Album-The Chairman
Producers-
MI,Reinhard,L37,Sarz,Pheelz,Sammy
Gyang,Vstix
Features-Chigurl, Koker, Wizkid, Phyno,
Runtown, Stormrex,
Moti Cakes, Reminisce, Nosa, Milli,
Olamide, I.J, Patoranking, Ice Prince,
Sarkodie, DJ Lambo, Seyi Shay, Emmy Ace,
Beanie Man, Debbie, Morell, Loose Kaynon,
Tuface, Sound Sultan, Oritsefemi, Frank
Edwards, Nanya
Running time-75mins
How are you a wolf and a lamb on the same
album? How is M.I coming off proud as a
peacock and yet humble as the pope, in the
space of 16 tracks, and a slap gulping skit?
Before we put M.I’s brain under a
microscope in search of answers, here’s a
quick definition.
Bar Bullying- When a rap album has bars
thick enough to cause a probable, wide
spread edit of rappers’ rhymebooks.
But this is not just quotable punchlines and
glorious hooks. The chairman album sounds
like the result of an extended period of
anxiety, overweighing thoughts, pressure,
and other deep seated emotions that can
only manifest through music. Some issues
are best expressed in rhyme. This is why
this album cannot hide 4 shades of M.I
Abaga’s mind, as revealed by the music.
These shades include
The Monkey, The Brother, The Human,
The Chairman
THE MONKEY
The Chairman album
is a story of course
(image above). It is
M.I in retrospect, and
the ride through points
where he was
burdened by anxiety
with no vessel to
release it all, except
hiphop. Up until the
*scream here* RISE
LIKE A FONEEX as
Chigurl so kindly
describes to us on the
track Monkey . The
music speaks of
beginnings, journeys
and prospective ends,
that is why Rich is the
song that comes after Monkey , expressing
that period of hope and conviction. The
state of mind you would be in if your
principal called you a monkey and showered
you with multi-slap combos.
You won’t only hear songs on the album,
you’ll hear effort and attention to detail,
and this is what constitutes the happy
marriage between his deep rooted thoughts
and well laced lyrics. The penmanship is
sophisticated in its own clarity. It is an
eruption of rhymes, heavy with thought
provoking meaning, so in effect it is like M.I
is not just rapping, he is thinking out loud,
and rhymes are falling into place by
themselves
The album is an asylum, a sanctuary for
not just rap but music lovers. And for the
record if hiphop is really dead, then M.I
is the Grim Reaper !
Besides that, he is also…..a brother.
THE BROTHER
In lyrical content the album speaks of
superiority, strife, limitations, lavish life,
triumph and a substantial amount of what
it is like to be lovestruck. The Chairman is
riddled with down to earth lines that sound
like they are coming from your guy in your
neighbourhood. You can’t feel alienated
when you hear something like this ‘’I dey tin
can like de rica…see my nigga from Bariga
and Gbagada if its M Abaga them dey feel
me like jerrycan’’ ( Track 9 The Middle ).
On Shekpe with Reminisce he is promising
to buy out the bar if you run into him. A
promise he makes with words slurring and
skipping.
He comes as a regular guy on the album,
but at the same time he urges on
Monkey ..”Call me Chairman, say it
properly…I’m a genius…an anomally’’.
Chairman yes, genius yes…but still, the 3
shade shows a side of M.I he needs
everyone to remember….all that he is….is a
human.
THE HUMAN………………THE HITMAKER
The Chairman album has 2 genres.
” Hiphop”, and ”’J ust good music” . Due to
shrewdly delegated features and all that
attention to detail, you can rip off all the
rapping on the compilation and still ride
through 16 experiences of fine jamming.
You want proof? Here are some points that
are purposefully structured to give a sweet
feel
On Monkey , listen to the 3:35 mark. Listen
as it goes from music to a spell cast on
instrumentals to come alive.
On The Middle, after the starting hook,
when M.I is going ‘’uhn’’…you wait for him
to sign in his verse and then the
unexpected happens. He goes………BADDO,
and Olamide comes charging into the verse
like a tiger.
On Bad Belle , if you love trap style of
rapping, welcome home, now ride that flow
that goes ‘’this year its clear by the wrist
wear we gon separate the real men from
the children.
On Shekpe , when he goes ”one shekpe
bottle standing on the wall” oh come on just
grab a bottle and sway side to side like an
intoxicated hobo, you’ll love it…we promise.
This man understands the art of music, and
the use of diverse sounds, which is why the
song Human Being signs in with a soft
version of Dhruva Aliman’s ‘Bottom of the
sea’ and floats into a vigorous hybrid tune.
Hybrid because it is very African and very
international at the same time.
The beats on this album seem to move with
you the hearer. Like they follow your pulse,
heartbeat, breathing, the works. It’s
enigmatic. And then when they bang,
stretch or just go thumping, it’s you who
follows with your most active or controlled
body movement (This depends on your
environment, so don’t listen to Millionaira
Champagne in an office or classroom…
they’ll send you out)
THE MAN…………….THE CHAIRMAN
Triumph manifests in the story. The Phoenix
is born from the ashes. He hits the clubs
with Bullion Vans and while others make it
rain he makes it Tsunami. Flamboyant? Yes.
But with all the advice on Enemies, and the
prayer for everyone on Yours and
Chairman……the man isn’t just bragging, he
is preaching to, praying for, and
empowering you. There are songs on this
album that will strengthen your hope and
resolve for success.
The music carries people along, M.I is not
rapping for M.I ,…he is rapping for all,and
here’s a practical exercise to prove it.
It will be said that there are simple lines on
the album. But consider this. This is the
same MI that said a few years ago ”I’m
starting to see haters love a nigga like a
lying dyke, verbal pugilist..I rap into an
iron mike’’ now the same MI says…. Say
cat sabi swim no mean say he be catfish.
Exercise: Take these two lines, dump them
on social media and see which one people
react to. This is the genius of the chairman
album, it is not selfish and detached in
lyrical over complication. It is music that
everyone can relate and react to.
Brother is so heartfelt that it can make you
seek out people you have discord with and
apologize.
Listening to Rich after a discouraging day
from work can move you half to tears.
Listening to Wheel Barrow will make you
want to turn up even if its 9am on a
Monday morning.
Listening to Monkey can make you whip out
a white handkerchief and go cultural.
Listening to Enemies will teach you to watch
what you tell people, especially you ladies
And then listening to Human Being will
teach you to cut people some slack, and
understand their limitations as mere people
like you.
Verdict: Due to the density of the bars on
this album we rate it A for Adamantium .
Quick Definition: Adamantium is the name
of the metal that Wolverine’s blades are
made of. It is fictitious you say? Good then,
like this album. It is out of this world.
Lobatan!!
By lobatanafrica.com
