ALPHA ‘CHVMELEON’ 1-LISTEN ALBUM REVIEW

If the dictionary incorporated pictures, a suitable one for the word ‘multi-creative’ would be that of Alpha Ojini. The rapper/producer/engineer caught the attention of Nigerian rap fans with “Vendetta”, a standout amongst all the responses to M.I Abaga’s controversial “You Rappers Should Fix Up Your Lives”. Since then, he’s continued to work his way into more ears, with his own steady stream of music releases, and having his fingerprints in everybody’s work — a long list that includes Blaqbonez, M.I Abaga, Ycee, GoodGirl LA, Oxlade and more.

In all of this, his most definitive move yet was the release of his debut album, last year’s Half Price. Within twelve tracks, the project impressively showcased the full array of his ability, from his accomplished pen game, to his preference for a varied musical palette, and his burgeoning sensibilities as a song-maker. It was a confirmation that a supremely talented artist had entered the Nigerian hip-hop building.

About 18 months later, the man is back with his long-teased sophomore album, Chvmeleon. In a music industry where people dodge the ‘album’ tag by every means possible, Alpha’s latest release seems to be one guided by conviction. While he’d very much like to catch one, his moves don’t point to an artist guided by the overt need to land a hit single. Rather, he’s using projects as a way to build his career brick-by-brick, so that old fans remain engaged and newer listeners will have enough entry material that will turn them into fans.

It’s a patient strategy buoyed by consistency. In the lead up to this album, he’s already put out a copious amount of new music, including the 2-song pack, Hatchlings and a compilation of one-minute freestyles over reworked samples of some of the biggest songs around. On these newer releases, he sounds like an artist taking risks to better his craft, while also being more confident in his abilities.

Chvmeleon is the culmination of all that creative work, and Alpha has promised to deliver some of the best music of his career yet. Time to press play, and see if that promise holds up.

This is a 1-listen review. Everything you’ll read from here on is real-time reaction to the music, while it plays. (If you want another review, hound K.O. Thanks.)

Intro (f/ Kemi Smallzz)

If Kemi Smallzz is on the intro of your project, you have to deliver. Night noises in the background, some thunder. I need someone to cast Kemi in a cartoon about earth in 2100 AD.

Xo

Here we go, Alpha’s rapping. Bass dropped and I’m wake. Flow switch, let’s go. Love it when this man talks his independent shit, his ambition is a burning building. He said something about being around since limewire and that stuck. I like this hook, will probably love it with more listens. This second verse is mint, so far. “Wait till I get on Sway”. Rahhh, that’s the energy. Someone, anyone, make that happen. This is a solid opener. Downtempo but it definitely a mood setter.

Hundred Ways (f/ Psycho YP)

Pianos and Alpha singing. Oooh, that’s a nice switch up. I’m not the biggest fan of video game-type effects, but this is fire. My head is swivelling. Alpha said he’s working in god mode, this is some good receipt. If the hooks are this good, that’s a massive upgrade already. I could listen to YP rap about having more money than anyone all day. You can kinda hear his trap influence on Alpha’s flow. Alpha is back for another verse. “I’m a rap nigga with the melodies” is a bar. Haha, that memes-memories line got me. Another verse with quotables, book it.

Bag X2 (f/ Blaqbonez)

The Best rapper in Africa is in the building, LOL. Man, this beat knocks, I’ve got my screw face on. Alpha raps with so much ease, it’s beautiful to hear. Every time I hear a rapper mouthing off at “rappers”, I laugh a lot. Anyways, this is a technically tight verse. Blaq really went from rap battles to fire hooks — that “Off Blaq” hook still gets me. Blaq once said rap is slight work, well this verse is an example. Not exactly striking, but it sounds good. This guy is reading out lyrics to the hook, can’t be mad at his antics, he’s really good at. Another keeper.

Numbers Interlude (f/ Paybac Iboro)

I know this beat. Oh shit! This is from “Quarterback” off the Hatchlings shit. Was salty when I didn’t see the song on tracklist, happy it’s here even if it’s chopped and screwed. That shit is the definition of a figure 8 performance. Paybac is reading the outro from the song, this nigga is jovially awkward, LOL. This must be crack.

Pop

No Paybac verse?! I’m mad abeg. Anyway, “Pop” is a bastard jam. Oriental guitar strings and groovy bass knocks is a winning combo. “Ain’t nobody got balls big as this” is kinda funny. This shit is actually lit, can’t even lie. If overweight, Ice Cream-tatted Gucci Mane was from Onitsha, wearing net singlets and pointed leather shoes, this is what Trap music would sound like. That’s weird imagery, but it seems fitting. LOL. This shit should’ve gone gold by now, tempted to run it back.

Half Moon

I didn’t really like this song when it first came out, feel more positive about it these days. Will you get a Nigerian woman if you tell her she’s pretty like a half moon? Going to try that when I’m back from being single. Equating your genitals to bamboo is the most Afropop thing ever, which is in turn the most hip-hop thing ever. Standard love song, fuck with the pro-black tilt. Songwriting wise, this is a solid one. Oh shit, I’ve never really gauged that electric guitar in the back. That’s lit. By the way, Nigerian women are fine as fuck.

