I have waited about three years for this. Ever since I stumbled upon Jesse Jagz many years ago on Nobody Test Me, I was convinced this man is a certain MC, a person who says fantastic things and makes it reality. I was eargasmed into his awesomeness. Whenever I got the chance, wherever, I'd bump a song of his. Whenever any of my friends ask, 'who's that?' there's a certain triumph I feel in my chest. Jesse Jagz became the god I would always revere. When he won the Headies, I was on cloud nine. Hopefully, something will happen. He will be a unique story of artistic ingenuity and commercial success. I was partly wrong. While it is obvious that Jesse Jagz got this album completed years ago, it is tricky to note that Chocolate City, his label imprint presided by his elder brother, the legend MI Abaga might be pulling some strings behind doors. I don't like those doors! But hey! The album Odysseus is here. Let's dive in.

1. GENESIS : A sombre wailing over a spoken word about creation. Typical Jagz. He comes in immediately with a rhyme scheme that is honey on the ears. This beat is hot! There's a drum and uh uh uh uh in the background, that's heaven. This hook is soulful. He's saying 'don't wake me up'. Jagz listens to Breezy? Very likely. He's versatile like that. Gosh, this beat deserves a Grammy. Genius says it's produced by the man Jagz himself. How is this man not a god? Perfect way to start an album. The spoken word pieces carefully explores creation. And hey, Jagz can sing.

2. DIRTY FT HOT ICE : Who is Hot Ice? He sounds like an OAP who is so happy with his voice appearing on a music album. He does that thing like a DJ Khaled would. It works. The beat comes in. This is the trap of Jesse Jagz. Dirty, Dirty, being repeated. This song would sound perfect with Wizkid. Lemme just listen through to the end, I don't too like this. Okay. Hot Ice is back. He's dope sha, there's something Ghost (of SDC) in his authority, only that he's kinda fast paced. This song is more his than Jagz.

3. BEST IN YOU : Three songs in and if you know if you don't hear that 'Sex & Scotch' kinda beat and theme, it ain't Jagz. The man do likes his sex. He does a Linkin Park Ocean Drive reference here. A tribute to the late Chester Bennington? This song is that song you hear when you're half - drunk, with your friends and trying to convince a sober chick she should have sex with you. He does the Ocean Drive thing again. The sun's gonna shine on everything we do. RIP Chester Bennington.

4. ALRIGHT (Ft. Styl Plus) Hmm. Jagz. Styl Plus. They've done a song together before I'm sure. Don't remember the song. Styl Plus goes in immediately, singing with that voice that made them the soundtrack for love-me-even-though-i-am-broke boys. They're vocals are pure and flexible. It's like they never left. 9ice, go and ask them how to preserve vocals. Jagz comes in. His flow is kinda MI esque. Just a verse. Styl Plus. 'Dem talk say you go ruin my life, Dem talk say you go kill me but I showed em that you treat me right' This song is Jesse Jagz giving Styl Plus that comeback avenue. We want them back already.

5. WIDE AND BLUE : You know what is wide and blue? A sea (excluding those in Nigeria). 'I feel my spirit waking and my body aching.' Jagz is a philosopher, no questions. He says he's been forsaken. True that. Wonder by who. His fellow gods? The industry? The country? His thoughts? Jagz has been working on his hooks for sure, they're more catchy now (you see what I did?) His delivery is so sick you want to rap along to his every word even if you don't understand all he's saying. You'll probably never understand.

6. FINE n CLEAN (Ft. Cynthia Morgan) : Obviously Ragga Jagz. Coming from what I had in the previous track, you'd understand why this doesn't work in my ears. It's a decent effort. Bag Gurl Cynthia Morgan almost salvages this.

7. AWAKE : LOL. I thought this was a Ycee Juice cover. The beats are similar. This beat has the Best in You and Sex & Scotch feel. He's rhyming with O. Another steady groovy hook. Jagz surely is the greatest. This song has the potential to blow, like he said in this song. The word Destiny is frequent. Walls too. Only God knows the corporate walls Jagz has had to climb to give us this album. Good joint. It will be rocked to at a club full of intellectuals who decide to take a time off. With the proper promotion, this song will go far commercially. I just hope Jesse Jagz cares about that.

8. GHETTO YOUTH : This sound. It's Jagz sound. Then, WOW! Plot twist. This sounds like Kiss Daniel's Sin City. A remake, maybe? They both tackle the same theme, so maybe? Jagz is rapping about vices and he's dropping times (thyme). This is delicious. This is the jam your headphones was created for. This is the song that doesn't give an F. Mugees come in with that Ghana vibe and streetness. This beat is Sin City's twin. Tema. Lagos. J Town. Kingston. Respect to the ghettos. Respect to my ghetto, Ajegunle.

9. RUDE BOYS' QUARTERS : There's a funny talk between two people speaking a kind of Jamaican patois. ALMOST HUMOROUS. Beat drops in. This is the song you nod to. 'Landlord is a fucker' The closest thing to an against-the-bourgeoisie track on this album. Jagz is just going on and on, he has a lot he wants to talk about. It's a hangover. This beat will remain with you after the song.

10. VIOLATION (Ft. Burna Boy) : A song featuring Jesse Jagz and Burna titled Violation will always be straight ass murder. Final track of the album. Track begins with a gun shot. Burna Boy does his trademark long-speaking-patois shout out. This beat is sure. There's a loading of gun in the background. The flow is reserved, like a gangster who knows he can blast you and so he doesn't need to threaten with words. Burna goes in. Smooth and that voice! Burna Boy has got to be the most criminally underrated artiste of all times. Jesse Jagz flow is hurried and it works. It's a moving song, like two niggas dressed in black going on a covert mission. This song works for that scene. Jagz remind you that 'you're now rocking with the greatest, you're in the ring and you're boxing with Joe Frazier.' Burna Boy's adlibs work. He does the trademark thingy again and his voice is fading away, he refuses to let the beat go. Solid ending.

VERDICT : Jesse Jagz fourth album is an awesome effort and it was worth the wait. Most tracks on the album can be more accessible to a more mainstream audience, I wonder if that is on purpose. If it is, it's great. If it's not, Jesse Jagz is still the greatest and in this Era where refurbished music and jejune rap is hailed to the heavens, Garba Galaye Abaga is a breath of fresh air.

Early Favorites : Genesis, Wide and Blue, Violation.

Not so Early Favorites : Fine n Clean, Best in You.

Rating : 3.5/5

This review was written by Emmanuel Esomnofu.
Contact him @ emmanuelesomnofu@gmail.com
for your writing jobs.

Jesse jags and vector Tha viper.
These two, are best rappers highly underated

will comment later, at work

Jesse Jagz is the greatest. He has become standard in the industry, he leads others follow. The only name that is synomous with quality music. It's Jesse Jagznation baby.