Black Magic (Yemi Alade album)

Black Magic is the third studio album by Nigerian singer Yemi Alade, released by Effyzzie Music Group on December 15, 2017.[1][2] A follow-up to her 2017 EP Mama Afrique, the album features guest appearances from Falz and Olamide.[3] Black Magic was made available for pre-order in November 2017.[4] Prior to disclosing the album's title, Alade posted the acronym BM on social media and wanted her fans to guess its meaning.[4] The album was produced by DJ Coublon, Vtek, Sarz, Krizbeatz, Young D, Sess, Fliptyce, IAmBeat, Philkeyz, 2Kriss and Echo.[5] It was supported by the previously released singles "Knack Am", "Single & Searching" and "Heart Robber". The album received generally negative reviews from music critics, who panned its lyrics and Alade's songwriting.

Black Magic
Standard edition cover artwork; deluxe edition cover artwork features a different image of Yemi Alade
Studio album by
Yemi Alade
ReleasedDecember 15, 2017 (2017-12-15)
Genre
Length63:00
LabelEffyzzie Music Group
Producer
Yemi Alade chronology
Mama Afrique
(2017)		 Black Magic
(2017)		 Woman of Steel
(2019)
Singles from Mama Africa
  1. "Knack Am"
    Released: August 18, 2017
  2. "Single & Searching"
    Released: November 3, 2017
  3. "Heart Robber"
    Released: November 3, 2017
  4. "Bum Bum"
    Released: March 13, 2018
  5. "Kpirim"
    Released: May 22, 2018

Composition

"Knack Am" is composed of melodious strings and exotic instruments.[6] The R&B track "Yaba Left" is named after the street lingo for Yaba's Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital.[6] "Mr Stamina" is a South African house record that explores a bit of Alade's sexual desires.[7] The Sess-produced track "Wonder Woman" mixes trap music with heavy basslines and a shortened TED speech.[8] The dance song "Kpirim" contains elements of Igbo highlife while "Bum Bum" features a percussion-heavy dancehall production.[7]

Singles

The DJ Coublon-produced track "Knack Am" was released on August 18, 2017, as the album's lead single.[9][6] It contains elements of Igbo highlife and features strings by Fiokee.[4] The Clarence Peters-directed music video for "Knack Am" was released on August 23, 2017.[10] It features lush colours, aesthetics, theatrical expressions and a variety of dance styles.[10] A snippet of the video was teased on Instagram a day before its official release.[10] Fisayo Okare of Native magazine said the song's narrative is incoherent with the part of the video that were choreographed by children between the ages of 4 and 6.[10]

The album's second "Single & Searching" was released on November 3, 2017.[11][6] The song features a rap verse by Falz, marking his third collaboration with Alade.[12] "Single & Searching" is a reversal of the duo's previous collaborative track "Marry Me".[12] The song portrays Falz as a single man attempting to lure his love interest under the pretext of being single.[12] The Clarence Peters-directed visuals for "Single & Searching" features a cameo appearance from Nigerian comedian Gloria Oloruntobi.[13] The video sheds light on married men who fail to provide for their wives, and showcases the pain women endure as a result of their husband's betrayal.[13]

The love track "Heart Robber" was also released on November 3, 2017, as the album's third single.[14][12] Musically, it is an Afrobeats song that contains a mid-tempo guitar riff and elements of Mariachi.[12] The visuals for the song was shot and directed by Clarence Peters.[15] The album's fourth single "Bum Bum" was released on March 13, 2018.[16] The accompanying visuals for "Bum Bum" features Afro-inspired styling and hip-hop apparel.[17] In the video, Alade is seen embracing dance and showing off her moves with backup dancers.[17] The album's fifth single "Kpirim" was released on May 23, 2018. The accompanying music video for the song was shot and directed by Bukola Jimoh.[18]

Critical reception

Black Magic received generally negative reviews from music critics. A writer for Pulse Nigeria gave the album 2.5 stars out of 5, criticizing Alade's songwriting skills and concluding that she needs to "unlearn her basic inclination to record music in the way that she currently does".[8] Wilfred Okiche of 360nobs considers Black Magic to be Alade's weakest record to date and said it "lacks the experimentation and ambitious drive of Mama Africa, as well as the hit making pose of King of Queens".[6] A writer for the website Music in Africa criticized Alade for "covering geographical ground without giving the music and lyrics as much consideration".[7]

