By Chiagoziem Onyekwena
ALBUM TITLE – De Rebirth
LEAD SINGLE – Plantain Boy
PRODUCTION – Akeem D Beat, Fair Face, Flux, J.Sleek, Jiggi Jego, K. Solo, M Yice, N.D, Pheeno
GUEST ARTISTES – 2Face Idibia, 2Solo, Allenian, Konga, Lanre, M.I, T.J, Wrecoba
RECORD LABEL/DISTRIBUTION – Blackbody Entertainment/Rabbi P. Ent.
Praise the Lord, Timaya smiled! Oh okay, maybe I exaggerated a little; the extremes of Timi’s lips are incapable of moving in an upward direction, studies have shown this to be true. On his first two album covers, Timaya sported a mug so mean you’d have thought the cameraman had upset him just before he was asked to say ‘Cheese!’Thankfully on De Rebirth, Timaya lightens up and while a straight face was all we were able to squeeze out of the Egberi Papa 1 this time around, at least we are getting somewhere.
On his first album, Timaya was livid. He’d watched an entire community in his native Bayelsa perish and heard nobody say a damn thing about it. On his second album, Timaya was still brooding; sure the massacre of 1999 was still on his mind but more than anything else Timaya suddenly noticed the presence of olofofos trying to sabotage his career. Whether those fears were real or imagined is a different kettle of fish all together.
On his third album however, Timaya isn’t as incensed, life is beautiful these days; Plantain Boy sums up Timaya’s rags-to-riches tale that sometimes gets old but never fails to inspire. De Rebirth sees Timi either celebrating his success (Happy Birthday) or lashing out at anyone he feels is in its way (Who Born You). With an M.I feature, a quasi-rapped verse from Timaya and a hip-hop styled beat from Pheeno, Life Anagaga is the album’s joker. I never thought I’d live to see the day Timaya would bite a few lines from a Chris Brown song but I did! And guess what, the song actually works.
Timaya doesn’t like me and by me I mean us and by us I mean the media; he dedicated over four minutes on De Rebirth to speaking about the Press. His antics give us something to write about. We, in turn, give him something to sing about. Sounds like a fair exchange if you ask me. So I guess in that regard, his music hasn’t changed radically in terms of content. A Timaya album comprises of some insanely melodic songs sewn together with fleeting sing-along lyrics, throw in the incessant name calling (apparently he knows the President on a first name basis) and you have his complete LP; that hasn’t changed. What has changed though is his creative environment – K. Solo no longer commands the lion’s share of production and the new producers have been a breath of fresh air. There’s a little more complexity to his craft and greater polish to his sound.
Evolve or die. For the often one-dimensional Timaya, a rebirth was needed sooner or later and with the Bayelsan suffering the dreaded sophomore jinx, ‘later’ became risky as ‘sooner’ became less of a choice and more of a necessity. While he didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, Timaya did show a willingness to try something different and if there were still any doubts that Eedris’ apprentice could last the distance without burning out prematurely, De Rebirth just helped lay them to rest.
Now if we could just get him to smile on the next album…
ALBUM RATING – 3.5/5
42 comments
LOL, great review this.Well done.
I believe the album deserved the 3.5 rating,about smiling on the next album cover I seriously doubt that, a total deviation from the 'olofofos' and 'empress njamah' was well anticipated and he served that. Collabo's with the likes of MI and 2face will definately make this album a hit,all in all..the album was or is OK. Hoping to see and hear sumthing better next time.
i no say nico gravity mouth do shut cos timaya is out with more prove but my prayer be say make this De Rebirth Album sale more than any other of his formal album. good luck TO U MR TIMAYA. 08098521560
My brother,my man you no know me but i dey die for you.i pray you wil keep moving up like mountain no one wil move.tel timaya i love him heartily i wil like to hear from him.08066150901
Timaya don do am good this time he go feature 2face,i can't just wait 2 buy d album,more hoops.
I luv Happy Bday…………. .www.twitter.com/sexyedoboy
I do like it, timaya ride on' no shakin, fear no body, i dey ur 100% fanz. Keep it up my brother.
de rebith is aclassic.. i luv kpam, kpam golo.. all haterz shud leave timaya alone… its about dat time.. ask 2 baba!
Timaya, you are too arrogant to be sincere and you need to stop this bcos it may affect your carrier if you don't stop this
in wat ways is mr. timaya dey arragant.
guy dont just talk anything for here, timaya is not arrogant somobody u never stay with for just one day u dey talk any hw all beefers go fall i swear timaya na nice guy very cool guy
I bought the Rebirth album on the 2nd of June, 2010. The album is ok but I prefer his second 2 d Rebirth album.
what particularly thrills about Timaya's albums are the production for the beats…simply classical and moving.Am a ruler was a bomb…Press beats very creative.Timaya is my man…I dey feel am terribly 08121326231, I ve already bought the album and continue to replay it repeatedly. OOps
De Rebirth is d bomb, Timaya upgraded his music which we can see in his new album. Timaya, I love your freestyle in which you spoke Hongkong. Continue brother cos u will hit d world….
