Album Review: Reekado Banks - Spotlight | @360Rhymes_com

Artiste – Reekado Banks
Album – Spotlight
Features – Patoranking, Falz, Kenny Blaq,
D’Prince, Vanessa Mdee, Sarkodie
Producers – Babyfresh, Altims, Don Jazzy
Label – Mavin Records (2016)
Running Time – 1hr 9mins
Since bursting unto the music scene in 2014
as part of the music trio (Korede Bello, Di’Ja
and himself) signed to Mavin Records by Don
Jazzy, Reekado Banks has made himself a
very hard-to-hate act. Since his star
contributions to Dorobucci, Adaobi, Looku
Looku, his fame has only grown. It was only
fitting that an album be released to crown his
fame after winning the much coveted Next
Rated Award at the 2015 Headies albeit in
controversial fashion.
Spotlight is a pot-pourri of different music
forms all combining to create an albeit
energetic composition. The title alludes to the
fame which his music has brought to his
doorstep. The album cover with Reeky’s
silhouette highlighted by the moon reflects
the title of the album as is also aesthetic.
With no further ado, I shall delve into a
dissection of each song. Enjoy!

Hey Stranger
This is a pretty decent start to the album. Hey
Stranger talks about a love affair gone wrong.
Reeky brings out a tender side we have seen
in a few of his previous songs unto this track.
Nice production as well, although it seemed
like for most of the song, there was just
instrumentation interspersed with chants of
“hey stranger”. The song could have done a
lot better with more lyrics.
Killa Whyna ft Patoranking
Babyfresh came through on this one with a
tight production. Other than that, this was a
fairly poor attempt at reggae by Reekado.
The song was just all over the place.
Patoranking himself was average at most.
Not the best effort but yet still commendable.

Problem
Rrrrrrrr!!! Now, this is the Reeky I expected.
This song gets you bobbing your head
unconsciously to the tune. The beat and
production by Babyfresh is top-notch while
Reekado really owned the song, flowing
through the beat albeit with so much ease.
This gbedu is a problem!!!
Koloba
Another Reeky tune! Koloba has this high-
tempo funky tune that makes you wanna just
get up and groove. Altims really came
through with a tight production. The only
flaw is that the song ended quite quickly.
Well, good things don’t always last right?

Biggy Man ft Falz
Reekado & Falz combine once again to
devastating effect. Safe to say, the track
didn’t quite get to the level of their previous
collaboration (Falz’ Celebrity Girlfriend ). Reeky
comes through on this with a decent chorus
and cool lyrics. Falz was an otherwise
brighter spot on the track with his usual
boisterous nature. Thumbs up to Babyfresh
on the production. Top notch!
Ladies And Gentlemen
To be sincere, I was curious to hear this song
when I saw the title. Reeky did not disappoint
as he came up with an afro-juju tune worthy
of any owambe party. One would say a feature
with Choc Boy, Koker would have been
suitable for the track but I think Reekado did
just fine on his own. Another short song,
makes you wonder why the good ones don’t
last.
Baby Oku
Apart from the refrain which sounds a lot
like Flavour, Reekado does a perfect high life
grove track. Who knew Reeky could speak
such fluent Igbo? The track runs a repetitive
pattern that flows along the lines creating a
template for a good performance. Only
Reeky!

All Your Love ft D’Prince
In my opinion, this song would have done
quite well without D’Prince’s verse. He
didn’t really bring much to the track.
Reekado pretty much did most of the job on
the track. The production is also quite
commendable, the drum kicks and rising
percussion gives the song a vitality that could
only be appreciated by head-nodding.

Change
An obvious attempt at addressing the
political situation in Nigeria; Reekado did
justice to this one while flowing to the beat in
his usual seamless manner. The song touches
prevalent situations in the Nigerian political
situation as well as normal interpersonal
relations. Nice one Reeky!

