It was early November and it was officially PrettyBoy Szn because his debut project Everything Pretty just dropped. It’s a project that was pushed a couple of times ahead of the original release date but I guess that’s just DO trying to make everything picture/sound perfect. I like him because he’s a perfectionist with the music and doesn’t leave anything to chance.
The first time I came across PrettyBoy’s music was stumbling upon ‘Peter Piper’ on SoundCloud, it was generating a lot of plays at the time. After a first listen I was hooked, I mean this guy is someone who knows what to do with melodies and he’s got stacks of them in the bag. I immediately did some digging around and found some old tunes he did, Lord Vino also had him on a couple of his tracks and I became familiar with his sound.
One of his biggest singles ‘Footwork’ dropped around this time last year which he followed another hit single, ‘Chop Elbow’ and that was it, I became a Stan. It’s something special you know, you’re listening to this guy and you already know he’s doing what he likes and you can tell he’s not trying to hop on anyone’s lane but instead dominate his own Freeway. It’s time to hop into the 13 track project and hear what D-O has in store track by track.
The Motto
Classic Chess Move for the intro. You can never go wrong with having your mum’s prayer on the first track of your debut album, nice touch. PrettyBoy’s “No be by Rollie, No be by G Wagon” line is my new favorite thing. The beat on this track is really subtle and DO is very comfortable on it. This hook is infectious. This is feel-good music and motivation music all in one. DO raps brilliantly on the beat. Couldn’t think of a better start to the album. He’s making it clear he’s not here to be distracted by petty things, getting his money and he’s out.
Man’s out here “tryna get en mama Motor”.
Shawn Michael
These keys on this treacle are something else, it’s produced by Higo so I didn’t expect less. Meanwhile, DO is killing the beat like No tomorrow, I feel like this is his forte, he feels so at ease with the beat and Is flowing without the slightest difficulty. Feel like everyone knows this already but DO makes the dirtiest sexual songs sound so sensual. This one is definitely a banger and should be on the radio. Definitely going on the sex playlist also. It’s going to be an awesome hit.
Terminate Feat. Suga Bana
I wasn’t sure about this song when I first heard it, assumed it was another cliché reggae song with a high tempo beat. Guess who turned out to be wrong, a couple dozens listens later and I’m hooked. The sound engineering on this record is exceptional. I didn’t know Sugabana before now but he definitely has a future in The Naija Shepeteri /reggae scene. The record makes me want to bring out my inner Daddyshowkey.
Pata Pata/ No Drama Feat. July Drama
This is some patois level, for all his listeners “that blow trees to pass time and strategize on how to get the Rabba”. The funny thing about this track is it keeps waiting for a baseline that doesn’t drop till it ends, switching the beat to another tempo completely. Another smokers anthem with nice production from July Drama, this track allows us to enjoy the instrumental for a bit. I think July Drama has one of the best producer tags on the scene. “Why you so Dramatic ?”
“Warri girls hot like tobacco, Body smoking like Tobaggo, No baby I don’t Miss like Lukaku”
Jargon
The skit at the beginning of this track is a Nigerian Blackberry VoiceNote classic and I’m loving it.
This is trademark DO, I can literally hear this song on my speakers over the ‘Cuffin’ season. Prettyboy showing off his different flows on this track, you can tell he’s something special, he makes all this sound so easy and effortless. Undeniable Talent. Another good track.
“When they hear the beat them say this one Na banger”
Pull Up Feat. Santi
PrettyBoy X Santi is the duo we never knew we needed. As much as they seem like different artists, PrettyBoy and Santi are very similar in terms of their art basically because they’ve decided to stick to what they do best, master it, own it and be the best at their original sounds. This is a dope track. Big ups Santino, DO I’m sorry but I think Santi ate this song.
“These Niggas funny like Akpororo”
Rabba Man Feat. Esojay Luciano
Motivational Voicenote from the Fresh Prince Teezee for the high spirit at the beginning.
This is a jammmmm, PrettyBoy showing us how hard he can rap when he decides to do so, sounding really good and that energy is mad level.
I think he should rap more. Honestly, the energy DO bring to the studio is nothing short of admirable.
Essojay just closed the show with his opening line, It’s only natural he drops a perfect verse on a track called Rabba man. Esojay makes Scamming/Drug dealing sound like an envious trade. I mean the Jay Z vibes he gives are so sleek. Our very own Jigga Man.
Awilo Meow Interlude
This one is a ladies anthem, This is rated explicit and made for nights of Rated R sex. I foresee this track a shutdown in the club and everywhere, for real. Mad Production from Babmino on this Interlude.
Prettyboy always sticks to the content of each track, giving you his own narrative while keeping it pleasing to his listeners.
No wahala
Call him king of the melodies, because that is what he is with this hustle minded track. This is a high-spirited song and I’m guessing it was produced by July Drama. I would love to watch him in the studio and observe his creative process. Catchy song.
“Ask my Nigga Joey, how we used to hustle back in 06”
Chop Elbow Feat. Falz
Rebel anthem right here, it’s only right Falz is on the official version. I love this song because as much as it is funny and heart lifting, it addresses social issues like police brutality and the present situation of the country politically. If there was a rebellion against the present government right now, this would be the theme song. DO doesn’t disappoint on his verse which is expected.
Itty Bitty
This was also a single and it dropped early this year. It has that “Gwan Big up Yourself” vibe to it. This was made for summertime and sundresses. I think that’s because the hook of the song was only slightly tweaked. Nevertheless, a very catchy song and DO does the usual. The visuals to this track are also amazing.
Mi Mother.
Okay, the title of this is really misleading because one would think the song was about his mum but it’s actually a love song and a very good one.
I’m loving that sample on the instrumental at the end of the hook, (something from Jimmy Jatt and Wizkid’s “Feeling the Beat”). Big ups July Drama.
The quality of production on this project is admirable and excellent so far.
Footwork
An undeniable classic, makes you want to hit that premium Daddy Showkey galalala every time it comes on, this was the track that made me a DO fan. His flow on this is out of this world, he also blends in the melodies pretty well, our very own “Shepeteri/ Post Malone”. Another July Drama classic.
Overall, this is an awesome debut project. I might sound like an excited fan and that is because I am.
I have to applaud PrettyBoy big for challenging himself enough and creating such a good body of work. Going into the project I didn’t know what to expect and honestly, I thought I was going to go through shallow and filler tracks but the depth of the project is mind-blowing. I think his work ethic is one that every new artist trying to break out should emulate because it’s pretty obvious the amount of work he puts into his projects. Attention to detail is wonderful and no factor is overlooked.
In the words of Twitter user:
Really feel like DO is the chosen one, with the mission to unite alte and shepeteri. He occupies a unique position and has to maximise the p.
— delz erinle (@wolfofnewstreet) November 28, 2018
If you haven’t listened to “Everything Pretty” you should stop what you are doing and listen to it right now. I too believe that DO is the chosen one and I’m not going to put him in a box and limit him but he has a mission and it is our job as a music community to protect him at all costs.
Written By Enimola Shola Austin.
