By Guardian Nigeria
27 October 2023 |
2:00 am
Afropop superstar Mr. Eazi has finally lifted the curtain on his highly anticipated debut album, “The Evil Genius,” now available worldwide through his own emPawa Africa label.
Afropop superstar Mr. Eazi has finally lifted the curtain on his highly anticipated debut album, “The Evil Genius,” now available worldwide through his own emPawa Africa label.
The album takes listeners on a musical journey through Ouidah, Cotonou, Kigali, Accra, Kokrobite, Lagos, London, Los Angeles, and New York City as Mr. Eazi explores themes of love, betrayal, loneliness, and family in three distinct acts.
But what really sets “The Evil Genius” apart is Mr. Eazi’s ingenious blend of music and visual art. Collaborating with talented artists from across the continent, he didn’t just stop at creating an album; he commissioned unique physical art pieces to represent each of the 16 tracks. Now, that’s taking album art to a whole new level.
“The Evil Genius” features a star-studded cast of collaborators, including Angelique Kidjo (Benin), Tekno (Nigeria), Efya (Ghana), Whoisakin (Nigeria), Joeboy (Nigeria), and the three-time Grammy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir (South Africa).
During the album’s creation, Mr. Eazi built connections with artists, lamenting the lack of collaboration between Africa’s booming pop music scene and its fine art creators. In response, he personally selected 13 artists from eight African countries, adding art curators and patrons to his growing list of accomplishments.
To bridge the gap between the exploding pop music scene in Africa and the continent’s fine art creators, Mr. Eazi, in addition to his musical prowess, has added the roles of art curator and patron to his already impressive list of accomplishments.
Behind the scenes, a cadre of talented producers lent their magic to the project, including Kel-P, Knucks, Michael Brun, Andre Vibez, Yung Willis, Nonso Amadi, KillBeatz, M.O.G. Beatz, E Kelly, Type A, Stikmatik, Phantom, Beat Butcha, Venna, KDream, and Mr. Eazi himself.
For the album’s cover art, Mr. Eazi also collaborated with the celebrated Nigerian stylist, designer, and photographer Daniel Obasi, known for his work with global icons such as Beyoncé and Louis Vuitton. The partnership adds an extra layer of visual sophistication to an already groundbreaking musical endeavour.
As “The Evil Genius” rolled out, Mr. Eazi treated fans to a multi-sensory experience at exhibition listening events. The first two occurred in Accra, Ghana, at Gallery 1957 and in the U.K. during the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair at Somerset House in London from October 12-15. These events offered a unique opportunity for the public to immerse themselves in both the music and the art that inspired it.
As fans around the world immerse themselves into the rich sounds and visual artistry of “The Evil Genius,” Mr. Eazi has not just dropped an album; he’s launched a movement, a celebration of African creativity that’s sure to resonate far beyond local and international billboard charts.
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