On Yaadman Kingsize, Yung L finds the winning formula. Make no mistake, none of Yung L’s previous projects are bad by any means. However, Yaadman Kingsize is near-perfect, and by far his best project yet.
Genre: Afro-Dancehall, Afrobeat, Soul
His first full-length project since Better Late Than Never (BLTN) released in 2017, Yung L makes it short and concise this time around. This is the first masterstroke on the album, with 11 songs running at 27 minutes, this is one of the shortest Nigerian albums in recent times.
The album opens with Yaadman, and Yung L could not have picked a better intro. With his braggadocio lines about his artistry, he brilliantly sets the tone for the album with this song. Miss Operator is a typical Yung L dancehall track, and is one for the ladies. Womanizer featuring Tiggs Da Author is a beautiful track, with Tiggs’ backup vocals having an amazing effect on the song. Puna is one for the “fuckboys”, “Na which kind puna we never see” is an interesting tagline.
Opp is one for the streets, and speaks to loyalty. “If you no be bro, you be opp” is a statement that might well become street lingo in no time. Yung L tapped up Seun Kuti for Rasta, and this is hands up the best track off the album. He sounds like the music son of Fela and Bob Marley on the song, and Seun Kuti’s saxophone notes added further magic to the song. Bwoy is a big movement in Nigerian dancehall music, as it sees Yung L and Shank on a track together for the first time. The chemistry on the song is smooth as expected, and one can see the potential of further projects.
Eve Bounce is one of the pre-released tracks on the album, and putting the star power of Wizkid on the album is the second masterstroke. On Cool & Ease, Yung L operates in his typical dancehall style, and is a good song for a smoke session. He taps into his socio-political side on Police & Thief. This is one of the best songs on the album, as he addresses issues like corruption, police brutality, even sparing a word for religious leaders. The album closes with Land of Light, and he enlists Abood Sammany Hajo and Rashid Omar. This is the third masterstroke, as he scores full points for intro and outro on the album.
Writer’s Thoughts:
Being a huge fan of the artiste, it is quite impressive to see him improve on the flaws which his debut album had, and deliver a beautiful sophomore. The collaborations were well thought-out, and the curation of the songs makes the album enjoyable. Yung L can be proud of himself, as this is a truly a kingsize album.
Standout Tracks: Rasta, Womanizer, Operator.
Rating: 8.5/10