By Bisola Bello
Burna Boy’s latest track, ‘Soke’, produced by Orbit, was released on April 4 2015.
The song is different from the 24-year-old’s usual reggae/dancehall music. It has a slower beat compared to many of his other songs and the lyrics – delivered partly in Yoruba – are clear.
‘Soke’ describes the artiste’s present life as a successful person and the situation of the country.
Hear him:
Shey kin kigbe soke o …se kin de mo faster
Shey kin kigbe soke o…se kin de mo faster
Now moti lowo
Ijo wa lese mi o
Now moti lowo, ijo ti wa lese mi o
Shey kin kigbe soke o…se kin de mo faster
Shey kin kigbe soke o…se kin de mo faster
No no no no no no
Eh eh
No no no no no no no
In simple translation, the artiste wants to scream and shout about his success.
The first verse makes reference to the present Nigerian situation, where there is no light, water or money. It is a departure from the partying, boozing, cruising and using lines in most modern music.
The first verse said
Oda na, they ask me o
They want to know as things dey go
For my country o
E don kolo, people don kolo, eji soro
Not easy, no money o, no light e o, water nko
E no dey flow
If e vex e o, dem go call mopo, dem go call me o
Carry you go
I never tell you mi o sh’omo
I never tell you, never tell you mi o sh’omo lo mo
I never tell you mi o sh’omo
I never tell you, never tell you mi o sh’omo lo mo.
However, the rest of the song is just repetition. The second verse simply said
Ah ah
Oye ke mo pe mo original
Oye ke mo pe mo original
Oye ke mo pe mo original
After the short verse of repeating one statement, the chorus comes in and then the hook which goes on till the end of the song.
The idea behind ‘Soke’ is great but the song unfortunately lacks verses. The second verse should have had more lyrics to complement the first verse; instead it felt like the artiste had nothing else to say.
Burna Boy who likes depicting the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s style only did the job half way in this track.
Generally, it could have been better.
