Afropop Vol 1: AG Baby is Our Baby

     Adekunle Gold's transformation from Adékúnlé Gold of Gold, his debut album, to AG Baby of Afro Pop, Vol. 1 is a curious case of Benjamin Button syndrome. You know...because he aged his image backwards. He even has "baby" in his new moniker. 😂
     But this transformation, this reverse-aging, is not necessarily a bad thing. I loved the Adékúnlé Gold of Gold and so did my parents. His sound transcended generations such that every time we were on a long drive, my dad would request his album with excitement. However, his new sound is transcendent, in its own way. After all, it is very telling of Adekunle's talent that he is able to transform so radically and yet, remain quite relevant. 
    Let's see what he packed into this album, shall we?

1. "AG Baby": This song is a perfect, perfect introduction to this new Adekunle Gold. It's a new sound, yes, but beneath the backing track, you can hear stirrings of sax that remind you of the agbada-clad Adékúnlé Gold and it's heartwarming. One can't help but join Nailah Blackman to encourage him: "Eh, eh, AG Baby, don't stop."
2. "Sabina": The track production on this song is breathtakingly innovative. I cannot say the same about the chorus, though. We kind of see Adekunle descend into his usual, repetitive chorus strategy and it works against this song. In the verses, though, especially verse one, where he decides to take a risk, it pays off and his lyrics land perfectly.  
3. "Pretty Girl" : This song is MAD! Patoranking's hook kind of sounds like the beginning hook of Burna boy's "Ja Ara E", but I'm not even mad because this song takes it to the next level. The girl power in this song is Beyonce's "Brown Skin Girl"- level and it warms my heart. I can't help but compare this to the disaster that was Burna Boy's "Comma" (read more here). My only issue with this song is that it gets a little repetitive about three-quarters into the song and it starts to drag, but only a little.
4. "Okay": Okay, Uncle Kunle, I see you. When I was listening to this song to review it, I kept trying to type, but the song won't let me. It was like, "I'm not done with you yet. Vibe some more." This is my favorite song on the album. It's so beautifully Adekunle Gold, especially those lyrical rhymes in the chorus. Hmmm!
5. "Here for Ya": One of my favorite things in the world is when an afro song has a beat drop. Please, which smoothie is Pheelz drinking to fuel his creativity and do they do international shipping?
6. "Exclusive": This song is the most pop-sounding on the entire record and it does not do Adekunle justice. At all. We all know this: Adekunle Gold's voice has a melody of its own. So when you mix it with a very pop-ish, melodic production like the one on this song, it legitimately sounds like choir practice gone wrong. Especially that chorus. If you don't believe me, compare it to when Olayinka Ehi comes in on verse two. See how well her voice falls in with the melody of the backing track? The song is dope; I just really wish they let her sing the chorus. I feel like it would have taken this track to "AG Baby" status.
7. "Firewood": This song is okay. It's one of those songs that you either really like or just don't really care for. You can't dislike it because it's not bad. It's just...there.
8. "Something Different": This song has over 3 million streams on Spotify and I understand why. Everything in this song just lands: the beat, the melodies, the lyrics, the message, you name it. In some ways, one could argue that Adekunle Gold's transformation has not allowed for the deep messaging of songs like "Ire" or "Fame" to shine through. But in "Something Different," we see a glimpse of that soulful songwriter and it's satisfying.
9. "Water Carry Me":  This song is so satisfying. It's like eating rice and stew from a buka. It's not some fancy gourmet dish, but it's classic and it's sweet and you hate when it finishes. 
10. "My Ex": Sometimes you don't have enough words, so you rely on emojis to convey your message: 😁😁😁😁