A couple of weeks ago, Modenine did what he's best known for - he dropped another rap album.

Naturally as a rap fan, I got me a copy.

Now let's forget all the hassles you and I went through to get a copy (considering the scarcity at the early stages of its release), the jabs flying here and there between Mode's fans and the cat on the other divide and vice versa, the controversy allegedly caused by track 22. And all-what-not. . .

I've taken time to listen to the whole album. Not once. Not twice.

Thrice.

Back to Back.

Now it's time for a critical review.

First and foremost, it took me three times of thorough listenership before I could decide to post my review. Reason - when I bought 9's previous album (E Pluribus Unum), I listened to all the tracks, albeit skipping through them.

And I concluded the best track was 'Fellow Nigerians'.

Until I listened to 'Contradiction'.

And I was like - damn! how on earth did I miss such a track?!

Now the paradigm has shifted and it's time to look in the direction it has turned.

And comment.

Going through the album, Mode as usual sounds arrogant. The familiar haughty proud feel is felt all through the album.

As usual, Mode still brags. As usual, he still drops punchlines. As usual, he still disses. As usual, he still keeps it hardcore.
As usual, there are no dance tracks. As usual, the tracks ain't commercial.

Expectedly, some peops are disappointed.

And some are not.

Mode again followed his heart.

Not mine or yours.

Generally, I've always maintained that Mode could be better. He doesn't have to do dance tracks. Doesn't have to go commercial. But he could hone his skills. He could perfect his craft.

He could move peops without necessarily moving 'em to their feet.

Hmm. . .

Production was better for Mode on some tracks - 'Bush Girl Behind Girl' and 'Fiyah Burn' are examples.

'Talking To You' took a shot at the commercial side of things. It got really close. But it missed da Bull's eye.

Nice beat. Could move you to your feet. But whilst on your feet, you'll suddenly realise that you're better off on your seat, boppin' yo' head to the rhythm. Banky W also gave it a semblance of radio-friendliness.

But in the last 6 years or thereabouts, the commercial standard of Nigerian songs has been turned up 6 notches.

Nay, 12.

If your beats ain't the 'take-me-straight-to-the-dancefloor' type - the likes seen in D'banj/Don Jazzy; Olu Maintain/Puffy T, then your song ain't commercial enough for 'em DJs.

My point - I'm not sure DJs can spin 'Talking To You' next to 'Gongo Aso' or 'Mo Gbona Feli Feli' whilst behind the turntables - in a club.

The track is not . . . erm . . . what's that word again?

It's not a 'club-banger'.

But I don't think it was a mistake. If at this stage, anyone still expects a 'club banger' from Mode, I got 3 words for them:

Perish the thought.

Mode ain't no commercial artiste. This 'commercial thingy' does not run in his blood.

Hear me well.

I did not say Mode does not want to or will not do club bangers.

I mean he can not.

It's not his making - he was built to rap only the hardcore/danceless way. Just the same way a car is built to traverse roads. He's good but old-fashioned. He's like the hands of the clock at 6.30 - all turned inward.

At the end of one of his old songs 'Spazmodic', he actually told us to expect a commercial album. But his definition of a commercial track falls below the expectation of an average Nigerian club goer.

Listen to the track 'Hip Hop' and you'll confirm this.

Mode sees hip hop as "one DJ one MC".

He may not be right. But he's also not wrong.

Don't get me wrong. Tomorrow we might awake to the sound of Mode's voice on a heavily-dance-inducing beat with a dance hook to complement it.

We may like it. We may dance. The track might even be entitled 'Let's Dance'.

But personally I can foretell what it would be. A mismatch.

When buying a Modey album, be mindful of this rule - never expect a club banger.

Again I remember 'E Pluribus Unum'. 'Contradiction' is my all-time fave Modo track. I do not know what it is about that track. But it should stand the test of time.

While listening to 'Paradigm Shift', I kept watching out for another 'Contradiction'.

But I found none.

Can Modo ever again do a rap joint as deep an' hip as that?

I wonder . . .

Not to wander away from the present subject, 'My Skin is Black' is my fave joint on 'Paradigm Shift'. Nice verses. Great delivery. Good concept. Good beat. Nice hook. And Sage again lived up to his name. . .

