The Lp Features Recent Singles ‘Like Ice Spice’, ‘Like Bezos’ And ‘Cinderella Girl’ Feat. Ludacris
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“This 26-year-old star is the embodiment of audacious creativity” - GRM Daily
“We’re not weighing in on that Best Rapper in Africa title, but Blaqbonez’s willingness to declare it, his unflinching drive to live up to it, and the skill of his execution — be it in the blazing in booth or cracking jokes on social media — is why we’re not mad at it." - Rolling Stone
“The ever-rising profile of Blaqbonez has been inspiring to watch.” - Native Magazine
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Today (27th October 2023) the award-winning Nigerian rap giant Blaqbonez is once again setting the stage ablaze with the release of his highly anticipated album, 'EMEKA MUST SHINE'.
Released via Chocolate City Music, the 14-track opus features recent singles ‘Like Ice Spice’,** ‘Like Bezos’** and **‘Cinderella Girl (Where You Day)’ **with Ludacris, and showcases the Lagos-based artist’s multilayered talent and unrivaled versatility. Seamlessly threading together forward-thinking sounds and genres including Afrobeats, Hip-Hop, Drill, R&B and Alté, ‘EMEKA MUST SHINE’ is a truly diverse body of work that pushes the boundaries of Blaqbonez’s sound to become his most ambitious undertaking to date.
Representing Blaqbonez’s triumph on multiple fronts, the album's themes of success, personal growth, versatility and sheer determination to carry Nigerian hip-hop on his back are boldly showcased throughout. Blending musical personas, Blaqbonez has crafted a unique and captivating body of work that solidifies his status as Nigeria's very own Drake.
Blaqbonez himself shares his thoughts on the album, stating,_ "With 'EMEKA MUST SHINE,' I wanted to create something that not only celebrates my personal journey but also showcases the immense talent and potential that Nigerian hip-hop possesses. This album is a testament to my capabilities and the resilience and creativity of our music industry, and I am proud to be a part of it."_
Across 14 songs,** 'EMEKA MUST SHINE' **includes an exceptional lineup of heavyweight talent from across the diaspora, featuring collaborations with **Black Sherif, Projexx, Victony, Odumodublvck, Young Jonn, Zlatan **and US rap legend **Ludacris **on ‘Cinderella Girl (Where You Day)’, which has over 4 million streams since its summer release.__
Each track delivers a distinct sonic experience, with LP opener ‘Road Runners’ setting the tone as it chronicles his journey so far in gritty fashion alongside Ghanaian drill superstar Black Sherif. ‘Nyem Ego’ re-explores the themes within the album’s opener with Jeriq, whilst ‘6 Bizne$$ Day$’ with Projexx, **‘Kilo’, **recent summer smash ‘**Like Ice Spice’ **and **‘Dollerz’ **with **ODUMODUBLVCK **are smooth and silky offerings that showcase Blaqbonez vocal ability across a plethora of luscious, club-friendly soundscapes. Reggae joint ‘Naija Shawty’ deep dives into the beauty in Nigerian women alongside the unmistakable voice of **Victony, **whilst uptempo jam **‘Masquerade’ **utilises a deep swinging bassline as Blaq reflects on how his fortunes have changed.
‘Shine Forever II’ takes Blaq into his rap flow, incorporating a J Dilla-esque 2000’s flow whilst ‘Bad Till Eternity’ keeps him in this pocket, With Zlatan's signature street-rap style seamlessly complementing Blaqbonez's lyrical prowess in an introspective, emotionally charged offering that deep dives into the struggles of the music industry. **‘Like Bezos’ **offers pop-friendly feels whilst **‘No Sleep $$$’ injects Amapiano influences with Blaq and Young Jonn trading verbal blows as they divulge on their relentless work ethic. **The dreamy, alté sonics on ‘Wait Let Me Get The Tissue II’ and ‘**Cinderella Girl (Where You Day)’ **Feat. **Ludacris **are intimate and heartfelt slow-jams that close the project out in sultry fashion, with Blaqbonez having successfully displayed countless personas with typically ballsy yet quick-witted lyricism.
On ‘Emeka Must Shine’ Nigeria’s most versatile musical star cements his status with another irresistible album.
About Blaqbonez:
Blaqbonez, also known as Akumefule Chukwuemeka George, is a Nigerian rapper and singer-songwriter signed to Chocolate City Music who’s celebrated for his versatile and energetic style of rap and vocal ability, who’s garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base for his many personas. His 2021 debut album "Sex Over Love" became a global smash, garnering over 90m+ streams and hit #1 on Apple in Nigeria for three consecutive weeks. Blaqbonez's steady grind earned him 3 Headies nominations for 2022 and coincided with the release of "Young Preacher", a 14-track release which derives its title from Blaqbonez’ unwavering desire to speak his truth, as he champions the position that the definition of love especially in relationships is limiting and sets a standard that ultimately cannot be reached. Release highlights include: Charting in over 20 countries including the official UK album charts, the JAE5 collaboration 'Back In Uni' garnered 1.2 million YouTube views in 24 hours.
Selling out his debut headline show in the UK in October 2022, Blaqbonez released "Cinderella Girl" featuring multi certified American Hip-hop heavyweight rapper and actor Ludacris, which solidified Blaqbonez presence in the international music market. He also released double-single "Like Ice Spice" & "Like Bezos" with "Like Ice Spice" garnering over 20m streams with a crisp music video directed by Blaqbonez catching attention. Nominated once again at Nigeria's most prestigious awards, The Headies for Best New Music Video & Best Rap Album, Blaqbonez bagged the award for "Best Rap Album" for his sophomore project "Young Preacher" and delivered an energetic performance at awards, held in Atlanta, USA. Also nominated at the AFRIMMA awards for the "Best Male Rap" act, this is a testament to his prowess as Africa's biggest Hip-Hop act. He is set to release his third studio album "Emeka Must Shine" on the 27th of October 2023.
Tracklist:
- Road Runners Feat. Black Sherif (produced by Ramoni)
- 6 Bizne$$ Day$ Feat. Projexx (produced by Ramoni)
- Kilo (produced by London & Ramoni)
- Like Ice Spice (produced by Northboi & Ramoni)
- Nyem Ego Feat. Jeriq The Hussla (produced by Blaise Beats & Mastakraft)
- Naija Shawty Feat. Victony (produced by Northboi & Ramoni)
- Dollerz Feat. Odumodublvck (produced by Northboi)
- Masquerade (produced by Ramoni)
- Shine Forever (produced by Ramoni)
- Bad Till Eternity Feat. Zlatan (produced by Northboi & Ramoni)
- No Sleep $$$ Feat. Young Jonn (produced by Westen Weiss, Dro, Reward & Ramoni)
- Like Bezos (produced by Ramoni)
- Wait Let Me Get The Tissue (produced by Sess)
- Cinderella Girl (Where You Day) Feat. Ludacris (produced by Ramoni)
Follow Blaqbonez’s journey:
Instagram: @blaqbonez
Twitter: @Blaqbonez
Tik Tok: @Blaqbonez
For further information, please contact Mikey at Murray Chalmers PR__
27/10/23