Supporters of Mavin Record’s Hip-Hop wonder; Poe know it’s been a long time coming for the Rapper who came in to the industry more than half a decade ago albeit with no sectioned out spot but with an established presence drawn from features, singles, affiliations and endorsements that kept him somewhat relevant all these years. A lot can be said about his artistry but one thing that sticks is just how he has gotten better with time and last week Friday, the multi faceted artiste showcased his growth in a 10 track project mirroring his existence titled Talk About Poe.
In this revealing body of work we find Poe navigating through a maze of life affirming situations and relishing in his own glory. The lyrically dense tracks are a sublime display of his endless bag of vocal, writing and vibe-shifting tricks. Beginning with the first track which is presented as an open window to a room that is the rest of the mixtape sectioned off by pillars of raw emotions and theories. A window that he opens with a narrative that serves as the key to his conscious and subconscious, strengthened by Metaphorical lyricism and abundant with witty rhymes and thought provoking allusions that he articulates in lucid vocals emptied in track after track.
Like the true storyteller he is, he abides by the mantra that ensures the solid foundation of every interesting story; ‘variety is the spice of life’ and he brings this mantra alive as he traverses through genres that will shake the fortitude of any random rapper, also proving that despite the amount of limitations that prevented him from sharing a tell all with his fans all these years, he isn’t restricted to ‘comfortable zones’ in music. He also navigates through a variety of subjects around which the individual themes of every track is centered. His lyricism is dynamic. His assists vary from Sir Dauda’s fuji inflections to Efya and Seyi Shay’s sultry pop spice to Funbi’s lulling crooning among others and finally, his samples are equally as eclectic. The entire body of work is an unexpected expectation, presenting the listener with surprise after surprise, with twist after turn.
As a variety of subjects collide over an outpour of rich percussion instrumentals, we’re made to appreciate who Poe has now become and from the stories told, we can understand the timeline of events that have led to this very moment. For Poe and his believers, this is a turning point, a preparation for an onslaught of projects.
The album is available for purchase and streaming on major services.