About 7 years ago, BlackMagic landed his breakout hit with “Repete” — a song that announced him as a star to watch. While he followed up that timeless gem with a slew of other solid songs, none of them ever caught on quite like they deserved to.
With the start of this brand new decade, the versatile star looks to be on a mission to redefine himself, and he accomplishes that with his strongest and most cohesive body of work to date, Blackmagic Version 3.0 (Starving Artist).
On the 13-track project, BlackMagic shows off his impressive range, both as a performer and a writer. He seamlessly alternates genres, sings rather beautifully, raps with gusto and thoughtfully tackles a bunch of complex themes.
More vulnerable and introspective than most Nigerian artists tend to be, BlackMagic raps about navigating depression (“Blue”), fighting for his sanity amidst relentless scrutiny (“Koole”) and our flawed government (“Ponmo”)
Like with any good body of work, BlackMagic isn’t the only reason this project works so well. The impeccable production work from Xela, Bond, Ikon and Spax help elevate his words, ensuring that the album never feels boring or repetitive.
On the album’s Tems-assisted opener. “Soon”, BlackMagic takes out time to apologise for taking so long to release the project, saying he was “chasing inspiration”. Considering the outstanding outcome, it’s safe to say that the wait was more than worth it.
Listen to Blackmagic Version 3.0 (Starving Artist):
