FEW THOUGHTS ON REEKADO BANK’S ‘OFF THE RECORD’

Happy New Month, STARS!

Guess who’s back with another music review! I missed Juwon and this segment of Gelax Chatroom. Did you?

Now, let’s get into the (music) business!


A wave of controversy may have followed when he was announced as the Headies Next Rated back in 2015, inspiring that famous row between Olamide and Don Jazzy, but Ondo state born Reekado Banks has proven he deserved it with his consistency ever since then.

Coming off the trail of hit singles upon hit singles, the Easy crooner released his first body of work, a 7-track EP, three days ago. Titled ‘Off The Record’, the project is an assemblage of arts like EO, the UK based Kida Kudz, Tiwa Savage, AttiFaya, Mr Eazi and Harmonize.

The EP is quite explorative as Reekado experimented with different sounds, afroswing and afrobeat being the main jig.

‘Need More’ is an afroswing beat, and Kida Kudz brought his A-game to the track with his blazing bars.

In ‘Happy Yourself’, Reekado fused a bit of afro and ragga. The song itself is about living your life — one can bop to it with a roll of blunt in hand. Hehe.

The third track on the EP, ‘Rora’, has been previously released. The Tuti produced song remains one of Reekado’s best song till date, especially with the guitar solo at the end. Very mad shit, if you ask me.

‘Speak To Me’ is produced by Young John and he featured Tiwa Savage on this groovy track. This song is bound to be a banger in clubs all over Lagos. (If you can’t dance, hide your face).

‘You Dey Mad’ featured Attifay, and it is the song I least enjoyed on the EP. The EP would have done better without it, really.

In ‘People Dey’, Reekada talked about the unreliability of people. It was all about him speaking his mind. He featured Mr Eazi who talked about his grass to grace story, how he is what he is now despite how some people chenked him.

TY Mix produced the afro-makossa ‘Mama’, and he featured the Tanzanian artiste, Harmonize.

This EP is way above decent. A 9/10 if I dare rate it, and more than anything, it is a proof of Reekado’s talent.

Reekado Banks beams with lots of potential and I can only look forward to what he will serve us come 2021. Till then, I am so recommending ‘Off The Record’ to anyone who gives a shit about good music.


Have you listened to the EP? What are your thoughts? HIT or MISS?

Images: Twitter/ @ReekadoBanks
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Adeola Juwon

Adeola Juwon is a Nigerian Writer, Poet and Art Critic whose works have appeared on or forthcoming in Kalahari Review, Kreative Diadem, Lagos Review, EroGospel and elsewhere. He considers himself a connoisseur of African Music, and he adores the Oxford Comma.

3 thoughts on “FEW THOUGHTS ON REEKADO BANK’S ‘OFF THE RECORD’

  1. I’ve listened to the EP and I thought it was beautiful. I don’t have a favourite track on it yet but my top two are Happy Yourself and People Dey’

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