Jesse Jagz, Garba Galeya Abaga, is back again! Back from his odyssey with a new album called Odysseus. It is obvious that throughout his travels Jesse Jags has learned a lot musically as he returned with a brand new style that is more complex but still, so simple.
First things first, the album art is iconic and represents something, even more, deeper than what meets the eyes. Everyone knows that Jesse Jagz is a conscious artist who uses his voice to speak out for change and also to wake the mind of the youth up. The image used as the album art was the Sudan Christian mission who sent Rev John Boer to present day Taraba State, where he adopted the little girl in the picture, Lydia Abaga, mother to Jesse, Jude and Jason.
I know I sounded really excited since the beginning of this article but is it too much drama if this writer says Jesse Jagz WAY TOO LONG to come back?
Moving on to the tracks the style of beats and the lyrics of the man’s work.
Genesis:
The best thing about this song is the reoccurring background vocal humming in a fluid motion while Jesse spits bars made out of ice and fire in unison. This song makes sense on every level, the instruments fused in the beat, the voice notes, and the lyrics, “I flow with fire, clones retire.” Where he was talking about his “longevity” in the music industry, and looking back, Jesse Jags has come a long way.
It is a plus that Jesse Jagz also sang on this song. But the lyrics are eeerm…you don’t have to do the most so words can rhyme. IflowwithfirehotcharcoalburnslikedesirecainandabelIflowwithfire!
Dirty (Hot Ice)
Hot Ice freestyle before the beat drops is what we live for in hip-hop, the ability of an artist to do it acapella. “My DNA has Immaculate genes, that’s why I kill a track with a walk sixteen.”
The production of this song is immaculate in itself, the background vocals, the drums, the synths, everything. I like this thing Jesse Jagz does when he sings on a track, few rap artists are able to glide between singing and rapping.
WHY AM I JUST HEARING ABOUT HOT ICE?
The man’s bars are on fire, the man is on ghost mode at supernova speed. “And by the way, I can hear your heart beat like it’s Jagz producing.”
The features on this album gives testimony to Jagz genius.
Best in you:
If I say I do not like Jesse Jagz diversity I am lying. I do, I love it. I already said I like it when Jesse Jagz sings alongside his rapping but this song does it for me simply because he sang all through. The highlight of this track for me was when Jesse Jagz did a cover of LightHouse’s Ocean Drive to back up his hook. It brought back a lot of memories flooding down my cheek.
“Roll me a boat, gently down the stream, don’t you know about life is just a dream.”
I cannot tell if Jesse Jags is talking about the poem or rolling marijuana down the stream of consciousness. Bring out the best in you, have sex with you, sun shine on everything we do?
weird mix.
All right (feat style plus)
I have missed Style Plus since their Olufunmi days when every young man who was cool had a plait radio on his waist listening to Friday cruise control. Thank you Jesse Jagz for reminding us about what we have forgotten so much as a people, all the gems we have/had in our music industry but we refused to support as a people. The song is a series of heartfelt memories of the man and his lover, we all know how it goes. Give it a listen.
Wide and Blue:
The underlying sax! The underlying sax! The underlying sax! That is the sauce of the beat, it is quiet but like the pillar of the song, the source of me enjoying the song and vibing all the way through. Jagz is the best that ever did it, take my word for it. This use of what seems to be mellow Afrobeat and hip-hop, the background vocals are to die for too.
Fine n Clean (feat Cynthia Morgan)
The synergy between Jesse Jagz and Cynthia Morgan is one to die for, we at beatingbeats demand a joint album from them! Something for the culture, for the youth mandem to look up to. First reaction when Cynthia Morgan’s verse came on.
Awake:
By now I am thinking that I can never get enough of Jesse Jagz music, from Jagz of all trades to Royal Niger to Odysseus. Awake is that song you listen to on a long road trip to the East, or to J town, foot on the gas, the wind in your face and Jagz blasting.
Ghetto Youth (Feat. Melon, R 2 bees)
Ghetto Youth sounds like Sex and Scotch. Most of the beats actually but that’s okay, signature production, I guess. I like the features, the features were okay.
Rude boys Quarters:
This skit before the song starts is nothing but jokes and satire poking into the illnesses of the Nigerian society, no electricity. Every artist living in Nigeria has complained about the same thing see here.
I love the way Jesse Jagz sounds on this song, something like a vibe cartel vibe to pay homage to his Kingston Jamaican friendship. I love the beat of this song, it has a go-go vibe that gets you on your fit and shaking your body like Terry G.
Violation (Feat Burner Boy):
Do you know that thing Burna boy does where he goes on a long verse like Shabba Ranks but it is just the intro? Like Sean Paul did in “I am still in love with you” I love that sh*t. That thing is flames.
FirstthingsfirstnuffrespectothemandemdeyahthebackshsgshsbdhfjhbfcomeontingdemcallabrokenheartSayIknowitfromdestartmitellthemsayWARNINGWARNINGWARNING!
Burna boy is the hook king, he takes your hook, like Wizkid and it is flames. You have to also acknowledge the way Burna flowed on this song, he was in his zone, obviously, vibing to the beat and doing his raggamuffin swag thing.
I rate this album 6/10.
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