ALBUM REVIEW: Olamide – Street OT

Artist – Olamide
Album – Street OT
Features – Pasuma, Lil Kesh, Viktoh, Don Jazzy, Chinko Ekun, Phyno, Reminisce, B. Banks, Chuka, Pepenazi
Producers – Pheelz, B. Banks, Young John
Label – YBNL
Running Time – 79 minutes
Olamide strikes me like one of those radicals at school, the kind that pretty much gets away with their recalcitrant nature even after all the tutor’s warnings and there’s really nothing that can be done him. He just walks away scott free… like a boss… every darn time! Baddo is untouchable, he knows it and that why he’s seized the opportunity to owning ambassadorship of what he believes in and where he comes from. Your opinion as to how he goes about executing himself may matter but long as he is concerned, they really don’t count. Olamide is not your superstar, he is his superstar. He hasn’t got all the money yet because he’s steady wanting more.
Street OT can otherwise be likened to a shove of the middle finger in the faces of those who deserve it because the overlying message resides in his staunch beliefs on street life, a hustler attitude and his impenitent nature regardless of the fact that his fame hasn’t deterred his perception about people, situations and things.
Oga Nla sets the swing in motion with a dictator’s intro sounding a clear note of warning on not tolerating interference. His grass to grace story is not basis to famz or mess with him. He is the biggest boss now and must be accorded the due respect. Pasuma’s vocals on the hook was exceptional. Zero Joy continues his ‘no tolerance for bullsh*t’ message. He just wants to keep doing (his) things that will put him at par with today’s legends. And he doesn’t need nobody consent or approval to be/come that. Blood Money is a critical address to claims that his wealth can be attributed to an unnatural source to which he dismisses without hesitation. Ya Wa becomes the first of the love-themed tracks on Street OT that relays his true intentions of wanting to be with the one he loves and how nothing will come between them.
Hood Rap gabbles on Baddo‘s superiority in the rap game and continues with The Real MVP about how he’s the most valuable pro in his game with alotta credibility all over the world. Producer, Young John worked some feel good magic in the beats. Still flowing on the beats, Up In The Club is like banter with a bit of explicit content about club experiences and what seeks to find there which actually is reason why he goes there. It also features another YBNL freshman, Viktoh with a most unusual Olamide-styled rap take done in Esan dialect. Not quite the flavour we were expecting. Still on expectations, the collabo with Don Jazzy was without all the midas that he’s well-acknowledged for. Regardless, club heads will find smooth groove on Skelemba.
Remember when I said our opinions don’t count? Prayer For Client is an unapologetic way of saying he (still) won’t change because he don’t care what the haters say. What gets him going would be the rewards/blessing for what his efforts are worth. Batifeori samples a popular gospel chorus Mercy Said No. Olamide’s sings that nobody can kill his vibe or stop his show because he’s got a supernatural backing. His attempt at singing is somewhat decent. Bang follows after with sounds that celebrate the contemporary hip-hop genre. Chinko turns out to be the superstar of the track with a grand delivery. The popular Goons Mi is a shallat to his main niggas in the industry. 1999 is a touching tale of an epiphany. Almost losing his dad to cold fate became a defining point for a ‘brace up to life’ decision.
Street OT deviates to Falila Ketan, extoling the endowment of a bow-legged lady and how he wants to get it or ‘tap that’. It’s is a woeful attempt at humor ‘cos it fails to exude any appeal. He teams up again with Chemistry-lab partner Phyno, to deliver In My Circle. As the title suggests, they take a roll call of their circle of folks but at this point you can agree that their solute has lost some potency since the time of Ghost Mode. Decent still. Alaaru explains his desire to be rich. Unlike what we may have thought, he wants riches like that of Dangote, Tinubu and Fashola. He’s not settled with the ‘little’ he has. Viktoh redeems himself on the hook for 100 to Million. Olamide takes us back to his days as a yahoo boy (with no laptop perhaps) but how he’s advanced from wanting to make nothing into something (by hook or crook) into actually making something (of himself) from nothing. Inspirational. Then reminding us that excuses are nothing but Story For The gods.
Hustle Loyalty Respect wouldn’t be strange terms to firm believers of their game. Any game infact because these are the rules that govern it’s play. Teaming up with Reminisce, they dissect issues that relate to being rulers (kings) at their game. The message here is perhaps the strongest on the LP. Possible is another fave off the album built on high life elements. The Yoruba myth about two rivers, Okun and Osa making a conflux means anything is possible. Producer, B. Banks joins him to make soulful melodies on it. Usain Bolt P is more banter on how he’s on some fast lane sh*t, you literally can’t catch up to him. He rounds up by saying Eni Suun. He can’t be putting in this much work and effort while you’re sleeping. You can’t. You must pay him your attention. All of it.
Let’s be very frank. Olamide is our superstar but he’s rested on his oars and Street OT is an open show of his laxity. The message is almost defining but then he strays away to other non-relative things that shouldn’t be worth bragging about. The stand out points on this LP would be money, his goons and the urge to dobo. It’s in my opinion that Street OT is a step down from the hard-hitting punches that Baddest Guy Ever Liveth came packed with. Street OT only appears tough thanks to Baddo‘s nature of a forced ego and show of bravado. On a rather subtle note, Olamide has refused to evolved and it’ll be a while before it sets in that his art has become a bore. Best he takes note of this now.