14-Year-Old Champz Drops Debut EP — Is Wizkid’s Son Destined for the Throne?
Champz: "Champion's Arrival" The EP Review
14-year-old Wizkid heir drops debut, but is it too early to call him champion? Is Wizkid's legacy stamped already?
Boluwatife 'Champion' Balogun, also known by his stage name 'Champz', is the first son of Ibrahim 'Wizkid' Balogun and his mother, Shola Ogudu Ayinde. As Wizkid's eldest child, following his father's legacy feels almost inevitable. This dream fuelled his passion for music at an early age as he curiously observed what his father does best — music. This inspiration shaped his artistic identity, leading to his debut Extended Play, "Champion's Arrival" — at just 14.
Clocking in at 12 minutes, the EP introduces Champz's vocal texture to the world. It features three producers: Lxcid (tracks 2 & 3), Hosana (track 5 and co-production on track 4 with Tnia), and Karnz (track 1). On "Champion Montana", Champz brings his reality into his lyrics, unfolding his life experiences over a UK grime beat. His wordplay stands out to illuminate the track.
On "Grind", Champz raps:
You do not wanna grind,
Don't grind
It is not by force
Here, Champz claps back at naysayers. And the hook—which reflects an actual moment in his come-up—resonates strongly with listeners, making it one of the fans' favourites.
The mood shifts as he introspects on "Superstar", mirroring Wizkid's debut album. On the first verse, he addresses the enormous expectations people want from him as a 14-year-old. A voice clip weaves in by the end of the first verse, adding emotional texture and serving as an interlude. Yet, his second verse reassures people of his determination.
Produced by Tnia & Hosana, "Champion Sound" brightens the atmosphere as it rides on an Amapiano and pop fusion. Champz applauds himself here. His charisma carries the cut through. His cadence leaves emotional marks — perhaps boosted by the fact he teased the snippet before release.
"Champiano" coined from a blend of 'Champz' and 'Amapiano', sees Champz struggling to maintain the elevated vibe, occasionally drifting offbeat. The track leans heavily on the hook which served as a refrain to keep the track afloat. It enjoys a minute interlude as it wraps the EP.
Across this EP, Champz's second verses are the weakest links — often disjointed, unplanned, and loosely structured. This inconsistency propels producers to extend the instrumental section for the entire cut. Despite being the son of one of Afrobeats’ most influential modern figures, "Champion's Arrival" EP lacks a professional refinement in terms of flow, uneven vocal compression, theme execution, instrumental selection, recording quality and overall rhythm. Several tracks might have been better kept as drafts to mark his growth over time.
Culturally, with this EP, he delves into the UK Grime scene and Afrobeats movement extensively, but this EP would have shone brighter had it leaned majorly on a trap instrumental and structure. With Wizkid proudly reposting and the EP shooting straight to #1 on Apple Music Nigeria within hours — making Champz the youngest artist ever to top the chart — this is undeniably a milestone. However, he has untapped talent and has shown potential; it is up to him to carve his own path. He has a solid foundation in Wizkid to lean on for professional exposure and lessons in terms of artistry in every sense. For a 14-year-old, there is always room to grow, experiment, refine and break boundaries in music-making and eventually become a champion.
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YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kjfxtUJHm0Gy98R6ft-u21W22nL9-orj0&si=hs1_A5YFjX6cDjxS
Audiomack: https://audiomack.com/champz/album/champions-arrival?share-user-id=23460906

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Nice piece, this young lad has a Great future ahead of him
ReplyDeleteWow! This is analysis is expository, thorough and critical.You make us enjoy every bit of the music.
ReplyDeleteWow 😳! This analysis is expository, thorough and critical.You make us enjoy every bit of the music.Thanks.
ReplyDelete