Its just the track-plantainboy that is managable in timayas new album. Nico gravity's attack on timaya helped to change timaya's style but he still need more brushing from gravity. Nico gravity please give it to him more. In the track-who born you, its like timaya is refering to nico gravity or some other people.
Its just the track-plantainboy that is managable in timayas new album. Nico gravity's attack on timaya helped to change timaya's style alittle but he still need more brushing from gravity. Nico gravity please give it to him more. In the track-who born you, its like timaya is refering to nico gravity or some other people.
go go Timi.Jesus gat your back and your game they tight.DE REBIRTH!!!!nothing do u
mr timaya i da die 4 ur song,i pray these ur news album go be the best keep it up.
mr timaya i dey die 4 ur song,i pray these ur new album go be the best keep it up.
looking clean
Timaya you are 2much my brother may you live long i stephen
My one and only EGBERIPOPSI 1 OF BAYELSA. i love u 2much, first of all ur a:
GREAT DANCER
VERY HANSOME (T-PAIN)
WONDERFUL DRESS SENSE
Above all u av one of finest voices Naija has ever produced.
So its about that time haters know that house he(timaya) got it, got it and he can transform u oooooooooooooh!. One love my strong black brother.peace out boo
my dear i dey feel u die and the chicks go gaga each time timaya wines his waist. multi talented black fine boy.
GREAT DANCER, HANSOME GUY(U LOOK LIKE T-PAIN), U GAT ONE OF THE FINEST VOICES NAIJA HAS EVER PRODUCED, GREAT DRESS SENSE. MY FINE BLACK BOY, ITS ABOUT DAT TIME HATERS KNOW THAT EVERY PACKAGE U GAT IT, GAT IT AND U CAN TRANSFORM…
PEACE OUT MY QU2T FINE BLACK BOY.
Timaya u re 2 much..God Has reali Bless U..Carry ON
No be u krate me my broda me and u no com 4rm d same fada. I luv timaya
I luv timaya u make me crazy. Chay who born u?
I luv timaya u make me crazy. Chay!
Congratulations timaya i love track 1,3,7 and 11 gravity is nobody to stand on ur way
track 7 makes me crazy chei timaya u tomuch i realy want to be like cause am also called timaya egberi papa one of bayelsa in my area amd my town. track 11 to was indirectly to nico gravity they never born e oh timaya u strong tomuch
love u n ur music keep it up….hope u r really born again oh i wouldnt love to haer nasty things about u agian ohh keep up da good work
Timaya i must talk de truth you 2 much. but eget waitin i want tell you about your plantain boy video, de make sem but e no make the scem finish, waitin i for talk be say you for carry plantain for head, them come carry enter like motor park and them dress like person way dey sall plantain. them you come dey crash (BUY PLANTAIN). To prov say truth truth you be plantain saller. you fixes e-mail on ephraimites.udom856@gmail.com or semtex2010@yahoo.com.08028404649 I be one of your fan. carry go notin dey happen.abel sent me your e-mail .
haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa TIMAYA how you they there how about your Broda Gravity do you here about him i was told that he was beating down and now in hospital hope you post money to him make he no com die there TIMAYA hope you send money to GRAVITY Broda i just they gbadu you it me BOLADE AKA BOBBY J OMO ONIYA OO MEBI CALL ME ON 07038686314 am talented…. love you EGBERI 1PAPA I OF BAYESAL
timaya u are 2gbaski i dey fell u from russia
My Guy thank u 4 making ur fans very proude of u once again. And e no concern them anything u do cos u are the voice Naija Delta and we love u. D REBIRTH Album is very tite and i play it everyday i love all ur albums. May GOD continue to gurd and fill u wit more gift. ur Bigger fan ODOGWU from GHANA.
Please you people should leave Timaya alone GOD has blessed him so you people should leave him to enjoy his life. Please Timaya when are you coming to GHANA? I will like to see you
TIMI NA WHERE I WANT START TO DEY TALK ABOUT. INFACT YOUR LARGE AND MUSCLES BIG. I DEY FEEL YOU ANYTIME ANYDAY. BUT I DEY BEG YOU TO HELP ME DO JUST ONE GOSPEL TRACK IN YOUR NEXT ALBUM. I LOVE YOU MAN!
@ the Bad belle,Aproko people,Wuru-wuru people and Olofofo’sss,dem go dey wonder because him dey go higher! Love u bro***Keep going don’t stop. Na chinekeme o
The rebirth album is bam,despite deviatn 4rm ur style.when will d videos be out.ur fan til death. always wanna be informed abt anyo f ur songs/collabo
I swear, TIMAYA NA D BEST. Yours songs make me beliv dat nobody can determine ones destiny except God. Timi u are God sent. No mata wat they say,no mata wat they do,u are still d best… AM A RULER.
Egberi fada dnt mind dem…na tim go tlk..dem no knw??
God don bless am.