The Evil Genius: A culmination of Mr Eazi’s creative journey on one album
Afropop superstar Mr Eazi is one of the most hard-working African artists who always seeks to push boundaries that elevate his music.
The proof is not only in his last musical project Choplife Soundsystem – a groundbreaking studio project and a touring rave that involved a myriad of Africa’s talents to put a unique African spin on the mobile sound systems that are the backbone of Jamaican dancehall culture. His latest album that he drops today is yet another push forward in creativity and genius.
The 16-track album features an impressive collaboration of artists such as Benin’s very own legend Angelique Kidjo, Tekno from Nigeria, Ghana’s Efya, two more Nigerian artists Whoisakin and Joeboy, and not forgetting the three-time Grammy winners Soweto Gospel Choir who hail from South Africa; creating a melting pot of diversity in one offering.
The album was also worked on by producers from all over the world, and was recorded in seven different countries: namely Benin, Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, London; Los Angeles and New York City.
What culminated from those travels and collaborations is his long-awaited solo debut The Evil Genius, released via the artist’s own emPawa Africa.
Listen here: https://empawaafrica.lnk.to/TheEvilGenius
But long before this release, the artist has been hard at work carving a music journey that is accompanied by feeling and art – releasing successful singles and music videos that have made an undeniable mark in the music scene.
Those single releases include ‘Legalize’, ‘Chop Time, No Friend’, ‘Advice’ and ‘Fefe Ne Fefe’; with his latest being ‘Exit’ released just last week Sunday. ‘Exit’ features the iconic Soweto Gospel Choir and is said to be, in many ways, the centerpiece of this long-awaited project. The track was conceived during a period of inner turmoil and strife, it’s one of the Nigerian singer’s most personal and inward-looking songs to date, but also one of his most triumphant.
“When I wrote this song, I was disappointed in everything —the music business, feeling betrayed by my friends,” Mr Eazi says. “But, in the midst of feeling disappointed, I was thankful.”
Together, the songs reveal the most personal work from Mr Eazi, as he delves deeply into subjects like love, betrayal, loneliness, and family, expressed through three distinctive acts.
In a first-of-its-kind fusion of African music and art, Mr Eazi commissioned visual artists from across the continent to create a unique, physical art piece to represent each of the album’s 16 tracks. Noting a lack of meaningful collaboration between Africa’s exploding pop music scene and the continent’s fine art creators, Mr Eazi personally handpicked 13 artists, representing eight African countries, adding art curator and patron to his already extensive resume of pursuits.
These visual artists who contributed to the project are: Alpha ODH (Nairobi, Kenya), Chinaza Nkemka (Lagos, Nigeria), Dominique Zinkpe (Cotonou, Benin), Edozie Anedu (Lagos, Nigeria), Elangwe Sesse (Cameroon), Ikechukwu Christian (Lagos, Nigeria), Kufa Makwavarara (Zimbabwe/South Africa), Patricorel (Cotonou, Benin), Samuel Tete-Katchan (Accra, Ghana), Sandra Seghir (Dakar, Senegal), Sinalo Ngcaba (Cape Town, South Africa), Tammy Sinclair (Abuja, Nigeria), Tesprit (Lomé, Togo).
And as part of the rollout, Mr Eazi has been inviting the public to experience the music alongside the art at multi-sensory exhibition listening experiences, with the first two taking place in Accra, Ghana and London (where it was part of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair) earlier this month. The exhibition will next head to Mr Eazi’s home country of Nigeria, where it will appear as a special project within ART X Lagos, West Africa’s premier international art fair, in November. Additional exhibition locations are soon to be announced.
Tracklist
1. Olúwa Jọ̀
Produced by: E Kelly, Stikmatik, Timmy, Mr Eazi
2. Advice
Produced by: M.O.G Beatz
3. Òròkórò (feat. Angélique Kidjo)
Produced by: Kel-P
4. Chop Time, No Friend
Produced by: Killbeatz, Andre Vibez
5. Notorious
Produced by: Kel-P, AoD
6. Panadol
Produced by: Type A
7. Jamboree (feat. Tekno)
Produced by: Yung Willis
8. Good Lovin’ (feat. Efya)
Produced by: Type A
9. Lack of Communication
Produced by: Kel-P, Mr Eazi
10. Fefe Ne Fefe
Produced by: Kel-P, KDaGreat
11. Legalize
Produced by: Michaël Brun, E Kelly, Nonso Amadi
12. Show Dem (feat. Whoisakin)
Produced by: Phantom
13. We Dey
Produced by: Knucks, AoD, E Kelly, Wade Oghenejabor and Venna
14. Zuzulakate (feat. Joeboy)
Produced by: Type A, Kel-P
15. Mandela
Produced by: KDream
16. Exit (feat Soweto Gospel Choir)
Produced by: Kel-P