Track listing
Black Magic – Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Single & Searching" (featuring Falz)
  • Yemi Eberechi Alade
  • Henry Enebeli
Young D3:39
2."You"AladeSarz4:01
3."Kpirim"AladePhilkeyz3:53
4."Mon La"AladeIAmBeat4:18
5."Bum Bum"AladeVtek3:39
6."Mr. Stamina"AladeIAmBeat3:43
7."Yaba Left"AladeFliptyce3:39
8."Wonder Woman"AladeSess3:58
9."Talku Talku"
  • Alade
  • Enebeli
Sess3:46
10."Heart Robber"
  • Alade
  • Enebeli
Krizbeatz3:46
11."Bread and Butter"AladePhilkeyz3:45
12."Sky Scrapper"AladeYoung D3:31
13."Jantoto" (featuring Olamide)
  • Alade
  • Olamide Adedeji
  • 2Kriss
  • Young D
3:59
14."Stronger"
  • Alade
  • Geniuzz
Echo3:34
Black Magic – Bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."Knack Am"
  • Alade
  • Klem
DJ Coublon3:34
Black Magic – Deluxe edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
16."Wiggle"Alade 3:38
17."Right Now" (featuring Kat DeLuna)
  • Alade
  • Kathleen Deluna
 3:31
18."Calé" (featuring Awilo Longomba)
  • Alade
  • Awilo Longomba
 3:38
19."Go Down"AladePhilkeyz3:45
Total length:63:00

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's back cover.[19]

  • Yemi Alade – primary artist, writing
  • Koribo Harrison – executive producer
  • Taiye Aliyu – executive producer
  • Henry Enebeli – writing (tracks 1, 9, 10)
  • Olamide Adedeji – featured artist, writing (track 13)
  • Geniuzz – writing (track 14)
  • Klem – writing (track 15)
  • Young D – production (tracks 1, 12, 13)
  • Sarz – production (track 2)
  • Philkeyz – production (tracks 3, 11, 19)
  • IAmBeat – production (tracks 4, 6)
  • Vtek – production, mastering (all tracks except 13)
  • Fliptyce – production (track 7)
  • Sess – production (tracks 8, 9)
  • Krizbeatz – production (track 10)
  • 2Kriss – production (track 13)
  • Echo – production (track 14)
  • DJ Coublon – production (track 15)
  • Fiokee – guitar (tracks 10, 13, 15)
  • Guitar Prince – guitar (track 4)
  • Olaitan Dada – mixing (all tracks except 13)
  • Swaps – mixing, mastering (track 13)

Release history
Region Date Version Format Label
Various December 15, 2017 Standard
Effyzzie Music Group
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References
  1. "Singer's "Black Magic" album to feature Olamide, Falz". Pulse Nigeria. November 21, 2017. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  2. "Black Magic by Yemi Alade". Apple Music. December 15, 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  3. "Yemi Alade's New Album 'Black Magic' Is Here". OkayAfrica. 2017-12-15. Archived from the original on 2020-02-18. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  4. Fisayo Okare (November 20, 2017). "Yemi Alade's Upcoming Third Studio Album "Black Magic" is now available for pre-order". Native. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  5. "Yemi Alade's Third Studio Album "Black Magic" is available now". BellaNaija. December 18, 2017. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  6. Wilfred Okiche (June 25, 2019). "Album Review: Black Magic- Yemi Alade". 360nobs. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  7. "Too little magic on Yemi Alade's Black Magic". Music in Africa. 10 April 2018. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  8. "Of all Yemi Alade's three albums, "Black Magic" has the least power". Pulse Nigeria. December 15, 2017. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  9. "Knack Am - Single by Yemi Alade". Apple Music. August 18, 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  10. Fisayo Okare (August 23, 2017). "Watch Yemi Alade's video for "Knack AM" off her Black Magic Album". Native. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  11. "Single & Searching (feat. Falz) - Single by Yemi Alade". Apple Music. November 3, 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  12. "Yemi Alade releases "Heart Robber" and goes "Single & Searching" with Falz". Native. November 7, 2017. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  13. "Watch the video for Yemi Alade and Falz's "Single & Searching" featuring viral sensation, Maraji". Native. November 10, 2017. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  14. "Heart Robber - Single by Yemi Alade". Apple Music. November 3, 2017.
  15. Maryam Bello (February 20, 2018). "Watch Yemi Alade's video for "Heart Robber"". Native. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  16. "Bum Bum by Yemi Alade". Apple Music. April 26, 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  17. Maryam Bello (March 13, 2018). "See Yemi Alade in colorful new video for "Bum Bum"". Native. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  18. Ehis Ohunyon (May 23, 2018). "Yemi Alade - Kpirim [Dance video] feat. Westsyde". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  19. "Yemi Alade releases Cover Art & Tracklist for Forthcoming Album "Black Magic"". BellaNaija. November 20, 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
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