Blink’s Art over Hype…

It’s 2013 and I’m searching for new Nigerian emcees to prove to my friend that Hip-Hop is alive in Nigeria.

I stumble on the name blink, I was introduced to different blink, blink the businessman and blink the rapper. He was signed to syndicate records.

By 2015, the name blink was starting to fade away. I soon started to ask where’s blink and the music? These questions transitioned to the rest of the label mates until I stopped asking and stopped researching.

It’s 2 pm on Friday, Douglas sends an email with a link to blink’s New EP

Art Over Hype

The title had brought back a bit of nostalgia and curiosity, will I get introduced to blink the artist or blink the businessman? Why has he been away for so long? I plug a borrowed headset and press play.

1. Better Part Of Me ft. Prince Jericho – I like the intro, an unfamiliar voice opens the song, I like the passion and sadness in his voice.  “You haven’t seen the better part of me, wait till you see the better part of me”

I like his honesty. In rap, we talk about ego’s but what about self-esteem? what happens when due to the outside world, you frustrated (explain this)?   Well, it birthed a good record. This is the most important moment of his Project and I’m excited to hear what’s next.

2. Dedication: I like this intro, Spax nailed this production,

“The two options are to win or win” a good bar.  Maka comes in and I love this, Blink’s on a roll.

3. Jigg – The buildup has me excited. This is Blink’s summer theme music, play this song every time he walks into the building. Blink is 3 of 3, I like what I’m hearing.
4. How You Dey – This is the first track I’m not keen on, I like the production, I like the lyricism, but they do not captivate me, rather unimpressed me.
5. Vanity – A tale of Lagos, I like the storytelling of Lagos, the fake life and more, however, I don’t see myself coming back to press play on this again, it sounds like I’ve heard it all before despite this being my first listen.
6. Shake your body – Hip Hop and House music, blink starts the song with ‘2018’ but with slang “for Africa’ makes me question the authenticity of the release date. Hip Hop and House music production compliments each other, however, I’m waiting on something to happen, it’s not convincing enough. I do not like the mixing.
7. Feel am die – the song starts with Rockie Fresh’s Thick bixch sample, This just brought back nostalgia.

If this was released in 2011 – 2014 I’d be turning up to this. but this is like wearing baggy jeans to the club.

8. All Or Nothing ft Jaie Raven – The chemistry on this record between Blink and Jaie Raven has made this song best suited for radio airplay.
9. Any How ft John Black, Tec – ‘I can’t be living anyhow’ the playful yet hits the nail right on the head. The guest features showed up.
10. Pray for Me: I like this production, I hear Funbi’s adlibs and blink rapping with a heavy heart, ‘I’m curious but clueless, though I had it all figured out I was foolish’

Blink provides a rare moment of self-reflection. Inspirational Blink is the blink people need.  Funbi comes with the soulful hook that makes you want to stop and call your mother to tell her to pray for you. Blink’s mum comes on and sends a chill down my spine. I like this.

10. XXX– This sounds outdated. We’re trying to make something out of this but… It’s a poor closing track to end this project.

Blink shares his honest tale of his fears, trials. He bares it all on the better tracks. The Beats feel poorly picked, Production isn’t outside of Blink’s comfort zone. But even when he sounds like he’s rapping with the energy of a man with something to prove, it doesn’t feel fresh.

His raps sound stale, there were times he sounded like he was trying to revive a rap style that has evolved and that altered the project’s process, the mixing was subpar. Syndicate boys have been known for their solid mixing and this is not one of them.

Not enough personal moments to make you believe that you know Blink any better than before listening to the project.

Blink’s Art over hype is an idea that’s missing key ingredients to make a brilliant meal. Similar to that of a player who takes a free-kick, instead of scoring, it hits the woodwork. Almost a goal.

An incomplete blueprint for a solid comeback project but somehow lost the ‘IT’ factor. I can’t help but wonder if this would have been my response if the project was released back in 2014-2015.

Best tracks: Better Part Of Me, Jiggin, dedication, pray for me. Radio worthy, All or nothing.