The production of Continental Playlist is superb. It’s a mix of different styles and cultures. It shows an artist who is in tune with global practices…
By Emmanuel Daraloye
King Perryy got the attention of almost everyone in 2018 when Nigerian singer, Timaya, chaperoned him as the next big thing in the music industry. Timaya, a respected veteran in the music industry, rarely chaperones artistes, and when he does, it is always worth the time and effort.
The bid to make King Perryy a household name in the music industry was incredibly planned, from the branding to the songs titling, styling, and colourful videos. A particular video comes to my mind in the process of my writing this review. It’s titled “Murder,” and it features singer Teni Makanaki. The flamboyant video resonates strongly with me: the choreography, the pretty girls, and Makanaki’s infectious energy.
Now an independent artiste, King Perryy makes a dashing return in the first quarter of 2023 with his sparkling latest project, Continental Playlist.
Right from when he emerged into the Nigerian music industry, King Perryy has always termed his music as a “continental sound.” It’s a fine dash between Afrobeats and Dancehall. His relatable songs transcend cultures and borders.
King Perryy hails from Abia State but spent his childhood in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State. The former “seminary boy” grew up around music. His love for the arts increased while he was studying Project Management at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
A quick check through King Perryy’s music reveals his dexterity with sounds, his deep love for Dancehall, and sometimes Reggae. And although he is a fan of the Jamaican sound, he scarcely sings in the Patois; instead, what we have is an artiste who sticks to serenading his fans in Pidgin and sometimes in English.
On Continental Playlist, King Perryy doles out an array of songs for the fans. It is an appetiser before his next album. The project features input from Victony, 1da Banton, Ria Sean, and Tekno. Tuzi, Banton, Yalabalaya, Smean & Dean serve as producers on this project.
“On God,” the lead single for Continental Playlist, starts the project. A heartfelt message to the fans, here, King Perryy reveals the place of God in his life’s journey. The message is deepened with alluring crowd vocals and an impressive solo guitar. The production effortlessly switches from fast to mid-tempo. The first verse sees Perryy singing about his past, the quest to make ends meet, and how God came through for him. The second is tethered to paying homage to people who have been supportive of his brand. “On God” could have ended this project, but King Perryy decided to put his best foot forward by choosing it as the first track.
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The Fela Kuti sampling on the original “Turkey Nla” got scrapped on the remix that featured singer Tekno. The “Pana” crooner lays his meditative verse, in a way, broadening the song while at the same time retaining the signature “Alhaji Tekno” style. His verse is fun and easy to remember. The song might share the same title as one of Wande Coal’s songs, yet the message and style are different. The last sixty seconds of the song explore Amapiano with the skittering log drum serving as the perfect accompaniment to the drums, kick, and baseline.
“She wan put me for tight condition,” King Perryy solemnly laments on the hook of “Tight Condition.” A punchy duet alongside singer Victony, this record sheds light on a sensual relationship between both artists and women. The trumpet and saxophone on this record collide to form a relatable sound. The jangling production underneath seeps in, while allowing King Perryy’s voice a chance to flow. By the time Victony comes up, the song reaches its crescendo. A topic like this is what tickles Victony. He comes prepared to deliver.
“Oh No” exploits rolling drums, kicks, and baseline. Lyrically, it finds King Perryy recollecting his experience with a girl, who only gives him a chance after seeing his cash. The rolling drums swirl Perryy’s vocal, and the articulation comes so well that you wish the song could last longer than its two minutes, seventeen seconds mark.
Ria Sean, one of Nigeria’s rising star, features on “Flamingo.” She brings a feminine energy to the bouncy, R&B-ish tune. This record also has elements of Dancehall, yet it retains the Nigerian element, the bounce and the Hawaii guitar. “Flamingo” is a club track. It invites you to dance, to move your arms and legs in ecstasy. Sean and Perryy profess love to each other on this track.
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Continental Playlist ends with “No Stress,” and “Denge.” On the former, over a springy production, King Perryy repurposes lyrics from his hit song, “Yawa.” “No Stress” is a mix between Dancehall and Highlife, and the backup as well as the production takes inspiration from that genre. “No Stress” reminds me of the 20th-century palm wine music, which happens to be one of the genres Highlife takes inspiration from.
“Denge” might have just taken some creative cues from Timaya’s “Sanko.” The rhythm of the song is also similar to “Body Riddim” by Runtown. “Denge” features Banton who also serves as its producer. Banton’s verse brings a fresh twist to the song. It’s more solemn than the other parts of the song. Quite expectantly, it is a dance-themed song. The lyrics are sparse, and the production, effortlessly meeting expectations, gets to do more. While rounding off Continental Playlist, King Perryy reminds the fans of the need to live a stress-free life.
The production of Continental Playlist is superb. It’s a mix of different styles and cultures. It shows an artist who is in tune with global practices. However, the collaborations tend to overly overshadow King Perryy’s deliveries, and I hope this would be avoided in the next project.
Two years after the release of Citizen of the World, it is definitely exciting to see a new project from King Perryy. It is not the expected follow-up album; yet, it takes nothing away from the loftiness of this project. At just seven tracks, King Perryy keeps everything short and simple. It gives fans something to hold on to while they anticipate the sophomore album.
Lyricism – 1
Tracklisting – 1
Sound Engineering – 1
Vocalisation – 2
Listening Experience – 1
Rating: 6/10
Emmanuel Daraloye is Africa’s Most Prolific Freelance Music Critic. He has over 500 album reviews in his archive.