And . . . erm . . . the now notorious track 22 . . . hmm. . . interesting. Still he did not name the name. But he named names. And since 'Talking To You' was, as he terms it, a decoy, he decided to make it clearer who he's talking to. . .

Too early to comment on that anyway. . .

But surely the battle line has been drawn. . .

I know some other threads have offered something sort of discussions on this album. But hitherto, more emphasis has been on the Mode V. Rugged angle.

Now it's time for reviews. Critical and indepth ones.

That's why I created this thread.

Enough said.

Any deep thinkers in the house?

Dnt av d album,so am nt qualified to comment!
But av heard
talking to u
spartan
track 22

talking to u has a touch of a sensible artiste banky,so its close to radio friendly

track 22 is a coplete beef track
tight

spartans, same dry mode9 with punchlines.

I dont have the album in my laptop, i only play it when i get home, so before i can really give give a sound critical review of the album i have to have it beside me, so for now, till tomoro. But that not withstanding, i have to agree to some of the things u said. The album is mostly filled with the usual mode arogance, boasting and puchlines. I've often asked myself if i'm sure mode can actually do a dance track, or is he hiding his inability behind the keeping it real thing. Finally my silent question has been answered. Mode's style of rap can never suit dance track. I'm afraid but where is the versertility?

@ poster,u tell me My shin is black is d best on d album.
Well i can c that u only listen to it thrice,so i wouldn't pull out my sword yet.
Did u listen to track 2:Big Boy Rap and Track 15:Nine?.

@Tosin,Olofofo as usual.

Egbon e olofofo

tosinadeda:

Dnt av d album,so am nt qualified to comment!
But av heard
talking to u
spartan
track 22

talking to u has a touch of a sensible artiste banky,so its close to radio friendly

track 22 is a coplete beef track
tight

spartans, same dry mode9 with punchlines.

good comment

@blinx,Must Mode make a dance track b4 he's accepted?.Must he combine Fuji with hip hop b4 u can say he's versertile?.

Ola u'er in the thread. We'er here to review not insult. Tell us what u think of the album and what u like about the album with instances from diffrent tracks on the album.

Ikun define versatility

you guyz have changed the topic oooooo

Let's b a little civilized here ok.Well since i do not expect a dance track from Mode,Personally,i wuld say d album is a Classic.Most expecially track 2:Big Boy Rap.

Though i dont have the album here with me, i know i like all the tracks but the one i'm feeling most is emm i think it's track 15 "mode 9". I live that track. Jesse Jags did a good job with the beats. But i dont know why the girl that took the chorus was not named in the track. I think the girl did a good job.

Listening to the Album now

My best track is My Skin is Black, Follow by Talking to you, Nine, Big boy Rap (Big boy do Big Things) and must definately Track 22 (you know the title )

Infact i love all the Tracks.

No room for TeleTurbies

The album is a classic.

Word!!!

I've been listening to the album at least twice a day since the day I bought it. My favourites tracks so far on the album are BIG BOY RAP, SPARTANS, FOLLOW YOUR HEART, FIYA BURN, MY SKIN IS BLACK, OUTSIDE, TALKING TO YOU and of course DEATH BLOW. I started buying Modenine CD from the last (E PLURIBUS UNUM) and I'm in no way disappointed with I got from his latest effort.
If this kind of an album is released by Jazzman, Eedris, Ruggedman, it may be the surprise of the millineum but, from Modenine, I accept with joy and satisfaction.

@Bamsyle, You really did a fantastic work with your write up in analysing the album. One thing that I will like to comment on from your post is about whether Modenine can actually do a dance track. IMO Modenine may be credited with the whackest song out of Nigeria if he try a 'Club Banger' (at least for now) because from My observation, Modenine is only talented to deliver real HipHop as he is currently doing. He can actually have a Club song in future, never say never.

Some American Artistes even are better off on 'real HipHop joints' than Club bangers. For Example: The Game's Dream, Big Dreams, My Life, Nas' One Mic are all my favourites and they can't be classified as Club joints.

