REVIEW: Deto Black – Yung Everything EP

After a first listen, it becomes obvious that the rapper is a blend of capitalism-produced, female-led, liberal Rap music that appeals to the tendency of the vocal modern woman to live free with success, sexual satisfaction and power and the post-rap blend of Alt-pop and Dancehall, premiered by Azealia Banks and Kah-Lo.

But at the root of Black’s music is the will to live free, be powerful and without the usual constraints that come with being a woman – especially a black woman, from Africa. The music also aligns with Gen Z ideals; a generation nurtured by liberal doctrines of social media/the internet, the fourth wave of feminism and women-led movements like MeToo and TimesUp.

Female stars in Nigerian Hip-Hop have been obscure to non-existent over the past 5-10 years, but acts like Black and sGawD can appeal to the sentiment of younger women. On her debut EP, Yung Everything, Black unrepentantly explores the topic of sexuality, obsessive braggadocio, wealth and class with picture-esque vulgarity that could make a listener produce mental bleeps.

Essentially, ‘Yung Everything’ is a call-to-feminine-power for young women. On the more Rap ‘Brag,’ Black raps that, “I’m too fly, I don’t need to try…” and on ‘G an G,’ she gladly sings about how beautiful she is and how these “n*ggas can’t afford [her].”

Her music isn’t about overt obsession with bars, it’s about the relatable messages she can pass to her target audience. Interestingly, those message also resonate because they connote power to women. A line line, “I don’t need no rich nigga, I need to be rich nigga…” will definitely stick with modern women, as they whine their waists to the Dancehall rhythms of ‘F.U.N.’

Her music is also an acquired taste, with a very niche/growing ‘cool kids’ audience. She’s the ‘cool kids’ version of Naira Marley’s ‘Coming,’ that more street-wise – Gen Z – women might be more inclined to enjoy.

Stylistically, she employs this sing-talk/rap-talk style that’s also employed by 2Mak and Chylde.

The Pop-Punk grounding of ‘Three5Zero’ and ‘G an G’ leans towards Hyperpop, a fastened version of pop that’s peculiar to acts like 100 Gecs and Cook. It’s a relatively new brand of music that’s been tearing through streaming platforms so hard that Spotify was forced to create a playlist for it.

That style is the software-aided, post-internet, avant-garde version of Azealia Bank’s Pop-Rap. However, ecords like the incredible Dancehall tune, ‘F.U.N’ and the ‘more Rap’ ‘Better,’ ‘2 Myself,’ ‘Brag’ and ‘Tesla’ are more methodical and familiar.

In a better country, Black’s music would have amassed a sizable internet-based following. But in Nigeria, this style is still a few years off genuine acceptance – if ever. Nonetheless, the music has little downsides and resonant records that could have been anthems in a more receptive society.

‘F.U.N’ was easily one of the tracks of the week.

Themes and Delivery: 1.5/2

Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.3/2