Illbliss ‘Sideh Kai’ Album Review

Illbliss has given hip-hop lovers a gift and has once again shown why he is rated highly amongst his peers. 15 years after releasing his debut album, ‘Dat Ibo Boy’, Illbliss looks back on his journey to fame, which forms the blueprint for those who came after him. As the head of the family, Illbliss deploys a communal approach to celebrating his success and highlighting his status in the game.

He explores contemporary hip hop on the opening three records as the album kicked off with a strong note, with Illbliss celebrating his success and holding up the communal accomplishments of his people as he proudly wears the Igbo Boy cap in a decided effort to say that his people will never be silenced and suppressed as the country gets increasingly divided between ethno-religious lines.

He takes on the role of a professor of the game on the glorious ‘Masterclass’, where he delivers a tribute to hip-hop while leaving strong words for armchair sleuths who have much to say about hip-hop’s decline in Nigeria. Illbliss recruits rappers M.I. Abaga, Vector, and Reminisce as visiting professors who share insights into making Nigerian hip-hop great.

On the bouncy ‘Full Chest,’ Illbliss’ self-adulation and nod to the crop of producers shaping Afrobeats is perfectly complemented by the current face of Nigerian hip-hop ODUMODUBLVCK, who knows a thing or two about making chest-thumping records.

Making records that appeal to listeners outside hip hop contributed to the success of Nigerian hip hop greats, as Reminisce’s cameo highlighted in ‘Masterclass’. Illbliss has a fine collection of Afrobeats hits and he moves to add to them through an infusion of Igbo indigenous music alongside the sensational Highlife duo Umu Obiligo on ‘Chukwu Ebuka’, which can be expected to soundtrack parties in Eastern Nigeria. He partners with Fave and Teni, who lay smooth hooks on pop records, where Illbliss sues for peace of mind and covers his partner in superlatives.

A student of hip hop and a battle-tested veteran of Nigerian music with the success to match, on ‘Sideh Kai’ Illbliss makes an album that brings together the generation of listeners who have followed his music. His chest-thumping and thought-provoking lines, while infectious and awe-inspiring, can be overwhelming for the average listener. Illbliss manages this by exploring a robust collection of beats and recruiting the assistance of exciting artists for a rounded project.

Tracklist

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