On his third studio album, Mayorkun proves beyond reasonable doubt that his creative prime isn’t in rearview and he’s still got it.
Mayorkun is the one Davido protégé that made the most of the resources provided to him and whose artistry stood the test of time. It’s a testament to the ingenuity of his talent and the work he put in. His knack of utilizing witty puns and one-liners in his verses gave his music a distinct marker and over the years, he’s kept on pushing the needle with that formular. Of course, that sole quality isn’t enough for an artiste to be successful and it would be reductive to his work ethic to imply that, but it’s definitely played a major role nonetheless.
Now we’re here, nine years later since his breakout and there is no denying the fact that Still The Mayor is an impressive body of work. Releasing an album this good, this late in your career can never be a fluke occurrence or purple patch. It’s intentionality that is only possible through putting the work in.
Semzi has been on a roll lately and he’s back at the production helm of Keep On Rockin’ suffusing the song with a Jersey club derivative bounce and soulful sax horns. Mayorkun rides the beat and uses trademark witty lines like “Dada lori like Medusa” to indulge in self-appraisal antics that’s become a staple for album openers. The song is definitely one of the highlights of the LP and it works to a tee, especially because of the stellar chorus.
Innocent tows R&B territory and who better to recruit than Fireboy DML, the most renowned popstar at R&B fusion. He absolutely justifies his presence with a verse that holds his usual undertone of emotions, but it’s his back and forth with Mayorkun that really makes the song work. And kudos to Mayorkun for not ceding territory and letting himself be bodied on his own song, despite it not being the ideal sonic environment for him. However, the production of this song does it a disservice and doesn’t have enough drums to justify its afro essence or instrumentation to be a harmonizing backdrop for the vocal performances.
3:45 is Amapiano fusion without the usual bite of the log drums assault and it’s a refreshing contrast to what is dominant in the mainstream, although the drums eventually kick in. Mayorkun flatters the typecast beat with his impressive delivery, that emphasize the depth of his pockets, his benevolence and his willingness to indulge women in this lifestyle. It’s a good song and will most likely be pushed as a single later on but Rotimi is forgettable on it.
Fireboy makes a return on Diamonds, another R&B centric song but with a more classic, old-school twist in its structure and this time the minimalist nature of the beat is more befitting. Once again, it’s the back and forth between this two that makes this song work and it’s very evident why Fireboy is featured twice on this album, because it’s clear this duo enjoy making music together. Konko Below is made for the dance floor and licentious waist lines, that don’t stop gyrating until the beat stops. The narrative here doesn’t need to be strong and Mayorkun usurps the opportunity to gush about the sensuality of his woman.
Industry Girl is the album’s interlude but it works on a level that’s so technical and tongue-in-cheek, that you can’t help but chuckle a couple of times while listening. The featured rappers, alongside Mayorkun tell a tale as old as time, about a mutual love interest who is sexually liberal and keen on trading sexual pleasures for financial gain. Of course, the men feel played when they share their eerily similar experiences but it’s not ended on a bitter note, at least.
Blessings On Blessings is a let down, when you consider the caliber of songs that has resulted from an OBO and Mayorkun link up. The beat selection is mostly the problem, as both artistes do their best to match the high intensity that’s required but it’s just not territory that they exactly thrive in. The production is cut from the same sonic fabric of Rema’s HEHEHE and while that isn’t a great song either, Rema understood the best approach to the beat was to prioritize sticky, resonant lines over wordy ones that would need to be rushed through.
A song titled Reason 2 Japa has no business working the way it does on this LP, without sounding preachy or corny while highlighting the travails of the country—from the perspective of a popstar, who is mostly removed from the socio-economic turbulence. Mayor’s decision to keep it simple without delving too much into political commentary is what makes the song excel. Body is a beautiful, emotive record chronicling the stages of grief a person waddles through in the aftermaths of losing a love that’s precious. King Promise rises to the occasion and alongside Fireboy DML, is one of the best guest appearances that outshines Mayor on the LP. Despite being a pop song tinged with log drums, there is something despondent about the melody that speaks to the soul.
On Woman, Mayorkun is moving on and gearing up for the daunting task of another love journey. The sentiment hits harder coming right after a song where he was struggling with withdrawal symptoms of losing an old flame. Olivetheboy sets the pace on Would You? like Fireboy and King Promise did on their respective tracks and he does his best to rise the occasion, but Mayorkun is way too slick and smooth with his verse to be outdone.
Semzi returns on Jiggy to close out things on the production side, after opening it but this time it’s Mayorkun that carries the beat with a near-melodic rapping cadence. What’s brilliant about Mayorkun’s dynamism across this album is that even when he does rap, like he does on the album closer, he sounds like himself and deploys his deftly cheeky lines—without sounding like an Asake rip-off like most pop singers do when they attempt to do the same.
A strong case could be made for Mayorkun’s Still The Mayor being as good as his debut album and that’s very commendable. Now that he’s proven beyond reasonable doubt that he’s still in his creative peak, nine years deep—it’s time so sit back and reap the rewards of dropping an album, this good.
Final Verdict:
Sonic Cohesion & Transitions: 1.5/2
Expansive Production: 1.3/2
Songwriting: 1.5/2
Delivery: 1.5/2
Optimal Track Sequencing: 1.6/2
Total: 7.4/10
