I Told Them...＜限定盤＞

Among the crop of Nigerian stars succeeding on a global scale, few burn as bright as Burna Boy. After breaking into the mainstream with 2019s African Giant, the singer cemented his international status with the success of 2022s Love, Damini, which hit number 14 on the U.S. pop chart and nearly topped the U.K.s top position. After a tour playing to packed houses in North America and Europe, Burna sold out London Stadium, becoming the first African artist to headline a U.K. stadium tour. Released in August 2023, his seventh album is something of a victory lap. He addresses that concert in particular on the title track, singing "I told them Im a genius, had to show them what the meaning is" alongside a guest spot from Wu-Tang legend GZA, the latest in a series of high-profile guests who have joined him in the studio. RZA gets in the game, too, offering up a spoken affirmation on the brief "12 Jewels." Other guests include J. Cole, 21 Savage, and Seyi Vibez, but of course they are only guests; this is Burnas party and he is operating at the top of his game. Despite the cockiness of its title, his songs remain pleasingly mellow and eclectic, working through a range of styles (highlife, dancehall, Afro-Cuban) and delivering memorable hooks and melodies with the confidence of his status. ~ Timothy Monger

ナイジェリアのバーナ・ボーイが7枚めのアルバムをリリース。イギリスを代表するラッパーになったデイヴ、ウータン・クランのRZAとGZAなど豪華ゲストと共に制作された本作は、これまで以上にハイライフやヒップホップという自身の音楽的嗜好を攪拌した深化作と評することができる。一方で、アマピアノの香りが漂う"Giza"、ミニマルな音作りが際立つ"On Form"など、これまでの作品ではあまり見られなかった挑戦的な曲も少なくない。随所でみずからラップするように、バーナ・ボーイは多くの栄光を勝ち取ってきたが、その栄光に胡座をかくような真似はしないと示す快作だ。
bounce (C)近藤真弥