On a final note, If Modenine can rock Nigeria with Cry, Tuface with African Queen that are not club bangers He can definitely go a long way with THE PARADIGM SHIFT

2face rockd d world wit dat song!

@blinx,the chick on track 15:nine is Ruby.Listening to the album now.

abdurrazaq:

I've been listening to the album at least twice a day since the day I bought it. My favourites tracks so far on the album are BIG BOY RAP, SPARTANS, FOLLOW YOUR HEART, FIYA BURN, MY SKIN IS BLACK, OUTSIDE, TALKING TO YOU and of course DEATH BLOW. I started buying Modenine CD from the last (E PLURIBUS UNUM) and I'm in no way disappointed with I got from his latest effort.
If this kind of an album is released by Jazzman, Eedris, Ruggedman, it may be the surprise of the millineum but, from Modenine, I accept with joy and satisfaction.

@Bamsyle, You really did a fantastic work with your write up in analysing the album. One thing that I will like to comment on from your post is about whether Modenine can actually do a dance track. IMO Modenine may be credited with the whackest song out of Nigeria if he try a 'Club Banger' (at least for now) because from My observation, Modenine is only talented to deliver real HipHop as he is currently doing. He can actually have a Club song in future, never say never.

Some American Artistes even are better off on 'real HipHop joints' than Club bangers. For Example: The Game's Dream, Big Dreams, My Life, Nas' One Mic are all my favourites and they can't be classified as Club joints.

On a final note, If Modenine can rock Nigeria with Cry, Tuface with African Queen that are not club bangers He can definitely go a long way with THE PARADIGM SHIFT

Nice write up.

@Bamsyle

Big ups to you man for taking ya time to come to this.

@abdurrazaq

Good comment Dude!

The Paradigm Shift!

nice work bamsyle. u never cease to impress me with ur analytical skills. i'm amazed at the effotless and interesting way in which you express urself on print.

i've only heard Talking to U and from all the analysis i've seen in here, i'll hurry and get the album so i can listen to the other tracks. by the way, Talking to U sounded good to my ears

helenpee:

by the way, Talking to U sounded good to my ears

really
wut part of the song do u like

dis baba dat baba, it's not ethipia

helenpee:

this baba that baba, it's not ethipia

i just knew it
that line was murder

day light murder robbery

lmfao

mine is

Dis Baba Dat Baba

Serious that line is funny to me.

I can't believe I left out HIPHOP and NINE in the list of my favourite tracks on the album. CRAZY is also a good track. That shows the Ragga side of Modenine. Very close to a party track. A good work done by Mallam Spicey on that track.

Hmmm!
Paradigm Shift-PS, M.9,
@
Bamsyl
1st lemme say u did a commendable job.
That said- I think this is M.9 best effort so far,
no controversy bout that cos he too agreed when i told him.
Personally PS is the 1st Hiphop classic album in 9ja, i call it a clAsick!
Production was better on the album than previos works
Versitility showed up as M.9 flipped some ragga on us, which aint bad at all.
Unlike ogun isoye and fellow nigerians, social issues were tackled in a fun more friendly way
Case in point, Behind girl bush girl-tacklin cosmopolitant female issue.Forbidden love- tacklin tenege sex, and infidelity.
My skin is black, Green passport and the likes.
About M.9 braggin n boastin, i dont kno why pple credit that only to M.9
check the role call and tell me which rapper doesnt. M.9 lyricism only makes him come bang in ur face, and that's a plus.

As regardin Club banger, lemme say this, any nit wit dat grabs a mic can do a club track.
It is d easiest to do, y dyu think we hav more cats doin that,
It's unfortunate that what we shud credit M.9 for is what we critisize him for.
Get a club track producer, get some one to do a catchy hook and bang, we r all in d club movin our feet!
Ur lyrics dont even matter cos we aint listenin anyway.
So to say "he cannot do a club track" is a big error. when he decides to he wld.
So if he join d club wagon who will make us listen and bob our heads?? hnnn?
But like i say, Hiphop is a listenin music. Yea pple can take it to dance floor but it's really
a mature kinda music that makes u just bob ur head and LISTEN.
Imagine pple sayin if ur classical music cant be played in d club u r old fashion?
Classical music as by BEETHOVEEN, MOZART is sth u close ur eyes listen to and enjoy, dyu get?
JZ had that problem when he was losin pple LISTENIN to him cos they've tagged him a bling rapper as well
and he complained in one of his track he say
"do u pple listen to music or u just skim tru it"-.

