Nigerian recording artist SAMAD returns with “Lagos,” a solo cut that keeps the spotlight squarely on the Ibadan-born rapper and singer.
The record runs just two minutes and fifteen seconds, so it moves fast instead of stretching into a long arrangement. That short runtime gives the song a direct shape. It also leaves the performance sitting right at the centre, because there is no room for filler.
It marks another step in SAMAD’s shift away from the rap freestyles that started his career. He has been building toward fuller releases since then. Earlier songs like “Lameda,” “Tomorrow” and “Hildabaci” already earned him a steady following, and that catalogue gives new listeners a place to start.
A version of “Lagos” also pairs him with Bella Shmurda, while a set of visuals for the track has been doing the rounds online. So the song now lives in two forms, and both keep the focus on the writing.
Brevity suits him here, yet it also raises a question about where he goes next.
What do you make of “Lagos”? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
