Mysoundstorms

Nigerian multi-talented indigenous Yoruba rap star and YBNL boss, Olamide has finally released his highly anticipated banger single titled, “Eru“.

Spoiler alert: there are no actual bars in this song. But then it’s by rapper so it’s just as well.

After ten years of being at the top of the game, four of which he has shown that he can dabble into a little pop as well as rap, it’s no surprise that Olamide is singing again. That’s what he does on Eru, his new single which came out this past Tuesday.

By now fans have come to accept that their favorite Yoruba rapper could also be their favorite singer. Sometimes, it appears as though they demand it. The reception to his 999 EP in February wasn’t as feverish as an Olamide project is typically is. If there’s one thing about Olamide, he’s proven to be resilient: as fans tagged 999 an album, he insisted it wasn’t and that the album was coming later. In July, he released Tesinapot along with rising singer Jaido P.

Eru is different as Olamide does a full Drake on the song. The melody and harmonies on the track would make mainstream Afropop acts jealous and it yet underscores Olamide’s legendary status. In one breath he’s singing soulfully in Yoruba of being blessed with unlimited riches, the next he’s crooning in pidgin English how he’s going to make people “manya” and to let it be known, he sprinkles a little street lingo in the tone that he first became famous for.

All through Olamide’s career, he has brought the streets to the mainstream. Olamide is known for making “razz” the new cool and his successive OLIC concert series at Eko Hotel is proof that his street cred is just as his mainstream acceptability. Eru ensures that he does that again: don’t be surprised when you have seen teeny-boppers and alte fans vibe to it and expect “awon Ibile United” to make it a street anthem.

Eru is a sleeper hit, one which will extend Olamide’s reign as king. 

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