Since his breakout, Mr Eazi has taken a place of prominence within the larger music industry for his ability to dictate trends without being limited to his experience as a Nigerian first, artist. Today, he takes a step further with what’s being pitched as his “debut” album, The Evil Genius, via his emPawa Africa imprint
Recorded between Ouidah and Cotonou, Benin; Kigali, Rwanda; Accra and Kokrobite, Ghana; Lagos, Nigeria; London; Los Angeles; and New York City, The Evil Genius features some of Mr Eazi’s most personal work, as he dives deeply into subjects like love, betrayal, loneliness, and family, expressed through three distinctive acts. Expanding upon Banku Music, Mr Eazi’s distinctive spin on contemporary Afropop, the project seamlessly pulls together an eclectic range of styles and influences across its 16 tracks, from Ghanaian highlife to grime to gospel, to create a pan-African masterpiece.
Features on the project include Angelique Kidjo (Benin), Efya (Ghana), Whoisakin (Nigeria), and three-time Grammy winners Soweto Gospel Choir (South Africa), who add a heavenly choral arrangement to the recent single, Exit.
Producers who contributed to The Evil Genius include Kel-P (Nigeria), Knucks (U.K.), Michael Brun (Haiti), Andre Vibez (Nigeria), Yung Willis (Nigeria), Nonso Amadi (Nigeria/Canada), KillBeatz (Ghana), M.O.G Beatz (Ghana), E Kelly (Nigeria), Type A (Nigeria), Stikmatik (U.K.), Phantom (Nigeria), Venna (U.K.), KDream (Nigeria) and Mr Eazi himself.
In a first-of-its-kind fusion of African music and art, Mr Eazi commissioned visual artists from across the continent to create a unique, physical art piece to represent each of the album’s 16 tracks. While traveling the continent completing the album, Mr Eazi personally handpicked 13 artists, representing eight African countries.
As the project rolls out, Mr Eazi is inviting the public to experience the music alongside the art at multi-sensory exhibition listening experiences. The exhibition debuted this month in Accra, Ghana before moving on to London, where it was featured as a special project at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair. Additional activations will be announced soon.
Visual artists who contributed to the The Evil Genius are: Alpha ODH (Nairobi, Kenya), Chinaza Nkemka (Lagos, Nigeria), Dominique Zinkpe (Cotonou, Benin), Edozie Anedu (Lagos, Nigeria), Elangwe Sesse (Cameroon), Ikechukwu Christian (Lagos, Nigeria), Kufa Makwavarara (Zimbabwe/South Africa), Patricorel (Cotonou, Benin), Samuel Tete-Katchan (Accra, Ghana), Sandra Seghir (Dakar, Senegal), Sinalo Ngcaba (Cape Town, South Africa), Tammy Sinclair (Abuja, Nigeria) and Tesprit (Lomé, Togo).
The art pieces and the stories behind them are also collected in a limited-edition, coffee-table book from Mr Eazi, coming soon.
For the album’s cover art, Mr Eazi collaborated with celebrated Nigerian stylist, designer and photographer Daniel Obasi, known for his work with Beyoncé and Louis Vuitton. Obasi shot, styled and designed the album’s cover image. “In a metaphysical and surrealist portrayal, the cover art draws from the composition and ideals of the Last Supper and David’s prayer of Psalm 23,” Obasi says. “Spirituality, love, confidence, betrayal and thanksgiving are themes.”