THE FLY EP

                                                               THE FLY EP

In an era where so-called beef is being flung about like a food fight in an abattoir, The Fly EP is a (desperately needed) breath of fresh air.

Producer Likwid Ice collaborates with Kwadjo Spiri, the MC, for this groundbreaking 5-track opus.

If you are a supporter of incoherent “mumble-rap” or rappers shooting off their mouths all the time about popping off imaginary guns or popping non-existent tags or ghost champagne bottles then I suggest you stop reading HERE.

I have nothing against them, I just couldn’t resist a dig, you dig? Obviously, there’s a healthy bit of braggadocio on this EP because…well, because it’s a part of hip-hop culture. On the whole though, Spiri delivers intelligent bars in Twi, Pidgin English and Queen’s English over reverb sample heavy Likwid Ice beats about history, wack rappers, haters, the God subject, love and spirituality. 

Medofo Pa (My Love)

On Track 1, Kwadjo Spiri ushers listeners into the EP gently by sombrely professing his love (hence the title,duh) and promising Heaven/“higher frequencies” to the apple of his eye, Obaa Nikita. He does it effortlessly over a sample of his legendary namesake Kwadwo Antwi’s classic reworked by the peerless Likwid Ice.

Spiri paints pictures with words so vividly you would think you had already met Nikita within 4 minutes and 18 seconds.

I mean, how often do you come across a spiritual, respectful, brown-skinned Gemini damsel who can cook a good soup, walks a mean walk, with a body of a “whore and personality like God”?

So convincing is Spiri’s game to the mysterious Nikita, that he playfully croons the words of Proverbs 18:22 – He who finds a wife, finds a good thing – although he remains spouseless.

Ogya (Fire)

Pure fire. There’s no attempt to channel Kwadwo Antwi on Ogya. Kwadjo Spiri hits the ground running with bar after untouchable bar over another (obviously) dope Likwid Ice production.

The latter samples the colossal Osibisa band’s tune by the same name and even throws in a dash of One Time (Nas) and turns out a solid, aggie hip hop track that Spiri comfortably laces with sick lyrics in Twi and English.

From the drum rolled start to the end, Spiri’s fiery delivery matches the brilliance of the beat which he co-produces. He kicks a beast of a freestyle over a broad range of subjects from spirituality and haters. The track is so well crafted that the only minor is that it could have been longer. Spiri’s ability is apparent. After a few listens, “if you are not seeing a god, you need binoculars”.

We Go Fly

 Spiri bemoans the rubbish on radio on Track 3 and refutes the underground rapper tag insisting all that is needed is to “fly”. It guest features FliPPA, a writer who describes himself as a cross between John Grisham and Chinua Achebe. Not many will disagree as he comes armed to the teeth with his A game. He also refers to himself as “God’s own publicist; no sacrilege” and possesses a timely delivery which complements Spiri’s flow as they trade bars. The latter obviously, not in the mood to be overawed by his co-star comes prepared. In one line crediting the altitude of his flow to his mountainous home region and subsequently claiming his flow is taller than your President. That line is solely responsible for the rather interesting yet brilliant outro on the track (go figure).

I am (Affirmations)

Likwid Ice the producer recommends a swirl of this track every morning like mouthwash. There are too many quotable quotes on “I am” and the reload value of this track is in the hundreds. Spiri looks in the mirror and reminds himself “of some medicine for the soul”. He is a “free spirit walking the earth, intelligence wrapped in a Black body, he is magnificence” on the mic. Kwadjo Spiri’s incorporation of Emile Coue’s famous phrase into a tune already bursting at the seams with memorable lines is an attestation of the broad subject spectrum of this MC.

Shot Him Down

Kwadjo Spiri takes the listener on a historical journey chronicling the lives of late great men who were torn down by their own people, regrettably. He talks of the demise of Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, Col. Muamar Guardafui and Yeshua Ben Yosef.

The storytelling is one that the aforementioned would have been proud of. Paradoxically Kwadjo Spiri’s  Achilles' heel, if I can call it that, lies on the surface of this profound track. His wordy flow is not his greatest over a typically challenging but solid Likwid Ice production. Perhaps it was the subject, but Spiri does not spray as easily as we have become accustomed to. Yet, the track still remains a firm favourite of a host of critics blessed enough to have heard this EP.

Bear in mind, Spiri records, mixes and masters all the tracks and you know that we are not dealing with a regular MC if that is not blatant enough yet. Over 5 tracks, Likwid Ice and Kwadjo Spiri combine to make an impressive debut collaboration EP that would make Obaa Nikita proud. She might even pop the question.

Check out the dopeness from here;

https://soundcloud.com/kwadjospiri/sets/the-fly-ep

https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/302909530