Rexxie’s “Big Time”: Many Cooks, Yet An Unspoiled Broth

Nigerian ace record producer and songwriter, Ezeh Chisom Faith, professionally known as Rexxie, is renowned for his collaboration with artistes such as Burna Boy, Naira Marley and Zlatan Ibile. He hails from Anambra, and remembers getting into beat production and music composition at the age of 16, beginning from the church where he played the piano. Making his own beats, he began assembling tracks for other Afrobeats artistes like Lil Kesh, Zlatan and Chinko Ekun.

In 2019, Rexxie started his own record label, Hitxlab, and released his first song FotiFoyin as a solo artiste, featuring Zlatan, Naira Marley and Teni. In 2021, after Burna Boy’s Twice as Tall won him a Grammy Award, Rexxie earned recognition for his contributions on the project and earned the right to brand himself as a Grammy-winning producer.

The album begins with the opening track, Asiko, which is chiefly powered by the outstanding vocals of Lojay, before moving on to the next track Call My Phone where the message is about lending a listening ear and helping hand to a damsel in distress. In this case of selfless love, Rexxie offers to be the dependable boyfriend, while musical duo, Ajebo Hustlers enter the mix with their verse rendered in street-wise Pidgin.

In Slow Whine, there’s not so much to muse over in lyrics, but the passion-driven, slow-paced rhythm peppered with mellow saxophone sounds leave a lasting romantic impression. Dinero, featuring Alpha P and Azanti, incorporates Amapiano as the song explores the theme of a materialistic lifestyle. With the song appearing to propagate the belief that with money, informally dubbed Dinero, you can win the average girl over to your side, the persona considers his affluence a unique selling point as he markets himself to the opposite sex.

Fallacy brings Afrobeats sensation Teni the Entertainer and legendary Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie together on the same hit, as they muse over love and its accompanying hassle. With Teni’s vocals being the focal point of the song, the rhythm moves at a relaxed pace that makes the tune suitable for bedtime reflection. Berri Tiga’s vibes on Taka Oshi are reminiscent of his 2022 sensation, Machala, in which he collaborated with social media influencer, Carter Efe.

Without ado, No More Condition, initially released as a single in 2022 not long after Abracadabra (arguably the jewel of the current project) hit the mainstream Afrobeats market, is one of the most cherished songs in Rexxie’s sophomore project. Featuring Marlian signee, Zinoleesky, whose vocal delivery flows from verse to chorus and back to verse again, the Amapiano-fuelled song gets the artiste feeling grateful to God for his boom. Referring to his sought-after sonic potentials, he croons, “No more condition/ Reason why they put me on every song/ Say they know I’ll send it up”.

When he initially became fascinated with the music industry, before a career kickoff, Rexxie had been dishonest about being a producer at first. He had to live up to the expectations and started learning the art, linking up with top producers, including Sarz, to gain knowledge. While developing himself as a beats producer and sound engineer, Rexxie wasn’t a studio rat. Instead, he became known as a mobile beats maker who would go to any apartment or hostel where he was needed at the time to make music. His fame became non-negotiable after he had connected with and made beats for Zlatan and his friends. In Rexxie’s current album, you see a reflection of his mobility and flexibility as a connoisseur of beats, experimenting with different sounds and artistes within and outside Afrobeats.

Lagos happens to be the place for the efflorescence of many entertainers, and the city is usually viewed as one with unending vibes. This cosmopolitan reality is briefly captured in the eighth track of the album Lagos as the Zanku producer has Nigerian act, L.A.X, and South African singers, Busiswa and Shashie, recruited for the hit. Perhaps Rexxie uses this medium to pay homage to the city in return for being his birthplace and for being kind to his dreams.

In Credit Score, Rexxie involves his Zanku kingpin Zlatan and British Afroswing musical group, NSG. Next comes Abracadabra, a standout hit off the album. Although both Naira Marley and Skiibii take turns on the song, the former’s ego seems to outshine the latter’s as he delivers free-spirited, street-conscious verses. In the remix of the song, which is the final track of this album, Wizkid hops on the first verse. But before that moment, there’s the penultimate track Again, featuring British-Congolese rapper Backroad Gee who leverages his hip-hop/drill style.

Through a running time of 36 minutes, the track list of Big Time segues from the cautiously optimistic aura of Asiko to the final upbeat tune. If the album was a sexual experience, with Abracadabra remix it would be a fulfilled, orgasmic one. That way, Rexxie would have acted out the metaphoric script of a making out session that climaxes in a romp.

Rating= 7/10