s indomitable.
He viciously spits ‘They wanna come for the boy, Odeshi go back to sender sender/ They wanna take shots, Odeshi go back to sender sender’ over Higo’s bouncy drums and keys. Tim Lyre superbly complements PrettyBoyDO as he delivers witty one-liners with fluid flow.
The extremely catchy and melodious ‘Mentally’ sees PrettyboyDO deep in his singing bag, delivering an exquisite hook and verse alongside Ayo Wani who equally comes through with a glossy verse. ‘Bulala’ follows the same lane as he uses his heavily auto-tuned voice, somewhat like Playboi Carti’s to good effect.
‘Wetin You Smoke‘, the standout track on the project sees PrettyboyDO and rap veteran, Olamide trade verses over an astounding beat by rising producer and Spaceshipboy latest signee Telz. Both artistes attacked the beat from all sides like a lethal strike partnership. With the way they managed to find an amazing pocket of spaces, one would assume the beat is a leaky defense. They were in tandem throughout as they combined well and switched flows & cadences effortlessly – Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole would be proud. If PrettyboyDO plays his cards right, he has a potential hit on his hands.
On the aforementioned Chop Elbow, a standout track from his debut project, PrettyboyDO voices his frustration and addresses certain socio-political issues in Nigeria. In an interview he had with NativeMag back in 2018 he explained the inspiration behind the song: ‘’The song was inspired by the police stopping me for having kpoli on me, they wanted me to give them money, but I could see it in their eyes that they were high, too. And when I got back to the studio, I started freestyling about all the things that make me angry.’’
He follows the same route on ‘Reality’. Awash in sentiments based on experience, he employs vivid lyrics to address similar issues. You can sense the exasperation in his voice as he cries out,, “The hustle here in naija causes insanity, it causes insanity, it causes insanity’’. The project closes out with the pre-released ‘Dey Go Hear Wehh‘ which sounds even better in the context of the project and points to just how cohesive the project is.
PrettyboyDO’s strongest currency has always been his clear sonic distinction and the authenticity in his sound. He’s not the sturdiest or wittiest songwriter out there nor does he possess the best singing voice. He however possesses a unique style and he leverages on that, the way he weaves vibrant raps and autotuned singing is next to none.
PrettyBoy DO isn’t trying to recreate formulaic radio-friendly hits or put a spin on an oversaturated sound. Even when he seems to be doing so, his energetic performance and dynamic flows and unique rap-singing distinguish him and while Wildfire might not necessarily take PrettyboyDO to new heights, it’s definitely a step up from his previous work as he sounds fresher and more vigorous for his claim to stardom.