Yea searchin for another CONTRADICTION in PS is like searchin for ONE MIC in another Nas' album.
That's d beauty of creativity, it reveals itself in different 9 modes(pun intended).
Jesse jags did a marvelous job on track 15-"NINE", Ruby on the hook ripped it apart.
Most of the tracks are radio/ear friendly not neccesary a club friendly, but im sure it's intentional
cos for now that's wat d brand M.9 stands for.
PS has raised the bar for hiphop album in 9ja no doubt, even those beefin' dissin' M.9 will cop it
and use it as a benchmark.
oNe

Just wanna quickly say ma opinnion doesnt mean M.9 cant improve his skill.
F'course e'rbody needs that, anythin done can always be done better,
there's always room for improvement for all.
PS is a peep into that improvement, there's more to be seen.
Cos definately we've not heard the last of him.
oNe

@All
Kudos to y'all for the thangs you've said. However, I encourage y'all to read my review with a neutral mind as I also tried to keep thangs neutral. I don't belong to any divide. Keep the reviews coming!

@Olayokun
Now I've listened to the album more times than I can count. "My Skin Is Black" is still ma fave joint.

@Tosin
Got the album yet?

@DBR/Abdurrazaq
Good reviews. However, when I said Mode can't do dance tracks, I meant it as a statement of fact that I have come to believe. I don't see it as a flaw.

That said, it's not compulsory to do dance tracks to be rated as a good rapper. Nas is in my Top 5 Rappers List. Nas is not the club banger type of artiste. In fact, IMO he sounds better when he keeps ish simple and lyrical. You may be surprised to hear that as great as "Hate Me Now" was/is, I won't list it in Nas' Top 50 Hits. I really don't dig it.

My point: Some rappers are designed to be really lyrics-inclined. Their style on a dance beat would sound off-the-mark ^{*for want of a better word*}. Eminem is also a rapper I admire. But you rarely find his songs being played in a club. In fact, I'll prefer to listen to rappers like Nas and Biggie on slow and undanceable beats to havin' em on fast and danceable beats. But compare these rappers to Jay-Z. We all know Jay-Z's style suits dance beats any day.

In the final analysis, what really counts is - dance or not, how skilled is the rapper?

no i dnt

Bamsyle:



@DBR/Abdurrazaq
Good reviews. However, when I said Mode can't do dance tracks, I meant it as a statement of fact that I have come to believe. I don't see it as a flaw.



In the final analysis, what really counts is - dance or not, how skilled is the rapper?

@
Bamsyle
i think that is where we differ, and where u aint dispassionate cos u makin ref. to YOUR BELIEF and u called it FACT.
Plus, i just told u wat we know takes to make a club track.
So logically lemme ask,
1-can M.9 get a producer to make a club beat, i wld say YES he can (no Obama ishh intended)
2-Can he get d likes of a Dbanj, a durella, an eldee ,or an Olumaintain or Psquare to do a catchy club hook-again YES he can
3-Can he ride on such a beat? YES he can.
4-Will he do all these things just to do a club track?-I say NO he wont, so far, at least not on the already realeased album, lol
So wat i'm sayin is that it's not a question of inability to do which your "HE CANT" infers but the issue is HE WON'T

And in d final analysis it's d skill, so i'ld ask what skill is most talked about in Hiphop,
wat major skill is looked for in the artiste, i think it's lyrical prowess.
What is M.9 majorly known for, the last time i checked t'was his "lyricability"
So in the final analysis did M.9's P.S show this?

Personally My skin is black and Nine are my favs, tho t'was hard choosin'
Nice job Bamsyle.
oNe

Bamsyle:



@Olayokun
Now I've listened to the album more times than I can count. "My Skin Is Black" is still ma fave joint.

In the final analysis, what really counts is - dance or not, how skilled is the rapper?

well,since u have listen to it over and over,and u're still caught up in the My skin is black is the best 4 me,dats good 4 u.But me Big Boy Rap and Nine,is the classic.

