By Chiagoziem Onyekwena
Possibly the most misunderstood man in Nollywood, probably the most disliked actor in Nigeria, undoubtedly one of the most controversial men to ever hit the big screen; James Ikechukwu Esomugha is the poster child for everything that’s wrong with Nollywood actors and their alleged oversized egos. Jim consistently blames ‘the media’, yours truly excluded of course, for the negative energy his brand elicits around Africa. So, smart Jimmy decides to record an album, Who Am I that describes well, who he is (…duh!), on his own terms, from track the beginning to the very end!
If the success of this album was dependent on its ability to consistently remain on its subject matter, Jim’s legendary penchant for self indulgence alone would grant Who Am I a Hip Hop World Award. Unfortunately for Jim, there’s that little issue called talent – no album can be remotely listenable, without some of it, even to your hardcore fans. If you persevered through that gibberish of an Intro, you would find an interesting listen in the self aggrandising Jimiykemania. The only problem is if you take away the ever-impressive Sound Sultan and remove the deft board work from Puffy T, you are left with emcee Jim dropping lyrical gems such as ‘I’m smooth like a butterfly, sting like a dragon fly’. Really, Jimmy?! Didn’t know Dragon flies sting people. To my utter disbelief however, Jim absolutely wows on the Mike Word-assisted Born to do this. This is Jim’s best outing on the album by far, not necessarily lyrically but in terms of the man’s delivery.
On the inspiring Pointing and on the harrowing Cry, Jim abandons rapping to actually talk to the listener; they work for the most part with Jim’s lively delivery again coming to the fore. But when it’s all said and done, he let’s his album down with lyrics that operate at a sound frequency somewhere between nursery rhymes and gibberish (refer to the M.I.esque freestyle on High and the self-explanatory Bad boys don’t kiss and tell). You just can’t win by constantly shooting outlandish proverbs, employing an affected American accent and being inaudible all at the same time, that’s just too way much bad stuff for any listener. There are too many songs on Who Am I that fall under the category of delightful chorus, thumping Puffy T beat but woeful lyrics. Ironically, the album’s absolutely horrendous choice of a lead single Who Am I (a.k.a Tu Face Idibia’s worst song ever) is at the very bottom of the album’s quality spectrum.
Artistes need not risk tarnishing their brand by charting careers in creative waters they know next to nothing about. If you record an album for some easy money or just for the sake of recording one, Nigerians aren’t stupid; we will recognise it immediately, Genevieve and Omotola respectively feel free to write that down. Who Am I appears to lean towards the latter category; there’s enough on the album to suggest Jim’s music has potential, but not nearly enough talent to take his music career seriously for now.
ALBUM RATING – 2/5
2 comments
Promoting COC! (culture of complacency)
I remember with tears in my eyes the day I watched the premiere of the Who am I video chilling in my hotel room in Osogbo, Osun. I remember crawling to the phone to ask the bar to send up enough alcohol to dull my senses into a stupor. A sentiment, I anticipated would enable me grasp and deal with the intensity of regret and violation I felt listening to the song. Unfortunately, thirty minutes later, Nigezie was evil enough to play it again!!! I woke up the next morning with a bandage around my ears. What am I trying to say?
There have got to be boundaries. the Nigerian music industry. Nigerian radio. TV Producers. Please, this has got to stop. It is bad enough that our people face a crisis at home and abroad, even the talented ones – on miming at shows, not being able to play instruments, etc. But the message of 'endorsement and support of unintelligent and untalented musical products' is one that you pass on, with exceedingly dire consequences for ALL SECTORS OF THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY.
Dont get me wrong, I actually think Jim Iyke is a decent actor. But if he was not smart enough to draw the line, then the media should draw it for him. Theres power in the pen, please use it to save our ears. Chia. gud one.
@Elliot Hendrix: Pele! ROFLMAO.
Tuface saved the face of that song "Who Am I". Without him, the song would fall completely flat on its face!
I don't blame them all trying to become singers. The lot of mediocre but successful singers we have in nigeria makes them feel they can cash in too!