There’s something about jazz. Have you ever tried listening to it as you work? You should. But there are those, who need an extra touch of soul or some words, spoken words. Ah, you must have heard of our Nigerian spoken word. Blazing through mics in the tones of Daisy Odey, Efe Paul Azino, Bash Amuneni, Anselm Ngutsav, Dike Chukwumerije, Ene Odaba, Andrew Patience – to mention a very minute number – the words come in, punch line after punch line, leaving you in deep reflection…
Have you heard of REZthaPoet? He is a spoken word artiste. You might have caught him in any of the last 8 years performing at Freedomhall, Taruwa, Defunct GAP (in Abuja), ANA (in Abuja), Wordup, The Konscious Poetry lounge, Bespoke Poetry event, The Poetry Potter, The Anthill 2.0, Wordslam (Goethe Institute), W.A.P.I (British Council), Chill and Relax, Soul Nyt 2.0 and at some private events and occasions… Okay, maybe you have. Or not.
Till a few days ago, I hadn’t. But Seun Odukoya (whose birthday it was yesterday, whoop! Whoop!) introduced me to him, and his art. I wondered what could come of it. Really, what new thing? I got a feel of him, the album Ex-Posit Deluxe Edition. I struggled through a million events and heart matters to find space to listen more, which I did eventually. It was not something I was overtly used to but the jazz fusion that accompanied sharp rhymes and lyrics filtered into my ears.
Ex-Posit Deluxe Edition is REZthaPoet’s sophomore collection. It starts gently with some jazz that could have come in from the heart of the black American pots, where the real soft music is made. As you slowly listen to the 16 second introduction, you are eased into ‘Awoof’, where REZ’s voice comes in to seize the jazz and make it all Nigerian. He paints Nigerian situations that go ahead to show that the easy way out isn’t always the right way, ‘awoof dey run belle’ – cheap things have ends that can make you sigh in the end.
If you have any doubt of the native content of the entire album, then ‘Asake’ clears your doubt. If this was a literary analysis, one would say REZ was picking on a strong theme of postcolonialism to make everyone know, I might have been influenced by the West in some ways – as evidenced in the accompanying instrumentals and near rap tone – but I am tied to my roots and spit rhymes in Yoruba. Gbam! I couldn’t hear much of it because of the Yoruba but I am sure I would get some of my people – maybe Yemie, Topazo, Seun Odukoya, Aidee or Belle to pass the words. I was able to catch some things like ‘Stay by my side, baby…’ and other flows sha. REZ just wanted everyone to know that he can toast woman in Yoruba. You can learn part of it if you pay attention…
If you need some motivation, then there’s ‘The Future’ where REZ becomes the philosopher putting words in the right positions to talk to your heart and get you listening. The future… is you.
At the end of it all, one comes to a problem of whether to place REZ as a rapper and his collection as a fusion of rap or soul/jazz as against the spoken word that it is meant to be. But again, who says it cannot be all – rap, spoken word, soul and jazz? Whatever it is, this album is full of lyrics, rhythm and punch lines that serenade. It is a decent production with good finishing. Ex-Posit Deluxe Edition is officially up for release on the 25th July, 2016. It is worth listening to, especially if jazz and soul is your thing. Get it if you can and if you find any place where REZ is performing, find your way there. It would be worth your while.
Lest I forget…. PLEASE…
Buy ‘RezThaPoet’s Exposit album on the 25th of July at www.iamrezthapoet.com
Su'eddie in Life n' Literature 