You can’t discuss legacy in Nigerian Hip-Hop, without mentioning Phyno. His success seeps into every meaningful conversation and his influence transcends the cultural zeitgest.
Phyno is one of the greatest rappers Nigeria has produced and his name deservedly comes up in any noteworthy Hip-Hop centric discourse. Greatest rap albums ever? His debut album, No Guts No Glory makes it into that list. Most significant influence on pop culture as an icon? He makes it into that list through era-defining moments like Alobam and Fada Fada. Greatest legacy as a rapper and trailblazer for his culture, as an indigenous rapper? He’s top 3 and not 3. He has paid his dues and whilst over the past half decade, he’s retreated into the shadows and taken a more godfather persona of co signing upcoming talents, with this album—he proves that he still has it and that the silence was intentional.
Over a Twitter/X space chat, Phyno told me that every album era of his was built on certain unique experiences. It’s these experiences that inspire him to make music and gives him something substantial to say. He never curates albums because he has to, he makes albums because he is inspired to. And it makes so much sense, because this album is one of the best 2024 has produced. Matter of fact, when you put into perspective and reality that a 12-year old veteran dropped a brilliant album in a year where the newly minted stars struggled to—it speaks to the truth in his words.
Full Time Job is probably Phyno’s best LP, since his debut. It’s a cohesive album experience built on the backdrop of core elements of Phyno’s artistry, by fusing genres like Highlife, swing and pop into a culturally driven Hip-Hop soundscape. The music is unmistakably Phyno’s and yet the sound still sounds as fresh as ever, and with the help of younger and budding new generation acts, it results in Phyno’s most accessible project yet.
On the same space chat, Phyno made a commentary on the Afrobeats to the world movement and how it has motivated people to reach into their cultural roots, so as to have something unique to sell to the world. This album is bursting to the seams with culture, as its very rich in Igbo heritage. Songs like Nwayo Nwayo, Men Don Show Face ft. Flavour, Sweet Karma ft. Johnny Drille and Anthem Ndi Eze are the brightest flagbearers of the culture. Nwayo Nwayo and Sweet Karma are the sweet, soulful Highlife fusion records with harmonious synths and visceral drums. Both are also love records celebrating love in the most heartfelt way.
Men Don Show Face ft. Flavour and Anthem Ndi Eze are more on the spectrum of braggadocious, hip-life records with the chest thumping and sweltering display of masculinity that’s synonymous with strong men of culture. These songs are so steeped into culture, that it’s image invoking and you can’t just help but picture the elegant party scene of men clad in resplendent native attires, spraying money and making jolly with more than enough bottles of palm wine to go round. What’s more impressive about these songs is how Phyno maintains his identity as a skillful rapper, even in pop and Highlife soundscapes. When he’s singing, he’s melodic rapping. When he’s rapping, he doesn’t let the groovy nature of the songs prevent him from going in hard.
It’s Nothing and Grateful are the most rap-leaning records, made for the core of Phyno’s fanbase who cherish his witty bars and dexterous flows. They both feature traditional boom-bap beats, incorporated with soulful vocal chops—on the part of Grateful, whilst It’s Nothing is a more self-assertive, confident record littered with eulogies that elevate the overall sentiment.
On the more mainstream rap and pop-fusion part of the album, we have Back Outside ft. Cheque, Deep ft. Fave, Time Of My Life ft. ArrDee, Trouble Maker, Do I and Pinterest. Back Outside and Time Of My Life are on the Amapiano-fusion side of things and whilst they’re decent songs with competent guest performances that make for good singles, they are nowhere near the best om the LP. Deep ft. Fave is one of the more vulnerable songs with an emotive delivery from Fave that just soaks you deep into the emotions and Phyno also understands the assignment, opting for rap verses that are more resonant than hard-hitting.
Trouble Maker and Do I are cut from the same sonic fabric and are almost the same song. In fact, this album could have done without the former as it lacks the punch the latter had, that was significant to bringing Phyno back into the mainstream. Pinterest ft. NSG is one of the album’s brightest patches, as swing and bashment influences come into play. This is ideal territory for NSG and they deliver the goodies, but Major Bangz’s effort on this beat must also be particularly commended because it’s a madness.
Eyes On Dem ft. Chip is probably the most digestible song on the LP with a very simplistic structure and delivery from Phyno that’s sang entirely in pidgin English. British rapper, Chip does his thing but it’s one of the more forgettable appearances on the LP as a whole. The same could be said for the song, whilst not exactly being a filler track per say, as it offers something unique sonically.
All in all, Phyno’s Full Time Job is a stellar album that displays purposeful evolution across board, whilst still retaining his sonic and cultural identity. It does have some fat in the form of 2 songs it could have done without, but that hardly puts a dent on the overall quality. It’s a huge compliment to Phyno that he can still deliver an album this brilliant, late into his career.
Final Verdict:
Sonic Cohesion & Unharried Transitions: 1.5/2
Expansive Production: 1.5/2
Songwriting: 1.8/2
Delivery: 1.7/2
Optimal Track Sequencing: 1.5/2
Total: 8.0/10
