If there was ever a separate duo of artists destined to make music together, as a result of their sonic compatibility—it is most definitely Show Dem Camp and The Cavemen.
On one hand, you have a legendary duo that have cemented their place in the country’s Hip-Hop hall of fame as one of the greatest to ever do it. With a discography, that boasts of five Clone Wars tapes with themes that traverse the length of sociopolitical commentary, relationship vices and philosophical musings at large. And then you have the Palmwine Music series that’s the more commercial leaning franchise, built on sonic ingredients of Highlife, visceral cultural percussion and rich poetry delivered in rapping cadences. It’s the latter part of Show Dem Camp’s discography that makes a Cavemen collaboration, sensible on so many levels.
Since 2020 and their debut album, Roots The Cavemen have established themselves as the industry’s foremost authority on Highlife and have excelled greatly in their niche space, that it was a prerequisite to have a Cavemen feature on your project as a mainstream act, few years back. Basically, Highlife unites both groups of artists and they are well aware of that fact and tap deep into the genre’s sonics for the album on this LP.
The resulting product is mood music that’s an acquired taste, even for this writer that listens to all sorts of music for a living. This variant of Highlife is in its unadulterated form and so fans of the Palmwine series that have come to love the pop/rap variant version of it might be in for a surprise here. As for the Cavemen fans, it’s more up their alley.
The resulting product is mood music that’s an acquired taste, even for this writer that listens to all sorts of music for a living. This variant of Highlife is in its unadulterated form and so fans of the Palmwine series that have come to love the pop/rap variant version of it might be in for a surprise here. As for the Cavemen fans, it’s more up their alley.
On the album’s Intro, a spoken word poetry performance by Horus Al Sagnia croons over a conjugal bliss of a variety of soothing instrumentation, from guitar chords to tepid piano notes and soft xylophone taps. The thematic standpoint is clear from the get-go, if it wasn’t any more obvious in the title. Lagos is a black hole, when it comes to genuine affection and intimate love. The eponymously titled second track builds on the same sentiment.
Ghost and Tec take turns rapping about the fickle nature of love, with the former offering the most profound sentiment likening love to “Wifi” that’s sensitive to proximity. Johni is closer to a pop-leaning record and unlike the preceding track, it’s more of a cautionary tale than one of sheer introspection. It’s crystal clear that the same emotions that make love such a powerful, profound thing also makes it a 2-edged sword, simultaneously—just as capable of hurting.
On Why things take a more positive turn and the artists implore the listeners to appreciate the little pleasures of life and find peace amidst all the chaos. The formulaic approach continue, with the Cavemen taking the chorus and the rap duo taking turns to elaborate on the song’s message. Despite the sentiment here being geared in a positive direction, there are underlying currents of exhaustion bubbling under the surface. As stars, they all have one vice or the other to contend with but everyday they pay the price and live with it.
The tempo is ramped up on Fall with lofty, live drums and soulful jazz horns laying the foundation for a line interpolation of the hymn “Blessed Assurance” in the chorus by the Cavemen and Show Dem Camp rapping about triumphing over their obstacles on the come up. Buga takes a similar route sonically, but it’s a braggadocious record with a more licentious, gyrating bounce that comes up during the rap verse.
OMFTR is this writer’s favorite track with the groovy beat suffused with shakers and log drums, minimally. What’s impressive is that the song doesn’t lose the overall identity of the project, despite it being Amapiano fusion. Obongjayar’s brief performance elevates the song to new heights, with his unique vocal texture and delivery that matches the pace and gallop of the beat. This is the most mainstream leaning record on the EP and one that has the most potential to become a moment.
The tempo returns back to a solemn, stripped back one on Blessings with the beats stripped away from the most part. Moelogo delivers the best hook on the chorus, by a guest artist on the EP. The song is one of gratitude, where all artists take turns in reflecting in the gravitas of the current moment and anchoring it all in praise to God. Train is rhythmic groovy, Afro-R&B at it’s best and is more geared towards the sonic affinity of a Palmwine record than one of the Cavemen, unlike most of the LP is. Like Moelogo on the previous track, Ruti shines the brightest on this song with her rich, sultry vocals and emotionally-charged delivery.
The curtains finally close on Sudden Day, where its Nsikak David’s turn to flex his own creative muscles and he takes up a huge chunk of the song—with his lively classical strings invoking the ideal ambience, before the drums and hi-hats get unpacked with Ghost’s and Tec’s voices. Like the opener, this song is prioritizing pathos and sonics over dense lyrical content and it’s a refreshing welcome to an album that is intentionally thematical.
No Love In Lagos is in no way a sonic follow-up to Show Dem Camp’s Palmwine Series, as it establishes it’s own distinct identity right from the bat and does something different. Going into this LP with that perception would definitely hinder you from enjoying this project for the unapologetically, brilliant Highlife fusion project it is. But if you can get past that, then you’re definitely in for a ride.
Final Verdict:
Sonic Cohesion & Unharried Transitions: 1.6/2
Expansive Production: 1.3/2
Songwriting: 1.6/2
Delivery: 1.5/2
Optimal Track Sequencing: 1.5/2
Total: 7.5/10
