Blaqbonez, the Nigerian rapper and singer, recently appeared on Nandi Madida's show on Apple Music 1’s Africa Now Radio. During the episode, he discussed his new single “ACL,” his fourth studio album No Excuses, and the mindset that has influenced his career thus far.
He discussed the creation of a legacy according to his own standards,
maintaining authenticity in a trend-driven industry, and the challenges of
exceeding his own previous work.
“I’ve made three albums already, and it felt like I
had set a crazy standard,” he said. “With each album, I have to try to
outdo the other albums. I was like, I’m going to do everything in my power to
make sure I keep this standard.”
Blaqbonez states that the title
of his latest album, No Excuses, reflects the seriousness with which he
approaches his work and that this resolve influenced every aspect of the
recording process. “One day, I came across a book called No Excuses, and I
thought, this is precisely what I’ve been doing all along.
Creating the best thing that I can so that when I
put it out, I have no excuses, no regrets.”
The title ultimately sums up both his work ethic
and the attitude he brings to every release. “People are already calling it one
of my best projects,” he said. “That’s exactly why I put in all that work.”
If there’s one thing Blaqbonez doesn’t downplay,
it’s how proud he is of his discography. “It’s one of my proudest
accomplishments,” he told Madida. “The fact that I can always say, look at what
I did. And nobody can question it because each one is just amazing. And this
one just takes it to a different level. It’s four now, four certified crazy
albums. I’m so proud of myself.”
Speaking on
one of the standout tracks, “Everlasting Taker,” Blaqbonez said some of his
best work comes from moments that feel beyond his control. “Sometimes I feel
like I’m writing, but something else is writing through me,” he said.
When asked
about the themes that run through No Excuses, Blaqbonez said the album is built
from his everyday life. “It’s just me
living my life and telling the story of my life,” he explained. “If something
crazy happens today, I’ll tell you. If today’s a chill day and I’m emotional,
I’ll tell you. If somebody is billing me too much, I’ll tell you. So, that’s
just the themes of the album. It’s just my life and all the different things
that I go through on a daily basis.”
Beyond
lyrics, Blaqbonez says No Excuses is his proudest project sonically. He made
sure it sounded as global as his ambitions. “I didn’t cut any corners,” he
said. “I worked with the best producers”: Jae5, Blaze Beats, Tellz, Ramoney,
Ragee. “Sonically, I’m so proud to play this album anywhere because I know that
production-wise, this is crazy already.”
For him,
being different isn’t a gimmick; it’s the whole point. He ended the chat by
reflecting on what that means to him now. “I’m proud of who I am,” he said. “I
feel like I’m one of the few people who is not engineered, in a way. I’m still
myself…In everything I do, I want it to represent me in the way that I actually
am.”
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