Alpha Ojini Returns with “Jonah’s Room”: A Bold Yet Uneven Comeback
Alpha Ojini "Jonah's Room's" Review by Roy OC Chukwu
Nigerian rapper and record producer, Alpha Ojini comes back to the music scene with "Jonah's Room", a much anticipated playlist he teased months ago across the cyberspace. Over two years since his last release, he reveals what he has been exploring the break — sensual escapades, clearly. "Jonah's Room", an afro hip-hop genre explores storytelling, wordplay, uncensored, and explicit themes. On this project, he dives into raw episodes his fans might eventually get used to in the future. Except for Track 3 that was produced by Emmeno, Alpha Ojini produced Tracks, 1,2, & 4. Alpha Ojini's "Jonah's Room" employs different tempos as it ranges from slow to mid, then to fast tempos while he delivers his raps in light tone.
"The Prelude";
"The Prelude" serves as a precursor to Jonah's Room EP.
"The Prelude", for reasons best known to him did not make it to this project; as it would have cemented the entire experience as a listener. As fans, the audience and listeners would have connected better with his EP and understood where he would be going with the 13 minute clip of his EP, 'Jonah's Room'. Nonetheless, "The Prelude" explores the poetic genre as Alpha Ojini wrote the poems for Ire Olota to deliver and narrate whose vocals had a significant impact. Also in the crew of the visuals on YouTube were Emsi Lucky who shot and edited the visual, Chidera Nwamara and Tolulope Divine Okelowo who translated and transposed their roles into drama.
PU$$Y & SCREENZ;
The EP starts with this track on it, the instrumental showcasing Ojini's growth and skill. Here, Ojini laid the thematic foundation of this EP, and in the best he could. He delved into cadence, the flow took pauses to get the best delivery on the first verse. He centered his theme around the average hedonistic youth who displays his youthful exuberance to his newly found therapist-cum-masseuse.
It had a strong warning on the hook and an easy rhyme that flew like a refrain giving Afrobeats vibes. On the second verse, he tightened the flow. It was filled with metaphors, facts, and quotables.
While on BADDIEZ & FREAKZ; Ojini employs the pass-the-mic style with Ajebutter 22 using storytelling to explore the second track. They told us their experiences with provocative lyrics. Riding on the wavy theme from the first track.
PRETTY & LOCO; This track from the beginning almost had a break from the raw and explicit theme he has been on, because of the moody vibes the keys and kicks gave. How would he hum his lyrics into a singing note if it was not already going to be an emotional song?
BREAD & BREAKFAST; Riding on the fast tempo instrumental, Alpha Ojini gets hold of this track, as this has almost a similar subject with his old record 'Calm Down'. On BREAD & BREAKFAST, he explored thematically the typical trend of the Gen Z, whose notion of "no money, no love" or relationship broke his heart, and to keep his peace he needed to leave from the relationship. Here, he recalled his past experience in his previous relationship. The trumpet gave a soothing room for him to deliver his verse.
"Jonah's Room" shows a new side of Alpha Ojini — one his audience might grow to love. On this body of work, he is like a superhero with a new cape stretching his niche towards fresh territory. It marks a bold yet uneven comeback, proving his artistic restlessness but revealing a need for tighter cohesion. Whether listeners see it as a full return or an experiment remains the lingering question.
After the long break Ojini comes through with an Extended Play for his audience. Will the erotic lyrics filled in the EP allow it to be aired on the radio and television in and out of the country? What is your verdict? Is it a successful comeback?
Watch The Prelude: https://youtu.be/O72yJWW6FvI?si=q8VgYdc2PlZ6rP6S
Listen to Jonah's Room:
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