PDA (f/ M.I Abaga)

Was that the narrator from Half Price? Might be. This is Afropop-indented R&B, smooth as a waxed…never mind. Alpha’s singing has gotten really good. By the way, we can all agree that relationship Twitter needs to go abi? The PDA is oppressing, and Alpha wants in. Did M.I just rhyme “lituate” and “wiggle waist”. Oshey, bars LOL. He’s out here stacking these rhymes, wow. Might need to have this conversation about M’s improved ability as a technical lyricist. Woman really got hard guy Alpha singing, but men are scum. “I’m in love, I can’t keep it on a low” is actually very cute, until you remember that everyone in Lagos is cheating on themselves. This is a keeper. Narrator’s back. LOL, that hump pick-up line will get you slapped, kids.

One Knee (f/ Ycee)

I’m low-key tired of typing very fast, been a long while. Alpha and Ycee should be a good tag team. Them DJ Maphorisa synths came barging through, this is dancefloor Afropop. Man, love is weird. Alpha is asking if woman wants him to kneel down, but again, men are scum. This Ycee hook is good, found a nice pocket in between drums. Ycee, please tell them how immaculate we Yoruba guys are. Stalking people’s timeline is something I will never do again, don’t ask. This is a nice song, won’t necessarily be running back to it, but I see the commercial appeal.

Tongue Song (f/ Bella Alubo)

This narrator is milking this chameleon thing pretty well. I need a video of Alpha on the drum machine or whatever the fuck he uses. Every time I hear “Kitty cat” in relation with women’s genitals, it’s funny, and not in the cute way. Bella Alubo’s singing are like her eyes, invitational. She has Erykah Badu eyes, might seem coy but you don’t know when you’ll start paying child support. I just missed most of Alpha’s verse, LOL. “I saw your Ileke, it was easy to surrender”. That’s a nice line. Man, this is a really nice match up. By the way, Alpha got the jazzy horn blasts. Oh, this second half seems like an “it ended in tears” story line.

See Heaven (f/ Ghost [SDC] & Oxlade)

Oxlade has the best murmur voice, and it’s extra lit when he pitches up. These drums have some personality. Well, Alpha is rapped like a scorned lover. “Baby, I had to burn the bridge but you struck the match” is a bar. Man, this could use a Wale verse. Yes, that “Wale”. Naij rappers, Oxlade is the go-to guy for R&B-type hooks. This is fire. Ghost starting his verse with a sonnet-Hamlet rhyme is another reason he’s the assistant goat. Playing the OG role, giving Alpha some very Lagos Boy-type advice. Alpha is so pained, he came back for another eight bars. Crushes are stupid, kids. S/he has another crush that’s not you, I warned you.

Calm Down (f/ GoodGirl LA)

Those Chinese strings are fire. LA can take my money if she has a concert this December. Brooo, see switch up to belting vocals, that’s some control. “She used to be your sugar, now she OD on my candy”. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a contender for bar of the year. Fuck! This is a verse! Alpha pulled that verse out of the same furnace that had Shedrach, Meshack and Abeddnego. Mama would be proud, I just referenced biblical characters. LA has a powerhouse of a voice. Fam, every Alpha bar here is a quotable. This man is not here for the fake shit. So far, this the one I’ll be running back a million times.

This Money

Can’t wait for the “Alpha has gone commercial” comments. But he’s doing it pretty well, can’t lie. Alpha said he’s not trying to stunt on his hater, he just wants simple flex, and that’s my current mood. “Wanna swap garri for muffin”, eish. This is really honest, fuck with it. “How we go shoot better video still go dey buy views?” Fam, every bar is so real. Be supportive of your local upcoming artists, especially the talented ones grinding heavy. If Alpha does the Oliver de Coque thing, he probably would be good at it. This is a great closer.

Outro

Someone is yarning Alpha some blow-up stuff. This person has been an Alpha fan from day one, these sentiments are honest. “Let it count” is a solid mantra to leave by.

Alpha’s Chvmeleon 1-listen review final thoughts.

Alpha is not trying to stay underground. He’s always been clear about that, but on Chvmeleon, that ideal jumps out in more ways than one. The good thing about this ambitious candour is that it pushes him to improve on his craft in more ways than one.

The clearest step-up is in his songwriting abilities, particularly the hooks. While he’s always been capable of delivering good hooks, the ones on his latest LP are quite memorable. And even in cases where he’s not the one taking them, he’s far better at ensuring his verses flow in and out of those hooks without any bumps. It also helps that his proficient singing voice is given some air time, highlighting his improved range.

Lyrically, Chvmeleon still shows that Alpha is a technically gifted writer, with a superb delivery to match. But he isn’t just setting up punchlines, he’s equally stacking poignant quips. This way, the cleverness of his raps are in service of substance, a perfect recipe for rewind-worthy verses that will stick with listeners long after they’ve heard it.

On the music side of things, Alpha’s hands are again the sole pair behind the entire album, but his enhanced curatorial powers helps this project to be more cohesive than his debut. The canvas might be modish — multiple songs are fitting enough to sneak into radio playlists — but it still indulges some of his unique quirks, like god-level drum packs/patterns, aerosol horn blasts and slightly understated strings that add colour in the grand scheme of things.

If there’s anything to be wary of, it’s that we still don’t really have a striking portrait of Ebuka Ntamere, beyond being Alpha Ojini — the closest we get is on “This Money”, partly detailing his parents’ concern about making it while being a lesser known artist. But these concerns can wait until future releases, there’s a reason he’s adopted the Chameleon as the spirit animal for his new album.

For now, Alpha seems to be saving that inner look for himself, opting to show us just how much he has grown as an artist in the last year-and-a-half. You really can’t deny that it’s one hell of a growth.

By Dennis for UrbanCentral, [Tweets @dennisadepeter]

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