Skit ft Kenny Blaq
Personally, I believe this track should be the
first on the album as an intro, but still the
obvious talent that is Kenny Blaq came
through on this track giving a church feel to
Reekado’s old songs.

Move ft Vanessa Mdee
Damn! A song for the lovebirds; I’m
definitely looking forward to visuals to this
one. Tanzanian diva, Vanessa Mdee really
came through on this mid-tempo track.
Although, the song sounds a lot like Korede
Bello’s Romantic ft. Tiwa Savage but I guess
it’s still Mavin sha! It’s all love!

Gbagbe
A decent attempt at juju music, the Kuti
style; tight production, groovy beat although
the lyrics were sparse but I guess that’s how
these songs are meant to be.
Love My Baby
The strength on this song lies in its lines.
Reekado promises his girlfriend heaven and
earth in this song, professing how deep his
love for her runs. Another one for the
lovebirds to jam!

Na Ur Boy
Of course, it won’t be a complete album
without a song talking about the hustle.
Reekado talks about being just an ordinary
boy before getting signed by Don Jazzy. He
then also states that he is still that ordinary
simple guy. A simple yet meaningful track.

Olaoluwa
It’s Don Baba J!!! Reekado comes thorugh
with another owambe number produced by
the Don himself. If you thought Ladies And
Gentlemen was the sh*t, you should listen to
Ola Oluwa . This song is a definite jam for
weddings and the sort. Don Jazzy still got it!
Ko ma ni baje lola Oluwa!! The song has the
Yoruba gospel feel with a folkloric twist to it.

Today
This track is a sort of body-worship to
beautiful girls. He talks about Unilag girls,
South-African girls (Soweto). The occasional
trumpet accompanied with the back-kicks
give you a Jazzy feel but the song was
actually produced by Babyfresh. Surprised?
Me too!

Dangote
As the name succinctly implies, it is a song
about wealth and success. It is a song of
prayer, of wishes to become a great and
influential person in the world. Reekado
wishes against the bad things but choruses
“Ah Amin” to the good wishes. Decent
production especially with the trumpets.

Turn The Lights On
Turn The Lights On is a motivational track
inspiring courage and preaching against the
fear of tomorrow. Although, Reekado uses a
plethora of borrowed lyrics like Drake’s
“started from the bottom” or R.Kelly’s “sign
of victory”, there is really no need to act self-
righteous about it. The content of the song is
forgiving enough.

Katapot
This track needs no more attention than it
has garnered way before the album is
released. A Reekado Banks classic; Katapot is
a love song emphasizing defiance and
endurance in the midst of much adversity.

Oluwa Ni Remix ft Sarkodie
Not much different from the original except
for Sarkodie’s addition. As usual, the
Ghanaian rapper supplies some high quality
stuff. Reekado switches the tone of the
chorus a bit albeit not so much different from
the original.

Standard
Although Reekado dropped this song as a sort
of prelude to the album, I believe it is one of
the best songs on the album. Reekado once
again talks about starting from the bottom
and getting to the top and never going back
to the sub-standard level he used to live.
Tight production.
Mavin act, Reekado’s debut album was
always going to draw up several criticisms
based on the fame and hype he has garnered
ever since he first burst into the spotlight. The
album’s musical content, a mixture of
different forms (a pot-pourri if you wish) and
composition is decent enough, production is
top-notch but the arrangement leaves much
to be desired; probably something to note for
the next album which we are looking
forward to. All in all, it was a commendable
effort from the Katapot crooner.
Rating – 3.5/5

Reviewed by Kvng Michael
@mzter_stig

FOLLOW Naijawapbase" to 40404
Follow @Naijawapbase

Tweet

Title : Album Review: Reekado Banks - Spotlight | @360Rhymes_com
Description : Artiste – Reekado Banks Album – Spotlight Features – Patoranking, Falz, Kenny Blaq, D’Prince, Vanessa Mdee, Sarkodie Producers – Babyfre...
Rating : 5