@Tosin na lie.E gat d album abi no b u i c 4 ikeja?.

DBR:

@
Bamsyle
i think that is where we differ, and where u aint dispassionate because u makin ref. to YOUR BELIEF and u called it FACT.
Plus, i just told u what we know takes to make a club track.
So logically let me ask,
1-can M.9 get a producer to make a club beat, i would say YES he can (no Obama ishh intended)
2-Can he get d likes of a Dbanj, a durella, an eldee ,or an Olumaintain or Psquare to do a catchy club hook-again YES he can
3-Can he ride on such a beat? YES he can.
4-Will he do all these things just to do a club track?-I say NO he wont, so far, at least not on the already realeased album, lol
So what i'm sayin is that it's not a question of inability to do which your "HE can't" infers but the issue is HE WON'T

And in d final analysis it's d skill, so i'ld ask what skill is most talked about in Hiphop,
what major skill is looked for in the artiste, i think it's lyrical prowess.
What is M.9 majorly known for, the last time i checked t'was his "lyricability"
So in the final analysis did M.9's P.S show this?

Personally My skin is black and Nine are my favs, tho t'was hard choosin'
Nice job Bamsyle.
oNe

Nice write up man.
And bout what really counts is - dance or not, how skilled is the rapper?

I think it depends on you,on what you want to hear,it more of a personal decision.

@Bamsyle

Man that was some good write up. Good analysis even tho its not all I agree with.

Now my own review.

Mode is Niaja only real lyricist. He’s doing his best to put the green white green on the hip hop map. He’s got the lyrics, and the skillry (new word) to achieve that.

I’ve listened to the whole album more than a dozen times and I wasn’t disappointed. This is his best effort so far and the first and only true Nigerian hip hop album. It’s a classic innit?

Of course mode is very arrogant and proud of what he’s doing. May I remind us all again that mode has said it time and again that he’s in the game first for the love and anything he makes out of it is bonus. And so far, he has not only been getting bonuses, he’s been earning more than some artists who are all out for the money.

The Paradigm Shift is hot. A classic. Nice beats used, his lyrics were usual, full of punchlines, wordplays, and metaphors. My favorite wordplay he spat on the track “Nine”

Botleg my cd’s, I know u guys are thiefs/
And I wud be going to war with PIRATES like the KAIZER CHIEFS . . . . . . Sick!!!! .

My best tracks are Nine, Spartans, Bush Girl Behind Girl, A Hero Comes Home, Big Boy Rap, Your Girl, Crazy. Infact all the tracks. I don’t skip any of them but . . .

I’m disappointed with Green Passport remix. I personally prefer the original to the remix. The chorus did not match with the tempo at which modo rapped. In the original, the tempo was d same all tru and sounded good to my ears. Its all good sha at least, the lyrics which is my major concern and d main reason why I’m a modo fan didn’t fail me. The delivery I thought was poor.

My best track on PS is Nine. I tell u I can step to dat track. Its sick, nice beats, nice rap from modo, very very ear friendly chorus. The gal that took that chorus I guess is a back up artiste so her name didn’t feature on the track. Modo shud use d gal more abeg…

On Follow your heart, modo poured out his heart. I guess haters now know that this guy is not banking on doing a club banger b4 he makes it. Even when he was having problems with his label, my guy still didn’t switch style oooo. This guy get agidi no be small . Anyway, his lyrics is the key, so he says.

And who says my man modo can do a club banger? Take that back man. He can, but from all indications, he wont. What modo is doing and making money from, touring from, getting shows and adverts from, no other naija artiste can (IMO).

All in all, I love tha tracks and I need not emphasize on track 22 again and again. I v done that on other threads. A beef track cant be done berra by a Nigerian.

Now the videos I’m expecting are Nine, Bush Girl Behind Girl, A Hero Come Home, Your Girl and Crazy. I wud prefer he shoots Bush Girl Behind Girl. That track funny ooooooo

So if u haven’t coped the album, pls do and if u can afford it (tosinadeda), I wud be willing to send to u as an xmas gift.

Just my 2cents