Sleeping on YKB and his beautiful craft in the form of melodious music is something that should be considered a ‘national crime’. It’s not every day you come across an artist who is so gifted with being able to ace his genre, and seamlessly flow in it. It doesn’t matter if it’s his song or he’s a featured artist, YKB’s musical talent is most impeccable and indeed, a tune to grace one’s ears with.
For this writer, the love for Yusuf Oluwo’s artistry is how he’s able to carry himself and sway on beats, carefully infusing his vocals and ensuring there is the need for him to stay on track with how a record progresses. He is steep in his music, melodious in rhythms and most stunning in general, as an artist.
While it is subjective on how you perceive when and how the artist became a known figure in your mindset, from the drop of his confessional debut work, Before I Blow, YKB has become a cemented artist, that agree or not, is one of the most thoroughly distinct R&B artist in the Nigerian music scene.
Following baby steps, YKB’s growth and evolvement is most consecutive, growing with tides and unfolding like a cocoon for the ever ready listeners of Nigerian music.
It became undeniable when the artist dropped San Siro last year, on the conversation of how good YKB is with his songwriting skill and glamorous storytelling via notes and chords; if perhaps you never knew of the artist before that moment, the wide spread talks of San Siro, the crystal visuals as well as chants on his storytelling through music would have welcomed you to Yusuf’s music.
San Siro, gracefully captures the tale of love and the pursuit of love interest as well as the extent with which YKB can go for the sake of love (so he claims in the lyrics). Without the rhythm and melodic balance, you’ll perceive the song as a melty love note, only with the instruments as well as melodies, you’re immersed into good music as well as vocals.
San Siro is the definition of what an ideal love song should be— it doesn’t only melt your heart and act as a guidebook for a man to borrow stems of love lyrics for his partner, it equally has bouncy instrumentals which if you’re anti-love, you’re obligated to dance thanks to the log drums which are skilfully incorporated into the strings-filled music.
With a clearer view of his lyrics on this song, you’re perplexed with how he uses common phrases to make innuendos of love; phrases such as ‘bachelor’s degree’, ‘redeployment’, ‘NYSC’, and more, are strung together to imply love and the extent with which he loves his lady.
Recently releasing his new EP, Yusful Music, we’re taken for an even better spin to dissect various facets through YKB’s lens, telling us tales through each tracks— on love, his career as well as family.
my second offering to the world. my reality. my adventure. yusful music. out now.
— YKB (@ykbonly) May 5, 2023
creative direction by @niyiokeowo
link in my bio. i hope you enjoy. 🤞🏽🤎 pic.twitter.com/VaCV4AyaSk
The artist meanders between each track, exploring sounds and styles, yet finding balance in ensuring the smooth transition between each is as hard as an almond nut.
Through his songwriting, storytelling skills, YKB successfully captures relatability in each track, and at the same time, giving a groovy and unending feel of his EP.
You’re soaked in love from San Siro and the perplex between feeling jittery with love or dancing, to eventually giving when you hear, Komplete Riddim. In this song, drums are the most evident instruments, giving a tango feeling that screams ‘have fun, live life and dance!’. It portrays YKB as an artist who can soulfully make love songs as well as use the R&B genre as an infusion with other sound to create even, more sounds.
In the same boat are Pressure and Traffic, where the artist explores on deep introspective aspects of his life, such as his career, his walk through life, his need to be there for his loved ones as well his yearning for a peaceful living.
“nothing I want more than to make my people good/ nothing I want more than to spoil my alhaja/ nothing I want more than to live in peace and harmony”, Traffic lyrics reads.
Reflecting on how much pressure comes from being an artist with the struggle to eventually reach his apex, YKB speaks deeply in Pressure— where his lyrics reads on family, the cold heat of being torn between passion and responsibility. “For the money it’s pressure”, he says, in a slow and somber tone, gliding in the feel of his own personal experience. The song portrays a theme of vulnerability and honesty, where the artist opens up on the true state of his life as an artist.
The mastery of horns in Bo Card (Things I Need) is as vivid as a clear sky, which is the very sauce of this track. Singing on comparison between himself and the other guys on a lady’s case, YKB deftly tenders his resumé, citing how the other guys “can’t be like him” while also, stating how his love interest has all he needs. Here, his lyrics are poignant and thoughtful.
YKB is able to capture properly every ounce of emotion that exists in the mind of a youth in his EP, Yusful Music. The relatability slaps hard even when the project is a source of escapism from realities through the drowning into melodies concealed in the five tracks.
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