Mr Mageek’s latest EP passes the vibe check with flying colors, adding a new member to his vivid family portrait.
At this point, Mr Mageek’s projects have become an annual affair. Like a jigsaw, each release fits into the previous to create a family portrait. Where “The Son of Raphael” (2021), “The Brother of Wisdom” (2022), and “The Fruit of Harvest” (2023) pay homage to his father, late brother, and mother, respectively, his latest, “Oghénéminé,” honors his most prized gift, his daughter.
Urhobo for “Looking up to God,” this latest work is Mr Mageek’s daughter’s namesake. As a result, the record flaunts an admirable construction, and the love within shines through. The artist delivers nine tracks that pass the vibe check with flying colors, doing justice to his catchphrase, “Another Sabi Boy classic.” Features from Shade and Mz Shillz add to the spectacle to give “Oghénéminé” ornate beauty. From the encouraging highs of its funky opener, ‘Silent Voices,’ to the euphoria engulfing its closer, ‘Days Like This’ (featuring Mz Shillz), “Oghénéminé” highlights the Nigerian MC’s understated elegance. ‘Free Man’ re-affirms this notion, with the Sabi Boy Entertainment boss giving Keylex’s bouncy Hip-Hop production the performance it deserves.
Mr Mageek fits nuggets of wisdom into bars worth more than gold to speak to a generation. Impactful lyrics like “Them go praise you the way them never fit praise God/Once e set against you na them go first pick sword” and “If your brother man fall. No laugh, learn/If temptation slap you, no act PEM (relax)” emphasize the importance of self-enlightenment, igniting listeners’ eardrums.
But before his reflective sermon on the human condition, Mr Mageek shares why he doesn’t joke about “enjoyment” on ‘Yanga’ (Pose/Show Off). “Wahala no dey come on appointment,” he raps, whipping up a club banger as he sprints towards the bag like Olympic runner Adeleke. ‘Who Are You’ takes over with Psalm 23 as its compass. Here, the artist lights his path to glory with the Davidic poem, confidently declaring, “If God be for me, who goes?”
Other tracks on the EP include ‘No Goodbyes,’ ‘One Life,’ ‘Desperate Mind,’ and ‘Ewoo’ (featuring Shade), which are expertly put together with the rest by Mr Mageek’s dynamic flow. Mr Mageek’s latest is figurative as it is evocative of the man he is becoming: a father who looks up to God. With four family members now in the spotlight, fans can anticipate who the versatile artist’s fifth major release will center on. For now, “Oghénéminé” is the project to keep on rotation.
